Think Aloud with Dr. G.: Recent Episodes
Dr. Lisa Goran
Think Aloud is a strategy where teachers share their thinking out loud to model learning and understanding. It’s like eavesdropping on what’s happening in someone’s brain. This is a great way to start a conversation, learn something new, or think about things from different perspectives. I’m Dr. Lisa Goran and I’m inviting you to think aloud with me as we explore topics related to learning, education, and life.
Dr. Endia Lindo. Endia is an Associate Professor of Special Education at Texas Christian University. She also is an executive board member and past president of the Council for Exceptional Children’s (CEC) Division for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Learners (DDEL). Her research focuses on improving the reading comprehension of students with learning difficulties and disabilities and educators’ cultural competence. Dr. Lindo engages as a critical quantitative researcher whose work examines what is known and needed to establish, implement, and sustain school and community-based intervention practice especially for those students in which multiple vulnerabilities (e.g., disability, poverty, and cultural and linguistic differences) intersect.
“Choices have invoices.” ~ Busta Rhymes
Websites and clickable links:
Endia’s faculty page
DDEL’s website
What is PALS?
PALS on What Works Clearinghouse
Children of the Code
Other Think Aloud guests/episodes we mentioned:
Mark Schneider - E41 was the Director of the Institute for Educational Sciences (IES)
Jessica Toste - E31 is at the University of Texas
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
Unstuck & Unstoppable: Shake Off the Past, Find Your Purpose, Get on with Your Life by Jimn Kyles
Jim Crow’s Pink Slip: The Untold Story of Black Principal and Teacher Leadership by Leslie T. Fenwick et al.
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker et al.
Intersectionality in Education: Toward More Equitable Policy, Research, and Practice by Wendy Cavendish et al.
Dr. Elizabeth Hughes is an Associate Professor of Special Education at Penn State University. Her current research line overlaps her love for reading, writing, and mathematics by evaluating the role of language in learning and communicating mathematics. She has developed interventions to support students’ language when learning mathematics and answering open-response word problems in mathematics. Dr. Hughes also is the current Vice President of DLD.
Websites and clickable links:Elizabeth’s faculty page: https://ed.psu.edu/directory/dr-elizabeth-hughes
DLD’s website: https://www.teachingld.org/
Other Think Aloud guests/episodes we mentioned:Paul Riccomini - E26 is at Penn State
Kait Brennan - E43 is from Pittsburgh
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
Murder mysteries with strong female protagonists
Resources to support framing work to make it more culturally inclusive
Angus Kittelman is an assistant professor within the Department of Special Education at the University of Missouri. His research areas include positive behavioral interventions and supports with an emphasis in high schools, implementation science and systems change, and implementing and evaluating school-based interventions for students with emotional and behavioral problems. Angus has received funding from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education/Education Innovation and Research (EIR). In 2023, he was a recipient of the Initial Researcher Award from the Association of Positive Behavior Support (APBS).
Links:Angus’ faculty page: https://cehd.missouri.edu/person/angus-kittelman/
PBIS: www.pbis.org
Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support: https://pbismissouri.org/
Other Think Aloud guests/episodes we mentioned:Tim Lewis - E33
Aaron Campbell - E42
Mary Rose Sallese - E16
Mark Schneider - E41
Matt Burns - E23
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Kait Brennan is an experienced Policy Advisor and Lobbyist focused on addressing the critical shortage of special educators and lack of diversity in the field. She is the principal and founder of KB Strategies, a boutique government affairs and political strategy firm. At the federal level, she represents the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children (TED - CEC) and the Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (HECSE) as their Senior Policy Advisor. Kait has a demonstrated history of working in the K-12 and higher education industry and is skilled in Special Education, K-12 Education, Education Policy, Teacher Preparation, and Urban Education. Kait earned a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) focused in Special Education from University of Pittsburgh.
Links:
KB Strategies: kbrennan@kbstrategies.org
Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children (TED-CEC): https://tedcec.org/
Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (HECSE): https://hecse.net/
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
Advocating for the Common Good: People, politics, process, and policy on Capitol Hill by Jane West - available from Rowman & Littlefield
Related Services in Special Education: Working Together as a Team by Lisa Goran & David F. Bateman - available from Rowman & Littlefield
Arc of Power: Inside Nancy Pelosi's Speakership, 2005–2010 by John A. Lawrence
Schoolhouse Burning: Public Education and the Assault on American Democracyby Derek W. Black
Dr. Aaron R. Campbell is an Assistant Professor of Special Education in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Missouri. Her research involves equitable intervention delivery within a multi-tiered behavior support framework focused on preventative strategies for improving student academic, social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes, particularly in culturally and linguistically diverse learners and those students being educated in underserved communities. Dr. Campbell currently serves as the director of an inaugural undergraduate and graduate student research lab focused on refining and testing interventions to reduce exclusionary discipline practices, improve student teacher relationships, increase instructional and classroom time for marginalized students with or at risk of an Emotional and Behavioral Disorder (EBD), and culturally responsive Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and culturally responsive Positive Behavior Interventions Supports. Dr. Campbell also provides technical assistance to state, district and school level teams across the nation on preventative practices, including addressing implicit bias in classroom management, school discipline, effective classroom behavior management strategies, and culturally responsive SEL. Dr. Campbell’s teaching and research focus on culturally responsive intervention delivery within a multi-tiered behavior support framework with a specific emphasis on supporting historically marginalized children and youth in schools and communities.
