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    <title> IDRA Classnotes </title>
    <link>http://www.idra.org</link>
    <description>Listen to IDRA Podcasts</description>
    <language>en-us</language>

<category>Podcasts</category>
<pubDate> Fri, 15 Oct 2006 13:00:00 PDT  </pubDate>

<item>
      <title>“IDRA CN 107 – Creating a STEM Focused School Part 2” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 14 May 2012 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-107.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[(May 14, 2012) Does a teacher have to be a science whiz to be a leader in transforming a campus to be STEM focused? Apparently not. Meet Robert Dingenary, a ninth grade English teacher in a low-wealth, high minority school, who volunteered to lead a STEM club when no one else wanted to take it on. And with strong administrative support, his ninth-graders are building a model solar airplane. In this interview, Robert talks how he got this program started, the support he’s getting from the community and how his students have latched on. Robert is interviewed by Nilka Avilés, Ed.D. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 106 – Building Opportunity through Dual Language” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 30 April 2012 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-106.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[(April 30, 2012) Public schools have an obligation to provide an equitable and excellent education to students who speak a language other than English. Several decades of research and experience have shown that bilingual education is the best way to teach a student English while also teaching other subjects, like math and science. Dual language programs are a powerful type of bilingual education that serves English learners and English speakers with the goal of biliteracy. Adela Solís, Ph.D., discusses the growth of dual language programs across the country and important factors that must be in place. Adela is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 105 – Creating a STEM Focused School Part 1” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 13 April 2012 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-105.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((April 13, 2012) Once seen as the cradle of knowledge for scientists and engineers around the world, the United States has fallen behind other first world countries in science and technology education. Schools today face the challenge of preparing students in the STEM areas of science, technology, engineering and math. The challenge is even greater as minority, low-income and female student populations grow – students who schools have traditionally underserved. Rodolfo Andres Urby is one teacher who has seen a transformation. A high school physics teacher and robotics club coach at a high-poverty, high minority school, he shares the story of how his school is becoming STEM focused. Rodolfo is interviewed by Nilka Avilés, Ed.D. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 104 – Science for English Learners #1” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 30 March 2012 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-104.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((March 30, 2011) Learning the academic language of science can be tough for most students, but it is an even bigger challenge for students who are also learning English. Fortunately, teachers can structure their instruction in ways that support both the learning of science and the language of English in dynamic ways. Veronica Betancourt, M.A., an IDRA education associate, describes the first of seven research-based strategies IDRA has developed for delivering instruction differently for secondary students. The first strategy is: Building upon English learner language proficiency for effective science instruction. Veronica provides several examples for the classroom teacher that she has used in teacher training and mentoring. She is interviewed by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 103 – Data and Vocabulary in Math and Science” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 9 March 2012 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-103.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((March 9,  2012) In math and science both, students struggle with academic vocabulary, interpreting charts and graphs in different contexts, and transferring data. One likely issue is a tendency in instruction to isolate classroom activities to the point that students don’t experience the concepts in different contexts. Paula Johnson, M.A., and Veronica Betancourt, M.A., share examples of how teachers can be intentional about modeling and creating opportunities for students to use academic language in practice and transfer knowledge across the curriculum at all grade levels. Paula and Veronica are interviewed by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 102 – Fair Funding Now! for Excellent Schooling” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 February 2012 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-102.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((February 22, 2012) All across the country, states have cut funding for public education. In some cases, the cuts are due to the recession and reduced resources in those states overall. In other cases, inequitable and poorly structured education finance systems have led to insufficient funds for educating students. Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., and Laurie Posner, MPA, profile an IDRA initiative in Texas called Fair Funding Now! that is mobilizing statewide grassroots leadership to present the case for equitable, appropriate school funding and to develop local, regional and statewide strategies for securing equity for all children. They also describe some online tools the initiative is using that can serve as a model for groups in other states. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 101 – Advancing American Indian Education” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 13 February 2012 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-101.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((February 13, 2012) In December, the President issued an executive order on improving American Indian and Alaska Native educational opportunities in light of the fact that these students are dropping out of school at alarming rates, that the United States has not been successful in closing achievement gaps, and many native languages are close to extinction. Recently, a consortium of federally-funded technical assistance providers west of the Mississippi came together examine some of the state of Native Americans in schools and the implications of those realities on their work particularly to ensure staff development that is provided to schools serving American Indian students is culturally responsive and appropriate. Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, is joined by Veronica Betancourt, M.A., Kristin Grayson, M.Ed., and Paula Johnson, M.A., to share their reflections from the event key insights about providing technical assistance to improve education of American Indian students. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 100 – Expressions of Effective Parent and Community Engagement” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 January 2012 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-100.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((January 24, 2012) For this 100th episode of the Classnotes Podcast, we examine the powerful role community engagement has in the future of U.S. public schools. It is vital that communities and parents take action around what is needed to strengthen their neighborhood public schools, to own their schools, and face the challenges in the community to be part of the school’s improvement. Concurrently, we need educators to look at their behavior in how they engage citizens and parents in the education of their children. In this conversation, Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., (IDRA senior education associate); Linda Cantu, Ph.D., (director of IDRA’s Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program), Josie Cortez, M.A., (IDRA senior education associate); and Bradley Scott, Ph.D., (director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity) give examples of effective parent and community engagement. They also share important insights that lead to successful engagement. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 99 – Community PTAs Growing in South Texas” </title>
      <pubDate>Thu, 22 December 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-99.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((December 22, 2011) Meaningful family and community engagement is a critical element for strengthening schools. IDRA has transformed the traditional PTA organizational model into a more effective vehicle for parents who have been previously excluded or underserved. Our Community PTA model transforms that traditional model of volunteerism and fundraising to one of a mutual school-home partnership in support of children’s academic and social success. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., an IDRA senior education associate, describes how groups in three communities have formed their own community PTAs (or PTA Comunitarios) to transform education in their neighborhoods. He gives examples of their work advocating for equitable school funding, informing other parents about Texas’ relatively new graduation plans that track many students into low-quality courses, and meeting with school leaders about quality education for all students. Aurelio is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 98 – Teacher Perspectives of the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 14 November 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-98.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((November 14, 2011) It is not unusual to expect that teenagers who get the chance to become tutors are themselves highly successful, with top grades and awards. But IDRA’s Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program demonstrates that amazing things happen when the tutors are students who are struggling, students with low grades, with poor attendance and with a record of disciplinary actions. Meet Ludi Ortega, a middle school teacher, who works with a group of such students. She shares stories of the dramatic changes she has seen in her own students through the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program. Ludi is interviewed by Frances Guzmán, M.Ed., an IDRA education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 97 – Diversity in Education” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 31 October 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-97.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((October 31, 2011) Diversity in education isn’t actually a new thing. School populations and their communities have been shifting for several decades. Yet, things appear to be growing at a faster rate and some schools are needing to adjust for the first time. Anne Foster, executive director of Parents for Public Schools, describes how PPS is helping groups of parents as they work to improve their schools on behalf of all children rather than just for their own. She also speaks to the challenges of policies that discourage immigrant children from attending school when federal law forbids such policies and there is great value to communities when all children receive a high quality education. Anne is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center and a member of the PPS advisory board. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 96 – Engaging Parents through Powerful Coalition Building” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 11 October 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-96.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((October 11, 2011) Community engagement does not mean starting from scratch. Advocates in communities long have come together to tackle specific needs, like health, housing and development. José Medrano, of the START Center in South Texas, describes how, in the Texas Rio Grande Valley several such groups are working together to focus attention on education, particularly local dropout rates. The START Center (South Texas Adult Resource and Training Center) is a member of the Rio Grande Valley Equal Voice Network, which is composed of 10 community-based organizations funded by the Marguerite Casey Foundation. They are committed to creating a movement of social change through the civic engagement of the more than 25,000 people. José, who also chairs the education committee of the RGV Equal Voice Network, is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., IDRA senior education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 95 – Parents Modeling Math in Everyday Life” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 30 September 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-95.