Teaching STEM #4Real Dr. Leena Bakshi McLean

Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are excited to be joined by Dr. Nancy Nasr!

Dr. Nasr is a science educator and district science specialist for the Glendale Unified School District with over a decade of experience in diverse classrooms. Dr. Nasr has not only taught at the secondary level, but also coaches and mentors secondary science educators across school districts to support the implementation of student-centered, constructivist pedagogies in the contemporary science classroom. Dr. Nasr’s continued research interest is anchored in cultural responsiveness in the diverse science classroom as well as student attitudes toward culturally responsive pedagogy. Additionally, Dr. Nasr has an interest in exploring the ways in which the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) of the NGSS can be used to infuse science learning that is situated in phenomena associated with social justice, and empowering students to overcome social injustices through the use of science. Dr. Nasr received her B.Sc. in Microbiology from University of Alberta. She received her M.A.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from California State University, Northridge and her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from University of South Carolina.

In this episode, we’ll discuss Dr. Nasr’s educational journey, what it was like for Dr. Nasr, as a chemistry teacher, to implement the NGSS, and dismantling biases against certain diverse learners. We’ll also talk about whether it’s realistic to let go of some of the prerequisites to science education, how we can make chemistry relevant for our students, and what our science departments really need to be addressing. Last but not least, we’ll chat about systems we could put in place in high schools to address inequity in science, our thoughts on tracking systems, and classroom management issues. Keep listening to learn more from Dr. Nasr!

Teaching STEM #4Real is a podcast dedicated to 4 real conversations on educational equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education hosted by Dr. Leena Bakshi. If you’re interested in exploring what anti-racism and socially just instruction look like in our classrooms, schools, and beyond, you are in the right place. Dr. Bakshi is also the founder of the non-profit, STEM4Real. Please visit our website for information on how to partner with us. Thank you for helping us make STEM for real.

Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are excited to welcome Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad to the podcast!

Dr. Gholdy Muhammad is an Associate Professor of Literacy, Language, and Culture at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has previously served as a classroom teacher, literacy specialist, school district administrator, curriculum director, and school board president. She studies Black historical excellence in education, intending to reframe curriculum and instruction today. Dr. Muhammad’s scholarship has appeared in leading academic journals and books. She has also received numerous national awards and is the author of the best-selling book, Cultivating Genius: An Equity Model for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. She also co-authored Black girls’ literacies: An Edited Volume. Her Culturally and Historically Responsive Education Model has been adopted across thousands of U.S. schools as well as districts across Canada. In 2022, she was named among the top 1% of Edu-Scholar Public Influencers due to her impact on policy and practice. Dr. Muhammad received the American Educational Research Association Division K Early Career Award and was named the 2021 NCTE Outstanding Elementary Educator in the English Language Arts. She has led a federal grant with the United States Department of Education to study culturally and historically responsive literacy in STEM classrooms. Her forthcoming book, Unearthing Joy, is the sequel to Cultivating Genius and provides a practical guide for putting culturally and historically responsive education into curriculum practice.

In this episode, Dr. Muhammad will share with us how she got to where she is now, the importance of bridging historically responsive education with STEM, and how to better help teachers understand how critical race and identity is when looking at student learning. We’ll also discuss embracing joy in STEM, the colonization of education specifically when it comes to STEM, and Dr. Muhammand’s practical guide for putting culturally and historically responsive education into curriculum practice. Last but not least, we’ll talk about the idea of liberation and how this may be difficult for STEM teachers who think they have to stick to content only. Keep listening to hear more from Dr. Muhammad!

Teaching STEM #4Real is a podcast dedicated to 4 real conversations on educational equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education hosted by Dr. Leena Bakshi. If you’re interested in exploring what anti-racism and socially just instruction look like in our classrooms, schools, and beyond, you are in the right place. Dr. Bakshi is also the founder of the non-profit, STEM4Real. Please visit our website for information on how to partner with us. Thank you for helping us make STEM for real.

Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are excited to welcome Dr. Samara Suafo’a to the podcast!

Dr. Samara Suafo’a is the Assistant Director of Teacher Education and Clinical Assistant Professor at Claremont Graduate University. Her positionality as a biracial, student-athlete born to a Samoan father and White mother on the island of O’ahu, Hawaii uniquely informs both her practice and research. Specifically, she draws upon her own K-16 experiences as a member of a minoritized community who took advantage of athletics to mitigate the lack of access to resources and inequities she experienced along her educational trajectory. Suafo’a holds a PhD in Urban Leadership from Claremont Graduate University, a master’s degree in special education with an emphasis on students with moderate-severe dis/abilities from the California State University at Dominguez Hills, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Linfield College.