Websites: (with clickable links)Aaron’s faculty page
PBIS: www.pbis.org
Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support: https://pbismissouri.org/
Dr. Mark Schneider is the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences for the Department of Education. (For those who are unfamiliar, this is the federal Department of Education for the entire United States of America.) Before joining IES, Mark Schneider was a vice president and an Institute Fellow at American Institutes for Research (AIR) and President of College Measures. Prior to joining AIR, Dr. Schneider served as Commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics from 2005–2008. In 2013, the Chronicle of Higher Education selected him as one of the 10 people who had the most impact on higher education policy that year.
He is the author of numerous articles and books on education policy. His most recent book, The University Next Door, edited with KC Deane, was published in 2014 by Teachers College, Columbia University.
Dr. Schneider was a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of political science at the State University of New York, Stony Brook.
Websites: (with clickable links)
Institute of Education Sciences
Director Mark Schneider’s Bio
National Center for Special Education Research
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
National AI Institute for Exceptional Education
What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guides
Regional Education Laboratory (REL) Program
Education Resources Information Center (ERIC)
Wine for Normal People
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Related Services in Special Education: Working Together as a Team by Lisa Goran & David F. Bateman - available from Rowman & Littlefield
Dr. Beth Stormshak is a Knight Chair and Professor in the Counseling Psychology and Human Services department in the College of Education at the University of Oregon. Her research focuses on understanding risk factors in early and middle childhood associated with the development of problem behavior in late adolescence, including substance use and delinquency. Her research focus includes testing the efficacy of family-centered interventions, such as the Family Check-Up, that reduce the later risk of problem behavior. She also has developed an online version of the Family Check-Up for wide-scale dissemination.
Resources from this episode (Clickable Links):More on Dr. Beth Stormshak
Preventing Emotional and Behavior Problems in Middle School Youth at risk of Disability after the COVID-19 Pandemic with the Family Check-Up Online
Institute of Education Sciences
National Center for Special Education Research
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
Related Services in Special Education: Working Together as a Team by Lisa Goran & David F. Bateman - available from Rowman & Littlefield
Everyday Parenting: A Professional's Guide to Building Family Management Skills
Prevention Science Journal
Books, real paper books! Browse your local library or bookstore. Find something new to experience, or reconnect with an old favorite.
A specific book: West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
Dr. Ben Clarke is an Associate Professor in the School Psychology Program at the University of Oregon. He is interested in mathematical development and the role of assessment, instruction, and school systems to support that development. Across his work, there is an emphasis on understanding the variables that impact student achievement and their interaction with critical ecological and cultural factors. Dr. Clarke leverages his research interests to teach and work with school psychology and special education students to integrate an understanding of mathematics development within school based service delivery systems. He currently serves or has served as a Principal Investigator on twenty federally funded research grants (apx. 55 million in funding) in the area of mathematics instruction focused on the development and efficacy testing of intervention programs spanning the K-6thgrade spectrum in both traditional and technology based formats. In addition, Dr. Clarke’s work has focused on developing assessment materials examining early mathematics knowledge and number sense with a focus on identifying and preventing later mathematics difficulty. He has published articles and book chapters on mathematics instruction and assessment and developing multi-tiered instructional models including the IES practice guide “Assisting students struggling with mathematics: Response to Intervention for elementary and middle schools”. Dr. Clarke was a practicing school psychologist for three years where he led district efforts to implement multiple tier instructional models in reading and mathematics.
Resources from this episode: (clickable links)
Ben’s faculty page
The IES Practice Guide Ben wrote: Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Response to Intervention for Elementary and Middle Schools
Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills DIBELS
National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
Related Services in Special Education: Working Together as a Team by Lisa Goran & David F. Bateman - available for preorder from Amazon
The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin by Steven Lee Myers
Alyson Collins is an Associate Professor of Special Education at Texas State University. Her research focuses on writing instruction provided to students with disabilities, and how observed instruction relates to students’ writing performance. Additionally, she is interested in interventions that enhance teachers’ effectiveness in the area of writing and content-area knowledge.
