Inclusive Education Project (IEP) Podcast

Welcome to 2022 and a brand-new episode of the Inclusive Education Project podcast!  As we enter the spring semester (and year THREE of the pandemic!), we’re hearing a lot more noise about the teacher and support staff shortage, so we’ll be exploring that, as well as sharing strategies on how to make it all as painless as possible. Show Highlights: Reasons for the staffing shortage But childr...

NOTE: Hi, everyone! We've stepped away from the podcast for a short break, but we'll be back soon with great new content. Meantime, please enjoy listening to some of our most popular episodes from the archive! Our guest today describes herself as a “veteran educator, survivor of burnout, and a self-care advocate.” Kayland Lamar coaches educators on self-care practices and boundary-setting in the c...

NOTE: Hi, everyone! We've stepped away from the podcast for a short break, but we'll be back soon with great new content. Meantime, please enjoy listening to some of our most popular episodes from the archive! Today’s guest is Diana Pastora Carson, a self-described sibling advocate and a big fan of her brother, Joaquin, who spent 15 years of his life in an institution. Joaquin’s family fought for...

NOTE: Hi, everyone! We've stepped away from the podcast for a short break, but we'll be back soon with great new content. Meantime, please enjoy listening to some of our most popular episodes from the archive! We’re excited to bring you this great conversation with Mallory, Katie, and Lori from The Childhood Collective. Mallory, Katie, and Lori all have experience working with neurodiverse kids: k...

NOTE: Hi, everyone! We've stepped away from the podcast for a short break, but we'll be back soon with great new content. Meantime, please enjoy listening to some of our most popular episodes from the archive! We’re so thrilled to have Caroline Hines as our guest today. Caroline is a Social-Emotional School Counselor at a public charter school here in California, and she shares with us the advanta...

NOTE: Hi, everyone! We've stepped away from the podcast for a short break, but we'll be back soon with great new content. Meantime, please enjoy listening to some of our most popular episodes from the archive! When kids experience challenges meeting certain expectations, that can result in their frustration, which can often lead to concerning behaviors if they’re not equipped with the necessary sk...

We always feel that we are “on the same page” when our guest is a passionate advocate for students. Today’s guest explains the work she does with pediatric assessments to help the parents and teachers of struggling learners. Join us to learn more! Dr. Karen Wilson is a clinical neuropsychologist who specializes in pediatric assessments. She evaluates kids from age 4 through early adulthood where a...

We continue to see compounded challenges in this school year. Today’s show focuses on the vital role school counselors can play in advocating for students and supporting student success, even in the uncertainty of a pandemic. Join us to learn more! Caroline Hines is an elementary school counselor in Sacramento, CA. Unlike many school counselors, Caroline is a social-emotional counselor who support...

Today’s conversation is with a guest recommended to us, and we are excited to hear her perspective. We are highlighting the immense challenges within the legal system for attorneys, parents, and students, especially how situations can vary from one state to another. Join us to learn more! Stacey Gahagan practices statewide in North Carolina. Her firm, with five attorneys, is the largest in NC that...

Today’s show is a replay of the Thriving Special Families podcast hosted by Crystal Sanford. We appeared as guests on Crystal’s live podcast on September 22; the episode is titled “Compensatory Education: Where Are We Now?” You can view the video podcast on YouTube or find the link on Crystal’s website. She is a consultant with Sandford Autism Consulting and is passionate about working with famili...

We have said it before: this school year is like no other. Now we are all dealing with the uncertainty of an upcoming holiday season that may be very stressful for parents, teachers, and students. There are simple practices and tools we can use with people of all ages to manage and reduce stress. Join us to learn more! Lynn Jimenez is a licensed clinical social worker and the founder of Connect-Fl...

It’s safe to say that everyone in education is being stretched to their limits. Earlier optimism back in the summer has given way to a sense of drudgery that we find ourselves back in the same COVID-impacted situations as in the previous school year. We are excited to have today’s guest, a teacher and advocate, to share her perspective. Join us to learn more! Jessica Keogh has an undiagnosed neuro...