Prior to joining CGU’s Department of Teacher Education, Suafo’a’s professional experience comprised 20 years of teaching, leadership, and administrative roles in K-12 urban educational settings in both Hawaii and California. These roles included serving as a special day class teacher for students with moderate-severe dis/abilities, resource teacher, new teacher mentor, special education program coordinator, local district integration support provider, and high school women’s basketball coach. In 2019, Suafo’a was awarded Claremont Graduate University’s prestigious Pamela M. Mullin Dream and Believe Award for conducting outstanding graduate-student research on the Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander community. As a woman of Oceania, she is committed to combating notions of smallness faced by minoritized communities as a result of colonization, particularly the ways in which youth develop ideas of what they believe to be possible for themselves.

In this episode, we’ll chat about how Dr. Suafo’a became an educator, the state of the preservice teaching world, and how new teachers can sustain themselves in such a large ecosystem. Besides this, we’ll also discuss what it looks like to integrate social justice in a classroom, the way in which this is still not the norm, and the idea of cultural humility. Last but not least, Dr. Suafo’a and I will talk about the importance of engaging the needs of the people that you’re serving, whether age is a factor when talking about social justice in the classroom, and the Claremont preservice program! Keep listening to hear more from the amazing Dr. Suafo’a!

Selected Works:


“College Choice for Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander High School Student-Athletes.” LA Island Radio Podcast, 2021 Co-authored with D. Ganley.
“Including Samir. The challenges of creating an integrated school culture.” In Case Studies for Inclusive Educators and Leaders, edited by Darrin Griffiths and James Ryan. Word and Deed Publishers, 2018.

Teaching STEM #4Real is a podcast dedicated to 4 real conversations on educational equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education hosted by Dr. Leena Bakshi. If you’re interested in exploring what anti-racism and socially just instruction look like in our classrooms, schools, and beyond, you are in the right place. Dr. Bakshi is also the founder of the non-profit, STEM4Real. Please visit our website for information on how to partner with us. Thank you for helping us make STEM for real.

Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are excited to welcome Lybroan James to the podcast! While it may not be the legendary basketball player, this Lybroan James is a legend in mathematics education.

Lybroan James attended UCLA where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics/Economics and a Master of Education from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. Having taught for 15 years, Mr. James saw the inequities in educational opportunities which ignited his passion to support the most underserved, disenfranchised group in public schools - young students of color. Mr. James designs and presents curricula and trains teachers on how to effectively instruct students of color. His company, STEMulate Solutions, addresses common core state standards (with an emphasis on STEM) and issues of equity, cultural competence, and student engagement. Lybroan's unconventional approach led to North High School raising state math scores for African-American students by 26.4% in one year. He has trained and coached mentors from 34 charter schools to support over 100 new teachers. He has also designed and presented teacher training nationally in support of over 38,000 teachers on issues of equity, effective instruction and social emotional learning.

In this episode, Mr. James will discuss what shaped him into the mathematics teacher he is today, the typical American approach to mathematics, and what teachers can do to learn about Black and Latinx culture. We’ll also talk about why culturally responsive teaching is important in all schools and neighborhoods, how Lybroan coaches educators in culturally responsive teaching, and what we can do to increase the number of Black and Brown students in math and STEM. Last but not least, we’ll chat a bit about tracking, how Lybroan has had to navigate people’s perceptions of Black men throughout his life and career, and what teachers can do to make math more engaging. Keep listening to learn more from Mr. James!

Teaching STEM #4Real is a podcast dedicated to 4 real conversations on educational equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education hosted by Dr. Leena Bakshi. If you’re interested in exploring what anti-racism and socially just instruction look like in our classrooms, schools, and beyond, you are in the right place. Dr. Bakshi is also the founder of the non-profit, STEM4Real. Please visit our website for information on how to partner with us. Thank you for helping us make STEM for real.

Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are honored and privileged to have Mr. Douglas Corbin on the podcast in celebration of Principal’s Month!