Alyson has received research grant funding from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). She is Primary Investigator (PI) on an IES-funded project. This project is a meta-analysis of writing interventions for students in Grades K-5.
Before joining Texas State University, Alyson earned her doctorate in Special Education from Vanderbilt University.
Websites: (with clickable links)Alyson’s faculty page
Alyson on Twitter: @alysonacollins
Turning the TIDE (IES-funded research)
A recent conversation with Dr. Collins on her research
Institute of Education Sciences
National Center for Special Education Research
DLD’s page: www.TeachingLD.org
Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD): https://srsdonline.org/
Another Think Aloud worth a listen: Stephen Ciullo - Episode 35
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)The Harry Potter series
Dr. Devin Kearns is an associate professor of Special Education in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut (UConn). He is a research scientist for the Center for Behavioral Education & Research and Haskins Laboratories. He is an affiliated faculty member for the UConn Institute for Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS) and the UConn Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy.
His projects address four aspects of this topic. He and his colleagues:
- explore the cognitive mechanisms that predict individual differences in reading (with Jay Rueckl),
- examine the effects of reading instruction on neurobiological processing during reading in the CARING Project(with Ken Pugh at Haskins Laboratories) and the brainCAMP project (with Fumiko Hoeft, Director of the UConn Brain Imaging Research Center).), and
- design tests to understand and screen for dyslexia in the APPRISE Project (led by Fumiko Hoeft).
Resources from this episode (clickable links):
Devin’s faculty page (UConn)
Devin’s website: devinkearns.org
Devin on Twitter: @devin_kearns
Another Think Aloud worth a listen...
Sarah Powell - Episode 28: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1783421/11765704
Michael Hebert is an associate professor at the School of Education at University of California, Irvine, and the director of the UCI Writing Project. His research interests include reading and writing development, how writing instruction influences reading development, and the identification of effective “writing to read” practices.
Resources from this episode:More on Dr. Michael Hebert
Project WORDS (Workshop on Reading Development Strategies) for Pandemic Recovery in Nebraska
Project View
Institute of Education Sciences
National Center for Special Education Research
We mentioned...
Sarah Powell - Ep 28
David Scanlon - Ep 25
To read:
Writing and Reading Connections: Bridging Research and Practice edited by Zoi A. Philippakos and Steve Graham
Soon I WIll Be Invincible by Austin Grossman
Dr. Stephen Ciullo is an Associate Professor of Special Education at Texas State University. His research focuses on two topics. First, he studies the extent to which classroom writing instruction provided to students with disabilities aligns with research evidence, and how observed instruction relates to students’ writing performance. Second, Stephen is interested in interventions that enhance teachers’ effectiveness in the area of writing and content-area knowledge.
Stephen has received three research grants from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). He is Primary Investigator (PI) on an IES-funded project that explores the extent to which effective writing instructional practices are used by special educators and general educators who teach writing to students with disabilities. This project also examines differences between the writing instruction of special educators and general educators. Stephen serves as Co-PI on a second IES-funded grant with Dr. Linda Mason (PI). This project explores relationships between middle school social studies and science teachers' use of evidence-based writing practices, teachers' beliefs about adapting instruction for students with disabilities, and students' writing outcomes. Additionally, Stephen is Co-PI on a recently funded IES grant (PI Alyson Collins, Texas State University). This project is a meta-analysis of writing interventions for students in Grades K-5.
Stephen teaches undergraduate as well as graduate-level special education courses. His courses focus on Learning Disabilities, and instructional practices that improve reading and writing outcomes for students who receive special education services.
Before joining Texas State University, Stephen earned his doctorate in Special Education from the University of Texas at Austin. He was also a Special Education teacher in New York for six years.
Websites: (with clickable links)
Stephen’s faculty page
DLD’s page: www.TeachingLD.org
CLD’s page: www.//council-for-learning-disabilities.org
Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD): https://srsdonline.org/
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
Books by Erik Larson
Currently reading The Splendid and the Vile
Books about Stoicism
Currently reading The Stoic Teacher: Ancient Mind Hacks to Help Educators Foster Resiliency, Optimism, and Inner Calm by Ryan Racine
Dr. Mitchell L. Yell is the Fred and Francis Lester Palmetto Chair in Teacher Education at the University of South Carolina. He is a leading voice in IEP development, legal issues in special education, classroom management, progress monitoring, and evidence-based practices in special education. His book, The Law and Special Education, is in its 5th edition and is the standard-setting text in our field.
