Human Chapters

It was a deep honour to engage in this informative conversation with Leah about her Chapter, Evidence Based Education. Leah generously shares the following points and much more:

- Her journey in Education

- What each role/part entailed and taught her

- Literacy being a social justice issue- High impact elements used in teaching

- Explicit Direct Instruction, Cognitive Load Theory, etc.

- Her business,  Learning with Leah

An enormous thanks to Leah for spending the time, effort, and energy to share her journey and to everyone that will engage with this conversation. Please share it with others. This conversation will be available on  @humanchapters  YouTube, Podcast, and Facebook.

Leah can be contacted on Instagram @learning_with_leah_

It was a deep honour to engage in a heart and laughter-filled conversation with Ciru about her Chapter, Comedy. Ciru generously shares the following points and much more:

- Her journey as a storyteller in her childhood.

- The fork in the road where she had to make some difficult choices.

- Her intrinsic love for laughter, story-telling, and the satiating feeling she experiences on the stage.

- The process she undertakes in preparing her content.

Ciru can be contacted on the Instagram handle @cirumwangi_

An enormous thanks to Ciru for spending the time, energy, and effort in sharing this incredible Chapter and to everyone that will engage with it. This conversation will be available on  @humanchapters  YouTube channel, Podcast, and Facebook.

- A brief introduction about herself.

- Her son, Harry's Autism diagnosis at the age of 2 and a half.

- An introduction to Pathological Demand Avoidance and what this is like for her son.

- The therapy they chose based on their context and need.

- Deep insights into PDA, the incremental progress that resulted from therapy, and so forth.

- Harry's educational setting journey from Kindergarten to 1st year of primary school.

- Her book, The Unlocking: An Autism Story (my book is released on 25 February 2025 but is available for pre-order now.  Booktopia is supporting the launch with a 15% discount on pre-orders (use code AUTISM2025) - https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-unlocking-porscia-lam/book/9781763508323.html

Some resources Porscia refers to include:

- This book is written by an adult PDAer and gives some good insight into what it is like to live with PDA https://www.amazon.com.au/PDA-Paradox-Little-Known-Autism-Spectrum-ebook/dp/B07JFRW9MZ

- PDA Society UK - this particular article is helpful to parents who have just discovered PDA https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/i-am-a-parent-carer/resources/helpful-approaches-for-children/

- On Instagram I follow Casey Ehrlich (@atpeaceparents) - she takes a low demand approach to parenting her PDA child. Although we do not follow this approach as a whole in our family (but do apply low-demand to some specific tasks that are very difficult e.g., eating) I find her observations and explanations of PDA behaviours to be extremely helpful. She also now works with large numbers of PDA children which places her in a good position to make general observations.

Porscia can be contacted on: https://porscialam.com/

This conversation will be available on  @humanchapters  YouTube, Podcast, and Facebook page. Please share it with those that may connect.

- Her passion for social justice particularly in the area of literacy

- Experience in teaching primary school students

- Her doctorate and deep work in reading comprehension

- Her podcast - End Book Deserts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/end-book-deserts/id1471803313

- Important strategies such as Think Alouds to use during read alouds

- Published articles - https://ldaustralia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1203-LDA-Bulletin-August-2024_WEB.pdf; https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/make-time-for-the-read-aloud-heres-how/2024/04

- The release of oxytocin (warm fuzzy feelings) when engaging with picture books - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34031240/

- A brand new book written by Molly Ness and Katie Pace Miles, Making Words Stick - https://shop.scholastic.com/teachers-ecommerce/teacher/books/making-words-stick-9781546176459.html

An enormous thanks to Molly for the time, energy, and effort in having this robust conversation about her Chapter and to everyone that will engage with it. Please share it with others. This conversation will be available on  @humanchapters  YouTube, Podcast, and Facebook.

Molly can be contacted on https://drmollyness.com/

It was an absolute honour to engage in a hearty conversation with Tre about his Chapter, Walking in my Purpose. Tre generously shares the following (and more):

- His career in education thus far.

- His son's difficulties in literacy and how this enhanced his understanding on how the brain learns to read.

- A book club Tre and a few other fathers of children with literacy difficulties engaged in to discuss the book, If Only I Would Have Known.

- The children's books he has authored - Cheesesteaks and Clippers 1 and 2

Recorded links to the Lit Champs book club include:

1) https://youtu.be/sKnhuxr2YJ0?si=jy73gto_DT0QBnyX

2) https://youtu.be/MdpPm490kpo?si=tj-n526SjHXyuWLI

3) https://youtu.be/3Ipf7T--6U8?si=uwiAWXcGRp5M7cGx

4) https://youtu.be/erFwnwTULTU?si=OTWfrxHimwZ3wNqD

Cheesesteaks and Clippers can be purchased via - https://shop.shirtandink.com/cheesesteaks_and_clippers/shop/home?fbclid=IwY2xjawG84sxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHWGKuDWPpkinRyo91EcqWsoQYMx2QTjOpk3jUanocSqPPZbTMPrRhq_22w_aem_Y4wXZOBh7G_bsuDBt2yPMw

Tre can be found on:

Instagram - @mrlitedu; @litchamps

https://linktr.ee/mrlitedu

An enormous thanks to Tre for sharing his Chapter and to all those that will listen/watch it on  @humanchapters  YouTube, Podcast, or Facebook.

- His experiencing with tutoring in his high school years.

- His decision to become a primary school teacher.

- His transition from Victoria to Northern Territory where he was introduced to a program called Direct Instruction (where students learned to read through explicit instruction).

- Pivotal moments along the way.

- The transition to his new Chapter, Laying the Foundations Educational Consulting.

