What if picture books were some of the most powerful tools available to educators—not just for teaching reading, but for helping students understand themselves?

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with literacy consultant and author Sarah Cordova to discuss the role picture books can play in shaping student identity, developing writers, and creating more inclusive classrooms.

Together, they explore how thoughtfully selected mentor texts can serve as both mirrors and windows—reflecting students’ lived experiences while expanding their understanding of others.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why picture books remain powerful across grade levels
• How mentor texts can strengthen writing instruction
• The connection between literacy and student identity
• Why representation matters in classroom libraries
• How immigrant and refugee stories help build empathy and understanding
• Practical ways teachers can use picture books to empower student voice

Whether you’re an elementary teacher, literacy coach, administrator, or secondary educator looking to strengthen writing instruction, this conversation offers practical ideas and inspiration for helping students see themselves—and their possibilities—through books.

Sarah Cordova is a national literacy consultant and author of The Power of Picture Books in Student Identity: Writing Lessons That Empower. Her work helps educators integrate identity, belonging, and culturally responsive literacy practices into daily instruction.

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

Libraries shouldn't be a luxury.

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán reflects on a social media post from an educator who challenged the reality that many students still attend schools without fully functioning libraries.

What happens when we say literacy matters but fail to provide access to books?

This episode explores:

- Why libraries are an equity issue
- The connection between literacy and opportunity
- What students lose when libraries disappear
- How budgets reveal priorities
- Why access to books should not depend on a ZIP code
- The role libraries play in belonging, curiosity, and identity

At a time when educators are being asked to improve literacy outcomes, this episode asks a simple but important question:

How can students become readers if they don't have access to books?

Key Reflection

"A library is more than a room filled with books. It's a declaration that a child's imagination matters."

Discussion Question

What is the state of your school library—and what does it communicate to students about what we value?

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

What happens when schools see refugee students through a lens of deficit instead of possibility?

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with Dr. Yacoub Aljaffery, author of Narratives of Success and Resilience of Students from Refugee Backgrounds in U.S. Schools: From Invisible to Valuable, to discuss what educators need to understand about refugee students, multilingual learners, and the power of belonging.

Drawing from his own journey as a refugee and educator, Dr. Aljaffery challenges common misconceptions and invites educators to move beyond trauma-centered narratives toward asset-based approaches that recognize resilience, brilliance, language, culture, and humanity.

Together, Roberto and Dr. Aljaffery explore:

• What makes students from refugee backgrounds feel invisible in schools
• How deficit thinking harms students and limits possibilities
• Why multilingualism should be viewed as an asset, not a problem
• The difference between supporting students and “fixing” them
• How current global conflicts and immigration debates impact students in classrooms today
• Practical ways educators can foster belonging and dignity
• What gives Dr. Aljaffery hope for the future

This conversation is a reminder that refugee students do not need pity. They need opportunity, affirmation, and educators willing to see their full humanity.

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

Follow Multicultural Classroom and subscribe to Our Classroom for more conversations at the intersection of education, culture, identity, and belonging.

ELA isn’t dead.

It just needs to be revived, reimagined, and remembered differently.

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán reflects on why imagination, joy, speculative thinking, and culturally relevant literacy practices matter now more than ever in ELA classrooms.

This conversation explores:

• How ELA became overly compliance-driven
• Why imagination is rigorous academic work
• The role of Black scholarship in literacy education
• Why students need more than test prep
• How literature can help students envision a better world
• What it means to create classrooms rooted in possibility, identity, and academic joy

This episode also introduces:

Hosted by Multicultural Classroom
Facilitated by Lorena Germán and Lamar Timmons-Long

📚 June 5 & 6
🕘 9:30 AM – 12 Noon EST

DM us for details or information about requesting district/school funding support.

What happens when schools misunderstand culture as misbehavior?

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán reflects on powerful conversations with a Dominican mother advocating for her son after repeated school experiences rooted in misunderstanding, bias, and cultural disconnects.

This conversation explores the important distinction between cultural competence and cultural humility—and why humility requires more than training or good intentions. It requires listening, reflection, partnership, and the willingness to recognize that our norms are not universal.

