Ethical Schools

We welcome back Dr. Kym Vanderbilt of Lehman College, this time joined by her former students, Kelsey Nova and Cyndhia Silvero. We discuss how Dr. Vanderbilt’s graduate students create case studies based on ethical challenges they themselves have faced. Ms. Nova and Ms. Silvero share their own case studies. We also discuss the ongoing struggle for fair compensation for early childhood educators, especially assistant teachers and education directors. Overview00:15-00:40 Intros 00:40-02:26 Objectives in assigning scenarios of ethically complex situations 02:26-05:06 Kelsey’s ethical dilemma scenario 05:06-06:14 Potential solutions 06:14-08:13 Cyndhia’s ethical dilemma scenario 08:13-09:14 Improving children’s experiences at more elite schools 09:14-10:37 Making schools more sensitive to cultural diversity 10:37-14:51 Does the State encourage teacher ed classes that discuss ethical issues 14:51-15:25 Penalty Kick video promo 15:25-17:00 Codes of ethics 17:00-23:28 Issues to resolve for high quality early childhood programs 23:28-26:55 Special ed issues 26:55-28:58 Why do these issues exist? 28:58-32:52 Denials/evaluations 32:52-39:50 Issues for early childhood staff as employees:              Autonomy vs compliance, staff pay and disparities 39:50-42:38 “Making this a career that people can stay in.” 42:38-43:50 Outro  TranscriptClick here to see the full transcription of this episode. Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Jon talks with Dr. Beverly Falk of the High Quality Learning Project, Lauren Monaco, New York City pre-K teacher, and experienced educators Gil Schmerler and Renee Dinnerstein. They discuss the centrality of play to children’s development as confirmed by recent research on how the brain works. A “play-in” in Manhattan calls for greater emphasis on play in early childhood classes. Overview00:15-01:17 Intros01:17-02:53 Play’s defining features02:53-03:22 Defining early childhood03:22-08:46 How children learn and develop08:46-11:46 How central has play been historically to early childhood education11:46-24:15 Conflict between free play and academics in the early childhood education field24:15-28:36 Current status of play in early childhood education in NYS and NYC28:36-29:10 Penalty Kick video promo29:10-31:36 Patterns in community-based centers and schools31:36-36:06 What should NYS and NYC do to reinstitute proper levels of play?36:06-39:41 NYCplays.org: Organizing: How listeners can get involved, 9/26 Play-in39:41-41:08 Importance of public/education officials speaking up41:08-42:07 Play and explicit literacy instruction should be paired42:07-44:37 Parents getting mixed messages44:37-45:47 You can’t rush neurological development45:47- OutroTranscript Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. References Protectors of Play (POP) website: nycplays.org Join NYC Plays’ free, all-ages Play-In with games, activities, and advocacy for play in schools: September 26, 12–2 pm, at Manny Cantor Center (197 East Broadway, 6th floor, NYC). Register here! The High Quality Early Learning Project (Podcast) February 20, 2026: NYC Kindergarteners are Being Diagnosed with Play Deprivation & We Can Change It (Podcast) February 27, 2026: The Proposal to Fix Kindergarten that NYC's Mayor Needs to Hear Renee Dinnerstein's book "Choice Time: How to Deepen Learning Through Inquiry and Play" Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We share brief presentations from the fifth “Global Saturday Salons” that Ethical Schools is sponsoring with three international partners. Nando Rodriguez is the Senior Manager for Environmental Programming at the Brotherhood/Sister Sol (BroSis) in Harlem, NYC. Camila Salcedo, 16, is a sophomore at Thurgood Marshall Academy, and Elias DeLeon, 17, is a junior at KIPP Charter School. Both have been members of the BroSis community for several years. Together, they explore what happens when young people are trusted with real responsibility, meaningful relationships, and hands-on experiences in nature. This salon series, Learning to Citizen: Tales of Youth Voice, Agency, and Care, honors learners and educators who are already practicing care, enacting citizenship, and learning how to regenerate their communities and their world. Discover more at edfortheworldwewant.net. TranscriptionClick here to see the full description of this episode. References To view Nando's slides presented during the Salon, [access the presentation here]. Want the full conversation?  Watch the complete Salon, including the plenary session, on YouTube. Soundtrack by Poddington Bear. 

Jon speaks with Dr. David Penberg, who ran the Liberty  Partnership Program at Bank Street College in the 1990s, and two of the participants, Madelyn Baez, and Tara Crichlow. Three decades later, Madelyn, Tara, and David explain how the program changed the trajectory of their lives. The Liberty Partnership was created as a college prep intervention for underserved and marginalized middle school students.   For the participants, it was a safe place of "uncomfortable empowerment" where their opinions were taken seriously in a simultaneously supportive and challenging environment. Overview00:00-00:45 Intro 00:45-01:56 Liberty Partnership Program (LPP) origin and description 01:56-03:36 What LPP felt like to Madelyn and Tara 03:36-07:03 LPP structure and goals 07:03-09:40 How Madelyn and Tara joined 09:40-14:42 How experiences in the program were different from school 14:42-19:10 Environmental conversations 19:10-19:24 Trip to China 19:24-20:49 Asset-based program; not about “fixing” the young people 20:49-23:03 Opportunities and relationships 23:03-26:04 “Uncomfortable empowerment” 26:04-26:50 Options, opportunities, exposure, experience 26:50-30:37 Bank Street as a place of safety and empowerment during time of demonization  of young people of color after Central Park jogger case 30:37-35:03 Impact on students’ relationships with families and friends 35:03-37:02 Impact on David’s life 37:02-37:52 Remembering youths who died 37:52-40:51 The larger Bank Street environment 40:51-42:15 The “pure love” of the LPP community 42:15- OutroTranscriptClick here to see the full transcription of this episode. Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We share brief presentations from the fourth "Global Saturday Salons” that Ethical Schools is sponsoring with three international partners. Dr. Benjamin Freud is the Strategic Lead for Regenerative Education at the Green School Bali, Manon Tiange is a Grade 12 student mapping labor invisibility and systemic inequality in Bali, and Scarlett Gonella is a Grade 12 student investigating plastic pollution and advocating for clean water access in Indonesia. They talked about an educational culture rooted in contribution to community. Learners are trusted to ask difficult questions, collaborate across generations, and imagine reform at the highest levels. This salon series is called Learning to Citizen: Tales of Youth Voices, Agency, and Care. Our goal is to honor learners and teachers who are already doing the work practicing care, enacting citizenship, and learning how to regenerate their worlds. Discover more and join us on May 30th to learn with members of The Brotherhood Sister Sol: edfortheworldwewant.net