Podcasts about clinical leadership

This session is a Q & A I did in the Language Therapy Advance Foundations member's group relating to how to support students through semantic study and working on complex syntax. I addressed the following FAQs:“How do I help students who struggle to define and describe words without making them prompt-dependent?”“How do I make semantic study more contextualized?”“What's the difference between a “task-based” goal and a “strategy-based” goal, and which type of goal should I be using for language and executive functioning?”I also provide examples of goals for observable behaviors vs. goals that focus on the process of getting to that behavior or end output. Highlights of this session include:✅Using the explicit instruction framework: “I do, we do, you do.”✅Using pauses, reflective questions, sentence starters, direct repetition, and declarative statements (hint: we should be using a blend of all these things.)✅Where we SHOULD use explicit, repetitive, “decontextualized” tasks in therapy for purposes of cognitive priming. ✅Why students need a blend of structured and unstructured tasks (from decontextualized to contextualized). This session came from a Q & A I did in Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/ The following resources were mentioned in this session:The Explicit Instruction Framework by Anita Archer and Charles Hughes: https://explicitinstruction.org/This video on scaffolding sentence combining for younger students: https://youtu.be/LDLYlZgqpQUThe strategy-based goals for executive functioning came from information from the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers put executive functioning intervention in place. You can learn more about the School of Clinical Leadership here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership

Having someone observe your therapy room or classroom can feel awkward; whether it's your boss doing your evaluation, or whether it's a special service provider who's supporting students in your class.When I've talked with administrators and service providers about classroom observations, they say it can be a learning curve for the person coming into the classroom as well. Yet having another set of eyes on your students can often be a valuable learning experience for both the person observing and the person being observed. That's why I invited John Mihalyo to the De Facto Leaders Podcast to talk about how school leaders can turn observations into meaningful learning experiences instead of an obligation. We also talk about what it takes to start new programs and initiatives, and how to take a proactive approach when it comes to marketing and communication. John Mihalyo is a highly accomplished education professional and the visionary founder of Elementary Advancement Solutions, a leading educational consulting company dedicated to empowering Catholic and faith-based school leaders. With a robust background encompassing over two decades of experience as an administrator and 15 years as a Catholic school principal, John Mihalyo has honed his expertise in addressing the multifaceted challenges encountered by educational leaders. John is also the host of the Catholic School Leaders podcast on the BE podcast network. In this conversation, we discuss:✅Why good school leaders visit classrooms before the official employee evaluation.✅Why starting a new program in a school can be a 3-year process (or more).✅The importance of marketing and communication (for both staff and community). ✅The difference between running public, private, and faith-based schools. You can listen to my interview on the Catholic School Leaders Podcast here: Navigating Executive Functioning to Support Student Growth with Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan (Link here: https://cslp.bepodcast.network/episodes/navigating-executive-functioning-to-support-student-growth-with-dr-karen-dudek-brannan)Connect with John on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmihalyo/Listen to the Catholic School Leaders Podcast here: https://cslp.bepodcast.network/Learn more about Elementary Advancement Solutions here: https://elementaryadvancement.com/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership  We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Many young adults enter their post-high school years without the executive functioning skills needed to thrive. This is often because the people supporting them underestimate the amount of support they're getting, and there's no plan in place to fade that prompting. When young adults enter college, they have to manage sleep hygiene, long-term projects, and manage screen time. This is why I talk so much about using multiple service delivery models when supporting executive functioning; whether it be in the schools or in private practice; because many essential life skills cannot be taught without the right environmental scaffolding in place.  That's why I invited Michael McLeod from GrowNOW therapy to talk about why he uses a combination of direct sessions, summer camps with community-based activities, parent coaching, and educator training. Michael partnered and worked with The Focus Foundation in 2015, learning from incredible doctors, neuropsychologists, and various specialists – gaining in-depth training and experience with ADHD and Executive Function research and development. He currently specializes in ADHD, Executive Functioning, Social Executive Functioning, and Parent Coaching. From his experiences as an Executive Function Specialist, Michael developed a distinct model of Internal Skills Coaching to enhance these skills. Michael is a Keynote Speaker and has presented nationwide and internationally, training families and professionals on his unique GrowNOW Treatment Model for fostering Executive Functions & Resiliency.In this conversation, we discuss:✅Do graduate programs prepare clinicians to work on executive functioning out in the field?✅Frontloading vs. traditional social skills sessions.✅Why helping families set boundaries around screen time is an essential part of the services clinicians offer.✅Defining failure to launch and what it looks like in young adults.✅Situational awareness and its impact on safety for college students. You can connect with Michael at:GrowNOWADHD.com, here: http://grownowadhd.com/GrowNOW Instagram, here: http://instagram.com/GrowNOWADHDGrowNOW School Trainings, here: https://www.grownowadhd.com/training/ADHD Parenting Podcast, here: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xATyVhNZU3abIejNIggvDListen to my previous conversations with Michael here:EP 008: Building accountability and motivation in kids with ADHD (with Mike McLeod), here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-008-building-accountability-and-motivation-in-kids-with-adhd-with-mike-mcleod/EP 009: Time management and device use boundaries in kids with ADHD (with Mike McLeod), here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-009-time-management-and-device-use-boundaries-for-kids-with-adhd-with-mike-mcleod/The following previous episodes were mentioned in this episode:EP 122: Executive functioning for college students: Beyond checklists and planners (with Jill Fahy), here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-122-executive-functioning-for-college-students-beyond-checklists-and-planners-with-jill-fahy/EP 193: Using Distance Learning to Increase Access and Opportunity (with Seth Fleischauer), here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-193-using-distance-learning-to-increase-access-and-opportunity-with-seth-fleischauer/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Dr. Zach Baker has built a career by challenging traditional education pathways in physical therapy. From developing a sports residency program to launching CEU courses, Zach has found innovative ways to educate clinicians outside of academia. We dive into the challenges of building a residency from the ground up, why mentorship is key to developing future leaders, and how continuing education can be both profitable and impactful. Zach also shares his insights on balancing patient care, leadership, and business growth while staying committed to lifelong learning. Whether you're a student, clinician, or entrepreneur, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways on how to educate, lead, and grow beyond the traditional academic setting.Learn more about our guest at:

Finding the right amount of therapy materials is a struggle for many clinicians. It's hard to find the balance between having enough options, without having so many choices it feels overwhelming.Now that we have access to digital resources, we also have to think about how to use technology responsibly and effectively. That's why I invited Dr. Karen Rose to episode 204 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to discuss how digital platforms can minimize cognitive fatigue and improve communication on multidisciplinary teams. Dr. Karen Rose has over two decades of experience as a pediatric speech and language pathologist, fueling her passion for improving healthcare. As the former Vice President of Research and Clinical Development at Cognishine, she provided clinical and academic guidance and contributed to numerous research projects. She is now engaged in postdoctoral research and continues to work with Cognishine as an external advisor. Her work has been published in numerous internationally renowned journals.In this conversation, we discuss:✅How different clinical disciplines can collaborate with each other, as well as IT professionals to create engaging therapy resources.✅Using technology to enhance (but not replace) interactive in-person experiences.✅Thinking of digital platforms and therapy materials as a communication tool for team collaboration and parent coaching. ✅Leveraging online materials to provide scaffolding for therapists so they don't have to start from scratch; while still allowing room for engagement and creativity. Learn more about Cognishine here: https://www.cognishine.com/Follow Cognishine on LinkedIn here. https://www.linkedin.com/company/cognishine-therapy-and-education-ltd/Explore some of Congishine's Educational Resources and Free Activities here: https://app.cognishine.com/en-us/free-activitiesConnect with Dr. Karen on LinkedIn directly here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-rose-228757327/ In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

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In this episode, I'm answering FAQs from the School of Clinical Leadership members about supporting students' executive functioning.I answer the following questions:What is frontloading, and why is it useful for students experiencing executive dysfunction and anxiety?When is it best to use structured, explicit instruction, and when is it best to let students figure things out on their own?How do you help students who won't complete work unless they have an adult sitting next to them?How do we provide ENOUGH support for students who need explicit instruction, but not so much that we're making students prompt dependent?What can school staff do if parents aren't setting boundaries with kids at home?How can we support parents who are struggling with bed times and morning routines? This Q & A was done for members of the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that teaches related service providers how to support executive functioning in the K-12 setting. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/lta-foundations-enrollment-2-web-fbI also mentioned my Time Tracking Journal tool, which provides a strategy that helps children build the executive functioning skills they need to complete multistep tasks. You can learn more about the Time Tracking Journal here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/timejournalYou can sign up for the free executive functioning training called “How to be evidence-based and neurodiversity-affirming with executive functioning support” here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efleadershipI mentioned an additional examples of frontloading for social situations in this previous podcast episode: EP 167: Executive Functioning Support: Three Paradigm Shifts for School Teams. Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-167-a-framework-for-executive-functioning-intervention-three-shifts-for-school-teams/Finally, I mention the explicit instruction framework by Anita Archer and Charles Hughes. Link here: https://explicitinstruction.org/  We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

In today's episode, we offer invaluable insights on how to effectively partner with leadership to make a compelling and effective case for physician well-being and organizational transformation.   Dr. Brooke Buckley is an expert in navigating organizational systems and advocating for wellness and culture change within healthcare settings. She is currently the Chief Medical Officer of Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital. She is responsible for the leadership of the hospital's physicians. Dr Buckley is a general surgeon by training.  She also serves on the Committee of Clinical Leadership for the American Hospital Association and on the American Medical Political Action Committee Board for the American Medical Association. Dr. Jessie Mahoney is an experienced physician wellness leader and organizational leader. She led local and regional wellness initiatives at The Permanente Medical Group from 2003 to 2020. She was also a Site Chief of Pediatrics. She is well-versed in addressing the challenges of balancing operational pressures with the needs of physicians. Dr. Buckley emphasizes the importance of understanding healthcare systems, their rules, and structures, and how to work within them to advocate for change. She also outlines strategies for speaking the language of executive leadership to bring wellness to the forefront of the conversation—whether that's improving retention rates, reducing turnover, or addressing the impact of burnout on patient care. Translating wellness needs into the impact on finances, turnover, productivity, and quality of care can help you make a compelling case for change. Two tips we share in this episode: Be Strategic and “Not a Victim.” Advocacy for wellness requires a shift in mindset. Instead of focusing on fairness or what's right or wrong, it's crucial to be strategic, understand what leadership “needs”.  Speak to what they care about. Bring the impact of physician unwellness on hospital finances, quality of care, cost of care, physician availability, and patient access to the forefront of discussions. Grieve and Move Forward. Burnout is not an excuse to disengage. It can be an invitation to assume leadership and advocate for change.  Physicians have the most profound understanding of the issues that need fixing and should be the ones to lead the charge.  Before jumping in, it's important to acknowledge and allow yourself and others to grieve the loss of what they thought medicine would be like. It's hard to advocate rather than complain when you are depleted, angry, and/or emotionally reactive. If you find this episode helpful, please subscribe, share with your colleagues, and leave a review to help others find the podcast. If you are a physician wellness leader, or want to be, coach with Jessie - 1:1, in topic-focused small groups, or at a retreat. www.jessiemahoneymd.com.   If you want to bring true wellness and culture change to your institution or organization, hire one or both of us to speak or lead a workshop. If you would like to create a retreat for your team, reach out to Jessie. https://www.jessiemahoneymd.com/team-coaching-retreats *Nothing shared in the Mindful Healers Podcast is medical advice.   #physicianwellness #mindfulnesscoach #pauseandpresence #physiciancoach

