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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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