Special Ed Rising; No Parent Left Behind

Today I’ll be speaking about social stories.  What are they? How do we use them? And, can they be effective?

Today I’ll be ringing in the new year with a show dedicated to 3 new year's resolutions that I think will help to make the coming year more fulfilling and productive for your child and your family.

Today is a short episode where I want to speak from the heart about selflessness and its lessons for us as individuals, as partners, as parents and as caregivers.  It’s a message I want to leave you with as we approach the new year.  

Today I’ll be speaking about smoothies as a healthy option to add into your child/teen’s day when you’re having trouble getting them to eat nutritious food.  And then I’m going to make a smoothie for you so you can see how fun and easy it is to turn the struggles of eating healthy into a party for the palette!

Today I’ll be speaking with Meredith Gramlich.  Meredith is a Senior Faculty Specialist at the Center for Transition and Career Innovation at University of Maryland, College Park. With over 25 years of experience improving post-school outcomes and community engagement for individuals with disabilities, she currently serves as the Coordinator for the University of Maryland’s flagship inclusive higher education program for students with intellectual disabilities, TerpsEXCEED, which stands for: Experiencing College for Education and Employment Discovery Ms. Gramlich has extensive experience promoting business-education partnerships, work-based learning opportunities, customized employment solutions, and model transition services. She has over 25 years of experience with systems change demonstration projects focused on improving post-school outcomes and community engagement for individuals with disabilities through use of evidence-based practices, with an emphasis on competitive integrated employment, career pathways, work-based learning, financial empowerment, and performance management. She has provided lead technical assistance and training for model demonstration projects including Way2Work Maryland, Maryland PROMISE, Maryland Customized Employment Partnership, the Maryland Transition Initiative, and Bridges... from School to Work. She taught in Montgomery County Maryland Public Schools’ Alternative Programs, where she established the Career Program. Ms. Gramlich began her career promoting creative strategies for independence with her sister.

Today I’ll be talking about behavior contracts;  a brief explanation of what they are, what goes into making one and some evidence to support their effectiveness.

Today is my Thanksgiving episode so I’ll be speaking to things I’m thankful for and things I hope we can all recognize and appreciate when it comes to our children, students and siblings at this reflective time of year.  And as an added surprise I take us inside my kitchen where you’ll hear me instruct you on a simple oatmeal cookie recipe I think you and your kids will enjoy making together and serving for the holiday.

Sheila is a certified health and wellness coach for overwhelmed parents who feel confused about their child's needs and frustrated by their child's behavior. She offers personalized 1:1 sessions to help parents evaluate the current circumstances in their home life and determine how they'd like them to be improved. She then works with them to create the solutions that use the strengths and intuition they already have to build a better understanding of themselves and their child to create a roadmap for a more peaceful experience in parenting.

Today I’ll be speaking on the subject of neurotypical and non-disabled children volunteering to help neurodiverse children and the benefits to both people involved in their journey together.

Today I’ll be speaking with Nakayla Von Raeder of The Slumber Academy. Nakayla is a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant & Neurodivergent Sleep Specialist and the founder of The Slumber Academy which specializes in drawing out root issues that may be interfering with your child's sleep and well-being. 

*Fair Warning: This episode addresses something that happened in Mississippi earlier this month that left me heartbroken.  The account of the incident can be upsetting but If I can talk about it and use it as a motivator to inform every parent or guardian of a young child of their rights and the laws for vetting as well as some realities of the state of child care hiring post pandemic it might be of value.  This is an episode for all parents. 

Today I want to speak to the dads.  I’ll be exploring what I see in terms of a father’s involvement in an exceptional needs child’s life;  offering some research findings, some personal observations and some encouragement.   Is it a myth that mothers are the one’s bearing the heavier responsibility of raising their disabled child? And if it is, then why is this the perception?

Today’s podcast is an interview with an exceptional woman who saw a niche not being addressed for children with disabilities and is conquering it one city and one community at a time.Suzie Clinchy is the Founder and Executive Director of Fast Feet NYC. Suzie launched Fast Feet NYC in 2018, taking a leap of faith to follow her passion for working with adaptive athletes, equality in athletics, physical wellness, and inclusion in sports.

Today’s podcast is a brief one and builds off of last week’s “strong” theme.   I’ll be focusing on the idea of appreciating and maximizing our natural physical and mental capabilities when we meet with challenges that take extra effort.  And this goes for everyone, non-disabled and disabled. 

Today I’ll be exploring the term, “strong.”  What makes us strong mentally, physically and otherwise.  How does strong transfer itself across your experiences in relation to personal growth and the growth of your relationship to the needs of your child? 

Today I’ll be speaking about teachers and social media. What can they safely post without jeopardizing their career and what are the lines that they need to be careful not to cross?

Today I am honored and excited to visit with my dear friend and former mentor from my years in the classroom, Dr. Barry McNamara, Professor of Special Education.  Barry McNamara is an expert in special education, learning disabilities, behavior management, and bullying. I am eager for you to experience his knowledge in the specific area of dealing with behavior issues in the home and at school.

Today I’ll be speaking about preparing yourself for the new school year.  Setting the tone and the level of your involvement early can make a huge difference in the success of your child . 

