In this episode of Stress-Free IEPTM Frances Shefter speaks with Wendy Taylor.
Wendy Taylor is a certified Educational Therapist, qualified Orton-Gillingham practitioner, trained Educational Diagnostician, skilled IEP Coach, and the host of the Special Ed Strategist® Podcast.
As Executive Director of Learning Essentials, Wendy’s mission is to meet the individual needs of each student she serves. She maintains that every student is capable of success both in and out of the classroom, but finds that many students lack the strategies to achieve success. That is why she founded Learning Essentials to guide students and instill study habits that assist learners of all abilities to attain, if not exceed, their goals.
Frances Shefter is an Education Attorney and Advocate who is committed to helping her clients have a Stress-Free IEP experience. In each podcast, Frances interviews inspiring people to share information, educate you, empower you and help you get the knowledge you need.
VOICEOVER ( 00:00:00): Welcome to Stress-Free IEPTM. You do not need to do it all alone with your host Frances Shefter, Principal of Shefter Law, she streams a show live on Facebook on Tuesdays at noon Eastern, get more details and catch prior episodes at www.ShefterLaw.com. The Stress-Free IEPTM video podcast is also posted on YouTube and LinkedIn and you can listen to episodes through Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google podcasts, Stitcher and more. Now, here’s the host of Stress-Free IEPTM Frances Shefter.
FRANCES ( 00:00:44): Hello everyone and thank you for joining us to our show. I am so excited about today because I have somebody on the show that does something that with all my years of education I had never really heard of and so I’m gonna have her introduce herself, Wendy Taylor with Learning Essentials and tell us about what she does.
WENDY ( 00:01:05): Hello Frances, thank you for having me today and I am excited to talk about educational therapy. So I’m Wendy Taylor. I’m obsessed with supporting families and professionals to bridge learning gaps, access special education resources and to write kick butt IEPs. I am the Executive Director of Learning Essentials and the Special Ed Strategist Podcast Host. Learning Essentials provides educational therapy, academic coaching and IEP support to school age individuals living in the DMV area and beyond. So thank you for having me.
FRANCES ( 00:01:40): Great so educational therapy what is it, what is educational therapy?
WENDY ( 00:01:45): So educational therapy before I dive in. Fun fact, I am one of two currently in the state of Maryland that are certified to be educational therapists. It is big on the west coast out in California, slowly making its way to the east coast. However, it is not a new concept that’s been around since the late seventies in the United States and longer than that outside of the United States. So really an educational therapist provides individualized systematic instruction that targets weaknesses and processing memory and attention as it relates to our oral written language literacy and math. And so as an educational therapist we provide intensive individualized interventions for students with learning differences that might be a result of neurological, cognitive development, language emotional concerns or impacts. And so it kind of really goes deeper. I mean I know that sounds pretty clinical and it is in a part but we are working with students that have that reading, language processing, math, executive function, autism, ADHD. And we use an eclectic intervention model that’s varied approaches and techniques to that individual. Um whether it’s multisensory technology based. But in order to start with that student we use this diagnostic approach to treat our students that are impacted by learning need or difference. And so I kind of call it the ABC model where we do an assessment as an educational diagnostician and then we bridge our learning gaps and then we do a lot of coordination, collaboration for the family. So we think of it as really supporting not only the student but the family, whether that’s referrals to an outside agency as someone as yourself, OT, PT, speech and language mental health practitioner and then helping to coordinate those services as they wrap around to that student. And so really working with the school based team and outside agencies. So acting as a case manager for the family to really ensure that the student is getting the support that they need to be the most successful version of themselves.
FRANCES ( 00:04:11): I love that because like the whole, you know, the team idea, people forget about the team and especially with special education students ignored of our students, there are so many outside providers and I am sure it gets crazy, especially if you have more than one child and so you help you help build the team and coordinate the team, but you also provide the service of the therapy.
WENDY ( 00:04:35): I’m sorry after you.
FRANCES ( 00:04:36): It sounds, it sounds a lot like tutoring. What’s the difference between educational therapy and tutoring?
WENDY ( 00:04:45): That’s a great question. So let’s kind of talk about educational therapy tutoring and then coaching. Right, so if we think about tutoring, that tends to focus on building concrete skills, helping students with what they immediately need to keep up with their schoolwork. So tutors tend to help kids improve their grades, focus on specific subjects, whether it’s math, social studies, a foreign language, that’s a tutor and so, and we know that tutoring can be done by a variety of individuals. Whether they are certified educators or not, just somebody that really has a niche in that area and is able to engage with that student and teach those skills. If you think about academic coaching, it’s similar to like a sports coach, right?
So we’re going to work with strategies to help kids succeed, help kids develop a more organized approach to learning to school work, and we may also focus on strategies to help with that motivation. Right? But educational therapy is way more involved than that. There’s a lot more that goes into that. There’s a lot more requirements for the individual in terms of certification and training. So that educational therapist is working on academic skills, but it’s also bridging those skill gaps, right? So we’re not just trying to get you through the semester, get you through the course. We’re trying to look at where is that breakdown for that student. So if we’re talking about reading, right, if we’re talking about the impact of reading as fluency. Okay, so let’s bridge those gaps with strategic research based strategies in a manner that approaches that student and how that student learns. And so really understanding the nuances of that student and then also considering the student as a whole student versus just one subject area. So if the social emotional component, the executive function component, understanding all of that that goes into that individual’s learning and learning style and then better helping improve the outcomes for that student.
FRANCES ( 00:06:58): And the assessment that you do when families start working with you, tells you all of that learning style and how a child learns,
WENDY ( 00:07:05): Right. So what we do is often students that come to us at Learning Essentials are either in the process of being identified as having a learning need or difference or are thinking and considering that they need that to take place and so um taking that deeper dive of the impact that that student has as it relates to their same age peers. So where is the impact in reading, written expression, math, study skills, and then we develop a plan, an educational plan profile based on the gaps and gains of that student and our goals for the outcome. So again, educational therapy, because we’re doing an assessment, we have to look at our goal. So aligning sort of if you want to think of an IEP style, right? And so following that and really ensuring that we’re tracking the progress and adjusting our plans as needed. So thinking about the data part of it, thinking about the steps and often and always not often communicating with the parents of what we’re doing. So our team always follows up with a lesson out via email so you can see what transpired during the session. There’s data points in there, there’s information in there so that when we’re not directly working with that student, other folks that are with that student whether it’s the parents or outside professionals or classroom, they know what we’re doing. We’re all rowing in the same direction and we’re using the same language and support for that child.
FRANCES ( 00:08:35): So data points that is a big thing for me because and I don’t blame them but teachers are not very good at collecting data sometimes to prove the growth. So what do you all use for those data points to prove growth or non growth?
