Towards the school you want to see: Plan, Act, Reflect, Repeat

Towards the school you want to see: Plan, Act, Reflect, Repeat

Author: Ethical Schools April 6, 2023 Duration: 35:28

We speak with Justin Cohen, whose work focuses on the intersections of education, race, privilege, and public policy. Cohen’s recent book is Change Agents: Transforming Schools From the Ground Up. He looks at ways a faculty can systematically improve its school. Knowing the community and having honest and difficult conversations about race are critical.

Overview

00:00-00:33 Intros

00:33-01:44 What Change Agents is about

01:44-03:55 Results-Oriented Cycles of Inquiry (ROCI)

03:55-04:31 School Organizing as a form of community organizing

04:31-10:25 Conversations about race

10:25-13:54 A fishbowl exercise about race that went wrong and what happened after that

13:54-16:46 Achieving early wins

16:46-19:39 What accountability can mean

19:39-23:06 Strategies for improving school-parent communication

23:06-24:05 Working on listening as a school

24:05-26:33 Improving existing schools vs. starting new ones

26:33-29:46 Urgent policy changes

29:46-31:11 Relevant Ethical Schools episodes

31:11- Outro

Transcript


Conversations about education often focus on test scores and curriculum, but there’s a deeper layer that truly shapes a student’s experience. Ethical Schools digs into that layer, exploring what it means to build a learning community grounded in integrity and care. Each week, hosts Amy and Jon sit down with educators and innovators who are actively reimagining schools. You’ll hear specific, grounded discussions about the practical work of creating environments where every student feels safe and respected. The dialogue frequently addresses how to support young people dealing with trauma, moving beyond theory to share actionable strategies that teachers are using right now. More than just problem-solving, this podcast highlights how to empower students themselves to become advocates and changemakers in their own communities. It’s a series that connects philosophy with daily practice, looking at the social and cultural structures within schools through a lens of ethics. For anyone invested in the future of education-whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or simply a concerned community member-this podcast offers a thoughtful and necessary perspective on the foundational values that make education meaningful.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 240

Ethical Schools
Podcast Episodes
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