CAPABLE

Today's guest is Mercedes. She is a mother of two daughters and a husband who have Autism and a sister with a disability. She continues to keep learning in the area of Special Education in helping provide services to our population with the abilities to thrive even with a diagnosis or label. Throughout her years of being in the public education system, Mercedes was well aware of the deficit in honest and open communication between the schools and the families. She wanted ALL children to have the equitable education that they have a legal right to have, but often failed at receiving due to the system... And so, A.C.C.E.S.S. was born, serving clients all over the United States in the areas of educational advocacy, IEP consultations, expert witness, tutoring, presenter, and homeschool curriculum development.Graduating from the University of Utah in, she received her B.S. in Special Education, certificate in ESL, and minor in family and child studies. She then attended Sacramento State University for a master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction, as well as graduated from San Jose State with her certificate in Gifted Education. Mercedes then went on to graduate from the University of Tennessee with her M.S. in Educational leadership and her administrative license.During her 9 years of teaching Special Education and English as a Second Language, Mercedes was able to support 600+ students by ensuring that their legal rights were being implemented, honored, and followed.SOCIAL MEDIAS:WEBSITE: www.accessyouredu.comFACEBOOK: AccessINSTAGRAM: @accessyouredu

Today's guest is Taylor. She is a mother of three beautiful children who continues to keep advocating for her son who has severe Autism and nonverbal. She has a great supportive network through family, friends, and other resources provided by Tennessee that keep her family strong through the journey of figuring out how to navigate through this diagnosis. Her story is powerful and very common among parents with disabled children. So proud of everyone's hard work in this process! You got this! Keep learning and figuring out how to navigate this journey in life!

Today's guest is Chanette. She is a third year Resource/Special Education Teacher that services students with an IEP in South Central LA, who started her journey long ago growing up with her sister who has Cerebral Palsy (CP). She has three years of teaching under her belt and isn't stopping yet! She has been able to increase grades and confidence levels with her students, and would love to share how. She makes all kids seen and heard. It's not an easy job as a special education teacher, but the joys of students' success can outway all the other stuff. Her story of getting students' to read was remarkable! There are so many different learning styles and it's all about figuring out each student. Way to go!  

Today's guest is Lynn. She has had a variety of experience working with the disability community in the school setting. Her three different stories of working with children with disabilities are all unique in their own way. Her love for helping children and families in the disability community are outstanding! She strives to help each one of her students feel more confident in their own skin regardless of the labels that our society has put on them, and provide resources for parents to incorporate into the home setting. Keep up the hard work! 

Today's guest is Lisa Matto. She is a mother of an inspiring woman with Down Syndrome who lives life to the fullest! She believes whole heartily that individuals with disabilities should be included in everything and not told they can't because of their disability. She wrote her own book describing her experience of raising her daughter and all the joys and hardships that came along.  Book Details: Title: Up Side of DownsAuthor: Lisa MattoDescription: telling the story of her daughter, Marlee, is about sharing her sense ofwonder and delight with a broader audience. Marlee has an infectious smile, big heart and mischievous sense of humor. She also has Down Syndrome.The Up Side of Downs, Lisa's first published book, tells Marlee's story through a series of hilarious and heartfelt anecdotes that capture exactly what the title suggests.Lisa said, “Marlee would get herself into situations that were sometimes really funny, and sometimes really nerve-wracking.” When she would recount these stories to family and friends, they would often tell her that she needed to write it all down. Eventually, there were enough stories to compile into a book. The book not only highlights the adventures of Marlee, but also the incredibly inclusive neighborhood, community, and school district where she grew up.Get your copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Up-Side-Downs-Lisa-Matto-ebook/dp/B08XWSVXJS/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1KXTLSEC5PNPS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.crMFlCYxJEu74DFI--o0DtNnV2fAODN2kFGTYl0TsBbQ2ys0A3i7kIGr3W4DFfXqnAkysPX0AYXEwgs6orf1Y-UD8JmDux8aB2nDZrKKuswULN78mpjry2RbpM2bm7Avg7KQTyaZqKStzyAV0ylaxAvXCWspl5PuKwiTDHF-7CZ8HW7HmalCkkFUsAzvbNKaQcgQSPpDbZ3jOZyDHLqdNzAWatzsGb83VwdIBJdbifI.B2Iovp5b8MH5rrNYewXUkH_xk3oYFFE_UL9y3ZwI3qE&dib_tag=se&keywords=up+side+of+downs&qid=1712512026&sprefix=up+side+of+down%2Caps%2C133&sr=8-4 

