Wyatt Oroke | Having High Expectations for All Students
Today on the podcast, we talk with Maryland’s 2020 Teacher of the year, Wyatt Oroke about what it means to have an inclusive classroom. We discuss his perspective on how having high expectations for all of his scholars is essential and what his dream for the future of education is.This episode’s transcript can be found […]
Melissa McCullough | What Inclusive Preschool Services Look Like
Today on the podcast, we talk with Melissa McCullough, Director of Early Childhood for the East Moline School District in Illinois. We discuss what a truly inclusive preschool program looks like and what they are doing to move past the outdated model of providing specialized services in separate places. This episode’s transcript can be found […]
Eddie Fergus | Disproportionality in Special Education
Today on the podcast, we talk with Dr. Eddie Fergus of Temple University. We discuss the disproportionate number of students of color being identified in special education and what we can do about it. We review how restorative practices might be used in inclusive schools and how the biggest barrier to inclusion might be who […]
Why You Should Stop Using These 5 Ableist Phrases
According to Access Living, ableism is “the discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior. At its heart, ableism is rooted in the assumption that disabled people require ‘fixing’ and defines people by their disability.” While it might be easy for you to say, “I’m not […]
BONUS: Megan Gross and Nancy Brundrett | What Inclusive Education Looks Like at Poway Unified
Today on the podcast, we talk with Megan Gross and Nancy Brundrett of the Poway Unified School District in Southern California. They tell us how their district has changed how they educate students with significant disabilities and their role in supporting Poway schools with inclusive education. Megan Gross is the author of the books The […]
8 Ways Your School Might Be Doing Inclusion Wrong
One middle school that I consulted with wanted some suggestions on how to improve their inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities in specials (art, music, and physical education). A special education teacher walked me down to the art classroom, where the art teacher prepared for her next class. In the large art room, there were […]
Jenny Kurth | Implementing Inclusive Education with Participation Plans
Today on the podcast, we talk with Dr. Jenny Kurth, professor of special education at the University of Kansas. We discuss preparing for and implementing participation plans for students with complex support needs to be included in general education. And why we should all carry around pocket-sized versions of IDEA. Jenny Kurth is the author […]
Alfie Kohn | Does Behaviorism Belong in the Classroom?
Today on the podcast, we have a very special SUPERSIZED conversation with Alfie Kohn, prolific speaker and author, on human behavior, education, and parenting. We discuss whether bribes or positive reinforcement are really the same things and answer the question…should educators abandon behaviorist ideas altogether? Mr. Kohn is the author of several books, including: Punished […]
Katie Novak | Common Misconceptions About UDL
Today on the podcast, a conversation with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) expert, Katie Novak. We talk about some common misconceptions of UDL, how UDL works with students with more significant disabilities, and what it is was like to lead her school district to implement inclusive education. Katie is the author of several books, including: […]
Why I Call Myself An Inclusionist
Today on the podcast, a rare solo episode about why I call myself an inclusionist. For some, the word “inclusionist” has a negative association. I make the case that there is more to the word than just believing that we should get rid of special education or that inclusion only counts if it is “100%.” […]