Educators and Workforce
Hard Truths About Land Acknowledgments
Most of us are familiar with land acknowledgments, have heard them and have given them. As an Indigenous person, my feelings toward them, at this point, are mixed. I think, like all things racial justice, it’s an always-evolving conversation. I get the growing...
Beyond Fadeout: Why Preschool to Elementary School Alignment Matters
The news about the long-term benefits of preschool in recent years has been somewhat contradictory. Widely reported studies have suggested that gains in language, literacy, and math skills from preschool programs like Head Start appear to “fadeout” by third grade....
Podcast: Hadiyah Miller, Black Child Development PDX
In this week’s episode, host Rafael Otto speaks with Hadiyah Miller, president of the Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children (ORAEYC) and chairperson of Black Child Development PDX, about combating the expulsion and suspension of Black children in...
Parents and Teachers Weigh Quality vs. Safety in Pandemic
As Oregon educators prepare to open schools this fall, they are searching for ways to give their youngest students quality education while keeping them safe in a pandemic. That goal poses an enormous challenge if they physically open and an even bigger one if they...
Podcast: Tabatha Rosproy, First Early Childhood Educator Named National Teacher of the Year
In this week’s episode, host Rafael Otto speaks with Tabatha Rosproy, the first early childhood educator to be named National Teacher of the Year. Guest: Tabatha Rosproy, a 10-year veteran Kansas teacher, is the first early childhood educator to be named National...
Q&A with Karen Twain: Why I Believe in Early School Success
Karen Twain is the director of programs at Children’s Institute, overseeing our Early Works initiative in Yoncalla, Oregon and Southeast Portland, and CI’s newly launched Early School Success program. A career educator, Twain was most recently the assistant...
Podcast: Janice Lewis on Distance Learning for Preschoolers
In this week’s episode, host Rafael Otto talks with veteran teacher Janice Lewis about what it means to provide distance learning for preschoolers. Guest: Janice Lewis is a preschool teacher at Vose Elementary in the Beaverton School District. Background: Distance...
Homeless Student Liaison Provides Books, Meals, Stability
I’ve been really trying hard to keep in touch with my families, making 18-20 calls a day. I’m also a member of Altrusa International, which is a nonprofit organization focused on community service. One of the things we have is a program that provides books to...
Celebrating Good Neighbors
Erin Helgren is the Early Works Site Liason based in Yoncalla, Oregon Over the last few months, Yoncalla School District and Early Works have been working to prioritize an assets-based approach to community building and highlight districtwide innovations and...
Soobin Oh Discusses Anti-Bias Education in Early Childhood
In this week’s episode, we speak with Soobin Oh about the importance of anti-bias education in early childhood. Soobin Oh is the senior education advisor at Children’s Institute. He is a committed social justice educator and is well-versed in anti-bias education,...