Through real stories from families navigating schools, this episode challenges educators to rethink what belonging truly means and asks an important question:

Are students being supported… or silently asked to erase parts of themselves in order to fit in?

• Why cultural humility is different than cultural competence
• How cultural misunderstanding can lead to discipline
• The difference between inclusion and assimilation
• Why students shouldn’t have to “blend in” to belong
• The long-term impact of feeling unseen in school
• How educators can shift from control to curiosity
• What meaningful partnership with families can look like

“Students should not have to erase themselves in order to belong.”

• Whose norms are centered in our classrooms and schools?
• What assumptions do we make about behavior, communication, and professionalism?
• Are we trying to understand students and families—or simply manage them?
• What might cultural humility look like in practice?

As school demographics continue to shift, many educators are realizing that diversity alone does not create belonging.

This episode is a reminder that culturally responsive practice is not about mastering “other people’s cultures.” It’s about developing the humility to listen, learn, reflect, and build authentic relationships with students and families.

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

Follow @multiculturalclassroom
Subscribe to Our Classroom
Share this episode with an educator, administrator, or parent navigating conversations around culture, belonging, and identity in schools.

What does it mean to cultivate hope in a moment like this?

In this reflective episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán explores the idea that hope is not denial, optimism, or pretending things are okay—it’s intentional, courageous work.

Inspired by the upcoming Cultivate Hope 2026 gathering hosted by The Flourish Collective, this conversation reflects on the Harlem Renaissance, the role of educators during uncertain times, and why imagination, creativity, and community matter now more than ever.

This episode is an invitation to resist cynicism, reclaim possibility, and remember that even in difficult seasons, people still have the power to create beauty, truth, and belonging.

• Why hope is something we cultivate—not something we wait for
• The connection between struggle and creativity
• Lessons from the Harlem Renaissance
• Why imagination matters in education
• What educators are really planting in students
• The difference between optimism and hope
• What gives Roberto hope right now

“Hope is also imagining what could still become possible.”

• What gives you hope right now?
• What kind of future are you hoping to help create?
• What are you continuing to plant, even when growth feels slow?

This episode was inspired by Cultivate Hope 2026, an event hosted by The Flourish Collective centered on the belief that difficult times can still produce beauty, art, community, and collective joy. The event draws inspiration from the Harlem Renaissance and the enduring power of people refusing to be diminished.

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

Join My Classroom Gold:
👉 https://www.multiculturalclassroom.com/founding-member

Follow @multiculturalclassroom
Subscribe to Our Classroom
Share this episode with an educator, artist, or leader who needs encouragement right now.

Pushback doesn’t show up as a theory—it shows up in real moments.

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán breaks down what pushback actually looks like in schools and professional spaces—from parent emails and staff meetings to student questions and social media comments.

More importantly, he walks through what it looks like to respond with clarity instead of reaction.

This episode moves beyond ideas and into practice—helping educators stay grounded, protect their energy, and lead with intention when conversations get difficult.

• What pushback really looks like in everyday school settings
• How to respond to parent concerns without escalating
• Navigating tension with colleagues in meetings
• When to engage—and when not to—on social media
• How to respond to student pushback in real time
• Managing internal self-doubt as an educator

When pushback shows up…
Who do you become in that moment?

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

Join My Classroom Gold:
👉 https://www.multiculturalclassroom.com/founding-member

What happens when students stop worrying about grammar?

For many teachers, the answer is surprising: their writing becomes more powerful, more authentic, and more alive.

So why does that change when we shift the focus back to correctness?

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with Patty McGee, author of Not Your Granny's Grammar, to unpack a real question from a member of the community: Is grammar instruction supporting student voice—or silencing it?

Together, they explore the tension between correctness and expression, the role of dominant language norms in schools, and what it looks like to teach writing in a way that honors both clarity and identity.

• Why grammar instruction can shut students down
• The difference between correctness and communication
• Who decides what “standard English” is
• How language connects to identity and culture
• What strong writing actually looks like
• Practical shifts to protect student voice

If a student communicates powerfully—but doesn’t follow traditional grammar rules…

Are they a strong writer?

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

Join My Classroom Gold:
👉 https://www.multiculturalclassroom.com/founding-member