Podcasts
The purpose of this podcast is to examine at a very deep level, those things that are occurring in America's schools which impact educators' ability to improve the academic achievement levels of all students, and more specifically, students of color (which includes students from various linguistic backgrounds) and students experiencing the impact of poverty (which includes students from all ethnic backgrounds).
The second and most important purpose of this Podcast Show is to provide recommendations that can be tried, proven and then replicated in schools and districts across the entire country.
In this podcast Dr. Sonya Whitaker describes what is meant by performing in the paint. Furthermore, she provides concrete examples of the types of strategies leaders should use to navigate the political waters associated with achieving at high levels.
In this podcast, Dr. Sonya Whitaker speaks candidly about education and migration and the fact that many have referred to what is currently happening as a humanitarian crisis. She encourages educators to focus on the word human in humanitarian and to raise awareness about the most effective ways in which to respond to migrant families.
Dr. Whitaker also references a theoretical framework that can be used to aid you in developing policy-related responses to this topic in particular.
This podcast is for any parent or guardian of a child attending any school in America (public or private). Be sure to listen to Dr. Whitaker’s 20-minute podcast before you head out to participate in Parent/Teacher Conferences. In this podcast, she addresses what she has coined as The Top Five Questions for Engaging in Critical Conversations with Your Child’s Teachers.
In this podcast, Dr. Sonya Whitaker addresses the Criminalization and Adultification of Black Girls in America’s K-12 Educational Institutions. She shares critical information related to what you need to know and what you have the power to do about it. Dr. Whitaker contends that every educator in America with a black girl in their school or district needs to know the contents of this podcast and the accompanying blog post. More specifically, she wants you compelled to ask yourself as a leader, teacher or school board member, “what am I missing as it relates to this topic?"
After years of experimenting, Dr. Sonya Whitaker noticed a trend that causes her concern and the trend is directly tied to her personal experiences related to limited to no ability to obtain unsweetened ice tea in any of the black communities she frequents. In this podcast, she opens up about topics related to black people being disproportionately harder hit by heart diseases risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity and challenges fast food service providers to make a concentrated effort to engage in practices geared more toward extending the life expectancy rates of African Americans. Dr. Whitakers own grandmother died at the age of 54 due to complications related to heart disease.
Episode Two of The Sonya Whitaker Podcast 2.0. Title: Pushing the Needle for Public Education. In this podcast Dr. Whitaker shares that you were called to lead during such a time as this. She challenges you to accept your calling while recognizing what you are up against as you continue to advocate for America’s most vulnerable students. After you actively listen to this podcast you will be inspired to push harder, run faster and go against the grain in order to achieve greatness. For more information about Dr. Sonya Whitaker or to obtain access to her on-demand podcasts visit sonyawhitaker.com.
Expect to be completely transformed, charged, and re-focused after listening to this fifteen-minute podcast. In this podcast, Sonya Whitaker makes herself completely vulnerable by going public with her source of strength. She has felt compelled to do so as a direct result of her experiences and her commitment to inspiring you to work toward becoming the best version of yourself. For access to Dr. Whitaker's previously recorded and on-demand podcasts, or for booking details submit your contact information at sonyawhitaker.com.
On this edition of The Sonya Whitaker Podcast, Dr. Sonya Whitaker speaks openly as she reflects publicly on a question that she recently posed to herself. The question she posed is "How did I get here?" In preparing to deliver remarks to civil rights lawyers in Illinois and others, Dr. Whitaker grew even more humble while reflecting on her positioning in this space. She decided to let you in to her thinking. Dr. Whitaker hopes that by listening to this podcast you will be inspired to "step out on faith," and position yourself to use your God given talents for the benefit of others. It is your living legacy!
What is your why? Why are you doing all of this? This podcast focuses your improvement efforts by providing information relevant to the benefits of involving your staff in the process of determining their why. The goal is to then use their why statements to examine the mission statement associated with your organization. Listen in on this ten-minute podcast for further details.
In this podcast Dr. Sonya Whitaker provides support to educators, community members, parents, teachers and board of education members by identifying cultural conflicts that could be occurring.
Dr. Whitaker contends that these cultural conflicts serve as counterproductive to supporting you in ensuring that all students gain equitable access to a quality education.
In this podcast recording Dr. Sonya Whitaker shares her personal experience with being stopped unjustifiably by a police officer while on vacation with her family. She shares details related to what the officer referred to as a "judgment call," and offers her informed opinion regarding how "judgement calls" impact the work educators and others.
She also makes a call to others to be careful not to "blame the victims" of injustices of this nature.
In releasing this podcast Dr. Sonya Whitaker thanks all of those in law enforcement who risk their lives to serve and protect others and encourage you and educators to use the content of this recording in your trainings in an effort to raise the consciousness of those who educate and serve with you.
During this profound podcast production, Dr. Sonya Whitaker is very transparent about a recent hospital visit that prompted her to address the color of her skin, and the role that we all play in developing and then demonstrating a high level of commitment to raise our consciousness around the topic of skin color.
