Critical Talk

04. Exploring Gender: A Colorful Journey

Far too often, queer youth experience bullying at school and in other spaces merely for existing and expressing their authentic selves. Unfortunately, another queer teen has passed away after experiencing bullying at school for being non-binary. This episode is dedicated to Nex Benedict, an Indigenous, nonbinary youth who should not have had to endure the bullying that I believe caused their death. In this episode, we explore how discussing and learning about gender identity and diversity in early childhood may support young children to develop a respect for and acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals. Listen to how early childhood leaders Carla Blue-Norton and Diana Herrera are making their voices heard and supporting other early childhood educators in embracing practices that support young children in understanding gender diversity.  Content warning: this episode discusses topics of violence toward LGBTQ+ youth and suicide. Make sure to check out the following scholars and resources who helped inform our conversation for this episode: * AP News: A nonbinary student’s death after a high school fight has been ruled a suicide. Here’s what to know [https://apnews.com/article/nonbinary-student-death-nex-owasso-oklahoma-1e07834d6aad2475a8f744974d66e765] * Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Definitions from the Human Rights Campaign [https://www.hrc.org/resources/sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-terminology-and-definitions] * Book Banning [https://www.instagram.com/p/C4gpp_1PZTA/?img_index=1] * Anti-trans Bill [https://www.instagram.com/p/C4L3jFNydlw/] * Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation [https://www.instagram.com/p/C3-nkiHLbOx/?img_index=1] * Next on 9 News with Kyle Clark: Colorado school district to replace Scholastic book fair with conservative-backed alternative [https://www.9news.com/video/news/local/next/next-with-kyle-clark/73-9fb7dfbb-3793-46d5-8ec1-240e5a2795bd] * NAEYC Article: Focus on Ethics: Gender Expression and Identity [https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/nov2019/gender-expression-identity] * Children’s Books about Gender Identity and Expression [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PVBbQmHx8HW4lSk6l5715UaFKqQqvodY_R_1sdBqEdI/edit?usp=sharing] Want to connect with Carla and Diana? Reach out to Carla via email at cbluenorton@gmail and Diana via email at diana@dpp.org. Want to connect with Julio? Follow him on Instagram at Juicy.J.86 or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/julio-alas-2573542a8/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/julio-alas-2573542a8/] Music Credits: "Coffee Date" Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io [https://freebeats.io], Produced By White Hot

03. Are You A Language Oppressor?

A teacher's document banning slang from their classroom recently went viral on social media. Some people viewed this as language oppression, and in this episode, Julio discusses this topic with two educators - Vany Miramontes Marquez, the Assistant Principal at Charles M. Schenck Community School, and Alma Martinez, a 3rd Grade ELA-S Teacher and Senior Team Lead at Cowell Elementary School. They share their insights on what language oppression means and how educators can embrace linguistic liberation. Listen to their discussion and ask yourself if you are a language oppressor. Make sure to check out these amazing scholars and resources who helped inform our conversation for this episode: * Read this post [https://www.instagram.com/p/C10FQ7VSSnE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==]that prompted this conversation for the show. * Watch the Linguistic Justice: Black Language, Literacy, Identity, and Pedagogy [https://youtu.be/BmbzPzip4Fs?si=euHwAovV43kmb8zv] video created by Dr. April Baker-Bell, Assistant Professor of Language, Literacy, and English Education at Michigan State University. * Learn more from Dr. José Medina on linguistic liberation [https://www.tiktok.com/@josemedina1000/video/7062160816761539886?q=jose%20medina%20linguistic%20liberation&t=1705867768877] and follow him on TikTok! * Read the following article to learn about ways educators can support children with different language variations in Teaching Reading to African American Children: When Home and School Language Differ [https://www.aft.org/ae/summer2021/washington_seidenberg] by Julie A. Washington and Mark S. Seidenberg. * Read Angela Valenzuela’s book, Subtractive Schooling [https://sunypress.edu/Books/S/Subtractive-Schooling] to understand more about how this concept plays out for marginalized children in the US education system. Want to connect with Vany and Alma? * Reach out to Vany via her work email at v_miramontes-marque@dpsk12.net [v_miramontes-marque@dpsk12.net] or at her personal email at vany.miramontes@ucdenver.edu [vany.miramontes@ucdenver.edu] or connect with her via LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vany-miramontes-marquez/] at. Learn more about CMS Community School here [https://cmscommunityschool.dpsk12.org/]. * Reach out to Alma via email at alma_martinez2@dpsk12.net [alma_martinez2@dpsk12.net] or connect through LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alma-martinez-5714a831/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/audaz07/]. Learn more about Cowell Elementary School here [https://cowell.dpsk12.org/]. Want to connect with Julio? Follow him on Instagram at Juicy.J.86 [https://www.instagram.com/juicy.j.86/] or on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/julio-alas-2573542a8/]. Music Credits: "Coffee Date" Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io, Produced By White Hot

