Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive

   Your Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's most recent Blog from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions. The Blog discusses the ongoing issues with student behavior and classroom management in schools since the pandemic, highlighting a significant increase in discipline referrals. The Blog emphasizes that student behavior is not improving, citing an Education Week survey where 72% of educators reported increased misbehavior. 

   Angela and Davey discuss how Knoff asserts that blaming external factors or implementing "quick fixes" like SEL and PBIS are ineffective, and he—instead—outlines five essential, interdependent, evidence-based, and field-proven components that focus on Positive School Climate, Explicit Prosocial Behavioral Expectations, Student Motivation and Accountability, Consistency and Fidelity, and Addressing Special Situations through Multi-Tiered Supports. 

   Davey and Angela describe the critical contents in each of these components, noting that Knoff has provided detailed questions for school leaders—in each component—to assess their school or district’s current status, so that resulting Action Plans can make changes for the upcoming academic year. 

   Angela and Davey then summarize Knoff’s research-based suggestions on the characteristics of effective grade or instructional teams, individual teachers, and related services professionals, and what they do to make the five school discipline, classroom management, and student self-management components above work.

   The Podcast concludes with a "Call to Action," asserting that the summer months offer a "unique and invaluable opportunity" for "reflective analysis, strategic planning, and skill development." The ultimate choice outlined for educational leaders is "between preparation versus procrastination, between systematic improvement versus wishful thinking, between investing in summer planning versus accepting the status quo."

[CLICK HERE to Set Up a Meeting with Howie]

[CLICK HERE to read this Blog on the Project ACHIEVE Webpage]

   Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's most recent Blog from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions. The Blog and Podcast focus on the importance of strategic summer planning to drive school improvement during the coming new school year. They begin by contrasting two low-performing middle schools in the same school district that approached their time during the summer in significantly different ways. 

   One middle school’s Leadership Team used the summer time to conduct in-depth analyses of their classroom instruction, teaching team effectiveness, and related services staff support. They developed action plans by the end of June, and began implementing these plans in July and August—before the new school year began.

   The other middle school decided that staff needed “a break,” and they did not begin their improvement planning until the three days before the beginning of the new school year.

   Angela and Davey outline seven research-proven core characteristics of effective classroom teachers, emphasizing areas like strong content knowledge, data utilization, and continuous professional growth. They then discuss the seven research-to-practice characteristics of effective teaching teams. And they finish by detailing the seven characteristics of effective instructional/intervention support staff—stressing collaboration, evidence-based practices, and a systems perspective. 

   The Podcast concludes with a "Call to Action," asserting that the summer months offer a "unique and invaluable opportunity" for "reflective analysis, strategic planning, and skill development." The ultimate choice outlined for educational leaders is "between preparation versus procrastination, between systematic improvement versus wishful thinking, between investing in summer planning versus accepting the status quo."

[CLICK HERE to Set Up a Meeting with Howie]

[CLICK HERE to read this Blog on the Project ACHIEVE Webpage]

   Your Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's most recent Blog (Part III of a comprehensive Series) from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions. It begins by highlighting how important it is for school personnel to understand students who present with seizures—initially, through the lens of a recent Supreme Court case involving a student with severe epilepsy and the accommodations she was denied.

   This Podcast (and the Blog) proceeds with a discussion of a number of the most-common seizures along with their general characteristics, incidence levels, and impact on students in school. In addition, Davey and Angela describe (a) the neurological root causes for each of seizures discussed, along with the areas of the brain involved; and (b) the complex bidirectional relationship between seizures and stress and PTSD.

   Relative to this latter area, Angela and Davey note the existence of Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES), also called functional or pseudoseizures. They detail their symptoms, underlying causes and risk factors, treatment approaches, and the supports for affected students in school.

   Finally, the Podcast examines the link between Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and different classifications of post-traumatic seizures and epilepsy. It concludes with a section on management approaches for these conditions and the crucial role of schools in providing support and implementing strategies like Seizure Action Plans.

   Your Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's most recent Blog (Part II of a comprehensive Series) from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions. This Podcast(and the Blog) explains the difference between common headaches and migraines, highlighting how migraines are a distinct neurological condition with more severe and complex symptoms.  

   They then describe the significant academic, social, and emotional challenges students face due to migraines, including cognitive difficulties and inconsistent attendance.  

   Davey and Angela then overview the brain structures, chemical systems, and neurological pathways involved generally in migraines. They then compare and contrast four specific types of migraines (ocular/retinal, vestibular, concussion-related, and stress/PTSD) in terms of their symptoms, underlying mechanisms, diagnosis, and management.

   While emphasizing that the differential diagnoses of these migraine types must be rendered by medical professionals, Angela and Davey note that—when interacting with studentsexhibiting headaches or migraines in school settings, MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) Team members in schools should still understand their clinical similarities and differences. . . at the very least, so that they can ask informed questions when conferring with parents and—with permission—medical professionals.

   Check out this NEWEST Podcast. . . and “Follow” us so that you get notified when every new podcast is released.

Your Podcast Hosts Angela and Davey discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's most recent Blog from Project ACHIEVE Educational Solutions. This Podcast (and the Blog) emphasizes the crucial connection between students' sensory and neurological functions and their educational experiences. As a school psychologist, Dr. Knoff asserts that educators must understand the biological underpinnings of how vision, hearing, and respiratory/nasal health impact learning and socialization. . . and how they may contribute to problems experienced by underachieving, unsuccessful, and students with disabilities. 

Angela and Davey detail how impairments in these sensory areas, often identified through school screenings, can significantly affect academic performance, behavior, and overall development. They describe the specific screenings results that indicate the need for formal medical evaluations, and the potential long-term medical, academic, and psychological consequences of uncorrected vision and hearing issues—as well as the often-overlooked impact of common respiratory illnesses. 

  Finally, the Podcast highlights the serious, though less common, neurological risks associated with untreated infections of the eyes, ears, and nose, stressing the need for collaboration between educators, parents, and medical professionals to ensure timely intervention and support for vulnerable children.

   Check out this NEWEST Podcast. . . and “Follow” us so that you get notified when every new podcast is released.

   In this new Podcast, Angela and Davey address the concerning trend of declining independence and engagement among middle and high school students since the pandemic. Using Dr. Howie Knoff’s concurrently-released Blog, they discuss five essential "meta-skill" sets that are the foundation to students’ academic success. 

   These Skill Sets focus on: Goal-Setting and Active Learning, Time Management and Study Skills, Interpersonal and Collaborative Learning Skills, Stress Management and Emotional Self-Care, and Self-Awareness and Self-Efficacy skills. These skills are crucial for future-proofing students' success in uncertain times by equipping them with the ability to navigate challenges and take ownership of their learning. 

   Dr. Knoff emphasizes that these skills are most effective when integrated school-wide and consistently reinforced by educators and peers. Angela and Davey discuss and apply the Skill Sets to the challenges of adolescence, reinforcing their ability to empower students to become more responsible, responsive, and self-reliant learners.

   Check out this NEWEST Podcast. . . and “Follow” us so that you get notified when every new podcast is released.

In this newest podcast, hosts Davey Johnson and Angela Jones discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's recent Blog that  addresses the significant shifts in education policy under the Trump administration over its first two months in office.

These changes include staff reductions and reallocations at the U.S. Department of Education, and relate to school choice prioritization, alterations to DEI and civil rights enforcement, the cancellation of many grants nationwide to states, universities, and school districts. 

   Knoff advises educational leaders to implement eight "future-proofing" strategies to navigate these uncertainties. These strategies encompass revisitingmission statements, streamlining operations, strengthening governance, investing in evidence-based practices, prioritizing professional development, enhancing community engagement, building local partnerships, and diversifyingfunding. 

   Angela and Davey discuss these strategies and emphasize the importance of a clear and adaptable mission statement. They also provide a framework for developing a strategic Public Relations Plan to communicate school strengths. Ultimately, this Plan helps educational leaders ensure that their institutions not only survive but thrive amidst a changing educational landscape.

