Our guest this week is Dr. Patrick Schwarz, of Highland Park, IL who is CEO of Creative Culture Consulting, a public speaker, author of numerous books and an outspoken advocate for inclusive education for people of all abilities.

Dr. Schwarz earned his BS, MS and PhD in special education from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.  

Dr. Schwarz is a dynamic professor, author, and motivational speaker renowned for his leadership in inclusive education, special education, and educational leadership.

Dr. Schwarz has dedicated his career to transforming educational practices to better serve students with diverse support needs.  His seminal work, From Disability to Possibility, advocates for inclusive classrooms that recognize and nurture the potential of every learner.

Collaborating with Dr. Paula Kluth, he co-authored influential titles such as You're Welcome, Just Give Him the Whale!, and Pedro's Whale.

Through global presentations and consultations, Dr. Schwarz continues to inspire educators to create environments where all students can thrive.  And you can hear his story on this episode of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast. 

Show Notes -
Phone – (708) 912-9994
Email – [email protected]
LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-schwarz-55770717/
Website - https://www.patrickschwarz.com/
Books – 
From Disability to Possibility, (2006) https://tinyurl.com/mtxhphuu
You're Welcome: 30 Innovative Ideas for the Inclusive Classroom (2007) https://tinyurl.com/3hbevvjm
Just Give Him The Whale: 20 Ways To Use Fascinations, Areas of Expertise and Strengths to Support Students With Autism. (2008) https://tinyurl.com/mrw3sjj9
Pedro’s Whale (2010) https://tinyurl.com/49sfd8f4
From Possibility to Success (2013) https://tinyurl.com/yeya7hsn
Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligences - https://www.simplypsychology.org/multiple-intelligences.html

Register for the 6th Annual SFN Dads Virthual Conference on May 10, 2025: 
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/TLkN_ViJTTqnaK-M8pHPNA 
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated.  There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."

SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.

Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzDFCvQimWNEb158ll6Q4cA/videos

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/