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PODCAST

Our Classroom

Roberto Germán | Multicultural Classroom

Welcome to Our Classroom! In this space we talk about education, which is inclusive of, but not limited to what happens in schools. Education is taking place whenever and wherever we are willing to learn. In Our Classroom, we explore educational journeys, discuss instructional strategies, unpack books, speak with authors, and we think about how all of this is connected to education. Subscribe, rate the show and write a review! For resources to help you understand the intersection of race,

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All Episodes

32:17

Episode 173 | The Books We Love Arent Always the...

Our Classroom ·

2026/09/30

What happens when a book we loved as children isn't necessarily the book our students need today?In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with Dr. Laura Jiménez, author of Judging a Book By More Than Its Cover: A Critical Guide to Choosing Children’s Literature, for a conversation about how educators can become more critical and intentional about the books we place in front of young people. Dr. Jiménez challenges educators to examine not only children's literature, but

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29:18

Episode 172 | Are We Preparing Students for Life...

Our Classroom ·

2026/09/23

What does it actually mean for a student to be “prepared”?A diploma? Good grades? College acceptance? In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with educator and parent Will Smith, whose work at the college level has given him a different perspective on what happens after students leave K–12 education. Their conversation began months ago with a discussion about phonics and foundational reading skills. But it quickly grew into a much bigger question: Are schools and

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13:21

Episode 171 | When a Student Is Failing, What Are We...

Our Classroom ·

2026/09/16

A student is struggling. Assignments are missing. Grades are dropping. Eventually, everyone realizes there’s a problem.But what does a failing grade actually tell us? In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán explores what happens when we treat a grade as a diagnosis rather than as information. An F might reflect what a student understands, but it might also reflect missing work, attendance, organization, participation, or other circumstances. The challenge for educators and

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13:34

Episode 170 | Before You Call a Student Disengaged

Our Classroom ·

2026/09/09

A student puts their head down. Another stops completing assignments. Someone else seems completely checked out.It's easy to call these students "disengaged." But what if the behavior we're seeing isn't the whole story? In this solo episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán challenges educators to get curious before making assumptions about students who appear disconnected from learning. Using four simple areas,Connection, Access, Relevance, and Agency,Roberto offers a practical framework

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20:47

Episode 169 | Curiosity, Trust, and the Children in...

Our Classroom ·

2026/09/02

What happens when a child keeps asking, “Why?”In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with librarian and children’s author Inbal Alon to discuss her picture book, The Whys Get in Trouble. Through the story of Naomi, a child whose questions don’t always fit neatly into the expectations around her, Inbal invites us to think about what happens when children’s natural curiosity collides with adult expectations for compliance. As Naomi begins to lose her “Whys,” even the

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46:14

Episode 168 | The Archaeology of Self: Why Better...

Our Classroom ·

2026/08/26

What if the most important work we do as educators isn't lesson planning, it's self-reflection?In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with educator, scholar, and author Dr. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz to discuss her powerful book, The Archaeology of Self. Together, they explore why meaningful teaching begins with looking inward and how self-examination can transform the way we show up for our students. Rather than focusing on strategies alone, this conversation invites

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10:37

Episode 167 | Are We Preparing Students for Answers...

Our Classroom ·

2026/08/19

Artificial intelligence has changed the way we access information, but it hasn't changed the importance of curiosity.In this solo episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán explores why great teaching isn't just about helping students find answers. It's about helping them ask better questions. In this episode, we discuss: Why curiosity is one of the most important skills students can develop How questions deepen learning across every subject What AI reveals about the future of

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11:37

Episode 166 | The Questions That Shape a School Year

Our Classroom ·

2026/08/13

The beginning of a school year is filled with anticipation.Teachers organize classrooms, prepare lesson plans, establish routines, and think through every detail of the first week. Those things matter but they aren't the only things that matter. In this solo episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán invites educators to look beyond procedures and consider the deeper questions that shape the culture of a classroom long before the first unit is complete. Rather than offering a checklist for

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7:08

Episode 165 | The Stories Only Your Students Can Tell

Our Classroom ·

2026/08/05

Every day, teachers ask students to write.But how often do we ask them to write the stories that only they can tell? In this solo episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán reflects on a question that emerged while preparing for a workshop on poetry, identity, and place: What stories are we inviting students to preserve? Too often, writing becomes an exercise in compliance—responding to prompts, meeting standards, or completing assignments. But writing can also become an act of remembering,

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8:10

Episode 164 | Before We Teach, We Should Learn

Our Classroom ·

2026/07/29

As educators, we often focus on what we're going to teach. But what if the most important part of teaching happens before we ever step into the classroom?In this solo episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán reflects on preparing for an upcoming workshop with the Sealaska Heritage Institute in Juneau, Alaska. As he revisits his presentation, he realizes that the workshop isn't really about poetry—it's about humility, listening, and honoring the stories that already exist within every

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27:24

Episode 163 | The Power of Translanguaging in Early...