WENDY ( 00:08:50): Right. So exactly. So if you’re thinking about an IEP And in your role, you know did the student achieve that IEP goal where are our raw data sheets to prove that that goal growth or non growth as you said took place is a big deal right? Because that’s going to then determine our next decision of how to support this child whether it’s in the school or outside of the school. And so if I’m talking about a student is learning about teams and they read a series of words they you know were successful with 10 out of 12 of those teams, for example. And so sharing that with the parents so that we can then mark the growth for that in terms of if we’re working on improving test taking strategies, how are we doing that? And then what is our outcome of those strategies and then keeping you know monitoring with grades, school performance discussions with the teacher. And so there that collaboration piece is big because we’re with that student for a short amount of time during the week. And so we want to make sure that what we’re teaching that student is transferring to what they’re doing in the classroom, is transferring to what they are doing in the home, is transferring. You know because at the end of this we want our students to be successful in their independence and their education and their employment as they go through school and beyond. So ensuring that what we’re teaching them through educational therapy sessions is transferring so that they can become able to do this independently and to be able to advocate for themselves.
FRANCES ( 00:10:28): That is so important because like with tutors you’re working on that one school, that one subject and to get through that one thing and that one grade. But with you it’s like I guess educational therapy is teaching the skills to transfer throughout life.
WENDY ( 00:10:43): Yes. That’s right. And teaching them motivation, self esteem, how to self advocate and so we do little micro sessions as an accountability partnership with some of our students and whether that is 10 minutes throughout the week when we’re not having a bigger session to check in, you know. Do you need help crafting that email to your teacher to your professor? Do you did you turn in that assignment? You know breaking down if they have a book to read to then follow up with a writing assignment to turn in for their teacher, you know did we how are we breaking that book down? And so just really kind of teaching strategies that they can then employ independently but then also modeling that for them and checking in with them to ensure that they are following through and being successful.
FRANCES ( 00:11:36): I love that because it’s like I’m thinking my wheels are spinning and I’m thinking about IEPs that we’ve drafted and the executive functioning skills is a big topic right now. And then goals that we put in supplementary aids. And a lot of times it has you know chunking or breaking down assignments. And now I’m thinking about it like we need to teach the children how to do that because a lot of times the teachers just do that and then the next class they don’t know how to do it again. The teachers do it for them. And where do you end up?
WENDY ( 00:12:07): Well? Right. And so and I think that’s a good point for instance because in an IEP we would write that right? Like we’re going to help with the chunking. But the question to the parents that I always encourage is what does that look like throughout the school day, from school bell to school bell, bus ride, what does that look like, who’s providing that and then who is in charge to make sure that it’s actually happening? Because you’re exactly right that if a teacher does it, they may be modeling it one way, but then that student then goes to math class and that teacher maybe modeling in a different way that may or may not align with how that student individually learns and studies. So what is our way that that student learns? How can we teach that individual student how they learn and study? Because oftentimes students are not taught how to learn and study and who they are as learners. So, you know, empowering a student to know who they are as a learner and teach them strategies that best align with that and then communicate that with the school team to then help provide that modeling and support for that student until they can become independent in that process.
FRANCES ( 00:13:25): It’s awesome. And the first thing that came to mind when you said about working to make sure the strategies you use the same is math because I’m of the era of the carry one and when I was helping my third grader with math, actually, I think it was last year in second grade and it was saying decompose the tens, I’m like, what, what is this? I literally right, I had to call a friend of mine that teaches elementary school math and what, what is this? Like, I don’t, I can’t help my kid with basic math that I know how to do, but it’s just such a different language that it’s got to be confusing for our kids.
WENDY ( 00:14:03): It is and if you think about a student that has language processing needs, right? And so if they have language processing needs, they’re struggling to kind of put together, you know what they’re hearing, but then you have science can be a different language. Math is a different language. These are, you know, like you said, decompose, compose, what does this mean? And so and then as parents, we weren’t taught that way, so then supporting them becomes challenging, so ensuring that the student is understanding that language in a way that benefits them
FRANCES ( 00:14:39): Understood and you help make sure all the teachers and the parents and outside service providers are speaking the same language basically.
WENDY ( 00:14:45): Yes. And so it is a lot of coordination, right? And communication and collaboration to really ensure that the student is being supported while they’re being empowered, while they’re learning, while they’re growing. So again, it’s not just putting a band aid on the situation to get them through to the next grade to the next course, but to really help build that capacity for a lifelong learner.
FRANCES ( 00:15:14): So what came to my mind is like a concierge doctor, like you talk to, you know, like you take everybody and bring them together because as a parent, it’s hard to make sure is the speech person at school, talking to the outside speech person, if you have both services. So you make sure that gap is bridged for the parents.
WENDY ( 00:15:35): And you brought up a good point, right? Because we have our medical model which is your outside services, whether that’s speech PT, OT, mental health, the way that a medical model develops their goals and outcome looks very different than an educational model and how they develop their goals and outcome. Oftentimes they’re two silos, they’re not communicating with each other. And so having somebody that can act as the quarterback to bridge that gap to understand the services that are in this medical model. Again, are they transitioning over to the educational model? What is working well in the education model that could be improved in the medical model or vice versa? So it is a lot of that communication to make sure what we’re doing as a whole, as providers are coming together and yes, that speech person within a school setting or that OT person within that school setting also has different schools, has a large caseload, is in and out of the building. So how do we ensure that they’re on board and they’re not just showing up to the IEP to say, okay, this is what we’ve worked on and ensuring that they are working on the goals in the IEP are they being, you know, do we have the raw data sheets on that? You know, if you’re out sick, what do we do about that? Right? You know and I’m sure you talk all day long about compensatory time and services and what do we do about that? And so really yes it is like a concierge service. As a mama I get it. You know my I have a son with medical needs and so you come from this place of fear and love and it becomes overwhelming and parents already have their full time jobs in the world of special ed is a whole again, another language I know I said that about math, but it is true. It’s another language and understanding what are your parental rights and what can you ask for in the school system? What can you ask for in the private sector and then how do we kind of get everybody working together for the greater good of our kiddos?
FRANCES ( 00:17:47): Right. And that’s where Stress-Free IEP™ came from and you do not have to do it all alone. We are here to help in whatever capacity is needed. And that’s you know, I have the Youtube channel with over 80 videos now of little three minute videos on each part so parents can educate themselves because it’s so important for the parents to know how to advocate to help teach the children how to advocate.
WENDY ( 00:18:10): For sure. And I know when I went into my first couple IEP meetings as a parent and I had the background as special ed and it’s hard and like I said it’s fear and love and it’s overwhelming and so I love that you do the three minute videos because it’s very approachable. It’s consumable. It’s not daunting or overwhelming. It’s like all right, I need a little information about this. Okay great. And then how do I build from there?
FRANCES ( 00:18:35): Right, thank you. And I want to go back a little bit on the assessments you do because it’s a big issue that I see often because parents are like well I want them to do a deeper dive. But the schools don’t. The schools do assessments on how the educational impact. It’s not the medical side, it’s just the educational impact. So what do your assessments focus on and how do they help?
