Fostering Inclusive Practices in Education with Maymouna Sakho

📝 Episode Description: Join host Mike P. and leadership search guru Celiah as they welcome Maymouna Sakho, a passionate educator, inclusion and equity advocate, and systems builder. Maymouna, founder of Sakho Learning Consultancy, shares her journey and insights on innovating and implementing equitable and inclusive practices in education and beyond. Drawing from her experiences growing up between cultures (Senegal and The Bronx), Maymouna discusses the importance of valuing diverse learners and building systems that support all students.

💬 Memorable Soundbites! 🎤🔥

• "When you are multilingual, and you are able to think in so many different languages... I think that is such a superpower that we need to celebrate as much as we can."

• "Always equity over equality. When I think about my students with needs... we're not always starting at the same place, but if we build a system that we can get to the same place, regardless of how our identity markers or our background..."

• "I need more training [on AI]. I feel like I'm ready to already be cloned. But I need... more training to understand how I can best use AI for my personal and professional work, and to support other people with their work."

• "I decided a year ago that I'm going to be purposeful about who I spend my time with and how I spend my time... in terms of protecting my energy."

• "We always need to be on the right side of history. History is always going to change, but we need to always be, in my opinion, on the right side of history."
  

📌 Key Insights:

• Maymouna's Journey & Inspiration: Her experiences as a multilingual student in The Bronx, who wasn't always recognized for her assets, fueled her passion for equitable education.

• Sekho Learning Consultancy: Founded in 2020, the consultancy initially focused on broader DEI but now centers on inclusion for students with disabilities and diverse learning needs.

• Differences in Educational Contexts: While acknowledging her privilege, Maymouna notes differences between US and African schools, including a potentially stronger sense of community and value for multilingualism in some African contexts, and a different level of student engagement.

• Successful Systems-Building Initiative: Maymouna highlights her work in lobbying for and helping to build an inclusive program at her current school, now serving around 700 students through universal screening, aligned admissions, and community connections.

• Staying Updated in the Field: Maymouna utilizes podcasts, LinkedIn, books, and further education (certifications in instructional design and AI) to remain current in her industry, despite a busy schedule.

• Personal Time and Self-Care: Maymouna prioritizes spending time with loved ones, staying active and plant-based, practicing yoga, working with a therapist for grounding, and finding opportunities to laugh.

• Addressing DEI Challenges: Maymouna expresses frustration with the misconception that students with learning needs shouldn't be prioritized in equitable systems, emphasizing that they often start from a different baseline. She finds support in organizations like AIELOC and the Diversity Collaborative amidst current global challenges.

• Rapid Fire Highlights:

• • Advocacy: Evokes thoughts of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., emphasizing different approaches to reach the same goal.

  • Equality vs. Equity: Strong preference for equity, recognizing that individuals have different starting points.

  • Artificial Intelligence: Acknowledges the need for more training to leverage its potential.

  • Multilingual: Viewed as a significant and valuable superpower.

  • Paper Book vs. Kindle: Preference for paper books for a more tactile and engaging reading experience.