What does it mean to stand for justice—not just with your voice, but with your refusal?

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with author Christy Mihaly to explore the life of Pablo Casals, a world-renowned cellist who used both music and silence as acts of protest. Through her new book, Music and Silence: The Passion and Protest of Pablo Casals, Christy brings to life a story of courage, conviction, and moral clarity.

Together, they unpack what it looks like to use your gifts in service of justice—and what it costs to take a stand when it matters most.

This conversation invites educators to reflect on their own role in moments of injustice: when to speak, when to refuse, and how to remain grounded in purpose.

• Who Pablo Casals was beyond the music
• Why he refused to perform in protest of fascism
• The power of silence as an act of resistance
• What it means to align your gifts with your values
• Why stories of courage matter for young people
• How educators can model principled leadership

Music and Silence: The Passion and Protest of Pablo Casals tells the story of the legendary Catalan cellist who stood against the Franco regime and refused to perform in countries that recognized the dictatorship. His life reminds us that art is not neutral—and that sometimes, the most powerful statement is choosing not to participate in injustice.

Christy Mihaly is an award-winning author and poet who has written more than 40 books for young readers, many focused on history, civics, and social justice. Her work invites young people to think critically, engage deeply, and lead with purpose.

When faced with injustice,
are we willing to use our voice—or our silence—with intention?

Teach in Truth.
Lead with Courage.
Belong to a Community That Gets It.

If you’re an educator navigating these questions and want to grow alongside others committed to this work, join My Classroom Gold:

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Share this episode with an educator who believes teaching is more than content—it’s courage.

What if much of what schools label as “misbehavior” is actually a misunderstanding of culture?

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with Dr. Daniel Russell to unpack how student behavior is often interpreted through a dominant-culture lens—and why that leads to disproportionate discipline for underserved students.

Together, they explore how behaviors rooted in culture are frequently misread as defiance, disrespect, or disruption, and why frameworks like PBIS and MTSS remain incomplete when cultural responsiveness is missing.

This conversation challenges educators to rethink what they call “behavior” and reconsider whether schools are disciplining students—or disciplining culture.

• Why “misbehavior” is often misunderstood

• Common cultural behaviors teachers misinterpret

• The limits of PBIS without cultural responsiveness

• How behavior becomes racialized in schools

• What validating and bridging behavior support can look like

• The mindset shift educators need to make tomorrow

Dr. Daniel Russell is co-director of Advocates for CLR for Underserved Students and co-author of Supporting Underserved Students: How to Make PBIS Culturally and Linguistically Responsive. His work helps schools rethink student behavior through a culturally responsive lens.

What if the issue isn’t student behavior—

but the lens through which we interpret it?

Teach in Truth.

Lead with Courage.

Belong to a Community That Gets It.

Join My Classroom Gold:

👉 https://www.multiculturalclassroom.com/founding-member

Pushback is part of the work—but how we respond to it matters.

In Part 2 of the Leading When It’s Loud series, Roberto Germán explores five common mistakes educators make when facing criticism, tension, or public reaction. From reacting too quickly to trying to “win” the argument, this episode unpacks the habits that can escalate conflict and drain our energy.

This conversation is not about avoiding pushback—it’s about responding with clarity, intention, and grounded leadership.

• Which of these responses do you tend to fall into first?

• What helps you pause before reacting?

• Where do you need more clarity vs. more restraint?

Teach in Truth.

Lead with Courage.

Belong to a Community That Gets It.

If you’re navigating pushback and want a space to reflect, grow, and stay grounded in your work, you’re invited to explore My Classroom Gold:

https://www.multiculturalclassroom.com/founding-member

Follow @multiculturalclassroom

Subscribe to Our Classroom

Share this episode with an educator who’s navigating tough conversations

What happens when thoughtful, intentional content is met with noise, criticism, or misunderstanding?

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán reflects on a recent moment of pushback and reframes it as an opportunity for leadership. Instead of reacting defensively, this conversation explores what it means to lead with curiosity—especially when discussions around curriculum, culture, and terms like “decolonize” spark strong responses.

