Nevin Van Manen on Community and Citizenship in Grants Pass

by Aditi Sharma | Nov 25, 2024 | Podcast

Summary

We visited Grants Pass, Oregon recently and spoke with Nevin Van Manen, the principal at Highland Elementary about school culture, and community, and what it means to be from Grants Pass, from Oregon, and from the United States. Special thanks to Adam Davis from Oregon Humanities for co-hosting this interview, and to the students and educators we’ve spoken with in Grants Pass who we’ve spoken with in recent months.

“Citizenship is how we treat one another. It’s how we are to each other, it’s how we help each other. Even if I don’t disagree, if you’re need of help, I’m going to help you. For some of our kids who struggle with all the horrible things that people are going through like poverty, the hope is can we break that cycle somehow… can we break the cycle of feeling like you’re just stuck in this.”

Children's Institute · Nevin Van Manen on Community and Citizenship in Grants Pass

More about The Early Link Podcast

The Early Link Podcast highlights national, regional, and local voices working in early childhood education and the nonprofit sector. The podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Rafael Otto, Children’s Institute’s director of communications.

Listen to more episodes of the Early Link Podcast here or stream on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Apple Podcasts.

Talking with Kids About Becoming

by Rafael Otto | Sep 20, 2024 | Podcast

Summary

This co-production, in partnership with The Detour at Oregon Humanities, is part of an ongoing series to elevate youth voice. What do kids think about identity and becoming? Tune in to find out!

In this episode, we asked young people at Slater Elementary School in Burns and Highland Elementary School in Grants Pass about how their schools, their towns, the state of Oregon, and the United States shape who they are. In the process, they told us about other places—other countries, states, towns, and schools—that have contributed to how they understand themselves and who they are becoming. You’ll also hear from a few school administrators and parents about how places inform our ideas about ourselves.

Thank you to everyone at Slater Elementary School and Highland Elementary School for welcoming us into their schools, especially the kids who shared their thoughts with us: Ripley, Jayden, Hazel, Sawyer, Stacy, Hanith, Harshine, Kegan, Cecil, Johnie, Kamden, Kellen, Penelope, Sawyer, Mikeal, Andi, Leiana, and Tucker.

Special thanks to Adam Davis and the production team at Oregon Humanities for their work on this episode!

Children's Institute · Talking with Kids about Becoming

More about The Early Link Podcast

The Early Link Podcast highlights national, regional, and local voices working in early childhood education and the nonprofit sector. The podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Rafael Otto, Children’s Institute’s director of communications.

Listen to more episodes of the Early Link Podcast here or stream on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Apple Podcasts.

Exploring the World of Sound with Hayes Greenfield

by Aditi Sharma | Aug 20, 2024 | Podcast

Summary

Can you imagine a world without sound? Can you imagine a classroom of young learners exploring sound to spark creativity, learning, and play? In this segment, host Rafael Otto talks with Hayes Greenfield, the founder of Creative Sound Play, a sound-based, generative learning system for preschool students and teachers. He is also an award-winning musician, film composer, and sound artist. He has been working with young people in many ways for the past 30 years, and that includes working as a teaching artist in public and private K-12 schools. He currently teaches at places like the National Head Start Association and the Global Childhood Academy.

“When we start to become sensitive and aware and invite sound in – all of a sudden sound becomes this incredible system that you can work with and engage children with because everybody can make sound.” – Hayes Greenfield

Tune in and share!

Children's Institute · Exploring the World of Sound with Hayes Greenfield

More about The Early Link Podcast

The Early Link Podcast highlights national, regional, and local voices working in early childhood education and the nonprofit sector. The podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Rafael Otto, Children’s Institute’s director of communications.

Listen to more episodes of the Early Link Podcast here or stream on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Apple Podcasts.

The Power of Inclusive Classrooms at Gilbert Creek Child Development Center

by Rafael Otto | Jul 22, 2024 | Podcast

Summary

In this episode, host Rafael Otto visits Grants Pass, Oregon, to talk with Shannon Bilbao and Susan Peck from Gilbert Creek Child Development Center. They discuss why inclusive classrooms are so valuable for the healthy development of all children and share examples of what they see in their classrooms.

“A benefit of an inclusive preschool is that children learn early about their friends needing more time to express their needs or how they can help. It becomes a natural part of their routine.” – Susan Peck

“Witnessing some of our children with disabilities interacting with their typically developing peers and just being part of the community, you realize they shouldn’t be as separate as it sometimes is. It is incredibly powerful to see them together forming friendships and their eyes lit up” – Shannon Bilbao.

They also discuss the growing needs among young children in the aftermath of COVID and two of the biggest obstacles to serving more children: appropriately trained staff and the physical space to serve children. A promising venture, however, with Highland Elementary aims to solve those two challenges with a new and growing partnership. Tune in and share!

Children's Institute · The Power of Inclusive Classrooms at Gilbert Creek Child Development Center

More about The Early Link Podcast

The Early Link Podcast highlights national, regional, and local voices working in early childhood education and the nonprofit sector. The podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Rafael Otto, Children’s Institute’s director of communications.

Listen to more episodes of the Early Link Podcast here or stream on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Apple Podcasts.