WENDY ( 00:19:00): Right so as an educational diagnostician I can only look at the education piece right I cannot dive into you know how does a student process information, their memory, their attention. I am not able to do that. And so I’m always transparent with families that this is looking at the educational impact compared to their same age peers and looking at you know so if we’re looking at a reading, a reading profile we’re looking at phonics for phonemic awareness, vocabulary fluency comprehension. So following that structure and science of reading and saying okay you know a student may be able to comprehend but for some reason they don’t have a grasp of their phonemic awareness or their phonics. And so how do we take strategic research based on strategies and teach that student, Looking at writing, you know, they could, can a student organize their thoughts? Are they able to create simple sentences, compound complex, compound complex? What does that look like? Do they have a formula based option to build upon their capacity in those of sentence writing? What are the paragraph writings look like? Essay writings? You know, do they have the strategies to put these beautiful thoughts that they have orally onto paper? And what does that look like? What do the standards require for a student to be successful within the classroom? And how does that look within those standards? How are they shining through with their skills? And then it shows us those gaps and gains that we can then say, all right. And it’s usually kind of a scatter point, right? So you see gaps here and we see gains here and so what can we do strategically and thoughtfully to build that student’s knowledge.
FRANCES ( 00:20:59): So what came to mind for me is similar to a psychologist, but you do the deeper dive on the education part, whereas a psychologist, does a deeper dive into the mental and the processing part, correct?
WENDY ( 00:21:13): Right? So a neuro psych is going to do everything, but I feel like for our understanding and the educational therapy realm that sometimes we like to go a little bit deeper within that academic area, even if somebody comes with a beautifully written report, breaking it down and teasing it out slightly further from an educational lens gives us that knowledge that we can then better support that child.
FRANCES ( 00:21:44): And that’s what I’m thinking is that you complement what a neuropsychological report would be, is that you then pull it into the education part. Which is great because especially with the schools and IEPs a lot of times I get pushback from schools when a psychologist, when a psychologist does the report, because it’s more on that side and they’re like, but that’s not an educational impact. Whereas from you, it’s yes it is.
WENDY ( 00:22:14): Because you can start to really see the holes within that again, whether, you know, whatever academic area it is, you can start to see the whole shine through of, okay, this is the impact. And when we talk about educational impact is, you know, it’s beyond academics. It’s educational, it is behavioral, it is social, it is sensory, it’s emotional, it is academics, but it is all those things wrapped up in this beautiful bundle for this child from the time they get off the bus to the time that they get off the bus at their house, or anywhere in between, how are they being impacted. So, again, if it is language processing that can carry over to the playground, that can carry over to social, how are we supporting? And then I think oftentimes it’s helpful as us individuals as outsiders to be creative and outside of the box and show what’s possible for the school system. You know whether it’s you know a parent says oh I need one-on-one we don’t always need one-on-one again from bell to bell you may only need a one on one for recess or transitions. And how can we be creative with our resources to really truly support that child and not have to have this confrontation in the conversations. How do we work as a team within the school at the IEP table and then with the professionals that are supporting the child for those better outcomes.
FRANCES ( 00:23:42): Understood and I like using the word team because it’s supposed to be an IEP team. We’re supposed to be a team and have a conversation and I can’t tell you how many IEP meetings I’ve been at that you can tell the teachers are afraid to say something. And the principal’s doing all the talking which just tells me right that that the principal’s running the show.
WENDY ( 00:24:03): Or the principal’s on their computer checking something that’s not relevant to that meeting. And we’ve been in those meetings as well. And it is and you know from being a former educator, special educator in the school system you have this pressure of quiet and so it really is unfortunate for our students that are struggling that need somebody to speak up and to pull this cohesiveness together to pull the team together so that the rights of the child are followed and honored. For the dignity of that kiddo.
FRANCES ( 00:24:44): Yeah. I had a client that brought a picture of her son to put on the table and I’m like that’s brilliant. It’s beautiful. And what we’re talking about, that’s right. We’re talking
WENDY ( 00:24:54): about a child, you know, and I know I’m saying raw data and then have this and that. But at the end of the day it is a child. We are talking about a child and this child needs to grow and interact in the world and be a part of society the best way they can. And so what can we do? And I always talk to parents when they’re preparing their parent input statement. Think about it, you know, where do you see your child in six months? Where do you see your child in a year? I know you’re writing this statement for a annual IEP but then I want you to think where do you see in two years, five years so that you can start speaking to that to the team. Where do you see the impact in school but where do you see the impact outside of the school, so that we can start pulling together and having this vision of where we want to go with this child, right? So it’s not just a yearly IEP, checked on that. We’ll see you next year. Now it’s a process and it’s not a linear trajectory, right? So sometimes there’s up, sometimes there’s down, and so again that’s where that communication and that team is critical for supporting a child. And then as we’re thinking again of that parent input statement, what does that look like? Where do you see your child as a parent, you know your kiddo best. Where do you want that child to go in a couple of years so that we can start planning, especially for talking about our transition years. Are we talking about transitioning to kindergarten, middle school, high school beyond? And I know parents are like well they’re just going to kindergarten, but let’s think beyond that so that we can start putting the necessary supports in place for that student. And then if they are planning, what are they planning postsecondary, let’s think about it so that we can start getting on some waitlist because some of our kids to get outside resources and services, those wait lists are long. So let’s kind of start having that conversation as soon as possible as early so that we can really pull in every resource that’s available for this child and educate and empower not only the child but the family as well.
FRANCES ( 00:26:58): And the first thing that came to my mind is what my business coach, a lot of business coaches say when setting goals for the year is then reverse engineer. And I did a video one time on a program that Montgomery County public schools has that isn’t really talked about. It’s a post secondary program for after our children with special diplomas with certificate programs. It’s life skills and after. But there are certain qualifications you have to have. And so in my video I tell people, go look at the qualifications. If that’s a program you think your child might need even if it doesn’t turn out. But if you think your child might need all of your IEP goals for the 12 years beforehand need to point to giving your child those qualifications.
WENDY ( 00:27:49): But what a gift that you’re putting that out there because parents don’t know that right? And it’s not any fault of any parent. We just don’t know those resources are there. So what does a parent need to do and understand and know for that child so that they can start advocating like you said for 12 years, which sounds daunting and overwhelming and hence that’s where you and I come in to help educate and support these families.
FRANCES ( 00:28:15): And it could be more than 12 years because if you start in prekindergarten or birth with infants and toddlers, it is hard and you know, I’m in a group, a Facebook group of law moms with kids with disabilities and everybody talks about the stress the night before their you know child IEP meeting. They’re like I just finished a five day trial and I’m more worried about the IEP meeting and I always say look I do this for a living and fight for other families constantly for what their children do all day long. And I still stress out when I go into my daughter’s IEP meeting because the mommy comes out. That’s right.
WENDY ( 00:28:55): It’s your baby and you have your mama hat on right? So you’re there to protect and and nurture and love and ensure the best for your baby. It’s hard to separate the two. It’s hard to say, okay I know this from what I do from work and you know, I know you know from a 1000 ft view we know the difference but when you get in there and you’re hearing what’s happening with your baby all bets are off. It’s hard.