A good school leader knows how to protect their staff from initiatives and fires they may need to put out on a regular basis. In many cases if you're unaware of everything your school administrator is dealing with, it means they're doing their job well. This lack of awareness of what happens behind-the-scenes may mean little appreciation for everything administrators are dealing with. While negative perceptions exist towards teachers and other school staff members as well, the public tends to be even more unforgiving towards those in leadership positions. Yet despite all the negativity, I'm optimistic. Part of that is because of the many conversations I've had with public sector leaders. When you remove the parts from the whole, and speak with the individuals who are part of the bigger system, it's easier to see past the politics and have an appreciation for the work being done. That's why I'm highlighting impactful clips from three past interviews focused on the struggles of school leaders, as well as what's possible when we put the right supports in place for students, teachers, and the people leading them. These interviews feature discussions on:✅The impact of social media on the perception of education, and shedding light on the “behind-the-scenes” challenges of principals. ✅The importance of positive adult role models in shaping kids' beliefs about what's ✅The power of K-12 education in creating life opportunities.  ✅Using meditation to decrease disciplinary write-ups and increase your own creative problem-solving.✅How to use the 85% rule to support your mental health and show up for your students. You can listen to the full interviews here along with guest bios:EP 114: Do school leaders need coaching? (with Dan Kelley) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-114-do-school-leaders-need-coaching-with-dan-kelley/EP 128: Using K-12 education to create opportunities and find your calling (with Dr. Joseph Williams) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-128-using-k-12-education-to-create-opportunities-and-find-your-calling-with-dr-joseph-williams-iii/EP 124: Meditation for educators and the art of giving 85% (with Danny Bauer) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-124-meditation-for-educators-and-the-art-of-giving-85-with-danny-bauer/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Welcome to the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast! In Episode 108, host Dr. Sarah Smith is joined by Dr. Sarah Dalton, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist from Sydney, Australia. Together, they explore the challenges and innovations in creating sustainable career paths for clinicians within complex healthcare systems. Dr. Dalton shares her unique journey through medicine, likening herself to a 'platypus' with diverse interests that have led her to integrate pediatrics, acute care, and quality improvement. Listeners will gain insights into her work in clinical leadership, her focus on patient experience and quality improvement in emergency settings, and her role in implementing electronic medical records across New South Wales. Dr. Dalton also discusses balancing clinical and nonclinical roles, the significance of self-care, and the value of coaching for medical professionals. Join us as we delve into practical approaches and systemic solutions aimed at enhancing the sustainability of medical careers. Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode: Quality Improvement in Healthcare: Dalton emphasized the importance of quality improvement as a structured approach to solving healthcare system issues. By leveraging PDSA cycles, clinicians can effectively enhance patient experiences and streamline processes. System-Level Change and Leadership: Leading large-scale healthcare initiatives, such as implementing electronic medical records across hospitals, requires authentic engagement and a clear vision of benefits for clinicians and patients alike. Balancing Work and Wellness: Dalton shared her strategy for maintaining a sustainable work-life balance, highlighting the importance of setting boundaries and incorporating regular breaks to recharge. Dr. Sarah Dalton Bio: Dr Sarah Dalton has a clinical background as a Paediatric Emergency Physician, and a long history of medical leadership roles including previous President of the Paediatric and Child Health Division of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Sarah has worked in different clinical and managerial roles across NSW over the last 25 years, including several executive leadership roles within NSW Health. Sarah has completed a Fulbright Scholarship in Clinical Leadership and is an experienced executive coach and facilitator who primarily works with healthcare leaders. -------------- Would you like to view a transcript of this episode? Click here **** Charting Champions is a premiere, lifetime access Physician only program that is helping Physicians get home with today's work done. All the proven tools, support and community you need to create time for your life outside of medicine. Learn more at https://www.chartingcoach.ca **** Enjoying this podcast? Please share it with someone who would benefit. Also, don't forget to hit “follow” so you get all the new episodes as soon as they are released. **** Come hang out with me on Facebook or Instagram. Follow me @chartingcoach to get more practical tools to help you create sustainable clinical medicine in your life. **** Questions? Comments? Want to share how this podcast has helped you? Shoot me an email at admin@reachcareercoaching.ca. I would love to hear from you.

Helping families feel involved in their child's school experience is a challenge; and underrepresented populations may often feel like their voices aren't being heard.While it can help if school staff buy in to the idea of family engagement, it's difficult for schools to make it happen without the right systems in place. That's why I invited Ari Gerzon-Kessler to episode 200 of De Facto Leaders to talk about the “Families and Educators Together”, or FET team framework he's developed. Ari Gerzon-Kessler is a sought after speaker and professional learning provider. He is the author of “On The Same Team: Bringing Educators & Underrepresented Families Together,” which won the Gold Medal from the Independent Publishers Book Awards for outstanding education book of 2024. Ari is a speaker, trainer, and coach working with schools and districts committed to forging stronger school-family partnerships. He also leads the Family Partnerships department for the Boulder Valley School District (CO).Ari has been an educator since 2000, having served as a principal and bilingual teacher. In 2006, Ari was a recipient of the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund. As principal, his school received the Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award in 2013. His leadership efforts to strengthen partnerships with underrepresented families and dismantle unjust practices was featured in Education Week in 2015.In this conversation, we discuss:✅How to get and keep families engaged in the “Families and Educators Together” (FET) Team✅What's the difference between the PTO and the FET team, and how can these two teams work together.✅“Event-based” planning versus “Engagement-based” planning?✅Using a combination of technology and in-person events to increase equity and help families feel more included in their children's school experience.✅How to set up systems that enable educators to have regular positive communication with families. In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadershipLearn more about Ari's workshops, articles, and resources here: https://tinyurl.com/4yaszyknYou can connect with Ari on LinkedIn here: www.linkedin.com/in/arigerzon-kesslerConnect with him on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ari.gerzonkessler/Get his book  “On The Same Team: Bringing Educators & Underrepresented Families Together,” here: https://www.solutiontree.com/on-the-same-team.htmlEmail him at arigerzon@gmail.com. We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Teachers and school leaders often feel like they have to be “everything to everyone”. Not only are educators expected to deliver high-quality instruction in traditional academic areas, they're also expected to provide social-emotional support, vocational training, and everything in between.When it comes to supporting mental health, this can be a tricky ethical line to walk when you're trained as a teacher and not as a clinician. Additionally, school staff are constantly trying to manage their own mental health needs, which is a challenge when the public tends to be unforgiving. That's why I invited Dr. Hayley Watson to episode 198 of De Facto Leaders to talk about how to help teachers support mental health in a way that falls within their scope. Dr. Hayley Watson is the founder and CEO of Open Parachute, a Tier 1 K-12 curriculum program that supports the mental health of students, teachers, and parents. She is also an author and Clinical Psychologist and holds a PhD in school bullying interventions. She has been creating and delivering programs for youth and practitioners across the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia for the past 20 years.In this conversation, we discuss:✅Special education accommodations feel like “extra” work for teachers: Embedding mental health into Tier 1 curriculum solves this problem.✅Why talking about mental health in general education helps educate peers on diverse learning needs.✅Destigmatizing mental health and giving youth the language to talk about self-regulation and self-care. ✅Service delivery models: Why we need BOTH structured, explicit intervention and real-life practice in social-emotional curriculums.You can learn more about Open Parachute and Dr. Watson's mental health curriculum for schools on her website here: https://openparachuteschools.com/Listen to her TEDx talk “Youth Mental Health is not as complicated as we make it out to be” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVZdMXK4kvk&t=2shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVZdMXK4kvk&t=2sConnect with Dr. Watson on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-hayley-watson-2b249a16/In this conversation, I mentioned this previous episode: EP 151: Does your system support your policy and your curriculum (with Jalita Johnson) here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-151-does-your-system-support-your-policy-and-your-curriculum-with-jalita-johnson/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

“Scaffolding” has become a buzzword when it comes to helping kids become more independent with academic and functional tasks, but it's only useful if people know what it means. Watching students or your own children struggle to transition or complete daily tasks can be uncomfortable for both the adults and children. As a result, it can be easy to get pulled in to a situation where kids become prompt-dependent. That's why I invited Rebecca Robbins to De Facto Leaders to talk about how to use declarative statements and strategic pausing to increase independence. Rebecca Robbins is a speech language pathologist who has spent the bulk of her career helping children, young adults, and families impacted by autism. She has worked in various settings over the course of her career including a private school for children with autism, Early Intervention & Preschool agency work, as well as a public school. She is now the proud owner of Mind ShaperSLP, LLC where she provides 1:1 speech therapy, executive functioning and life skills coaching for individuals and social skills groups. In addition, Rebecca provides parent online training programs and consultation services. Rebecca currently lives in Pennsylvania, and provides services in The Hudson Valley, NY and in Montgomery County, PA.In this conversion, we discuss:✅Parent coaching: It's emphasized in early intervention, so why aren't we doing it for school-age kids and adolescents?✅What does it mean to “act as kids' executive functioning”?✅Directive statements, explicit teaching, reflective questions, and pauses: How to use these strategies to fade prompts.✅Getting started with coaching and consulting: What strategies can we teach adjacent disciplines and caregivers to improve carryover?You can connect with Rebecca and learn about her therapy services and online programs for Autistic clients here: https://mindshaperslp.com/Connect with her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/mindshaperslp/Connect with her on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/MindShaperSLP/In this episode, we mention Linda Murphy's Declarative Handbook and website. You can learn more about Linday Murphy's work on her website here: https://www.lindakmurphy.com/declarative-languageIn this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Many therapists feel as though they have limited upward mobility in their careers. Graduate programs understandably focus on direct clinical practice and understanding evidence-based practices.Unfortunately, this leaves many clinicians unprepared to navigate policy work, salary negotiations, or running a business. This makes many therapists less confident in advocating for reasonable caseloads or better compensation because they feel they have limited options for earning a living. That's why I invited Rachel Archambault to episode 194 to talk about how state and local policy impacts clinical disciplines and how therapists can expand their career options. Rachel Archambault M.A. CCC-SLP is an award-winning speaker and consultant for trauma-informed care as well as a licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP). She collaborates with service providers (SLPs, doctors, PT/OT, etc.), parents, businesses (schools, hospitals, universities, rehab), and communities to incorporate trauma-informed care into their setting. In 2018, Rachel was an SLP at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL when an internationally publicized traumatic event happened at her workplace. After wondering how she could better work with her students (and self) who had undergone trauma, she found trauma-informed care. Her lived experience of trauma in combination with her profession allow her to bridge the gap for SLPs and other service providers who want to learn about and implement trauma-informed care in any setting. Rachel is a neurodivergent SLP, (PTSD & ADHD) and advocates for mental health trainings for SLPs. Rachel uses her unique journey to help put a face to trauma for healthcare providers, parents, and universities.In this conversion, we discuss:✅Negotiating salary for SLPs at the district level and giving public comment. ✅Making a case for districts to hire additional clinicians; including how to show the negative impact of high caseload numbers. ✅How to stay informed and understand how state and local policy impacts your ability to provide quality services. ✅Common knowledge gaps for clinicians; including people management, business operations, sales, marketing, and personal finance. Listen to Rachel's previous interview on De Facto Leaders here: EP 115: Trauma-informed care for therapists, teachers, and school leaders (with Rachel Archambault) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-115-trauma-informed-care-for-therapists-teachers-and-school-leaders-with-rachel-archambault/You can learn more about Rachel's services or how to book her for a speaking engagement here: https://www.ptsdslp.com/Follow her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/ptsd.slp/Follow her on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/PTSD.SLP/Connect with her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-archambault/Listen to the Speech Science Podcast here: https://www.speechsciencepodcast.com/episodesIn this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Most people agree that the “online learning” that happened during COVID was a challenge for many students; especially those with disabilities.However, what happened during the pandemic wasn't a true version of what “distance learning” or “telehealth” should be. There's a difference between leveraging technology to enhance in-person experiences vs. using it as a temporary solution in an emergency situation.There's also a difference between using technology to provide opportunities that wouldn't be possible in-person vs. having an unhealthy relationship with social media.That's why I invited Seth Fleischauer to De Facto Leaders to discuss distance learning best practices, social media, and how to use technology responsibly in education.Seth Fleischauer is the President of Banyan Global Learning, which he founded in 2008 after teaching elementary school with NYC Teaching Fellows. Banyan pioneered daily international EFL distance learning and has since expanded to train teachers and educate K-12 students across three continents. His programs focus on teaching digital and cultural competencies through a global lens and have delivered over 40,000 live teaching sessions. Seth has also hosted nearly 100 podcast episodes, including Make It Mindful and Why Distance Learning?In this conversation, we discuss:✅Why “COVID online learning” wasn't an accurate representation of true distance learning. ✅Opportunities, access, and equity: Using distance learning experiences when IRL isn't possible.✅How do we know when kids are ready for social media?✅Defining the “digital footprint” and how to talk to kids about safe online practices.You can learn more about Seth's company, Banyan Global Learning at: https://banyangloballearning.com/Listen to the Make it Mindful Podcast at: https://feeds.transistor.fm/make-it-mindful-an-education-podcastListen to the Why Distance Learning Podcast at: https://whydistancelearning.transistor.fm/Learn more about the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration here: https://www.cilc.org/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

