Tending to Tomorrow: Where the Ecosystem Sows Future Adults

Format

Workshop

Presenters

Natasha L. Jackson, Multnomah Education Service DistrictFollow
Esther Harris

First Presenter's Institution

Multnomah Education Service District

First Presenter’s Email Address

njackson@mesd.k12.or.us

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Natasha Lee Jackson is a teacher first and foremost, also a senior administrator, former elementary, middle and high school principal, educational consultant, mentor and Title I educator with over 28 years of experience. While she was a principal, she led her school in the implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to grow educator collaboration and practices thus improving students' instructional experiences. Natasha was the planning Principal for start-up programs at both the public and charter level. Her work also involves the development of systems and structures necessary for a successful launch. This work included genuine partnership with teachers, parents and community partners to develop a plan of action that addressed staff morale, student engagement, extra curricular and supplemental programming to reduce absenteeism. Also during her tenure, Natasha faced punitive discipline challenges and trained her staff on conscious discipline. Natasha has taught and led in urban and rural, Public and Private schools. She also spearheaded a publicly funded charter school. Currently serving at Multnomah ESD as a Senior Program Administrator Natasha enjoys coaching executive leadership on strategic planning that reaches the building level in meaningful ways. In addition she walks alongside building admin to build capacity and efficacy, coaching data teams on Data Inquiry Cycles to share successes, address obstacles, field questions and collect insights. She oversees a team of specialists to outreach with the school team to uplift improvement work organically, technically and adaptively. Natasha has a passion for working with the people serving the next generation of adults to harness the collective and individual wisdom to make learning experiences wonderful for students.

Second Presenter's Institution

Multnomah Education Service District

Second Presenter’s Email Address

eharris@mesd.k12.or.us

Second Presenter's Brief Biography

Esther Harris has taught grades 2nd-11th but found her place in second grade teacher. She is currently serving students and families at Multnomah ESD. Ms. Harris operates under the very clear standard that educational equity is about reducing the predictive power of demographics and zip codes to zero.

Submitter

I am submitting this proposal as one of the presenter(s)

Location

Scarbrough 1

Strand #1

Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership

Strand #2

Home: Family & Community Engagement

Relevance

Our proposal directly addresses the strands of Academic Achievement & Leadership and Family & Community Engagement by highlighting how identity and culturally responsive teaching nourish educational ecosystems. The session empowers educators to build meaningful relationships with students and their families, creating an environment that fosters significant academic success. Through storytelling and interactive activities, we provide academic leaders with actionable strategies to develop supportive, community-focused classrooms that cultivate a thriving ecosystem for both personal and academic growth.

Brief Program Description

Join Natasha Jackson and Esther Harris for a dynamic session on how identity shapes instruction and learning. Through storytelling, interactive activities, and practical strategies, you'll explore how to create a courageous, culturally robust environment that builds a strong academic foundation. Walk away with actionable tools and inspiration to enhance your teaching, support every student’s growth, and set the stage for lasting academic success.

Summary

Natasha Jackson and Esther Harris will lead an engaging session on reimagining educational practices through identity and culturally robust teaching, focusing on practical and actionable methods that are easily implementable in the classroom. We will explore the profound impact of identity on instruction and learning through data storytelling, creating a space where diverse narratives are shared and valued.

Our session will underscore the critical link between earning trust, modeling courage in the learning environment, and achieving academic success, especially in the wake of pandemic-related disruptions. We will demonstrate how traditional and culturally responsive teaching approaches nurture student growth and foster a community-oriented mindset. Additionally, we will showcase several practical methods to illustrate how these strategies can be effectively implemented, making them both achievable and actionable for participants.

Participants will engage in interactive activities, including modeling, exercises, and discussions, utilizing storytelling, manipulatives, and hand-drawn charts. These activities will provide practical strategies for lesson planning and implementation that cater to diverse learners, highlighting the connection between strong relationships and academic achievement.

To ensure practical takeaways, the session will feature hands-on activities that participants can adapt for their classrooms. We will conclude with a reflective ceremony designed to reinforce the day's learning and inspire attendees to integrate new strategies into their educational practices. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how building strong relationships with students supports both their academic growth and overall success, effectively contributing to a delicate ecosystem for nurturing future adults.

Evidence

We examined and piloted numerous sources that inspired us to think critically, plan strategically, and create robust evidence supporting the effectiveness of our approach. This demonstrated that culturally responsive teaching and strong relational practices are crucial for student success and academic improvement. By successfully implementing the Teacher, Student, and Family Trifecta in our school, we fostered a collaborative environment designed to promote core learning values and improve literacy outcomes, ultimately supporting academic growth at all levels.

Key sources that informed our approach include:

• "Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy" by Gholdy Muhammad (2020), which emphasizes the importance of culturally and historically responsive teaching methods.
• "Stuck Improving: Racial Equity and School Leadership" by Decoteau J. Irby (2022), highlighting effective strategies for advancing racial equity in educational leadership.
• "The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life" by Parker J. Palmer (1998), focusing on the inner work of educators to build meaningful and trusting relationships.
• "The Impact of Culturally Responsive Teaching on Student Achievement" by Geneva Gay (2000), providing evidence of the positive effects of culturally responsive teaching on student performance.
• "Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain" by Zaretta Hammond (2015), which connects culturally responsive teaching with cognitive science to enhance learning.
• "The Will to Lead: Running a School with a Strong Leadership Team" by Anthony Muhammad (2015), exploring the role of strong leadership in fostering a successful school environment.

This is a nonexhaustive list of reading sources that collectively support our approach, demonstrating how integrating home and school culture plus building strong relational strategies improves educational outcomes.

Learning Objective 1

Participants will be able to identify and integrate culturally responsive teaching practices that reflect students' identities that create a robust learning experience.

Learning Objective 2

Participants will be able to use strategies to build trust and strong relationships with students and families, driving better academic outcomes.

Learning Objective 3

Participants will be able to design and use lesson plans that incorporate relational and linear learning techniques, addressing diverse needs and strengthening individual and collective connections and academic success.

Keyword Descriptors

culturally robust teaching, identity in education, relational learning, linear learning techniques, academic achievement, building trust, strong educator-student relationships, relevant lesson planning, community-oriented teaching

Presentation Year

2025

Start Date

3-3-2025 1:00 PM

Recommended Citation

Jackson, Natasha L. and Harris, Esther, "Tending to Tomorrow: Where the Ecosystem Sows Future Adults" (2025). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 17.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2025/2025/17