A Podcast for Parents, by Parents
PTA is working to ensure our public schools provide a high-quality and equitable education for every child to reach their full potential. Notes from the Backpack is a PTA podcast designed for millions of parents and the decisionmakers they influence.
Through the unique combination of expert, parent and educator guests, each episode features engaging conversations that offer real-life advice and ideas on how to support children’s learning and development—all in parent-friendly language.
Real Experts. Real Parents. Real Conversations.
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Current Episode
Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022
66 | How Policy Shapes Family-School Partnerships
Dr. Darcy Hutchins
Is your school district prioritizing Family-School Partnerships? The Director of Family-School Partnerships at Colorado Department of Education, Darcy Hutchins, shares how states and districts can embed best practices into their protocols to ensure strong family-school partnerships. She also offers advice for where families can look for information about policies affecting their own communities.
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65 | Speaking Up for Every Child: Tips from a Parent Advocate
Rosazlia Grillier
What does it mean to be an advocate for all children and how can you jumpstart your own advocacy journey? We discussed the answers to these questions and so much more with Rosazlia Grillier, a founder and governing council member of the United Parent Leaders Action Network (UPLAN). She shares her own experience, how you can find the leader in you, and how to get connected to a network of advocates and take action.
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64 | Helping Your Child Through Crises
Dr. Pamela Cantor
Since the start of 2020, it feels like we’ve experienced—or witnessed—one crisis after another. How should we talk with our children about these challenging topics—and how can we cope with them ourselves? We interviewed Dr. Pamela Cantor, founder and senior science advisor at Turnaround for Children to get her advice. She shares how relationships, routines and resilience can help us traverse these tumultuous times.
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63 | Overcoming Math Anxiety
Eugenio Longoria Saenz
Do you start sweating when your kids ask for help with math homework? Lots of parents struggle with math anxiety—our child’s and our own—but math is everywhere and it’s our job to help our children embrace it. We sat down with Eugenio Longoria Saenz, founding director of the Center for Family Math at The National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement (NAFSCE). He shares how you can overcome your own math anxiety and help your child learn how to approach math with curiosity and an open mind.
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