Today’s show explores the idea that we have it all wrong when it comes to behavioral disorders. From the intersection of neuroscience and music comes the theory that what we have classified as behavior issues are really movement disorders. The body’s response to music and rhythm holds the key. Join us for a look at this fascinating work! Peggy Schaefer is a board-certified Neurological Music Therapist (NMT), and her work focuses on how the brain processes rhythm and applies it to non-musical int...
Oct 04, 2022•22 min•Ep. 230
Extracurricular activities, especially sports programs, are excellent learning opportunities for students of all levels. There are many lessons learned and transferable skills that make a huge impact in enriching and enhancing life experiences. In today’s show, we learn more about Spirit League, a unique sports organization for those with special needs. Join us to learn more! Melissa Cory is an occupational therapist and the mother of four grown children, one of which was diagnosed with autism s...
Sep 27, 2022•20 min•Ep. 229
The new school year is off and running for 2022-2023. We have had many discussions about IEPs and initial assessments in previous episodes, and now we take a closer look at the different types of IEPs, along with our best tips for parents to know. Join us to learn more! Show Highlights: The addendum (or amendment) IEP: to make changes to the IEP goals, usually at the parent’s request The annual IEP: when it happens, what it covers, and what you need to know How the parent can exercise the right ...
Sep 20, 2022•17 min•Ep. 228
Today’s show is an information session about our new IEP Learning Center. Feel free to share our presentation with anyone who might be interested in this new resource. With all of our endeavors, the goal is to increase access to the needed resources for quality education and learning for every student, especially those with disabilities. The IEP Learning Center becomes another outlet to assist in those goals. This episode takes a look at the Arrowsmith Program, what it looks like, and what will ...
Sep 13, 2022•24 min•Ep. 227
We are here at the beginning of another school year, and after the chaos of the past 2-3 school years, none of us knows what to really expect for 2022-2023! One thing we are noticing is that a lot of parents want IEPs for their students. In today’s episode, we go back to basics with a refresher about what you should expect, what the law requires, and how you can be empowered to help your child. Join us to learn more! Show Highlights: Why the terminology used in “special education” is important f...
Aug 30, 2022•34 min•Ep. 226
Most students across the country are back in school already, and some will begin within the next week or two. It’s a busy time! Our best reminders for parents are to check in with teachers about your child’s progress and request an IEP meeting for your child. We have been excited about what’s happening with teacher-centered classrooms changing to inclusive and learner-centered classrooms, so that’s our topic up for discussion today. Join us to learn more! We welcome Tanya Sheckley to the show to...
Aug 23, 2022•21 min•Ep. 225
Happy Back-to-School Season! Whether you have already stepped boldly into the new school year or are frantically preparing for those upcoming first few days, all of us in the education world are hoping that 2022-2023 will be the best one yet! An important topic for any new school year is inclusivity; we should be asking ourselves how we can look for more inclusivity and make students’ lives better. Join us to learn more from today’s guest! Larkin O’Leary is president of Common Ground Society, an...
Aug 16, 2022•28 min•Ep. 224
Hi everyone! We are excited to officially announce here on the podcast the opening of the IEP Learning Center, a virtual learning center for students across the country and the world. We are partnering with Barbara Arrowsmith and using the Arrowsmith Program, which can bring remarkable improvement to many students in the classroom and in their daily functional skills. In today’s solo episode, we are discussing why we chose to start this project and where we hope to take it in the future. Join us...
Aug 09, 2022•11 min•Ep. 223
We were recently featured on Dr. Karen Wilson’s Diverse Thinking Different Learning podcast. Today’s episode is a replay of that conversation where we discuss what parents can do over the summer to help prepare their child for a successful upcoming school year. Whether your child has been in a summer school program or on a mental health break over the summer, there are specific things you can do to ensure that your child’s IEP, 504 Plan, or evaluations are in place for success in learning. Join ...
Aug 02, 2022•46 min•Ep. 222
Barbara Arrowsmith Young joins Amanda and Vickie on today’s podcast. Brain plasticity, how brains learn and how they develop, and how we can be better at providing learning environments and programs for not only kids who are differently-abled, but all kids, are the highlights they’ll be covering. Don’t miss this fascinating, cutting-edge insight! Barbara Arrowsmith Young is the Founder of Arrowsmith School and the Arrowsmith Program. She is the author of the international bestseller, The Woman W...
