How can we use the lessons we’re learning during the COVID-19 pandemic to better the education system? That is the main topic of discussion today between Amanda, Vickie, and their special guest, Gwen Vogelzang.

Gwen and her husband are adoptive parents to two great kids, one of whom thrives and struggles with Autism and Tourette Syndrome. Gwen and her son, Rylan, have written a book, If I Squeeze Your Head I’m Sorry. Rylan is gifted with imaginative, figurative language and this book captures what it feels like to be him. 

Gwen offers connection and resources for families journeying through special needs parenting and adoptive parenting.

Show Highlights:

• Gwen shares how she collected Rylan’s quotes over the years and why she decided to turn that into a book.
• If I Squeeze Your Head I’m Sorry has a curriculum guide and offers teachers a deeper dive into the particular topic for every page of the book, as well as strategies for emotional and social activities for getting your class to know each other on that kind of level.
• Amanda, Vickie, and Gwen discuss the differences between the way education used to be compared to how it is now.
• Teachers are being denied excellent tools and resources due to budget concerns or supplier agreements.
• Prior to COVID-19, Gwen was a special abilities advocate.
• Inclusion education is education for everyone. Universal strategies are going to work for everyone and they focus on whole-child learning. 
• Gwen now advocates these strategies not just for those with special abilities, but for everybody.
• When kids are in community together, they help each other and this takes some of the burdens off of teachers.
• You have to focus on the social and emotional piece before you get to the academics.
• Kids with special needs are especially suffering right now because they need peer modeling and tools through social and emotional connections. 
• Gwen suggests that we should be teaching very important life skills for emotional regulation rather than focusing on academics for now.
• We should be evaluating what schools will be able to come back and function. 
• Our main concern should be managing our kids’ emotional trauma through the course of COVID-19. They are all going to be behind academically but that shouldn’t be the main focus.

Links/Resources:

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Connect with Gwen!

Gwen’s Website

Gwen’s If I Squeeze Your Head I'm Sorry Facebook Group

Gwen’s Instagram

Books Mentioned:

If I Squeeze Your Head I’m Sorry by Gwen Vogelzang and Rylan Vogelzang