Today’s conversation gives an interesting perspective on speech therapy. Join us to learn why sensory integration is a crucial component for autistic students with learning challenges. Jessie Ginsburg is a sensory integration-trained speech and language pathologist. From southern California, Jessie ended up working in Washington, DC, where she connected with Jake Greenspan, the co-founder of Floortime Therapy; this encounter set the course for Jessie’s work. When she returned to southern Califor...
Jan 25, 2022•30 min•Ep. 200
With more school closures and changes in quarantine guidelines, there is not much consistency across school districts right now. This timely episode covers more ways to have access to technology and appropriate apps for students of all ages with special needs. Join us to learn more! Zafer Elcik is the co-founder of Otsimo, a platform that provides inclusive apps for students across the world for early and intensive education, communication, and speech. Show Highlights: Zafer’s story of growing u...
Jan 18, 2022•20 min•Ep. 199
Today’s show focuses on different ways to deliver educational services and a school district doing it the right way. The key is changing mindset from the established educational culture that has made people believe that “separate is better.” Join us to learn more! Kurt Schneider has served as superintendent of the TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 for more than six years. Suzanne Sands is the president of TrueNorth’s Leadership Council, and she’s been in this school board-like role for six y...
Jan 11, 2022•35 min•Ep. 198
Welcome to 2022 and a brand-new episode of the Inclusive Education Project podcast! As we enter the spring semester (and year THREE of the pandemic!), we’re hearing a lot more noise about the teacher and support staff shortage, so we’ll be exploring that, as well as sharing strategies on how to make it all as painless as possible. Show Highlights: Reasons for the staffing shortage But children are resilient…right? The potential issues with long-term subs Why parents and kids should be prepped fo...
Jan 04, 2022•30 min•Ep. 197
NOTE: Hi, everyone! We've stepped away from the podcast for a short break, but we'll be back soon with great new content. Meantime, please enjoy listening to some of our most popular episodes from the archive! Our guest today describes herself as a “veteran educator, survivor of burnout, and a self-care advocate.” Kayland Lamar coaches educators on self-care practices and boundary-setting in the classroom. If a healthy work-life balance and proactive personal wellness habits seem out of reach fo...
Dec 28, 2021•27 min•Ep. 196
NOTE: Hi, everyone! We've stepped away from the podcast for a short break, but we'll be back soon with great new content. Meantime, please enjoy listening to some of our most popular episodes from the archive! Today’s guest is Diana Pastora Carson, a self-described sibling advocate and a big fan of her brother, Joaquin, who spent 15 years of his life in an institution. Joaquin’s family fought for three years to bring him home, and he fully supports and endorses the way Diana shares their family ...
Dec 21, 2021•32 min•Ep. 195
NOTE: Hi, everyone! We've stepped away from the podcast for a short break, but we'll be back soon with great new content. Meantime, please enjoy listening to some of our most popular episodes from the archive! We’re excited to bring you this great conversation with Mallory, Katie, and Lori from The Childhood Collective. Mallory, Katie, and Lori all have experience working with neurodiverse kids: kids with ADHD, learning and language differences, anxiety, and autism spectrum disorders. Once famil...
Dec 14, 2021•37 min•Ep. 194
NOTE: Hi, everyone! We've stepped away from the podcast for a short break, but we'll be back soon with great new content. Meantime, please enjoy listening to some of our most popular episodes from the archive! We’re so thrilled to have Caroline Hines as our guest today. Caroline is a Social-Emotional School Counselor at a public charter school here in California, and she shares with us the advantages that having a dedicated counselor onsite provides, how kindness is taught through each grade lev...
Dec 07, 2021•34 min•Ep. 193
NOTE: Hi, everyone! We've stepped away from the podcast for a short break, but we'll be back soon with great new content. Meantime, please enjoy listening to some of our most popular episodes from the archive! When kids experience challenges meeting certain expectations, that can result in their frustration, which can often lead to concerning behaviors if they’re not equipped with the necessary skills to adapt. Our guest today trains parents, educators, and clinicians in an evidence-based treatm...
Nov 30, 2021•24 min•Ep. 192
We always feel that we are “on the same page” when our guest is a passionate advocate for students. Today’s guest explains the work she does with pediatric assessments to help the parents and teachers of struggling learners. Join us to learn more! Dr. Karen Wilson is a clinical neuropsychologist who specializes in pediatric assessments. She evaluates kids from age 4 through early adulthood where a struggle to learn indicates a suspected neurodevelopmental disorder. She figures out whether the pr...