Today's guest is Olivia (Livvy) Tune. Olivia is a mother of a son who is autistic and non-verbal. She tells us her journey of her son's diagnosis, and an amazing story she has had over the years. She is always striving to help her son succeed in life and advocating how to support individuals with Autism. In this heartfelt narrative, Livvy delves into the world of autism spectrum disorder, offering a personal perspective that intertwines experiences, challenges, and the profound gifts that individuals with autism bring to our lives. Book Details:Title: Ali's Gifts: A Personal Journey Through the SpectrumAuthor: Livvy TuneWhether you have a personal connection to autism or simply appreciate a heartfelt journey, "Ali's Gifts" invites readers to embrace the uniqueness of each individual on the spectrum.Get your copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/9789988486?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_D3C0GCYR8VPN0AK0ZHGA&language=en-US

Today's guest is Katie Garrison. Katie is a mother of a beautiful daughter with many unique abilities. Her daughter was diagnosed at 22 months with many diagnosis's: Soto's Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, Kidney and Heart problems, Autism, and Apraxia (non-verbal). Soto's Syndrome is characterized by a distinctive facial appearance, overgrowth in childhood, and delayed development of mental and movement abilities. Her daughter is now 10 years old in a mainstream school. She LOVES to dance more than anything! Another hobby is ripping pages out of magazines and books anything she can get her hands on. Doctors told her that her daughter would not be able to walk or talk… Jokes on them! She is able to walk and can verbalize a few words. She mainly uses sign language or her iPad to talk. Her gate is off balance, which affects how she runs but she can do it! Through all the joys and challenges Katie goes through, she wouldn't change it for the world. The love she has for her daughter is unbelievable! She is a super star! 

Today's guest is Jamie. She runs the local chapter for Penguin Project. Penguin Project was established in 2004 it has evolved into a National program, with chapter sites throughout the United States. The program provides a supportive environment for children with disabilities to explore their creative talents.  It has also demonstrated that participation in the performing arts has therapeutic value by enhancing social interaction, communication skills, self-confidence and self-esteem. The impact of the program has reached beyond the stage to create a social network for children who previously had very few friends and limited social opportunities. For more information or how you can help support this project click the link below: https://penguinproject.org/ Follow them on their Facebook page: MTCT's Penguin Project.The project aired on Channel 5 news to give you a little snippet about what they do:https://www.newschannel5.com/news/they-give-children-with-disabilities-a-chance-to-perform-live-theater-but-the-group-needs-a-stage   

Today's guest is Christina. She is a mother of three children, a sister, and a wife all with disabilities. Christina is a high functioning Autistic individual thriving each day to advocate for her children. She grew up in the area of the disability world since her brother also has high functioning Autism. Her advocacy shows through her story in the journey she had to go through to get her son diagnosed. Even her personal journey of getting diagnosed was a process. The fight parents with disabled children have to go through is unbelievable. You guys rock! 

Today's guest is Melanie. She taught for many years in general education and special education all in a middle school setting. She is amazing for taking on middle schoolers! She is working on getting her PhD in special education research, focusing on reading disabilities and tools to help individuals succeed in reading. Her story with one of her previous students is a typical day working with teenagers. Her previous teaching experiences will help her tremendously when researching tools to help individuals learn to read. 

Today's guest is Eva. Her intentions were never to work with individuals with disabilities until she was asked to sub in a classroom with students with disabilities. From there on she has been working in a variety of different settings and ages with individuals with disabilities. Her passion grew bigger as she was inspired by a great leader who she met along the way that worked for STAR, Strategies for Teaching based on Autism Research. Her experiences lead her to thrive in being the best educator for her students! 

