The podcast by education leaders for education leaders

Partnering With Parents and Students

Guest(s): Tyrone C. Howard
Date: 04/29/2024
Run time: 41:11
Season 7, Episode 3

In this episode, we delve into the complex challenges often faced by students in urban areas - obstacles compounded by factors such as race, gender, social class, and more. Our guest is none other than Tyrone Howard, the President of AERA and a national authority in urban education.

Howard brings his extensive knowledge and experience to the table, providing valuable insights and guidance for educators and leaders. He emphasizes the crucial role of listening to parents and students, encouraging them to actively participate in cultivating a thriving school culture where every student feels a sense of belonging while fostering a passion for learning.

Additionally, Howard advocates for an organic and holistic approach to data collection in education, focusing on truly hearing what students have to say. This, he believes, is essential for shaping school policies that genuinely reflect students' needs and are specifically tailored to guarantee their success.

Join Peter DeWitt and Season 7 Co-host, Michael Nelson, as we explore these critical issues with Tyrone, uncovering pragmatic strategies aimed at overcoming barriers to create an inclusive, successful learning environment for all students.

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Tyrone C. Howard

Tyrone C. Howard is the Pritzker Family Endowed Chair in the School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA. Howard is the co-director of the UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Families and Children. He also is the co-director of the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools. Dr. Howard has published over 100 scholarly journal articles, book chapters, policy briefs, and technical reports. He is the author of six books. Dr. Howard is the president of the American Educational Research Association, which is the world’s largest educational research organization. He is a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association. In 2021 Dr. Howard was elected as a member of the National Academy of Education. His work has been highlighted by the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post. He is regularly featured on National Public Radio and many other media outlets. Dr. Howard is considered one of the nation’s foremost thinkers on issues tied to racial inequality in education.

Peter M. DeWitt

Peter DeWitt, Ed.D., is the founder and CEO of the Instructional Leadership Collective. A former K–5 teacher for 11 years and principal for eight years, Peter has spent more than 12 years supporting educators and leadership teams across the United States and internationally. He provides keynotes, workshops, and long-term hybrid professional learning that combines in-person facilitation, virtual coaching, and sustained collaborative inquiry. His work focuses on instructional leadership, collective leader efficacy, and helping leadership teams turn professional learning into meaningful action.

Peter’s work has been adopted by state and provincial agencies, universities, school districts, school boards, regional networks, and ministries of education across North America, Australia, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the United Kingdom. He is the author, co-author, or contributor to numerous bestselling books, many of which have been translated into multiple languages. Peter co-authors Education Week’s Finding Common Ground column with Michael Nelson, co-hosts Corwin’s Leaders Coaching Leaders podcast, and co-created Education Week’s A Seat at the Table.

Michael Nelson

Michael Nelson has been an educator for nearly 40 years and continues to consider “teacher” his most important professional title. Throughout his career, he has served as a classroom teacher, principal, district instructional leader, superintendent, and assistant executive director responsible for developing professional learning across the state of Washington. He currently serves as Thought Partner for the Instructional Leadership Collective, where he supports educational leaders through keynotes, workshops, coaching, and long-term hybrid partnerships.

Michael has received numerous state and national honors for his leadership. As a principal, his school received the National Blue Ribbon Award from the United States Department of Education. As a superintendent, he was named Washington State’s 2019 Superintendent of the Year and was elected by his peers to serve as president of the Washington Association of School Administrators. Across every role, Michael’s work has remained grounded in listening, empathy, collaborative leadership, and an unwavering commitment to keeping students at the center of educational decision-making.