The writing process comes with internal resistance, even for strong writers.Most people who say they enjoy writing don't enjoy the entire process; particularly the “getting started” part. This is why writing is a common challenge when executive functioning is impacted. Layer on issues with background knowledge, language, and decoding, and it becomes even more complex. Kids need support with the “puzzle pieces” that fit together to support writing. Things like vocabulary, syntax, the ability to decode words, and the ability to spell. But while we're working on these foundational skills, we also need to make sure kids get support with the “glue” that holds them together. This is where self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) can be really powerful. SRSD is a metacognitive strategy designed to help students with the planning and execution of challenging academic tasks like writing. That's why I invited Dr. Nelly Kaakaty to episode 192 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to talk about her research and work in the field with SRSD and supporting students with learning differences.Dr. Nelly Kaakaty is an educational therapist and psychology professor dedicated to creating a more accessible world, one classroom at a time. She has spent the last 12 years as a teacher, learning specialist, and researcher, designing academic programs to support all types of learners. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Child Learning and Development from the University of Texas at Dallas, a Master's degree in Psychology from Texas A&M University-Commerce, and a doctorate in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Special Education from A&M-Commerce. Her current work is twofold: she is learning specialist at an independent school, where she provides academic support to high school students, and she is a professor at a community college, where she teaches courses in psychology.In this conversation, we discuss:✅Why so many writing challenges are tied to executive functioning.✅The power of micro-commitments and working through the struggle.✅Scaffolding, fading prompts, and giving “just enough” support.✅“We start writing before we start writing” and why starting with 5 minutes is okay.✅Self-talk is for strategy and self-image: We need to model and explicitly teach both.You can connect with Dr. K on Instagram @learningwithdrk, or on her website here: https://learningwithdrk.com/?ref=collabs.ioLearn about the resources she offers on her Amazon page here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/learningwithdr.k?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_aipsflearningwithdr.k_BMWF4ZEERV80HH7SES3BConnect with her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nellykaakaty/?ref=collabs.ioIn this episode, I mentioned the following resources:Think SRSD : https://thinksrsd.com/IRIS Center: SRSD Resources : https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/srs/EP 130: Using private practice to offer accessible services and advocate for your profession (with Ebony Green) : https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-162-the-summer-slide-real-phenomenon-or-invented-by-tutoring-companies-with-david-schipper/EP 176: Building the language skills for reading, writing, and spelling (with Dr. Jan Wasowicz): https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-176-building-the-language-skills-for-reading-writing-and-spelling-with-dr-jan-wasowicz/“Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching” by Anita L. Archer and Charles A. Hughes : https://explicitinstruction.org/ “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield : https://stevenpressfield.com/books/the-war-of-art/“Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamott : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12543.Bird_by_BirdTim Ferriss Show Episode Episode 263: Master Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky-Exploring Creativity, Ignoring Critics, and Marking Art: https://tim.blog/2017/09/09/darren-aronofsky/Tim Ferriss Show Episode 154: The Habits of a Master-Paulo Coehlo, Author of the Alchemist: https://tim.blog/2016/04/23/paulo-coelho-the-alchemist/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Meg welcomes Dr. Kelly LeBlanc, Chief of Anesthesia and President of the Medical Staff at Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital. Dr. LeBlanc is also a physician partner with U.S. Anesthesia Partners (USAP), a physician-owned, clinician-led organization providing anesthesia services in more than 700 inpatient and outpatient facilities across the country, serving more than 2 million patients annually.At USAP, Dr. LeBlanc is part of the Clinical Operations Committee, focusing on enabling great patient outcomes, developing exceptional clinical leaders, and creating a positive clinical culture, which includes a healthy work-life balance. Meg and Dr. LeBlanc discuss USAP's role in addressing staffing shortages within health systems. Dr. LeBlanc highlights the importance of creating a positive clinical culture and improving the employee experience. She shares how USAP is implementing innovative strategies, such as a culture committee and surveys, to listen to and address the needs of their team members. Dr. LeBlanc reflects on her journey into medicine and anesthesia, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and caring for patients. The importance of representation and mentorship in attracting and retaining more women, especially minorities, in medicine is highlighted as well. Dr. LeBlanc's experiences overcoming barriers speak to the the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive culture within the healthcare industry. Further Reading: USAPHouston MethodistDEI and Anesthesiology ResidentsInspirational Black Men and Women in Medicine: Dr Kelly LeBlanc of Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital On 5 Things You Need To Create A Successful Career In MedicineHealth: Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital taking patient care to new levelsEpisode Credits: The Game-Changing Women of Healthcare is a production of The Krinsky Company. Hosted by Meg Escobosa. Produced by Meg Escobosa, Calvin Marty, Chelsea Ho, Markala Comfort, and Wendy Nielsen.Edited, engineered, and mixed by Calvin Marty. All music composed and performed by Calvin Marty. ©2024 The Krinsky Company

High-impact tutoring has a wide body of evidence to support its efficacy, but how do you know what is and isn't “high-impact”?Is it better to brand yourself as an academic coach or an executive functioning coach?Should “executive functioning” be a class in school, or should it be embedded into all the classes?I invited my colleague David Schipper to episode 191 of De Facto Leaders to ponder some of these questions. David Schipper is the director of Strategic Learning Clinic, a position he has held since 2013. David obtained a B.A. in English Literature from Concordia University in 1998 as well as a B.Ed. in Secondary Education (English and History) from McGill University in 2002. After some work as a local teacher in Montreal, David founded 2Torial Educational Centre in 2007. Aside from his ability to put both parents and students at ease, David uses his clinic's fairly unique approach to help get to the root of students' learning challenges and propose the most suitable remediation to resolve these weaknesses. As a father of two children, David knows how to relate to the concerns of parents and as an experienced educator, thoroughly understands the struggles of students. His passion and dedication to teaching and learning is second to none. In this conversation, we discuss:✅The features of high-impact tutoring vs. traditional tutoring.✅How are “COVID high schoolers” doing now that they're in college?✅Strategies are important, but can you use a strategy without content knowledge?✅Executive functioning in the schools: How should it look across Tiers 1, 2, and 3?You can connect with David on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-schipper-1537972a/You can learn more about Strategic Learning Clinic on their website here: https://strategiclearning.ca/ on their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/SLCStrategicLearningClinicor on Instagram @strategiclearningclinic (https://www.instagram.com/strategiclearningclinic/)You can find the National Education Association article on High-Impact Tutoring here: https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/high-impact-tutoring, and can find additional research on the impact of High-Impact Tutoring and COVID learning loss here: https://educationlab.uchicago.edu/2024/03/national-study-finds-in-school-tutoring-programs-are-successfully-accelerating-student-learning-reversing-pandemic-era-learning-loss/ We also mentioned Natalie Wexler's work in this episode. You can learn more about her work on her website here: https://nataliewexler.com/Listen to David's previous interview on De Facto Leaders here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-162-the-summer-slide-real-phenomenon-or-invented-by-tutoring-companies-with-david-schipper/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Many of my colleagues working in the public sector are skeptical of companies selling products to school districts. I've felt some of this skepticism myself as I've seen certain approaches gain traction because they're well-marketed (yet not evidence-based). So it's understandable to me that people would question the motives of companies selling products; especially in the for-profit space.The elephant in the room, of course, is that Dr. Karen, LLC is a for-profit EdTech company. I've also spent a fair amount of time interacting with people who either work for larger EdTech or curriculum companies, or who have started one themselves.Most of them are therapists, administrators, or teachers who felt inspired to create something who are trying to make a living doing something that matters. This would describe many of the hosts on the Be Podcast Network, which is why I wanted to invite one of the network co-founders, Ross Romano, to De Facto Leaders to talk about his experiences coaching EdTech and education-related start-up founders. Ross Romano has worked with over 100 companies and nonprofit organizations in the education space and collaborated with countless schools, districts, and educators. Ross is founder and CEO of September Strategies, an award-winning consulting firm helping leaders and organizations connect vision to decision through coaching, strategic advisement, and marketing consulting. Ross is also co-founder of the BE Podcast Network, a media company producing 40+ series reaching more than 50,000 educators and parents every month. He is also Strategic Advisor for the American Consortium for Equity in Education and the Founding Program Chair of the Consortium's Excellence in Equity Awards.Prior to starting September Strategies, Ross was Managing Director of MindRocket Media Group, a K-12 marketing firm. Previously, he was head of communications for ASCD, working closely with the organization's authors, product developers, administrator members, constituent leaders, and advocacy teams on a diverse array of initiatives. Ross has created and/or hosted dozens of podcast series, written a number of white papers and ebooks, is a contributing editor to Educate AI Magazine, and has been a contributor to Entrepreneur, The Learning Counsel, edCircuit, Access & Equity PreK-12, and more.Ross serves on the advisory boards for Shenandoah University's Transformative Leadership program and Morning Brew Learning. In 2023, he was listed as a Top 10 leadership coach of the year and was profiled by CIO Views as one of the visionary leaders transforming education.In this conversation, we discuss:✅Business advice that creates ethical dilemmas for companies selling products to school districts.✅Can companies stand for equity without sacrificing product quality and customer service? ✅Who is the true end-user when products are sold to schools?✅When a product isn't resulting in increased student outcomes, is it really just about the quality of the product? ✅Who is making purchasing decisions for schools, and what matters to them? Learn more about the BE Podcast Network here: https://bepodcast.network/Listen to Ross on The Sideline Sessions Podcast here: https://ss.bepodcast.network/people/ross-romanoListen to Ross on The Authority Podcast here: https://authoritypodcast.net/Learn more about Ross's coaching and media services for education-related companies here: https://www.septemberstrat.com/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Our mission here at MWRI is to provide Elite Continuing Education for Rehab Professionals to succeed in CLINICAL PRACTICE AND give them the necessary coaching resources to succeed in their BUSINESS.Ep. 47: How to Answer the Phone in a Rehab Practice -The Clinical Leadership Podcast | Alex Earl, DCIn this video, rehab chiropractor business coach and educator, Dr. Alex Earl, DC discusses how to properly ANSWER the phone in your rehab chiro office in 2024 (and beyond!)Join Our FREE Innovator Program, to Get Your Next $10K PROFIT in the next 30 days here!