S3E3. In this episode of The Sonya Whitaker Podcast, Dr. Whitaker addresses the fact that teachers are negatively impacted by the local, state and national debates relevant to the false notion that Critical Race Theory is being taught in a greater majority of America's k-12th grade schools and districts.
In this podcast Dr. Sonya Whitaker states the facts, and then offers suggestions related to what should be done to ensure that teachers remain enthusiastic and focused on the real reason they have committed their lives to the field of education. For more information about Sonya Whitaker, other podcasts and her companion blog posts visit sonyawhitaker.com.
This podcast is the second one to be published in Series 3 of The Sonya Whitaker Podcast (formally referred to as: What's Really Going On Podcast). In The Sonya Whitaker Podcast, host Dr. Sonya Whitaker furthers her conversation relevant to the difference between Critical Race Theory and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy by offering her perspective on Why Critical Race Theory remains the subject of political and heated debate. Furthermore, she addresses different sides of the argument and states her intent to do her part to help heal the country.
This podcast is the first one to be published in Series 3 of The Sonya Whitaker Podcast (formally referred to as: What's Really Going On Podcast). Out of concern for the inaccurate information being shared across the nation about how race and culture are addressed at the classroom (or instructional levels), Dr. Whitaker has found it necessary to speak about this topic directly and regularly.
Throughout this recording, Dr. Sonya Whitaker seeks to provide great clarity as it relates to identifying the difference between Critical Race Theory and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. This podcast is a must listen to for any school board member, educator, parent, or community member that is serious about work centered around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
The Silent Killer: What WE already knew. This podcast addresses the silent killer of low literacy in America and the impact on our nation's most vulnerable citizens. In this podcast Dr. Sonya Whitaker makes it clear that although 65 years ago, U.S. Supreme Court Justices ruled segregation in schools as being unconstitutional (Brown vs. Board of Education), America's schools have re-segregated. Dr. Whitaker is now pushing for their to be local, state and national level attention focused on what she believes is a national crisis and is referring to this crisis as "the silent killer."
Happy New Year!!! This one minute audio recording has been developed for the purpose of providing you with a brief overview of the purpose of my podcast show entitled What's Really Going On: A Spotlight on Improving Student Achievement for Students in America's Schools.
Happy New Year! This podcast has been recorded for the purpose of helping you to focus your equity work in a manner that results in an improvement in the quality of life of others.
In this episode, Dr. Sonya Whitaker interviews Mr. Joe Phillips who currently serves in the position of Director of Technology at Kansas City Public Schools. Prior to his work in the district, he served the country in Afghanistan. He is the author of the article entitled: Let's Talk About Equity: This Laptop Stopped a Bullet and Saved a Student's Life. He is passionate about ensuring that all students have equitable access to technology. In the article, he discusses the best approaches for doing so.
Mr. Jackson has become one of the most sought-after speakers in the country. He has written and published 5 books.
In this interview, he highlights what he believes to be the biggest barriers to ensuring the academic success of male students. In addition, he provides his recommendations for what should be done in schools to better ensure that all students have access to high-quality academic experiences.
During this podcast Dr. Sonya Whitaker interviews Mr. Ralph Martire. Mr. Martire is highly respected and acknowledged nationwide for his work relevant to school finance. He is the current Director for the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability (CTBA) which is a bipartisan 501(c)(3) think tank committed to ensuring that state, federal and local workforce, education, fiscal, and economic and budget policies are fair and just, and promote opportunity for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, or income. In this podcast he discusses what the term equity means to him as well as what it means to distribute school finances using an equity lens.
During this podcast Dr. Sonya Whitaker interviews Dr. Nicholas Wahl (Superintendent in Residence for Equal Opportunity Schools). Dr. Wahl discusses his equity journey as well as the work that his organization does to support organizations in ensuring that students from diverse backgrounds obtain access to rigorous studies.
This episode is a spinoff to the blog post that Dr. Sonya Whitaker posted and is dated April 6, 2019. The focus of this eight-minute show is to offer recommendations for the types of strategies that can be implemented for the purpose of empowering girls and students from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds as it relates to increasing their STEM knowledge.
S1Episode Three: The wrong side of the street
This episode is a spinoff to the blog that Dr. Sonya Whitaker posted and is dated December 18, 2018. The focus of this seven-minute show is to draw your attention to the need to identify and then address the societal factors which impact student performance.
S1 Episode Two: In the Spirit of Excellence
This episode focuses on Dr. Sonya Whitaker's four leadership lessons learned from the lady who cleans the bathroom at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. The episode is an extension of her blog posted dated December 26, 2018. You may access the blog post by visiting her website at sonyawhitaker.com.
This episode provides for you an introduction to this podcast show. The ultimate goal is to provide for you a clear picture of what matters to Dr. Sonya Whitaker relevant to her efforts (and yours) specific to engaging in equity work across the nation.