LD Podcast

Show # 20: An Inside Look At Special Education

At Podcamp Boston, I met Courtney Rau. She is the Special Education Department Chair at a Massachussetts school district. We got a chance to sit down and talk about special education, and how the school handles both the education of the child and the management and education of the parents. This was a wonderful interview, that gives you an idea of how schools see parents for a change. Maybe if we can all understand where each other is coming from, we can begin to make these meetings more productive, but I doubt they will ever lose their emotional component, since we will always be talking about our kids.

We spoke about issues you rarely hear about- how schools view advocates; how they sometimes dread talking to us; and how, in the end, it really is all about the child, and everyone does want to see the kids succeed. This should be mandatory listening for every parent before their IEP meetings.

I also met alot of great podcasters at Podcamp, including Mark Blevis, who produces a great podcast with his wife called Just One More Book, looking at children's books you might have missed at your local bookstore. I've also been in contact with Mike from the "Kids Wife Work Life" podcast- another wonderful parenting and family podcast you should check out!

Today's song is the terrific You Don't Need an iPod performed by Uncle Seth. In case anyone wants to know a bit more about podcasting, this is probably the best and most entertaining "commercial" available. Available on the Podsafe Music Network.

Please email us with comments at LDpodcast@gmail.com, or give us a call at (206) 666-2343! We want to hear from you!

Show # 21- Lessons 5 & 6 in our series of Ten Lessons to Maximize Your Child's Cognitive Development

In this show, we talk about the next 2 lessons in maximizing your child's cognitive development: Help children find what excites them ,even if it doesn't excite you and Encouraging Children to take Sensible Intellectual Risks. We want our kids to be excited about something, or anything at all- but often, they can glom onto things we don;t really enjoy, whether it's a sport you were never good at, or an instrument that sets your nerves on edge. Sometimes being a supportive parent means letting kids explore these things, even if they aren't your cup of tea. Lesson Six encourages you to help your child take risks- try new things, experiment, stretch themselves, but at the same time, not setting them up for failure. Kids who are self- confident are much more likely to take risks in the classroom, like answering questions even when they aren't 100% positive of the answer, and become okay with being both right and wrong. This is part of raising resilient children, as advocated by Dr. Robert Brooks- raising children with the ability to bounce back from bad situations and get right back in there to face the next challenge.

Show # 25: Dr. James Conroy Interview,  Part 2

In part 2, Dr. Conroy, from the Center for Outcome Analysis and I continue our conversation about whether children with learning disabilities are being served adequately in a regular cloassroom, or whether segregation is appropriate at times.  We talk about children who are both gifted and learning disabled, and why changes in education need to start in the training of our teachers. We both agree that changing the face of education means finally, teching children how to learn.  By giving them the skills and tools for effective learning and critical thinking, we'll have kids who are life long learners, not just people who are good at spitting back rote infromation.

Show 27: The Academy In Manayunk Part One: Private Schools for Kids with Learning Disabilities

If you have a child with LD, it can often seem like the only choice you have is the public school system and the services it offers.  But there are a growing number of private schools out there, day and boarding, that specialize in teaching children with various learning disabilities.  The most famous of these schools in the Lab School, located in Washington, DC and founded by Sally Smith.  (Sally Smith has a great book you shouldn't miss - No Easy Answers- The Learning Disabled Child at Home and at School).  The Lab School, and its emphasis on research based instruction for children with language based learning disabilities on a college prepatory course, has been so successful, it has spun off two additional schools, The Lab School in Baltimore, MD and now the Academy in Manayunk.  (Many private schools that teach children with similar learning disabilities often adapt many of the Lab School's practices, even if there is no formal affiliation between the programs.)

In today's show, I had the great pleasure of interviewing Pat Roberts, Executive Director, and Nancy Blair, Associate Director of the Academy In Manayunk.  We've decided to split the interview into 2 parts to make it reasonable listening length, and part 2 will come later in the week.  We talk about reading, how the brain works, and how important it is to kids to feel good about themselves as learners. More importantly, the Academy sees educating college and graduate students in how research-based practices work in the classroom as an important part of the Academy's mission, bringing hope that new teachers will know more about how to individualize education when they have their own classrooms.  Pat and Nancy both have children with learning disabilities, so they bring their passion as moms to their mission to educate children, parents and future teachers to every aspect of their jobs.

I know you will love hearing what they have to say, and the depth of their devotion to their job and making the Academy in Manayunk a huge success, and more importantly, a vital resource for the Philadelphia community.