Episode 4: District Leader Rebecca Morales Talks Power of Content

In episode 4, Kristina interviews Rebecca Morales, the Secondary Science Instructional Specialist at Broken Arrow Public Schools in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Her background as a science teacher, content specialist, and doctoral student trying to further understand OER affords her unique perspective in the work that she leads in her district. She chats with Rebecca about the work that she started several years ago when their district decided to not pursue a traditional textbook in science and how that has created a ripple effect throughout other content areas.

For Kristina, the main takeaway from this interview was around the benefit that Rebecca has seen in the district regarding content: OER serves as a tangible object that teachers can use to start professional discussions around quality, rigor, reflection, and more. These types of professional conversations may never have happened in Broken Arrow without the district’s commitment to transition away from traditional instructional materials.