Different Learners – Maja Watkins



Maja Watkins is the SEL Specialist & Co-Founder of Zip Zap Zop Enrichment, which aims to teach Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) using improv as the tool to enhance children’s social skills. She has a robust educational background, including a B.A. in Child Development, and she is also a graduate of The Second City, where she studied improv and sketch comedy. Maja loves her work as a teacher and behaviorist, and her focus is on inclusive classrooms where the curriculum is designed to allow children to reach their highest potential in a fun, relaxed environment.

Maja joins me today to share why she founded Zip Zap Zop then quickly expanded the program and her dreams for the future of the organization. She discusses her experience of quarantine and what it means for her personally and professionally, and the challenges it has thrown up for Zip Zap Zop’s funding. Maja also shares why she was inspired to write her book as a tool for parents and educators, the process of co-authoring with TiaMarie Harrison, and demonstrates one of the improv games from the book.






“All children need to be thrown into the pool, to be organically practicing social skills without judgment and with the freedom to make mistakes or say the wrong things and it's ok because we can organically play out of those moments.” - Maja Watkins

How her autistic older brother influenced her life and the founding of Zip Zap Zop

The link between improv and organic social skills practice

The social/emotional aspect of learning and how she works in schools to enrich and support the curriculum

Their Social Skills Saturdays class relaunch and what attendees can expect

Why it’s so important to continue to raise donations and what additional funding means for the service

How improv works to improve children’s skills

Gift Exchange game - an example of how Maja’s improv enrichment games work





Resources Mentioned:
Larchmont Charter School
Mindvalley Institute
Extraordinary Kids Summit

Connect with Maja Watkins:

The Brain’s Playground: Using Improv to Teach Social and Emotional Learning by TiaMarie Harrison and Maja Watkins

Zip Zap Zop Enrichment website

Zip Zap Zop on Facebook

Zip Zap Zop on Instagram

Zip Zap Zop on YouTube

Connect with Zip Zap Zop

[email protected] and the website www.zipzapzopenrichment.org is also a great way to contact us!

Due to COVID we had to re-vamp some things on the classes side of things but stay tuned! I do have my ebook available for purchase at the link below!

https://ferriswheel.samcart.com/products/10-minutes-of-play-for-10-days-?fbclid=IwAR2D1FA_BAiRgbCfkmrQHy_4D3mzaPLTLxnh8Mv0Pusf5qcjlaOsNO9DzmI


Connect with Different Learners:

Different Learners on Instagram

Dr. Braun is a clinical audiologist and a credentialed educational audiologist with nearly 30 years of experience, including completing comprehensive (central) auditory processing evaluations in private and educational settings. She founded the Auditory Processing Center of Pasadena in 2005 to provide comprehensive (central) auditory processing evaluations for children and adults while educating patients and their families as to each individual's specific deficits and strengths. Dr. Braun is a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology, a member of the Educational Audiology Association, and a guest lecturer at Cal State Northridge.

Dr. Braun joins me today to discuss what she wishes that parents knew at the point of looking for and accessing the services their child needs and how to manage the process so that it works for them. She describes why she chose this fascinating career pathway and the route she took into the educational audiology profession. Dr. Braun also details why ‘auditory processing’ is an umbrella term and discusses some of the other learning differences, such as ADHD and dyslexia, that also connect with difficulties in processing sounds.


“Our brain is what they call plastic doing auditory training with a young child versus older children. Getting your children assessed young is the key, and getting intervention completed young is the key.” - Dr. Bea Braun


This week on The Different Learners Podcast:

●What is an auditory processing disorder, and how you test for it
●What happened in the world of education in 2008 that made Dr. Braun decide to move to private practice
●Why there are so many similarities between ADHD, auditory processing disorders, and dyslexia
●What to look for as a parent if you think your child may have auditory processing issues
●Programs that parents can do at home, and how to ask your school to move forward with an assessment
●The specific tests and interventions parents should be asking for


Connect with Dr. Bea Braun:

●Auditory Processing Center of Pasadena website
●Dr. Bea Braun on LinkedIn
●Auditory Processing Center of Pasadena on Facebook

Connect with Different Learners:

●Different Learners website
●Different Learners on Instagram

In this extra episode we learn how Maxie is handling the change to online learning. This episode was recorded in May 2020.

