Educational Equity Emancipation
“We have to do better”… That’s Dr. Almitra Berry’s heart-felt answer when asked about educating children from diverse cultural and language backgrounds.
Dr. Berry has a strong message for educators and school system leaders who don’t understand that cultural differences can profoundly affect the quality of education these children experience…
“You have children with failing test scores. You have teachers who want to teach but aren’t given the freedom or allowed to use the tools and strategies they need. You have teachers leaving the profession in droves.
And you have tax-paying parents who are very dissatisfied with their children’s education but don’t know how to effect change.”
In other words, our education system has a crisis on its hands. And this crisis affects all of us, not just teachers and those in the educational establishment.
It’s a crisis we must address if we’re going to have an exceptional nation with school systems free of systemic oppression.
We need to take it to heart. We need to act on Dr. Berry’s message. It’s a message she’s deeply passionate about.
As an educator, speaker, and author, she focuses on the education of the most historically marginalized: culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
She has worked diligently for over 30 years to help marginalized learners, learners of color, of linguistic and cultural diversity in low-wealth urban school districts, experience higher academic achievements.
Dr. Berry is on a mission. A mission bigger than herself. A mission to change the conversation happening around the topics of education, equity, and intellectual emancipation for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
But she can’t do it alone. So she’s looking for leaders to join her. Is that you?
If you’re nodding your head and saying “Yes!” as you read this, we invite you to subscribe and listen to The Educational Equity, Emancipation Podcast.
Educational Equity Emancipation
Episode 130: Transforming Education in 2025: Trends, Tools, and Strategies for Equity-Driven Change
In this episode of the 3E Podcast, we kick off the new year by exploring the top education trends for 2025 that every K-12 educator and leader needs to know. From the transformative Science of Reading to the importance of educational policies for marginalized learners, we delve into the shifts shaping our classrooms.
Plus, I share exciting updates about my upcoming book, The Culturally Competent Educator, and introduce an exclusive asynchronous book study for Patreon Insiders.
Join us as we empower each other to create more inclusive and equitable learning environments. Don’t miss out on a special offer for our Patreon community—listen all the way to the end to find out how you can become an insider!
Join our community. Go to bit.ly/3EPSubs and sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter and exclusive content.
If you're a parent, teacher or school leader and you're sick and tired of the frustration, anger and unfair treatment of children at high risk in our public schools, then perhaps it's time for all of us to do something about it. In this podcast, Dr amitra Berry brings you tips, tools, strategies and tactics to build successful solutions while touching, moving and inspiring all of us to transform our schools so that every child thrives. Here's your host, Dr Bay,
Dr Almitra Berry:welcome to 2025 and welcome back, equity warriors. Thanks for tuning in to another episode of the 3e podcast, and I want to start by giving a heartfelt shout out to all my new Patreon subscribers. Your support means the world to me and to all our valued listeners. Thank you for being here. Your dedication to educational equity in today's times is what keeps this podcast growing strong, so remember to like, subscribe and share. Sharing really helps grow our community. Now stick around until the end, because I've got an exclusive offer that you won't want to miss. It's a game changer for those of you serious about advancing equity in education. So as we step into 2025 it's crucial for educators and leaders in the K 12 public schools to stay informed about the latest trends and opportunities in education. This episode is all about empowering you with knowledge and tools to make a real difference in your classrooms and communities. So whether you're a seasoned educator, or just starting your journey, understanding these trends will help you create more inclusive, effective learning environments for all students. The landscape of education is evolving rapidly, and staying ahead of the curve is key to ensuring that no student, no learner, is left behind. So let's dive into what's hot in education for 2025 number one on my list is the science of reading. We are seeing a significant shift towards evidence based reading instruction now this approach emphasizes systematic teaching of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, what we've always called the Big Five. It's particularly crucial for supporting diverse learners, those are who are multilingual and then closing achievement gaps for our children, particularly our black and brown children. And as someone who's been advocating for these practices, I cannot stress enough how transformative they can be. That's my number one. Number two is educational policy for marginalized learners. Now there is a growing focus on policies that address the needs of historically marginalized students. We're talking about creating culturally sustaining school climates and protecting students Civil Rights in Education. This is an area close to my heart, and I'm excited to see more attention being given to it at the grassroots, because we are not going to get this in national policy. So stay focused on educational policy for marginalized learners, especially in your local community and in your state. Number three on my list is AI in education now artificial intelligence is making waves in classrooms everywhere, some good waves, some questionable waves, but it's helping to address everyday academic issues, and it can save you as educators some valuable time. This technology has the potential to provide more personalized learning experiences for all students. Now it's not AI is not about replacing teachers. No, your jobs are safe, well, from Ai, at least, but augmenting your capability to