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…
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EP 197: Scaffolding, fading prompts, and the importance of parent and teacher coaching (with Rebecca Robbins)
“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…
EP 196: FAQs: Language therapy goals and “observable behaviors” vs “strategy goals”.
For episode 196 of De Facto Leaders, I share a Q & A session where I talk through how to write language therapy goals that are both trackable and functional. This is just one of many Q & A sessions I’m planning on sharing where I talk through how to find the balance between focusing…
EP 195: FAQs: Language evaluations, data, doctoral programs and expanding clinical career options.
For episode 195 of De Facto Leaders, I share a Q & A session where I talk through ways to navigate evaluations; including considering a test’s psychometric properties, how detailed it gets, and how to supplement with non-standardized protocols. In the second half, I talked about SLP career transitions and things to think about if…
EP 194: Salary and caseload negotiations and expanding your career opportunities (with Rachel Archambault)
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…
EP 193: Using Distance Learning to Increase Access and Opportunity (with Seth Fleischauer)
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…
EP 192: Building confidence, positive self-talk, and strategic planning skills for writing (with Dr. Nelly Kaakaty)
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…
EP 191: High-impact tutoring and branding your academic coaching services (with David Schipper)
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…
EP 190: A behind-the-scenes look at EdTech startups and curriculum companies (with Ross Romano)
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…
EP 189: Reframing the purpose of social narratives, video modeling, and social skills lesson plans
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…