Many people treat social skills groups as if they're the complete package, when in fact they're just one part of a bigger service plan. When we “lesson plan” we can't think of our intervention as something that starts and ends with a 20-minute therapy session. Instead, we should think of it as a “planning” or a “priming” session. That's why one of the very first things I teach clinicians in the School of Clinical Leadership is how to utilize multiple service delivery models when supporting executive functioning because social skills should fall under this umbrella.  In this episode, I wanted to share two sneak peaks from the program. I'll share the audio from two video clips from the School of Clinical Leadership that will set the stage for effective social skills intervention.You'll learn:✅How to use social skill-building sessions in a way that builds resilience, situational awareness, and considers a student's neurodevelopmental differences. ✅Why many premade social narratives don't result in good generalization, and how to be a good consumer of commercially available products. ✅The three components of effective social skills intervention and where the “social skills group” fits. ✅The components of good social narratives, and how to create them “on the fly”. *In the video modeling tutorial, I mention that a lot of people write goals for eye contact-and I wanted to clarify that I do not recommend writing eye contact goals. Instead, I recommend focusing on helping kids with the underlying communicative function, such as showing others you're paying attention or gaining attention of others, which can be achieved through other ways besides eye contact. In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadershipIf you're already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I'll send you a $100 referral bonus.  We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

I regularly hear from therapists who ask me questions about how to evaluate language in a way that gives detailed, meaningful, and accurate information.Most people know standardized tests only show a small fraction of what we need to know when it comes to language and cognition, yet many clinicians still don't consistently utilize a complete portfolio evaluation. A lot barriers get in the way, including:

In this interview, I revisit conversations surrounding the school-to-confinement pipeline, giving students' the language skills to understand their rights, the link between language, literacy and “behavior problems”, and how to get started with policy work. I share my commentary on the following:✅ Why students who've received repeated detentions or suspensions should be screened or evaluated to rule out language and literacy issues.✅ Saying “developmental language disorder” is ALLOWED in the schools. But what does that mean in practice and why is it important? ✅ Language therapy, read-alouds, and explicit reading instruction: These things aren't just for younger students; they're for any student who needs them. ✅ Want to address those chronic “behavior issues” at the secondary level? Then give your related service providers the time to provide services. ✅ Policy briefs: A tool to help you get started with advocacy workI revisit my conversations with Dr. Shameka Stewart (Episode 180), Dr. Karla McGregor (Episode 181), and Dr. Molly Ness (Episode 182) in this episode and share my thoughts on these topics. This episode is a follow-up commentary on the National Literacy Month series the BE podcast (https://bepodcast.network/) network did as a partnership with Reading Is Fundamental (https://www.rif.org/). You can listen to the two interviews I discussed in this episode here:EP 180: The relationship of literacy and language skills and involvement with the justice system (with Dr. Shameka Stewart) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-180-the-relationship-of-literacy-and-language-skills-and-involvement-with-the-justice-system-with-dr-shameka-stewart/EP 181: Developmental language disorder: Impacts on literacy and life beyond school (with Dr. Karla McGregor) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-181-developmental-language-disorder-impacts-on-literacy-and-life-beyond-school-with-dr-karla-mcgregor/EP 182: Leveraging read-alouds to build language and getting started with advocacy work (with Dr. Molly Ness) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-182-leveraging-read-alouds-to-build-language-and-getting-started-with-advocacy-work-with-dr-molly-ness/Additional Resources mentioned in this episode:You can listen to all the episodes in the National Literacy Month series at defactoleaders.com.In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadershipIn this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 31. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate. *If you're already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I'll send you a $100 referral bonus. Here's what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don't miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you'd like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign. Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here: https://www.rif.org/You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network  We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Tune into the South west Allied Health Professions (AHPs) 2024 Podcast series, featuring 12 episodes. Recorded at Westonbirt Arboretum, the series includes 8 live campfire stories and 4 additional episodes. AHPs from across the South West share stories that connect, inspire, and elevate, showcasing how they implement the AHPs Deliver strategy for England. A fabulous adventure! Emma, Jo and Rachel discuss their experience of leadership and split placement models, with 360 reflections on the impact and learning across the career span. In this episode you will hear the experience of a split leadership/ clinical placement from AHPs at different seats at the placement table. By sharing their reflections, occupational therapists discuss the impact, value and challenges of leadership placements and AHP leadership development. This podcast was facilitated by Gina Sargeant the South West Chief Allied Health Professional (AHP) for NHS England and focused on the experiences of Emma Young a final year Occupational Therapy Student at Bournemouth University, Jo Mengell an Occupational Therapist and Service Manager at Dorset Healthcare Trust and Rachel Christian-Edwards an Occupational Therapist and Professional Allied Health Professions Lead at Dorset Healthcare Trust. A transcript of this episode is available on our website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/ep11-360-reflections-leadership-across-the-career-span-exploring-the-value-of-clinical-leadership-split-placement-models/ Contact us: england.ahpwte.sw@nhs.net

In this interview, I revisit conversations surrounding the use of the term “dyslexia” in the schools, the use of technology, and equitable access to books. I share my commentary on the following:✅Saying “dyslexia” in the schools: Both the positive and negative consequences✅Educational technology definitions: What “counts” as technology? What's the difference between instructional and assistive technology? ✅The tech tools are not the strategy: What's happening when kids don't use technology effectively?✅Asking the right questions: School leaders should ask a different question than parents when they're contemplating the value of “homework”. ✅Equity issues that come with homework requirements.✅Educators can't control everything that happens when students leave campus; but they can help increase access to books. I revisit my conversations with Tom Parton (Episode 178) and Susan Brady (Episode 179) in this episode and share my thoughts on these questions.This episode is a follow-up commentary on the National Literacy Month series the BE podcast network (https://bepodcast.network/) did as a partnership with Reading Is Fundamental (https://www.rif.org/) You can listen to the two interviews I discussed in this episode here:EP 178: Are we allowed to say “dyslexia” in the schools? (with Tom Parton)Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-178-are-we-allowed-to-say-dyslexia-in-the-schools-with-tom-parton/EP 179: Increasing book equity and fostering a love of reading (with Susan Brady)Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-179-increasing-book-equity-and-fostering-a-love-of-reading-with-susan-brady/Additional Resources mentioned in this episode:Literacy and background knowledge: Essential skills for life (with Dr. Pamela Snow)Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-158-literacy-and-background-knowledge-essential-skills-for-life-with-dr-pamela-snow/School leaders and reading instruction: Time to demand LESS rather than more autonomyLink here: http://pamelasnow.blogspot.com/2023/10/school-leaders-and-science-of-reading.htmlIn this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadershipIn this episode I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate. *If you're already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I'll send you a $100 referral bonus. Here's what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don't miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you'd like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign. Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here: https://www.rif.org/You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

How much do we need to know about morphology and etymology to effectively help students? Is etymology an essential component to spelling and reading instruction?Will phonics instruction bore students? Is exposure to interesting books enough to foster a love of reading for people who don't have solid word decoding skills?I revisit my conversations with Anna Gieger (Episode 177) and Dr. Jan Wasowicz (Episode 176) in this episode and share my thoughts on these questions.This episode is a follow-up commentary on the National Literacy Month series the BE podcast network (https://bepodcast.network/) did as a partnership with Reading Is Fundamental (https://www.rif.org/).EP 176: Building the language skills for reading, writing, and spelling (with Dr. Jan Wasowicz)(https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-176-building-the-language-skills-for-reading-writing-and-spelling-with-dr-jan-wasowicz/)EP 177: Debunking reading myths and defining literacy buzzwords (with Anna Geiger)(https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-177-debunking-reading-myths-and-defining-literacy-buzzwords-with-anna-geiger/)In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadershipIn this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate.*If you're already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I'll send you a $100 referral bonus. Here's what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don't miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you'd like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign. Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here: https://www.rif.org/You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Many skeptics of the science of reading are concerned that structured approaches will bore kids and make it less likely they'll enjoy reading. These concerns are unfounded for a number of reasons. First, structured approaches help reach students who don't learn through implicit learning (which is a lot of kids).It's hard to develop a love of something when you've failed repeatedly and no one has given you the tools to do it. Enjoyment comes with competence and confidence.Second, many people assume that the science of reading is all about drilling phonics worksheets. But it's not!Good teachers know how to make structured approaches engaging and interesting. Even if they're challenging. Good phonics instruction is not about drill and kill. And finally, the science of reading is WAY more than just phonics. It includes many other linguistic skills that help students decode, comprehend sentences, understand what they're reading, spell words, or communicate through writing. Read-alouds and think-alouds are a powerful, accessible way to build these important language skills. That's why I invited Dr. Molly Ness to episode 182 of De Facto Leaders as part of the National Literacy Month RIF series to talk about literacy advocacy work and the power of using read-alouds and think-alouds to build vocabulary. Dr. Molly Ness is a former classroom teacher, a reading researcher, and a teacher educator. She earned a doctorate in reading education at the University of Virginia, and spent 16 years as an associate professor at Fordham University in New York City. The author of five books, Molly served on the Board of Directors for the International Literacy Association and is a New York state chapter founder of the Reading League. Dr. Ness has extensive experience in reading clinics, consulting with school districts, leading professional development, and advising school systems on research-based reading instruction. She provided literacy leadership for nationally recognized literacy non-profits, as well as major educational publishers. In 2024, Molly was invited to serve on the New York State Dyslexia Task Force. A frequent speaker and presenter, her happy place is translating the science of reading to schools and teachers. As a tireless literacy advocate, Molly created the End Book Deserts podcast, which brings awareness to the 32 million American children who lack access to books. She is currently writing a forthcoming Scholastic book, helping teachers understand orthographic mapping. In 2024, she founded Dirigo Literacy, a literacy consulting firm supporting schools, districts, and states align with and implement the science of reading.This episode is part of the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).In this conversation, we discuss:✅The impact of vocabulary on comprehension ✅The science of reading as an evolving body of work instead of a trend or curriculum✅Book deserts: Concerning statistics and how to help✅Getting started with policy briefs and advocacy work✅Think-alouds and read-alouds: Why they're not just for younger kidsIn this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here. In this episode I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here. You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate. *If you're already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I'll send you a $100 referral bonus. Here's what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don't miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you'd like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign. Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here. You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network  We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and Dr. Brooke Buckley discuss:    How to stop a failure narrative  The beauty of awkward conversations  The power of community when you feel alone in grief  Prioritizing self-care when it feels overwhelming to start    Brooke Buckley, MD, MBA, FACS is a board certified General Surgeon and a diplomate in Lifestyle Medicine. She has over a decade in administrative medicine including five years as a Chief Medical Officer.  Dr Buckley is a graduate of The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health.  She completed her surgical internship and residency in the Cleveland Clinic System.  Her BA and MBA were completed at The Johns Hopkins University.  Dr Buckley is passionate about physician health and wellness.  She is a national speaker on burnout, resilience, and trauma-informed leadership.  She is actively engaged with the AMA as Chair of the American Medical Political Action Committee, and the AHA as the Chair of the Committee of Clinical Leadership.  Dr Buckley's administrative career is an outgrowth of her commitment to the physician's oath to ‘do no harm'.  A proven leader, she focuses on process improvement at all levels of care delivery systems in pursuit of healthier, happier medical careers, enhanced personal wellness, with a deep commitment to quality and safety.  Dr Buckley is mother to three boys, the younger two are twins.    Instagram: @play_your_story    Quote: “Suffering is not competitive.” Dr. Brooke Buckley    Episode Links:  BE24 Conference Brave Boundaries RISE Mastermind Follow Brave Enough:   WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | LINKEDIN Join The Table, Brave Enough's community. The ONLY professional membership group that meets both the professional and personal needs of high-achieving women.

