Project/Inquiry-Based Learning, with educator Jessica Brock | Episode 2

In this episode we speak with Elizabeth Elder about finding a community and support system as a mother of children with special needs. Elizabeth is the founder of Steel Magnolia Moms, a Houston based support group for Mothers of children with special needs. Steel Magnolia Moms offers a variety of programs, events, and an online community designed to share knowledge, resources and, most importantly, encourage moms to find themselves again. Throughout the episode Elizabeth discusses her journey to starting Steel Magnolia Moms, shares how finding a community of other special needs Moms has positively changed her life and provides resources offered by Steel Magnolia Moms. Elizabeth also encourages everyone to reach out to others and take small steps toward building a supportive community wherever you are. 

Elizabeth Elder, is the founder and Executive Director of Steel Magnolia Moms in Houston, Texas. She is a Houston native and mother of three. Elizabeth’s two oldest children, Annabelle and Blair, were diagnosed with Lee Syndrome, a neurodegenerative disease, in 2015. Shortly after Elizabeth was inspired to create a facebook support group for Moms in Houston. Over the past 9 years the group has grown to include thousands of Moms across the country. Steel Magnolia Moms now offers a variety of programs, in person events, and an online community designed to share knowledge, resources and, most importantly, encourage moms to find themselves again. 

Links:

Steel Magnolia Moms website

Steel Magnolia Moms Facebook Group

Steel Magnolia Moms Programs

Gateway Academy

The Original Mexican Cafe

In this episode Elizabeth Montero-Cefalo, former special education teacher and Conscious Discipline Master Instructor, discusses the positive impact of using Conscious Discipline at home and in her classroom. Elizabeth highlights the changes she implemented in her classroom and home that had the greatest impact as well as which elements of conscious discipline she started with and why. She also gives advice on what she recommends parents begin with at home. Throughout the episode, Elizabeth comes back to the core themes of seeing behaviors as communication, the importance of adults regulating themselves first, and the importances of structure and routine. 

Elizabeth Montero-Cefalo, MEd, graduated from the University of Miami with a Masters in Early Childhood Special Education. She worked in public schools as a special education teacher before becoming a Conscious Discipline Master Instructor. Elizabeth’s special education classroom was recognized as a Conscious Discipline model classroom by Dr. Becky Bailey and the Miami-Dade County Public School District. As a trainer, Elizabeth assists teachers and administrators in deepening their understanding of Conscious Discipline and adapting it to working with the special needs population and infant/ toddler population. As a coach, she guides teachers through a manageable, step-by-step process of internalizing the skills and powers of Conscious Discipline. 

Links:

 Conscious Discipline 

The Parish School

Sponsors:

Bay Area Arts Conservatory

Kids 360 Pediatric Dentistry

Screens are becoming increasingly interwoven into our children’s everyday lives. Unfortunately, a lot of the information around screen usage is either contradictory, vague, or rooted in extremes. This can leave parents confused, frustrated, or feeling guilty as they navigate screen usage for their family. In this episode, educator Ash Brandin (@TheGamerEducator) gives tips and information to help families make screens work for everyone. They provide ways for parents to reframe their thinking about screen time, give tips on helping children and adults become aware of how screens make their bodies feel, and helpful phrases to use when talking about screens with kids. Ash also gives tips on parental controls and ways to teach your child to use chat features responsibly. 

Ash Brandin, EdS, is a middle school librarian, speaker, and parent educator. Through their blog and instagram account, The Gamer Educator, they educate parents and caregivers on how to navigate video game technology and provide strategies to help find a balance that works for their home. Ash also provides resources for educators wanting to bring gaming into the classroom to support learning and motivate students. 

Links:

The Gamer Educator Website

The Gamer Educator Instagram

Sponsors:

The Original Mexican Cafe

Kids 360 Pediatric Dentistry

In this episode we sit down with Speech-Language Pathologist and executive functioning expert, Sarah Ward to discuss strategies to support the development of executive functions at home and school. Sarah starts off by giving a brief overview of what “executive functioning” means in everyday life then jumps into practical and effective ways parents, caregivers, teachers, and therapists can support students as they develop these skills. 

