Welcome to the first episode of season 2 of Teaching STEM #4Real! We are thrilled to be kicking off a new season with Jacqueline Lafitte and Barbara Nicewonger. Jacqueline has been an educator since 1992 and instructs in STEM and STEAM, which adds arts to the curriculum. She emphasizes water conservation and water systems infrastructure in her lesson plans. In spring 2019, she received visions from God where she saw water wells being dug and where God was answering prayers of people who had been praying for clean water. Jacqueline immediately started praying and sharing her dream. With gratefulness, she accepted God’s plan for her. God then connected her with Paulette Nonga who founded the non-profit organization, Sayap Africa (sayap means “bless”). She has partnered with Sayap Africa and is now developing STEAM lessons with her own students by studying the systems of real world problems. Prayerfully, this curriculum will be launched in future after-school programs for the youth in Africa. Jacqueline has been recognized as a Youth Mentor in “Marquis Who’sWho in America 2020” 73rd Edition Expanded Biographies, page 2129. In 2021, she was recognized by Marquis Who’sWho as a “Top Educator”. Barbara worked in high-tech for nearly 25 years at Intel Corporation. After beginning her career as an engineering project analyst, she explored various analyst roles and finally landed in sales and marketing. There, her job included account management, crisis management, and program management for sales training events and strategies. In 2013, Barbara was honored to serve with Intel’s Education Service Corps in Kenya, setting up computer labs and training school teachers on computers to enable more students to learn English and pass national entrance exams required to attend school. This led to two other similar projects in Africa. In 2014, Barbara joined a team of high tech volunteers led by the non-profit, Team4Tech, in setting up a shipping container computer lab in a township outside of Cape Town, South Africa. There she helped train tutors on how to use computers, and to develop computer-based curriculum for after-school STEM tutoring. In 2015, Barbara returned to Kenya with Team4Tech to train teachers and help set up an after school STEM training program. Today, in addition to volunteering at her local church, elementary school and in the cancer community, Barbara is an active volunteer with Sayap Africa, gratefully laboring with Paulette Nonga and Jacqueline to define and build a sustainable education strategy and plan.  In this episode, we’re chatting about Jacqueline’s journey as an educator, Barbara’s involvement in Jacqueline's project to develop lessons that create empathy for students who need access to clean water, and the way in which God directed Jacqueline to do this work. We’ll also talk about how Jacqueline created empathy within her lessons, how she made the experience real for students, and how she finds the resources that level up her lessons. Last but not least, Jacqueline will tell us about the accordion book she created with her students, she’ll share her advice for creating culturally responsive lessons, and so much more. Keep listening to hear more from Jacqueline and Barbara!  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 to the final episode of season one of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, I am issuing a trigger warning as I will be talking about a very personal experience with pregnancy loss. However, I am so grateful to be in the hands of Parijat! Parijat Deshpande is the leading integrative high-risk pregnancy specialist, somatic trauma professional, and speaker and author who guides women to improve their pregnancy complications so they can reduce their risk of preterm birth. Her unique neurobiological approach has served hundreds of women to manage pregnancy complications and reclaim a safety and trust in their bodies that they thought was eroded forever. Parijat is the author of the bestselling book, Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress Management During a High-Risk Pregnancy. She is also the host of the popular podcast, Delivering Miracles®️, that discusses the real, raw side of family-building including infertility, loss, high-risk pregnancy, bed rest, prematurity and healing once the baby comes home. In this episode, we’ll talk about the need for the teaching profession to be family centered specifically when it comes to pregnancy, Parijat’s challenges with her children and the education system, and the need for a system that is much more flexible. Besides this, we’ll chat about the ineffective way in which health is taught in schools, the need for more basic health education, and how we can better talk about genetic disorders. Last but not least, Parijat and I will ponder how we can better support pregnant teachers and the importance of embracing emotions. Keep listening to hear more! Learn more about Parijat Deshpande and her work at www.parijatdeshpande.com. 