The work of Chad Baber is all about his own quest unraveling his experiences with dyslexia. Like so many of us questers, Chad went through testing, therapy and many programs geared to ‘fix’ him. He talks about how he found validation through his experiences and internalization of the reasons for his struggles. Rather than focusing on the labels and medicalization of dyslexia, Chad aims to focus on providing a unique picture on the experience of dyslexia. His work aims to help others understand that dyslexia is not a ‘problem to be fixed’ but rather a journey. Come along with us and listen to this Dyslexia Quest together!

Jade Rivera’s work will completely resonate with so many of us Questers. With her unique experience working with neurodivergent children, we unpack what it means to be an alternative learner. We uncover what it means to have these needs that conventional education is not addressing.

This episode explores:

Microschools and Jade’s work developing these institutions with others,

Neurodivergent learners and how they can be supported,

Labels and the meaning or lack of meaning they offer,

Achievement and what that looks like for different learners,

Homework and testing- to do or not to do!,

Connecting with your child and the choices you can make to truly support them,

AND SO MUCH MORE!

According to Jade, “if you’ve landed on my website, you’ve probably had some experience with neurodivergent children. Quirky children with brains that seem to work differently from the norm. Children who need an unusual amount of scaffolding to accomplish simple looking tasks yet inspire us with boundary pushing insights and creations. At best, you may have heard them described as gifted or as twice-exceptional. At worst, as weird or as trouble makers.”

At the end of this episode, Jade gives solid advice for parents on how to best support their children… be sure to listen till the end!

Do you ever wonder how can we improve our learning?

What if there was a secret weapon to education?

GOOD NEWS! There is a secret weapon that will UNLEASH this potential and change the way you learn! 

In this episode we dig deep into the concept of VISUALIZATION and *WHY* this skill is so important for understanding what we read. Dr. Erica Warren discusses the ins-and-outs of empowering your learning with this tool. She shares her strategies for helping you or your child visualize. Listen until the end for a list of 10 specific components. Like playing a movie in your head, the more details the better!

Dr. Warren is a Learning Specialist, Educational Therapist and ADHD/Executive Functioning Coach. Her doctorate from the University of Georgia focused on life-long issues in learning, the impact of learning difficulties across the lifespan, and comprehensive diagnostic evaluations. She earned a Masters degree in Educational Psychology, which covered life-span development, learning, and cognition. Dr. Warren often describes her bachelor's degree in fine arts as her secret weapon.

Dr. Warren’s diverse education has created a well-rounded expertise in the areas of mindful and multisensory learning, cognition and remediation. Much of her time remains devoted to working with students on an individualized basis where her unique, multisensory approach focuses on compensatory learning strategies, cognitive remediation, study strategies and remedial reading, writing and math methods. She founded Learning to Learn in 1999. She creates educational resources and materials sites: Good Sensory Learning and Dyslexia Materials. She also offers courses for learning specialists and educational therapists.

Today's quest goes deep into the heart of motivation. We uncover what enables someone to be *really* motivated. We wonder what fuels that drive which allows someone to do something against all the impossible odds. THAT kind of motivation that turns barriers into frontiers. Parents and teachers often wonder how we can inspire unmotivated students to unlock within them this intrinsic motivation which is often so powerful.

Looking for this answer too? Our quest with Dr. Gina Riley is all about this intriguing topic so be sure to listen until the end as we talk about:

• Learning environments that enable intrinsic motivation,
• Giving your child time, space and love to develop their interests and a true love for learning,
• The key ingredients needed to unlock intrinsic motivation,
• Why we should be celebrating the competence and strengths every child has,
• And the role that *learning how to learn* plays in their future.

Dr. Gina Riley is an educational psychologist and Clinical Professor of Adolescent Special Education at Hunter College. Dr. Riley has over fifteen years experience working with teens with learning disabilities and emotional and behavioral disorders. She is also a seasoned academic, with years of teaching, research, and supervisory experience within the fields of special education, psychology, school psychology, and mental health counseling. Her master’s thesis focused on intrinsic motivation within home education environments, and her doctoral dissertation compared levels of competence, autonomy, and relatedness in home educated and traditionally educated young adults. Dr. Riley also has extensive experience in online education and distance learning at the college/university level. She is a mom herself and home-schooled her son from kindergarten to 12th grade.

Did you resonate with this message? Are you a teacher or parent that feels inspired by this talk? Help spread the word! Share and review!