Little Bits of TLC

By Heather Volchko

Welcome to Little Bits of TLC hosted by Heather Volchko, the founder of Threshold Learning Consultancy and The TLC Network. In each episode, you’ll be challenged, entertained, and equipped - all in ju... more

· Education

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about Little Bits of TLC:

How many episodes does Little Bits of TLC have?

The podcast currently has 133 episodes available.

Little Bits of TLC episodes:

September 23, 2024 Take Notice: The Power of Balance giving Student Feedback
In this episode, Heather is joined by Ann, an early learning coach with years of classroom experience, to talk about what real, useful feedback looks like—especially for students with challenging behavior. From preschoolers to high schoolers, they unpack why most kids aren’t being “too soft” or “too defiant”—they just haven’t been shown what success actually looks like.
Ann shares practical strategies for giving feedback that sticks: breaking directions into small, clear steps, asking kids to repeat them back, and matching tone and timing to what each student needs in the moment. Together, they reflect on how quiet voices, honest praise, and calm corrections can do far more than raised voices or vague expectations ever could.

Explore More with Us inside The TLC Network!
Learn more in this episode’s show notes and join a vibrant community of behavior-focused school professionals committed to their professional growth.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay updated with our latest episodes and receive exclusive content every week. Sign up now!
Follow Us on Social Media
Connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for weekly updates and behind-the-scenes content. Tag us @thresholdlearningtlc to engage with us across all platforms!
Subscribe to Our Podcast
Enjoyed today’s episode? Share it with friends and never miss an episode on your favorite platform: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more!
Support Our Mission
Love what you hear? Support our efforts to empower local schools to support complex youth. Visit TLC Nonprofit to learn more.
Send Us Your Feedback
Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to us at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!
...more
34min
September 16, 2024 Classroom Climate Check: Creating a Safe and supportive learning Space
In this episode, Heather talks with Manny Huecias, one of TLC’s RBTs who spends his days in and out of classrooms coaching staff and supporting students. Together, they unpack what it really means to establish a consistent, organized, and respectful learning environment—and why it’s so much more than announcing rules on day one and expecting them to stick.
Manny shares what consistency, organization, and respect look like in practice across grade levels, from kindergarten to alternative high school. They discuss how mutual respect is built when staff give students input into routines and expectations, revisit and reteach them throughout the year, and create structure without rigidity. Along the way, they talk about the impact of post-COVID shifts in teaching styles, how cross-generational educators approach classroom climate, and why clear expectations reduce disruptions and increase engagement.
This is a conversation about the everyday work of creating environments where students can focus, participate, and learn—because when classrooms run on trust, clarity, and care, everyone thrives.

Explore More with Us inside The TLC Network!
Learn more in this episode’s show notes and join a vibrant community of behavior-focused school professionals committed to their professional growth.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay updated with our latest episodes and receive exclusive content every week. Sign up now!
Follow Us on Social Media
Connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for weekly updates and behind-the-scenes content. Tag us @thresholdlearningtlc to engage with us across all platforms!
Subscribe to Our Podcast
Enjoyed today’s episode? Share it with friends and never miss an episode on your favorite platform: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more!
Support Our Mission
Love what you hear? Support our efforts to empower local schools to support complex youth. Visit TLC Nonprofit to learn more.
Send Us Your Feedback
Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to us at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!
...more
32min
September 09, 2024 Beyond the Gradebook: Using student data to guide teaching
In this episode, Heather sits down with Alex Grosso, a school-based BCBA working in a hybrid clinic-school model, to talk about what it really looks like to use student data to guide meaningful decisions. While Heather shares how this practice shows up in school-based special education—through informal assessments, daily observations, and teacher instinct—Alex offers insight into a very different world: one where insurance companies drive what gets approved and what doesn’t.
Together, they unpack how different systems shape what kind of data gets collected, how it's interpreted, and who it ultimately serves. They talk about the tension between capturing detailed, accurate information and keeping data collection doable for busy educators. Alex shares how his team builds plans that aim to fade out support while building teacher capacity—and why he sees progress as not just student growth, but adults working together better too.
This conversation goes beyond charts and checklists. It’s about figuring out what really works for students, in real time, with real constraints. And it’s a reminder that the best decisions are the ones backed by data and driven by care.

