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
Lifting Experiences and Opportunities Through Strong Partnerships (Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools, Part 7)
3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast
Have you been wondering about how we can more deeply connect students to their local communities? Have you been curious about exploring how to co-construct learning opportunities with students? On this seventh episode of our 3Ps in a Pod series on "Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools," we are investigating ways to strengthen the connection between students and community. Leading the potential for bridging connections between students and the community is Josh Schachter, director and founder of CommunityShare, based in Tucson. Learning from Josh’s...
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Fostering Environments to Strengthen School Experiences for All (Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools, Part 6)
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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Fostering Environments to Strengthen School Experiences for All (Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools, Part 6)
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 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...
info_outline
Fostering Environments to Strengthen School Experiences for All (Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools, Part 6)
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...
info_outline
Fostering Environments to Strengthen School Experiences for All (Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools, Part 6)
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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Cultivating Deep Relationships in Schools and Beyond: Caregivers and Communities (Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools, Part 5)
3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast
In this episode, we welcome back Principal Jose Lara from Gilbert High School in Anaheim (California) Union School District and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Teresa Hill of Tucson Values Teachers and a former coach and principal. They build upon the previous episode’s conversation, this time exploring the impact of deep relationships with families and caregivers and how these help influence school climate and culture. Dr. Hill and Principal Lara also explore what community means and how to build community among parents/caregivers. They discuss ways we can build deeper relationships...
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Cultivating Deep Relationships in Schools and Beyond: Students and Staff (Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools, part 4)
3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast
The way principals help support deep relationships with staff and students is essential to student learning. In this episode, we explore how the relationships between staff and students can create positive environments for teaching and learning. That’s what we’re exploring in this fourth episode in our series on Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools. Principal Jose Lara from Gilbert High School in Anaheim (California) Union School District and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Teresa Hill of Tucson Values Teachers and a former coach and principal reflect on...
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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...
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Cognitive Moves for Success (Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools, Part 1)
3 Ps in a Pod: An Education Podcast
Welcome back to a new season of 3Ps in a Pod! This season we will deeply explore a focus on healthy and thriving environments for strong connections and strong schools. Host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, will be connecting you with various guests who will 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 series, you’ll find both thought-provoking conversations and complimentary professional learning materials linked in our show notes. In this first...
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.