Websites: (with clickable links)
Mitch’s faculty page
SpEd Law Blog: www.spedlawblog.com
Minnesota Twin Study: https://mctfr.psych.umn.edu/
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
The Law and Special Education by Mitchell L. Yell
Works by:
Kurt Vonnegut
Thomas Pynchon
Hermann Hesse
Dr. Tim Lewis has been involved with developing school-wide systems of behavioral support for over 20 years. He has worked directly with school teams around the world, secured over $80 million in grants to support his research and demonstration efforts, and is a frequent contributor to the professional literature examining various aspects of Positive Behavior Support. At present, Dr. Lewis is a Curators’ Distinguished Professor of Special Education at the University of Missouri. Dr. Lewis directs the University of Missouri Center for School-wide Positive Behavior Support, is Co-Director of the national OSEP Center for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and former Co-Director of the Center for Adolescent Research in Schools. His specialty areas include social skill instruction, functional assessment, and proactive school-wide discipline systems.
Websites: (with clickable links)
Tim’s faculty page: tim-lewis
PBIS: www.pbis.org
Missouri Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support: https://pbismissouri.org/
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Division of Emotional Behavioral Health (DEBH): https://debh.exceptionalchildren.org/
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
Made in America by Bill Bryson
anything by John Steinbeck
anything by Ernest Hemingway
Dr. John Jones is an associate professor and Chair of the Education Department at Truman State University. His research interests include the history of education, the history of special education, the history of disability, education policy, international education, and the intersection of science and religion.
Website:John’s faculty page: https://www.truman.edu/faculty-staff/jjones/
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
Final Accounting: Ambition, Greed and the Fall of Arther Andersen by Barbara Ley Toffler and Jennifer Reingold
The Cult of We: WeWork, Adam Neumann, and the Great Startup Delusion by Eliot Brown and Maureen Farrell
The Spider Network: The Wild Story of a Math Genius, a Gang of Backstabbing Bankers, and One of the Greatest Scams in Financial History by David Enrich
Presidencies Derailed: Why University Leaders Fail and How to Prevent It by Stephen Joel Trachtenberg
Dr. Jessica Toste is an associate professor in the Department of Special Education at The University of Texas at Austin and a fellow of the Reading Institute within The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk. She is the current President of the Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Her research interests are related to intensive interventions for students with reading disabilities, with a particular focus on data-based decision-making processes and motivation. Dr. Toste was trained in reading intervention research as a postdoctoral fellow at Vanderbilt University (2011-2013) and as a Fulbright scholar/visiting researcher at the Florida Center for Reading Research (2008-2009). She has worked as an elementary school teacher and reading specialist in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Websites and clickable links:
Jess’s website: https://www.jessicatoste.com/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tosteteam
Project EXPERT YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@project_expert
Jess’s faculty page: https://education.utexas.edu/faculty/jessica_toste
DLD’s website: https://www.teachingld.org/
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
What’s Mine and Yours by Naima Coster
The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau
Dr. Margaret (Peggy) Weiss is an Associate Professor in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. She is actively involved in the Division of Learning Disabilities (DLD) and the current President-Elect of the Teacher Education Division (TED), both essential divisions within the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). She is an expert in co-teaching and Specially Designed Instruction (SDI). Peggy shares insights from her experiences and the power of making connections within the field of special education. You’ll likely recognize many of the names mentioned in this episode, and I hope you’re inspired by how she frames conversations on effective teaching, co-teaching, and Specially Designed Instruction (SDI).
Websites and clickable links:Peggy’s faculty page
DLD’s website: https://www.teachingld.org/
TED’s website: https://tedcec.org/
CEC’s website: https://exceptionalchildren.org/
Topics to read/explore:Perspective
Identity Work
Adult Learning Theory
Reflective Practice in Critical Thinking
Adaptive Expertise
Dr. Michael Solis is an Associate Professor of Special Education at the University of California, Riverside. His line of research focuses on vocabulary and reading comprehension interventions for students with reading difficulties in grades 4 -12. He has published articles in peer-reviewed journals including Annals of Dyslexia, Journal of Learning Disabilities, Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, and Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Solis has expertise in K-12 reading interventions, multi-tiered systems of support, positive behavior interventions, and collaboration. Prior to his work in higher education, he was a special educator, reading specialist, and literacy coach for 10 years in the public schools. Dr. Solis works with state agencies, advocacy groups, and school districts across the United States on supporting the implementation of evidence-based literacy practices aligned with the science of reading.
Resources from this episode
Websites and clickable links:
Michael’s faculty page
DLD’s website: https://www.teachingld.org/
Response to Intervention overview
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
The Power of the Down State by Sara C. Mednick
Student Focused Coaching by Jan Hasbrouck & Daryl Michel
Sarah Powell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education at The University of Texas at Austin and Associate Director of the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk. Her research, teaching, and service focus on mathematics, particularly for students who experience mathematics differently.