Explore More with Us inside The TLC Network!
Learn more in this episode’s show notes and join a vibrant community of behavior-focused school professionals committed to their professional growth.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay updated with our latest episodes and receive exclusive content every week. Sign up now!
Follow Us on Social Media
Connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for weekly updates and behind-the-scenes content. Tag us @thresholdlearningtlc to engage with us across all platforms!
Subscribe to Our Podcast
Enjoyed today’s episode? Share it with friends and never miss an episode on your favorite platform: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more!
Support Our Mission
Love what you hear? Support our efforts to empower local schools to support complex youth. Visit TLC Nonprofit to learn more.
Send Us Your Feedback
Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to us at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!
...more
32min
September 02, 2024 Observations, Data, Application—Oh My!: Making Sense of Student Needs
In this conversation, Heather and school psychologist Chris Zielinski talk about what happens after the evaluations are done—when teams sit down at the table to make sense of the data and decide how to move forward for a student. Chris shares how meaningful collaboration doesn’t come from dumping test results on a table but from connecting the dots, asking better questions, and making sure everyone—especially families—understands what the data is saying and how it can actually help.
They talk honestly about the pressure special education teachers feel to piece everything together, the importance of translating assessment information into clear next steps, and why sharing that information in advance matters. Chris also reflects on a moment that reminded him why this work is so important: a parent who didn’t want more test results—she just wanted to know how to help her child.
This episode is about more than compliance. It’s about making sure every person at the table can participate in shaping a plan that leads to real, lasting growth—for students and the people supporting them.

Explore More with Us inside The TLC Network!
Learn more in this episode’s show notes and join a vibrant community of behavior-focused school professionals committed to their professional growth.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay updated with our latest episodes and receive exclusive content every week. Sign up now!
Follow Us on Social Media
Connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for weekly updates and behind-the-scenes content. Tag us @thresholdlearningtlc to engage with us across all platforms!
Subscribe to Our Podcast
Enjoyed today’s episode? Share it with friends and never miss an episode on your favorite platform: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more!
Support Our Mission
Love what you hear? Support our efforts to empower local schools to support complex youth. Visit TLC Nonprofit to learn more.
Send Us Your Feedback
Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to us at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!
...more
37min
August 26, 2024 Beyond the Obvious: Looking at students’ strengths and needs from all angles
In this episode, Heather and school psychologist Chris Zielinski dig into what it really means to build a complete picture of a student’s strengths and needs. Chris explains why relying on a single assessment—or even a single perspective—can lead to decisions that miss the mark. Instead, he makes the case for using multiple data sources and a team-based approach to create more accurate, fair, and useful profiles of students.
They talk through common traps like plug-and-chug evaluation practices, the risks of over-testing, and what it looks like when professionals truly collaborate across domains to answer real questions about students, not just fill out forms. Chris shares practical ways to keep evaluations efficient, student-centered, and culturally responsive—so teams can focus on what matters most: making smart, informed decisions that actually help kids.

Explore More with Us inside The TLC Network!
Learn more in this episode’s show notes and join a vibrant community of behavior-focused school professionals committed to their professional growth.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay updated with our latest episodes and receive exclusive content every week. Sign up now!
Follow Us on Social Media
Connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for weekly updates and behind-the-scenes content. Tag us @thresholdlearningtlc to engage with us across all platforms!
Subscribe to Our Podcast
Enjoyed today’s episode? Share it with friends and never miss an episode on your favorite platform: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more!
Support Our Mission
Love what you hear? Support our efforts to empower local schools to support complex youth. Visit TLC Nonprofit to learn more.
Send Us Your Feedback
Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to us at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!
...more
30min
August 19, 2024 Communicate for Impact: Collaborating with Families and Support Teams
In this episode, Heather sits down with Waddell, a school social worker, to talk honestly about what real family collaboration looks like in practice—especially when things aren’t neat or easy. They explore how meaningful change rarely comes from working with students in isolation, and why building relationships with entire families—including siblings and caregivers—is essential to long-term success. Waddell shares how programs like Wraparound, family therapy, and community supports can help address basic needs like housing and food, which often stand in the way of academic and behavioral progress. Together, they reflect on the importance of patience, grace, and seeing families as the experts on their own lives—even when trust is low or hope is fading. This is a grounded, real-world conversation about what it takes to partner with families in ways that matter.

Explore More with Us inside The TLC Network!
Learn more in this episode’s show notes and join a vibrant community of behavior-focused school professionals committed to their professional growth.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay updated with our latest episodes and receive exclusive content every week. Sign up now!
Follow Us on Social Media
Connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for weekly updates and behind-the-scenes content. Tag us @thresholdlearningtlc to engage with us across all platforms!
Subscribe to Our Podcast
Enjoyed today’s episode? Share it with friends and never miss an episode on your favorite platform: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more!
Support Our Mission
Love what you hear? Support our efforts to empower local schools to support complex youth. Visit TLC Nonprofit to learn more.
Send Us Your Feedback
Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to us at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!
...more
28min
August 12, 2024 Shared Goals, Shared Success: Running Effective Student Meetings
In this episode, Heather sits down with Mary, a school principal and administrative coach, to talk about what it actually takes to organize and lead effective meetings—with families, with staff, and across teams. They talk about the moments when meetings feel like they’re going off the rails, and the habits that help bring people back to the shared purpose: doing right by students. Mary shares how her team makes space for every voice—from paraprofessionals and hall monitors to teachers and specialists—and why that’s made their meetings more useful, more honest, and more human. Whether you're leading IEPs or school improvement planning, this conversation is a reminder that the most effective meetings aren’t the ones with the fanciest agendas—they’re the ones where people feel heard, seen, and ready to work together.