   Angela and Davey conclude by stating that schools and other educational settings need to take active steps now to be in the strongest and most advantageous position to not just respond to today’s unprecedented shifts in policies and resources, but to stay ahead of them.

Hosts Davey Johnson and Angela Jones discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's March 8th Blog post that uses the "Peanuts" comic strip saga of Lucy pulling away the football from Charlie Brown to illustrate the current political climate's impact on education. 

Knoff argues that the Trump administration is employing"Ready-Fire-Aim" tactics, particularly concerning DEI initiatives, creating fear and confusion. This approach is leading some schools and districts to make hasty policy changes based on fears that they will be investigated and potentially lose federal funding. 

Knoff highlights a recent Department of Education guidance that initially took a “hard line” position relative to race-based discrimination, only to soften its position twoweeks later. 

Davey and Angela discuss the educational and psychological implications of all of this, and advise educators to avoid knee-jerk reactions, understand the limitations of the administration's power, and maintain focus on quality instruction. They also urge action to respond to the potential dismantling of the Department of Education, and to bring students’ voices “to the table.”

Finally, Knoff, Davey, and Angela urge readers to contacttheir representatives to advocate for better education and suggest local actions to improve schools while recognizing that threats come and go. They also encourage educators to remain grounded in effective practices and to not be unduly swayed by political maneuvering.

In this newest “Improving Education Today: The Deep Dive” podcast, hosts Davey Johnson and Angela Jones discuss Dr. Howie Knoff's recent Blog post focusing on the importance of the recently-updated Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to better align it with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Blog highlights how Section 504 protects individualsfrom discrimination based on disability, emphasizing that disabilities often arise from chance events. Hence, anyone could potentially need 504’s legal protections. The Blog also provides examples of the disabilities covered, and the accommodations required to ensure equal access to education and other services. 

Davey and Angela share their concerns regarding a currentlawsuit, Texas v. Becerra, which appears to focus on questioning the inclusion of “gender dysphoria” as a disability in the 2024 update of Section 504. But the lawsuit may really be about an additional request to eliminate Section 504 as unconstitutional. If successful, the civil rights, access to education and the workplace, and accommodations protected by Section 504 would be stripped from millions of students and adults with disabilities. 

Echoing Dr. Knoff, Davey and Angela urge listeners tocontact their state officials to oppose the lawsuit and safeguard these critical protections.  

Davey and Angela share Dr. Knoff’s advocacy for maintaining Section 504, even if its "gender dysphoria" inclusion is deleted. They note that anyone could become disabled—needing Section 504’s protections—due to life's sometimes unpredictable events.

   Angela and Davey discuss a new Blog by Dr. Howie Knoff about the impact of various external political and internal classroom distractions on education, and how they undermine good instruction and student learning. They review recent studies showing that students proficient in reading and math in eighth grade, and who takeadvanced courses in high school are better employed and more financially secured in their later lives. They then reference the dreadful recent NAEP reading and math results, and emphasize the need to prioritize effectiveteaching and learning, and supportive environments free from unnecessary disruptions. 

   Relative to the external distractions, studies are reviewed to demonstrate that the premises underlying recent Executive Orders targeting schools teaching “discriminatory equity ideologies” are unfounded. The Orders targeting trans and nonbinary students are being challenged or were quickly withdrawn.

   Relative to internal distractions, cellphone use in the classroom is highlighted along with recent studies showing the positive effects of cellphone bans on student engagement and behavior.

   The Blog emphasizes that teachers are not politically indoctrinating students, students feel comfortable discussing controversial topics, and that cellphone bans are positively affecting classroom learning. 

   Educators are encouraged to “build a figurative wall” to discourage and keep distractions out of our schools and classrooms. Teachers need to teach, and students need to learn.

   Check out this NEWEST Podcast. . . and “Follow” us so that you get notified when every new podcast is released.