Students who meet the criteria for developmental language disorder (DLD) are often categorized as “speech only” in the school systems. In many cases, these students qualify for special education services under the eligibility category of “speech and language impaired”, which puts speech-language pathologists who serve as case managers in a difficult position ethically. Sometimes students may qualify for services under other eligibility categories, but there's still a lack of awareness about the diagnosis; especially relating to how we serve students in schools. The impact on literacy and overall academic performance can be substantial; not to mention life outcomes outside of school. Unlike other diagnoses that have other pathways to diagnosis in the early years, signs of DLD are often not identified until students start school. Therefore, DLD is an essential part of conversations surrounding literacy (even though it can impact way more than just reading). That's why I invited Dr. Karla McGregor to episode 181 of De Facto Leaders to talk about DLD as part of the National Literacy Month RIF series. Dr. Karla K. McGregor, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a Senior Scientist at Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha, NE, USA, where she also serves as the Senior Director of the Center for Childhood Deafness, Language and Learning. She is a Professor Emerita at the University of Iowa and a founding member and Chair of DLDandMe.org. Dr. McGregor's scholarly work on developmental language disorder is funded by the National Institutes of Health and she has also benefited from the support of the National Science Foundation and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She is the former Editor for the Journal of Speech-Language-Hearing Research. Her awards include Honors of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Kawana Award for Lifetime Achievement in Publishing. She has been fortunate to mentor 12 doctoral students, six post-doctoral scholars, and numerous early-career scientists.This episode is part of the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).In this episode, we discuss:✅Developmental language disorder: Characteristics and overlaps with conditions like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and auditory processing disorder.✅School teams are “permitted” to use the term “DLD” in the schools. What does that mean in practice?✅How language disorders impact important life skills such as the driver's test or understanding your Miranda rights. ✅Universal screeners: Reading screeners are an opportunity to identify DLD, but will they catch every child who needs services? You can learn more about Dr. McGregor's work in DLD advocacy along with her colleagues here: https://dldandme.org/Learn more about her scholarly work on her Wix site here: https://karlamcgregor.wixsite.com/my-workConnect with her via email at Karla.McGregor@boystown.orgDr. McGregor mentioned this article she wrote with Dr. Tiffany Hogan for Reading Rockets: https://www.readingrockets.org/helping-all-readers/neurodiversity-and-children-learning-differences/developmental-languageI mentioned the following conversation about high school language therapy and helping students with language disorders pass the driving exam: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-147-high-school-language-therapy-do-we-still-have-time-to-make-an-impact-with-tiffany-shahoumian-ruiz/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here. In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here. You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate. *If you're already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I'll send you a $100 referral bonus. Here's what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don't miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you'd like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign. Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here. You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns H...

There is a disproportionate number of individuals with communication disorders and reading disabilities involved with the justice system for both children and adults.Past research suggests that more than 40% of incarcerated people have some type of nonpsychiatric disability (Berzofsky et al., 2015; Bixby et al., 2022; Thompson, 2022)Additionally, once youth are involved in the justice system, it becomes more difficult for them to access the education and therapeutic services they need. Both literacy and language skills will impact someone's ability to comprehend employee or disciplinary handbooks, to read language in legal documents, fill out job applications, and or explain past events during job interviews, when interacting with school staff or with law enforcement. Many times things are written off as “behavior problems” when the real underlying issue could be tied to language, reading, or writing. That's why I invited Dr. Shameka Stewart to episode 180 of the De Facto Leaders podcast). Dr. Shameka Stewart is an Associate Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Juvenile Forensic Speech-Language Pathologist(r). Dr. Stewart is also a special education advocate trained by the Wright's Law training center. Dr. Stewart's clinical and scholarly work specializes in Juvenile Forensics, Law Enforcement Interaction with youth with CD, child language disorders, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Her primary research focuses on the Confluence and Impact of cognitive and communication disorders on the school-to-confinement pipeline, status offenses, involvement with the criminal justice system, law enforcement interaction, and criminal recidivism in youth placed at-risk for delinquency and crime (especially Black and Brown youth from under-resourced areas). Dr. Stewart is also a clinically certified and licensed speech-language pathologist and is licensed to practice in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and multiple other states. Through her work, Dr. Stewart has created cutting edge social justice and juvenile justice specialty courses for graduate CSD students, nationally known training programs for law enforcement and legal counsel, and national and international CE workshops and training for licensed SLP clinicians, students, and families of children with special needs.This episode is part of the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).In this conversation, we discuss:✅The relationship between reading challenges and the school-to-confinement pipeline.✅Why “behavior problems” could be related to language processing, reading, or writing challenges.✅When youth become involved with the justice system, how do they get access to special education services (including language therapy)? ✅“They should know better”: Why we can't assume kids comprehend language in the school discipline handbook. ✅A case for continuing direct language therapy in high school (and why therapists need support from school leaders in making this happen).You can connect with Dr. Stewart on her website here: www.juvforensicslp.comConnect with her on Instagram @drjuvenile_forensicslpJoin her Facebook group SLPs 4 Juvenile Justice here. References for this episode's show notes:Berzofsky, M., Bronson, J., & Maruschak, L. L. (2015). Disabilities among prison and jail inmates, 2011–12. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics.Bixby, L., Bevan, S., & Boen, C. (2022). The link between disability, incarceration, and social exclusion. Heath Affairs, 41,10. doi: https://.doi.org/10.1377.hlthaff.2022.00495Thompson, E. (2022). Reading through the lines; The correlation between literacy and incarceration. Retrieved from: https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2022/03/21/reading-through-the-lines-the-correlation-between-literacy-and-incarceration/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here. In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here. You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate. *If you're already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I'll send you a $100 referral bonus. Here's what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don't miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you'd like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign. Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here.&n...

How can school leaders make informed decisions about reading curriculum when they know the home environments among their student body vary widely?I don't envy people tasked with these kinds of decisions. My opinion is that schools should ensure students get their instructional needs met during the school day, because it's difficult to control what happens to students once they leave the school campus.Direct instruction of reading has to fall on the plate of educators. If we assume certain practices will be done at home consistently, we create huge equity issues.With all that being said, school staff can work to create a shared partnership with families and communities. Even though they might aim to include the essentials during the school day, they can provide opportunities and tools for students and families to support literacy outside formal classroom instruction.I invited Susan Brady, a reading specialist from Illinois, to De Facto Leaders episode 179 to discuss how she's helped her community get access to books and extracurricular activities that support literacy. Susan Brady has been in the teaching profession for over 40 years. She worked in a private school where she taught first grade and kindergarten. Sixteen years ago she began work in the public schools as a kindergarten teacher. In 2008, she received her Master's Degree in Reading from Governors State University and became a Reading Specialist. She moved to middle school 5 years ago and works with small groups, large groups, and push-ins. She also has started and run engaging book clubs for her students to help get them excited about reading.This episode is part of the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).In this conversation, Susan shares:✅Are reading teachers getting the pre-service training they need to critically evaluate research and implement instructional practices?✅Relying a curriculum versus leveraging a curriculum to guide your practice✅How to start a book club and get students excited about reading✅Where to find inexpensive or free books for schools and families✅Navigating logistical and equity issues when hosting community events and running extracurriculars.The following resources were mentioned in this episode:Our partner for the National Literacy Month Campaign, Reading Is Fundamental (https://www.rif.org)Better World Books (https://www.betterworldbooks.com/)First Book (https://firstbook.org)BookShare (https://www.bookshare.org) United for Literacy (https://www.bookshare.org)Little Free Library (https://littlefreelibrary.org)In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadershipIn this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate. *If you're already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I'll send you a $100 referral bonus. Here's what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don't miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you'd like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign. Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here. You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

In 2015, the Office of Special Education Programs published a letter stating that school teams were “not prohibited” from using the term “dyslexia”. Unfortunately, this letter left many questions unanswered and is often misinterpreted.Parents seeking out services for their children are still unsure how to advocate for appropriate services in their schools and communities.School teams are still unsure about what they're “permitted” vs. “required” to do.Professionals are unsure who is qualified or responsible for identifying students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. That's why I invited Tom Parton to episode 178 of De Facto Leaders to discuss legal mandates, ethical obligations, and factors school teams should consider when making decisions about curriculum and assistive technology. Tom Parton is a private Speech Language Pathologist in Normal, Illinois. He retired after 35 years of public-school practice. Tom is President of Everyone Reading Illinois and is a member of ERI's Legislative Committee. Tom has presented on autism and language/literacy topics at local, state, and national conferences. Tom participated in the ISBE Reading Instruction Advisory Group and Teachers of Reading Certification task forces. He is currently a member of the ISBE Dyslexia Handbook revision team. He is past-president of the Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is ISHA Honors Committee co-chair and a member of ISHA's Leadership Development Committee. Tom is the 2024 chair of the American Speech Language Hearing Association Committee of Ambassadors.This episode is part of the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).In this conversation, we discuss:✅What do federal guidelines require when it comes to identifying and serving students with reading/writing disabilities?✅Picking the right battles to fight: Do we focus on the labels or the services and curriculum?✅Who is qualified or responsible for diagnosing dyslexia?✅The ethical problem with giving up on word-decoding in secondary school.✅What skills do students need to effectively use assistive technology for reading, writing, and spelling?Additional resources mentioned in this episode:The Dyslexia Handbook from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) (https://www.isbe.net/Documents/Dyslexia-Handbook.pdf)ISBE Comprehensive Literacy Plan (https://www.isbe.net/literacyplan)The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) (https://dyslexiaida.org)The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Dyslexia Handbook (https://dyslexiaida.org/ida-dyslexia-handbook/)The Reading League of Illinois (https://il.thereadingleague.org)The Illinois SLD Support Project (https://sldsupports.org)Dyslegia: State Dyslexia Laws (https://www.dyslegia.com/state-dyslexia-laws/)Williams, V. (2023) Letter from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services on the use of “Developmental Language Disorder” for special education eligibility. Office of Special Education Programs. Retrieved from: https://www.asha.org/siteassets/advocacy/comments/OSEP-Response-Letter-to-ASHA-on-DLD-5.30.23.pdfYudin, M. K. (2015). Letter from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services on the use of “Dyslexia” for special education eligibility. Office of Special Education Programs. Retrieved from: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/policy_speced_guid_idea_memosdcltrs_guidance-on-dyslexia-10-2015.pdfIn this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadershipIn this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate. *If you're already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I'll send you a $100 referral bonus. Here's what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don't miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you'd like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign. Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here: https://www.r...

There are many “science of reading” terms being used right now (including the “science of reading” itself).Yet debates about how to help kids become literate continues; and part of that is because of common logical fallacies applied to education.That's why I invited Anna Geiger to episode 177 of De Facto Leaders to define important literacy terms and discuss myths associated with teaching reading.Anna Geiger is a former teacher, mom of six, the founder and owner of The Measured Mom, host of the TripleR Teaching podcast, and author of books such as “Reach all Readers”. She was a balanced literacy advocate for twenty years. As both a classroom teacher and teacher educator, she promoted three-cueing using leveled texts. She taught phonics, but didn't use a scope and sequence. She provided very little direct instruction because she was sure it would bore students.Fast-forward to 2019, when she began to realize that many of her teaching practices weren't backed by research. Anna became Orton-Gillingham certified and earned a Science of Reading graduate certificate. She currently runs The Measured Mom website, which includes easy-prep resources that your students will love so much they'll forget they're learning.This episode is part of a partnership that's happening between the BEpodcast network and Reading is Fundamental (RIF) in September for National Literacy Month. In this conversation, we discuss:✅The difference between balanced literacy and structured literacy✅Decodable texts vs. predictable texts.✅What is three-cueing and why does it encourage poor reading habits?✅Using syntactic and context clues: Necessary, but not sufficient for decoding.✅Early literacy instruction: Play-based learning vs. playful learning✅Finding the joy in reading and teaching: Can you find joy in something if you haven't been given the skills to do it? You can learn more about Anna Geiger's resources on her website here: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/Order Anna's book, “Reach all Readers” here.Listen to my interview with Anna on her podcast, TripleR Teaching here: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/how-to-help-students-improve-language-comprehension-a-conversation-with-dr-karen-dudek-brannan/Listen to Anna's conversation about scaffolding early writing skills with Dr. Sonia Cabell here: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/how-to-scaffold-preschoolers-early-writing-skills-with-dr-sonia-cabell/Listen to Anna's conversation with Dr. Susan Neuman about evidence-based instruction for preschoolers here: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/what-does-research-say-about-teaching-preschoolers/Listen to Anna's commentary on decodable texts here: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/dos-donts-decodable-texts/Listen to my conversation with Mary Saghafi and Shannon Betts about reading advocacy here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-165-turning-litigious-situations-into-reading-reform-initiatives-with-mary-saghafi-and-shannon-betts/Other books mentioned in this episode:“Learning to Read: The Great Debate” by Jeanne Chall“Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children 1st Ed.” by Susan Neuman, Carol Copple, & Sue BredekampIn this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here. In this episode I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here. You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate. *If you're already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I'll send you a $100 referral bonus. Here's what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don't miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you'd like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign. Reading is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading is Fund...

