Arts Educators Save the World

As part of the Wisconsin Arts Integration Symposium, we bring you our first LIVE episode! Erica and guest host Dr. Yorel Lashley bring on emcee and educator Sheikia Purple Norris, who has invited her long time "guide, teacher, sister, peer" Toni Blackman to the pod. Toni is an author, poet, educator, public speaker, cultural representative, and advocate "representing the divine feminine for women and girls rocking the mic with authenticity," as well as the creator and founder of the I Rhyme Like a Girl Collective.Follow Sheikia Purple Norris:IG @4purppeopleCheck out Toni Blackman:www.toniblackman.comIG @toniblackmanLearn more about the Wisconsin Arts Integration Symposiumhttps://place.education.wisc.edu/k12-programs/wisconsin-arts-integration-symposium/

Speaking of mentoring, today we speak with artists of the spoken word, rapper and teacher Rich Robbins, along with actor, writer, and comedian Langston Kerman, who together speak highly of their spoken word teacher, poet and educator Peter Kahn from Oak Park and River Forest High School. We'll let the rest speak for itself. Follow Rich Robbins:Instagram: @richrobbinsTwitter: @richr0bbinsWebsite: Spotify: Rich Robbins Check out Langston Kerman:Instagram: @langstonkermanMy Mama Told Me - The Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-momma-told-me/id1523712290 Learn more about Peter Kahn:https://www.poet-educatorpeterkahn.org

A great addition to the Arts Pod, mathematician and author Jordan Ellenberg calculates the multiplicity of areas covered by his mentor, Peggy Pfeiffer, who combined various factors to create a writers salon in their high school. We can only discuss a fraction of their infinite knowledge, but we divide and conquer hosting duties with Dr. Erica Litke, associate professor of mathematics education in the College of Education & Human Development at the University of Delaware.JORDAN ELLENBERG is the John D. MacArthur Professor of Mathematics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research centers on number theory and arithmetic geometry. He is also the author of the New York Times bestsellers How Not To Be Wrong and Shape, the decidedly non-bestselling novel The Grasshopper King, and articles on mathematical topics for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and many other newspapers and magazines.Learn more about Jordan:Website: www.jordanellenberg.com/Amazon Book Page: www.amazon.com/stores/Jordan-Ellenberg/author/B001K8IUCGDR. ERICA LITKE is an associate professor specializing in mathematics education in the School of Education at the University of Delaware. Her research focuses on understanding and improving instructional quality in mathematics for students in the elementary and secondary grades. Her research has described and analyzed instructional practice in mathematics using observation instruments, connected instructional quality in mathematics to broader policy-related issues in education, and focused on teacher knowledge and professional development.Follow Erica:Twitter @ericalitkeBluesky: @ericalitke.bsky.social

We launch our second season with actress, model, and disability activist Jillian Mercado in conversation with two of her mentors from National Dance Institute: Artistic Director Kay Gayner, who is responsible for the direction of NDI’s In-School Program, which currently serves approximately 6,500 children in New York City schools; and Agnes McConlogue Ferro, a pediatric clinical specialist in physical therapy who, with Ms. Gayner, co-created and co-directs the NDI DREAM Project (Dancers Realize Excellence through Arts and Movement): an inclusion-based movement program focusing on collaboration and participation.Follow Jillian Mercado:IG @jillianmercadoFollow National Dance Institute:IG @nationaldanceinstituteX @nationaldancewww.nationaldance.org

Erica and Alek look back on the first (and definitely not the last) season of Arts Educators Save The World. They answer some listener mail, remember their own mentors, and look ahead to Season 2. 

Erica checks in to let everyone know how amazing this first season has been and how excited we are about the movement we're starting. She also drops a little hint about the guest we're hoping to bring on for the season one finale.

The incomparable Cecily Strong, fresh off her search for signs of intelligent life, soon to once again be live from New York, sits in conversation with Mary Lou Rosato, her CalArts acting teacher – the kind of acting teacher every artist dreams of having. As they talk sonnets, Lady Macbeth, and sketch comedy, you'll be very glad we started this conversation with her at our party.

In a break from our core curriculum, this elective episode brings Erica together with actress and teaching artist Christina Anthony to discuss representations of arts educators on television. While there are no prerequisites for the course, we recommend checking out the 1982 pilot of FAME (iTunes, $1.99 - worth it!), GLEE Season 3 Episode 12 (Disney+), and ABBOTT ELEMENTARY Season 1 Episode 7 (Hulu).

This week we are joined by Tony-nominated broadway actress and singer Kate Baldwin, who has performed with just about every city symphony, in every theater, along with several presidentially-named Centers (Kennedy and Lincoln, to name a couple). Also joining us is Kate’s friend and mentor: musician, choreographer, and teacher since his teenage years, Craig Kienzle. Kate and Craig talk about the importance of their formative work together, and discuss the person whom they both credit with building the school program that changed their lives, along with generations of other students and artists.

Erica checks in to let everyone know that we're taking a week off to catch our breath, and she previews the second half of Season 1 with guest announcements and more!