Organizers of the Conference at BASE HS: Alexandros Orphanides (Teacher), Gabriella Mucilli (Teacher), Scott Massey (Assistant Principal), and Jonathan Montero (Teacher)
Spring is here, but unfortunately, it has brought a new life for educators. We now have to teach, grade, and lesson plan in our homes and not in schools due to the Coronavirus. If you are educators with families, it is even more challenging. HallPassbreak sympathizes and wants to bring a little joy to your quarantine life. And to bring you back to the time when we were able to leave our homes more freely.
The Bronx has a special place in my heart. It is home to many famous celebrities ranging from Astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson, Rapper Cardi B, Singer Billy Joel, and many others. It also was the place I grew up and began my teaching career.
Teachers attentively listening to a teacher-led workshop.
Last May, Bronx Academy for Software Engineering (B.A.S.E.), a New York City Public High School ran its second annual conference entitled Radical Acts: Loving, Caring, Listening, and Learning. Thanks to the Hollyhock Fellowship Program at Stanford University, Bronx and California educators were able to create a new learning community. The one day event allowed teachers and students at B.A.S.E. to plan and facilitate presentations, activities, and discussions on how schools can become better places for learning through the acts of love. This episode is part one of the conference where I had a chance to sit down with the organizers: Alexandros Orphanides (Teacher), Gabriella Mucilli (Teacher), Scott Massey (Assistant Principal), and Jonathan Montero (Teacher) to discuss what it took to plan a conference at their school. I also had a chance to sit down with other educators who participated in the activities showing the students another side of those in front of the classroom.
The conference was so jam packed with presentations, this episode had to be split into two parts. Check out Part 2 in a couple of weeks to hear more from teachers and students along with my interview with Professor Marcus Pizzarro from San Jose State University who discusses the importance of teachers of colors in schools.
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