About this episode
Marlena Jackson-Retondo interviews Randy Porter about his experiences teaching jazz at Roosevelt Middle School and the impact of music on creativity.
In this episode, KQED’s Marlena Jackson-Retondo visits the band room at Roosevelt Middle School in Oakland and speaks with longtime music teacher Randy Porter, who is retiring after 40 years in Oakland Unified schools. Porter shares how introducing students to experimental jazz, including the music of Sun Ra, helps young musicians explore creativity and possibility.
People in this episode
Host: Marlena Jackson-Retondo
Guest: Randy Porter
Topics covered
- music education
- jazz
- creativity
- middle school
- retirement
- experimental jazz
Keywords
- jazz band
- music teacher
- Oakland
- experimental jazz
- middle school education
- creativity in music
- Sun Ra
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Oakland Unified schools
Books & works: Sun Ra
Places: Oakland, Roosevelt Middle School
More episodes of MindShift Podcast
- Shafia Zaloom: Sex Ed and Becoming the Askable Parent · June 9, 2026 · 30 min
- Ross Greene: What if Bad Behavior Isn’t the Problem? · May 13, 2026 · 29 min
- Who Misses Out When Tutoring Starts Too Late? · April 14, 2026 · 16 min
- Scott R. Levy: How School Boards Can Strengthen Our Democracy · February 10, 2026 · 28 min
- Financial Literacy in The Digital Age With Lillian Zhang · January 13, 2026 · 24 min
- MIT's TeachLab Presents The Homework Machine · December 9, 2025 · 36 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the MindShift Podcast podcast page.