In this conversation, Sarah shares the importance of avoiding the all-to-common false dichotomies that exist in how people think and speak about education and their own stories.
Resources from this episode:
Websites to visit (clickable links):
Sarah’s faculty page
Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS)
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
How Learning Happens by Carl Hendrick and Paul Arthur Kirschner
How Teaching Happens by Paul Kirschner, Carl Hendrick, and Jim Heal
Work Won’t Love You Back by Sarah Jaffe
Dr. Miriam Ortiz is the CEO and Chief Consultant of K12 Matters, LLC. She also is the Executive Director of the Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). She earned her Ph.D. in Education and Human Development from Southern Methodist University in 2017 with a focus on Special Education and Response to Intervention. She is passionate about improving academic outcomes for children with or at-risk for disabilities, teacher training and professional development, as well as assisting struggling readers of all ages. In this conversation, Miriam shares so many wonderful things from her experiences as a first generation college student, a Hispanic woman, and a champion for on-going teacher training and coaching to help make a sustained, positive impact for students in schools. Her positivity and gratitude are contagious. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!
Resources from this episode:
Websites to visit:
K12 Matters https://www.k12matters.com/
DLD https://www.teachingld.org/
To read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
Parenting with Love and Logic by Foster W. Cline
Paul Riccomini is a Professor of Education at PennState. He is also the current President of the Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Paul shares his family history of educators and his deep-seeded love of math (despite almost failing 9th grade Algebra). This love of math drives his passion for providing high-quality instruction for students as well as professional development for teachers.
Resources (Clickable Links) from this episode:
Paul’s faculty page
www.RetrievalPractice.org
Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
www.teachingld.org
Twitter: @TeachingLD
What Paul's Reading: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
How Learning Happens: Seminal Works in Educational Psychology and What They Mean in Practice by Carl Hendrick
David Scanlon is an Associate Professor at Boston College. He is also the editor of Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, the journal published by the Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD). In this conversation, David shares his love of plants, reminds us of the power of connection and opportunity, and emphasizes the importance of a hand-written note.
Resources (Clickable links) from this episode:
David’s faculty page
www.TeachingLD.org
Learning Disabilities Research & Practice (journal)
Books to read: (Check out your local bookstore or favorite online provider)
Anything by Ernest Hemingway
The Talented Mr. Ripley
“I’m a better pastor because I’m a more authentic Paul.” Paul Klepees is a pastor, a nurse, and a parent of a child with disabilities. This episode highlights the power of connection with - and truly seeing - the people in our space. There’s a message here of hope, peace, and the power of being authentically and intentionally present. It seems like the perfect episode to share in this back-to-school time.
Resources Paul shared:
Scholastic's "The Magic School Bus" follows Ms. Frizzle and her class as they set off on field trips. Based on the best-selling book series of the same name, "The Magic School Bus" takes kids on a virtual bus ride. Magically transforming into a plane, submarine, spaceship or surfboard, this bus carries Ms. Frizzle and her students on super adventures and teaches them about science. You can find clips and episodes online.
Dream Like Jesus by Rebekah Simon-Peter
Dr. Matt Burns is a Professor in the Department of Special Education in the College of Education & Human Development at the University of Missouri. He is the Director of the Center for Collaborative Solutions for Kids, Practice, and Policy (SKiPP). He is also the Co-Director of the Missouri Partnership for Educational Renewal (MPER). Matt is a prolific researcher (with more than 200 articles and book chapters, as well as 12 books), and is dedicated to positively influencing practice in K-12 schools and mentoring the next generation of thought leaders in education. Matt’s shares how his “accidental path” led to doing the work of his passion.
Resources (Clickable links) from this episode:
Matt’s Faculty Page
Special Olympics
Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) website
Missouri Council of Administrators of Special Education (MO-CASE) website
Center for Collaborative Solutions for Kids, Practice, and Policy (SKiPP)
Matt’s YouTube Channel
Bernard Cornwell’s books: www.bernardcornwell.net
E=mc2: A Biography of the World’s Most Famous Equation
This is Ep. 22 about SELS2022, so it only seemed right to release it on 7/22/22!
This special episode is all about advocacy in special education! It’s a review of the Special Education Legislative Summit (SELS2022) with Marlena Walley, the President of MO-CASE. We discuss the big issues and ways for people to get involved today!
Resources for you:
SELS2022 Information Briefs
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) website
Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) website
Missouri Council of Administrators of Special Education (MO-CASE) website
How to Get Involved:
CEC Action Center
CASE Action Center
Local Schools - connect as a volunteer, substitute, or employee.
“Don’t ever think it’s too late to try.”