reach every student effectively. So check out the options for AI professional learning in your community and see what's available. That's my number three. Number four is professional development, professional learning, high quality professional learning is more important than ever, especially in areas like culturally responsive teaching and the science of reading. This is about continuous growth and adaptation to help meet the evolving needs of our students, especially in evolving times that we're in. So I do want to share some personal, exciting, personal updates. Number five on my list, what to look for this year is my book, my new book, my latest book, The culturally competent educator, is set to release in April. It builds on concepts from my previous work, and it offers some fresh insights into creating inclusive educational environments. I cannot wait for all of you to read it. Number six daily tidbits. So I've been sharing some daily insights from my books on social media. You can now find exclusive content from the culturally competent educator. On blue sky. So look for me on blue sky. This is a new platform, and for educators, I have to say it's probably the best platform out there. So I'm at almetra Berry. What else would I be on blue sky? Download it, follow me. Give me a shout out. Let me know you heard to connect with me on my podcast. All right, so blue sky. This is a great way with my daily tidbits to just get some bite sized pieces of wisdom. I mean, we're talking less than 200 characters, right? There's only so much I can say, some bite sized pieces of wisdom to apply in your daily practice. And then last on my list, although not last, is book study for my Patreon insiders, I'm launching an exclusive asynchronous book study on the culturally competent educator. I will continue to release pieces for or chapter studies for my prior book affecting change for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners the Patreon book study, or for culturally competent educator, this is new. It will be asynchronous. It's an online learning experience designed to fit your schedule and allow you to engage in with the material in the book at your own pace. Now, book won't be out till April, so book study starts when you got it April, because no one's going to have that content beforehand. Work at your own pace. This is an opportunity, I'd say, a fantastic opportunity, to dive deep in the content, to reflect on your practice and to connect with a community of like minded educators, all without the pressure of fixed deadlines or having to show up or put makeup on. I mean, let's face it, sometimes we want PD and rpjs. So there's some great news. This is great news for those who are seeking PD credits. Here's what you need to know, I am happy to work with curriculum departments directly to provide certification for continuing education units. I am already doing that with some districts. They just have to contact me. Email. Are you ready for the email? Email info at a L Berry, i n c alberry inc.com, to get started on setting this up for your district or organization. So, PD, in your pjs with continuing education units. It doesn't get a whole lot better than that. So I like to give you strategies, right? So three actionable strategies you can implement the beginning of the year. Number one, back to my number one, embrace the science of reading. Start by assessing your current reading instruction methods, and then incorporate more explicit phonics instruction, systematic vocabulary building into your lessons. This is really for those of you down in k1, two, this is critical. Those of you in three, five and on up to eighth grade, where you still have some struggling learners, there are things that you can do with this as well, and let me tell you, it will make a world of difference, especially for your struggling readers. Number two, back to AI leverage that AI for personalization, explore some of the AI powered tools that can help you create more individualized learning plans for your students. This can free up some of your time for more meaningful interactions. And remember this is about enhancing your teaching, not replacing it. And then, number three, what else? Continuous learning. Engage in continuous learning. Take advantage of the PD opportunities that are out there, consider joining our Patreon channel, my Patreon channel for exclusive content, or to book a virtual PD session with me on topics from my books, the more we learn, the more effective we can be in the classroom. Equity warriors, it's time to take action. Connect with me on blue sky at Al Metro berry hard to find me or hard to not find me. Connect with me on blue sky and on Patreon for daily insights and exclusive content. And if you're looking for impactful professional learning school opening speeches or conference keynotes, reach out through Patreon or blue sky. Let's work together to create more equitable and inclusive learning environments. And here's that special offer, I promise Become an insider on Patreon and get access to exclusive content, including my upcoming book study. Use the code 3e p2 five. That's 3e p2 five to receive a huge discount. How big? Well, you have to visit patreon.com forward slash 3e podcast to see just how deep this discount goes. Trust me, it's an offer you won't want to pass up if you're serious about advancing equity in education. Remember your voice and your actions matter in shaping the future of education. So let's make 2025 a year of transformative change in our schools and communities, and then join me again next episode. If you've got a question, a topic you'd like covered, or a special request, you can now text it to me. Just look down in the notes below for the link. I do want to hear your stories, and remember, don't worry about the things you. Cannot change, change the things you can no longer accept. And that's a wrap for today's episode of the 3e podcast. Now here's how you can make a real difference. First, smash that subscribe button. It's free. It's easy, just do it. Second, share the show with anyone you know who cares about education. And third, consider becoming a supporter of the show together, we're not just talking about change, we're making it happen. Make a donation today to be part of that mission and change, and I'll catch you next time you.