02. Sustaining Culture: Moving Beyond Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Practices

Many educators are familiar with the terms "culturally responsive" or "culturally relevant" when it comes to their teaching methods. However, the concept of being "culturally sustaining" may not be as well-known. In this episode, Julio and Liliana Flores Amaro, who is a Senior Instructor/Alternative Licensure Instructor at the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Colorado-Denver, explain the practical application of culturally sustaining practices and why it is crucial. They also discuss Liliana's efforts to assist early educators in understanding culturally sustaining practice and pedagogy, as well as the positive impact of this work. Make sure to check out these amazing scholars and resources who helped inform our conversation for this episode: * Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies: Teaching and Learning for Justice in a Changing World [https://www.tcpress.com/culturally-sustaining-pedagogies-9780807758335⁠] by Django Paris and Samy Alim * Gloria Ladson-Billings [https://naeducation.org/our-members/gloria-ladson-billings/] * Geneva Gay [https://education.uw.edu/people/faculty/ggay] * Bettina Love [https://bettinalove.com/] * Check out the film Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years [https://www.antibiasleadersece.com/the-film-reflecting-on-anti-bias-education-in-action/] * Teachers as Policy Actors Forum [https://drive.google.com/file/d/14ZUhYLu3KpVcCQaO557hvHoGkN4GfC_r/view?usp=sharing] Want to connect with Liliana? Reach out to her via email at liliana.floresamaro@ucdenver.edu [liliana.floresamaro@ucdenver.edu].  Want to connect with Julio? Follow him on Instagram at Juicy.J.86 or on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/julio-alas-2573542a8/]. Music Credits: "Coffee Date" Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io, Produced By White Hot

01. Critical Digital Pedagogy in the Early Years: From Antiracism to Decolonization, the Time is Now

Critical digital pedagogy can help us achieve a more humanizing and liberating educational experience, but what does all of that really mean? Join host Julio Alas for the first Critical Talk to grapple with these issues, with a focus on what they may mean for the field of early care and education. This podcast was informed by the people and research cited below. References Appleton, N. S. (2019, February 4). Do Not ‘Decolonize’ . . . If You Are Not Decolonizing: Progressive Language and Planning Beyond a Hollow Academic Rebranding [web log]. Retrieved July 8, 2023, from http://www.criticalethnicstudiesjournal.org/blog/2019/1/21/do-not-decolonize-if-you-are-not-decolonizing-alternate-language-to-navigate-desires-for-progressive-academia-6y5sg?ref=cdp.cu.studio#_ftn1= [http://www.criticalethnicstudiesjournal.org/blog/2019/1/21/do-not-decolonize-if-you-are-not-decolonizing-alternate-language-to-navigate-desires-for-progressive-academia-6y5sg?ref=cdp.cu.studio#_ftn1=].  Curenton, S. M., Rochester, S. E., Sims, J., Ibekwe‐Okafor, N., Iruka, I. U., García‐Miranda, A. G., & Whittaker, J. (2022). Antiracism defined as equitable sociocultural interactions in prekindergarten: Classroom racial composition makes a difference. Child Development, 93(3), 681-698. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13779 [https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13779] Derman-Sparks, L., Edwards, J. O., Goins, C. M., & National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2020). Anti-bias education for young children & ourselves (Second ed.). National Association for the Education of Young Children. Escayg, K. (2019). “Who’s got the power?”: A critical examination of the anti-bias curriculum. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy (Seoul), 13(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40723-019-0062-9 [https://doi.org/10.1186/s40723-019-0062-9] Fellmayer, J. (2018, October 11). Disruptive Pedagogy and the Practice of Freedom [web log]. Retrieved July 8, 2023, from https://hybridpedagogy.org/disruptive-pedagogy-and-the-practice-of-freedom/?ref=cdp.cu.studio [https://hybridpedagogy.org/disruptive-pedagogy-and-the-practice-of-freedom/?ref=cdp.cu.studio].  Freire, P., Ramos, M. B., Macedo, D. P., & Shor, I. (2020). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Bloomsbury Academic.  Funez-Flores, J. I. [@jairo_I_funez]. 2023, July 13). Decolonizing your syllabus this fall? No you’re not. There’s no such thing. [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/jairo_i_funez/status/1679533411189547008?s=46&t=pAuFyLsgX2Ylfwqsjbx8ww [https://twitter.com/jairo_i_funez/status/1679533411189547008?s=46&t=pAuFyLsgX2Ylfwqsjbx8ww] Gay, G. (2000). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice. Teachers College Press. Hill, D., Ameenuddin, N., Reid Chassiakos, Y. (Linda), Cross, C., Hutchinson, J., Levine, A., Boyd, R., Mendelson, R., Moreno, M., & Swanson, W. S. (2016). Media and young minds. Pediatrics, 138(5). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2591 [https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2591?ref=cdp.cu.studio] hooks, bell. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.  Iruka, I. U., Durden, T. R., Escayg, K.-A., & Curenton, S. M. (2023). We are the change we seek: Advancing racial justice in early care and education. Teachers College Press.  Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But that's just good teaching! the case for culturally relevant pedagogy. Theory into Practice, 34(3), 159-165. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849509543675 [https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849509543675] Love, B. L. (2019). We want to do more than survive: Abolitionist teaching and the pursuit of educational freedom. Beacon Press. Stommel, J. (2014, November 17). Critical Digital Pedagogy: a Definition [web log]. Retrieved July 2, 2023, from https://hybridpedagogy.org/critical-digital-pedagogy-definition/ [https://hybridpedagogy.org/critical-digital-pedagogy-definition/].  Tuck, E., & Young, K. W. (2012). Decolonization is not a metaphor. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society, 1(1), 1–40.  Ware, F. (2006). Warm demander pedagogy: Culturally responsive teaching that supports a culture of achievement for African American students. Urban Education (Beverly Hills, Calif.), 41(4), 427-456. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085906289710 [https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085906289710] Music Credits: "Coffee Date" and "Cruisin'" Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io, Produced By White Hot "As I Daydream" Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io, Produced Sauze FZ