))
Dr Syntax and GingerSlim waffle about hip hop, films and whatever they fancy, really.
…
continue reading
On the De Facto Leaders podcast, host Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan helps pediatric therapists and educators become better leaders, so they can make a bigger impact with their services. With over 15 years of experience supporting school-age kids with diverse learning needs, Dr. Karen shares up-to-date evidence-based practices, her own experiences and guest interviews designed to help clinicians, teachers, and aspiring school leaders feel more confident in the way they serve their students and clie ...
…
continue reading
Take your skills to the next level! Learning Life talks to experts with the newest ideas and valuable insight to help you improve your business and your brain. Elevate your team and your work. Learning is as easy as tuning in.
…
continue reading
1
Making intentional decisions and leaning on the expertise of your team (with Dr. Jen Schwanke)
1:00:34
1:00:34
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:34
As a school leader, when is it best to make “top-down” decisions, and when should you make it a collaborative process? How can you tell which stakeholder input to prioritize? What’s the best way to communicate with your staff in a way that feels transparent, but doesn’t burden them with too much information? How can you make decisions confidently w…
…
continue reading
1
How to support executive functioning with environmental scaffolding (self-talk, time-perception, planning)
47:06
47:06
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
47:06
Today, I wanted to share some FAQs that people ask about how to teach executive functioning. Some of those common questions are: How do you teach self-talk, time-perception, and strategic-planning? How do you offer help without making kids prompt-dependent? I understand that executive functioning intervention is more than just checklists and beha…
…
continue reading
1
What do administrators need from school therapists and teachers? (featuring Eric Makelky, Jalita Johnson, and Jethro Jones)
43:02
43:02
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
43:02
Almost every school leader that I know has said they didn’t realize what they were getting themselves into when they started their first administrative position. In this episode, I wanted to share clips from past “De Facto Leaders” guests to showcase some of the challenges faced by school administrators (or those hoping to move into an administrati…
…
continue reading
1
A framework for executive functioning intervention: Three shifts for school teams
45:17
45:17
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
45:17
As a professional field, we’re getting stuck in old ways of thinking when it comes to designing services for students experiencing executive dysfunction. When we think of “therapy” the first thing that comes to mind is a clinician sitting in a chair saying things like, “And how does that make you feel?” or a clinician doing exercises in a 1:1 or gr…
…
continue reading
1
The role of syntax in supporting language processing and executive functioning
1:15:07
1:15:07
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:15:07
Language and executive functioning have a bidirectional relationship (Baron & Arbel, 2022; Larson, et al., 2019). This means that building language skills can impact executive functioning, and vice versa. A significant amount of executive functioning skills are required to comprehend language-based academic tasks like reading and writing. Yet strat…
…
continue reading
1
Turning litigious situations in to reading reform initiatives (with Mary Saghafi and Shannon Betts)
1:16:30
1:16:30
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:16:30
Teacher preparation programs should equip reading teachers with the knowledge they need to provide explicit intervention for students who have dyslexia or other disabilities. But what if they don’t? Unfortunately, this situation is quite common. That’s why I invited Mary Saghafi and Shannon Betts from the Reading Teachers’ Lounge Podcast to episode…
…
continue reading
1
The content + strategy + retrieval trifecta for language and executive functioning (with Katy Wyatt)
1:21:03
1:21:03
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:21:03
Is it functional to work on parts of speech? Is sentence diagramming useful? How do we improve word-retrieval in kids with developmental disabilities, and is it similar to what we’d do for an adult with a brain injury? How can we make therapy academically relevant and functional beyond just getting a good score on a standardized test? I invited spe…
…
continue reading
1
Experiential learning and cultivating a passion for the outdoors (with Greg Morrissey)
1:13:47
1:13:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:13:47
Preparing young people for adulthood is all about providing them with the right blend of experiences; both in and outside of school. Building literacy, numeracy, and content knowledge will give students a foundation for success; but we need to pair that with real-world experiences where they can apply that knowledge in real time. When we think abou…
…
continue reading
1
The summer slide: Real phenomenon or invented by tutoring companies? (with David Schipper)
1:29:03
1:29:03
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:29:03
My heart sinks when I see how polarizing topics in education have become, as well as the tendency for people to have “all or nothing” thinking. I’ve seen an increasing amount of activities pitted against each other as if doing one means we can’t ALSO do the other: 👉Standardized testing vs. real-world observations/stakeholder interviews. 👉Year-round…
…
continue reading
1
Why aren’t they participating? Rethinking family engagement in special education (with Dr. Kristin Vogel-Campbell)
1:09:56
1:09:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:09:56
Helping families feel involved in their children’s education goes beyond checking the boxes to make sure you’re following legal guidelines. That’s why I invited Dr. Kristin Vogel-Campbell to De Facto Leaders to talk about how school teams can make the IEP process more welcoming to families, especially those from culturally and linguistically divers…
…
continue reading
1
BONUS: The Authority: Executive Functions for Every Classroom with Mitch Weathers
57:23
57:23
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
57:23
About The Authority Podcast: Hosted by leadership coach, storytelling strategist, and edtech advisor Ross Romano, The Authority provides education leaders with proven ideas to increase your influence, hire and develop an excellent staff, build a stronger culture, lead meaningful change, form a strong foundation for teaching and learning success, an…
…
continue reading
1
Turning disagreements in to alliances in K-12 education (with Dr. Barb Flowers)
1:06:16
1:06:16
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:06:16
There’s a lot of "us vs. them" thinking happening relating to what’s going on in the school systems. Parents feeling like teachers don't want to accommodate students with diverse learning needs. Teachers feeling like administrators don't understand because they aren't in classrooms anymore. Therapists feeling like teachers don't want to reinforce s…
…
continue reading
