Building a Culture of Music in Tolleson with Efrain Casillas, the 2024 Arizona Teacher of the Year
3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast
Release Date: 02/08/2024
Removing Barriers to Post Secondary Opportunities: Students and Staff (Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools, Part 8)
3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast
While we focus on K-12 education at the Arizona K12 Center, today on 3Ps in a Pod, we’re talking about a particular pathway for high school graduates. Today, Amanda Schmidt, a senior development director with NAU Advancement, joins us to talk about ways to remove or lower barriers to post-secondary education and how, as a community, we can all participate in helping others achieve success by lowering financial barriers. Amanda shares about why she encourages students to lead with curiosity when considering post-secondary possibilities and the importance of reaching out to find out what...
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3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast
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3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast
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Liberatory Design is an approach to changing what is and creating a whole ecosystem that best supports all students. It is a process and practice to create designs that increases inclusion by removing barriers and increasing opportunities. In this episode, host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, talks with Kathleen Osta from National Equity Project about Liberatory Design. Kathleen and Juliana explore the 12 mindsets of Liberatory Design and how they support collaborative work. These mindsets must be applied with intentionality and can support healing, being seen, and humanizing our spaces. The Liberatory...
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3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast
Liberatory Design is an approach to changing what is and creating a whole ecosystem that best supports all students. It is a process and practice to create designs that help interrupt inequity and increase opportunity for those most impacted by oppression. In this episode, host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, talks with Kathleen Osta from National Equity Project about Liberatory Design. Kathleen and Juliana explore the 12 mindsets of Liberatory Design and how they support collaborative work. These mindsets must be applied with intentionality and can support healing, being seen, and humanizing our...
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3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast
Liberatory Design is an approach to changing what is and creating a whole ecosystem that best supports all students. It is a process and practice to create designs that help interrupt inequity and increase opportunity for those most impacted by oppression. In this episode, host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, talks with Kathleen Osta from National Equity Project about Liberatory Design. Kathleen and Juliana explore the 12 mindsets of Liberatory Design and how they support collaborative work. These mindsets must be applied with intentionality and can support healing, being seen, and humanizing our...
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3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast
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Emotional Regulation at School and at Home (Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools, Part 3)
3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast
Understanding emotional regulation and dysregulation is foundational to well being, no matter our age. On this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, we explore this very important topic with Dr. Andrew Khan from Understood.org. Dr. Khan shares the why behind and the vast resources that organization has developed to support educators and parents. Juliana and Dr. Khan explore neurodivergence and how to apply strategies to all learners and make our learning environments more inclusive. By doing so, we can create successful and thriving environments that honor our students bringing their whole...
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Humanity and Deep Engagement for Strong Connections (Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools, Part 2)
3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast
Author and teacher Patrick Harris will remind you to channel the magic of teaching in this episode of 3Ps in a Pod. He reflects on how teaching is human work and why showing up authentically is so important for both the teachers and the students. This season, we are exploring healthy and thriving environments for strong connections and strong schools. Host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, connects you with various guests to help us explore this idea from diverse perspectives and help us think critically about how we all work together to create strong schools that center our students. Through this...
info_outlineEfrain Casillas, the 2024 Arizona Teacher of the Year, has been teaching at Tolleson Elementary School District for 17 years. His vision isn’t to just teach music to his current students but to build a culture of music in Phoenix.
3Ps hosts Josh and Donnie talk with Efrain about the beginning of his interest in music as a child in Puerto Rico and how that led to his music education career.
Efrain shares how he works to engage his students’ interests and culture into his teaching. That’s led to his creating multiple new music groups, including mariachi, jazz, marching, concert, and Latin jazz bands, at Tolleson Elementary schools. He notes the amount of recognition the mariachi band has gone on to earn as well.
Having those bands compete in music contests and play publicly in the community has provided students with skills they wouldn’t learn only playing in school and also opened the door for more community engagement. Efrain has been able to fundraise and further expand music programming and engage more Tolleson students. He also mentions how he’s interested in beginning a community band for former students and others who would like to continue playing their instruments.
Learn more about Efrain Casillas and glimpse into his classroom at azedfoundation.org.
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.