Students as Change-Makers with Christina Torres - PTE024

Pushing The Edge with Greg Curran

How can we support and empower students to make change happen?

How can we empower them to be change-makers who challenge and transform unjust systems?

Well, we've gotta dislodge and disrupt the stories of oppression and victim-hood that are so prevalent.

We've gotta review and re-frame the ways we talk about ourselves and our communities.

We've gotta tell stories of persistence, positivity, hope, joy and achievement.

It all starts with re-thinking our business as usual in schools. And on that count we've got quite a few tips and insights to share.

For complete show-notes go to: http://PushingTheEdge.org/24

Episode Run-Down:

? How Christina Torres Pushes The Edge (1:36)

? How to center social justice around students and their worlds (2:14)

? How Christina's students pushed back & resisted (3:38)

? Race: Seeing ourselves in power, in diverse roles (7:26)

? How to teach for student agency (10:34 & 12:27)

? Re-thinking how we view and talk about particular communities (11:26 & 14:47)

? Re-thinking how we view and talk about 'success' (16:15)

? Empowering students to recognize their capital (22:07)

? Why we need to name ourselves with empowered language (23:08)

? Getting beyond stories of oppression - moving toward hope, joy, persistence and possibility (25:16)

>? Getting beyond obedience and polite 'critical thinking' (27:50)

? The Lightning Round - defiance, vulnerability, cultural capital, teacher-leader, agency, and advice (30:32)

? A Not To Be Missed Take-Away (34:56)

Episode Links:

? Christina Torres' Blog - http://christinatorres.org/

? Christina Torres on Twitter - https://twitter.com/biblio_phile

? The Language of Power by Christina Torres - http://goo.gl/AUu48p

? The United Farm Workers' Union - https://goo.gl/XS03kh

? The Unity Clap (Union protest tool) - https://youtu.be/CYOHnxYg50I

? The Giver by Lois Lowry - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Giver

? Martin Luther King Junior - https://goo.gl/M58vW

? Grace Lee Boggs - https://goo.gl/4h0Jlo

? Student Organize, Community Activist and Educator: Xian Barrett - https://twitter.com/xianb8

? Surin McGrory - Re-thinking how we view Indigenous Students - http://pushingtheedge.org/15

? Educolor Resource Page - http://www.educolor.org/resources/

Listen to More Change-Maker Episodes:

? From Student Voice to Agency with Stephanie Thompson - http://pushingtheedge.org/23

? Questioning and transforming our communities with Nakisha Hobbs - http://pushingtheedge.org/22

? Activating Student Voice with Silvia Gonzalez - http://pushingtheedge.org/21

? Step back and let young people take the lead with Laura Hill - http://pushingtheedge.org/8