Nov 23, 2021•17 min•Ep. 191
We continue to see compounded challenges in this school year. Today’s show focuses on the vital role school counselors can play in advocating for students and supporting student success, even in the uncertainty of a pandemic. Join us to learn more! Caroline Hines is an elementary school counselor in Sacramento, CA. Unlike many school counselors, Caroline is a social-emotional counselor who supports students and families, making sure her school is a kind and caring place where students feel safe,...
Nov 16, 2021•24 min•Ep. 190
Today’s conversation is with a guest recommended to us, and we are excited to hear her perspective. We are highlighting the immense challenges within the legal system for attorneys, parents, and students, especially how situations can vary from one state to another. Join us to learn more! Stacey Gahagan practices statewide in North Carolina. Her firm, with five attorneys, is the largest in NC that focuses on special education law. Stacey was in education for 19 years before she went to law schoo...
Nov 09, 2021•34 min•Ep. 189
Today’s show is a replay of the Thriving Special Families podcast hosted by Crystal Sanford. We appeared as guests on Crystal’s live podcast on September 22; the episode is titled “Compensatory Education: Where Are We Now?” You can view the video podcast on YouTube or find the link on Crystal’s website. She is a consultant with Sandford Autism Consulting and is passionate about working with families and community members. It was nice to talk to someone who understands the nuances of compensatory...
Nov 02, 2021•39 min•Ep. 188
We have said it before: this school year is like no other. Now we are all dealing with the uncertainty of an upcoming holiday season that may be very stressful for parents, teachers, and students. There are simple practices and tools we can use with people of all ages to manage and reduce stress. Join us to learn more! Lynn Jimenez is a licensed clinical social worker and the founder of Connect-Flow-Grow Coaching & Therapy. Her past experiences include school mental health, foster care, and ...
Oct 26, 2021•28 min•Ep. 187
It’s safe to say that everyone in education is being stretched to their limits. Earlier optimism back in the summer has given way to a sense of drudgery that we find ourselves back in the same COVID-impacted situations as in the previous school year. We are excited to have today’s guest, a teacher and advocate, to share her perspective. Join us to learn more! Jessica Keogh has an undiagnosed neuromuscular disorder from birth that limits her physical abilities and keeps her in a wheelchair. Despi...
Oct 19, 2021•22 min•Ep. 186
We are all dealing with the regression that some of our students have experienced through these COVID-affected times. We went from having a hope of real innovation of inclusive education to a focus on mere survival. Today’s guest shares insights into the evidence-based need for inclusion, practical steps to bring inclusion, and the barriers that still remain in school systems. Join us to learn more! Diane Ryndak is a professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in the Department o...
Oct 12, 2021•27 min•Ep. 185
We are all in the middle of the adventure that has become this school year. The only certainty seems to be that uncertainty continues, and we have to make adjustments along the way. Gratitude is a mindset that has become more relevant than ever, and teaching gratitude practices can help set our students up for success in the classroom right now and in their lives for the future. Join us for a closer look at learning to live with gratitude and intention! Nicole Thomson is a wife, mom, teacher, au...
Oct 05, 2021•21 min•Ep. 184
As the school year continues in full swing with in-person learning, inclusion has never been a more important topic. Today’s conversation takes a deep dive into inclusion through the eyes of a new documentary film. Join us! Hilda and Olivier are filmmakers and parents of their son, Emilio. Through their documentary, Forget Me Not, they share the personal impact of NYC’s segregated education system as they fight for Emilio’s right to be educated alongside his peers. The film gives a rare look at ...
Sep 28, 2021•24 min•Ep. 183
We’re in it now: another school year taking us into the great unknown. Parents, students, and educators are all living with a “wait and see” approach as we live in a state of constant adaptability in yet another pandemic school year. Join us to hear practical tips and advice from today’s guest! Chris Banks is CEO and president of the Autism Society of America. He came to the society in 2020 from a comprehensive background in human services and healthcare, and he is a proven transformational lead...
Sep 21, 2021•29 min•Ep. 182
We know the transition into motherhood is not always easy. Today’s guest works to ease the transition and help prevent burnout for moms as she brings sanity, solutions, and overall mental health into the chaotic world of motherhood. Join us to learn more! Danielle Bettmann is an early childhood development expert, parenting coach, teacher, and mom of two girls. She helps families with strong-willed tiny humans find patience, peace, and partnership. Her mission is to come alongside parents to pro...