Sarah Ward, MS, CCC-SLP is the Co-Director of Cognitive Connections, LLP in Massachusetts. She  has over 25 years of experience in diagnostic evaluations, treatment and case management of children, adolescents and adults with a wide range of developmental and acquired brain-based learning difficulties and behavioral problems. Sarah is a dedicated clinician and internationally recognized expert on executive function skills who presents seminars and workshops across the globe on the programs and strategies she has developed. She has a proven track record for translating complex ideas into practical strategies that work to improve executive function skills.

Links:

Sarah's website: Cognitive Connections

The Parish School's website

Unbabbled on Instagram

Sponsors:

The Original Mexican Cafe

Kids 360 Pediatric Dentistry

In this episode, we speak with pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist Becky Wilson, about the link between language disorders and academics and how targeting underlying language skills helps support students learning. Throughout the episode Becky discusses ways reading, math, and all areas of school are interwoven with underlying language skills and ways as a speech-pathologist she targets these skills to develop a child’s overall academic learning. 

Becky Willson, MS, CCC-SLP is a speech language pathologist specializing in language and literacy for grades K-12. She has a private practice in Houston, Texas where she has served students with learning differences for the past 23 years.  Becky’s prior experience includes classroom teaching in language-based learning disabilities programs at the elementary and middle school levels. Becky recognizes that language is the foundation for literacy, and the cornerstone for learning in all school subjects and she is dedicated to providing high-quality, multi-sensory intervention that produces results. Her goal is to help children and adolescents reach their highest academic potential, and support educators and families. 

Links:

Becky Wilson's Website

The Parish School

Sponsors:

Soccor Shots Houston 

M/I Homes

Support the show

In this episode, we sit down with pediatric physical therapist, Melissa Howard, DPT to talk about the basics of pediatric physical therapy. Melissa explains what physical therapy is, signs a child may benefit from physical, how it differs from occupational therapy, and ways she collaborates with other therapists. While many areas physical therapists treat were familiar to us, such as developing an efficient gait, building strong core, and rehabbing muscles after injury, one specific area was surprising to learn about- potty training, constipation, and incontinence! Melissa spends time in the episode discussing ways physical therapists can help children of all ages with those difficulties. 

Melissa Howard is a pediatric physical therapist and owner of Bloom for All Physical Therapy, a private practice in Houston, Texas. She received a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Texas Tech University Health Science Center in 2011. Melissa is board certified as a Neurologic Specialist and certified in Neurodevelopmental Treatment.  She has taught at Texas Woman’s University Physical Therapy school, Gaza, Palestine, the Cerebral Palsy Annual Academy, and APTA sections at Pediatrics Conference. 

Links:  

Bloom For All Physical Therapy Website 

Bloom For All Instagram 

The Parish School Website 

Unbabbled on Instagram 

Sponsors: 

Soccor Shots Houston 

Kids 360 Pediatric Dentistry 

Summer is finally here! And while many kids have dreams of days spent at the pool, playing outside or having all day tv marathons, it is also the perfect time to kick back and relax with a good book! In this episode, Anjela Martinez from the Harris County Public Library Outreach Program and special co-host Parish School librarian, Jill Wood, share ways parents can support even their most reluctant readers over the summer. Throughout the episode Anjela and Jill discuss ways to promote reading for pleasure, tips for helping find your child books, and reassure us that audiobooks are reading too! Anjela also tells us about the many summer programs at the library to promote literacy- and you may be surprised to know that most of them do not involve reading! 

Anjela Martinez is the Assistant Manager or Youth Services Programs, Partnerships and Outreach at the Harris County Public Library. In that role she works to promote literacy, develop library programs and build partnerships with other organizations, such as The Parish School. Jill Wood, MLIS, is the Director of Adventure play and Librarian at The Parish School.  

 Links: 

Harris County Public Library Website 

Harris County Public Library Summer Reading Program Sign-up 

Houston Public Library 

The Parish School Website 


This episode of Unbabbled is sponsored by Soccer Shots Houston. Soccer Shots was founded in 1997 after recognizing a lack of quality soccer programs for children under 8 years old. Their program was formed under the guidance of childhood education specialists, professional soccer players and experienced and licensed soccer coaches. They use a developmentally appropriate curriculum, and the coaches place an emphasis on character development and skill building. To learn more about Soccer Shots visit their website at www.soccershots.com/houston.