Today's guest is Adele. Adele has lots of experiences working and living with individuals with disabilities. She has helped provide support in a variety of different settings and her sister who has Rett Syndrome: a rare neurological and developmental disorder. This disorder causes progressive loss of motor skills and language. Adele's drive to provide better support systems to our disability community is truly inspirational! Adele mentioned her own program, AI-Learners, a new online learning tool to help kids with Autism learn math. Sign up today at www.ai-learners.com or contact AI-Learners Founder/CEO Adele at adele@ai-learners.com to learn more!

I am super excited to bring on another guest, Brandi. She had worked in a variety of different schools and alternative settings with the disability community, leading her to build her own school for students with disabilities. She now runs her own school for students with disabilities called: Red Line Advocacy. Check out her page here to learn more information: http://redlineadvocacy.com/. Her passion and hard work to help students with disabilities be as independent as possible while supporting families on their journey is greatly appreciated! 

Guest today is Jennifer. She is in her 10th year of teaching and teaches in a self contained classroom. Her first year of teaching was high school level at a Board of Developmental Disabilities. Since then she has been teaching combinations of K-5 at a public elementary school. She knew in high school that she had a sort of calling to teach special education. She went to college to teach special education and kind of lost her way, wasn't the best student and changed her major to hotel management. She stayed at home with her kids for 9 years and spent so much time volunteering in the school that her husband suggested getting a job in the schools. She became a teacher's aide. She was then inspired and encouraged by a teacher to go back to school and several years later, she graduated. After her first year of teaching, she was hired by the district she went to work in and children went to. Her amazing story with one of her students, Aiden, is truly inspiring. Take a listen and find out for yourself. Stay tuned for more stories to come! 

Guest today is Melinda. She has been volunteering with the disability community since she was 13 years old, and teaching for 8 years in a variety of different settings. Her story about inclusion is very powerful, and still a debate whether inclusion works for our disability community in a school setting. Inclusion can provide so many opportunities for students in the long run, even when it feels overwhelming at times. Teamwork is key to having a successful inclusion setting! Stay tuned for more stories to come! 

Guest today, Julie. I got the pleasure of working with. We were a great team who got things done while also having fun. She has worked as a Paraprofessional (Teacher Assistant) for 18 years in a variety of different settings and students over the years. She is an amazing advocate for the disability community. If you ever need help, she is someone you can rely on to help you figure out a solution. Her stories allow you to truly experience the beauty of working with the disability community. Stay tuned for more stories to come! 

Guest today, Jennifer. She has worked as a Special Education Teacher for 15 years and is still going. 13 of those 15 years she worked in a self contained classroom with students with Autism. Listen to her mini stories of working with one of her students with lower functioning Autism. Stay tuned for more stories to come! 

A guest for you today, Sharon. She grew up around the disability community, worked for 13 years as a paraprofessional aka teacher assistant, and got her degree in elementary and special education last year. Currently, she is in her first year of teaching in a center based classroom for middle schoolers. She deals with moderate to severe students with disabilities. Sharon's story of an interaction with one of her student's is thoughtful and funny all in one. Tune in and be on the lookout for more stories to come! 

Another guest for you, Whitney! She is the founder of LEAD Behavior Support in Virginia. Not only that, but she is a Chief Operations Officer for Community Direct Services, a mother of two children, and has a fiancee who strives to help one of her own children with ADHD. Whitney's passion for the disability community is impeccable. She continues to strive to support the disability community the best she can. Her story with one of her past clients was impactful! Listen to her story about building independence for her client and family. Keep a lookout for more stories to come!Check out Whitney's website, she does amazing work!www.learnwithleaf.com

I have another guest, Jo, who is from the United Kingdom! She has worked with children with Autism and related learning difficulties for over 13 years in the school and home setting. She has done many years working 1:1 (one-to-one) with children as a paraprofessional and at home as their Applied Behavior Analysis therapist. Currently, she is a Behavior Analysis working with a number of different families, teams, and continuing to work with a few children 1:1. Working 1:1 is by far her favorite part of the job! Jo is very passionate about her job, and loves to celebrate students' accomplishments and differences. Listen to her story about working as a Behavior Analysis with a student with Autism. Keep a lookout for more stories to come! 

