Belonging Before Achievement with Dr. Marie Heath

Dr. Kate Seltzer and Dr. Rebecca E. Linares use a tree metaphor to illustrate how our personal experiences influence the choices we make as educators. Hear more about their new book on critical advocacy and discover how self-reflection and learning from others can help you grow as an advocate for multilingual learners.

With students' entire K–12 journey in mind, AJ Crook shares how DeKalb School District is building and expanding bilingual and dual language programs. She discusses creative solutions for growing these programs, including approaches to bilingual teacher recruitment and ongoing educator support. AJ also explains how decisions made today can have ripple effects that shape opportunities for multilingual learners and their families for years to come.

Drawing on decades of experience from the classroom to research and state-level policy, Dr. Megan Alubicki-Flick shares what it takes to turn policy into action that supports multilingual learners. She explains why shared responsibility across systems, leaders, and educators is essential to advancing common goals. She also emphasizes recognizing your sphere of influence and why moving work forward sometimes means choosing progress over perfection.

Dr. Doris Chavez-Linville challenges educators and leaders to question the framework they use to interpret data. Drawing on more than 25 years in EdTech and research on multilingual learner assessment, she explains why data should inform decisions, not make them. She encourages educators to consider what students know across their languages and experiences, drawing on their full linguistic repertoires to support learning.

From her own journey as a language learner to teaching in South Korea, China, and Morocco, multilingual educator and consultant Patrice Thompson has seen firsthand how language policies shape students’ experiences. She shares how translanguaging can move classrooms beyond English-only practices, along with strategies like language buddies and multilingual note-taking that let students use their strongest language to support comprehension.

Dr. Simone Wilkinson shares how her experience as a secondary administrator and current elementary principal has shaped a leadership approach grounded in listening. From student focus groups and family engagement to learning from staff, she emphasizes understanding a school community before introducing change. She also discusses creating more inclusive opportunities for multilingual learners and making professional learning manageable for educators.

Drawing from her own journey, Dr. Marie Heath explains why creating a sense of belonging helps multilingual learners thrive both academically and personally. She shares why acculturation and developing a bicultural identity are essential to student success. She also highlights how schools can build systems that support newcomers beyond language instruction, helping students feel connected, confident, and prepared to lead.

Sally Baer, NBCT, shares how teacher agency can transform professional growth by encouraging educators to take ownership of their learning. She explains why focusing on one area of genuine interest, rather than trying to improve everything at once, leads to more sustainable growth. Through reflection and collaboration, she highlights practical ways educators can refine their practice and find greater purpose in their work.

Dr. Jennifer Lovellette shares how her district used student shadowing to better understand multilingual learners’ school experience. The process revealed that well-intentioned scaffolds often limited productive struggle and that students needed more opportunities for academic discourse. She also discusses how her district created a dedicated high school pathway for newcomer and SLIFE students, providing a clearer, more intentional path toward graduation.

Drawing on teacher feedback and classroom observations, Dr. Lisa Auslander shares how her team continually refines curriculum and resources for newcomers and SLIFE students. She explains why supporting implementation is just as important as developing materials, using coaching, office hours, and professional learning to meet educators' needs. The goal is simple: give teachers the resources they need so they can focus on teaching.