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36 | Get on Board: Enhancing Parent Teacher Partnerships

Colleen Ryan
2019 Toyota Family Engagement Teacher of the Year

When you think of parent teacher partnerships, conferences and report cards might come to mind, but what if we made family engagement more fun? Colleen Ryan, 2019 Toyota Family Engagement Teacher of the Year, offers advice for parents and teachers on how to work together to help kids get what they need to thrive....
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34 | Inside the Principal’s Office

Dr. Tayarisha Batchelor
Principal of Rawson STEAM School

We talk with Dr. Tayarisha Batchelor, principal of the Rawson STEAM school in Hartford, Conn., about how families and parent leaders can collaborate with their principal. She shares how she has supported families in her communities and how she helps her staff engage in meaningful family engagement practices....
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32 | How to Handle Bullying

Dr. Deborah Temkin
VP for Youth Development & Education Research, Child Trends

What can families do to address bullying and how can schools act proactively to prevent bullying altogether? We talked with Dr. Deborah Temkin, the vice president of Youth Development & Education Research at Child Trends to get answers....
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30 | Exploring Learning Differences during COVID-19

Amanda Morin
Writer & Senior Expert, Understood.org

We speak with Amanda Morin, writer and senior expert at Understood.org, to learn strategies for supporting students with learning differences during online and hybrid learning. She offers advice on helping your kids stay organized, read social cues, manage distractions and more....
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28 | Prioritizing COVID-19 Relief & Recovery

Ralph Smith
Managing Director, Campaign for Grade Level Reading

We spoke with Ralph Smith, managing director of the Campaign for Grade Level Reading to get his perspective on the impact COVID-19 is having in the hardest hit communities. He offers suggestions for parent leaders looking to support the most vulnerable learners and their families during this challenging time....
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26 | Talking Race & KidLit

Kwame Alexander
NYT Bestselling Author

How many books on your children’s shelves feature Black and Brown characters? We spoke with Newbery Medal award-winning author, Kwame Alexander about the importance of representation in kids’ literature. He shared about his own writing process, how to inspire your kids to write and some of his favorite books....
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24 | COVID-19 & Back to School?

Amalia Chamorro
Associate Director of Education Policy, UNIDOS US

As the school year wraps up virtually, families around the world are wondering, what comes next? We spoke with Amalia Chamorro, Associate Director of Education Policy at UNIDOS US to learn more about COVID-19’s impact on our children and its potential impact on the back-to-school season. She reflects on the drastic changes families have faced these last few months and how schools and families will continue to have to adapt moving forward....
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22 | Raising Curious Kids

Dr. Carol O’Donnell
Director, Smithsonian Science Education Center

Our kids seem to have endless questions. Encouraging this curiosity is good for their development. We spoke with Dr. Carol O’Donnell, Director of the Smithsonian Science Education Center, who shares how families can find science in the world around them and fun activities you can do at home....
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20 | Interview with National Teacher of the Year

Rodney Robinson
2019 National Teacher of the Year

We spoke with National Teacher of the Year, Rodney Robinson, in front of a live audience at National PTA’s Legislative Conference. Rodney offered his insights into the teaching profession, issues of equity, school discipline and the importance of recruiting more black educators....
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18 | What’s Going on in My Kid’s Brain?

Dr. Brandi Kenner
Senior Consultant, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

Sometimes you can’t help but wonder, what is my kid thinking? We spoke with Dr. Brandi Kenner, senior consultant at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, about how a child’s brain works. She shared helpful strategies for teaching them how to manage their emotions and behavior....
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16 | Tackling COVID-19 Anxiety Together

Dr. Erlanger “Earl” Turner
Psychologist

COVID-19 has drastically changed our daily lives. We talked with psychologist, author and professor Dr. Earl Turner about how to stay happy, healthy and learning during this difficult time. He shares tips for setting routines, managing your mental health and coping with uncertainty....
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14 | How to Talk to Your Kid about Gun Violence

Edith Bracho-Sanchez
Director of Pediatric Telemedicine, Columbia University

We turn to expert Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez who shares how to have open and honest conversations with children of all ages about lockdown drills, school shootings and all of the emotions that come along with these topics....
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12 | Beyond Academics: Preparing Your Kids for Life

Linda Darling-Hammond
President & CEO, Learning Policy Institute

Is your child’s school preparing students for success in life? Linda Darling-Hammond shares what signs you should look for to see if your child’s school is fostering their holistic development, and what you can do at home to raise well-rounded lifelong learners....
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10 | ¿Está su Hijo Recibiendo los Servicios que Necesita?

Lorena Mancilla
Director, WIDA Early Years

In this special episode of Notes from the Backpack in Spanish, we will talk to the language development expert, Dr. Lorena Mancilla. She demystifies the support given by American schools to students who learn English and also shares advice so that families can support language development at home....
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8 | Asking the "Right" Questions

Luz Santana
Co-Director of the Right Question Institute

We turn to Luz Santana, co-director of the Right Question Institute to learn how to prepare questions that will produce meaningful and helpful answers. She shares how parents can go beyond the typical, “How is my child doing?” to spark more in-depth conversations. We also get her advice on common issues families have and how asking the right questions can improve these situations!...
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6 | How to Raise Confident Kids

Jennifer Miller
Author of Confident Parents, Confident Kids

How do you raise a confident child who can overcome communication challenges and be a good friend to others? We turn to author and parenting expert Jennifer Miller to explore how you can build these social and emotional skills with your child, and how to know if your child’s school is helping them develop in this important area...
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4 | Recess: Is it Just for Play

William Massey
Assistant Professor, College of Public Health and Human Services, Oregon State University
Angie Gallo
Florida PTA Leader and School Board Member

We discuss why recess is important for students’ physical health—as well as their social and emotional development—and take a look at what schools and families are doing to protect and enhance recess time at school. Researcher and dad, William Massey, explains the benefits of recess, what high-quality recess looks like and how parents can get involved in recess. PTA leader and school board member, Angie Gallo, also shares how you can become a recess advocate in your community...
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2 │ How is Your Kid Really Doing in School?

Bibb Hubbard
Founder and President of Learning Heroes
Liz Goshorn
Mother of Four Children

We sit down with Bibb Hubbard—a mother and founder of Learning Heroes—to explore what families and kids think about student academic achievement, how schools and districts can improve the way they share information with families, and what families can do to gauge if their child is on track and advocate for a more accurate picture of their progress. Liz Goshorn gives a mother’s perspective on how you can better understand your child’s academic progress in school and identify their academic strengths and areas for growth...
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0 | Introducing... Notes from the Backpack: A PTA Podcast

Find out what Notes from the Backpack is all about! Hosts LaWanda Toney and Helen Westmoreland give listeners a preview of what they can expect when they tune-in to the podcast series...
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