Sep 14, 2021•25 min•Ep. 181
Today’s guest is Diana Pastora Carson, a self-described sibling advocate and a big fan of her brother, Joaquin, who spent 15 years of his life in an institution. Joaquin’s family fought for three years to bring him home, and he fully supports and endorses the way Diana shares their family story. Diana has been an elementary educator for over 30 years in both general and special education. A lecturer for a Disability and Society course through San Diego State University, Diana also teaches other ...
Sep 07, 2021•32 min•Ep. 180
Today’s episode is the final part of our series to kick off the new school year. Parents, students, and educators were assuming that things would be back to normal by the beginning of the 2021 school year, but we are still in a state of uncertainty. Since COVID-19 has impacted schools in many ways during the past two school years, we have seen many adjustments to learning. CA Assembly Bill 130 addresses the independent study (IS) options, not to be confused with virtual learning. We’ll dive into...
Aug 31, 2021•10 min•Ep. 179
Today’s episode is part two of our three-part series to kick off the new school year. Parents, students, and educators were assuming that things would be back to normal by the beginning of the 2021 school year, but we are still in a state of uncertainty. California legislators have implemented specific steps to help students, even reaching into last school year. We are taking a closer look at Assembly Bill 104, which was passed in CA in July. We’ll dive into the provisions of the bill and what i...
Aug 24, 2021•6 min•Ep. 178
Today’s episode is the first in a three-part series covering guidelines for going back to school for in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year. It’s hard to believe that we are here on the cusp of beginning another school year, and as with the last two school years, COVID-19 has changed everything for students, educators, and parents. Join us for this three-part guide to everything you need to know and the momentum you need to kick off a new school year. We are discussing COVID-19 guideli...
Aug 17, 2021•22 min•Ep. 177
It’s the end of the school year, and this will be our last episode before we break for the summer. What a year it’s been! Stick with us as we take a look back on this unusual year and its different hybrid models, issues to look out for and to make your teams aware of, and what the 2021-2022 school year may hold. We appreciate your support and remember, summer break would be a great time to listen to any of our past episodes that you may have missed! Show Highlights: When kids returned to school ...
Jun 29, 2021•29 min•Ep. 176
Carlia Oldfather, Director of Operations from Stand Up for Kids in Orange County, is our guest today! Stand Up for Kids is a national, non-profit organization that serves youth between the ages of 12-24 that are experiencing homelessness. There are twenty chapters throughout the nation. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at this wonderful organization that is about FAR more than just getting kids off the street. You’ll be glad you did! Show Highlights: In Orange County alone, there are an esti...
Jun 22, 2021•29 min•Ep. 175
If you dread hearing, “What’s for dinner tonight?”, then you’re going to LOVE today’s guest. If, like most of us, you live a busy life, have picky eaters or food allergies in your family, or just need a dash of inspiration and a serving of encouragement for answering that burning question, keep listening! Marie Fiebach is the founder of “Feed Your Family Tonight”. She is an author, podcaster, coach, and, in her own words, a “Weeknight Dinner Expert”. Marie has plenty of tips and strategies to sh...
Jun 15, 2021•32 min•Ep. 174
We’re so thrilled to have Caroline Hines as our guest today. Caroline is a Social-Emotional School Counselor at a public charter school here in California, and she shares with us the advantages that having a dedicated counselor onsite provides, how kindness is taught through each grade level, plus she offers tips on how you can foster more kindness right in your own home. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did! Show Highlights: Caroline explains her role as a Social-Emotional Scho...
Jun 08, 2021•34 min•Ep. 173
Our guest today describes herself as a “veteran educator, survivor of burnout, and a self-care advocate.” Kayland Lamar coaches educators on self-care practices and boundary-setting in the classroom. If a healthy work-life balance and proactive personal wellness habits seem out of reach for you, then you will definitely want to listen to the tips that Kayland has to share with us, for the classroom and beyond. Kayland Lamar is a high school science teacher who loves her job, loves her students, ...
Jun 01, 2021•27 min•Ep. 172
When kids experience challenges meeting certain expectations, that can result in their frustration, which can often lead to concerning behaviors if they’re not equipped with the necessary skills to adapt. Our guest today trains parents, educators, and clinicians in an evidence-based treatment called the Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) model. Be sure to tune in to this intriguing and insightful conversation and learn about all the benefits that CPS has to offer! Ross W. Greene, Ph.D...
May 25, 2021•24 min•Ep. 171
