Getting Started: A Conversation with Jonathan McCarty

The Educating All Learners Alliance Podcast

What do you see as the long term impact, or even the short term impact, of the work that Blue Engine is doing, the work that EALA is doing, and you know, giving all students and all teachers, really, access to a much better learning environment?

Yeah, I mean, I think that it's so important to, I think we always look at in education, we have this problem, I would say where we're trying to fix the thing now, right?

We're trying to just do something that's going to make a change in the immediate, and we don't always look long term. And I think that partnerships of organizations like ours are taking this step back. And we're saying yes, in the immediate, we need to fix this student learning piece from today's lesson. But also we need to look at a greater level of the system itself and start talking about what it means at the school level to develop a program so that students feel included, right?

Because we know that when students feel included, there are so many psychological benefits to that. There are so many, you know, just feeling included and belonging outside of just in the classroom. It starts at such a young age. That impact in the short term, happier healthier kids. In the long term, it's a more well balanced folks with the ability to engage and be included in society as a whole. I mean, I know that sounds super lofty, but I really do see it as kind of the way that we're moving forward.

Outcomes are tied to inputs, right? And if we input time energy solutions into our children who need us more than ever in these times, and think strategically with partner organizations like EALA, like Blue Engine, to develop those programs to keep them included in the classroom and to help them to feel like they belong and that their education is for them.

Imagine how that translates down the line into their own children, or maybe they wanna come back and be a teacher themselves. And you and I both know that we have a need for many new teachers and folks that are feeling empowered about this work.

And I just think I get excited about it. You can kind of tell I'm rambling a little bit, but I just think the sky's the limit and it starts here, right?

It starts with thinking about ensuring that every individual child is given what they need. And when that happens, the opportunities are endless for them.