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((September 30, 2011) When children are learning to read, people generally see the many ways that families of all economic levels model literacy for their children in day-to-day life. But less recognized are the ways families model mathematical thinking at home, particularly math that goes beyond simple arithmetic. IDRA education associates Paula Martin Johnson, M.A., and Hector Bojorquez describe an activity they led with parents to help them see how they use higher math concepts regularly. They also outline questions families can ask to help children move from finding the right answer to using higher order thinking to determine why an answer may be right. Paula and Hector are interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 94 – Immigrant Children’s Rights to Attend Public Schools” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 13 September 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-94.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((September 13, 2011) In an atmosphere of heated debate about immigration policy across the country, the education of immigrant children can be threatened, sometimes quite mercilessly. But school officials are not deputies of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. IDRA’s director of policy, Albert Cortez, Ph.D., whose work has influenced landmark education litigation, clarifies that the education of undocumented students is guaranteed by the Plyler vs. Doe decision. He also reviews the certain procedures that must be followed when registering immigrant children in school to avoid violation of their civil rights. Albert is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 93 – Science Success for English Learners” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 26 August 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-93.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((August 26, 2011) At a time when we need more students to excel in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) areas, we are not seeing the dramatic improvement we need in achievement, particularly among English learners. While some are quick to conclude a lack of interest or motivation on the part of the students themselves, Veronica Betancourt, M.A., and Kristin Grayson, M.Ed., IDRA education associates, take a different view. For example, they have witnessed great improvements in science skills among secondary English learners by working with teachers to use a set of seven strategies for delivering instruction differently. In this episode, Veronica and Kristin give an overview of these seven strategies. A more detailed look at each will follow in the coming months. Veronica and Kristin are interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 92 – Parents Using Data to Improve Schools” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 9 August 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-92.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((August 9, 2011) Armed with actionable knowledge, parents are able to work with their schools to bring about positive change. As seen in IDRA’s Quality Schools Action Framework, a key element is having access to disaggregated data in ways that are meaningful and actionable. Anne Foster, executive director of Parents for Public Schools, describes how PPS is training parents to interpret data and to better understand how schools and school boards function. She gives several examples of transformations that have occurred as a result, like improving science achievement and dramatically improving graduation rates. Anne is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center and a member of the PPS advisory board. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 91 – A New Model for Community Engagement in Education” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 27 June 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-91.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((June 27, 2011) IDRA’s Quality Schools Action Framework emphasizes connections among schools and communities to secure success for all students. After decades of working with schools to integrate IDRA’s Family Leadership in Education Model, we added a twist. An innovative PTA Comunitario (Community PTA) was initiated two years ago in south Texas and is now multiplying. A second has been formally organized, and a third is in development. In this interview, four leaders of the nation’s first PTA Comunitario talk about their experience and passion for community engagement in education. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, interviews these four leaders: Eva Carranza, Emilia Vega, Angelica Nava and Carmen Vargas. The conversation was in Spanish. A summary in English is available online in the shownotes. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 90 – A Discussion about Diversity Training” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 31 May 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-90.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((May 31, 2011) Schools are more successful when they actively embrace the cultural and racial diversity of their communities. And with federal requirements to protect the civil rights of their students and employees, school sometimes need assistance, particularly when local populations change quickly. The U.S. network of equity assistance centers are often called upon to help schools and communities better understand what they need to be doing to ensure that all of their students have an equal opportunity for academic achievement. Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, describes how today’s diversity training – that helps schools take stock and learn how to prepare themselves and their students for a diverse world – is so far removed from yesterday’s typical surface-level sensitivity training. Bradley is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 89 – Parent Institutes for Education” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 May 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-89.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((May 20, 2011) For more than a decade, IDRA has been an innovator in holding conferences focused on parent engagement. They are completely bilingual. They are highly participatory. And they feature parents as the experts and leaders. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, gives a few highlights from IDRA’s recent Annual IDRA La Semana del Niño Parent Institute, where parents and school leaders shared stories and ideas about early childhood education, literacy in the home, bilingual/ESL instruction, dropout prevention, high school graduation requirements, and parent rights through Title I. Aurelio is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 88 – The Civil Rights Issue of Our Generation” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 29 April 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-88.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((April 29, 2011) There has never been a time in the history of education in this country in which equal opportunity has been a reality. It has never been the case that most minority students graduated from quality high schools or from any type of high school. In her keynote at the national conference by the U.S. Office for Civil Rights, IDRA President, Dr. María "Cuca" Robledo Montecel, states that we cannot meet the nation’s goals of educating American youngsters to compete in a global economy without closing the racial-ethnic gaps in high school graduation and college completion rates. She describes IDRA’s Quality Schools Action Framework that shows how we can transform schools into places of excellence and equity. She also provides examples of schools and communities that have done just that. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 87 – Higher Math for All” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 18 April 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-87.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((April 18, 2011) Mathematics literacy is essential for any child to be prepared for the future. Many understand that we cannot reserve higher math for a select few. Paula Martin Johnson, M.A., an IDRA education associate, says that in order to launch today’s student into the expanding digital generation, math curriculum must adopt a new format and method of delivery for instruction. In this podcast episode, she describes how to connect math to students’ reality and the importance of keeping them engaged in their learning. She expands on her article in the April 2011 issue of the IDRA Newsletter where she describes a preferred approach that pursues an enriching “inch wide, mile deep” philosophy, giving students with the needed time to be introduced to, process and apply new concepts. Paula interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 86 – Principal on Creating a College Going Culture” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 29 March 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-86.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((March 29, 2011) Often, the concept of college readiness has meant offering specific courses at the high school level and focusing on students who were likely to do well. Roland Toscano, M.S., a principal at East Central High School in San Antonio, says that while access to those courses is critical, that model has left many students behind. He describes how he and his staff saw transformation when underserved, underperforming students were given access to great teaching, excellent curriculum and strong support systems along with effective communication with parents, those students excelled beyond anyone’s expectations. With this learning, this high school has developed a college-going culture for all of its students rather than for a select few. Mr. Toscano is interviewed by Nilka Avilés, Ed.D., an IDRA senior education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 85 – Connecting Every Student to a Meaningful Future” </title>
      <pubDate>Thu, 10 March 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-84.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((March 10, 2011) In education, as in everything else, problem solving requires first a clear definition of the problem itself. One Texas superintendent examined his district’s dropout data and found an unexpected trend. Daniel King, Ph.D., superintendent of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo school district, describes steps he took to recover 12th grade dropouts and lead them to graduate not just with a diploma but also with college credit. He shares how his district has cut the number of dropouts by 85 percent and is well on its way to reaching its ambitious goal of having every student earning dual credit by the time they graduate. Dr. King is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 84 – Valuing Students and Children” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 25 February 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-84.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((February 25, 2011) Familiar questions have been buzzing around the latest release of PISA test results showing low rankings among U.S. students compared to those in other countries, along with the controversy surrounding Amy Chua’s book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Some are asking if we should be more stringent with our children both at home and at school. Linda Cantu, Ph.D., an IDRA senior education associate, presents an alternative approach based on the experience of the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program that has turned conventional thinking on its head. She describes how the valuing philosophy of the program works as well as how it has influenced her as a mother and classroom teacher. Linda is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 83 – Principal on Dramatic School Transformation” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 11 February 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-83.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((February 11, 2011) Start with a school that is failing and reshape it into a space where students excel and the community embraces. Dr. Lucious Brown, principal of John F. Kennedy Middle School in Atlanta, talks about how partnering in the community, engaging students and building teacher effectiveness has lead to dramatic school transformation. Dr. Brown is interviewed by Sulema Carreón-Sánchez, M.A., an IDRA senior education associate. The corresponding article is a new feature in the IDRA Newsletter, “Courageous Connections.” Send comments to podcast@idra.org.  Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 82 – Teacher Communities of Practice” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 January 2011 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-82.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((January 25, 2011) Research shows that providing intensive, content-rich and collegial learning opportunities for teachers can improve both teaching and student learning. IDRA has seen that when teachers come together as a community of practice to share questions, successes, lessons learned and to support each other, the teachers feel valued and renewed. And importantly, their students do better in school. Josie D. Cortez, M.A., an IDRA senior education associate, outlines four key elements that are critical to successful teacher communities of practice. Josie is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org.  Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 81 – Tool for Building Quality Schools” </title>
