Episode 17: Interview with Casey Jakubowski

In this episode, I chat with Casey Jakubowsi, an educational researcher out of New York. Although he was born in Buffalo, New York, Casey and his parents moved throughout the state because of his father’s work. Casey received undergraduate degrees from Fredonia State University, Binghamton State University, and University of Buffalo before completing his doctoral degree at Suny Albany where he studied educational leadership with a focus on rural education. He started his academic career in rural education and spent a large amount of time working with those living in the commonly unknown spaces between the various small cities in upstate New York, an area vastly different from the populous urban areas that make up much of the southern portion of the state. Casey even took these experiences and transformed them into his book, “Thinking About Teaching.” You may also be surprised to know that he is an Eagle Scout.

During our chat, we discuss the commonly held misconceptions about rural education, that they are “backwards” or “deficient.” Casey pushes back against these beliefs pointing out an urban normativity that prioritizes a different set of standards. In fact, he points out that the struggles that so many schools are experiencing with adapting to this forced change of remote learning are not new for many rural schools because they have become resourceful after spending decades adapting to issues not often present in urban settings. Casey also shares the need to provide wrap around services for our students and their families and how we define and provide resources for education. He even provides three great suggestions on how we can all improve the educational experience for everyone.

Enjoy.

Find a copy of his book here.

Follow Casey on Twitter @CaseyJ_edu