The “science of reading” is trending; but in order for professionals to engage in effective instruction, they need to understand that literacy also includes spelling and writing.Writing, spelling, and reading are interconnected, and the growing body of research continues to show us that these skills need to be taught explicitly. That's why I invited Dr. Jan Wasowicz to episode 176 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to discuss the Language Literacy Network (Link here: https://learningbydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/TLLN_11x8.5.pdf); a framework she's created to help professionals better understand the connections between reading, writing, spelling, and language. Dr. Jan Wasowicz has more than 40 years of experience as a speech-language, literacy, and learning specialist working with students in a variety of educational settings, including public schools, Head Start programs, and private practice. Dr. Wasowicz is frequently invited to speak about best practices in literacy assessment and instruction and has taught numerous undergraduate and graduate courses, holding faculty positions at Northwestern University, Elmhurst College, Rush–Presbyterian–St. Luke's Medical Center, and Governors State University. Her credits include articles published in scholarly journals and U.S. patents for her inventions of literacy software programs including Earobics® and Spelling Performance Evaluation for Language and Literacy (SPELL-3). Dr. Wasowicz is an author of SPELL-Links to Reading & Writing and lead moderator of the SPELLTalk multi-disciplinary professional listserv. She also currently serves as an advisory board member of The Reading League of Illinois and an external consultant for Purdue University's inter-disciplinary initiative to strengthen teacher preparation using science-based methods. Dr. Wasowicz is an ASHA-certified, IL-licensed, and FL-licensed speech-language pathologist and an ASHA Board Certified Specialist in Child Language and she holds a professional educator license with multiple endorsements from the State Teacher Certification Board of Illinois. She is the founder, president and CEO of SPELL-Links | Learning By Design, Inc., and she maintains a small private practice in IL via tele-practice and in FL serving students with oral and written language disorders.This episode is part of a partnership that's happening between the BEpodcast network (Link here: https://bepodcast.network/) and Reading is Fundamental (RIF) (Link here: https://www.rif.org) in September for National Literacy Month. In this conversation, we discuss:✅Do we need a “writing rope” to supplement the “reading rope”? Or should reading, writing and language be woven in to one literacy framework?✅Pragmatics, executive functioning, and metalinguistic awareness: How do these components fit in to effective literacy instruction?✅Does working on reading improve spelling? Does working on spelling improve reading? ✅Should professionals work on linguistic skills in stages? When/how should professionals start working on morphology in elementary school?✅Defining “print to speech” and “speech to print” approaches (with specific examples). You can find the infographic for the Language Literacy Network framework Dr. Wasowicz discussed here: https://learningbydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/TLLN_11x8.5.pdfTo engage in professional discussions with leading literary experts, join the SPELL-talk ListServ here: https://lists.learningbydesign.com/mailman/listinfo/spelltalkConnect with Dr. Jan Wasowicz on the Learning By Design, Inc website here: https://learningbydesign.com, on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-wasowicz-phd-02917a/ or @spell-links here: http://@spell-linksIn this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadershipIn this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate. *If you're already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I'll send you a $100 referral bonus. Here's what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don't miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you'd like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign. You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network  We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' ti...

In this episode, I'm revisiting an older episode in honor of a special event that I'm doing in the month of September, 2024.I am so excited to announce the partnership that's happening between the BEpodcast network and Reading is Fundamental (RIF) that's starting in September for National Literacy Month.  De Facto Leaders is part of the BEpodcast network (Link here: https://bepodcast.network/), so I'll be participating in this effort. About Reading is Fundamental (RIF): Reading is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading is Fundamental here: https://www.rif.org/ What's happening on De Facto Leaders as part of the Reading is Fundamental (RIF) campaign: In September, I'll be featuring a series of guests to talk about how we can improve the nationwide literacy crisis. As part of this effort, I'll be publishing two episodes a week during the month of September.  In October, I'll resume the standard once a week schedule and will publish some shorter episodes that outline my key take-aways based on the September interviews. These shorter episodes will give you a chance to catch up on listening to the extra episodes; and will also give you the chance to hear my take on each interview.  To celebrate this special partnership, I'm giving my listeners 25% off their tuition when they join either Language Therapy Advance Foundations (Link here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy) and the School of Clinical Leadership (Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership) between September 15 and October 15.  To get access to this special rate, all you need to do is enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page.  In this re-release episode, I share:✅What the current literacy trends show as far as the impact of texting.✅The 3 tenets of effective literacy intervention.✅Common mistakes people make when teaching kids to use reading strategies.✅Three essential skills kids need in order to become fluent readers and spellers.In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadershipIn this episode I mention the Word Study Toolkit, which comes with Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate. Here's what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don't miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary. 1. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.2. Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.3. Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you'd like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign. Reading is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading is Fundamental here: https://www.rif.org/You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

I'm a huge supporter of professionals taking ownership of their careers; regardless of the systemic issues at play.But having said that, I ALSO like to help educators get to a place where they can work towards addressing systems issues head on.That's why I was so excited to talk with Kurtis Hewson about the Collaborative Response Framework in episode 174 of De Facto Leaders.Kurtis Hewson is an award-winning former administrator and teacher, as well as teaching faculty at the post-secondary level. He is the co-founder of Jigsaw Learning, a co-author of the text, “Collaborative Response: Three Foundational Components That Transform How We Respond to the Needs of Learners” (Corwin, 2022), and currently works with districts and schools nationally and internationally establishing Collaborative Response frameworks and interacting with thousands of educators annually.Good teachers, therapists, and administrators often develop toolkits they can use to offer a continuum of support to students. But as Kurtis points out, they're often operating in “silos of excellence”. What would happen if team members worked together to pool their resources? We discuss this topic in this episode, including:✅People in education talk a lot about the problems with “the system”. But what is the “system” and how do we improve it?✅Is talking about individual student needs always the best use of time at team meetings?✅Meetings sometimes feel like an obligation or a waste of time. How do we change that?✅What types of meetings should district level teams have and what's the purpose of each?✅Why school teams need 4 tiers of support rather than the traditional 3 tiers of RtI.In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadershipYou can learn more about how to connect with Kurtis and his work at: https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/Read about the Overview of Collaborative Response here: https://bit.ly/CR-overview Read the Introductory Chapter of the text Collaborative Response - https://bit.ly/CR-introLearn about the Layers of Collaborative Teams Here: https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/publications/blog-posts/scaffolding-our-collaborative-response-purposeful-layering-tLearn the Five Considerations to Transform Your Team Meetings here:  https://www.jigsawlearningonline.com/five-planning-considerations-to-transform-your-team-meetings We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

A while back, I heard someone refer to school administrators and other public sector leaders as “middle managers”, and it really hit home for me. As I've transitioned through different roles in my career, I've gotten into the trap of thinking that when I achieve the “next step”, I'll finally have the influence I want. In my experience, telling myself that I'll be satisfied with the level of impact I can make when I reach the “next step” is a recipe for disappointment.In reality, I don't think I'll ever be able to fix all the things I want to fix, and I'm slowly coming to terms with that; learning to pick which battles are worth fighting.As I've talked with others who have transitioned to different administrative roles, this seems to be a common challenge faced by people in middle management positions. That's why I invited Dr. Chris Jones and Chris Dodge to episode 173 of De Facto Leaders to talk about what it's like to be a middle manager in public sector systems like the schools. Chris Dodge has been a lead learner in elementary school settings for ten years and currently the principal at the Thorndyke Road School is Worcester, MA, Chris works to create collaborative structures and systems that bring stakeholder voice into school level decision making, as well as strategies that promote student success and achievement. His schools utilize these systems to promote a vision of serving the whole child, ensuring that students' social-emotional and academic needs are being met. Most notably, in 2014, Christopher led the Dexter Park School in Orange, MA to become a MA Department of Education appointed Innovation School, awarded for its inclusionary practice work. Aside from the role as principal, Christopher has served on DESE's Principal/Teacher Advisory Cabinet, Commissioner Riley's Return to School Teaching and Learning Working Group during COVID19, as well as on the MSAA (Massachusetts School Administrators Association) Executive Board. He has been published in numerous blogs and publications such as “Rogue Leader” and “STOP Series: 100 No Nonsense Things Teachers and Leaders Should Stop Doing”, and is featured in podcasts such as “Seeing to Lead” and “Becoming Principal”. Passionate about supporting and mentoring leaders and educators, Christopher is also a consultant with Seaside Educational Consultants and an adjunct instructor at Assumption University in Worcester, MA.Dr. Chris Jones has been an educator in Massachusetts for 22 years. His experience in the classroom ranged from 8th – 11th grade working in an urban setting. A portion of this was spent opening a high school division for an expanding charter school. He has just finished his 15th year as a building administrator. Chris is also the Vice President of the Massachusetts State Administrators Association (MSAA). True to his “why” of improving the educational experience for as many people as possible, he is currently the Principal of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School in Whitman, Massachusetts. He is the author of SEEing to Lead (https://drcsjones.blog/seeing-to-lead-podcast/), a book that provides strategies for how modern leaders can and must support, engage, and empower their teachers to elevate student success. Chris vlogs weekly about continuous improvement and is also the host of the podcast SEEing to Lead as a way to amplify teachers' voices in an effort to improve education as a whole. His overarching goal is to positively model continuous improvement in all facets of life by being purposeful, acting with integrity, and building character.Chris is passionate about continuous improvement and the idea that success is not a destination, but a process. Chris is a teacher centered principal and his beliefs around the importance of a positive work environment, continuous growth, and a healthy family work-life integration can be seen in the presentations and workshops he has given for the Massachusetts School Administrators Association (MSAA), Massachusetts Computer Using Educators (MassCUE), Massachusetts Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (MASCD), the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP); and his participation in the Better Leaders Better Schools Mastermind group.A finalist for the Massachusetts School Administrators Association's Principal of the Year award and named the 2022 Massachusetts School Counselors Associaltion's (MASCA) Administrator of the Year, Chris is described by his past Superintendent as being “…wholly invested in the success of the school…a creative problem-solver who is able to deliberate yet be decisive, be creative yet accountable…calm and clear-headed even under the most trying of times…has built a strong collaborative and collegial school culture…he is a positive influence on teachers, teaching, and learning.”Chris' education includes a BA from Bridgewater State University, an MA from Salem State University, and a Doctorate from Northeastern University. He currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his wife, Mary (Bella) and two boys, Tommy and Scotty.In this conversation, we talked about questions like:✅What is it like to be a decision-maker who reports to other decision-makers? Are there times when it's been difficult to give staff direction because you were waiting on a decision that was over your head?✅What is the best way for people on the front-line (e.g., teachers, therapists) to provide you with information you can bring to your leadership to help move initiatives along?✅How do you know when to escalate something vs. try to handle it on your own?✅When bringing questions/concerns to leadership, how do you provide enough information that you give adequate context without getting in the weeds and overwhelming them?In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here:  https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadershipYou can connect with Chris Dodge on Instagram @principaldodge1 : (https://www.instagram.com/principaldodge1/), on Twitter @PrincipalDodge1 : (https://twitter.com/PrincipalDodge1), and on LinkedIn here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-dodge-a33343204/You can listen to my previous episode with Chris Dodge here: EP138: Increasing access to instructional programs in rural districts (with Chris Dodge): https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-119-teacher-centered-leadership-with-dr-chris-jones/You can connect with Dr. Chris Jones on LinkedIn here : https://www.li...