      <pubDate>Thu, 9 December 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-81.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((December 9, 2010) Across the country, people are looking for strategies to strengthen public education so that all students graduate ready for college and career. IDRA recently released a new book, Courage to Connect: A Quality Schools Action Framework, that shows how communities and schools can work together to be successful. IDRA senior education associates, Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., and Bradley Scott, Ph.D., talk about the book and how it is being used in different settings. Aurelio and Bradley are interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org.  Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 80 – Bilingual Stories for Young Learners” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 16 October 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-80.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((November 16, 2010) IDRA has developed a unique bilingual (Spanish/English) set of early childhood materials that is based on the art of storytelling. Semillitas de aprendizaje focuses on literacy development and has culturally-relevant materials for 3- and 4-year-old children. Dr. Juanita García, an IDRA education associate, and Dr. Nilka Avilés, an IDRA senior education associate, describe the first set of theme-based materials that is available, 10 big books, and how they’ve been used with teachers to align with Head Start competencies and Ellen Galinsky’s seven life skills every child needs. Juanita and Nilka are interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org.  Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 79 – Pitfalls and Promises of Interactive Science Notebooks” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 October 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-79.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((October 15, 2010) Assessments show that many students are not able to demonstrate application of science content. But teachers can use interactive notebooks to enhance their students’ interaction with the curriculum as they reflect and build academic knowledge. This strategy can be particularly powerful for English learners as they practice writing about science and sharing their learning with other students. Veronica Betancourt, M.A., an IDRA education associate and developer of IDRA’s Science Smart! model, discusses the power of interactive science notebooks in the classroom, how to integrate the strategy in the school, and ways administrators can support their success. Veronica is interviewed by and Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 78 – Learning Content Learning English” </title>
      <pubDate>Thu, 30 September 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-78.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((September 30, 2010) While content-area teachers focus their instruction in their subject area, like math, science, language arts, etc., students who are learning English may struggle with the academic language of the subject. But there are resources for teachers. Kristin Grayson, M.Ed., an IDRA education associate, says that the first step is to review the students’ assessments that indicate each student’s language proficiency level, and then instruction can be delivered in ways that actually benefit the entire class. English language proficiency standards are a valuable guide for teachers to plan lessons that engage English learners and increase achievement. Kristin is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 77 – Creating Dynamic Math Classrooms” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 8 September 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-77.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((September 8, 2010) Effective math instruction at the secondary level engages students to be active participants in their learning. As a result, students learn to transfer their knowledge to become powerful problem solvers. So what does a dynamic secondary classroom look like? Paula Johnson, M.A., IDRA’s new education associate and former high school math department coordinator, describes how the classroom environment, instructional strategies and use of technology can help students develop critical thinking skills while learning math content. Paula is interviewed by Laurie Posner, MPA, an IDRA education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 76 – The Power of Real Conversation” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 August 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-76.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((August 23, 2010) Parent and community involvement in schools has too often been led by so-called experts imparting their knowledge or even sometimes preaching at an audience. Other times, there is worry that talking in-depth about education in a particular school is either too complicated for non-educators or that the conversation will turn adversarial. This summer, IDRA held an event in the Rio Grande Valley that brought together more than 140 cross-sector education stakeholders, including families, community organization leaders, students, public school educators, foundation representatives and public officials. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, tells how participants at the ¡YA! Es Tiempo event demonstrated how people in different sectors of a community can come together to talk meaningfully about education and create strategies for improving their own neighborhood public schools to ensure all students graduate ready for college and career. Aurelio is interviewed by Laurie Posner, MPA, an IDRA education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 75 – College for All” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 3 August 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-75.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((August 3, 2010) Clearly, our nation needs many more students to attend college and graduate, but several things are getting in the way, particularly students who are minority or economically disadvantaged. Nilka Avilés, Ed.D., an IDRA senior education associate, tells us about her experience with an effort that built relationships between high schools and a local university to remove barriers of school-level low expectations, student academic preparation and college-level instruction. She describes the practical supports that were provided to the minority and low-income students and their families that led to their success. Nilka is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 74 – High School Youth Tekies on College Access” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 16 June 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-74.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((June 16, 2010) For many students, particularly students who are minority or economically disadvantaged, the dream of going to college is stymied by adults around them who deem them as not being “college material.” A group of high school students in San Antonio challenged that perception among hundreds of low-income, minority students, many of whom were low achieving in school. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, along with Hector Bojorquez, an IDRA education associate, interviews Youth Tekies Robert Adame, Bryan Alvarado, Joseph Cuellar and José Guevara about how they engaged with 600 of their peers to help them apply for college. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 73 – Supporting Parents of Preschoolers” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 May 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-73.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((May 25, 2010) Children begin learning at birth, and all children, regardless of income, ethnicity or parent education, need effective early learning experiences. The Texas IDRA PIRC is proud to be working with HIPPY in Texas to support families and their children’s learning. HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) is a three-year (90-week) parent involvement and school readiness program in which learning and play go hand-in-hand. It helps parents encourage their children to recognize shapes and colors, tell stories, follow directions, solve logical problems and acquire other school readiness skills. Frances Guzmán, M.Ed., an IDRA education associate, describes how HIPPY prepares young children for the classroom and strengthens connections between parents and their children’s school. Frances is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out the form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 72 – Parents as Leaders in Education” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 14 May 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-72.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((May 14, 2010) The fourth dimension of IDRA’s model for parent leadership in education focuses on parents as leaders and trainers of other parents. The innovation is that rather than expecting parents to be passive receivers of information from the school, they demonstrate their own expertise and value, share it with their peers and work together to advocate for all children in the school. Frances Guzmán, M.Ed., an IDRA education associate, shares examples of this parent leadership in action from IDRA’s recent Annual IDRA La Semana del Niño Parent Institute, where groups of parents from several school districts led sessions for each other on multiple education topics. Frances is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out the form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 71 – Learning and Mentoring with Teachers and Students” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 30 April 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-71.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((April 30, 2010) Professional learning communities give teachers the opportunity to come together as professionals to share what they are doing and improve as teachers. They give and receive support to each other as peers. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, describes how IDRA combined this process as part of a planned variation of the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program, a highly-successful dropout prevention program. Participating content teachers actively mentored three students weekly throughout the year. As a result, there was a transformation of adults and improved student achievement. Aurelio is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out the form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
    </item>

<item>
      <title>“IDRA CN 70 – Youth, Technology and College Access” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 12 April 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-69.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((April 12, 2010) Despite a number of initiatives, Hispanic and other minority low-income students are still far underrepresented among college students. And while most efforts focus on high-achieving high school students, IDRA has been tending to students who others had written-off as not college ready, whose assets are not being valued and consequently who do not enroll in higher education. Hector Bojorquez, an IDRA education associate, shares an inspiring story of a group of high school students took leadership in helping their peers access to college information through community technology centers in San Antonio. Hector is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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<item>
