Episode Summary:

Dr. Rebekah Kim, Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning in Kent School District, discusses her journey as an educator and leader committed to advancing equitable practices in education. She shares how her background as a second-generation immigrant from South Korea shaped her understanding of equity and informed her dedication to learner-centered, inclusive practices.

Rebekah reflects on her experiences as a classroom teacher in a diverse school district and her time as an elementary principal, which reinforced her belief in the importance of seeing students’ strengths beyond traditional academic measures. As a district leader and parent, she strives to ensure schools focus on the whole child, valuing socioeconomic, gender, and linguistic diversity as assets in learning.

Key topics covered include:

Co-constructing a shared definition of global citizenship with district stakeholders
Emphasizing the importance of student voice in shaping educational experiences
The role of collaboration and distributed leadership in developing equitable student profiles
Shifting from deficit-focused education to strength-based, equity-driven approaches
The need for systems that measure success beyond GPA, incorporating social-emotional, leadership, and extracurricular skills

Related Resources:

• Blog: 4 Practical Tips for Creating Coherence Within Your District
  Coherence throughout the system—namely, the individual internalization of the district’s vision, mission, and values—is essential to achieving transformational change. Read more about coherence from Devin Vodicka.
• Course: Cultivate a Sense of Belonging
  This course dives into creating a sense of belonging for all learners, ensuring their cultures, identities, and experiences are represented and honored.
• Tool: Enabling Conditions and Culture Self-Study
  This comprehensive resource is designed to help educational systems assess and improve their foundational elements for success. This self-paced assessment covers six crucial areas: Coherence, Communication, Aligned Systems, Growth & Development, Partnerships, and Culture.