Dr. Cathy Thomas is an Associate Professor at Texas State University. Cathy’s is a wonderful educational journey with unexpected twists and turns, yet a constant thread of advocating for education and opportunities for those who are marginalized. Every one of us can connect to aspects of her story.
Resources from this episode:
Cathy’s Faculty page
The Teacher Education Division (TED) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
Journal of Teacher Education
CEEDAR Center
Learning Policy Institute (Stanford)
University of Michigan High Leverage Practices (HLPs)
Johnathan Kellerman’s work
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
Kim Nuetzmann is the Director of Field Experiences at the University of Missouri and the Co-Director of the Missouri Education Partnership for Renewal (MPER). She shares such wisdom around passion for teaching (not just in a classroom), the influence of your support system, and the importance of partnership.
Resources from this episode:
Kim’s Mizzou page: https://education.missouri.edu/person/kimberley-nuetzmann/
MPER: https://education.missouri.edu/mper/
Bob Garmston’s books:https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/author/robert-j-garmston
As educators are wrapping up the spring semester at the college level and the school year at the PreK-12 level, enjoy this inspiring conversation with Dr. Chad Rose. Chad is an Associate Professor in Special Education at the University of Missouri and the Director of the Mizzou Ed Bully Prevention Lab.
Chad’s story will surprise and motivate you. It’s a good one. In fact, after you listen to it now, you might save it to listen again in August... just sayin'.
Resources from this episode:
Chad’s faculty page
Mizzou Ed Bully Prevention Lab
website: https://www.mizzoubullypreventionlab.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BullyPreventLab/
If you are a teacher, want to be a teacher, and/or care about someone who is a teacher, you are going to LOVE this conversation with Dr. Maria Peterson-Ahmad! Maria is an Associate Professor of Special Education at Texas Woman’s University. This episode is so special, I don't want to spoil it with more words. Listen now! Then check out the resources below:
Resources from this episode:
Maria’s faculty page
Universal Design for Learning https://udlguidelines.cast.org
CEC’s High Leverage Practices https://highleveragepractices.org
CEEDAR Center https://ceedar.education.ufl.edu
Brené Brown’s Atlas of the Heart https://brenebrown.com
Maria’s most recent book, Collaborative Approaches to Recruiting, Preparing, and Retaining Future Teachers for the Field
Today, we are thinking aloud with my friend, Dr. Sarah Conoyer. Sarah is an Assistant Professor in School Psychology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). Sarah is a nationally certified School Psychologist as well as a licensed Clinical Psychologist. One of the things Sarah and I share is our work in what we call the “messy middle” - working in overlapping and interconnected fields. In Sarah’s case, that’s School Psychology and Special Education, with the opportunity to both train future School Psychologists in a university setting and work with teams in public schools.
This episode is great for undergraduate students to hear about the myriad opportunities available while you are working toward your degree. It's also great for professionals in public schools to hear about ways to connect and collaborate with university faculty.
Here are some resources Sarah shared:
Sarah’s faculty page Standing Strong by Alli Worthingtonhttps://alliworthington.com/standingstrong
Untamed by Glennon Doylehttps://untamedbook.com
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluohttps://www.amazon.com/You-Want-Talk-About-Race/dp/1580056776
Dr. Mary Rose Sallese is in her first year as an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Full disclosure: I take credit for Mary Rose moving into a PhD program, but her amazing journey is absolutely because of her passion, intelligence, and purpose. Listen in as she shares how her experiences came at just the right time and what actually makes a good teacher.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone who is considering a PhD program and for those who are on the job market in higher education.
Here are some resources Mary Rose shared:
Mary Rose’s faculty page
Developing Educationally Meaningful and Legally Sound IEPs by Mitchell L. Yell, David F. Bateman, & James G. Shriner
Harry Potter on Audible
Dr. Sarah Watt is an Associate Professor at Miami University of Ohio, and, prior to that, Sarah was a K-12 teacher for over a decade. In Episode 15, Sarah and I think aloud together about her educational journey, including how her experiences living in South Africa influenced her perspectives. We discuss our shared love for working with middle schoolers, and our appreciation for the work teachers do every day.
Resources from this episode:
Sarah’s faculty page
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC): https://exceptionalchildren.org
Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD): https://www.teachingld.org
Ghosts in the School Yard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago’s South Side by Eve L. Ewing
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
Dr. Chris Lemons is an Associate Professor of Special Education in the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University. His research focuses on improving academic outcomes for children and adolescents with intellectual, developmental, and learning disabilities. You should know about his work, so please visit his faculty page linked below. In this episode, Chris and I think aloud together about his educational journey, how our experiences and interactions guide our paths, and an octopus named Linda.
