In Episode 227, I enjoy conversing with Olawa Gibson, Master Teacher at New American Academy Charter School, one of our esteemed clients. As part of school's educational leadership team, she uses data to drive instruction and create academic interventions based upon the needs of the students. She teaches small guided reading groups and handles behavioral issues that involve more serious infractions. She's facilitated our New American Academy Chess Club since it's inception in February 2020, a few weeks before the world shut down.
She is also the founder of Tier Pod Program, an online New York State standards aligned learning system that provides personalized instruction, diagnostics, progress reports, weekly consultations, and enrichment in the arts to drive you child's learning goals.
We speak about her dedication to chess, a reflection on virtual learning, a simul with Former World Champion Garry Kasparov in Harlem, our experience being recorded for Chinese television at one of our close partners, The Chess Forum, chess' effects on academics and social learning , the importance of supplemental learning, the universal language of music, her appreciation of Prince and Esperanza Spalding and more.