(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
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* Christie L. Goodman, APR, offers a note of thanks to the listeners for supporting the podcast for 100 episodes!
* Bradley Scott, Ph.D. frames the discussion by talking about the need for communities, parents and educators alike to work together in providing a quality education for all children.
* Linda Cantu, Ph.D. explains the critical role that parents have played in the IDRA Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program over the years.
* Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., talks about the need to shift away from the traditional model of viewing parents as “inexpensive labor” in PTA groups and instead valuing their leadership, intelligence, and active participation in advocating for their children’s education.
* Josie Cortez, M.A., highlights IDRA’s work in creating “communities of action” with the Equal Voice Network in the
Lower
Rio Grande
Valley
.
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