      <title>“IDRA CN 69 – Youth as Technology Bridges” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 29 March 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-69.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((March 29, 2010) The Internet has brought a deluge of education information to parents across the country. For the first time ever, parents have instant access to information that is vital to transforming public education. Yet, parents in “distressed” communities lack convenient access to technology and training to take advantage of available resources. Hector Bojorquez, an IDRA education associate, tells the story of how two youth groups in south Texas overcame these obstacles by providing leadership and technology expertise for parents and community members. Hector is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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<item>
      <title>“IDRA CN 68 – Implications of Inequitable School Funding” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 12 March 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-68.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((March 12, 2010) Clearly, providing excellent and equitable education requires some level of investment. Good schools need money to pay for school buildings, textbooks and instructional materials, teachers and administrators. And the data show that under-resourced schools tend to be less successful. Yet, our systems still have a hard time ensuring that all students have access to equitably funded schools. Encarnación Garza, Jr., assistant professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, shares his perspective of inequitable school funding as an issue of social justice through the eyes of a former school principal and superintendent. Encarnación is interviewed by Nilka Avilés, Ed.D., an IDRA senior education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 67 – Using Social Media to Build Better Schools” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 26 February 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-67.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((February 26, 2010) Communicating with parents and the community has always been an important part of school activities. But today, with a diversity of stakeholders and their busy day-to-day lives, effective communication can be a challenge. Laurie Posner, MPA, an IDRA education associate, and Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager, talk about how the dramatic growth of social media presents a great opportunity for schools and families to engage with each other in powerful ways and particularly to provide access to those who have been historically left out of school conversations. Laurie and Christie are interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 66 – What Parents Should Know about Their Schools” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 17 February 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-66.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((February 17, 2010) There are multiple ways parents can be involved with their child’s school to support academic achievement. The key is for schools to engage with parents and work collaboratively with them. IDRA senior education associate, Rogelio López del Bosque, Ed.D., lists four questions he asks parents to explore to move from the theoretical to the practical work of supporting their school’s teaching and learning. Dr. López is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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<item>
      <title>“IDRA CN 65 – Reflections on Bilingual Education Today and Beyond” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 29 January 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-65.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((January 29, 2010) Many schools across the country are facing the task of educating English language learners for the first time. For others this is not a new task, but one that needs dramatic improvement given the significant gaps in achievement between ELLs and non-ELLs. Decades of research and experience have demonstrated that the most effective way to teach English to children who speak another language is through an adequate bilingual program. Yet there is still confusion about what the term “bilingual education” means and what makes a program good. IDRA senior education associate, Adela Solís Ph.D., provides an overview of bilingual education and dual language programs and discusses what we need to be doing in the future to effectively serve English language learners. Adela is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
    </item>


<item>
      <title>“IDRA CN 64 – Latino and African-American Communities Leading School Reform” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 20 January 2010 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-64.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((January 20, 2010) Traditionally, parents and community members have been invited into their neighborhood public schools to cut construction paper and sign permission forms. But communities across the south have begun to take the lead in partnership with educators to improve their own schools. IDRA has developed a process for community-based issues roundtables to catalyze local action cross-sector dialogues between African American and Latino communities, using education as common ground for collaboration. Rosana Rodríguez, Ph.D., director of development at IDRA, and Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, discuss the next phase of this work, in which IDRA is developing an online launch kit to help communities take this process upon themselves, leverage what is underway, and expand the circle of support and leadership that began the action dialogue process. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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<item>
      <title>“IDRA CN 63 – Continuities with Lessons in Dropout Prevention” </title>
      <pubDate>Thu, 17 December 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-63.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((December 17, 2009) The area of dropout prevention and holding on to our students through to graduation is perhaps the biggest challenge in education facing our country today. IDRA’s 26 years of experience with the highly-successful Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program demonstrate the positive affects schools can have on students who were once expected to drop out. IDRA has recently released Continuities – Lessons for the Future of Education from the IDRA Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program that vividly captures seven key lessons for improving the quality of education for all students. IDRA president and CEO, María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D., describes how these lessons can serve as a guide and catalyst for future actions to transform education in this country. Dr. Montecel is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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<item>
      <title>“IDRA CN 62 – Counting Dropouts” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 November 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-62.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((November 24, 2009) Schools are consistently losing one-third of our high school students. IDRA has been releasing an attrition study for Texas each year for 24 years revealing trends that mirror the nation. Attrition rates are an indicator of a school’s holding power, or the ability to keep students enrolled in school and learning until they graduate. Roy L. Johnson, M.S., director of Support Services at IDRA and author of the study for a number of years, discusses why counting dropouts is important and how the data can be used to strengthen school holding power. Roy is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
    </item>


<item>
      <title>“IDRA CN 61 – Reflective Teaching” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 13 November 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-61.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((November 13, 2009) No matter how long a person has been teaching or how well-prepared he or she is, there is always room for improvement. And while keeping up with professional development training is critical, teachers also can improve their skills through reflection. Kristin Grayson, M.Ed., an IDRA education associate, describes her working in coaching teachers through the process of reflective teaching where teachers reflect on a particular lesson from the perspective of how well the students were engaged. Kristin is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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<item>
      <title>“IDRA CN 60 – School Accountability to Poor Families” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 16 October 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-60.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((October 16, 2009) Schools, particularly those that serve low-income students, are required to provide information to parents about the schools’ progress. The intent is for parents to be able to use this data to hold their schools accountable and to be in dialogue with each other and with educators about what areas in their school need more attention. As IDRA prepares to release its latest study of high school attrition in Texas, Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, talks about how parents can work together to hold their school accountable and to examine the big picture of how well their children’s school is doing for all students. Aurelio is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 59 – Professional Development for Secondary Math Teachers” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 29 September 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-59.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((September 29, 2009) Expertise in teaching math can mean many things, like knowing the content and pedagogy. It also means understanding how to teach your particular content to your specific students, such as English language learners. Staff development for teachers, then, needs to consider all of these types of teacher expertise. Jack Dieckmann, Ph.D., a former senior math education specialist at IDRA and current doctoral student at Stanford, discusses how teacher training needs to validate teacher experience and address multiple dimensions like content and language development. Jack is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 58 – The Teacher as a Culturally Proficient Coach” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 18 September 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-58.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((September 18, 2009) New teachers have a lot on their minds when they first walk in to their own classroom. Among their concerns involves building relationships with students and parents, particularly when the families’ cultures differ from their own. Peer mentoring by more experienced teachers in the school is a powerful way to support beginning teachers. Adela Solís, Ph.D., and IDRA senior education associate, describes IDRA’s unique model of training teacher mentors that incorporates principles of cultural proficiency with cognitive coaching. Adela is interviewed by Laurie Posner, MPA, an IDRA education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 57 – Helping Schools Address Issues of Race” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 25 August 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-57.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((August 24, 2009) Public schools are required under the Civil Rights Act to protect students from racial discrimination and harassment. School leaders also are responsible for ensuring that all of their students have an equal opportunity for academic achievement. Despite the progress our country has made, our schools continue to face issues of race. Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, describes the kinds of support that the federally-funded equity assistance centers provide to help school leaders and communities look at what’s going on and break down their particular situation into subsystems in order to improve schooling for their students. Dr. Scott is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 56 – The Family Friendly Principal” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 20 June 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-56.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((June 20, 2009) Family leadership in education is a key goal of schools, but often the focus of parent involvement work is on fundraising and free labor. IDRA has led many to understand that family engagement should instead bring families into the conversation of creating student success. IDRA senior education associate, Dr. Rogelio López del Bosque, discusses how he created a family friendly school during his recent five-year term as a high school principal in order to bring families into the conversation of creating a school that achieved success for all students. Dr. López is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 55 – Family Friendly at the School Door” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 9 June 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-55.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((June 9, 2009) School leaders are using various innovative methods to engage families and communities members, but if people feel unwelcome when they walk into the school, those great plans fail. Some schools are beginning to look at business models of customer service to garner community support for students. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, talks about his customer service training with a school district that began by validating all staff positions as important to the success of students and extended to staff members building ways to support each other in actively welcoming families and communities. Aurelio is interviewed by Laurie Posner, MPA, an IDRA education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 54 – Student Voices on Being Valued” </title>
      <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-54.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((May 13, 2009) It’s one thing to have evaluation data showing a school program is working, like the 98 percent success rate of IDRA’s Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program. But the success is even more dramatic when you hear the students in their own words describe how their lives have changed. Following a national essay contest among tutors in the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program, Linda Cantu, Ph.D., director of this dropout prevention program, shares examples of student’s stories of how the program helped them do better in school and how they had helped their tutees to do better. In addition, the grand prize winner, Gabriella Guajardo, reads her own winning essay. Linda is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 53 – School Change Strategies” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-53.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((April 27, 2009) Making changes schools of course requires looking at the fundamentals and elements that need shoring up in each community in order to ensure all students are successful. So the next question to ask is how do we make change happen? In the third of a set of podcast episodes on this topic, IDRA president and CEO, María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D., describes how IDRA’s Quality School Action Framework indentifies three strategies for changing schools: capacity of the community to influence schools, building coalitions, and building the capacity of the schools themselves. Dr. Montecel is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 52 – Fundamentals for School Change” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 7 Apr 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-52.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((April 7, 2009) Research tells us that certain things must be in place for schools to be successful. These elements are parent and community engagement, engagement of students, quality teaching, and curriculum quality. IDRA’s Quality School Action Framework shows how communities and schools can work together to identify where these elements are weak and strengthen their schools’ capacities to improve their holding power. In order for these to elements to be strong, it is essential that the foundations be in place as well: governance efficacy and funding equity. In the second of a set of podcast episodes on this topic, IDRA president and CEO, María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D., describes the two school change fundamentals of governance efficacy and funding equity in the Quality School Action Framework that are required for school success. Dr. Montecel is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 51 – Student Engagement and the Language of the Mathematics Class” </title>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-51.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((March 26, 2009) Effective math secondary teachers use words, visual display and gestures to help their students understand symbols and terminology. Just as hypercorrecting toddlers when they say “two foots” can slow language development, hypercorrecting students when they don’t use the precise terminology can hinder their math development. Jack Dieckmann, M.A., a former senior math education specialist at IDRA and current doctoral student at Stanford, describes the importance of using the language of the student and allowing for messy talk to help their students make meaning of math concepts. Jack is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 50 – Busting Myths About Children of Poverty” </title>
      <pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-50.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((March 12, 2009) As education gaps continue between low-income students and their peers, many school leaders have been looking for effective ways to close the gap. Unfortunately, some buy into myths about children of poverty and their ability to learn that lead to lower expectations inappropriate teaching. In this 50th episode of the Classnotes Podcast, Bradley Scott, Ph.D., and Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., discuss these myths, how they fail to recognize the strengths that students bring and how they lead to inequitable and unsuccessful education. Bradley directs the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, and Aurelio directs the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 49 – The Civil Rights Impact of Response to Intervention” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-49.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((February 27, 2009) Schools across the country are examining how they will implement the Response to Intervention (RTI) frame that is intended to provide early assistance to children who are having difficulty learning. While RTI holds much promise, IDRA and others have pointed to its civil rights implications cautioning school leaders to protect children who, for example, may be misplaced into special education programs simply because they are minority or linguistically different. Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, describes 11 equity conditions the national network of equity assistance centers believe must be in place for RTI to be successful. Bradley is interviewed by Rogelio López del Bosque, Ed.D., an senior education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 47 – Building Critical Thought through Children’s Literature” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 2 Feb 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-47.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((February 2, 2009) Children’s literature can capture children’s hearts, making their encounters with reading fun and instructive. In addition to building literacy, teachers can use children’s literature to inspire both critical thought and creative thought in their students. Dr. Juanita García, an education associate at IDRA, describes how she uses children’s literature to encourage students to read deeply, analyze, question and make associations with the stories. Juanita is is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D. director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 46 – Broadening the Conversation with Parents about Mathematics” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-46.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((January 16, 2009) Engaging parents about their children’s math education is not about teaching them how to do math or about teaching teachers how to teach math. It’s about having a conversation around the context in the classroom and about developing parity in the relationship between teachers and parents in order to better support student learning. Jack Dieckmann, M.A., a former senior math education specialist at IDRA and current doctoral student at Stanford under Dr. Linda Darling Hammond, how teachers can converse with parents as peers even though they may have no knowledge of math instruction. Jack is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 45 – What Students Need their School Counselors to Hear” </title>
      <pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-45.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((December 18, 2008) School counselors are in a unique position to support high school students in navigating the process to get into college. Yet particularly for students in high-minority, under-resourced schools, many things unnecessarily get in the way. Josie Danini Cortez, M.A., an IDRA senior education associate, highlights findings from IDRA research about what students need from their school counselors to help them get into and pay for college. Josie is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 44 – Beyond the Worksheet in the Science Classroom” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-44.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((November 21, 2008) What happens in the classroom powerfully impacts students’ perceptions of science. When worksheets are the order of the day, every day, students are likely to miss out on the joy of discovery, problem solving and critical thinking that science activities can bring. Veronica Betancourt, M.A., an IDRA education associate and developer of IDRA’s Science Smart! model, describes the purposes of using worksheets in the classrooms and engaging alternatives to their overuse. Veronica is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 43 – Families and Teachers Communicating” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 7 Nov 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-43.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((November 7, 2008) Engaging families typically is a difficult task for high schools. But it can be done. The school principal is in a crucial role to lead staff to embrace the foundational beliefs that all children can learn and that every student is valuable and to make these cornerstones in the instructional philosophy. After recently serving as a high school principal for five years, Dr. Rogelio López del Bosque shares how he created a culture of engagement among teachers and parents that welcomed and even expected dialog for student success. Dr. López, now an IDRA senior education associate, is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 42 – Action for School Change” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-42.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((October 21, 2008) With schools losing one-third of their students on average, dropout prevention programs, even the most effective ones, cannot solve the persistent large scale problem we face. Schools as systems themselves must change to increase their ability to engage and educate students through to graduation. IDRA’s Quality School Action Framework shows how communities and schools can work together to identify weak areas and strengthen public schools’ capacities to improve the holding power of schools. In the first of a set of podcast episodes on this topic, IDRA president and CEO, María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D., describes the four elements in the Quality School Action Framework that must be in place for schools to be successful. Dr. Montecel is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 41 – College Access for Low Income and Minority Students” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 14 Sep 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-41.