Resources from this episode:
Chris’ faculty page: https://ed.stanford.edu/faculty/cjlemons
Council for Exceptional Children: https://exceptionalchildren.org
The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery
Handbook of Special Education Research - both volumes available through Routledge
Dr. David F. Bateman is a leading expert in special education law, assessment, and facilitating inclusion. He is a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Special Education at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. David has served as a due process hearing officer for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, has authored and co-authored multiple books, is a frequent keynote presenter, and is a passionate advocate for all students to receive an appropriate education.
Resources David mentioned:
David’s website: www.specialedconsultant.org
Atomic Habits by James Clear
168 Hours: You have more time than you think by Laura Vanderkam
Dr. Jessica Rodrigues is an assistant professor in Special Education at MU. She has over six years of experience conducting research in local schools and teaching evidence-based mathematics interventions to diverse learners at risk for mathematics difficulties. Dr. Rodrigues leads the Mathematics Potential Lab, a research team with undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty that seeks to support each child’s mathematics understanding.
For more information, please see Jessica’s faculty page here: https://education.missouri.edu/person/jessica-rodrigues/
On Twitter, you can follow Dr. Rodrigues @rodriguesjm6 and the Mathematics Potential Lab @MathLabatMizzou.
Tyson Hunt is a founder of Logboat Brewing Company in Columbia, MO. He is an educator, a husband and father, an entrepreneur, a mentor, an avid reader of Cosmos, and a proponent of chasing your dreams. Join us as we think aloud about the importance of education in every aspect of life, living authentically, and how teachers make the best entrepreneurs.
Check out Logboat: www.logboatbrewing.com
Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @LogboatBrewing
Here are the books Tyson mentioned:
No Beast So Fierce by Dane Huckelbridge
Cosmos by Carl Sagan
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
Do you find that you are busy all day, but get nothing done? Are you overwhelmed with how busy you are but feel like you aren’t productive? This is a common conversation in our “Culture of Busy,” but does not have to be your normal. Listen in as I talk with Dr. David Bateman about time management strategies that work.
Resources we mentioned in this conversation:
TED-CEC: https://tedcec.org
Atomic Habits by James Clear
I Hate Running and You Can Too by Brendan Leonard
Decisive by Chip and Dan Heath
Dr. Erica Lembke is a Professor of Special Education and the Interim Dean of the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Missouri. Early experiences shaped who she is as a person, from her sense of adventure to her resilience to her passion for special education. Erica shares how these experiences and the influence of her parents led her to her current career. She describes the value of connection and collaborative work, including the amazing partnerships and connections she has with researchers and public school teachers across the nation. Dr. Lembke’s research focuses on early assessment and intervention in academic areas, such as reading, writing, and mathematics. We also explore the opportunities for teachers to continue their own education within masters and doctoral level training.
Follow her on Twitter: @EricaLembke
Check out her research areas and opportunities for doctoral training: https://education.missouri.edu/person/erica-lembke/
Jen Butel is the Executive Director of Pupil Services for the Platte County R-3 School District in the Kansas City area of Missouri. Jen’s educational journey involves the allure of the “special doors” at the end of the hall, the value of curating your own plus-minus file, and the power of letting go of guilt when you move into a new part of your education journey. This conversation is full of so many nuggets of wisdom that I had to listen again to take notes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Here are some of the resources and organizations Jen mentions:
MO-CASE: mo-case.org
YVC - Youth Volunteer Corps: yvc.org
The Children’s Place: childrensplaceinc.org/volunteer
The CDC website: cdc.gov
Dr. Manuel Ferrer (“Manny from Miami”) shares his educational journey, from growing up in Little Havana to becoming the Rookie Teacher of the Year, to his current work supporting special educators as the Regional Manager for TeachTown. Manny and I think-aloud together, drawing from his family experiences, about the impact teachers have, the importance of being an advocate and self-advocate, as well as how imperative access is for all students. We also explore the overlap between the worlds of education and business as we discuss the importance of coaching, training, mentoring, and life-long learning. This episode is packed with resources and recommendations for great reads, great podcasts, and how to order the best IPA.
Here are some of the resources Manny shared:
MO-CASE, Missouri Council of Administrators of Special Education: https://www.mo-case.org
CASE, Council of Administrators of Special Education: https://www.casecec.org
CEC, Council for Exceptional Children: https://exceptionalchildren.org
TeachTown: https://web.teachtown.com
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/291680/who-moved-my-cheese-by-spencer-johnson/
Sales Management Simplified by Mike Weinberg: https://mikeweinberg.com
The Four Horsemen of Sales: https://www.facebook.com/TheFourHorsemenOfSales/
Welcome back! I’m so glad you’re here for this think aloud session. We jump back into our conversation with Lynn Mahaffey, a special educator who works with students in grades 6-8 in a RISE classroom - as a quick reminder, RISE stands for Reaching Independence through Structured Education. She shares a secret about what can be the hardest thing about teaching - and it is something that wasn’t taught when she was in school. The second half of our think aloud conversation brings up the importance of continually learning, having a support system of people who understand our experiences, and the importance of cultivating your network. Lynn shares some of the things she’s focusing on as we embark on a new school year after having gone through a pandemic year.
