Activating Student Stories with Silvia Gonzalez - PTE021

Pushing The Edge with Greg Curran

In This Episode: finding and understanding ourselves through our stories; the links between language and autonomy; re-framing assessment in ways that work for our students; and playing the game - or at least critically playing it. My guest is Silvia Gonzalez, a teacher-artist who works primarily with black and Latino young people in Chicago, USA. Episode Run-Down

• How Silvia pushes the edge
• Empowerment and identity
• Centering our students' stories | Finding a place to be who you are
• Visibility and Invisibility | Toning down in the classroom
• Sharing our stories
• Critical interrogation and diverse perspectives
• Continual learning and researching as a teacher
• Actively engaging with our students and their communities
• Negotiating the pull towards standards whilst meaningfully engaging with the real issues in students' lives
• The power of language and systems of power
• Comfort, discomfort and accountability
• Transparency and critically 'playing the game'
• The Lightning Round
• Being open to our students' stories: 2 examples

Links for People and Issues Mentioned in this Episode

• Silvia Gonzalez- Website - Instagram
• Cherri Moraga and Gloria Anzaldua - 'This Bridge Called My Back', 'Making Face, Making Soul -Haciendo Caras (books)
• Favianna Rodriguez - 'Migration is Beautiful'

Related Pushing The Edge Podcasts

For more social-justice themed episodes, listen to:

• Episode 3: Shake up your beliefs and values with Erin Stevenson
• Episode 7: Find your voice and really connect with Jenny Moes
• Episode 13: How to navigate social justice issues in the classroom with Rusul Alrubail
• Episode 15: Shaking up our mindsets about Indigenous Students with Surin McGrory
• Episodes 17 and 18: Making a Difference by Not Playing it Safe with Greg Curran (Part 1 and Part 2)