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 Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are joined by Stephanie Chrismon, a Black/biracial (Black/German), Queer, Afrofuturist, writer and educator who identifies as masculine of center. She presents and writes on various topics related to issues of race, sexuality, family karma, social justice, as well as generational theory using pop culture, literature, and art as critical tools in exploring social justice and dismantling oppression. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Hamline University and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Minnesota, Morris. Stephanie was a participant in the 2016-2017 Loft Mentor Series in Poetry and Creative Prose and was a fellow in the 2015 Emerging Writers’ Mentor Program sponsored by the Givens Foundation for African American Literature. Her writing has appeared in Water~Stone Review, MN Artists, The Root, Black Girl Nerds, Medium and is included in the anthology Queer Voices: Poetry, Prose, and Pride. Her debut novel (under her pen name dc edwards), Bright City, was published in 2017. She is currently the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant for the UW MESA state office via AmeriCorp and is also an independent DEI consultant with Avant Consulting Group and Strategic Diversity Initiatives which delves into DEI workshops and coaching. Stephanie is a very proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, a Black Greek organization formed in 1920 on the Howard University campus. She has also been a member of the Sigma Beta Zeta chapter in Roseville, MN since December 2018. Her favorite motto for Pride is “Pride started with a riot by Black/Brown LGBTQ+ folks!” In this episode, we’ll chat about diversity, equity, and inclusion, how that fits into our leadership, and how DEI belongs in every space including math and science. We’ll also discuss the importance of working through our own personal biases and the ways we can better address intersectionality. Last but not least, Stephanie will tell us about her written work, the power of amplifying the word “nerd”, and of course, the importance of remembering the people who have fought this fight before us. Plus, Stephanie will talk about how her work in Stem4Real has helped inform her work for UW MESA. Keep listening to hear more! Additional resources: 1. How the Stonewall Riots Sparked a Movement: https://youtu.be/Q9wdMJmuBlA 2. Medium: https://medium.com/@sdchrismon 3. AfroFuturism 1 & 2: https://youtu.be/mX43Uc5WQAw (part 1) https://youtu.be/AyP0wmNU0ko 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 Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are joined by the amazing Dr. Honey Sacro Swem, the coordinator for elementary instruction for Fontana USD, a full time Induction Support Provider, and an Instructional Coach. Let’s just say you better get your tissues ready because she had us in our feelings! Dr. Honey comes from a family of teachers and was admittedly reluctant to join the field of education at first. Well, thank God she did because the stories she shared melted our hearts. She taught for 22 years before landing her current roles and was recognized by UC Davis as a C-STEM innovator in her district. Dr. Honey takes pride in helping teachers build student confidence in STEM and use culturally relevant practices to increase engagement. Dr. Honey does not shy away from saying that mathematics and teaching are her passions in life. In this episode, Dr. Honey tells us how a positive STEM identity truly stems from the elementary years, no pun intended. Besides this, Dr. Honey will share her journey as a teacher with us, how she helps students develop self-confidence, and the strategies she uses to do so. Last but not least, we’ll discuss C-STEM, the way in which science is often forgotten in elementary schools, and culturally responsive pedagogy. Keep listening to hear Dr. Honey’s motivational stories and so much more! 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.

