Episode 27 Re-Release: Holistic Education with Guest LaManda Chestnut-Pryor

Episode 27 Re-Release: Holistic Education with Guest LaManda Chestnut-Pryor

 

After our “Voices of Passion” event on Saturday, we wanted to re-release this episode with LaManda Chestnut-Pryor to bring the importance of education to the forefront of our discussion on how to make lasting societal changes, especially for Black and Brown communities. LaManda shared a lot of wisdom with us at our event, especially this gem: “Until we strengthen the family, we cannot strengthen the child.” As an advocate for holistic education, LaManda believes the success of her students relies on helping the whole family - not just the child.

 

In this episode, LaManda talks about her work as a principal and transformational educator, especially in schools with predominantly Black and Brown students. She tells us about her holistic approach to teaching that involves tending to the mind, body, and soul of not just her students, but the entire family. She describes the importance of addressing violence and trauma in our communities, how that affects kids in school, and creates the need to include social and emotional learning in everyday instruction. LaManda also explains how some schools are so focused on testing that they lose the essence of the kids - her school measures their success in other ways. It is also one of a handful, and the only minority school, participating in Peaceful Schools in North Carolina - a program that works to create a healthy school climate.

More about Lamanda Chestnut-Pryor

LaManda Chestnut-Pryor thrives as a transformational educator, leader, and children’s advocate serving the North Carolina and New York communities for over 20 years. Her current role as the principal at a charter school in Durham, NC has expanded her expertise as a passionate and innovative leader. Combining her educational background, years of being an administrator and teacher inside of inner city schools with her practical community, family and parental experiences, LaManda has created real life steps to address the disparity in school discipline. She is relentless in her pursuit of establishing a safe, caring and nurturing learning environment that promotes acceptance of the individual and puts the kid’s needs first. By focusing on continuous improvements to the processes of conflict resolutions and developing the child’s self-esteem, LaManda feels that as far as our children’s learning potential is concerned; the best is yet to come.

 

More about Peaceful Schools NC: Peaceful Schools NC