Education Rx

Season 2 is coming! Starting April 5, 2023 look for a new episode every Wednesday. We will be focusing on the concept of INCLUSION for this season: What is it? Why do we need it? How do educators create it? What will be benefits be?

We have AMAZING guests:

• Authors of "Inclusive Learning 365" Mike Marotta, Karen Janowski, and Chris BugajDr.

• Andrew Ho of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and National Educational Testing expert discussing NAEP scores at an all time LOW

• Dr. Doug Fisher of San Diego State University, Literacy and Student Driven Learning specialist

• Sam Kary founder and CEO of The New EdTech Classroom

• Dr. Pedro Noguera, Dean/Rossier at the School of Education at USC and equitable practice specialist

• Dr. Pasi Sahlberg former Minister of Education for Finland and World Renowned Expert of Education Reform and Teacher Training

  Educators across our country are taking powerful practices and out of the box methods into the classroom to make positive change. Listen in to learn about these cutting edge concepts that will bring our education system to new levels of success!

Hollye and Shannon welcome their producer Kieran Bronson-Doherty in a round table discussion about Season 1. Looking at key points, powerful ideas, and resources that were brought forward during this first season.

What IS social emotional learning? Why is it a hot topic? How does it impact academic learning? What are some of the ways that education and educators are addressing social emotional issues?

Education is not just about students kindergarten to 12th grade. It goes beyond academics: the students of today ARE the leaders of tomorrow. Education impacts everyone!

Hollye, Shannon and Kieran talk about what is next for Education Rx: website, blog, and Season 2.

This light hearted "re-cap" is a great way to close out Season 1, or even introduce new listeners to the podcast. Hear from the cast on why this podcast was created and the heart of what we are doing.

Dr. Angela Griffin, Washington Board of Education member, Preschool educator and director, and educator of educators, shares how Washington state was able to keep daycares and preschools going during CoVid. She shares how maintaining these programs supported families, but also addressed the social emotional needs of early learners. These programs ensured foundational skills for students that resulted in better outcomes in kindergarten and first grade.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have high school students who literally "disappeared" during CoVid. Non-traditional students, and/or students who did not have support during CoVid "dropped out" by simply stopping to attend. In the subsequent years, many schools have not found, or even looked, for these students to ensure their completion of high school.

Dr. Griffin shares some of the systems and resources that Washington, and other states, including Utah, have implemented that are making a positive impact. Mental health days for students, support for parents on how to ask open ended questions that get children talking, and even programs that offer students professional mental health support through texting programs.

As we are bringing season 1 to an end, we want to ensure that listeners have mental health resources. If you, or someone you know, needs support please contact the National Alliance on Mental Health: 1-800-950-6264, or reach someone by texting to 62640.

Within public education, there is a classification of "Affective Education," or students with emotional & behavioral disorders. These students may have mental health issues, such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism, or other diagnoses that include an emotional/behavioral element. This population of students may have average to above average academic skills, but they are sidelined by their struggles with managing the classroom environment, emotional regulation, and/or social interactions. It is not uncommon for these students to be overlooked when we are talking about the impact of virtual learning or social emotional learning because we may not see how this additional layer of complexity is directly impacting them and their educational experience.

In this episode, we talk with 3 seasoned educators who work directly with students who fall within this category. Celeste Dunlap, an elementary special education teacher who specializes in working with students with emotional & behavioral disorders. Ryan Montgomery, who has worked as an educational assistant/paraprofessional and teacher for secondary students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Lastly, Elyssa Clark, Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who works with students with emotional and behavioral disorders of all ages in schools, community, and home settings. They share their professional experiences and insights on the ways that CoVid has impacted this population students.

Celeste gives a clear, simplified explanation of what "Social Emotional Learning" IS, and what it is NOT.

"How bad can it be?" you may ask. After participating in virtual learning, many of these students are struggling with in person classroom expectations: rolling around on the floor in the middle of a lesson. Leaving the classroom without warning. Celeste, Ryan and Elyssa share how these students are demonstrating that they experienced trauma during CoVid. How we ALL experienced a collective trauma. And how education is impacted by the fallout.

As test scores nationwide indicate the devastating impact of CoVid, these scores also tell us that current methodology is proving ineffective. Is it time to consider non-traditional ideas and methods as options? If what we are doing is NOT working, maybe it is reasonable to consider ideas that outside of the box. Should we entertain the idea of lowering expectations and finding a baseline that ensures engagement and success for all students; then "scaffold" expectations (and academic activities) to increase skill over time?