Jul 05, 2022•39 min•Ep. 221
We are taking a break over the summer, so this is “goodbye–see you later” for a few weeks. We will return for the 2022-2023 school year, hoping for a smoother and better-executed plan for our students. We hope that we’ve brought some helpful information and inspiration to get you through these challenging times in education. Join us today for a few key takeaways and reminders. *We will be replaying some of our favorite episodes over the next few weeks until we are ready to start off the next sch...
Jun 28, 2022•6 min•Ep. 220
Welcome to the official start of summer and to our exciting conversation with author, innovator, researcher, educator and teacher, and entrepreneur, Barbara Fernandes, as we discuss her involvement in technology. Barbara Fernandes, an award-winning Brazilian-American Speech-Language Pathologist, immigrated to the United States as an adult with very limited English skills. She went on to become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in her field, founding two businesses and revolutionizing her ...
Jun 21, 2022•23 min•Ep. 219
We made it! This long and awful school year is finally over. It was its own unique beast unlike any other with so many challenges. COVID has disrupted two full school years now, so we have high hopes for a more normal upcoming school year. With that in mind, accommodations are a big part of the IEP for any student, and this conversation takes a closer look. Join us to learn more from today’s guest! Maggie Staub has been an educator and learning specialist for over ten years. Most of her career h...
Jun 14, 2022•26 min•Ep. 218
Today’s guest takes us on a fascinating and educational journey into ableism, the study of disabilities and prejudices of disabilities. Dr. Michelle Nario-Redmond, a social psychologist at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio, joins Amanda and Vickie to discuss changing people’s perceptions about disability. Michelle is the author of Ableism: The Causes and Consequences of Disability Prejudice, and the mom of a 23-year old daughter with spina bifida, who was raised to be a proud, disabled woman. Show Hi...
Jun 07, 2022•45 min•Ep. 217
There is nothing lighthearted about this episode as we come to you with heavy hearts today. Here we are on the heels of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and every parent and teacher has strong emotions about what happened. This fresh tragedy brings to mind the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, and some of us “elder millennials” even remember the shooting at Columbine High School in 1999. Whatever your thoughts are about gun control, this is much more than a political issue; it’s about advocacy f...
May 31, 2022•12 min•Ep. 216
In the world of education, we focus so much attention on academic progress and the details of those IEP meetings. One aspect of education that is often overlooked is the role that play and leisure can have in reaching students, improving their communication skills and self-confidence, and learning to engage with others while having fun. Join us to learn more from today’s guest! Rose Griffin has unique expertise in teaching play and leisure skills that can be enjoyed over a lifetime. She has been...
May 24, 2022•26 min•Ep. 215
The end of the school year is happening over the next few weeks all around the country. Like us, many parents, teachers, and professionals are involved in IEP meetings galore. We believe that parents need to be empowered to take an active role in the IEP process. Join us to learn more from our expert guest! Beth Liesenfeld is the host of the Elevate Your Advocacy podcast and the founder of Parent Friendly OT. After learning ASL and interacting with deaf people, Beth worked with children with spe...
May 17, 2022•22 min•Ep. 214
The pandemic brought many changes to the world of education, including how children with specific needs can access the services available to them. We still have SO far to go, and many changes need to happen to help parents and their children get the help they deserve. Join us to learn more! ToniAnn Loftus is a speech-language pathologist in private practice in Manhattan. After working at the Rebecca School in midtown Manhattan for ten years, she had her son during the pandemic. Knowing that her ...
May 03, 2022•39 min•Ep. 213
Challenging behavior is a constant problem for teachers and parents in both general education and special education classrooms. Our guest today provides insight into the best ways to collect and use behavior data to formulate workable solutions. Join us to learn more! Christine Reeve is the creator of Autism Classroom Resources, an online community for special educators. Coming from a long line of teachers in her family, Christine is also the sister of someone who would clearly have qualified fo...