Here are some of the resources Lynn mentioned:
- DanceAbility https://www.danceability.com DanceAbility is a unique dance method founded in 1987 by Alito Alessi and Karen Nelson and has been under Alito’s leadership since 1989. DanceAbility uses improvisational dance to promote artistic expression and exploration between people with and without disabilities.
- Professional reading: resources on Social Emotional Learning in the Classroom
- Fun reading: books by Michael Connelly
Today’s conversation is with someone who is truly sunshine personified! Lynn Mahaffey is a special educator I am honored to know as a professional and a friend who works in the Columbia Public Schools in Columbia, Missouri, in a RISE classroom - Reaching Independence through Structured Education.
We talk through her education journey, including some twists and turns you might not have seen coming. We also talk about how special education has changed in the course of her career. Our conversation travels through essential concepts for effective teaching and the importance of having a balance and focusing our efforts on what works for the individual student. Lynn does a great job of thinking aloud about the intense level of knowledge and skill that makes good teaching look effortless.
(My apologies for the sound quality - we recorded in her classroom and there was a mechanical hum I couldn't edit out with my limited technical skill. I'm still learning...)
Here is a resource Lynn mentioned:
- TASH www.tash.org Founded in 1975, TASH advocates for human rights and inclusion for people with significant disabilities and support needs – those most vulnerable to segregation, abuse, neglect and institutionalization. TASH works to advance inclusive communities through advocacy, research, professional development, policy, and information and resources for parents, families and self-advocates. The inclusive practices TASH validates through research have been shown to improve outcomes for all people.
This episode is part 2 of my conversation with Michael Faggella-Luby. In the first half of the conversation, we discussed lessons learned in his educational journey, and paused on an extremely critical point: teachers do the very best they can and it’s important to remember we work within a system of supports. The second half of our conversation highlights the value of community for teachers and students. We explore how Special Education law has a history in the civil rights movement and equity for all. We wrap up with an optimistic discussion about where the field of Special Education is now and how it can continue to improve.
Here are some of the resources Dr. Faggella-Luby shared in this part of our conversation:
- Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time by Jeff Sutherland
- Watership Down by Richard Adams
Today, I am excited to share part 1 of my conversation with Michael Faggella-Luby. Dr. Faggella-Luby is a Professor of Special Education and Director of the Alice Neely Special Education Research and Service (ANSERS) Institute at Texas Christian University. I asked him to tell us about his educational journey and how he came to the field of Special Education. As we explore the teaching and learning experiences he shares, we dive into questions and concepts that ring true for all educators.
We talk about how to know what Special Education is, the idea of “hidden” disabilities, having language to describe – and seek supports for – the struggles our students experience. Join us for this conversation that will leave you energized about teaching and motivated to add to the good that exists in education.
Here are some of the resources Dr. Faggella-Luby shares:
· Dr. Michael Faggella-Luby at Texas Christian University https://coe.tcu.edu/faculty-staff/michael-faggella-luby-ph-d/
· Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD) https://www.teachingld.org
· A special issue on inclusion in Catholic Schools for students with disabilities: https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/ce/vol23/iss2/
Today, we think aloud about the five take-away themes future teachers identified from a four-week summer course about teaching exceptional learners. We know the best way to learn/teach something is to connect it – make it meaningful. We will discuss the five big ideas they learned (or unlearned): (1) debunking “learning styles,” (2) person-first language, (3) General Education teachers teach ALL students, (4) evidence-based practices, and (5) differentiation with Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
Here are some resources related to today’s episode:
- Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Brown, Roediger, & McDaniel
- TEDx Talk on Learning Styles & the Importance of Critical Self-Reflection: https://youtu.be/855Now8h5Rs
- The Office of Disability Rights page on Person-First Language: https://odr.dc.gov/page/people-first-language
- Infographic on Evidence-Based Practices from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES): https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/infographics/pdf/REL_SE_Evidence-based_teaching_practices.pdf
- The UDL Guidelines: https://udlguidelines.cast.org
Welcome to Think Aloud with Dr. G! You probably have questions, like…. "What’s a think aloud?" And, "Who is Dr. G?" Here's a 3-minute mini-episode to answer those questions.