Ed Talk with Dr. Bob Bravo

Elizabeth Pittman, a chemistry teacher at Spruce High School, was driving in her car and listening to NPR when she heard a story about a restorative discipline pilot program being implemented in New Zealand public schools. Pittman was intrigued by the story on the pilot program, which rethinks how teachers and administrators discipline students. She ended up applying and receiving a Fulbright Distinguished Teacher Award to travel to New Zealand to study the pilot program in person. In today’s episode of Ed Talk with Dr. Bob Bravo, Pittman talks with the Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership about the process of applying for a Fulbright, why she is interested in learning about restorative discipline in New Zealand, and what she hopes to bring back to Dallas ISD from the experience.

With 130 officers and 220 employees, the Dallas ISD Police Department is among the largest of all police departments in the state. In this episode of Ed Talk with Dr. Bob Bravo, a podcast hosted by the Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership, Dallas ISD Police Chief Craig Miller discusses the benefits of the school district having its own police department. Miller also tells Bravo about when it’s appropriate for a teacher or school administrator to call the Dallas ISD police department, how a teacher can work to deescalate instead of escalate a situation, and how students misusing cell phones is the biggest issue the police department faces.

In today’s episode of Ed Talk with Dr. Bob Bravo, Dr. Bravo picks the brain of Irma De La Guardia, the 2014 Bilingual Education Teacher of the Year who this year transitioned into a role as Assistant Principal at Cabell Elementary. In the episode, De La Guardia talks about her effort as a teacher to take advantage of every instructional minute and what inspired her to move out of the classroom to become an Assistant Principal. She also offers helpful tips for newer teachers, as well as advice for more veteran teachers who may be considering a transition into school administration, and discusses the professional development opportunities she has pursued to continue to improve her craft.

In this episode of Ed Talk with Bob Bravo, Dr. Bravo, Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership, speaks with Brian Lusk, the Executive Director of the H. Grady Spruce High School feeder pattern, and John Quincy Adams Elementary Principal Nancy Bernardino. The conversation explains how Learning Objectives (LOs) aim to focus a class on what a teacher wants students to learn in a lesson, while Demonstrations of Learning (DOLs) help teachers check if students understand the lesson. The podcast also talks about how a teacher can determine if they have written an appropriate LO and DOL and explains the resources available for teachers who want further guidance on the topic of LO and DOLs.

Blue Ribbon Schools

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Today’s episode of Ed Talk with Dr. Bob Bravo talks about how Dallas ISD schools can form partnerships with the community and involve volunteers with school activities. Dr. Robert Bravo, the Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership, talks with Tom Hayden and Imelda Alcala of the Dallas ISD Volunteer and Partnership Services department about the benefits of volunteering with the district. The discussion also goes through what steps a school needs to take to get connected with helpful volunteers.

Student discipline and truancy are the topics of today’s episode of Ed Talk with Dr. Bob Bravo. Dr. Robert Bravo, Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership, talks with Martha Hawkins, supervisor of attendance improvement and truancy reduction, and Dr. C.A. Williams, director of the Office of Student Discipline and Truancy, about the changes in truancy law that went into effect this school year. The conversation also provides tips for teachers for what they can do to keep their students on the right sides of the rules.

From teaching concentration and respect to endurance and strategy, chess brings many proven benefits besides the simply joy of checkmating an opponent. Today’s episode of Ed Talk with Dr. Bob Bravo focuses on the game that first appeared around A.D. 600. In the podcast episode, Dr. Robert Bravo, Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership, talks with Irasema Coy, a fourth-grade teacher at Runyon Elementary who led the school’s chess club, and a parent liaison at Runyon who helped with the club. The conversation touches on the benefits of starting a chess club at a Dallas ISD school and how chess is much more than a game. Bravo recommends any Dallas ISD teachers interested in starting a chess club, or a teacher who already has started a chess club, to contact him at rbravo@dallasisd.org to help build a districtwide chess network.

Personalized learning—the subject of today’s episode of Ed Talk with Dr. Bob Bravo—aims to help students reach their fullest potential by tapping into their strengths, needs and interests. But what does a personalized learning classroom look like? And what are the benefits of personalized learning? In the podcast episode, Ashley Bryan, Dallas ISD Director of Planning and Special Projects, Julie Robinson, an instructional coach at Cabell Elementary, and Kristen Watkins, a manager of personalized learning, talk with Dr. Robert Bravo, Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership, about how personalized learning works. The discussion also touches on how a teacher can bring personalized learning to their classroom and their school.