How can districts reverse chronic absenteeism and gain a deeper understanding of why students don't come to school? Can we measure how “connected” students are to their schools? How do we impact the level of connection they feel with potential mentors in their lives? I invited Jen Perry to episode 172 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to discuss this topic and explore ways schools can assess student engagement and put meaningful programs in place to increase it. Jen Perry is Senior Manager of Learning Design and Whole Learner at Edmentum. Jen has worked over 30+ years with youth in educational and community settings. As a teacher, administrator, and trainer, her passion has been to help educators develop an understanding of the importance of social emotional learning and build trauma-informed responses and systems. This work has included supporting youth, administrators, and schools in understanding behavior and implementing transformational change through strength-based approaches.In this conversation, we discussed:✅Using positive youth development models to support youth involved with the legal system.✅Changing our assumptions about kids who have “risk factors” and resources. ✅Helping youth build developmental assets through community navigation and academic support.✅Research on the effectiveness of high-impact tutoring in increasing attendance and student engagement.✅How do we help kids connect academic work to meaningful life goals? ✅Giving students the language they need for self-advocacy and self-awareness.In this episode, we mentioned the following resources:“The Poverty Problem: How Education Can Promote Resilience and Counter Poverty's Impact on Brain Development and Functioning” by Horacio Sanchez  Link here: https://www.amazon.com/Poverty-Problem-Resilience-Development-Functioning/dp/1071842927Maguillie, L, Perry, J., Aiello, J. (2019). The impact of an Alternative to Detention Program on Developmental Assets for adolescents involved in the juvenile justice or legal system. Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services.Link here: https://irp.cdn-website.com/45a58767/files/uploaded/2019-Alternative%20to%20Detention%20%28Maggiulli%29.pdfWhole Learner Foundations: Understanding Behavior and our Default SettingLink here: https://www.edmentum.com/intl/resources/webinars/whole-learner-foundations-understanding-behavior-and-our-default-setting/Jen Perry on Students and ConnectionLink here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38EMkeKK96cJen Perry on Teacher Well-beingLink here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMuiiq56bsYTargeted Skills Instruction-Accelerate High-Impact Virtual Tutoring ServicesLink here: https://www.edmentum.com/products/virtual-tutoring/Learn more about where to connect with Jen on Linked here (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-perry-8aaa99204/) or at edmentum.com. In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Most discussions around social-emotional learning are about helping kids stay regulated, healthy, and adjusted, but we can't forget about the adults. Being in any type of role that involves caring for others can be incredibly dysregulating; whether you're a K-12 professional or a parent. That's why in this episode, I'm highlighting past interview clips with guests that address emotional regulation and self-care in adults. In this episode, you'll hear discussions on:✅How to teach behavioral expectations in class (and why this can help maintain safety and security among staff and students).✅How to use co-regulation strategies to manage challenging behaviors such as eloping or property destruction. ✅Supporting bus drivers, security guards, and other non-teaching school personnel who interact with students. ✅Administrators think that self-care is important for students and teachers; but are they taking care of themselves?✅Going beyond fluffy self-care tips (like wine and bubble baths) and creating sustainable habits.This episode includes clips from the following interviews:EP 152: The cost of caring: Compassion fatigue in education and healthcare (with Crissy Mombela) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-152-the-cost-of-caring-compassion-fatigue-in-education-and-healthcare-with-crissy-mombela/EP 111: Supporting self-regulation in K-12 kids (with Lisa Navarra)Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-111-supporting-self-regulation-in-k-12-kids-with-lisa-navarra/EP 103: Self-care cabaret for teachers, therapists, and school leaders (with Dr. Theresa-Melito Conners)Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-103-self-care-cabaret-for-teachers-therapists-and-school-leaders-with-dr-theresa-melito-conners/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year. 

As a school leader, when is it best to make “top-down” decisions, and when should you make it a collaborative process?How can you tell which stakeholder input to prioritize?What's the best way to communicate with your staff in a way that feels transparent, but doesn't burden them with too much information? How can you make decisions confidently when you're supervising staff in positions you've never held yourself? I invited Dr. Jen Schwanke to episode 170 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to discuss these questions. Dr. Jen Schwanke is a longtime educator, teaching and leading at all levels. She is the author of four ASCD books, including the recently-released The Principal's Guide to Conflict Management, and has published hundreds of articles for various educational publishers. She has written and presented for multiple state and local education organizations, and has provided professional development to various districts in the areas of school climate, personnel, and instructional leadership. An instructor in educational administration at Miami University of Ohio and The Ohio State University, Dr. Schwanke currently serves as a Deputy Superintendent in Ohio. You can find her at jenschwanke.com.In this conversation, we discuss:✅Getting to the “root cause” of pain points: How can you tell what people really need from you? ✅Being decisive vs. being collaborative: The different types of decisions leaders need to make and the strategies for handling them✅When should we use our own expertise to solve problems, and when should we leverage the expertise of others?✅Shaking things up vs. maintaining the status quo: How this changes the way you leadYou can connect with Dr. Schwanke at her website at jenschwanke.com, on X @jenschwanke (http://jenschwanke.com), and on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/drjenschwanke/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year. 

Today, I wanted to share some FAQs that people ask about how to teach executive functioning. Some of those common questions are:How do you teach self-talk, time-perception, and strategic-planning?How do you offer help without making kids prompt-dependent?​I understand that executive functioning intervention is more than just checklists and behavior charts, but what's the right way to structure interventions?​How can I provide environmental scaffolding after students leave my therapy sessions? What exactly is “environmental scaffolding”? I understand I need to coach and train others, but how should that look in practice? One of the ways I answer these questions is through the concept of “scalable protocols”. This is an alternative to the way we traditionally think about lesson plans. It allows you to define the specifics of the “how”, which is why people are asking questions such as the ones I've listed above, and also enables clinicians to train others. In this episode, I share the audio of two video clips that help give an overview of how that could look, as well as the overview of a framework I use to support executive functioning in context. If you're a clinician who wants to know how to do this in therapy AND coach others, it will help you through the first step in that process. If you're a parent or teacher and you want to learn a strategy you can use to support kids, you can also use this strategy. In this episode, I mentioned this blog post https://drkarenspeech.com/whats-better-than-an-executive-functioning-lesson-plan/), where I include the full video clips that contain screen shares of some of the protocols I mentioned. I also mention this article about scalable protocols and how they fit in to your intervention model. Link here: https://drkarenspeech.com/executive-functioning-support-three-paradigm-shifts-for-school-teams/In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year. 

As a professional field, we're getting stuck in old ways of thinking when it comes to designing services for students experiencing executive dysfunction. When we think of “therapy” the first thing that comes to mind is a clinician sitting in a chair saying things like, “And how does that make you feel?” or a clinician doing exercises in a 1:1 or group setting. When we think of “planning for therapy”, we think of what materials or activities we're going to do in our direct therapy sessions. With “social skills intervention”, we think of an adult teaching a group of kids how to follow the rules in social situations, while students answer questions and discuss to demonstrate their understanding. Lack of generalization continues to be one of the biggest pain points for therapists using these models. And while most clinicians agree that collaboration with other professionals and caregivers is important, the “planning” for those activities is often less intentional than the way we plan for direct intervention. That's why in the School of Clinical Leadership, the first thing I teach clinicians is how to create a long-term strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place for their caseloads (and sometimes the entire school) using multiple service delivery models. When the entire intervention starts and ends within a traditional therapy session, students don't generalize executive functioning skills across settings. We as a field need to evolve in the way we think about what's included in “therapy” services for executive functioning. There are three paradigm shifts clinicians, educators, and school leaders can make when thinking about supporting kids executive functioning in schools. I describe what they are in this episode.I mentioned the following resources in this episode:Push-in, pull-out, co-teaching: What's most functional for language therapy? (Link here: https://drkarenspeech.com/push-in-pull-out-co-teaching-whats-most-functional-for-language-therapy/)How to make better accommodations by being less accommodating  (Link here: https://drkarenspeech.com/push-in-pull-out-co-teaching-whats-most-functional-for-language-therapy/)EP 83: How to provide high-quality support for your caseload with the “asset stack” method (Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-83-how-to-provide-high-quality-support-for-your-caseload-with-the-asset-stack-method/)In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year. 

Language and executive functioning have a bidirectional relationship (Baron & Arbel, 2022; Larson, et al., 2019). This means that building language skills can impact executive functioning, and vice versa. A significant amount of executive functioning skills are required to comprehend language-based academic tasks like reading and writing. Yet strategic thinking (which is part of executive functioning) requires a significant amount of internal dialogue; which is very difficult to engage in without adequate vocabulary or ability to use and understand complex syntax (Fahy, 2014). Complex sentences are loaded with language that indicates cause and effect or temporal information; all which are essential for strategic planning. On top of that, many students continue to struggle with reading comprehension without direct work on foundational language skills; even if they're taught comprehension strategies (Eberhardt, 2013; Scott, 2009; Scott & Koonce, 2014; Nippold, 2017).One might make the argument then (which I often do), that these underlying language skills are necessary to developing strong executive functioning skills. This makes both treatment planning, diagnosis, and determining eligibility for educational programming complicated; especially when it comes to legal guidelines as well as state and local policies. That's why in episode 166 of De Facto Leaders, I'm sharing a Q & A session I did in my Language Therapy Advance Foundations member's group to talk about the relationship between syntax, processing and higher level cognitive processes like executive functioning. In this episode, I share: ✅How to create a strategic plan if you need to build a system for language therapy and a system for executive functioning intervention?✅Should you focus on the students' needs or your own needs when planning your professional development goals?✅Common comorbidities and diagnoses to consider when focusing on language, executive functioning, and reading/writing.✅The impact of syntax on other language and cognitive processes.✅Common sentence types that are difficult for individuals with DLD and other diagnoses that impact language.✅Ineffective strategies used to comprehend difficult sentence types.✅Why do these difficult sentence types impact comprehension, processing, and our ability to engage in internal dialogue and strategic planning?In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/I also mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership You can view the YouTube version of this video with slides here: https://youtu.be/7-F0fjjJ0F8I also mentioned the following resources:Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure : https://drkarenspeech.com/sentencestructure​The 5 Component Language Therapy Framework: https://drkarenspeech.com/language​​Syntactic Development in the School-Age Years​​: https://drkarenspeech.com/syntactic-development-school-age-years/​K-12 Professional Learning: It's about what the adults need, not just the kids: https://drkarenspeech.com/k-12-professional-learning-its-about-what-adults-need-not-just-the-kids/​De Facto Leaders EP 159: Comorbidities and Differential Diagnosis: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-159-comborbidities-and-differential-diagnosis-adhd-dld-dyslexia/​ We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year. 