Today I’ll be speaking about Alternative and Augmentative Communication; the types, their advantages to disabled people who are non-verbal and the importance of incorporating them into daily life consistently. 

Today I’ll be responding to the controversy manufactured at the expense of the visually impaired when Vice President Kamala Harris spoke on the anniversary of the ADA. 

This episode is dedicated to presenting to you what I can offer in the way of parent coaching. Allow me to help you navigate through the maze of exceptional needs and figuratively stand alongside you as you face and overcome the challenges you face with your children in your homes. 

In this episode I’ll be speaking about Active Ignoring.  This can be an effective device used when your child is acting out, tantruming and/or refusing to listen to you at times when they are not a danger to themselves or to anyone in the home.  As you’ll hear, this is a strategy that can take some time and patience, but can save you a lot of battle fatigue. 

In this episode I want to talk about bedtime challenges for children with autism spectrum disorder and what you can do to address them.

In this episode I’ll be speaking with Ashley Richmond, she is a Director for the non-profit, HUG, which stands for Help Us Gather, located in Clearwater, Fla, a city in the Tampa Bay area.  HUG was founded by Robin Lally whose brother, Rick is autistic. I discovered this wonderful organization as I was researching for my podcast on extracurricular activities for people with disabilities. HUG’s mission is to advocate for inclusion and connect people with disabilities to vibrant social lives. I’m really excited to have this opportunity to share HUG’s story with you and so grateful to Ashley for her time.

In this episode I want to speak about the occurrence of hoarding among people with Autism. However the topic and the solutions may apply to anyone attempting to cope with this compulsion. This is a challenge I've come across recently with some clients that has me adapting and applying strategies to help the families I work with. Hoarding is not uncommon among this population and I want to share some things that you can do to manage it. 

This edition of Special Ed Rising is an episode that I felt an immediate need to put out.  It addresses a growing vocal chorus against the term “special needs,” a euphemism that I have used in my blogs, on my podcast and in my work for over 30 years. There is a clarion call to have this term changed.  My intention is to give voice to those asking for this change as I share studies and opinions to support their claims.  

Today's episode is centered on the idea that involving your special needs children in activities after school and beyond school, that you might not imagine to be realistic options for them because of perceived limitations, is exactly the thing that can broaden their experience and uncover the potential waiting for an opportunity.  There IS more than meets the eye!  Using my personal experience and observations as producer of school plays and director of a drama club, I will present the advantages I observed in the extracurricular involvement for children with differing abilities.

Today’s episode features the first interview of what I hope will be many to come.  It is an engaging conversation about music therapy that I believe will open many eyes to its impact on people with differing abilities across the spectrum.

In this episode I want to take a look at the benefits of incorporating exercise and sensory integration activities into the routines of your special needs child.  I have seen first hand the positive impact they have on my students when making them part of their daily programs.  We will address how to do this in your home, plus the many ways your child can gain in terms of behavior, communication, attention and more and suggest some equipment to help make this happen.

In this episode, I endeavor to reflect on my experience and some lessons learned during the time that I cared for my elderly parents and the challenges that families face in deciding the right options for care outside of the home.  And then a little on the system that embraces your family member and the costs and realities that accompany this open armed greeting. 

This episode is going to be an exploration of thought and reflection.  And it will address how people with disabilities are considered to be different despite one very basic fact that we all share.

Managing your family and taking care of your special needs child can be overwhelming.  In this episode I will discuss, what I feel, are four essential practices that I have witnessed succeed for many of my clients which translates into a more positive and functional home life for the entire family. 

Today’s episode is a special one for me because I’ll be sharing my appreciation for and experience with working in the world of Deaf education and alongside a community grounded in their Deaf culture.  I’ll give some history on the evolution of deafness in education since the 1988 Deaf Power Now revolution at Gallaudet University in Washington DC; offer some cultural perspective and share my personal eyewitness account.

In this episode, I’ll be talking about daily transition strategies for the times your child displays behaviors when asked to move from one activity to another.  These strategies can be applied in all settings; in the home, at school and out in the community.  When you have a plan put into practice consistently, new doors will open for you and your child to smoother days and nights.

In this episode I’ll talk about Universal Behavior Management Tools that you can use in your home (and at school for those of you who are teachers), to create a smoother functioning environment for your child and your family. 

This episode will conclude my two-part series introducing Mindfulness and Mindful Parenting to parents of children with Special Needs. The show will touch upon the science supporting Mindful Parenting, dip our toes into our feelings and suggest ways to incorporate mindful practice into our lives. Mindfulness is a useful practice for caregivers and teachers as well. Tune in for this and some uplifting extras!

This episode is Part(I) of a two-part series introducing Mindfulness and Mindful Parenting to parents of children with Special Needs. It is a useful practice for caregivers and teachers as well. Tune in for this and some uplifting extras!

Today I give a brief background on my time dedicated to the field of Special Education, along with a little something for you to use in your day.

No parent left behind! This episode introduces Special Ed Rising as a place for parents and caregivers of Special Needs children and adults, to find respite and an information source to help you manage your day to day lives. Taking the parent equally into consideration is the motivation of this mission.