Lisa Mosko has worked for over 13 years to support families with children with learning differences to advocate and plan for their kids’ social, emotional, and academic success. She is the leader of Speak UP’s Special Education Task Force, which serves to engage, train and empower Los Angeles parents to take action in support of policies that directly impact their kids. Lisa also serves on LA Unified School District’s Community Advisory Committee and serves as an elected parent representative liaison between parents and administration at her kids’ LAUSD school.

Lisa joins me today to discuss why parents and specialist organizations have to be the union reps for differently-abled kids, how Lisa was inspired to be an advocate, and her work at Speak Up. She shares her thoughts on the lawsuit brought against the LAUSD for failing to meet the needs of children with special education needs by not providing in-person learning. Lisa also shares why morale is currently flagging for parents of different learners in LA, and what's next up for Speak Up.


“We have to keep looking towards our kids' ability and approach them through that lens and raise awareness for everyone else; there's so much ability in (dis)Ability.” - Lisa Mosko


This week on The Different Learners Podcast:

●Why Lisa had to advocate so hard for her own children to have things that should be their right
●What Lisa means by becoming a change agent for kids with (dis)Abilities
●Why Lisa got involved with the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) overseeing Special Education Local Plan and why it has been such a fascinating organization to be part of
●What’s next for the Learning Rights Law Centre and Alliance for Children's Rights and how Lisa is working collaboratively to help stop children from falling behind in their education
●Why Lisa feels that the Teachers Union have been the best advocates for students with disabilities
●What Lisa is hearing from higher need kids and parents right now
●How we should refer to kids with special needs and the term that Lisa prefers
●The power of organized advocating and what people power has achieved during the pandemic


Resources Mentioned:

●Learning Rights Law Center
●Alliance for Children's Rights
●WritesLaw
●Understood.org

Connect with Lisa Mosko:

●Speak Up
●Lisa Mosko on LinkedIn
●Speak Up on Facebook
●Speak Up on Instagram
●Speak Up on Twitter


Connect with Different Learners:

●Different Learners
●Different Learners on Instagram

In this mini bonus episode of Different Learners Los Angeles we hear from Khasar, who is distance learning in Los Angeles. This episode was recorded in April 2020.

Dr. Tamar Apelian (Psy.D.) is a licensed psychologist with nearly 20 years of clinical experience who founded A.M.P. Autism to provide leading clinical services and produce the reports used to help children benefit from critical interventions, therapies, and funding. Before starting her own practice, she conducted diagnostic evaluations at the renowned Child and Adult Neurodevelopmental (CAN) Clinic at the University of California, Los Angeles, for nine years and has trained many clinicians and researchers at UCLA and other university-based autism centers. Dr. Apelian’s diagnostic and testing methodologies have met the industry's gold standard for reliability, and her focus with A.M.P. Autism is to make her services affordable and accessible to families.
Dr. Apelian joins me today to share how she conducts neuropsychological assessments, why she looks at developmental differences to identify children’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as looking at brain behavior patterns. She dives into how to get a neuropsychological assessment even if your health insurance doesn’t cover it and how her patients get referred to her from outside agencies. Dr. Apelian also discusses what drew her to become interested in autism and developmental disorders and decide to pursue a career in the field.


“A lot of times when a child does have undiagnosed and untreated, developmental differences, they'll also have co-occurring mental health needs. It's kind of a chicken or an egg type of situation, what came first, a lot of times at the core is the developmental issues.” - Dr. Tamar


This week on The Different Learners Podcast:

●How Dr. Apelian does the tests that lead to a diagnosis, how long an assessment takes and why she also spends time with the parents to get some background on the child
●The types of data she collects and why she is looking at social communication, behavioral functioning, and play skills
●How Dr. Apelian is currently structuring her assessments over Zoom, and why she builds time to play into her assessments
●The danger of leaving developmental differences untreated and the factors that mean that addressing underlying developmental needs is really imperative.
●What kinds of processing disorders she diagnoses and why it can help to have those extra details on a child’s IEP
●Importance of auditory integration training and what parents can do to help their child
●Barriers to diagnosis and treatment and how to navigate finding the right doctor for your child

Resources Mentioned:

●Vista Del Mar
●Autism Speaks
●Self Advocacy Network
●Neuro Diversity Network
●International Dyslexia Association
●John Tracy Clinic


