Banning plastic straws certainly helps the environment but unfortunately, it adversely affects people with physical limitations and disabilities. We discuss the pros and cons of the plastic straw ban.

Much of the data and studies conducted to understand how children with learning and attention disorders best learn in school are in dire need of updating. They are outdated and do not provide a comprehensive understanding of how children learn. That’s why we invited our guest today, Masha Jones, to join us. Masha is a Ph.D. student at UC Irvine’s School of Education. She researches executive functioning and motivation in individuals with learning and attention disorders, primarily by developing and evaluating cognitive and metacognitive interventions.

For full show transcript, visit our site here. 

What We Discuss in This Episode:

• Despite developing robust analysis and results from a study of children with ADHD, there are no real ways to share this information with the people who need to hear it
• What the 10 Year Research Gap is
• What “divergent thinking” is and why it’s important
• Research shows that kids with ADHD have higher rates of depression and suicide
• Just because the system is bad, it’s still worth trying to change it and fix it
• How Masha proposes to improve the way data and study results are presented to the right people 
• The importance of teaching or presenting information to children in various forms
• What Waldorf education is and how it develops the whole child

Resources Mentioned:

Chime Institute

Contact Information:

If you work with children with special needs or you’re the parent of a child with special needs (in the 10-15 yr old age range) and would like to participate in a 2 hour study, you can receive a $40 Target gift card. Find out more by contacting Masha. 

[email protected]

www.masharjones.com

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

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This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

Understanding the data and results of studies of children with learning and attention disorders is crucial to developing intervention programs that are effective. Let's talk about what that looks like.

This is Part II of a conversation we started with our guest, Sarah Shawesh, in last week’s episode, Episode 36. Be sure to listen to that episode before diving into this one.

Show Notes

Understanding how the words we use when we communicate with children, specifically when we’re describing feelings like anger and sadness, can have a huge impact on how children grow up understanding those terms and internalizing them in their own relationships.

We’re joined again by Sarah Shawesh. Sarah is a Program and Family Development Specialist at Clever Endeavors Early Care & Education, Inc., a Child and Adolescent Studies Faculty Member at California State University, Fullerton, and Program Coordinator, Orange County Association for the Education of Young Children (OCAEYC).

For full show transcript, visit our site here.

What We Discuss in This Episode:

• Why we’re doing children a disservice if we simplify the terms we use to describe otherwise traumatic occurrences
• What message does spanking send to a child and how does it affect them as adults? 
• Knowing how to communicate and phrase your feelings as an adult, specifically when speaking to children, can have a huge impact on how children understand those feelings themselves
• Having important conversations about feelings is something that should be done when the child is still young
• How to teach children about “good guys vs. bad guys” and ensure they understand that we’re all people at the end of the day
• Children who watch the current immigration events and witness border patrol placing children in cages are learning certain behaviors and values that aren’t necessarily positive
• “Good boy” and “good girl” are ambiguous phrases so it’s important to be specific about the characteristics you want them to practice
• Can important conversations with children be had on social platforms like Facebook?
• What about “stranger danger”? How valid is that warning that many parents give their children

Contact Information: 

Sarah Shawesh LinkedIn

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

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IEP website

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

 

How we communicate with children and our choice of words when we're discussing important and traumatic experiences matter. We discuss how to approach important conversations in a way that will help children develop into empathetic adults.

Preparing and equipping children with a toolbox of skills at a young age is so crucial to their success as they grow into adolescence and adulthood. It’s important that educators and parents help children understand how to decipher their emotions along with learning academic skills.

In this episode, we’re joined by Sarah Shawesh. Sarah is a Program and Family Development Specialist, Clever Endeavors Early Care & Education, Inc. a Child and Adolescent Studies Faculty Member at California State University, Fullerton, and Program Coordinator, Orange County Association for the Education of Young Children (OCAEYC).

Full show transcript here. 

What We Discuss in This Episode:  

• The importance of emphasizing children’s strengths and encouraging them to be their true selves
• Looking at education as a whole and changing it on a holistic level is more effective than trying to change it one student at a time
• Is “school” becoming a dirty word? What can we do about it?
• As educators, it’s more important to provide children up to 5 years old with a toolbox of skills that they can take with them as they grow instead of just being someone who teaches information
• It might seem overwhelming but we need a huge shift in the way educators teach young children in school
• How can teachers prepare notes that are objective and which can be passed on to the following year’s educators
• We should be having conversations with children even younger than 3 years old about regulation, emotions, controlling feelings, etc.
• Even if a child is described as “non-verbal,” that doesn’t mean that they don’t communicate at all

Resources:

Help Me Grow Connection Café

Contact Information:

Sarah Shawesh - LinkedIn

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

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IEP website

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

What skills are young children being taught that will help them progress through life? We’re joined by child and adolescent development expert and professor Sarah Shawesh who discusses the importance of equipping children with a toolbox of skills.

When you’re reviewing your child’s IEP goals, what should you be looking for to determine if they have been met? How can you tell if the goals are appropriate to begin with?

Vickie and I discuss the importance of not only understanding IEP goals that are created for your child but also knowing how to measure the progress of those goals.

For full show transcript, visit our site here.

What We Discuss in This Episode:

• Where do IEP goals come from and where to even begin putting them together?
• The importance of reviewing past data in determining new goals
• What to look for when reviewing prior goals
• Understanding the fidelity of the student’s learning data
• How writing more specific baseline requirements as part of the goals make a huge difference
• Despite having access to a bank of IEP goals, it’s crucial for your child’s goals to be individualized to him/her
• What should you do if a progress report states that a benchmark is met, however it’s not clear as to what was met 
• The terms of measurement to determine if IEP goals have been met and progress made
• When presented with reports from teachers, parents can and should ask for stronger evidence
• How to handle a report if it states that a goal is “not met as written?”

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

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IEP website

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

How can parents and teachers establish IEP goals for children and measure their progress appropriately? We discuss in this episode.

Summer is upon us and for some students, that might mean an Extended School Year services. For others, it’s wide open for other possibilities and adventure. In this episode, we discuss the various options available for you and your family to keep your child engaged and motivated throughout the summer.

For full show transcript, visit our site here.

What We Discuss:

• What is an Extended School Year and when should it be offered?
• How to deal with any regression your child might experience over the summer
• What about students who don’t get offered ESY and don’t have an IEP, how can parents help minimize regression?
• Kids can remain motivated over the summer by engaging in activities that strengthen their interests and their abilities
• What about free activities? What’s available?
• Kids learn from being around other kids 
• You can find mentally stimulating activity ideas on social media platforms like Pinterest
• The positive benefits of socialization over the summer
• Why you, as a parent, should have high expectations for your child

Resources Mentioned:

Tustin Legacy - Sewing Camp, Junior Sewing Camp, Advanced Sewing Camp

The Discovery Cube in Santa Ana, CA

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

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Instagram

Twitter

IEP website

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.