Apr 26, 2022•24 min•Ep. 212
Today’s show is a follow-up to Episode 210 about transitions between learning levels and milestones. In this conversation, we take a close look specifically at the Transition Plan from high school forward. Join us to learn more! Show Highlights: Why transition plans MUST be part of the student’s IEP by age 16 and can include college, employment, and additional life skills Why the options for exiting high school can be either a diploma or a certificate of completion, depending on the student’s ne...
Apr 21, 2022•22 min•Ep. 211
Here we are in April already! Spring Breaks have happened and are happening at this time all around the country. As we move forward in the countdown to the last few weeks of the school year, we want to use this episode to talk about transition IEP meetings that should be happening as a student moves from one setting to another, like from preschool to kindergarten, from elementary to middle school, and from middle school to high school. We are breaking it down with information and tips you need t...
Apr 05, 2022•28 min•Ep. 210
As we are in the final push of the school year, it’s a good time to check in with others and their mental wellness after the pandemic trauma of the last two years. Students, parents, and teachers have all felt the mental and emotional drain, and the toll on learning has been enormous. Social skills and emotions have EVERYTHING to do with how a student learns, and today’s guest is a proven expert. Ironically, the day of recording for this episode is Social Emotional Learning Day, so our topic tod...
Mar 29, 2022•29 min•Ep. 209
Inclusion advocate and author, Nate Trainor, joins us on the podcast today to discuss his personal fight for inclusion. Nate shares his personal journal of exclusion along with what his personal mission is today. Not only are we joined by Nate on today’s episode, but we are excited to also speak to Nate’s mother, Jean Trainor, and his 6th-grade teacher and family friend, Shelby. Nate is an advocate for the acceptance of people with disabilities. Nate is nonverbal due to having a rare disorder ca...
Mar 22, 2022•13 min•Ep. 208
We are so excited to welcome Dr. Angela Jean Louis to the podcast today. Dr. Angela is a political scientist, educational advocate and has designed educational frameworks for academic success. Dr. Angela left academia to start her business, Leadership Concepts Institute, LLC, a personal growth and professional development company. She works with businesses, educational institutions, and individuals. In today’s episode, we will be discussing homeschooling with a public school mindset. Dr. Angela ...
Mar 15, 2022•35 min•Ep. 207
Here we are, moving right along in 2022! We just attended our virtual annual national conference, which is always very helpful for us. It’s always great to learn what is going on in our field with other attorneys across the country and hear about the current hot topics in special education. Today’s show gives a great perspective on supporting students and families through the IEP process. Wendy Taylor is the executive director of Learning Essentials. She is an Educational Therapist, qualified Or...
Mar 08, 2022•32 min•Ep. 204
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 ...
Mar 01, 2022•26 min•Ep. 206
We are focusing today on one of our favorite topics: inclusion. Our guest shares how he is working with districts across the country to bring more inclusion, along with the most common misconception most educators have about inclusivity. Join us to learn more! Tim Villegas is the Director of Communications for the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE), the founder of Think Inclusive, and the host of the Think Inclusive podcast. Show Highlights: How MCIE began 30 years ago and continu...
Mar 01, 2022•23 min•Ep. 205
We are always interested in how speech and language pathologists are providing their services and collaborating with school districts. Join us for a conversation with today’s guest about her experience working with students. Suzanne Aldrich has been a speech therapist for over a decade. After starting her career working with adults, she moved into the public school system to work with young students. She travels to work with and evaluate children in preschools and elementary schools. Show Highli...
Feb 15, 2022•21 min•Ep. 203
It’s always interesting to see how things in special education law can be similar from state to state–and yet so different in many ways. Join us for an inside look with today’s guest. Lisa Hernandez is a special education attorney in New Jersey. She is a mom of three who came to this field because one of her children has disabilities. With a background in disability discrimination and employment discrimination, Lisa has been advocating for her child and for her friends’ children for over a decad...
Feb 08, 2022•35 min•Ep. 202
Today’s show covers the topic of critical disability studies as they relate to creating inclusive early childhood environments. We will take a hard look at what inclusion really means and why it’s not happening in many classrooms. Join us for a closer look! Nicole Eilers lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children. She studied child development and family studies and went on to work as a special education teacher in a PreK classroom. Her next position was as a special ed teac...
Feb 01, 2022•25 min•Ep. 201