I have another guest, Amanda! She is going on her 8th year in teaching special education. Amanda tells me her reasons for why she teaches special education and an amazing story to listen to! Communication is always a barrier in our society, but in the disability community it is even more of a challenge. Listen to Amanda's story of how she helped a student be successful communicating to the world! Keep a lookout for more stories to come!

I have another guest, Madeline. She has been teaching, but mostly administration for 11 years. Currently, she works for Twinkl…. (www.twinkl.com). Check it out for more information! A great resource to help educate the youth population! Madeline tells me an amazing story she had with one of her students whose name at the time was “Peter Parker” aka Spiderman! Let's just say “Peter” gave the front office secretaries a run for their money. If you email Madeline at madeline.jones@twinkl.com, you can get a free 6 months for free. Yes, FREE! Keep a lookout for more stories! 

t's back to the good ole days when I was a paraprofessional in a life skills classroom. The ranges of disabilities in that classroom varied from, Down Syndrome, Intellectually disabled, severe behaviors, and more. It was a learning year for me! I was assigned a 6 foot tall boy who has autism with mild behaviors. He was super funny, observant, and loved to reenact scenes from movies. He was going through a growth spurt, and was needing some new clothes. His mom decided to get him some “big boy pants.” She called them the “big boy pants” because he was a big boy, who loved to eat all her food. She was supportive, caring, and always knew how to make me laugh. 

This episode, I interviewed one of my favorite parents that I had the pleasure to meet while taking care of her great daughter in the group home setting. Mrs. Wald is a huge advocate for the disability community and very involved in her daughter's life. Her daughter is intelligent, caring, and could be a comedian as a side job. She has Cry The Cat Syndrome with some characteristics of autism. Cry The Cat Syndrome is a chromosomal condition that results in a missing piece of the chromosome 5. Some characteristics are a distinctive cry, small size head, and some show signs of intellectual disability, speech delays, and behavioral issues. Mrs. Wald's story of one of her interactions with her daughter is heart-warming. Her daughter has never had a sibling, so why not have a dog instead. Her daughter always has a list of names, and is always wanting to learn new names, but the story behind the names she chose for her dog siblings is outstanding. This story put a smile on my face! It's parents like Mrs. Wald who help me be a better educator to our disability community, and be more present in my own life. Keep a lookout for more stories to come!

Working during summer school was a learning experience for me. I got to meet and teach some amazing students from the ranges of life skills to the resource room (two to three years below grade level)  setting. This story is about one of my students who is learning three different languages, along with him being severely autistic with very low communication skills. He is always learning how to communicate with words, and during our time together, he was able to pronounce and sign four words out of the list of twenty words we practiced in four weeks. Huge success!! He was ecstatic to be understood. Keep a lookout for more stories to come!

This is a must listen to!! I am unbelievable blessed to have listened to Mrs. Hook's  adventures when finding out her daughter had Autism. It's relatable to some, and learning for others. This episode, I interviewed one of my favorite paraprofessionals, Mrs. Hook, I had worked with her in my teaching career. She is a rockstar! We were a great team. We always advocated for students and kept things fun. Mrs. Hook has three children, one with high functioning Autism, and worked as a paraprofessional, who now is a substitute teacher for her daughters' school. She is a phenomenal human being!Mrs. Hook's story of when she found out her daughter had Autism is outstanding. She took on a big obstacle head on. Also ,her version of how her daughter felt when she knew she had Autism is impeccable. Her daughter is bright, smart, and a go-getter. She won't let anything get in her way, not even a label. After all those long days, Mrs. Hook is so blessed to continue to keep learning from her daughter.Side note: Apraxia is a neurological disorder that can be characterized by the inability to perform learned movements on command. Keep a lookout for more stories to come!  

This episode,I interviewed a family friend, Catherine. She worked for Mental Health as a Developmental Disability (DD) case manager for 15 years. Catherine is retired, but had some outstanding stories to tell about working with adults with disabilities.  In this story, she will tell you a story about a client who drank too much antimonium syrup, and thought he needed to go to the hospital. Catherine handled the situation with good intentions, or as she put it, you get smarter over the years.After 15 years she is so grateful to have worked with adults with disabilities.Keep a lookout for more stories to come!