We are all dealing with the regression that some of our students have experienced through these COVID-affected times. We went from having a hope of real innovation of inclusive education to a focus on mere survival. Today’s guest shares insights into the evidence-based need for inclusion, practical steps to bring inclusion, and the barriers that still remain in school systems. Join us to learn mor...

We are all in the middle of the adventure that has become this school year. The only certainty seems to be that uncertainty continues, and we have to make adjustments along the way. Gratitude is a mindset that has become more relevant than ever, and teaching gratitude practices can help set our students up for success in the classroom right now and in their lives for the future. Join us for a clos...

As the school year continues in full swing with in-person learning, inclusion has never been a more important topic. Today’s conversation takes a deep dive into inclusion through the eyes of a new documentary film. Join us! Hilda and Olivier are filmmakers and parents of their son, Emilio. Through their documentary, Forget Me Not, they share the personal impact of NYC’s segregated education system...

We’re in it now: another school year taking us into the great unknown. Parents, students, and educators are all living with a “wait and see” approach as we live in a state of constant adaptability in yet another pandemic school year. Join us to hear practical tips and advice from today’s guest! Chris Banks is CEO and president of the Autism Society of America. He came to the society in 2020 from a...

We know the transition into motherhood is not always easy. Today’s guest works to ease the transition and help prevent burnout for moms as she brings sanity, solutions, and overall mental health into the chaotic world of motherhood. Join us to learn more! Danielle Bettmann is an early childhood development expert, parenting coach, teacher, and mom of two girls. She helps families with strong-wille...

Today’s guest is Diana Pastora Carson, a self-described sibling advocate and a big fan of her brother, Joaquin, who spent 15 years of his life in an institution. Joaquin’s family fought for three years to bring him home, and he fully supports and endorses the way Diana shares their family story.  Diana has been an elementary educator for over 30 years in both general and special education. A...

Today’s episode is the final part of our series to kick off the new school year. Parents, students, and educators were assuming that things would be back to normal by the beginning of the 2021 school year, but we are still in a state of uncertainty. Since COVID-19 has impacted schools in many ways during the past two school years, we have seen many adjustments to learning. CA Assembly Bill 130 add...

Today’s episode is part two of our three-part series to kick off the new school year. Parents, students, and educators were assuming that things would be back to normal by the beginning of the 2021 school year, but we are still in a state of uncertainty. California legislators have implemented specific steps to help students, even reaching into last school year.  We are taking a closer look a...

Today’s episode is the first in a three-part series covering guidelines for going back to school for in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year. It’s hard to believe that we are here on the cusp of beginning another school year, and as with the last two school years, COVID-19 has changed everything for students, educators, and parents. Join us for this three-part guide to everything you need...

It’s the end of the school year, and this will be our last episode before we break for the summer. What a year it’s been! Stick with us as we take a look back on this unusual year and its different hybrid models, issues to look out for and to make your teams aware of, and what the 2021-2022 school year may hold.  We appreciate your support and remember, summer break would be a great time to l...

Carlia Oldfather, Director of Operations from Stand Up for Kids in Orange County, is our guest today! Stand Up for Kids is a national, non-profit organization that serves youth between the ages of 12-24 that are experiencing homelessness. There are twenty chapters throughout the nation. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at this wonderful organization that is about FAR more than just getting kid...

If you dread hearing, “What’s for dinner tonight?”, then you’re going to LOVE today’s guest. If, like most of us, you live a busy life, have picky eaters or food allergies in your family, or just need a dash of inspiration and a serving of encouragement for answering that burning question, keep listening!  Marie Fiebach is the founder of “Feed Your Family Tonight”. She is an author, podcaster...

We’re so thrilled to have Caroline Hines as our guest today. Caroline is a Social-Emotional School Counselor at a public charter school here in California, and she shares with us the advantages that having a dedicated counselor onsite provides, how kindness is taught through each grade level, plus she offers tips on how you can foster more kindness right in your own home. We hope you enjoy this co...