FRANCES ( 00:29:26): And that’s what I tell clients is that when we go they always ask me well who should take the lead and what should I say? What can’t I say? And I’m like you know what? Be the parent. If you need to yell, yell if you need to cry, cry whatever you need to do, be the parent because as the attorney and the advocate that’s coming with you, I can take whatever you say and put it in the words that the school team needs to hear to get it on the IEP right.
FRANCES ( 00:29:55): So you don’t have to worry about it like relax, just be the parent don’t worry about saying the right or the wrong thing. You know I always say the only thing that could be said in an IEP meeting that might tie our hands is never mind. I don’t want my kids to have any services that you kind of can’t come over.
WENDY ( 00:30:14): That may be yeah that might be let’s dial that conversation down for sure. But but what a gift to have somebody come with you and I encourage parents that for that as well just even if it’s your bestie you know just to take notes to hear things because it’s emotional and you hear things differently and the reactions are different. So to have somebody that can come with a clear mind and help guide through that process for sure. And I also encourage you know if you love a coffee or a tea bring that with you or you know even if you’re on a virtual meeting just something that makes you feel a little more grounded and can help you breathe which is way easier said than done. I get it. I mean you know than when you’re actually in there for sure.
FRANCES ( 00:31:00): And that’s why I love it. I have to remember to start telling clients to if you’re not if we’re in a virtual meeting you can just put the picture maybe over your shoulder or something. But if we’re in person, bring the picture to put everybody back to this isn’t about you’re doing it wrong, you’re doing it right. It’s not a battle. It’s about what does this child need as an individual child but not what the higher ups are telling you. Core standards have to be this, you can’t give that.
WENDY ( 00:31:30): That’s right and normalizing it right? And just putting everybody on the same page like this is this is the baby we’re talking about and that baby is gonna grow up and that baby needs to go into the real world. And so what can we do collectively to ensure that that happens and not point fingers right?
FRANCES ( 00:31:48): Exactly. And I do that all the time. I go into IEP meetings and you know and I’m like we start with, you guys are doing a wonderful job as the teachers we get it. It’s just this is not what the child needs. There’s nothing wrong with you as a teacher and your teaching style. It just doesn’t mesh with the child right now. And so we need to look at something else.
WENDY ( 00:32:10): I like how you phrase them. I like how you break that. It’s not pointing fingers. Let’s kind of grow altogether.
FRANCES ( 00:32:17): And I’ve had clients come in with IEPs that are just trash. I mean absolute trash and thankfully the new school we’re at a new school. So I always say to the teachers, we understand you inherited this IEP. But now we need to have a meeting to fix it. That’s because it’s not what it should be.
WENDY ( 00:32:37): That’s right. It’s kind of like when you call on the phone and you have a customer service rep that is giving you the bad news and you’re like look, I know you just picked up the phone but here’s the situation.
FRANCES ( 00:32:47): Right? Exactly. It’s not your fault but you need to fix it.
WENDY ( 00:32:52): But here is what’s happening.
FRANCES ( 00:32:54): Right? Exactly. Yeah. I want to go back to like the certification because you said you’re only one of two certified educational therapists. So do you have to be certified to call yourself an educational therapist?
WENDY ( 00:33:9): I think so. Yeah.
FRANCES ( 00:33:10): Ok.
WENDY ( 00:33:12): I mean so it’s through the Association of Educational Therapist. And one needs a Master’s plus in special education or related field. You need extensive training and techniques relating to individuals with learning needs and differences and frameworks for special education. You have to have additional coursework and the ability to diagnose and assess individuals with learning disabilities, understanding curriculum instruction course work that focuses on that literacy and math differences, instructions for diverse learners and then really having that training and support as that educational diagnostician. And you also have to have I think it’s a minimum of 1500 service hours that are observed and supervised. And then of course physics and all that good stuff.
FRANCES ( 00:34:10): So it’s it’s a lot because tutors, I mean I used to tutor and all I had was an undergrad degree in early childhood and I was tutoring geometry in high school but I did great, the kid did great, it was fine. But when you want to, you know, it’s almost like what characteristics are you looking for? What what is your ultimate goal?
WENDY ( 00:34:29): That’s right
FRANCES ( 00:34:30): for your child. So sometimes the tutor might be exactly what you need because it’s just this class we need to get through, but sometimes you need to go that step up to do the whole picture.
WENDY ( 00:34:40): Yeah. And it’s asking those questions right? Because exactly what you said, a tutor could be your neighbor across the street and they have the skill set and they can do a beautiful job and support your student. If you have a neuro diverse student that has, that needs a broader range of support, you really want somebody that understands the world of special education that can provide that IEP coaching that can provide that quarterback for the family, that can provide the support that understands the whole child, not just an academic subject. And so asking the questions about training and asking the questions about the process that an individual provides will give you that clarity and your understanding of like your mama got, this is going to be a match to give that support that my child needs. So it really is, what does your child need? What are your goals for your child? And then asking the questions to find that person that can do that for your child.
FRANCES ( 00:35:41): Right. And I always talk about the connection like, you know, even with picking an attorney, psychologist, picking a tutor, picking a therapist, but whatever it is, if you don’t jive with the person, it’s not going to work.
WENDY ( 00:35:53): Correct? Yes. And even so our team all holds a Master’s or Doctorate in special education. And so, and I say that, you know, I’m gonna link you with an educator that I feel like will be the best fit for your kiddo. But when you connect with that individual and your kiddo connects with that individual, if there is not a, you know, a connection, a sense of this is gonna be an academic relationship that’s gonna build and strengthen and they’re gonna understand my child and they can also connect with me, let me know. And I also even say that when I’m referring outside agencies. Here’s a couple of names, give them a call, you’re gonna know in your gut if they’re going to understand your child and you’re going to enjoy working with that individual. There has to be a connection, there has to be.
FRANCES ( 00:36:39): And the parent gut, I tell them all the time. If it doesn’t feel right, something’s going on.
WENDY ( 00:36:45): Good, bad or indifferent. It just, it has to be a match so that you feel like you’re hurt and you’re understood and that your baby is heard and understood..
FRANCES ( 00:36:54): Yeah that’s so true. And I think this has been absolutely wonderful. How can people reach out to you? Like if people are like oh wait I want to learn more what can where can they learn more and how can they get in touch with you?
WENDY ( 00:37:06): I love that. So if you’re looking for free IEP tips, how to prepare for an IEP and questions to ask head on over to learningessentialsedu.com you can download that bonus. If you need more special education support visit Learning Essentials. We’re gonna provide that individual systematic approach to supporting students with various learning needs and differences. Again through that academic coaching educational therapy we offer Brain Camp, which is our executive function support model. And then as a parent I’ve got you covered through IEP coaching as well and you can also like and follow us on social @learningessentials and then you can get more information and insight through the Special Ed Strategist podcast.
FRANCES ( 00:37:50): That is wonderful. And I think I’m going to be a guest soon on your show. It’s exciting because now we’re gonna jump back and forth. Thank you so much Wendy. This has been such a great show and I think, I think our listeners are going to really appreciate learning all of this about you and the program.