1
Comorbidities and Differential Diagnosis (ADHD, DLD, Dyslexia)
51:26
51:26
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
51:26
When kids need support with language, reading/writing, and executive functioning, they often have multiple diagnoses. This makes both treatment planning, diagnosis, and determining eligibility for educational programming complicated; especially when it comes to legal guidelines as well as state and local policies. That’s why in episode 159 of De Fa…
…
continue reading
1
Literacy and background knowledge: Essential skills for life (with Dr. Pamela Snow)
1:09:01
1:09:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:09:01
The most effective reading instructional practices aren’t always the ones that gain traction. It’s the ones with the most successful marketing campaigns. The best marketer wins; but this certainly isn’t a win for the students who go without effective instruction or the school staff struggling to support them. That’s why I was so excited to talk wit…
…
continue reading
1
Unpacking the early literacy debate and building a foundation in PreK (with Jane Gebers)
1:12:38
1:12:38
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:12:38
The literacy space has become increasingly polarizing since the reading wars began. There are a number of debates and questions that continue, including: Will kids learn to read “naturally”? What did the whole language approach get right, if anything? Is explicit phonics instruction just a pendulum swing (and is focusing on phonics enough)? Are we …
…
continue reading
1
#184 We're All Spots on the Same Cow with DJ Barry
29:57
29:57
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
29:57
DJ Barry is an entrepreneur, artist and changemaker with a vision to bring the world a little closer together through random acts of kindness. Listen to this interview with DJ to learn how we're "all spots on the same cow" and what DJ is doing to spread that mission around Vermont, the US and now the world! Check out DJ's mission and gallery at htt…
…
continue reading
1
Using AI to write IEP goals and manage service plans (with Sean Klamm)
1:05:09
1:05:09
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:05:09
No one working in special ed has ever said, “I chose this career so I could do paperwork all evening and weekend.” Yet many realize after getting into the field that administrative demands can take away from time spent with students or collaborating with colleagues. That’s why I was so excited to connect with Sean Klamm, special educator and founde…
…
continue reading
1
Becoming a literacy leader and advocating for the right to read (with Brianna Guild)
52:36
52:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
52:36
Related service providers are often considered subject matter experts. Our role is to support other members of multidisciplinary teams like teachers, parents and administrators. But many clinicians I’ve talked to started their careers feeling like a “jack of all trades, master of none”. Some feel that graduate school was all theory and no practice.…
…
continue reading
1
Therapy session structure, narrative language, and commentary on gestalt language processing
53:06
53:06
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
53:06
In this episode, I share a special Q & A session I did with the members of Language Therapy Advance Foundations; my program that provides service providers with a research-based framework for language therapy. I get a lot of questions about how to make the transition between preschool to school-age, what language therapy activities are appropriate …
…
continue reading
1
Debriefing, de-escalation, and relationship repair (with Crissy Mombela)
58:01
58:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
58:01
Our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors don’t have to define us. This is an important thing to remember for adults dealing with professional burnout and compassion fatigue; and it’s also important to model for kids. When school discipline focuses on punitive measures alone, we miss out on opportunities to teach kids how to manage emotions or repair m…
…
continue reading
1
The cost of caring: Compassion fatigue in education and healthcare (with Crissy Mombela)
1:10:36
1:10:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:10:36
People working in school or medical settings are in a position to be caring for others in their professional lives; which makes it difficult to leave work at work. When you combine that with relationships outside of work, family responsibilities or having a child with a disability, there’s a high risk of burnout. I invited Crissy Mombela to episode…
…
continue reading
1
Does your SYSTEM support your policy and your curriculum? (with Jalita Johnson)
1:05:52
1:05:52
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:05:52
If we try to make schools in the US more like schools in other countries, will that result in more effective practices? Why do policies work in some districts, but not others? Many ideas sound good on paper; but the people working with students or leading schools are telling a different story. That’s why I invited reading specialist Jalita Johnson …
…
continue reading
1
BONUS: SEEing to Lead: Seeing the whole staircase (with Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan)
58:53
58:53
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
58:53
This week, I’m sharing an interview I did with another host on the BE podcast network because I think it’s something you’ll really enjoy. The episode is going live in the De Facto Leaders podcast feed. Dr. Chris Jones has been an educator in Massachusetts for 22 years. His experience in the classroom ranged from 8th - 11th grade working in an urban…
…
continue reading
1
Am I influencing or trying to control? Reframing advocacy and clinical leadership (with Candice Noss)
49:21
49:21
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
49:21
There’s a difference between influence and control. Whether we’re making suggestions to a coworker, asking a supervisor for support, setting expectations with kids, or interacting with someone in an online forum…we’re all attempting to create behavioral change. In “helping people” professions, it’s easy to get emotionally involved with our work. Th…
…
continue reading
1
Audiobooks, homework research, and the "read for 20 minutes" rule
32:19
32:19
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
32:19
If the schools are devoting time and money to improving reading instruction, how should the rest of the day look for kids as it pertains to literacy? Should parents be working with kids at home? If so, how much? What about reading? Can we use apps to help build language skills? How about audiobooks? A common recommendation is that we should read 20…
…
continue reading
1
Unlocking success through sensory processing and team collaboration (with Maude Le Roux)
1:06:55
1:06:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:06:55
When I first learned about the field of occupational therapy, I had a very superficial understanding of what it entailed. In the school systems, it seemed like referrals often focused on fine-motor skills related to school, like pencil grip. When I learned about sensory processing, I discovered that it’s so much more than that; and I realized how i…
…
continue reading
