Think Inclusive

<p>Colleen McCoy-Cejka and Crystal Brooks are co-founders of Inclusion Solutions. Colleen has experience as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and curriculum director in Catholic schools and has worked closely with dioceses and school leaders on systems change. Crystal is a speech-language pathologist and former state agency specialist whose work focuses on evidence-based instruction, inclusive classroom design, and supporting educators to meet students’ academic, social, and emotional needs. </p><p>In this episode, the conversation focuses on what it really means for faith-based schools to say yes to inclusion. Colleen McCoy-Cejka and Crystal Brooks talk about how inclusion is often misunderstood and how definitions of inclusion can unintentionally lead to separation instead of belonging. </p><p>Complete show notes and transcript: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/inclusive-education-in-faith-based-schools-practical-strategies-for-supporting-all-learners-1323/">https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/inclusive-education-in-faith-based-schools-practical-strategies-for-supporting-all-learners-1323/</a></p>

<p><strong>Dr. Jennifer Spencer-Iiams</strong> is a prominent educational leader with a focus on transformative change in school inclusion practices. Serving as Deputy Superintendent in a medium-sized school district in Oregon, she co-authored "Leading for All: How to Create Truly Inclusive and Excellent Schools." Her leadership has driven initiatives that foster collaboration among educators to effectively include students with diverse learning needs in general education settings.</p><p>In this episode of Think Inclusive, host Tim Villegas engages with Dr. Jennifer Spencer-Iiams in an insightful discussion about the journey towards authentic inclusion in school systems. As a leading advocate for inclusive education, Dr. Spencer-Iiams dismantles the myth that inclusion is a "one size fits all" approach. Instead, she underscores the necessity for schools to anticipate variability in classrooms and promote collaboration among educators to cater to diverse educational needs.</p><p>Complete show notes and transcript: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/inclusive-systems-change-in-secondary-schools-with-dr-jennifer-spencer-iiams-1322/">https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/inclusive-systems-change-in-secondary-schools-with-dr-jennifer-spencer-iiams-1322/</a></p>

<p><strong>Emily Affolter</strong> is an educator and scholar who works at the intersection of culturally responsive pedagogy, decolonizing education, and equity-focused teaching and leadership. She is the director and faculty for Prescott College’s Sustainability Education PhD program, where she works with doctoral scholars around social and environmental justice.</p><p>In this episode, Tim Villegas talks with <strong>Emily Affolter</strong> about what it really means to teach in ways that honor students as whole people, especially during a time when equity work is being questioned and challenged. The conversation moves between big-picture ideas—like power, history, and schooling—and the everyday decisions educators make in classrooms and systems.</p><p>Emily unpacks decolonizing education in plain language, framing it as an examination of history, power, and whose knowledge is treated as normal in schools. She explains how culturally responsive teaching is not a label or endpoint, but an ongoing, reflective practice rooted in curiosity, accountability, and relationship.</p><p>A major focus of the episode is reflexivity and why educators need trusted people to think alongside as they work within imperfect systems. Together, Tim and Emily explore how fear, expertise, and siloed roles can quietly reinforce segregation, including in special education, and how educators can begin to interrupt these patterns even when they cannot change the entire system.</p><p>Complete show notes and transcript: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/decolonizing-education-what-it-means-for-k-12-teachers-and-students-1321/">https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/decolonizing-education-what-it-means-for-k-12-teachers-and-students-1321/</a></p>

<p><strong>Margo Gross</strong> is a national public speaker, educator, certified life coach, and Amazon bestselling author. Her work focuses on <em>DEI, belonging, equity,</em> and <em>culturally responsive teaching</em>. She travels across the U.S. and abroad helping schools and communities better understand identity, student experience, and inclusive practices. Margo is also a former Teacher of the Year and is completing advanced leadership studies at Harvard. Her lived experiences—as a Black woman, mother, educator, and advocate—shape the insight and honesty she brings to her work.</p><p>In this episode, Tim talks with educator and speaker <strong>Margo Gross</strong> about staying grounded in your values during a time when <em>DEI, inclusive education,</em> and equity efforts are often misunderstood or pushed aside. Margo shares deeply personal stories about identity, hair, culture, and the emotional journey of finding and creating belonging.</p><p>The conversation explores how to build school environments where students don’t have to shrink or hide who they are, and why <em>disability justice</em> must be part of any real inclusion work. Margo also talks about grief—grieving relationships that change when values no longer align—and the hope she still sees in people, community, and the next generation.</p><p>They also dig into practical strategies for talking about DEI when the words themselves are controversial, how to define inclusion through <em>access</em>, and why equity is about giving people what they need—<em>consistently and urgently</em>. The episode closes with a fun mystery question about languages they’ve always wanted to learn.</p><p>Complete show notes and transcript: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/the-homework-machine-what-ai-is-really-doing-in-classrooms-1319-2/">https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/the-homework-machine-what-ai-is-really-doing-in-classrooms-1319-2/</a></p>

<p><strong>Justin Reich</strong> is an Associate Professor of Digital Media at MIT in the Comparative Media Studies/Writing program and the director of the Teaching Systems Lab. He is a longtime educator and host of the <em>TeachLab</em> podcast. His research focuses on how learning technologies shape teaching and learning in real classrooms and what actually happens when schools adopt new tools. He brings a thoughtful, historically grounded perspective to how generative AI is transforming education.</p><p><strong>Jesse Dukes</strong> is a journalist, comedian, and audio storyteller with a long career producing narrative audio. He works with MIT’s Teaching Systems Lab on <em>The Homework Machine</em> project, bringing teachers’ and students’ voices into the public conversation about AI in schools. Previously at WBEZ Chicago, he has produced award‑winning radio and documentary work and has a special talent for capturing humanity and humor in complex educational stories.</p><p>Generative AI is entering classrooms quickly—but not evenly, and not without complications. In this conversation, Justin Reich and Jesse Dukes share what they’ve learned while creating <em>The Homework Machine</em>, a seven‑part narrative podcast about how students and teachers are navigating AI in real time.</p><p>Complete show notes and transcript: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/the-homework-machine-what-ai-is-really-doing-in-classrooms-1319/">https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/the-homework-machine-what-ai-is-really-doing-in-classrooms-1319/</a></p>