Hot Topics in Education: “K-12 Challenges” & ”PH.D. to Entrepreneur”

Southern Soul - Live Stream

May 2 2022 • 1 hr 15 mins

“I really do believe that more students reading is a game-changer,” shares Eno Richardson, education consultant, and educator with over a decade of experience. Both of today’s guest speakers are driven by a desire to create positive change in the world of education. In the first part of the episode, host DJ-Rich is joined by Eno Richardson to discuss the challenges grade school students and teachers face, particularly in a post-pandemic world. Then you will want to stick around for a conversation with Dr. Chantel Nicolas, Ph.D. Chemist and Creator of Nerd Startup Incubator, about entrepreneurial opportunities for Ph.D. graduates.

The gap in opportunity for Black and Brown kids is a real issue in academics and has only increased during the pandemic. It is commonly known that in public and urban schools, there are distinct barriers to access to remote learning. In addition, the major shortage of teachers following the pandemic has only further increased learning loss. Eno stresses that reading could be the key to bridging the gap between Black and Brown students to their white peers. Reading not only helps students to understand the world around them but also helps students gain valuable critical thinking skills they will need later in life.

If you have an interest in academics, you may be interested to learn about how you can turn your Ph.D. into an opportunity to start your own business. In their studies, Ph.D. students have to learn how to sell themselves and their ideas when writing and defending their dissertation. They have experience creating articles for publication while also becoming an expert in their niche fields. Rather than using a Ph.D. to work a typical 9 to 5 job, students are equipped with the skills to become excellent entrepreneurs.

Join Eno Richardson and Dr. Chantel Nicolas on this week’s episode of Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow for a double feature about trending topics in education. Learn more about the challenges facing K-12 Black and Brown students, the importance of reading, and how you can leverage your Ph.D. experience to launch the business of your dreams.

Quotes

• “Research shows that when students have teachers who look like them, especially Black and Brown kids, they learn more.” (10:46-10:53 | Eno)

• “We know for many of our students, particularly in our public schools and urban schools, experienced barriers to remote learning. So when we refer to learning loss, it is the amount of information, standards, curriculum, and experiences that students did not get to finish because of the pandemic.” (27:33-28:02 | Eno)

• “I believe that the more students reading is just a game-changer.” (30:19-30:24 | Eno)

• “The opportunity gap is real. We know that there are major disparities created by the system, the nation we live in, that starts our Black and Brown kids in a different playing field than their white peers. And by reading more frequently, our students can actually achieve and grow at a level equal or higher to these peers is really astounding to me. So that's why I consider it the great equalizer.” (31:44-32:10 | Eno)

• “You have the trifecta, you have a salesperson, someone who actually creates content, who could do email marketing, podcasting, filming, or whatever. And then on top of that, they have a niche market. So I just think that we develop those skills. And in addition to project management, and all those other awesome skill sets that we develop, as nerds in the academics.” (1:00:39-1:01:07 | Dr. Nicolas)

Links

Connect with Eno Richardson and Dr. Chantel Nicolas:

Eno Richardson Consulting: https://enorichardsonconsulting.com/

Nerd Startup Incubator https://nerdstartupincubator.com/

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