WENDY ( 00:38:05): Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. Thank you. It’s been fun.
VOICEOVER ( 00:38:52): You’ve been listening to Stress-Free IEPTM. With your host Frances Shefter. Remember you do not need to do it all alone. You can reach Frances through ShefterLaw.com where prior episodes are also posted. Thank you for your positive reviews, comments and sharing the show with others through YouTube, LinkedIn, Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and more.
Stress Free IEP™ with Frances Shefter and Wendy Taylor
In this episode of Stress-Free IEPTM Frances Shefter speaks with Wendy Taylor.
Wendy Taylor is a certified Educational Therapist, qualified Orton-Gillingham practitioner, trained Educational Diagnostician, skilled IEP Coach, and the host of the Special Ed Strategist® Podcast.
As Executive Director of Learning Essentials, Wendy’s mission is to meet the individual needs of each student she serves. She maintains that every student is capable of success both in and out of the classroom, but finds that many students lack the strategies to achieve success. That is why she founded Learning Essentials to guide students and instill study habits that assist learners of all abilities to attain, if not exceed, their goals.
Stress-Free IEPTM:
Frances Shefter is an Education Attorney and Advocate who is committed to helping her clients have a Stress-Free IEP experience. In each podcast, Frances interviews inspiring people to share information, educate you, empower you and help you get the knowledge you need.
Watch more episodes of Stress-FreeTM on YouTube.
Connect and learn more from your host, Frances Shefter:
Read the full transcript of this episode:
VOICEOVER ( 00:00:00): Welcome to Stress-Free IEPTM. You do not need to do it all alone with your host Frances Shefter, Principal of Shefter Law, she streams a show live on Facebook on Tuesdays at noon Eastern, get more details and catch prior episodes at www.ShefterLaw.com. The Stress-Free IEPTM video podcast is also posted on YouTube and LinkedIn and you can listen to episodes through Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google podcasts, Stitcher and more. Now, here’s the host of Stress-Free IEPTM Frances Shefter.
FRANCES ( 00:00:44): Hello everyone and thank you for joining us to our show. I am so excited about today because I have somebody on the show that does something that with all my years of education I had never really heard of and so I’m gonna have her introduce herself, Wendy Taylor with Learning Essentials and tell us about what she does.
WENDY ( 00:01:05): Hello Frances, thank you for having me today and I am excited to talk about educational therapy. So I’m Wendy Taylor. I’m obsessed with supporting families and professionals to bridge learning gaps, access special education resources and to write kick butt IEPs. I am the Executive Director of Learning Essentials and the Special Ed Strategist Podcast Host. Learning Essentials provides educational therapy, academic coaching and IEP support to school age individuals living in the DMV area and beyond. So thank you for having me.
FRANCES ( 00:01:40): Great so educational therapy what is it, what is educational therapy?
WENDY ( 00:01:45): So educational therapy before I dive in. Fun fact, I am one of two currently in the state of Maryland that are certified to be educational therapists. It is big on the west coast out in California, slowly making its way to the east coast. However, it is not a new concept that’s been around since the late seventies in the United States and longer than that outside of the United States. So really an educational therapist provides individualized systematic instruction that targets weaknesses and processing memory and attention as it relates to our oral written language literacy and math. And so as an educational therapist we provide intensive individualized interventions for students with learning differences that might be a result of neurological, cognitive development, language emotional concerns or impacts. And so it kind of really goes deeper. I mean I know that sounds pretty clinical and it is in a part but we are working with students that have that reading, language processing, math, executive function, autism, ADHD. And we use an eclectic intervention model that’s varied approaches and techniques to that individual. Um whether it’s multisensory technology based. But in order to start with that student we use this diagnostic approach to treat our students that are impacted by learning need or difference. And so I kind of call it the ABC model where we do an assessment as an educational diagnostician and then we bridge our learning gaps and then we do a lot of coordination, collaboration for the family. So we think of it as really supporting not only the student but the family, whether that’s referrals to an outside agency as someone as yourself, OT, PT, speech and language mental health practitioner and then helping to coordinate those services as they wrap around to that student. And so really working with the school based team and outside agencies. So acting as a case manager for the family to really ensure that the student is getting the support that they need to be the most successful version of themselves.
FRANCES ( 00:04:11): I love that because like the whole, you know, the team idea, people forget about the team and especially with special education students ignored of our students, there are so many outside providers and I am sure it gets crazy, especially if you have more than one child and so you help you help build the team and coordinate the team, but you also provide the service of the therapy.
WENDY ( 00:04:35): I’m sorry after you.
FRANCES ( 00:04:36): It sounds, it sounds a lot like tutoring. What’s the difference between educational therapy and tutoring?
WENDY ( 00:04:45): That’s a great question. So let’s kind of talk about educational therapy tutoring and then coaching. Right, so if we think about tutoring, that tends to focus on building concrete skills, helping students with what they immediately need to keep up with their schoolwork. So tutors tend to help kids improve their grades, focus on specific subjects, whether it’s math, social studies, a foreign language, that’s a tutor and so, and we know that tutoring can be done by a variety of individuals. Whether they are certified educators or not, just somebody that really has a niche in that area and is able to engage with that student and teach those skills. If you think about academic coaching, it’s similar to like a sports coach, right?
So we’re going to work with strategies to help kids succeed, help kids develop a more organized approach to learning to school work, and we may also focus on strategies to help with that motivation. Right? But educational therapy is way more involved than that. There’s a lot more that goes into that. There’s a lot more requirements for the individual in terms of certification and training. So that educational therapist is working on academic skills, but it’s also bridging those skill gaps, right? So we’re not just trying to get you through the semester, get you through the course. We’re trying to look at where is that breakdown for that student. So if we’re talking about reading, right, if we’re talking about the impact of reading as fluency. Okay, so let’s bridge those gaps with strategic research based strategies in a manner that approaches that student and how that student learns. And so really understanding the nuances of that student and then also considering the student as a whole student versus just one subject area. So if the social emotional component, the executive function component, understanding all of that that goes into that individual’s learning and learning style and then better helping improve the outcomes for that student.
FRANCES ( 00:06:58): And the assessment that you do when families start working with you, tells you all of that learning style and how a child learns,
WENDY ( 00:07:05): Right. So what we do is often students that come to us at Learning Essentials are either in the process of being identified as having a learning need or difference or are thinking and considering that they need that to take place and so um taking that deeper dive of the impact that that student has as it relates to their same age peers. So where is the impact in reading, written expression, math, study skills, and then we develop a plan, an educational plan profile based on the gaps and gains of that student and our goals for the outcome. So again, educational therapy, because we’re doing an assessment, we have to look at our goal. So aligning sort of if you want to think of an IEP style, right? And so following that and really ensuring that we’re tracking the progress and adjusting our plans as needed. So thinking about the data part of it, thinking about the steps and often and always not often communicating with the parents of what we’re doing. So our team always follows up with a lesson out via email so you can see what transpired during the session. There’s data points in there, there’s information in there so that when we’re not directly working with that student, other folks that are with that student whether it’s the parents or outside professionals or classroom, they know what we’re doing. We’re all rowing in the same direction and we’re using the same language and support for that child.