Have you met the Creekmores? Talk about #couplegoals! Nita Creekmore is the founder of Love. Teach. Bless. who currently works as a K-5 instructional coach and believes that the foundation of education is building positive relationships. She is a Black woman of Creole descent and an Elementary Instructional Coach. Nita taught in grades 1, 2 and 5 for 13 years before becoming an Elementary School Instructional Coach. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education in 2002 from the University of South Carolina and also received her Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership in 2013 from the University of Virginia. Love. Teach. Bless. has grown to be a true consulting business where Nita presents, coaches teachers, and collaborates with a variety of educational companies. If you follow Nita, you will see that her passion is diverse books with people and themes that allow you to see the beauty, hear stories, and learn from other races and cultures of our world. Her other half is Michael Creekmore, also known as the bearded school counselor who I like to call Mr. Love. Teach. Bless. Michael is a Professional School Counselor (4th and 5th grade), a Licensed Professional Counselor, and a Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor. He earned his Bachelors degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina and his Masters degree in Counseling Psychology from Clark Atlanta University. Mr. Creekmore has also served as Clinical Director and Clinical Supervisor to community mental health programs and has been an independent consultant for the past 13 years. Mr. Creekmore has always promoted maximizing clinician opportunity through experience and leveraging expertise. In this episode, we’ll start by discussing what shaped Nita and Michael into the educators they are today. Besides this, we’ll dive into the topic of SEL, how educators can incorporate it in the classroom, and the importance of transparency and fixing our own “check engine” lights. In addition, I’ll chat with the Creekmores about integration in the classroom, parent and family engagement, and how the education journey goes hand in hand with the SEL journey. Last but certainly not least, we’ll talk about the way in which Black and Brown students are falling out of STEM courses and what we can do to create an identity for students to see themselves in. Keep listening as we talk about the power of social emotional learning as a lever for equity in STEM. Nita’s Instagram: @loveteachbless Michael’s Instagram: @bearded.school.counselor Check out Conversations with The Creekmores here! 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 Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are joined by the incredible Alysse Castro, a powerful leader of effective and equitable public schools. She is known for building schools that engage students and teachers by rethinking what is possible in school and beyond. Bringing deep knowledge in school finance and systems, Alysse helps educational institutions do more of what matters such as personalizing learning, building systems of support for students and staff, and developing educators to break free from the bureaucracy to spend more time with kids. She completed her Masters in Educational Leadership from UC Berkeley’s Principal Leadership Institute and began teaching youth on probation in a Continuation High School. Alysse has gone on to lead a growing portfolio of public schools that break the school-to-prison pipeline by interrupting truancy, re-engaging youth in their schools and their society, and helping students turn their passions into careers and technical skills. She then returned to UC Berkeley as faculty, teaching rising educational leaders to manage their school resources in service of their educational vision. Currently, Alysse applies her expertise in alternative education and effective school administration to ensuring that County schools act as safety nets for all of our children. She is also running to be the next Alameda County Superintendent of Schools in June 2022. In this episode, we’ll chat with Alysse about alternative education, the value of specialization versus the value of integration, and the power of relevance in our classrooms. Besides this, we’ll discuss what county offices are, the role of county offices in education, and how they can support teachers and administrators. Last but not least, Alysse will talk to us about how we can elevate the roles of county offices, equity at scale, and the idea of your budget being your educational vision. Keep listening to learn more about county and alternative education! Santa Clara County COE: https://www.sccoe.org/isteam/science/Pages/Events.aspx 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 Teach STEM #4Real! Today, we are joined by the one and only Chris Corrales. Chris is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he helps people out of pain through a method known as Structural Integration, and his greatest passion is facilitating men's physical/social/emotional growth through his program Cultivating Chivalry. Chris is also a proud husband and father of six. However, in a previous life, he was actually a gang member and formerly incarcerated. In this episode, Chris will open up about how his history as a gang member has shaped his identity today and what his schooling was like during that time period in his life. We’ll also discuss what led Chris to becoming a healer, his passion in helping men communicate better through his Cultivating Chivalry program, and how social emotional learning can be powerful in all aspects of life, especially if we approach it as something to break the “system” and not just another checklist. Last but certainly not least, Chris will help me dismantle many stereotypes surrounding gang members and the formerly incarcerated which is vital as we teach every single student. What stereotypes have you heard about gangs and incarcerated youth? Keep listening and bring your wrecking ball so that we can dismantle these together with Chris! Connect with Chris on Instagram @chris.catalyst and schedule a consultation with him here! 