Amy and Jon talk with educational innovators about creating ethical learning environments, helping students overcome the effects of trauma, and empowering young people to make change. Tune in weekly.
Ethics in early childhood classrooms: A framework for educators
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
20 Sept 2026
Play-In: Early childhood education needs more play
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.
Transcript
The full transcription of this conversation will be available soon.
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, from 11am to 1pm at Columbus Park in Chinatown. 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
19 Jul 2026
Educating for The World We Want: Learning to Citizen with The Brotherhood Sister Sol
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. ReferencesWant the full conversation? Watch the complete Salon, including the plenary session, on YouTube.Soundtrack by Poddington Bear.
Who has been a guest on Ethical Schools
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Dr Cynthia Ballenger
Arlene Goldbard
Adhirath Sethi
Dr Tova B Klein
Dr Elizabeth Birr Moje
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
3,297
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.7 / 5
13 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 72 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
84
Social presence
0
YouTube
68
Engagement
82
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