61传媒tv

Season 6, Episode 8

Love at the center of literacy, with Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson

Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson, Deputy Chief of Curriculum and Instruction in the School District of Philadelphia, has played an integral role leading and sustaining a transition to the Science of Reading in the Philadelphia public school district. But making such a change across a large district is difficult. In this episode, Dr. Francis-Thompson (who goes by Dr. Ny) talks with Susan about Philadelphia鈥檚 experience. She also talks about her own experience learning about the Science of Reading, and offers tips to other district-level leaders and wisdom about providing all students with the liberation that comes through reading and leading鈥攁ll with love at the center.

Meet our guest(s):

Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson

Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson is an education leader who advocates for students with diverse academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs. She is Deputy Chief of Curriculum and Instruction in Philadelphia, where she leads the Curriculum Equity Initiative. She previously led the development of an instructional guide for supporting students with disabilities. Her dissertation on Multi-Tiered System of Supports implementation has a focus on evidence-based reading interventions. She approaches the Science of Reading conversation from an equity lens, focused on all students having access to culturally and linguistically inclusive instruction.

Meet our host, Susan Lambert

Susan Lambert is the Chief Academic Officer of Elementary Humanities at 61传媒tv, and the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Her career has been focused on creating high-quality learning environments using evidence-based practices. Susan is a mom of four, a grandma of four, a world traveler, and a collector of stories.

As the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Susan explores the increasing body of scientific research around how reading is best taught. As a former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, Susan is dedicated to turning theory into best practices that educators can put right to use in the classroom, and to showcasing national models of reading instruction excellence.

Transcripts and additional resources

Show notes:

Quotes

鈥淚 have never met a student that did not want to learn how to read or a family that did not understand the importance of their children knowing how to read.鈥 鈥擠r. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson
鈥淲e have to listen to our young people in order to be able to move with that sense of urgency.鈥 鈥擠r. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson
"Liberation is connected to our students being literate鈥 In order for our students to truly be free, we [need to] understand the power that reading has in their future.鈥 鈥擠r. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson
鈥淲e have to remember who we are serving and why we are serving them.鈥 鈥擠r. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson
鈥淎 lot of times when you鈥檙e in a large system and you鈥檙e leading a large system, it can become very robotic, like a machine. You do this, you get this, you do this, you get this. But there鈥檚 a human aspect that if you have not considered that human aspect, you could very well end up in the same place that you鈥檙e trying to move away from.鈥 鈥擠r. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson
鈥淎nd while it鈥檚 a five-year strategic plan, we do have a sense of urgency and I鈥檓 sure within that there are gonna be benchmarks and hundred-day plans and smaller plans to make sure that we are actually doubling down again on the things that truly matter, that are gonna lead, outcomes for our students here in the school district.鈥 鈥擠r. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson
鈥淚f we鈥檙e only in the business of educating some students, then what are we really doing? It鈥檚 important to look at the students that are not benefitting and really identifying the things that work for that population of students rather than continuing with practices that aren鈥檛 meeting the needs of the students we鈥檙e serving.鈥 鈥擠r. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson

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