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 Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are excited to have dear friend Dr. César A. Cruz on the show! Dr. Cruz, born in Guadalajara, Jalisco México, migrated to Compton, CA at the age of nine with a single mother and grandmother. He grew up with labels from bastard, to alien, to wetback and was swallowed up by the U.S. educational system to become Caesar - no accent - as he was schooled to purposely not know his roots. César’s mother gave birth to him at the age of 16 and was forced to pause her dreams to raise him. As a result, when he graduated middle school, he was the first in his family to do so. César went on to be a series of firsts - first to graduate high school, UC Berkeley in History, and the first Mexican immigrant male to get a doctorate in the EDLD program at HGSE. César began working as an educator in 1994 and, 27 years later, he’s shedding his labels and addressing those often placed on kids. He no longer sees himself as an immigrant but as a Mexica(n) on Mexica(n) land, currently known as California. In fact, César’s roots were on ancestral land two grandmothers ago, but two grandmothers later, he is labelled a wetback. In other words, he didn’t cross a border, a historical border crossed his people. For the past 12 years, César has founded and overseen Homies Empowerment, a community center in East Oakland, CA offering a free food and toiletries pantry that serves over 2,000 people per week called the FREEdom Store. He is currently co-designing a high school where youth who are improperly minoritized and mislabeled as thugs and criminals are seen as warriors, healers, scholars and hustlers. Amidst it all, César is proudest to be a husband, happily married for 19+ years while raising three poems in the form of Quetzali, 9, Amaru, 11 and Olin, 13. In today’s episode, I will be connecting with Dr. Cruz about his passion for revitalizing our students’ lived experiences and, more importantly, their heritage in our classrooms and schools to foster engagement and curiosity. Perfect for science and STEM, right? We’ll also discuss the purpose of learning, the way in which STEM is beaten out of students, and what we can do about the divide between our communities and these educational institutions. Last but not least, we’ll talk about the way in which English is institutionalized as the only language in our schools, how Homies Empowerment is bringing Grandma to the classroom, and the importance of ‘dreamstorming.’ Keep listening to hear how Dr. César Cruz is working towards equity and social justice with his school. You can reach Dr. Cruz at [email protected] Teaching STEM #4Real is a podcast dedicated to for 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 Teaching Steam #4Real! Today, we are absolutely thrilled to be chatting with the one and only Zaretta Hammond. Zaretta, M.A. is author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. She is a former high school and community college expository writing instructor and, for the past 20 years, has supported schools and other institutions in deepening their understanding and application of culturally responsive practices. Zaretta currently runs the Culturally Responsive Education by Design Online PLC, a 6-month intensive, inquiry-based professional learning experience to build instructional capacity to use culturally responsive tools and practices effectively. In addition to all of this, she is a strong literacy advocate who sits on the Board of Trustees for the Center for the Collaborative Classroom and is also a member of the advisory board for the Consortium for Reading Education (CORE). In this episode, Zaretta will open up about her journey including what shaped her into the educator she is today. Besides this, we’ll talk about how teachers can create a safe space in their classrooms for students, how important it is for educators to understand what belonging means by building their own capacity, and the importance of language. In addition, we’ll discuss how STEM teachers can create this safe environment within a less-advanced system, how harmful it can be to allow a pedagogy of compliance in our schools rather than helping students better process information, and so much more. Keep listening to hear how culturally responsive teaching is more than race, diversity, and social justice. Teaching STEM #4Real is a podcast dedicated to for 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. Books mentioned by Zaretta: 1.  Black, Brown, Bruised: How Racialized STEM Education Stifles Innovation by Ebony O. McGee 2.  Science in the City: Culturally Relevant STEM Education by Bryan A. Brown

Welcome to the very first episode of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are honoured to have Dr. Sheldon Eakins on the podcast. Dr. Eakins serves as the founder of the Leading Equity Center and is the host of the Leading Equity podcast. With over 11 years in education, he has worked as a teacher, principal, and director of special education. In fact, he is not just an ally, he is an advocate for equity and anti-racism. Dr. Eakins is passionate about helping educators accomplish equitable practices in their schools through his administrative coaching, facilitation, and courses on anti-racism. In this episode, we’ll chat about teachers’ mental health, diversity in recruitment and retention of teachers, and whether our teachers should quit or not. While some of the answers may surprise you, we are ready to get real and have an honest conversation about these topics! Keep listening to hear how Dr. Eakins became the educator is today, the experience that turned him into an advocate, why culturally responsive teaching is important to him, and so much more! Enjoy! Teaching STEM #4Real is a podcast dedicated to for-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. Dr. Sheldon Eakins' IG: @sheldoneakins Dr. Sheldon Eakins' Twitter: @sheldonleakins