In this excellent episode, Nancy and Jose are joined in the studio by Dr. Lydia Burgos, the Principal of J. Calvin Lauderbach Elementary. Take a listen as Dr. Burgos talks about how she went from wanting to be a teacher at a young age to being a principal throughout a 16-year career in education.

Dr. Burgos' current school, Lauderbach Elementary offers a 50/50 bilingual curriculum and is a dual immersion school. She highlights the difficulties encountered, including a large proportion of English language learners and the requirement for substantial support as a result of poor socioeconomic level. Lydia talks about the methods employed, such as small-group instruction and tutoring after school.

Learn about some of Dr. Burgos's methods for teaching, which include having grade-level teams examine individual student data, deal with interventions, and guarantee that every kid advances academically. She also discusses the scaffolding and assistance that emergent bilingual students require, placing a strong emphasis on language competence evaluations. In particular, Lydia observes notable progress in oral practice among emerging bilingual pupils.

Lydia also talks about the district-level programs that helped them succeed. She credits a committed staff focusing on the needs of the students, a student-centered approach, and high-impact language tactics for their achievement.

An excellent episode on filling gaps in the community with Dr. Lydia Burgos. Here are some other takeaways from the interview:

• The importance of books in Dr Burgos's childhood and some about her favorites.
• Dr. Burgos' role as a principal and her recent activities focusing on analyzing student data and planning interventions.
• Challenges faced during the pandemic, particularly in teaching writing online, leading to a renewed focus on supporting students in reading and writing.
• Strategies used at Lauderbach, including after-school tutoring and small-group instruction, to support students in literacy and math.
• The answers to the rapid-fire questions.

An excellent interview from a passionate gap minder. Thank you, Dr. Burgos, for your contributions in San Diego, and for joining us on The Gap Minders.

Enjoy this episode and be sure to subscribe to the show.

If you have any questions or want to contact Nancy or Jose, please send an email to podcast@uwsd.org. Thank you for listening.

To learn more about the two social impact organizations making The Gap Minders possible, please visit www.TheGapMinders.org.