EDTalksMN

EDTalks: Transforming Education For A Changing World by EDTalksMN

This EDTalk features Sandy Bolton Barrientos is community coach for the South High School debate team and member of the Minnesota Urban Debate League (MNUDL) community, where they focus on curriculum design. An abolitionist organizer in South Minneapolis, they are a studio trainer for REP MN, where they teach workshops that build networks of community crisis support, and co-founder of Futures Beyo...

This EDTalk features Coach, author and educator Larry McKenzie. Larry is the first coach to win four straight state titles in the 100-year history of Minnesota State Boys Basketball, and the first coach in Minnesota high school basketball history to lead two separate schools to multiple titles. But beyond the trophies and medals, Coach McKenzie has accomplished something even more impressive: coac...

Although Minnesota has started to move the needle on teacher diversity, we still have a very long way to go. Over the past few years, policymakers have created a variety of incentives to increase the numbers of teachers of color in our state—along with some changes to teacher preparation and licensure systems—but too many obstacles remain. This EDTalk features three education professionals who wil...

Despite the critical role educators play in shaping our young people, the teaching profession in the U.S. has been losing respect and admiration, with negative messages perpetuating an unflattering and incomplete image of a viable and impactful profession. Increasing teacher diversity is a critical component in the effort to elevate the teaching profession. This EDTalk features Dr. Rose Chu from E...

As a central player in Minneapolis’ vibrant and complex community, Minnneapolis Public Schools serves over 35,000 students each year and requires sufficient resources to create truly welcoming and safe spaces where all young people have the resources and support they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom and beyond graduation. Minneapolis Public Schools has balanced its budget for the pa...

In this EDTalk, Paula Cole discusses opportunities for educators and families to collaborate, advocate and ultimately hold school districts and legislators accountable for the wellbeing and academic success of young people. She argues that we need to change the narrative around parent engagement, particularly for lower-income and BIPOC families, and provide culturally relevant tools for all famili...

In this EDTalk, Rosie Lais and Natty B. Hels share information on new guides Great MN Schools developed to help families better understand what their kids should be learning each year in English language arts and math. They share what they have learned from beta testing with nine community organizations and over 250 Minneapolis families. Families who use the guides are better equipped to be learni...

In education, nonprofit and government spheres there is much discussion today about diversity, equity, and inclusion – but relatively few conversations that address disability or its intersections with race. In her EDTalk, Maren Christenson Hofer identifies how ableist ideas inform our educational systems and discusses the profound impact educational practices and policies have on students with di...

As a spoken word artist and educator, Frank Gardner has seen first-hand the power of young people who are harnessing artistic expression as a tool for social change, interpersonal reflection and community building. In his EDTalk he explores how young people are processing the tumultuous years of COVID quarantine and the murder of George Floyd through Spoken Word, poetry, theater, songwriting and a...

In celebration of our 10th anniversary season of EDTalks, Achieve presented this special event where five past EDTalks speakers gathered in conversation around our 2022-23 season theme, “What’s Next? Where does education go from here?" Speakers reflected on their past EDTalks topics in light of the present day: What has or has not changed? What are they more or less concerned about? How has the pa...

This EDTalks is titled “Teacher-Powered Schools: Sharing Power with Educators, Students and Families” Our featured speaker is Amy Junge. Amy is the director of Teacher Powered School at Education Evolving, a Minnesota-based nonprofit working to improve public education. Amy supports educator teams across the country through teacher-powered governance, collaborative leadership and autonomous school...

This EDTalks is titled “Supporting Our Educators in a Post-COVID World” Our featured speaker is Dr. Tim Brown. Dr. Brown is principal at the American Indian Magnet School in Saint Paul. A member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, Dr. Brown has spent 26 years working in Twin Cities public schools. He has also served on the board of regents for St. Mary’s University and taught courses at Augsburg Un...