This little story is about the joys of being involved with Special Olympics swimming. I had an amazing opportunity to help participate in swimming and track for the Special Olympics since a few of my ladies I had in a group home were athletes. The joy you get to witness is outstanding. Brainstorming creative team names is one way to get your athletes ready for a race!  If you haven't gone to a Special Olympics event, I would recommend you do. It's a great experience! Keep a lookout for more episodes to come! 

I am so excited for this interview with my guest, Mr. Buck, aka my dad. I love to hear any of his stories! Any story with Mr. Buck is one you don't want to miss out! He is a retired special education teacher of 26 years with plenty of great stories to tell working in the education world! Mr. Buck has greatly impacted many students, parents, and support staff in his years of teaching. In this episode, he will tell you a time he remembers so vividly of making a difference in a student's life. Teamwork between teacher and parent is the dream work. Keep a lookout for more episodes to come! 

It's another great day teaching Special Education with middle schoolers! This short little story will tell you a joyful experience I got to have with my students in playing the card game Uno. Uno is amazing, and is a total game changer in switching things up from learning academics. It allows you to help work on social skills, which kids need as they get older. My students and I loved playing it. Stay tuned for more stories to come. I am working on interviewing another Special Education teacher for my next episode, so stay tuned for his stories! They are going to be hilarious and inspiring! 

Working in groups homes was always a great experience for me. I worked in a variety of different houses and in different locations all throughout my college years. I met great people and made memories that I will never forget. This story in particular was in a group home with three lovely ladies. One woman, Bon Bon, was an athlete who has autism. Autism is a broad diagnosis, but some of the common characteristics of autism are difficulty with social skills and communication, repetitive behavior, and obsessive interest. Bon Bon is high functioning with some help on strategies for social skills. She was an intelligent woman, who loved to read, laugh, and stay active. Bon Bon had a lifelong crush named Ben. We called him Ben the nerd, because he had glasses. Our stories were priceless. We both laughed so hard that sometimes we both almost peed our pants. She always kept things exciting! Keep a look out every Friday for new stories to listen to. 

Here is another virtual learning story with Mr. Fortnite. Virtual teaching had some interesting moments that no teacher has ever experienced before. I teach in a co-taught math class, which is two adults in one general education classroom to provide extra support for all students. Also, I teach my own classes to work on filling in the gaps of math and English for individual students, and build more confidence in themselves. Mr. Fortnite has ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) he has a hard time sitting still, excessive talking, and has a hard time focusing on tasks. It is always an adventure when teaching with him. He is a bright and talented young boy. There is never a dull moment with him.Keep a look out every Friday for new stories to come. 

More stories with my experience in the group home setting with adults with disabilities. This story, I tell you a little about some joys that you experience while working with adults with disabilities. I am working a night shift with an adult who is Nonverbal, but smarter than what he leads on. He was able to understand most tasks asked of him, or understand a bit of conversations. He responded either physically or with small noises. His grandma was a goddess, who taught him how to navigate through society with his communication barrier. She is a blessing in my books. All I can say is never underestimate someone who can't speak. They speak in other ways! Keep a lookout for more stories to come every Friday. 

Let's dive into some of my group home experiences with adults with disabilities. This story, was a once in a lifetime moment that is crazy and funny all in one. I am working a night shift with an adult who has Bipolar Manic Disorder. Bipolar Manic Disorder is extreme mood swings that include emotional highs and lows. We both had a wild night, while he was in his manic episode screaming fire, and me trying to make sure we both don't die. It was a night to remember! Keep a lookout for more stories to come every Friday. 

This week I am telling you a wild moment of my experience teaching a lesson virtually. It has been a roller coaster ride, trying to teach a millions things at once through a screen. However, with challenges there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Those who are helping students virtually, and who have transitioned back into in-person learning, you are amazing!! 

Here's a preview of a new show dropping Friday March 12,2021.