Our Classroom ·

2026/07/22

What if multilingualism isn't something to overcome—but one of a child's greatest strengths?In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with educator, school leader, and multilingual education advocate Elise Genao to explore the power of translanguaging and why honoring children's full linguistic identities creates stronger learners and more inclusive classrooms. Drawing from her experience as a teacher, instructional coach, administrator, and consultant, Elise shares how

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23:18

Episode 162 | Teaching Children to Honor Others...

Our Classroom ·

2026/07/15

How do we teach children to respect others without teaching them to ignore themselves? In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with children's author Caitlin Roeder to discuss her forthcoming picture book, Family Kisses, and the important conversations it invites around family traditions, culture, consent, bodily autonomy, and children's voices. Together, they explore how adults can help children navigate relationships with confidence, kindness, and self-respect—without

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22:02

Episode 161 | From Compliance to Belonging w/ Suzanne...

Our Classroom ·

2026/07/08

Every lesson teaches something. The question is: What are students learning beyond the standards? In this episode of Our Classroom,Lorena Germán sits down with educator and school leader Suzanne Adinolfi to explore the hidden curriculum—the unspoken messages students receive about identity, belonging, voice, and power. Together, they discuss why meaningful learning extends beyond academic standards and how educators can intentionally create classrooms where students feel seen, valued, and

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19:13

Episode 160 | Belonging Doesn't Just Happen w/ Jalpa...

Our Classroom ·

2026/07/01

What if some of the most important lessons about belonging happen outside the classroom? In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with educator, school social worker, author, and parent Jalpa Vaidya Patel to discuss how schools and families can intentionally create spaces where children feel seen, valued, and connected. Drawing from her work helping transform recess into a cultural celebration and her broader commitment to community-building, Jalpa shares practical

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30:07

Episode 159 | What Happens When a School Actually...

Our Classroom ·

2026/06/24

What does meaningful school change actually look like? In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with Dr. Lucy Canzoneri-Golden, Co-Founder and Co-Director of Coral Reef Montessori Academy Charter School, to discuss what happens when a school commits to culture, belonging, and student-centered learning over the long haul. Rather than treating equity and inclusion as isolated initiatives, Coral Reef Montessori has worked intentionally to embed these values into the fabric of

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27:28

Episode 158 | The Power of Picture Books in Student...

Our Classroom ·

2026/06/17

What if picture books were some of the most powerful tools available to educators—not just for teaching reading, but for helping students understand themselves?In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with literacy consultant and author Sarah Cordova to discuss the role picture books can play in shaping student identity, developing writers, and creating more inclusive classrooms. Together, they explore how thoughtfully selected mentor texts can serve as both mirrors and

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8:53

Episode 157 | Where Are the Libraries?

Our Classroom ·

2026/06/10

Libraries shouldn't be a luxury.In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán reflects on a social media post from an educator who challenged the reality that many students still attend schools without fully functioning libraries. What happens when we say literacy matters but fail to provide access to books? This episode explores: - Why libraries are an equity issue- The connection between literacy and opportunity- What students lose when libraries disappear- How budgets reveal

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40:55

Episode 156 | From Invisible to Valuable: Teaching...

Our Classroom ·

2026/06/03

What happens when schools see refugee students through a lens of deficit instead of possibility?In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with Dr. Yacoub Aljaffery, author of Narratives of Success and Resilience of Students from Refugee Backgrounds in U.S. Schools: From Invisible to Valuable, to discuss what educators need to understand about refugee students, multilingual learners, and the power of belonging. Drawing from his own journey as a refugee and educator, Dr

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8:40

Episode 155 | ELA Isn’t Dead. We Just Forgot What It...

Our Classroom ·

2026/05/28

ELA isn’t dead. It just needs to be revived, reimagined, and remembered differently. In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán reflects on why imagination, joy, speculative thinking, and culturally relevant literacy practices matter now more than ever in ELA classrooms. This conversation explores: How ELA became overly compliance-driven Why imagination is rigorous academic work The role of Black scholarship in literacy education Why students need more than test prep How literature

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8:22

Episode 154 | Cultural Humility Is Different Than...

Our Classroom ·

2026/05/20

Episode SummaryWhat happens when schools misunderstand culture as misbehavior? In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán reflects on powerful conversations with a Dominican mother advocating for her son after repeated school experiences rooted in misunderstanding, bias, and cultural disconnects. This conversation explores the important distinction between cultural competence and cultural humility—and why humility requires more than training or good intentions. It requires listening,

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