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((October 14, 2008) The promise of access to college and to educational technology has not been fulfilled for low-income minority students, particularly first-generation college students and their families. Nationally, children in low-income families are 32 percent less likely to attend college than those in families with higher incomes. Yet the fastest growing professions will require college education. Many families do not have access to information about colleges, how they operate, what is needed to apply and how to obtain financial aid. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, gives examples of how K-12 schools can actively support college access for their students. Aurelio is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 40 – Fostering Student Questions” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-40.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((September 15, 2008) The most important questions of all are those asked by students as they try to make sense out of data and information. Enabling students to generate their own content questions increases engagement, improves learning, and can result in purposeful involvement with the content. Yes most of the questions in school are asked by teachers at a rate of one question every two to three seconds. Dr. Juanita García, an education associate at IDRA, discusses ways to foster student questions and describes a specific group memory strategy teachers can use right away. Juanita is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D. director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 39 – Supporting First Year Teachers” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 2 Sep 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-39.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((September 2, 2008) Becoming a good teacher is a process that requires years of experience and commitment. But from the first day in the classroom, new teachers are expected to assume the same job responsibilities as teachers who have taught for 20 years. And most face this task with little assistance or guidance during their first year of teaching. As we open a new school year, Dr. Adela Solís, an IDRA senior education association, gives practical examples of things schools can do to support their new teachers and some strategies for new teachers during their first days with their students. Adela is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D. director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 38 – Effective Parent Outreach” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-38.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((July 23, 2008) School outreach workers often find themselves struggling to get parents to come to the school for meetings regardless of the numbers of fliers they send out. But there is a more powerful way to outreach to parents that involves direct personal contact with families in order to build a network of parent leaders. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, describes this new model and how it can transform the school-parent connection. Aurelio is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 37 – Gender Equity at 36” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 9 Jul 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-37.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((July 9, 2008) The summer marks the 36th anniversary of Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination against students and employees in public schools. While we have clearly come a long way in the last 36 years, some issues remain and new ones have emerged. Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, discusses where we are now in terms of the advancement of girls as well as gender equity challenges affecting boys today and what the school’s responsibility is under the law. Bradley is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 36 – Transformational Teaching in Math” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-36.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((June 18, 2008) Clearly much of our math instruction is not producing the results we need. Things need to change. But change does not have to mean throwing out everything we know. It does not mean focusing on fixing problems. Kathryn Brown, an IDRA education associate and developer of IDRA’s Math Smart! model, describes how teachers are building on what they know to transform their teaching to better guide and empower student mathematical thinking. She says teachers with the active support of administrators can look at the beauty of the progression of their teaching so that all students have access. Kathy is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 35 – Communities Using Data to Improve their Schools” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 3 Jun 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-35.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((June 3, 2008) With schools losing one-third to one-half of their students, schools and communities around the country are looking to new ways to understand the obstacles to school success and to work together to address them. Gathering quality information is a first step. To meet this need, IDRA has developed a prototype school holding power portal that places accurate, high quality information in the hands of people at the leading edge of systems change. Anna Alicia Romero and Hector Bojorquez describe components of this portal, challenges families and others face in accessing useful data, and how communities are using IDRA’s School Holding Power Portal. Anna Alicia and Hector are interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 34 – Teaching Opportunities through Discovery in Science” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 19 May 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-34.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((May 19, 2008) Teachers actually can strengthen science learning by not giving students the answers. Discovery learning supports and promotes an inquiry-based learning method where children explore questions about the natural world they create using their own knowledge and experience. Veronica Betancourt, M.A., an IDRA education associate and developer of IDRA’s Science Smart! model, discusses how letting students of all ages facilitate their own learning through discovery to make science more meaningful to them. Veronica is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 33 – Student and Parent Math Conversations” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 29 April 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-33.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((April 29, 2008) Students in a large, urban high school came together to survey other students about their math learning at their school. After analyzing the results, this group of low-income, Hispanic students presented the results to parents, teachers and school administrators. As a result, students, parents and educators are taking action together to improve the math instruction at their school, which has not been meeting AYP. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, shares how students who have not been succeeding in math have opened a powerful collaborative dialog with parents and educators. Aurelio is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 32 – Early Literacy Development for English Language Learners” </title>
      <pubDate>Thu, 17 April 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-32.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((April 17, 2008) Teachers have been teaching children to read throughout history. But 10 years ago, the National Reading Panel outlined the essential components of reading instruction: alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, oral language and vocabulary development, and print awareness. José L. Rodríguez, M.A., an early childhood expert at IDRA, describes these components and how they relate to young English language learners. José is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 31 – Latino Parent Engagement in High School Math” </title>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 March 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-31.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((April 3, 2008) A group of parents were deeply concerned about the math curriculum and instruction at their children’s Texas high school, which was not meeting AYP. They decided to survey parents and students to see what could be done to turn things around. What resulted was parents, students and educators at this large, predominantly Hispanic and low-income school having fruitful conversations to improve math education there. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, tells the story of how this group of parents is affecting student success. Aurelio is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 30 – Creating Leadership Opportunities for Students” </title>
      <pubDate>Thu, 13 March 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-30.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((March 13, 2008) In building a student council and other leadership groups, school leaders generally select students with the best grades and attendance. It is seen as a reward. But middle school teacher of migrant students Jerry de la Garza believes that all students can be leaders. As his school’s teacher coordinator for the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program, Jerry discusses how giving leadership opportunities to students who are considered at risk of dropping out leads to great transformations. Jerry is interviewed by Dr. Juanita García, an IDRA education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 29 – Six Goals of Educational Equity” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 29 February 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-29.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((February 29, 2008) Every child in each school district, of any background, should have the chance to excel. Schools must ensure that all students are on track to graduate, prepared for college. To help schools and communities look together at these goals and create a plan of action, the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity has outlined the Six Goals of Educational Equity. Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA SCCE, gives an overview of the six goals and discusses how school personnel and communities can use them as a yardstick to measure their progress and as a lightening rod to galvanize change. Bradley is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 28 – Court Ruling on Compliance with NCLB Mandates” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 February 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-28.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((February 15, 2008) Recently, a three-judge panel of a federal appeals court ruled in favor of school districts in several states who claimed that the No Child Left Behind Act requires them to pay for testing and other programs without providing sufficient federal money. IDRA’s school policy director, Dr. Albert Cortez, gives an overview of the case and its implications for states, school districts as well as for NCLB reauthorization. Albert is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 27 – Leading a Diverse Campus to Success” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 25 January 2008 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-27.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((January 25, 2008) Schools across the country are adapting to their changing populations. One such school in southern Louisiana once served primarily English-speaking and Spanish-speaking students. But now, after Hurricane Katrina it now serves students who speak Urdu, Vietnamese, Korean, Arabic, Spanish and English. In the midst of this change, the school has ranked in the top three Jefferson Parish campuses for three years in a row. Elementary principal, Sandy Dolan, shares how she has transformed her campus to succeed during a time of dramatic population changes. Sandy is interviewed by Hector Bojorquez, IDRA’s technology specialist. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 26 – Dropout Prevention for Students with Special Needs” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 11 December 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-26.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((December 11, 2007) Students with disabilities drop out of school at higher rates than any other student group. Working with the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities, IDRA has set up a planned variation of the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program with an emphasis on serving students with disabilities. Josie Danini Cortez, M.A., an IDRA senior education associate, and Lee Ramos, a San Antonio high school teacher, talk about the dramatic impact of this pilot project and share stories of students it served. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 25 – Professional Learning Communities in Schools” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 26 November 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-25.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((November 26, 2007) A growing body of research has found that professional learning communities in schools, combined with mentoring, result in clear improvements in outcomes for staff and students. Josie Danini Cortez, M.A., an IDRA senior education associate, and Dr. Juanita García, an IDRA education associate, join Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, to describe such a community in a middle school in south Texas. Each of the teachers mentored, advocated for and championed three students who needed an educator in their lives who believes in them and their capacity for learning and success. The results were seen in a transformation of adults and improved student achievement. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 24 – Coaching and Mentoring New Teachers” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 9 November 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-24.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((November 9, 2007) Although new teachers are expected to assume the same job responsibilities as teachers who have taught for 20 years, most face this task with little assistance or guidance during their first year of teaching. Novice teachers must address the challenges of a new school culture, the emotional ups and downs associated with a new work experience, high expectations of the school and the community, and all the new knowledge that must be acquired about policies and practices of the school district. IDRA’s Dr. Linda Cantu and Dr. Adela Solís discuss how coaching and mentoring programs can give new teachers the peer support and trusted advice they need to succeed from day one. Linda and Adela also share unique features of IDRA’s coaching and mentoring model, which focuses on improving teacher practices that work in classrooms with diverse student populations, particularly low-income, minority and other students with special needs. They are interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 23 - The Watch on Racism Cannot Stop” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 26 October 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-23.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[((October 26, 2007) Conversations about diversity in schools and in society typically put people in categories based on race, gender, and so on. As a result, the duality that minority girls and minority women live in often is overlooked. Dr. Shirley Nash Weber, former chair of the Department of Africana Studies and Professor of Africana Studies at San Diego State University, presented a keynote this summer on the challenge African American women in particular face in balancing gender and equity. The keynote was presented during the annual conference of the Association for Gender Equity Leadership in Education (AGELE), which was co-sponsored by the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 22 - Science is a Key to Life” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 15 October 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-22.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[(October 15, 2007) Nurturing the budding scientists of the 21st Century to explore, discover and expand our universe is a new way of looking at science education. But this is precisely what is needed to shift from traditional science instruction approaches to a broader paradigm that affirms that all students really can learn science. Veronica Betancourt, M.A., an IDRA education associate and developer of IDRA’s Science Smart! model, discusses how minor tweaks in teaching practices can open giant doors for students, particularly for girls, minority students and English language learners.  Veronica is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 21 – Engaging Parents in Education” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 28 September 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-21.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ (September 28, 2007) The U.S. Department of Education recently released a new publication called “Engaging Parents in Education” that profiles five Parent Information and Resource Centers, including the IDRA Texas PIRC. The guide shows how PIRCs are helping to increase parent involvement in education through strong parent-educator partnerships to improve schools and raise students' academic achievement. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, describes how this new guide can provide ideas and specific strategies for engaging parents in schools. Aurelio is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 20 – Science in Early Childhood Bilingual Classrooms” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 14 September 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-20.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ (September 14, 2007) Thomas Friedman, author of The World is Flat, points out that it takes 15 years to create a scientist or advanced engineer. And since Hispanics are dramatically underrepresented in science-related careers, and the immediate outlook does not show signs of this changing, experts like Dr. Rosalinda Barrera are calling for more focused attention to science in the early years. Young children's natural curiosity is ripe to be used as a basis for learning, understanding and enhancing science concepts. And science discovery can also further language development among English language learners. In a presentation at the Annual IDRA La Semana del Niño Early Childhood Educators Institute, Dr. Barrera, dean of the College of Education at Texas State University in San Marcos, draws a vivid picture of the need for schools to actively integrate science instruction into the earliest grades for second language learners. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 19 – Fostering Student Engagement English Language Learners” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 29 August 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-19.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ (August 29, 2007) Because of English language learners' different English proficiency levels, teachers often struggle to find ways to have students actively participate in their learning. This is particularly the case for content area teachers who may have had little or no training in teaching English language learners. IDRA is helping teachers learn, reflect and adapt instructional strategies so that all their students are engaged and learning the content and academic language. Kristin Grayson, M.Ed., an IDRA education associate outlines the engagement-based sheltered instruction model that she developed at IDRA and describes its research base. Kristin is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 18 – U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Race” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 15 August 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-18.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ (August 15, 2007) The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in late June involving race desegregation in two school districts in Seattle and Louisville. The cases involved specific methods used for voluntary integration of schools, which were stricken down by the court’s ruling, causing schools across the country to wonder whether they must drastically change their own desegregation efforts. Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, clarifies the issue that the ruling applies only to voluntary desegregation plans and that race can sometimes be used to achieve diversity for the benefit of children’s effective education. Bradley is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 17 – A Conversation about Single Sex Education” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 31 July 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-17.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ (July 30, 2007) The U.S. Department of Education recently expanded regulations for single sex education programs. Is single sex schooling really beneficial to students? What does the research say? Kathy Rigsby, assistant director of the Interwest Equity Assistance Center in Denver, takes a moment during a conference of the Association for Gender Equity Leadership in Education to discuss this issue that has sparked so much dialogue around the country. Kathy has worked with two desegregation assistance centers, one at Weber State University (Utah) and at Metropolitan State College of Denver (Colorado) where she served as assistance director. She has developed and published materials on Title IX compliance and on the prevention of sexual and racial harassment. Kathy is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity.]]></description>
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      <title>“Listener Survey Promo” </title>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 July 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-Promo.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ Listener survey promo.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 16 - Five Dimensions of Mathematical Proficiency” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 13 July 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-16.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ What does it mean to be mathematically proficient? The Committee on Mathematics Learning was established by the National Research Council in 1998. In its report, Helping Children Learn Mathematics, the committee chose the term “mathematical proficiency” to capture what it means to learn mathematics successfully. The understanding is that all students need to be on the road to mathematical proficiency beginning in pre-kindergarten. Kathryn Brown, an IDRA education associate and developer of IDRA’s Math Smart! model, outlines the five dimensions of mathematical proficiency and provides tips on helping students develop their mathematical thinking. Kathy is interviewed by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 15 - Learnings from the Coca Cola Valued Youth Program” </title>
      <pubDate>Thr, 28 June 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-15.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ The IDRA Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program is a research-based, internationally-recognized dropout prevention program that has kept 98 percent of its tutors in school. This internationally-recognized program creates transformations in students, teachers, and schools. Since its inception in 1984, the lives of more than 220,000 children, families and educators have been positively impacted by the program. Linda Cantu, Ph.D., and Juanita García, Ph.D., discus several things they have learned during more than two decades of experience with IDRA’s highly-successful dropout prevention program, the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program. Linda and Juanita are interviewed by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 14 - Good Schools for Children Learning English” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 20 June 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-14.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ Research shows that bilingual education, when well implemented, is the most effective way to teach English to speakers of other languages while also teaching core subjects like math, reading and social studies. Josie Danini Cortez, M.A., an IDRA senior education associate, outlines an IDRA study of 10 bilingual education programs across the country with high academic success of their students. Researching these programs, IDRA identified the common characteristics and criteria that are contributing to the success of students served by bilingual education programs. This research study, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, and the corresponding publication, Good Schools and Classrooms for Children Learning English, highlight some of the practices in schools that enable students to grow academically and socially in their native language as well as English. Josie is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 13 - Access to Higher Levels of Mathematics” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 30 May 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-13.