FRANCES ( 00:08:35): So data points that is a big thing for me because and I don’t blame them but teachers are not very good at collecting data sometimes to prove the growth. So what do you all use for those data points to prove growth or non growth?
WENDY ( 00:08:50): Right. So exactly. So if you’re thinking about an IEP And in your role, you know did the student achieve that IEP goal where are our raw data sheets to prove that that goal growth or non growth as you said took place is a big deal right? Because that’s going to then determine our next decision of how to support this child whether it’s in the school or outside of the school. And so if I’m talking about a student is learning about teams and they read a series of words they you know were successful with 10 out of 12 of those teams, for example. And so sharing that with the parents so that we can then mark the growth for that in terms of if we’re working on improving test taking strategies, how are we doing that? And then what is our outcome of those strategies and then keeping you know monitoring with grades, school performance discussions with the teacher. And so there that collaboration piece is big because we’re with that student for a short amount of time during the week. And so we want to make sure that what we’re teaching that student is transferring to what they’re doing in the classroom, is transferring to what they are doing in the home, is transferring. You know because at the end of this we want our students to be successful in their independence and their education and their employment as they go through school and beyond. So ensuring that what we’re teaching them through educational therapy sessions is transferring so that they can become able to do this independently and to be able to advocate for themselves.
FRANCES ( 00:10:28): That is so important because like with tutors you’re working on that one school, that one subject and to get through that one thing and that one grade. But with you it’s like I guess educational therapy is teaching the skills to transfer throughout life.
WENDY ( 00:10:43): Yes. That’s right. And teaching them motivation, self esteem, how to self advocate and so we do little micro sessions as an accountability partnership with some of our students and whether that is 10 minutes throughout the week when we’re not having a bigger session to check in, you know. Do you need help crafting that email to your teacher to your professor? Do you did you turn in that assignment? You know breaking down if they have a book to read to then follow up with a writing assignment to turn in for their teacher, you know did we how are we breaking that book down? And so just really kind of teaching strategies that they can then employ independently but then also modeling that for them and checking in with them to ensure that they are following through and being successful.
FRANCES ( 00:11:36): I love that because it’s like I’m thinking my wheels are spinning and I’m thinking about IEPs that we’ve drafted and the executive functioning skills is a big topic right now. And then goals that we put in supplementary aids. And a lot of times it has you know chunking or breaking down assignments. And now I’m thinking about it like we need to teach the children how to do that because a lot of times the teachers just do that and then the next class they don’t know how to do it again. The teachers do it for them. And where do you end up?
WENDY ( 00:12:07): Well? Right. And so and I think that’s a good point for instance because in an IEP we would write that right? Like we’re going to help with the chunking. But the question to the parents that I always encourage is what does that look like throughout the school day, from school bell to school bell, bus ride, what does that look like, who’s providing that and then who is in charge to make sure that it’s actually happening? Because you’re exactly right that if a teacher does it, they may be modeling it one way, but then that student then goes to math class and that teacher maybe modeling in a different way that may or may not align with how that student individually learns and studies. So what is our way that that student learns? How can we teach that individual student how they learn and study? Because oftentimes students are not taught how to learn and study and who they are as learners. So, you know, empowering a student to know who they are as a learner and teach them strategies that best align with that and then communicate that with the school team to then help provide that modeling and support for that student until they can become independent in that process.
FRANCES ( 00:13:25): It’s awesome. And the first thing that came to mind when you said about working to make sure the strategies you use the same is math because I’m of the era of the carry one and when I was helping my third grader with math, actually, I think it was last year in second grade and it was saying decompose the tens, I’m like, what, what is this? I literally right, I had to call a friend of mine that teaches elementary school math and what, what is this? Like, I don’t, I can’t help my kid with basic math that I know how to do, but it’s just such a different language that it’s got to be confusing for our kids.
WENDY ( 00:14:03): It is and if you think about a student that has language processing needs, right? And so if they have language processing needs, they’re struggling to kind of put together, you know what they’re hearing, but then you have science can be a different language. Math is a different language. These are, you know, like you said, decompose, compose, what does this mean? And so and then as parents, we weren’t taught that way, so then supporting them becomes challenging, so ensuring that the student is understanding that language in a way that benefits them
FRANCES ( 00:14:39): Understood and you help make sure all the teachers and the parents and outside service providers are speaking the same language basically.
WENDY ( 00:14:45): Yes. And so it is a lot of coordination, right? And communication and collaboration to really ensure that the student is being supported while they’re being empowered, while they’re learning, while they’re growing. So again, it’s not just putting a band aid on the situation to get them through to the next grade to the next course, but to really help build that capacity for a lifelong learner.
FRANCES ( 00:15:14): So what came to my mind is like a concierge doctor, like you talk to, you know, like you take everybody and bring them together because as a parent, it’s hard to make sure is the speech person at school, talking to the outside speech person, if you have both services. So you make sure that gap is bridged for the parents.
WENDY ( 00:15:35): And you brought up a good point, right? Because we have our medical model which is your outside services, whether that’s speech PT, OT, mental health, the way that a medical model develops their goals and outcome looks very different than an educational model and how they develop their goals and outcome. Oftentimes they’re two silos, they’re not communicating with each other. And so having somebody that can act as the quarterback to bridge that gap to understand the services that are in this medical model. Again, are they transitioning over to the educational model? What is working well in the education model that could be improved in the medical model or vice versa? So it is a lot of that communication to make sure what we’re doing as a whole, as providers are coming together and yes, that speech person within a school setting or that OT person within that school setting also has different schools, has a large caseload, is in and out of the building. So how do we ensure that they’re on board and they’re not just showing up to the IEP to say, okay, this is what we’ve worked on and ensuring that they are working on the goals in the IEP are they being, you know, do we have the raw data sheets on that? You know, if you’re out sick, what do we do about that? Right? You know and I’m sure you talk all day long about compensatory time and services and what do we do about that? And so really yes it is like a concierge service. As a mama I get it. You know my I have a son with medical needs and so you come from this place of fear and love and it becomes overwhelming and parents already have their full time jobs in the world of special ed is a whole again, another language I know I said that about math, but it is true. It’s another language and understanding what are your parental rights and what can you ask for in the school system? What can you ask for in the private sector and then how do we kind of get everybody working together for the greater good of our kiddos?
FRANCES ( 00:17:47): Right. And that’s where Stress-Free IEP™ came from and you do not have to do it all alone. We are here to help in whatever capacity is needed. And that’s you know, I have the Youtube channel with over 80 videos now of little three minute videos on each part so parents can educate themselves because it’s so important for the parents to know how to advocate to help teach the children how to advocate.
WENDY ( 00:18:10): For sure. And I know when I went into my first couple IEP meetings as a parent and I had the background as special ed and it’s hard and like I said it’s fear and love and it’s overwhelming and so I love that you do the three minute videos because it’s very approachable. It’s consumable. It’s not daunting or overwhelming. It’s like all right, I need a little information about this. Okay great. And then how do I build from there?