Explore More with Us inside The TLC Network!
Learn more in this episode’s show notes and join a vibrant community of behavior-focused school professionals committed to their professional growth.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay updated with our latest episodes and receive exclusive content every week. Sign up now!
Follow Us on Social Media
Connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for weekly updates and behind-the-scenes content. Tag us @thresholdlearningtlc to engage with us across all platforms!
Subscribe to Our Podcast
Enjoyed today’s episode? Share it with friends and never miss an episode on your favorite platform: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more!
Support Our Mission
Love what you hear? Support our efforts to empower local schools to support complex youth. Visit TLC Nonprofit to learn more.
Send Us Your Feedback
Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to us at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!
...more
29min
August 04, 2024 You’re Not Alone: Collaborating with Specialists for Student Success
In this episode, Heather and Candace talk about what true collaboration looks like in schools—not just checking boxes, but building partnerships that actually move the needle for kids. Candace shares her experiences working with general educators, paraprofessionals, specialists, and families, and what happens when we show up to help, not to compete. They explore the power of both behind-the-scenes teamwork and visible, in-the-moment collaboration that students can see and learn from. This conversation is full of real talk about staying student-centered, navigating tough meetings, and finding small ways to build trust across roles—even when the work is messy.

Explore More with Us inside The TLC Network!
Learn more in this episode’s show notes and join a vibrant community of behavior-focused school professionals committed to their professional growth.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay updated with our latest episodes and receive exclusive content every week. Sign up now!
Follow Us on Social Media
Connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for weekly updates and behind-the-scenes content. Tag us @thresholdlearningtlc to engage with us across all platforms!
Subscribe to Our Podcast
Enjoyed today’s episode? Share it with friends and never miss an episode on your favorite platform: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more!
Support Our Mission
Love what you hear? Support our efforts to empower local schools to support complex youth. Visit TLC Nonprofit to learn more.
Send Us Your Feedback
Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to us at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!
...more
30min
June 24, 2024 A Conversation about Long-Term Self-Care Practices
In this final episode of our self-care series, Heather, Chris, and Claire tie it all together—how do we stop treating self-care like a “when I have time” luxury and start living it as part of who we are, both in and out of work? From setting mindful boundaries and mapping out your week, to building accountability partners and reframing how we ask for (and accept) help, this conversation digs into what sustainable self-care can really look like in the human services field. The team shares real stories, honest struggles, and practical ways to keep showing up for others without losing yourself along the way.

Explore More with Us inside The TLC Network!
Learn more in this episode’s show notes and join a vibrant community of behavior-focused school professionals committed to their professional growth.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay updated with our latest episodes and receive exclusive content every week. Sign up now!
Follow Us on Social Media
Connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for weekly updates and behind-the-scenes content. Tag us @thresholdlearningtlc to engage with us across all platforms!
Subscribe to Our Podcast
Enjoyed today’s episode? Share it with friends and never miss an episode on your favorite platform: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more!
Support Our Mission
Love what you hear? Support our efforts to empower local schools to support complex youth. Visit TLC Nonprofit to learn more.
Send Us Your Feedback
Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to us at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!
...more
23min
June 17, 2024 A Conversation about Holistic Approaches to Work-Life Integration
This week, Heather is joined again by Chris and Claire to tackle one of the hardest questions in education and human services: how do you take care of yourself without dropping the ball for everyone else? From baby steps and “one thing at a time” wins, to the power of accountability partners, to learning unexpected self-care hacks from younger generations, this conversation is full of real talk about what it actually takes to find balance. Together, we explore what “holistic self-care” really means—physically, mentally, emotionally, socially—and how to integrate it into life when the demands never seem to let up.

Explore More with Us inside The TLC Network!
Learn more in this episode’s show notes and join a vibrant community of behavior-focused school professionals committed to their professional growth.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay updated with our latest episodes and receive exclusive content every week. Sign up now!
Follow Us on Social Media
Connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for weekly updates and behind-the-scenes content. Tag us @thresholdlearningtlc to engage with us across all platforms!
Subscribe to Our Podcast
Enjoyed today’s episode? Share it with friends and never miss an episode on your favorite platform: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more!
Support Our Mission
Love what you hear? Support our efforts to empower local schools to support complex youth. Visit TLC Nonprofit to learn more.
Send Us Your Feedback
Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Reach out to us at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!
...more
27min

FAQs about Little Bits of TLC:

How many episodes does Little Bits of TLC have?

The podcast currently has 133 episodes available.