My heart sinks when I see how polarizing topics in education have become, as well as the tendency for people to have “all or nothing” thinking.I've seen an increasing amount of activities pitted against each other as if doing one means we can't ALSO do the other:

Helping families feel involved in their children's education goes beyond checking the boxes to make sure you're following legal guidelines.That's why I invited Dr. Kristin Vogel-Campbell to De Facto Leaders to talk about how school teams can make the IEP process more welcoming to families, especially those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Dr. Kristin Vogel-Campbell (she/her/hers) is a veteran Special Educator with over 20 years in the field. She has served in various roles from paraeducator to Director of Student Services and Special Education. She was a classroom teacher for a decade in the San Francisco Bay Area, working with students from Kindergarten through 8th grade. She is a systems-focused educator, working at the district level with school teams to ensure that students with disabilities are provided high-quality, research-based instruction and that all students are treated with dignity and respect in the Least Restrictive Environment. In addition, she has supported new site leaders in deepening their understanding of Special Education, including laws and protections for students and families. Kristin is a practitioner-researcher, working with families to share their experiences and perspectives. Informed with this familial knowledge, teams can make practical shifts needed to move to a collaborative partnership with culturally affirming, sustainable, and equitable families. She has presented at AERA (American Educational Research Association), NAME (National Association of Multicultural Education), and ACSA (Association of California School Administrators, among others. Articles have appeared in Leadership (ACSA magazine), The Journal of Leadership, Equity, and Research, and the KQED Education blog. Her book “Partnering with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families in Special Education” was published in December 2023 by Rowman & Littlefield.In this conversation, we discuss:✅You've provided the “procedural safeguards”, but do families really understand their rights? ✅What's going on when parents don't show up for parent-teacher conferences and IEP meetings?✅Why environmental set-up matters during IEP meetings; including seating arrangements and how/when the team enters the room. ✅Navigating language barriers, transportation issues, and logistical constraints. ✅Finding the balance between family schedules and staff contractual time when setting up IEP meetings.✅Tips for managing nerves during IEP meetings so you can make your report feel conversational (and less technical).You can connect with Dr. Vogel-Campbell on LinkedIn here (https://www.linkedin.com/in/drvogelcampbell/), and on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/drvogelcampbell/). Be sure to check out her book “Partnering with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families in Special Education” here (https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538180365/Partnering-with-Culturally-and-Linguistically-Diverse-Families-in-Special-Education).Be sure to check out these other episodes of De Facto Leaders where I talked about how to improve community and family engagement:EP 113: Making literacy accessible and equitable (with Cassandra Williams) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-113-making-literacy-accessible-and-equitable-with-cassandra-williams/EP 118: Coaching aspiring leaders in school turn-around and community outreach (with Edward Gordon II) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-118-coaching-aspiring-leaders-in-school-turn-around-and-community-outreach-with-edward-gordon-ii/EP 96: Supporting bilingualism in K-12 kids (with Briana Wagner) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-96-supporting-bilingualism-in-k-12-kids-with-briana-wagner/EP 143: Developing a cultural competemility mindset (with Melanie Evans) Link here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ep-143-developing-a-cultural-competemility-mindset-for-educators-and-clinicians-with-melanie-evans/I also mentioned The School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers guide their teams to support students' executive functioning across the day. This program will help you plan direct therapy, but will also help you lead change management on your team, no matter your job title. You can learn more about the School of Clinical Leadership here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year. 

About The Authority Podcast:Hosted by leadership coach, storytelling strategist, and edtech advisor Ross Romano, The Authority provides education leaders with proven ideas to increase your influence, hire and develop an excellent staff, build a stronger culture, lead meaningful change, form a strong foundation for teaching and learning success, and more. The show features interviews with the authors you already admire, up-and-coming voices, and experts from the worlds of business, personal development, and beyond — including Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Amazon bestsellers — to take a deep dive into their wealth of practical insights. To become a listener of The Authority:Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4a3Fer1 Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/40sZzRr Subscribe on other platforms: https://bit.ly/48dhakQ In this episode, I mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers put executive functioning support in place on their school teams. You can learn more about the program here.  We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year. 

There's a lot of "us vs. them" thinking happening relating to what's going on in the school systems.Parents feeling like teachers don't want to accommodate students with diverse learning needs.Teachers feeling like administrators don't understand because they aren't in classrooms anymore. Therapists feeling like teachers don't want to reinforce strategies in their classrooms, or that administrators don't value their expertise. It's easy to default to thinking the worst of the person on the other side of the table, but what if we approached interactions assuming the BEST? When we assume the worst, we may miss opportunities to form partnerships; or at the very least, have compassion for other people who are most likely trying to do their jobs to the best of their abilities. Giving someone the benefit of the doubt is a challenge when you're burnt out, or if you feel the person you're interacting with has more authority and power than you.That's why I wanted to have a conversation about this topic with Dr. Barbara Flowers, an elementary principal and life coach for educators and administrators. Barb Flowers is an elementary school principal and an educator life coach with 14 years of experience in the field of education. Holding a Ph.D. in K-12 Leadership and currently pursuing certification as a Confidence Coach, her passion lies in supporting educators to reduce burnout and enhance their confidence in their roles. Drawing from her personal journey as a teacher and early administrator, during which she struggled with confidence issues and self-doubt, she is driven to help others in overcoming similar challenges. Now, her mission is to empower educators, ensuring they navigate their professional journeys with resilience and self-assurance. Barb also is the host of The Teacher Burnout Podcast and The Principal's Handbook Podcast.In this conversation, we discuss common conflicts that happen in K-12 education and how to resolve them, including:✅Finding time to pull kids out for therapy; considering both the therapist's and teacher's point of view.✅Determining when kids should receive support in a special education setting versus when they should stay in general education with support. ✅Navigating co-teaching: Does it make things easier for general education teachers, or does it add more work to their plate? ✅When being good at your job becomes a hazard: How to avoid overloading staff who are good at supporting students with complex needs.✅Why therapists are hesitant to co-teach, and how to have conversations with your building administrator about making inclusion intentional.You can connect with Barb on her website here (https://barbflowerscoaching.com/) or on Instagram @barbflowerscoaching (https://www.instagram.com/barbflowerscoaching/).Listen to The Teacher Burnout Podcast here (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-teacher-burnout-podcast/id1680061535).You can listen to my conversation with Barb on The Principal's Handbook Podcast here (https://cp.bepodcast.network/episodes/effective-strategies-for-collaborating-across-multidisciplinary-teams-with-karen-dudek-brannan). I also mentioned The School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers guide their teams to support students' executive functioning across the day. This program will help you plan direct therapy, but will also help you lead change management on your team, no matter your job title. You can learn more about the School of Clinical Leadership here (https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership).  We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year. 

When kids need support with language, reading/writing, and executive functioning, they often have multiple diagnoses.This makes both treatment planning, diagnosis, and determining eligibility for educational programming complicated; especially when it comes to legal guidelines as well as state and local policies. That's why in episode 159 of De Facto Leaders, I'm sharing a Q & A session I did about comorbidities in my Language Therapy Advance Foundations member's group. In this episode I talk about the simple view of reading and how it aligns with the essential 5 framework.I also talk about common comorbidities, including: ✅Developmental language disorder + dyslexia✅ADHD + dyslexia✅Dyslexia + ADHDI wrap up by discussing clarification from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services on the use of terms like “dyslexia” and “developmental language disorder” and the difference between schools being PERMITTED to use a term vs. being REQUIRED to provide services aligned with FAPE. In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here (https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/).The following are evaluation tools that can help guide you in evaluating and treating individuals with ADHD, dyslexia, DLD, and other diagnoses that impact reading, writing, language, and executive functioning. I cover a complete framework for executive functioning intervention in the School of Clinical Leadership, my program for related service providers who want to emerge as the executive functioning lead on their school teams. You can learn more about that program here (https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership). Keep in mind when you view this list that formal evaluation tools should be used in conjunction with other non-standardized tools. It's best practice to utilize a portfolio process when doing an evaluation which can consist of a combination of observations, stakeholder interviews, work samples, data from non-standardized protocols, and formal assessments. You can read the full list of assessments in this article here (https://drkarenspeech.com/co-morbidities-and-differential-diagnosis-adhd-dld-dyslexia/). We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

The literacy space has become increasingly polarizing since the reading wars began.There are a number of debates and questions that continue, including:Will kids learn to read “naturally”? What did the whole language approach get right, if anything?Is explicit phonics instruction just a pendulum swing (and is focusing on phonics enough)?Are we teaching kids to read too early? When we talk about “early literacy” instruction, what are we actually recommending and how does that look? I invited Jane Gebers, veteran speech-language pathologist and author to episode 157 De Facto Leaders to discuss these questions. I entered the field right around the time the National Reading Panel study was published, so there was a fair amount of research on evidence-based literacy intervention when I started practicing. But when Jane started practicing, much of this research hadn't been done, and she had the experience of watching the fields of education and reading instruction evolve. She was also one of the early adopters of many approaches that are common practice today, and it was an honor to hear about her work. Jane L. Gebers is the author of the popular resource, Books Are for Talking, Too! (Link here: https://www.slpstorytellers.com/2023/09/11/slp-author-book-books-are-for-talking-too-by-jane-gebers/), first published in 1990, and now in its 4th edition as of March 2023. A practicing speech-language pathologist for over 40 years, she has worked in public school, hospital, private, and clinical settings. She has been an adjunct professor at St. Mary's College of California and other universities where she taught Language Development, Assessment, and Intervention courses to students pursuing special education credentials. She currently holds a private practice in Northern California.In this conversation, Jane and I discuss:✅Everyone's talking about “scaffolding”, but what does this word actually mean?✅Reading practices that have stood the test of time, despite attempts to disprove their effectiveness.✅The battle between play-based learning and “sight words”; and how to emphasize the right skills at the right time.✅When building language skills, do we focus on a developmental hierarchy or environmental demands? ✅Mapping language to print symbols and what to address in the early years to set the stage for reading and writing. You can connect with Jane on her website here: https://soundingyourbest.com, and find her book, Books Are for Talking, Too! here: https://www.slpstorytellers.com/2023/09/11/slp-author-book-books-are-for-talking-too-by-jane-gebers/  The following resources were mentioned in this episode:Some of the work done by Dr. Carol Westby, Ph.D. (Link here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/152574019902100107)The Neuroscience of Reading with Dr. G. Reid. Lyon (Link here: https://irrc.education.uiowa.edu/blog/2023/05/neuroscience-reading-dr-g-reid-lyon)Teachers' Use of Scaffolds within Conversations During Shared Book Reading (Dekshmukh, R.S., Pentimonti, J.M., Zucker, T.A., & Curry, B.) (Link here: https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2021_LSHSS-21-00020)In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here:  https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/I also mentioned The School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers guide their teams to support students' executive functioning across the day. This program will help you plan direct therapy, but will also help you lead change management on your team, no matter your job title. You can learn more about the School of Clinical Leadership here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

No one working in special ed has ever said, “I chose this career so I could do paperwork all evening and weekend.”Yet many realize after getting into the field that administrative demands can take away from time spent with students or collaborating with colleagues. That's why I was so excited to connect with Sean Klamm, special educator and founder of Playground IEP (Link here: https://www.playgroundiep.com/) in episode 156 of “De Facto Leaders”. After starting his career as a teacher and then special education administrator, Sean was inspired to find a solution that would streamline, and potentially remove some of the “behind the scenes” work special educators need to do to manage service plans.Sean Klamm is the Founder of Playground IEP. Sean is a Special Educator and former Director of Special Education at Butler College Prep in Chicago. After serving as Director for 5 years, Sean transitioned to build Playground IEP; the special education tools he wished he had while working in the school. Playground IEP is a new class of caseload management software that increases collaboration and automates many of the manual caseload management tasks. Sean and his team also built IEPcopilot.ai (Link here: https://www.playgroundiep.com/iep-copilot) which uses AI to assist in writing IEP goals, BIPs, and other sections of the IEP. Sean and his team are committed to building tools that allow teachers to spend more time with students and less time with spreadsheets.In this conversation, we discuss:✅ What's the real motivation behind using AI and technology?✅ How to keep the entire team in the loop about goals and accommodations (instead of letting IEPs collect dust in a binder on the shelf).✅ When teachers aren't supported, IEPs don't get fully implemented. How do we solve that problem? ✅ Using AI and technology to make space for better instructional practices and team collaboration.✅ Systems vs. tools vs. culture: How leadership can avoid the “technology for the sake of technology” trap. You can connect with Sean on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanklamm/Learn more about PlayGround IEP here: https://www.playgroundiep.com/Create a free IEP Copilot account here: https://www.playgroundiep.com/iep-copilotIn this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagetherapy/ I also mentioned The School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers guide their teams to support students' executive functioning across the day. This program will help you plan direct therapy, but will also help you lead change management on your team, no matter your job title. You can learn more about the School of Clinical Leadership here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments