Miguel Herdade, Ambition Institute, on O Ar é de Todos #122 podcast

For the past 12 years or so, education has been an obstacle course for all children and young people. But for some, the barriers are more frequent and more insurmountable than for others. In fact, conditions such as household income, mothers' schooling, better housing conditions - just to name a few - can turn the 100-meter freestyle into a transalpine ultramarathon. And it doesn't have to be that way. The guest on the latest episode of O Ar é de Todos is on a mission to reduce the gap between rich and poor in schools.

Miguel Herdade has dedicated much of his work to helping create and develop social projects that help break down barriers to accessing a more equal education. He is associate director of the Ambition Institute (4'51''), a British organization that supports teachers to "be better professionals for children growing up in disadvantaged environments". The focus on teachers is no coincidence: the quality and effectiveness of teaching staff is, on the school side, the biggest predictor of academic success. It is therefore vital to evaluate teachers (16'43") and all the public policies surrounding them.

A conversation about education, the problems of teacher shortages and the organization that implemented a reform that is considered "the biggest reform in the British education system in more than a generation" (22'25").

You can listen to this podcast here. (in Portuguese)