FRANCES ( 00:18:35): Right, thank you. And I want to go back a little bit on the assessments you do because it’s a big issue that I see often because parents are like well I want them to do a deeper dive. But the schools don’t. The schools do assessments on how the educational impact. It’s not the medical side, it’s just the educational impact. So what do your assessments focus on and how do they help?
WENDY ( 00:19:00): Right so as an educational diagnostician I can only look at the education piece right I cannot dive into you know how does a student process information, their memory, their attention. I am not able to do that. And so I’m always transparent with families that this is looking at the educational impact compared to their same age peers and looking at you know so if we’re looking at a reading, a reading profile we’re looking at phonics for phonemic awareness, vocabulary fluency comprehension. So following that structure and science of reading and saying okay you know a student may be able to comprehend but for some reason they don’t have a grasp of their phonemic awareness or their phonics. And so how do we take strategic research based on strategies and teach that student, Looking at writing, you know, they could, can a student organize their thoughts? Are they able to create simple sentences, compound complex, compound complex? What does that look like? Do they have a formula based option to build upon their capacity in those of sentence writing? What are the paragraph writings look like? Essay writings? You know, do they have the strategies to put these beautiful thoughts that they have orally onto paper? And what does that look like? What do the standards require for a student to be successful within the classroom? And how does that look within those standards? How are they shining through with their skills? And then it shows us those gaps and gains that we can then say, all right. And it’s usually kind of a scatter point, right? So you see gaps here and we see gains here and so what can we do strategically and thoughtfully to build that student’s knowledge.
FRANCES ( 00:20:59): So what came to mind for me is similar to a psychologist, but you do the deeper dive on the education part, whereas a psychologist, does a deeper dive into the mental and the processing part, correct?
WENDY ( 00:21:13): Right? So a neuro psych is going to do everything, but I feel like for our understanding and the educational therapy realm that sometimes we like to go a little bit deeper within that academic area, even if somebody comes with a beautifully written report, breaking it down and teasing it out slightly further from an educational lens gives us that knowledge that we can then better support that child.
FRANCES ( 00:21:44): And that’s what I’m thinking is that you complement what a neuropsychological report would be, is that you then pull it into the education part. Which is great because especially with the schools and IEPs a lot of times I get pushback from schools when a psychologist, when a psychologist does the report, because it’s more on that side and they’re like, but that’s not an educational impact. Whereas from you, it’s yes it is.
WENDY ( 00:22:14): Because you can start to really see the holes within that again, whether, you know, whatever academic area it is, you can start to see the whole shine through of, okay, this is the impact. And when we talk about educational impact is, you know, it’s beyond academics. It’s educational, it is behavioral, it is social, it is sensory, it’s emotional, it is academics, but it is all those things wrapped up in this beautiful bundle for this child from the time they get off the bus to the time that they get off the bus at their house, or anywhere in between, how are they being impacted. So, again, if it is language processing that can carry over to the playground, that can carry over to social, how are we supporting? And then I think oftentimes it’s helpful as us individuals as outsiders to be creative and outside of the box and show what’s possible for the school system. You know whether it’s you know a parent says oh I need one-on-one we don’t always need one-on-one again from bell to bell you may only need a one on one for recess or transitions. And how can we be creative with our resources to really truly support that child and not have to have this confrontation in the conversations. How do we work as a team within the school at the IEP table and then with the professionals that are supporting the child for those better outcomes.
FRANCES ( 00:23:42): Understood and I like using the word team because it’s supposed to be an IEP team. We’re supposed to be a team and have a conversation and I can’t tell you how many IEP meetings I’ve been at that you can tell the teachers are afraid to say something. And the principal’s doing all the talking which just tells me right that that the principal’s running the show.
WENDY ( 00:24:03): Or the principal’s on their computer checking something that’s not relevant to that meeting. And we’ve been in those meetings as well. And it is and you know from being a former educator, special educator in the school system you have this pressure of quiet and so it really is unfortunate for our students that are struggling that need somebody to speak up and to pull this cohesiveness together to pull the team together so that the rights of the child are followed and honored. For the dignity of that kiddo.
FRANCES ( 00:24:44): Yeah. I had a client that brought a picture of her son to put on the table and I’m like that’s brilliant. It’s beautiful. And what we’re talking about, that’s right. We’re talking
WENDY ( 00:24:54): about a child, you know, and I know I’m saying raw data and then have this and that. But at the end of the day it is a child. We are talking about a child and this child needs to grow and interact in the world and be a part of society the best way they can. And so what can we do? And I always talk to parents when they’re preparing their parent input statement. Think about it, you know, where do you see your child in six months? Where do you see your child in a year? I know you’re writing this statement for a annual IEP but then I want you to think where do you see in two years, five years so that you can start speaking to that to the team. Where do you see the impact in school but where do you see the impact outside of the school, so that we can start pulling together and having this vision of where we want to go with this child, right? So it’s not just a yearly IEP, checked on that. We’ll see you next year. Now it’s a process and it’s not a linear trajectory, right? So sometimes there’s up, sometimes there’s down, and so again that’s where that communication and that team is critical for supporting a child. And then as we’re thinking again of that parent input statement, what does that look like? Where do you see your child as a parent, you know your kiddo best. Where do you want that child to go in a couple of years so that we can start planning, especially for talking about our transition years. Are we talking about transitioning to kindergarten, middle school, high school beyond? And I know parents are like well they’re just going to kindergarten, but let’s think beyond that so that we can start putting the necessary supports in place for that student. And then if they are planning, what are they planning postsecondary, let’s think about it so that we can start getting on some waitlist because some of our kids to get outside resources and services, those wait lists are long. So let’s kind of start having that conversation as soon as possible as early so that we can really pull in every resource that’s available for this child and educate and empower not only the child but the family as well.
FRANCES ( 00:26:58): And the first thing that came to my mind is what my business coach, a lot of business coaches say when setting goals for the year is then reverse engineer. And I did a video one time on a program that Montgomery County public schools has that isn’t really talked about. It’s a post secondary program for after our children with special diplomas with certificate programs. It’s life skills and after. But there are certain qualifications you have to have. And so in my video I tell people, go look at the qualifications. If that’s a program you think your child might need even if it doesn’t turn out. But if you think your child might need all of your IEP goals for the 12 years beforehand need to point to giving your child those qualifications.
WENDY ( 00:27:49): But what a gift that you’re putting that out there because parents don’t know that right? And it’s not any fault of any parent. We just don’t know those resources are there. So what does a parent need to do and understand and know for that child so that they can start advocating like you said for 12 years, which sounds daunting and overwhelming and hence that’s where you and I come in to help educate and support these families.
FRANCES ( 00:28:15): And it could be more than 12 years because if you start in prekindergarten or birth with infants and toddlers, it is hard and you know, I’m in a group, a Facebook group of law moms with kids with disabilities and everybody talks about the stress the night before their you know child IEP meeting. They’re like I just finished a five day trial and I’m more worried about the IEP meeting and I always say look I do this for a living and fight for other families constantly for what their children do all day long. And I still stress out when I go into my daughter’s IEP meeting because the mommy comes out. That’s right.