STEM, coding, and robotics—more specifically, a Robotics Smackdown—are the topics of this week’s episode of Ed Talk with Dr. Bravo. Dallas ISD STEM Executive Director Oswaldo Alvarenga, Director of Educational Technology Roland Antoine, and Educational Technology Coordinator Jeff Marx join Dr. Robert Bravo, the Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership, to talk all things educational technology. The conversation touches on the district’s effort to get students involved with STEM-type activities at an earlier age, and gives a rundown on what a district teacher can do to bring robotics and STEM programing to their school. (Spoiler alert: It’s usually pretty easy and doesn’t cost the school any money.)

Leading up to Sept. 18, which is when teachers will receive their first-ever TEI scorecards, this episode of Ed Talk with Dr. Bravo provides background and context on the district’s comprehensive teacher evaluation system. TEI director Lindsay Coshatt talks with Dr. Robert Bravo, the Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership, about the three main components—defining excellence, supporting excellence, and rewarding excellence—that make up TEI. Coshatt explains that, under TEI, an effective teacher over 15 years has the earning to potential to make $100,000 more than they could under a traditional step salary schedule. She added that no teacher would see a salary decrease this year under TEI.

On this episode of Ed Talk with Dr. Bravo, Dr. Robert Bravo, the Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership, spoke with leaders from the Dallas ISD Office of Transformation and Innovation about the district’s Choice School initiative. Mike Koprowski, Chief of Transformation and Innovation, explained how choice schools aim to tap into a student’s individual learning style, personality, and aspirations. Koprowski and Mohammed Choudhury, Director of Transformation and Innovation, also explain what actions a teacher or administrator can take to launch a choice or transformation school. “If you’ve thought about launching your dream school in Dallas, this is your opportunity to do it,” Choudhury said.

For his first podcast with Dallas ISD, Dr. Robert Bravo, the Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership, had a wide-ranging discussion with Alan Cohen, the district’s Assistant Superintendent of Early Childhood. Cohen and Bravo discuss the significance of preK, the importance of supporting the emotional health of students, and a cultural shift that could have an immediate positive impact on young students.“There is nothing scarier in the world than having 24 four-year-olds look up at you at the beginning of the day and say entertain me for eight hours,” Cohen noted.

For his first podcast with Dallas ISD, Dr. Robert Bravo, the Dallas ISD Chief of School Leadership, had a wide-ranging discussion with Alan Cohen, the district’s Assistant Superintendent of Early Childhood. Cohen and Bravo discuss the significance of preK, the importance of supporting the emotional health of students, and a cultural shift that could have an immediate positive impact on young students.“There is nothing scarier in the world than having 24 four-year-olds look up at you at the beginning of the day and say entertain me for eight hours,” Cohen noted.

What’s the gold standard in education? Join the conversation, as Dr. Bravo and John Vladovic, Principal of Dodson Middle School, retrace the steps Dodson took along its journey to becoming a Golden Ribbon School.       

Times passes quickly, and we sometimes neglect pausing to celebrate our accomplishments. Join Chris Cassidy, Dr. Amber McKinney, and Dr. Bravo as they remind us of our collective achievements, and remind us that there’s more to come.  Opening and closing music "Poco a Poco" by José Coaro Fumero (lyrics), Luis Tejada (arrangement), and Tanya Avelleyra (lead vocalist).

Listen in as Dr. Bravo discusses summer professional development opportunities and recommended reading with Faynessa Armand, Eric Grow, and Lisa Saldivar.  Opening and closing music "Poco a Poco" by José Coaro Fumero (lyrics), Luis Tejada (arrangement), and Tanya Avelleyra (lead vocalist).

A few weeks ago, Dr. Bravo interviewed two teachers who recently achieved National Board Certification. In this podcast, Dr. Bravo interviews Michael de la Torre, coordinator of the Support Network, to get additional insight into the certification process and to examine the impact National Board Certification has on one’s career, school, and community.  Opening and closing music "Poco a Poco" by José Coaro Fumero (lyrics), Luis Tejada (arrangement), and Tanya Avelleyra (lead vocalist).

What does it mean to be college and career ready? Listen in as Dr. Bravo discusses the A-G graduation requirements for the class of 2017 with members of the ESC South instructional team and hear about promising practices teachers are using to help students succeed.  Opening and closing music "Poco a Poco" by José Coaro Fumero (lyrics), Luis Tejada (arrangement), and Tanya Avelleyra (lead vocalist).