Can home visits by teachers improve the way kids learn?

When Jennifer Adkins first heard that her colleagues at Luther Burbank High School visited students in their homes, she thought they were crazy. The teacher preferred to keep a safe distance from parents who in her past jobs were overbearing. "I got really overwhelmed by the parents and the demands of the parents," Adkins said. "There were no boundaries, really." But when her colleagues convinced her to attend a training about home visits, her perceptions of parent involvement at Luther Burbank began to shift. And Adkins decided to give home visits a shot.

She started with one of her freshman, Hernan Gonzalez. She liked Gonzalez and knew he was capable of much more in school, but she couldn't get him to try. Gonzalez was dreading the visit; he thought Adkins was there to tell on him. Despite their nerves, when they started talking about their hopes and dreams for Gonzalez's future, Adkins and the Gonzalez family realized they wanted the same things for him. It built trust and had a transformative effect on Gonzalez's motivation at school.

Gonzalez and Adkins's story is one of several explored in the first episode of the new season of the MindShift podcast. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to a cast of educators, researchers, parents and students tackling some of the trickiest issues in education. New episodes explore a public high school's inclusive approach to ninth grade — a critical moment in high school; how parents and schools can address childhood trauma before it becomes an obstacle to learning; and what it takes to support over-aged students who have returned to school to attain their diplomas.

The new six-episode season gets underway today, with new episodes publishing every other Tuesday. Look for MindShift wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and the NPR One app. Or visit kqed.org/mindshiftpodcast to start listening.