This episode is not about winning arguments. It’s about understanding what sits beneath reaction, staying grounded in purpose, and continuing to serve students with clarity and care.

• What reactions do you notice when curriculum or texts are questioned or expanded?

• How do you typically respond to pushback—internally and externally?

• What might curiosity look like in moments where defensiveness feels easier?

• What is the difference between expanding curriculum and erasing it?

Teach in Truth.

Lead with Courage.

Belong to a Community That Gets It.

If you’re navigating these kinds of moments in your classroom or leadership—and want a space to reflect, grow, and stay grounded in this work—you’re invited to explore My Classroom Gold:

https://www.multiculturalclassroom.com/founding-member

Follow @multiculturalclassroom

Subscribe to Our Classroom wherever you listen

Share this episode with an educator who is learning to lead with curiosity

Students today are encountering global events in real time. News about protests, war, political instability, and humanitarian crises travels quickly through social media, and many young people are trying to make sense of it all without much context.

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán explores how educators can approach conversations about global unrest with care and clarity. Instead of avoiding difficult topics, Roberto shares three practical strategies teachers can use to help students process complex world events while maintaining a classroom culture rooted in curiosity, empathy, and critical thinking.

This episode offers a reminder that educators don’t need to have all the answers—but they can help students ask better questions.

• What global events are your students currently talking about?

• How can you create space for questions without turning the classroom into a debate stage?

• What strategies help students move from reaction to understanding?

Teach in Truth.

Lead with Courage.

Belong to a Community That Gets It.

Join My Classroom Gold — a community of educators committed to equity, truth, and impact.

👉 https://www.multiculturalclassroom.com/founding-member

Bad Bunny’s halftime show gave us culture, joy, and conversation, but it also gave us curriculum.

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán breaks down the symbolism behind the performance and explores how it can be used in classrooms as a powerful teaching text. From the sugar cane field imagery to the Puerto Rican flag, from honoring his mother’s maiden name to featuring Ricky Martin and centering Spanish language, this conversation examines how representation, history, gender, language, and class were all embedded in the visuals.

This episode is about more than a halftime show. It’s about how culture carries memory and how educators can teach with it, not around it.

Come for Bad Bunny. Stay for community. Teach in Truth. Lead with Courage. Belong to a Community That Gets It.

If you’re an educator committed to equity, truth, and impact—and want to continue doing this work in community—learn more about My Classroom Gold:

https://www.multiculturalclassroom.com/founding-member

Anger is often treated as something dangerous, especially when it comes from the margins. In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán reflects on anger not as a problem to eliminate, but as information worth listening to. Drawing connections between poetry, education, and the present moment, this conversation explores how anger is policed, silenced, and misunderstood, and how it can become a catalyst for care, accountability, and protection when we choose to engage it with intention.

Teach in Truth.

Lead with Courage.

Belong to a Community That Gets It.

If you’re looking for a space to continue reflecting, learning, and navigating uncertainty alongside other educators committed to equity, truth, and impact, you’re invited to explore My Classroom Gold.

No pressure—just an open door.

• Follow @multiculturalclassroom

• Subscribe to Our Classroom wherever you listen

• Share this episode with someone who might need permission to slow down

When we label student behavior as “misbehavior,” whose norms are we actually using — and who gets left out of that definition? In this episode of Our Classroom, Lorena Germán joins to help us explore how behavior, SEL, race, and power intersect, and what becomes possible when educators move from managing behavior to understanding it through an antiracist lens.

Teach in Truth.

Lead with Courage.

Belong to a Community That Gets It.

If you’re looking for a space to continue reflecting, learning, and navigating uncertainty alongside other educators committed to equity, truth, and impact, you’re invited to explore My Classroom Gold.

No pressure—just an open door.

• Follow @multiculturalclassroom

• Subscribe to Our Classroom wherever you listen

• Share this episode with someone who might need permission to slow down