Douglas Corbin began his educational career as a substitute teacher at Mt. McKinley School inside the Contra Costa County Juvenile Hall in 2004. In 2005, he was hired as a full-time teacher at Mt. McKinley, which is part of the Contra Costa County Office of Education. Collectively, he served as a teacher in their court & community school program for 12 years. Within a three-year timespan, Mr. Corbin was promoted from a teacher, dean of students, assistant principal, and now principal in the CCCOE’s Court and Community School program. This is his second year as a principal. Mr. Corbin earned his bachelor’s degree in African-American Studies from U.C. Berkeley and he earned a master's degree from Brandman University in educational leadership. Born in San Diego, Douglas’ family relocated to Toledo, Ohio where he attended high school. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served two years before relocating to Northern California which he has made his home since 1996. Mr. Corbin is married and has six children.

In this episode, Douglas will share with us what inspired him to be a principal, his initial thoughts when he began teaching at juvenile detention centers, and what it’s like to know the system from so many different perspectives. We’ll also discuss the misconceptions about teaching in juvenile detention centers, the importance of building relationships with students and staff, and the difficult times as well. Last but not least, we’ll chat about the work Douglas has done with math and science curriculums, what he views as progress, and why he works on anti-bias and anti-racism with his educators. Plus, Douglas will tell us how he sets his school year up so that he can have a good experience with culture and anti-racism. Keep listening to learn more from Douglas!

Teaching STEM #4Real is a podcast dedicated to 4 real conversations on educational equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education hosted by Dr. Leena Bakshi. If you’re interested in exploring what anti-racism and socially just instruction look like in our classrooms, schools, and beyond, you are in the right place. Dr. Bakshi is also the founder of the non-profit, STEM4Real. Please visit our website for information on how to partner with us. Thank you for helping us make STEM for real.

Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are excited to welcome Principal Baruti Kafele to the podcast!

Principal Baruti Kafele, a highly regarded urban educator in New Jersey for more than 20 years, has distinguished himself as a master teacher and a transformational school leader. As a middle and high school principal, Principal Kafele led the turnaround of four New Jersey urban schools, including "The Mighty" Newark Tech - which went from a low-performing school in need of improvement to national recognition - and was recognized three times by U.S. News and World Report as one of America's best high schools. Did you know that the City of Dickinson, Texas proclaimed February 8, 1998 as Baruti Kafele Day? We had to get him on the show!

He has delivered 2,000+ conference and program keynotes, professional development workshops, parenting seminars and student assemblies over his 35 years of public speaking. An expert in the area of “attitude transformation,” Principal Kafele is the leading authority on providing effective classroom and school leadership strategies toward closing what he coined, the "Attitude Gap.” Principal Kafele has also authored twelve books, including his seven ASCD best sellers - Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School & in Life, Closing the Attitude Gap, Is My School a Better School BECAUSE I Lead It?, The Teacher 50, The Principal 50, The Assistant Principal 50 and his newest release, The Equity & Social Justice Education 50.

He is the creator and host of the popular Virtual Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, streamed live every Saturday morning on his Virtual AP Leadership Academy YouTube channel @ 10:55 EST and is the recipient of over 150 educational, professional and community awards!

In this episode, Principal Kafele will share his journey with us including what informed his culturally responsive teaching and the very important question he asks himself as an educator. We’ll also discuss “the attitude gap”, the opportunities given or not given to young Black men, and the way in which Principal Kafele educates on the aspects of history often kept out of curriculum. Last but not least, we’ll talk about how to bring this awareness to the math and science classrooms, the nuances of the assistant principal position, building relationships, and so much more! Keep listening to hear more from Principal Kafeele!

Teaching STEM #4Real is a podcast dedicated to 4 real conversations on educational equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education hosted by Dr. Leena Bakshi. If you’re interested in exploring what anti-racism and socially just instruction look like in our classrooms, schools, and beyond, you are in the right place. Dr. Bakshi is also the founder of the non-profit, STEM4Real. Please visit our website for information on how to partner with us. Thank you for helping us make STEM for real.

Social Media


Twitter: @PrincipalKafele
Facebook: Principal Kafele
Facebook: Virtual AP Leadership Academy

Books


The Equity & Social Justice Education 50 (New)
The ASSISTANT Principal 50
The ASPIRING Principal 50
Is My School a Better School BECAUSE I Lead It?
The TEACHER 50
The PRINCIPAL 50
Closing the Attitude Gap
Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School and in Life

YouTube Channels


Virtual AP Leadership Academy
School Talk with Principal Kafele
Message to Your Son / Youth