Listen in to this episode to hear where we are and creative concepts that may help move this population of students forward successfully.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, and would like help, please reach out to nami.org or dial 988 to access support

This episode is EXTRA Special: we were able to get our amazing friend, John Cordova, to be a guest announcer and help us introduce the episode. John's mom, Shari, joins us to share a parent's perspective on how CoVid and virtual learning impacted her child with special needs. Shari is the founder of a wonderful organization in Albuquerque, NM called The Rio Grande Down Syndrome Network. She is also an attorney and mother of 3, and all around amazing lady! She shares some of the details of her fight to get John what he needed and the creative way she found a "work around" virtual learning by employing grassroots methods with fellow parents of special ed students. Shari opens up about some of the experiences they have had with inclusion, and unexpected prejudices from people in education, along with how students responded. Her attitude, and approach to inequity, is at the heart of what this podcast wants to highlight!

Next, we talk to the AMAZING special education teacher, Amber Main. Her energy and creativity are unparalleled! Shannon and I have worked closely with Amber for years; she impresses us at every turn. She shares how she navigated CoVid, virtual learning, and being a 1st responder for the students and families she was teaching through all of it. Amber shares the resources that she relies on, for in person learning and during virtual learning. She has some excellent advice for ALL teachers on her take aways from CoVid: how to stay grounded AND give 110% in your teaching.

This episode is a little longer than previous episodes. We just couldn't cut out any of the wonderful details. Besides, special education is our PASSION.

Even if you do not have a student in Special Education, these conversations will draw you in. This episode will get your wheels turning about inclusion, equity, and questions like "Should general education classes take on some of the effective, and ENGAGING, methods that special education classes have put into place?"

Join us for this extravaganza episode, and get excited about how special education is breaking old school molds to provide cutting edge options!

This week we talk with Trise Moore, an equity and engagement specialist from the Pacific Northwest region. She shares ways that families have been impacted by the CoVid 19 experience, and subsequent virtual schooling. Identifying WHY families are key in the education process, as well as simple and effective ways to engage families in the education process.

Trise helps identify how educational administrators, as well as teachers and school based staff, can tap into the community, families, and key local resources to increase support for education and student success.

She shares elements of connecting with families that yield the most return, through honoring cultural differences and celebrating similarities to build a united spirit that elevates the importance of learning in our home towns.

In this episode we talk about the mental health impacts of CoVid on young adults and adult students in higher education programs. We discuss how virtual learning was impacted, as well as relationships with peers, and basic living (including sleep-wake cycles, motivation, and the quality of life) were all impacted by CoVid and virtual learning. Looking at how depression and anxiety have been on the rise for many students during this time period as a direct result of CoVid and how it impacted the college experience. Add to that financial, housing, and connecting with other students for studying ....many students struggled to keep their heads above water.

We then talk with university professor and associate vice president at Highlands University in New Mexico, Dr. Denise Montoya, about how she engaged students in learning in such a way that they did not "fizzle out", but rather deeply connect with their education. She shares her powerful tools, including a system she created called "AACCES" that helps educators create a culture of learning whether "in person" or virtual. Her positive approach and edification for all educators to hold high expectations for engagement by their students is contagious!

SEL, Social Emotional Learning, is about mental health and social skills we all use in our daily interactions. Students across the world found CoVid and virtual learning debilitating when it comes to creating meaningful relationships, understanding social norms, and finding motivation to learn. In this episode, we look at the unique challenges that adult students, and the learning institutions providing them their education, experienced during this crazy time!

If you, or someone you know, could use mental health support, contact the National Alliance on Mental Health for their support line, support groups, and other great resources. Nami.org

Join Shannon as she talks with Libby, an administrator at Animas High School in Durango, CO, to explore how relationship building has kept their students engaged in learning. Hollye interviews Kathy, a veteran principal who has used a variety of SEL curriculums, and shares how the "Leader in Me" curriculum took a school that was drowning and turned it into a school where students were setting goals and finding intrinsic motivation to succeed.

This episode gives clear examples for ways that we can build strong systems, that tap into EVERY person in the building, to create a culture that thrives within a school. Incorporating Social Emotional/Behavioral Curriculum into daily life, building strong relationships between educators, students, and families, and taking education beyond books and tests can bring the surprising effect of academic growth! Learning is about MORE than times tables and phonics: it is about the DESIRE to learn, and the BELIEF that you can succeed.

Join us for this information rich episode and get inspired!!

In episode 1 we talked about the Social Emotional Crisis that was building pre-CoVid, and was amplified during CoVid. This crisis is impacting academics, but looking deeper, it is causing many teachers to feel defeated. If teachers are feeling hopeless, their students will feel hopeless. How can we learn or take in academic knowledge if we are in a state of trauma or hopelessness? SEL (social emotional learning) has been identified as a crucial component for repairing public education. There are many SEL curriculums out there. But should SEL be a "curriculum?" Or a way of being that is seamlessly woven into education throughout the day? Episode 2 explores an SEL program called Breathe for Change, and its impact on teachers and students. Ultimately, this program is leading to academic gains that reinforce just how vital social emotional skills are in the learning process.

Courtney Ham, elementary special education teacher, and Dr. Ilana Nankin, founder and CEO of Breathe for Change, join us to share their experiences and insights!