EDTalks is a lively series of community conversations about public education and related issues that impact our young people. Each EDTalks features two compelling, short presentations by cutting-edge educators, youth advocates, students, artists or community leaders. EDTalks is supported by a generous grant from the Bush Foundation. This EDTalks is titled “Strategies for Rediscovering Our Common H...

EDTalks is a lively series of community conversations about public education and related issues that impact our young people. Each EDTalks features two compelling, short presentations by cutting-edge educators, youth advocates, students, artists or community leaders. EDTalks is supported by a generous grant from the Bush Foundation. This EDTalks is titled “Joy as Catalyst: Utilizing Healing Center...

In 2007, Dr. Jon Peterson began the long and long-awaited journey back to his homeland of Samoa to reconnect with his roots, his homeland, his family and himself. Through this process, he discovered what it means to both love and live leadership, both as an educator and as a human, and developed a theoretical model for Indigenous Leadership that can be applied to work in education and beyond. In h...

Presenters: Kyra, Jamya and Octivious, Young Leaders, St. Paul Youth Services’ YouthPowerMN Leadership Institute As a young person, if you were handed the mic, what would you say to the adults in your life? In their EDTalks, young leaders Kyra, Jamya and Octivious of the St. Paul Youth Services’ YouthPowerMN Leadership Institute will join us to describe their lived experiences with adults in educa...

Presenter: Walter Cortina, President and Co-founder, Bridgemakers By the time Bridgemakers co-founder and president Walter Cortina reached the age of 13, he had experienced poverty, trauma, homelessness, the murder of his best friend, and the deportation of both of his parents. In his EDTalks, Walter will draw on his personal and professional experience to speak to how schools, community leaders a...

Presenter: Jeannine Erickson, Writer's Room Manager, 826 MSP Jeannine Erickson from the arts education nonprofit 826 MSP discusses the importance of creating anti-racist and anti-oppressionist “third spaces” to support students in the classroom and other settings, such as the organization’s Writer’s Room at South High School. The creation of “third space” is rooted in abolitionist teaching practic...

Presenter: Hannah Planalp, Program Manager, Foster Advocates People who have experienced foster care face a unique set of education challenges for both K-12 and postsecondary school. Even though only 41% of Minnesota Fosters are able to graduate from high school, over 80% still want to go to college. For Fosters who are moving out of the child welfare system, postsecondary education is especially...

Almost every area of the human brain is required to engage in music-making. Student musicians do better in school, have higher attendance, graduation and test rates, and learn key 21st century workplace skills. It’s time to stop treating music education as optional and understand its critical importance in every child’s development, especially those from historically under-resourced communities. M...

Presenter: Laichia Vang, High School Student and Activist, Roseville Area High School Our cultural identity is strongly intertwined with our native language. So what happens when that language gets lost or diminished? High school activist Laichia Vang (she/they) is a native Hmong speaker who experienced the erasure of her native Hmong language while participating in English Language Learners (ELL)...

This EDTalks is titled “PSEO As a Bridge from High School to College” Our featured speaker is Maria Wright. Maria is director of dual enrollment at St. Cloud State University. Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) – also known as dual enrollment – provides an affordable way for high school students to experience college and earn college credit by completing courses at eligible postsecondary inst...

This EDTalks is titled “How PSEO is a Game-Changer for High School Students” Our featured speakers are Asiya Browne and Zeke Jackson. Asiya Browne is a sophomore at the University of Minnesota, where she’s studying sociology of law, criminology and deviance, and Asian and Middle Eastern studies with a focus in Arabic. She serves on the board of People for PSEO, where she works to connect more stud...

Presenter: Amal Karim, Impact Officer, The Constellation Fund | December 8, 2021 Philanthropy and education is a complicated mix that has a tremendous impact on education equity and access. More than a quarter of charitable giving by wealthy donors goes to education causes, from childhood to postsecondary, and education is very popular among all donors. As a Constellation Fund impact officer, Amal...