A few of his takeaways stuck with me:

- "I wanted to improve in my everydayness".

- Change happens in small steps.

- As educators, we frequently underestimate our own knowledge and overestimate our students knowledge.

James can be contacted on his website - https://www.layingthefoundations.net/

An enormous thanks to James for taking the time to share his Chapter and for everyone that will engage with it. It will be available on  @humanchapters  YouTube, Podcast, and Facebook page. Please share it.

It was a deep honour to engage in a wonderful conversation with Lorraine about her Chapter, Learning for All, Teaching that Matters, Learning that Lasts. She generously shares the following and much more:

- Her journey from being a primary school teacher to a Professor of Learning Interventions at the University of Melbourne.

- Why education is important.- The focus of her research in reading comprehension.

- Programs she has been a part of creating and Books she has co-authored.

- 5 beautiful quotes she is deeply connected with.

The books can be accessed on:

Sustainable Learning website: https://sustainablelearning.net.au/Our books:(Published 2024) Responsive Teaching for Sustainable Learning: A Framework for Inclusive Education https://www.routledge.com/Responsive-Teaching-for-Sustainable-Learning-A-Framework-for-Inclusive-Education/Berman-Graham-Bellert-McKay-Brown/p/book/9781032290546?srsltid=AfmBOorsPvgs-M_SGFCzfOaBMXZqmNObrqtygAAEVQrHd9yfkbFs9n6N

(Published 2018) Learning Intervention: Educational Casework and Responsive Teaching for Sustainable Learninghttps://www.routledge.com

/Learning-Intervention-Educational-Casework-and-Responsive-Teaching-for-Sustainable-Learning/Berman-Graham/p/book/9781138560307?srsltid=AfmBOoqDilHTJpQ2YRU4FORQT0oE5sZe5tmYZdjclkSDHQIXNkeM5MXF

(Published 2015) Sustainable Learning: Inclusive Practices for 21st Century Classroomshttps://www.cambridge.org/highereducation/books/sustainable-learning/6EE4BD5FA1BF2EA2B6969FB45C452EF1#overview

The quotes included:George R. R. Martin who penned the books that inspired “Game of Thrones” wrote, “We're all the heroes of our own stories.

The kind of educators that Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot once described as ‘great’ – are “lifelong learners; who throughout their careers continue to be curious, … (and) ask deep and probing questions of their students and of themselves.”

As our 2024 Master of Learning Intervention graduate Liz Stewart repeated a few weeks ago when she was graduate speaker at the August ceremony, “You never know’. In the same vein, Helen Keller wrote, “When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another”.

James Hollis recommends asking of every significant decision in life, “Does this choice diminish me or enlarge me?” Oliver Burkeman follows ths quote with the advice to “Choose uncomfortable enlargement over comfortable diminishment whenever you can.”

A quote from author Anne Lamott who writes: “Everyone is screwed up, broken, clingy, and scared, even the people who seem to have it together. They are much more like you than you would believe. So, try not to compare your insides to their outsides.”

Lorraine can be contacted through the website and via University of Melbourne.

It was a deep honour to engage in a wonderful conversation with Rouzana about her Chapter, Global Action for Developmental Language Disorder. Rouzana generously shared the following points and much more:

- Her professional role within Implementation Research and Consultancy.

- The path that led her to work with the DLD population to ensure they receive the supports they require.

- An explanation of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and an example of what it may look like from childhood to adulthood.

- How her work supports school-aged students with DLD by understanding the school context, identifying barriers, understanding the condition, and how to implement supports that are sustainable.

- Unpacking intersections between DLD & stereotypes and DLD & other languages/dialects.

Rouzana can be contacted on:

- https://mosinian.com/about ⁠ @rkomesidou ⁠

- Instagram - @rkomesidou

DLD resources mentioned:

- https://radld.org/

- https://thedldproject.com/

- https://dldandme.org/

- https://x.com/tiffanyphogan/status/1735290405518811419

This conversation will be available on ⁠ @humanchapters ⁠ , Human Chapters Podcast and Facebook page. Please share this conversation.

It was a deep honour to engage in a wonderful conversation with Rouzana about her Chapter, Global Action for Developmental Language Delay. Rouzana generously shared the following points and much more:

- Her professional role within Implementation Research and Consultancy.

- The path that led her to work with the DLD population to ensure they receive the supports they require.

- An explanation of Developmental Language Delay (DLD) and an example of what it may look like from childhood to adulthood.

- How her work supports school-aged students with DLD by understanding the school context, identifying barriers, understanding the condition, and how to implement supports that are sustainable.

- Unpacking intersections between DLD & stereotypes and DLD & other languages/dialects.

Rouzana can be contacted on:

- https://mosinian.com/about  @rkomesidou 

- Instagram - @rkomesidou

DLD resources mentioned:

- https://radld.org/

- https://thedldproject.com/

- https://dldandme.org/

- https://x.com/tiffanyphogan/status/1735290405518811419

This conversation will be available on  @humanchapters  , Human Chapters Podcast and Facebook page. Please share this conversation.

- She is a mum, wife, and a Speech Pathologist

- The journey of her private practice, Perth Hills Allied Health

- Some strong values include application of neurodiverse affirming practice, a focus on strength-based, play-based, and total communication when working with children, and keeping up to date with their evidence-based practice through a model called Adult Learning Zones.

- Her childhood in Zimbabwe, experiences of helping her mum support students with dyslexia leading her to become a Speech Pathologist, and much more.

Di can be found on:

https://www.perthhillsalliedhealth.com.au/

Instagram and Facebook -  @perthhillsalliedhealth

This conversation will be available on  @humanchapters  YouTube channel, Podcast, and Facebook page. Please share it with others that may connect.