Connect with Dr. Tamar Apelian:

●A.M.P Autism website
●Dr. Tamar Apelian on LinkedIn


Connect with Different Learners:

●Different Learners on Instagram

Lyeah Granderson is an Educator and Behavior & Reading Specialist at the Exceptional Children's Foundation in Culver City who works tirelessly with people of all abilities to help them reach their greatest potential and discover where their talents and passions lie. The Exceptional Children’s Foundation supports more than 5,000 children, adults, and their families throughout L.A. County and provides a life long services to clients to help them live as independently as possible with the right support Lyeah is committed to amplifying the voices of teachers and students and striving for an education system based on the principle of equality.

Lyeah joins me today to share what inspired her to become an educator and the joy and pride she feels when she supports children to engage with their learning and enjoy the activities. She elaborates on her role at the Exceptional Children’s Foundation, her plans for a future in community education, and why she was inspired to move in that direction. Lyeah also shares the things she wishes that parents knew about their children’s teachers and the importance of working as a team with families and having a growth mindset to help you move forward.


“Kids want to feel successful, so if they’re successful at something and you set them up for success, they’re going to meet the challenge.” - Lyeah Granderson



This week on Different Learners:

●The importance of embracing the little wins a person has
●LAUSD and why the district didn’t work for her as an educator
●The challenges of working in Title 1 school straight out of training
●The importance of identifying dyslexia or other special needs early
●Positives of the First Step Act and the link between prison and dyslexia
●Why Lyeah won her Rebel with a Cause Award
●What Lyeah wishes parents knew about teachers
●Why it’s sometimes necessary to have a label to access the appropriate support
●The program Lyeah developed to bring her students together to grow and develop empathy
●The facts on what teachers want from parents


Connect with Lyeah Granderson:

True Ambitions Community Center

True Ambitions Community Center on Instagram


Connect with Different Learners:

●Different Learners on Instagram
●Different Learners on Twitter
●Website

Georgianna Junco-Kelman is the principal and managing attorney at The Law Offices of Georgianna Junco-Kelman, and her practice focuses solely on the representing children and adults with special needs. Her personal experience of parenting a child with special educational needs led her to immerse herself in special education law then found her legal practice in 2008, which is exclusively dedicated to the representation of students with disabilities. Georgianna serves on the Autism Speaks Southern California Board of Directors and in 2011 co-founded Autism Speaks Southern California’s premier gala annual fundraiser, she also serves on the Board of Directors of Shane’s Inspiration, an international non-profit organization dedicated to fostering social inclusion for children with disabilities.

Georgianna joins me today to share why she is so passionate about keeping children in mainstream education when it is the best thing for them educationally and socially and describes how she learned about the educational rights her child had. She shares why it is so important that parents are actively involved in their child’s schooling and elaborates on the importance of being well prepared when navigating the IEP process. Georgianna also shares the steps that parents should take if they are not supported by their school district with the appropriate schooling for their child and gives an overview of how she helps her clients to get off on the right foot in IEP meetings from the start.


“ You’ve got to bring these kids out of the shadows, you’ve got to give them the spotlight, you’ve got to show them they are as typical kids as anyone they just need to be accepted and included.” - Georgianna Junco-Kelman


This week on The Different Learning Podcast:

●The things that Georgianna wishes that parents knew
●Her path to becoming an advocate for special needs kids
●Why she is committed to full inclusion for children with additional needs
●Why she is dubious about the benefits of a Student Support and Progress Team (SSPT)
●The stigma attached to diagnosis and privacy rights for students
●Higher education for children with special educational needs
●Georgianna’s message to teachers who are scared to speak up
●The powers that the district administrator holds to support a child in school
●The processes for accessing additional independent evaluations if you need them
●Her tips for getting the most out of an IEP meeting
●Coming to terms with your child’s limitations and still keeping them in a general education classroom
●LAUSD Full Inclusion Program and the benefits of the alternate curriculum


Connect with Georgianna Junco-Kelman:

●Georgianna Junco-Kelman website
●Georgianna Junco-Kelman on LinkedIn
●Georgianna Junco-Kelman on Facebook
●Georgianna Junco-Kelman on Twitter

Connect with Different Learners:

●Different Learners on Instagram

Different Learners Los Angeles is a podcast about neurodiversity, advocacy and special education.