When a child receives a diagnosis, it can impact the entire family and bring on a variety of emotions and responses from parents. In this episode, Dr. Michelle Beard returns to the podcast to discuss a child receiving a diagnosis from the parent and care giver perspective. She touches on a variety of emotions that parents commonly report, ways parents can work through their emotions, ideas for self-care that are actually feasible, and gives resources for families going through the evaluation process. Whether your child has been newly diagnosed or you have had a diagnosis for years, we hope the tips and validation Dr. Beard provides in this episode will resonate with you. 

Dr. Michelle Beard, Ph.D, is a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology. She earned her M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Texas, with a specialization in Counseling Psychology.  She completed her doctoral internship in the Houston Independent School District, where she provided counseling and conducted assessments of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, ADHD, and other psychological and behavior disorders.  Dr. Beard has been in private practice in Houston, Texas since 2006 where she specializes in treating children, adolescents, and adults with anxiety disorders.  She divides her practice between treating people who suffer from anxiety-related issues and assessing children, adolescents, and adults for ADHD, learning disabilities, and other psychological concerns. She is passionate about assisting parents and students in better understanding the ways in which they learn and can achieve success.   

Links: 

Dr. Beard's Private Practice 

The Parish School Website 

Unbabbled on Instagram 

The Parish School on Instagram 

In this episode, pediatric Occupational Therapist Rachel Czar answers all our questions about the basics of occupational therapy (OT) including our most commonly asked question- what is OT? Throughout the episode Rachel discusses signs a child might benefit from OT and how to obtain an evaluation. She also discusses ways specific areas of difficulty may impact a child at school and at home, as well as skills an OT may address with a child. While the profession is broad, Rachel helps break it down for parents, caregivers and other professionals. 

Rachel Czar, MS, OT, is a pediatric occupational therapist at The Carruth Center in Houston, Texas. She holds both a Bachelor’s of Science and Master’s of Science from the University of Texas Health Science Center and is Sensory Integration Praxis Test (SIPT) Certified. Prior to joining The Carruth Center, Rachel worked as a lead in a DIRFloortime® preschool group in Dallas. She also has experience working with children in outpatient clinics, home health and in schools. She has experience helping children with feeding issues and has Handwriting Without Tears® training. Rachel is passionate about helping children with autism and sensory processing disorder.  She believes that a child’s occupation is to play. 

The Parish School Website 

Unbabbled on Instagram 

The Parish School on Instagram 

In this episode we tackle a frequently asked question: “Should I tell my child about their diagnosis? And if so, how?”. When a child receives a diagnosis such as dyslexia, autism, ADHD, or a Language or Learning Disorder it can be difficult for parents to know how to discuss this with their child. According to our guest, Dr. Michelle Beard, there is no “one size fits all” answer. However, there are many factors parents and caregivers can take into consideration when thinking about how and when to discuss a diagnosis with their child. Throughout this episode Dr. Beard dives into these factors and gives tips on how to approach these tough conversations. While the episode does not provide a definitive answer, Dr. Beard does provide hope and guidance in making your own informed decision. 

Dr. Michelle Beard, Ph.D,  is a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology. She earned her M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Texas, with a specialization in Counseling Psychology.  She completed her doctoral internship in the Houston Independent School District, where she provided counseling and conducted assessments of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, ADHD, and other psychological and behavior disorders.  Dr. Beard has been in private practice in Houston, Texas since 2006 where she specializes in treating children, adolescents, and adults with anxiety disorders.  She divides her practice between treating people who suffer from anxiety-related issues and assessing children, adolescents, and adults for ADHD, learning disabilities, and other psychological concerns. She is passionate about assisting parents and students in better understanding the ways in which they learn and can achieve success.   

Links: 

Dr. Beard's Private Practice 

The Parish School Website 

Unbabbled on Instagram 

The Parish School on Instagram