Autism In Real Life

Now more than ever teachers need to feel like they are connected to their peers inside and outside of their immediate districts.  In this episode, Sari and I talk about strategies to learning and grow as an educator, working with different types of learners and ways to connect with families, other educators, and educational leaders. 
 

Sari is a graduate of New York University, with two graduate degrees from Hofstra and another from the College of St. Rose. Currently, Sari is a doctoral student in the Ed.D. Educational Administration and Supervision program at St. John’s University. 

Sari is a proud wife to third grade teacher, Bob, and bonus mom to three amazing children!

Contact Info:

Website: https://sarigmckeown.com/
Twitter: @sgteach_sari
Linked In: Sari Goldberg McKeown
Email: [email protected]

Resources:

Twitter Hashtag we discussed on podcast: #parentcamp

Panelist on The Mentor Round Table: 

https://sites.google.com/view/mentorroundtable/home

Providing education for students with learning differences has become increasingly challenging.  In this episode I talked with Peter about special education law and the impact that COVID, remote and hybrid learning models have on students with disabilities as well as the impact on educators and schools.   

Nothing is more important than your family.  

So when your child is denied an education, you get a call from the police, or DCF comes knocking at your door, you need an intelligent, experienced, highly effective lawyer committed to protecting your rights.

Attorney Hahn is devoted to successfully representing children and families.  He is sensitive and compassionate, clear and direct, efficient and strategic.  He knows the law, knows who you are up against, and knows his way around the courtroom.

He will fight for what is right for you.

Boston University School of Law - J.D., cum laude
Harvard College - B.A., cum laude

https://peterhahnlaw.com/

In this episode I got a chance to talk with Brian Willoughby about executive function strategies particularly useful during this time of COVID. 

​Dr. Willoughby is co-founder and co-director of Achieve New England. Previously, he was a faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Willoughby completed his graduate work in the Child and Family Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Miami, and his pre-doctoral internship and fellowship in child clinical psychology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Willoughby is also an established researcher, author, and speaker in the fields of child and family psychology. His work has been published in some of the nation’s top psychology journals, and he speaks frequently at national and international conferences. He is the associate editor of The SAGE Encyclopedia of Intellectual and Developmental Disorders and the co-author of Bright Kids Who Can’t Keep Up, a book for parents.

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In this episode Hannah and I have a great conversation about Occupational Therapy.  We talk about how it is different than  physical therapy, what the evaluation process looks like, what happens after an evaluation and the importance of the team working with each individual.

Hannah Daye is an occupational therapist who specializes in pediatrics and working with children and young adults on the Autism Spectrum and their families. She has been an occupational therapist since 2011. Her career has included working with people across the lifespan from birth to three year olds in early intervention to adults with a variety of profiles in an adult rehabilitation center. The majority of her practice has been with school-aged children both in an outpatient ABA setting, in a school setting, as well as in her private practice working with children and families in their homes. She is an avid cyclist, recreational runner, and outdoor enthusiast. Her passion for life and thirst for knowledge permeates her life and practice. She currently lives in Natick, Massachusetts. 

Private Practice: Therapartners, Inc. (www.therapartners.org)

facebook: www.facebook.com/therapartnersinc

email: [email protected]

Did you know that there are more than just five senses?!? 

In this episode Carol and I talk about Sensory Processing challenges and she help us understand all of the various senses and how sensory integration works.  She offers ups strategies to help regulate students so that they can feel ready to learn and take on new experiences and discoveries.  

Carol Stock Kranowitz, Author and Speaker

Carol Stock Kranowitz, a teacher for 25 years, introduced Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) to parents and educators around the world. The Out-of-Sync Child is the first book in the “Sync” series. Her most recent publications are the Spanish translation, El Niño Desincronizado (2020), and a new sequel, The Out-of-Sync Child Grows Up: Coping with SPD in the Adolescent and Young Adult Years.

Carol earned her M.A. in Education and Human Development, focusing on special education, from The George Washington University. Learn more here at  www.in-sync-child.com and www.out-of-sync-child.com 

In this episode I got the chance to talk with Kari on emotional regulation, the Incredible 5 point scale, how the idea came about and the variety of ways this amazing tool is being used all over the world! 

www.5pointscale.com was developed to share information about the use of the 5-point scale and other systems to teach social and emotional concepts to individuals on the autism spectrum.
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Kari is committed to positive support for all students and to the teaching of skills needed for social success. I hope my site will inform, teach, support and excite anyone looking for some good ideas.

In this episode I talk about how anxiety overlaps with an autism spectrum disorder.  I talk about how anxiety can come about and what some of the common coexisitng diagnoses can be.  I also offer some strategies and tools that may be helpful. 

In this episode I talk about executive function.  I talk about what the official definition is and what types of processes it can effect in all people but also how it overlaps with the other facets of autism.  Of course, I also offer some quick strategies to add to the toolbox that might be helpful to some.  

In this episode I talk about sensory sensitivities and the variety of ways that they can present.  I explain how sensitivities to visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory and tactile senses fit into the diagnostic criteria and how gross motor and fine motor movements fit it as well as special interests.  

This is part 4 of a 6 part mini course.

In this episode I discuss the different types of communication and how they all come into play to make meaning from how we and others are expressing themselves.  I lay out what some of the common challenges are in communication for those with an autism spectrum diagnosis and some strategies that can be helpful. 

This is part 3 of a 6 part mini course.