In this episode of the All Kinds of Minds podcast, we speak with Mash, an AuDHD special education advocate and former educator with experience working in traditional, charter, and alternative schools.

Topics covered include:

• The biggest problems facing special education
• The impact of inadequate teacher training and lack of support
• How high turnover impacts students and what admin can do about it
• The challenges neurodivergent educators face
• What schools must change to better support neurodivergent educators and students with higher support needs

Stay connected with Mash:

• Website: neurosupports.org
• @neurosupports on IG, Facebook, and TikTok

This special podcast episode is a recording of an edWebinar sponsored by Social Cipher. In this episode, Dr. Nathalie Henderson, Dr. Lucas Harrington, and Vanessa Castañeda Gill discuss Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and how schools can ensure their interventions are neurodiversity-affirming.

Topic covered include:

• Overview of MTSS tiers
• Common behaviors of neurodivergent students
• Pitfalls of not using neurodiversity-affirming interventions
• Benefits of neurodiversity-affirming interventions
• Interventions that support autistic students

Additional Resources:

Free MTSS Toolkit

Social Cipher Website

Ava free trial

In this episode of the All Kinds of Minds podcast, we speak with Amy Bodkin, a homeschool consultant, former school psychologist, and autistic parent of two autistic children. Many families choose homeschooling after public schools fail to meet their children’s needs. Amy shares what she has learned from these families and how schools can use those insights to better support neurodivergent students.

Topics covered include:

• Key differences in how public, private, and homeschool environments support neurodivergent students
• The most common reasons neurodivergent students leave public schools for homeschooling
• What homeschool families value most in education and how schools can apply these insights
• How schools can offer more individualized support, even within systemic limitations
• The benefits of multi-age learning and how schools can integrate similar practices
• How schools can foster meaningful relationships between neurodivergent and neurotypical students

Stay connected to Amy:

Facebook: @AmyBodkinEdSFacebook Group:⁠Special Needs Homeschooling the Neurodivergent Way ⁠Instagram: @AmyBodkinEdSLinkedIn: Amy Bodkin EdSYouTube: AmyBodkinEdS

Book: ⁠Special Needs Kids are People Too: Seeing the Possibilities Through a Neurodiverse Lens⁠

Website: https://amybodkin.com⁠

In this episode of the All Kinds of Minds podcast, we are joined by Vanessa Castañeda Gill, the founder and CEO of Social Cipher.

Topics covered include:

- The intersection of neurodivergence, ethnicity, and gender from her perspective as an autistic Latina woman

- Challenges faced by neurodivergent students of color

- The importance of representation and supportive resources in school

Website: https://www.socialcipher.com/

In this episode of the All Kinds of Minds podcast, we speak with Dr. Christina Cipriano. She is the Director of the Education Collaboratory at Yale, an Associate Professor of Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology at the Yale Child Study Center, and the author of Be Unapologetically Impatient.

Topics covered in this episode:

- What does ableism look like in schools?

- The impact of ableism on neurodivergent students

- The role of educators in fostering inclusive, universally designed environments

- Steps schools and educators can take to address ableism and support all learners

- The importance of SEL in addressing ableism and promoting equity

Resources mentioned:

Dr. Cipriano’s book - Be Unapologetically Impatient: The Mindset Required to Change the Way We Do Things (available Summer 2025)

Considering the “How” of SEL: A framework for the pedagogies of social and emotional learning

Stay connected to Dr. Cipriano:

Website: Dr.Chriscip.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinacipriano/

Facebook: Christina Cipriano Curtis

In this episode of the All Kinds of Minds podcast, we speak with Rene Sanchez, Interim Superintendent of the Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union and former Superintendent of Champlain Valley School District.

Topics covered include:

- Benefits of Universal Design Learning (UDL) for students and educators

- Strategies for overcoming traditional barriers to creating supportive schools

- Connecting with students through their unique interests, such as anime and gaming, to foster a sense of belonging

Connect with René Sanchez:

In this episode of the All Kinds of Minds podcast, we speak with Tehama County Director of Special Education and CAPTAIN Regional Implementation Lead, Mark Pfaff. Topics covered include:

Resources mentioned:

Blossoming Autism: My Life With Autism and Sixteen Things I wish People Knew by Jillian Marie Schmeltzer

CAPTAIN.ca.gov

About our guest:

Mark Pfaff is a Director of Special Education and CAPTAIN (California Autism Professional Training and Information Network) Regional Implementation Lead in Tehama County, California. As an accomplished education specialist with 18 years of experience in education, Mark has dedicated his career to enhancing learning experiences for students with diverse needs. Mark's expertise lies in the implementation of the evidence-based practices through the CAPTAIN framework.

In this episode of All Kinds of Minds podcast, we speak with clinical psychologist Lucas Harrington, Psy.D., about why autistic girls are often overlooked or undiagnosed.

Topics covered include:

About our guest: