Inclusive Education Project (IEP) Podcast
Inclusive Education Project
Recent Episodes
It’s a very busy time of year for everyone involved in IEP meetings, for sure! In today’s episode, we are discussing IEP meetings and the roles of compassionate educators who want to look beyond strict compliance to genuinely meet the needs of students with disabilities and special needs. Join us for the conversation!
Andrew Goff taught early childhood special education in five different least restrictive environments for 12 years. He took this unique insight into his doctoral program, from which he graduated in 2017. As he moved into the community college system in Colorado, he is currently the lead instructor at Colorado Northwestern Community College, not far from Steamboat Springs. Based on his life as an educator, he has written the memoir, Love Is a Classroom and is a fierce advocate for “inclusion–early, everywhere, and always.”
Show Highlights:
- Andrew’s unique perspective on IEP meetings after teaching across early grade levels and into the college system
- The key to effective IEP services is to start early and not wait until the teenage years.
- Andrew’s book—and the emotions it stirred up in him
- The need for more training for educators in compassion and creativity
- The value of teaching assistants in creating a compassionate community in the classroom
- A focus on compliance puts special education in a restrictive box.
- What Andrew wishes teachers and parents knew before going into IEP meetings
Links/Resources:
Connect with Andrew Goff and his work: Website, Love Is a Classroom book, Love Is a Classroom podcast, podcast on Spotify, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org
Thank you for listening!
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.
If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.
Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:
Instagram–We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us here and send us your questions!
Email us: [email protected]
Today’s episode is Part 2 to our recent solo episode about English language learners. We are focusing on the bigger picture of language as only one part of a child’s entire cultural context affecting performance on all educational and neuropsychological evaluations. Join us to learn more from today’s guest!
Dr. Alexander Tan is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist and supervisor at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). His expertise is in the assessment of neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. He is an internationally recognized expert and frequent speaker about topics such as autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and mental health.
Show Highlights:
- Dr. Tan’s background and how he came to the work he does today in private practice and at CHOC
- Understanding language, cultural context, neurodiversity, and why there are limitations and problems with inappropriate assessment methods
- Bilingualism—a multifaceted construct that always requires “digging deeper”
- Dr. Tan’s experience with parents’ frustrations at evaluations that don’t show a fair and accurate representation of their child
- A neuropsychological evaluation that is culturally and linguistically responsive can help avoid major risks.
- ALL aspects of a child’s culture must be considered in evaluations, including language, nonverbal communication, values, economics, etc.
Links/Resources:
Connect with Dr. Alexander Tan: Website
Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org
Thank you for listening!
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.
If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.
Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:
Instagram–We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us here and send us your questions!
Email us: [email protected]
Are you paying attention to the calendar? As we find ourselves in the last few weeks of the school year, this is your friendly reminder to act fast for the annual transition IEP meetings that should be happening. In today’s episode, we are discussing the power of “stay put” as it applies to keeping things the same in IEP accommodations and services while being in disagreement with a proposed change. Join us for a closer look!
Show Highlights:
- “Stay put” is not just for due process cases but is one of the most important parental legal rights.
- The federal law is consistent but state-to-state nuances depend on consent status.
- Understanding how stay-put reverts to the last consented-to IEP
- Real-life examples of stay-put scenarios
- Our recommendations for a partial consent/partial stay-put
- Understanding the word placement as it’s used in IEP language
- Potential exceptions to the stay-put rule
Links/Resources:
Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org
Thank you for listening!
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.
If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.
Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:
Instagram We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us here and send us your questions!
Email us: [email protected]
Today's show is a replay of a very popular and informative episode that we hope you'll enjoy.
Today’s topic has popped up recently in some of our cases, and it’s an important one to cover because it is under-supported and often overlooked in the IEP world. We are discussing the ELL designation, which stands for “English Language Learner.” Join us to learn when a child should be designated as an ELL, how things should progress from there, and what the school district’s obligations are when that designation is given.
Show Highlights:
- A student’s ethnicity can prompt false assumptions that come with an ELL designation (which can mean different things in different cases).
- Understanding the differences in an ELL designation, an ESL designation, and a dual immersion program
- A student’s language proficiency impacts their ability to learn in different environments–and the IEP should reflect this fact.
- A student’s primary language can have unique nuances that are very different from English, which greatly affects testing, evaluations, and assessments.
- Considerations about inherent racial bias in assessments–and why they should be done in a student’s native language
Links/Resources:
Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org
Thank you for listening!
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.
If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.
Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:
Instagram–We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us there and send us your questions!
Email us: [email protected]
Welcome to a very special episode! Karen Odell-Barber with Neurologics was a recent guest on our show, so we returned the favor by appearing on her podcast, Tackling Brain Health. We are excited to share that episode today. You’ll learn more about our journeys, the origins of our law firm and podcast, and the important work that calls to us on behalf of students and families. Join us!
Show Highlights:
- The varied paths that led Amanda and Vickie to be special education attorneys after meeting in law school
- Special education law: “The wild, wild west”
- Karen’s personal experience in being diagnosed with a profound learning disability
- Amanda and Vickie’s approach in helping families, filing for due process, and working with school teams
- The reality of trying to get needed accommodations for students–and why Vickie and Amanda are doing things differently
- The difference between a special ed attorney and an advocate
- Amanda and Vickie’s message to parents about the services and role of a special ed attorney
- In identifying and securing accommodations, early intervention is the key!
- The problems when teachers don’t understand the law and make assumptions about students
- Examples of students who can benefit from the help of a special ed attorney
Links/Resources:
Check out the Tackling Brain Health podcast with Karen Odell-Barber!
Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org
Thank you for listening!
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.
If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.
Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:
Instagram–We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us there and send us your questions!
Email us: [email protected]