The Whole Child Podcast: Changing the Conversation About Education

This episode of the Whole Child Podcast features guests that shed light on the opportunities and challenges of coordinating school responses to a potential H1N1 outbreak.

While research and common sense tell us that families are a powerful influence on children's attitudes about learning and their success in school, we also know that educators and families often struggle to find meaningful ways to partner together. In light of what we know and what we're committed to, how can we strategically transform family involvement in schools?

Collecting and interpreting data is essential to creating and sustaining meaningful school improvement and without it, we may not be able to address the obstacles that stand in the way of educating the whole child. July's Whole Child Podcast features an expert panel recorded live at the Healthy Schools Communities Conference. Panelists and audience members share varied and concrete examples and strategies for using data to drive meaningful school improvement.

We know that children grow physically, socially, emotionally, ethically, expressively, and intellectually within networks of families, schools, neighborhoods, communities, and our larger society. And we know schools alone can't meet the needs of each child. So why not bring everyone to the table?

On this month's Whole Child Podcast, we explore how adults and children can work together to solve social or environmental problems, from school reform to global warming.

This special edition of the Whole Child Podcast outlines the stimulus plan for education and describe how the funds can be used for school improvement activities, including capacity-building professional development. Our guests will help educators understand and take advantage of the unique opportunities available to them and their students.

Over the past 15 years, school districts across the United States have experienced explosive growth in the immigrant population. The increased enrollment has strained the resources of schools -- whether they've had experience with English language learners or not. And as school districts struggle to find additional funding and resources to support this diverse group, they also have to contend with the fact that English language learners fall behind in standardized tests and many are more socioeconomically disadvantaged than their peers.

This episode of the Whole Child Podcast was recorded live at ASCD's Annual Conference on March 14, 2009. Host Molly McCloskey tasked the two guests with providing advice on how to close the "believing, doing gap." In other words, how do we move from believing all children need to be healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged, to actually making that happen?

In this month's Whole Child Podcast, we hear from three experts about the struggles and strategies of urban school districts and how they are working to meet the needs of the whole child.

President-Elect Barack Obama and his Education Secretary nominee, Arne Duncan, face a host of education issues, with the rewrite of NCLB at the top of the list. Complicating matters are the severe budget deficits that are forcing dramatic cuts in education programs and services. In this episode of the Whole Child Podcast, three guests will address what the Obama administration can do to support our public schools and secure our children's future in these uncertain times.

How can we hold schools accountable, while ensuring that students receive a rich education, graduate from high school, and are prepared for the challenges of the 21st century? This month on the whole child podcast, we hear from three experts.

In our increasingly interconnected global society and economy, it's imperative that students understand the world we live in. Three leaders in international education joined us for the second episode of "The Whole Child: Changing the Conversation About Education."

The premiere episode features segments on public opinion of public schools, community engagement in education, and creating healthy schools.