In different discussion groups, I’ve heard the claim that up to 50% of people don’t have an inner voice. Since much of my work has focused on metacognition and language, I wanted to devote an episode to discussing some common questions that come up regarding this topic. That’s why in episode 121 of the “De…
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EP 120: Career transitions and improv for educators and therapists (with Aimee Davis)
If you’ve ever thought about leaving the school systems, you may have wondered what options you have as far as jobs go. Maybe you feel burnt out, or maybe you just want a change and don’t want to walk away from education completely. I understand this dilemma on a deep level, so that’s why I…
EP 119: Teacher-centered leadership (with Dr. Chris Jones)
Many people who are involved in K-12 education want to be “student-centered”, but what if that’s not the most effective place for leaders to put their efforts? I wanted to discuss this topic with Dr. Chris Jones, who shares why school leaders can create a bigger impact by supporting teachers and those working directly with…
EP 118: Coaching aspiring leaders in school turn-around and community outreach (with Edward Gordon II)
Evidence-based practices and high-quality curriculum are important, but they aren’t the ONLY things school leaders need to think about. We can’t effectively serve students unless we understand their community, which means we have to think beyond the classroom or therapy room. That’s why I invited Edward Gordon, II, former principal and CEO of Gordon Leadership…
EP 117: Post-traumatic growth and 1-minute interventions (with Dr. Mike Gaskell)
There’s a lot of talk about risk factors in education; but not as much focus on protective factors. That’s why I invited Dr. Mike Gaskell to episode 117 of De Facto Leaders to talk about the work he’s done helping students and staff build resilience in a way that’s feasible for busy educators. Dr. Michael…
EP 116: Leveraging the power of teletherapy to provide high-quality services (with Lynne Inabnitt)
When the pandemic hit, many clinicians had to unexpectedly transition to online therapy, which raised a lot of concerns about treatment quality. Can you really provide high-quality services in an online format? Does it require the same skill sets as in-person therapy? Are there times when teletherapy provides functionality that doesn’t exist in-person? As the…
EP 115: Trauma-informed care for therapists, teachers, and school leaders (with Rachel Archambault)
Those of us working in K-12 education interact with students and staff who have experienced trauma whether we’re aware of the specific events or not. A lot of people have heard the term “trauma-informed” care, but not everyone knows what it means or how to do it in practice. That’s why I wanted to invite…
EP 114: Do school leaders need coaching? (with Dan Kelley)
A lot of professional development is still delivered in the lecture or workshop format, even though there’s evidence that this model doesn’t have a significant impact on student outcomes. So what do people working in K-12 education need to support students and have fulfilling careers? I started asking myself that question when I was working…
EP 113: Making literacy accessible and equitable (with Cassandra Williams)
Supporting language and decoding are important pieces of helping kids grow up to be successful readers. But making it happen is way more complex than that. What happens when a child in 5th grade is reading at a first grade reading level? What if there are other barriers BESIDES just reading getting in the way;…
EP 112: How to “lead up” to your school administrator (with Jethro Jones)
What do you do if your school administrator doesn’t fully understand your role and your expertise? What if you have the information and knowledge they need to drive important decisions for your school? How can you get them to listen to your input? If you’re a therapist, educator, or aspiring school leader, these questions may…