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ Latino and African American children are under-represented in advanced math courses. And achievement gaps in math by ethnicity and economic background are sharp divides between minority, low-income high school students and their peers. These divisions show up later on college campuses, the workplace, earnings and life opportunities. Poor math preparation hurts children and leaves the nation behind as well. Twenty three out of 38 countries outperform the United States in mathematics literacy. Kathryn Brown, an IDRA education associate and developer of IDRA’s Math Smart! model, discusses how all students should have access to quality instruction in math that ensures success on all assessments, and enrollment and completion in higher-level mathematics courses.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 12 - Reflections from Early Childhood Institute Attendees” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-12.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ The Annual IDRA La Semana del Niño Early Childhood Educators Institute. It is the only institute in the country that focuses on early childhood education of English language learners. In this episode, IDRA’s Christie Goodman interviews three participants from the institute: Toni Rodríguez from Texas, Michel Cristina from Louisiana, and Pam Logan from Michigan. They talk about their experience there, what is happening at their schools and what they learned at the institute that will help them.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 11 - Valuing Families in Children’s Education” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-11.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ The underlying assumptions we have about our students have a dramatic affect on our ability to teach. The same holds true among adults. Even with the best of intentions, educators struggle to work with families without realizing that their own deficit assumptions are creating the barriers. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, illustrates the contrast between the valuing and deficit models of thinking and acting, and he provides examples of schools that are valuing families as partners in children’s education.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 10 - Early Childhood Classrooms of Excellence” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Apr 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-10.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ A Classroom of Excellence is a place where all young children thrive and are ready for school. IDRA has developed this model for creating early childhood classrooms of excellence and has been implementing it in several centers in San Antonio. Research is showing dramatic results among participating children. José L. Rodríguez, M.A., an IDRA education associate, and Josie Cortez, M.A., an IDRA senior education associate, share highlights of the model and transformations that have occurred in classrooms for children, teachers and families.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 09 - Fostering Gender Equity in the Classroom” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 23 Mar 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-09.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ Federal law prohibits sex discrimination in schools, yet inequities remain. For example, teachers often treat boys and girls differently when it is not appropriate to do so. Other issues include limiting access and dissuading girls from participating in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses, over-representation of boys in disciplinary actions, and the impact of stereotyping on access and inclusion. Frances Guzmán, M.Ed., an IDRA education associate, discusses where gender inequities tend to show up in classrooms and how educators can make changes to ensure equity for girls and boys.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 08 - Framing Systems Change for Student Success” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 2 Mar 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-08.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA executive director, spoke at a conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, entitled "High Poverty Schooling in America: Lessons in Second-Class Citizenship" in October. The event was held by the North Carolina Law Review; the University of North Carolina Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity; the UNC Center for Civil Rights; and the UNC School of Education. Dr. Robledo Montecel sat on the closing panel which focused on: What are the most promising strategies to improving achievement in high poverty schools. Her presentation is framed around the IDRA Quality Schools Action Framework that shows how we can strengthen public education for all students.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 07 - Serving Migrant Students” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 14 Feb 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-07.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ Migrant students are perhaps the most educationally disenfranchised group of students in our schooling system. They are highly mobile and have diverse linguistic backgrounds, which pose challenges that our educational system is minimally prepared to address. Teachers and schools that integrate students' culture and rich array of experiences into the curriculum find it beneficial to all students. But oftentimes, teachers of migrant students are unaware of the resources available to them. IDRA has created an interactive CD and guide that provide insights about migrant students in classrooms and best practices within migrant education programs. Dr. Adela Solís, an IDRA senior education associate, discusses common misconceptions about educating migrant students and strategies educators need to use to serve them successfully.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 06 - The Need for Cross-Race, Cross-Sector Dialogues” </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-06.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ Featuring Dr. Rosana Rodríguez and Frances Guzmán join Dr. Bradley Scott.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 05 - School Holding Power for Every Child” </title>
      <pubDate>Thr, 04 Jan 2007 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-05.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ Featuring Dr. María Robledo Montecel.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 04 - A Model for Successful Reading Instruction” </title>
      <pubDate>Tue, 05 Dec 2006 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-04.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ Featuring Dr. Juanita García and Hector Bojorquez.]]></description>
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      <title>“IDRA CN 03 - The Power of IDRA’s Parent Leadership Model” </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 10 Nov 2006 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-03.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ Featuring Aurelio Montemayor.]]></description>
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      <title> “IDRA CN 02 - Using the New High School Allotment in Texas”  </title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 27 Oct 2006 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-02.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ Featuring Dr. Albert Cortez]]></description>
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      <title>"IDRA CN 01 - Racial and Sexual Harassment - A School's Legal Obligations"u</title>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 Sep 2006 13:00:00 PDT</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/Podcasts</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/CN-01.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ Featuring Dr. Bradley Scott.]]></description>
    </item>
	
    <item>
      <title>Texas School Dropout Problem Podcast</title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:16:29 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/media_center/podcasts/increasing_school_holding_power_for_all_students_podcast_series.html</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/pods/graduation.mp3" length="9334838" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[Hear the “state of the state” regarding school holding power in Texas. IDRA executive director, Dr. María "Cuca" Robledo Montecel, describes why Texas is losing one student every four minutes and what we must do to make graduation a guarantee.]]></description>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Increasing School Holding Power for All Students Podcast Series-Overview</title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 12 Apr 2006 08:29:39 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/media_center/podcasts/increasing_school_holding_power_for_all_students_podcast_series.html</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/pods/overview.mp3" length="19958525" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[Part 1: Overview of IDRA Research on Dropouts and School Holding Power
IDRA led the first comprehensive statewide study of school dropouts in Texas over two decades ago. Hear an overview of key findings from this and other 

critical studies and how they have influenced practice today]]></description>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Increasing School Holding Power Part 2: Five Characteristics of School Holding Power</title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:07:52 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/media_center/podcasts/increasing_school_holding_power_for_all_students_podcast_series.html</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/pods/5character.mp3" length="1305855" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[IDRA’s research on strategies for reducing the dropout rate, stemming from research-based effective strategies and IDRA’s experience in schools over the last three decades, shows five components are vital to successful dropout prevention.
]]></description>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Increasing School Holding Power- Part 3: Overview of Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program</title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:00:28 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/media_center/podcasts/increasing_school_holding_power_for_all_students_podcast_series.html</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/pods/ccvyp.mp3" length="3373927" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[The Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program, created by IDRA, is an internationally-recognized dropout prevention cross-age tutoring program in 

schools across the United States and Brazil. This highly successful program includes research-based program support and rigorous evaluation.
]]></description>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Increasing School Holding Power- Part 4: Seven Lessons from Texas About Dropouts and School Holding Power </title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:10:20 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/media_center/podcasts/increasing_school_holding_power_for_all_students_podcast_series.html</link>
      <enclosure url="http://www.idra.org/images/stories/pods/7lessons.mp3" length="13208489" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[ Having dealt with this issue so closely for so many years, IDRA offers the following seven lessons from Texas in the hope that many more 

will take up the call to action. Based on an expansion of a presentation by Dr. Robledo Montecel to the Education Writers Association’s Regional Seminar.
 ]]></description>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Increasing School Holding Power- Part 5: Quality Schools Action Framework</title>
      <pubDate>Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:12:57 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://www.idra.org/media_center/podcasts/increasing_school_holding_power_for_all_students_podcast_series.html</link>
      <enclosure url="&quot;http://www.idra.org/images/stories/pods/7lessons.mp3" length="13208489" type="audio/mpeg" />
      <description><![CDATA[Developed by Dr. Robledo Montecel, this new framework shows how we can strengthen public education for all students by addressing systemic 

factors that lead to students dropping out.
]]></description>
    </item>






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