WENDY ( 00:28:55): It’s your baby and you have your mama hat on right? So you’re there to protect and and nurture and love and ensure the best for your baby. It’s hard to separate the two. It’s hard to say, okay I know this from what I do from work and you know, I know you know from a 1000 ft view we know the difference but when you get in there and you’re hearing what’s happening with your baby all bets are off. It’s hard.
FRANCES ( 00:29:26): And that’s what I tell clients is that when we go they always ask me well who should take the lead and what should I say? What can’t I say? And I’m like you know what? Be the parent. If you need to yell, yell if you need to cry, cry whatever you need to do, be the parent because as the attorney and the advocate that’s coming with you, I can take whatever you say and put it in the words that the school team needs to hear to get it on the IEP right.
FRANCES ( 00:29:55): So you don’t have to worry about it like relax, just be the parent don’t worry about saying the right or the wrong thing. You know I always say the only thing that could be said in an IEP meeting that might tie our hands is never mind. I don’t want my kids to have any services that you kind of can’t come over.
WENDY ( 00:30:14): That may be yeah that might be let’s dial that conversation down for sure. But but what a gift to have somebody come with you and I encourage parents that for that as well just even if it’s your bestie you know just to take notes to hear things because it’s emotional and you hear things differently and the reactions are different. So to have somebody that can come with a clear mind and help guide through that process for sure. And I also encourage you know if you love a coffee or a tea bring that with you or you know even if you’re on a virtual meeting just something that makes you feel a little more grounded and can help you breathe which is way easier said than done. I get it. I mean you know than when you’re actually in there for sure.
FRANCES ( 00:31:00): And that’s why I love it. I have to remember to start telling clients to if you’re not if we’re in a virtual meeting you can just put the picture maybe over your shoulder or something. But if we’re in person, bring the picture to put everybody back to this isn’t about you’re doing it wrong, you’re doing it right. It’s not a battle. It’s about what does this child need as an individual child but not what the higher ups are telling you. Core standards have to be this, you can’t give that.
WENDY ( 00:31:30): That’s right and normalizing it right? And just putting everybody on the same page like this is this is the baby we’re talking about and that baby is gonna grow up and that baby needs to go into the real world. And so what can we do collectively to ensure that that happens and not point fingers right?
FRANCES ( 00:31:48): Exactly. And I do that all the time. I go into IEP meetings and you know and I’m like we start with, you guys are doing a wonderful job as the teachers we get it. It’s just this is not what the child needs. There’s nothing wrong with you as a teacher and your teaching style. It just doesn’t mesh with the child right now. And so we need to look at something else.
WENDY ( 00:32:10): I like how you phrase them. I like how you break that. It’s not pointing fingers. Let’s kind of grow altogether.
FRANCES ( 00:32:17): And I’ve had clients come in with IEPs that are just trash. I mean absolute trash and thankfully the new school we’re at a new school. So I always say to the teachers, we understand you inherited this IEP. But now we need to have a meeting to fix it. That’s because it’s not what it should be.
WENDY ( 00:32:37): That’s right. It’s kind of like when you call on the phone and you have a customer service rep that is giving you the bad news and you’re like look, I know you just picked up the phone but here’s the situation.
FRANCES ( 00:32:47): Right? Exactly. It’s not your fault but you need to fix it.
WENDY ( 00:32:52): But here is what’s happening.
FRANCES ( 00:32:54): Right? Exactly. Yeah. I want to go back to like the certification because you said you’re only one of two certified educational therapists. So do you have to be certified to call yourself an educational therapist?
WENDY ( 00:33:9): I think so. Yeah.
FRANCES ( 00:33:10): Ok.
WENDY ( 00:33:12): I mean so it’s through the Association of Educational Therapist. And one needs a Master’s plus in special education or related field. You need extensive training and techniques relating to individuals with learning needs and differences and frameworks for special education. You have to have additional coursework and the ability to diagnose and assess individuals with learning disabilities, understanding curriculum instruction course work that focuses on that literacy and math differences, instructions for diverse learners and then really having that training and support as that educational diagnostician. And you also have to have I think it’s a minimum of 1500 service hours that are observed and supervised. And then of course physics and all that good stuff.
FRANCES ( 00:34:10): So it’s it’s a lot because tutors, I mean I used to tutor and all I had was an undergrad degree in early childhood and I was tutoring geometry in high school but I did great, the kid did great, it was fine. But when you want to, you know, it’s almost like what characteristics are you looking for? What what is your ultimate goal?
WENDY ( 00:34:29): That’s right
FRANCES ( 00:34:30): for your child. So sometimes the tutor might be exactly what you need because it’s just this class we need to get through, but sometimes you need to go that step up to do the whole picture.
WENDY ( 00:34:40): Yeah. And it’s asking those questions right? Because exactly what you said, a tutor could be your neighbor across the street and they have the skill set and they can do a beautiful job and support your student. If you have a neuro diverse student that has, that needs a broader range of support, you really want somebody that understands the world of special education that can provide that IEP coaching that can provide that quarterback for the family, that can provide the support that understands the whole child, not just an academic subject. And so asking the questions about training and asking the questions about the process that an individual provides will give you that clarity and your understanding of like your mama got, this is going to be a match to give that support that my child needs. So it really is, what does your child need? What are your goals for your child? And then asking the questions to find that person that can do that for your child.
FRANCES ( 00:35:41): Right. And I always talk about the connection like, you know, even with picking an attorney, psychologist, picking a tutor, picking a therapist, but whatever it is, if you don’t jive with the person, it’s not going to work.
WENDY ( 00:35:53): Correct? Yes. And even so our team all holds a Master’s or Doctorate in special education. And so, and I say that, you know, I’m gonna link you with an educator that I feel like will be the best fit for your kiddo. But when you connect with that individual and your kiddo connects with that individual, if there is not a, you know, a connection, a sense of this is gonna be an academic relationship that’s gonna build and strengthen and they’re gonna understand my child and they can also connect with me, let me know. And I also even say that when I’m referring outside agencies. Here’s a couple of names, give them a call, you’re gonna know in your gut if they’re going to understand your child and you’re going to enjoy working with that individual. There has to be a connection, there has to be.
FRANCES ( 00:36:39): And the parent gut, I tell them all the time. If it doesn’t feel right, something’s going on.
WENDY ( 00:36:45): Good, bad or indifferent. It just, it has to be a match so that you feel like you’re hurt and you’re understood and that your baby is heard and understood..
FRANCES ( 00:36:54): Yeah that’s so true. And I think this has been absolutely wonderful. How can people reach out to you? Like if people are like oh wait I want to learn more what can where can they learn more and how can they get in touch with you?
WENDY ( 00:37:06): I love that. So if you’re looking for free IEP tips, how to prepare for an IEP and questions to ask head on over to learningessentialsedu.com you can download that bonus. If you need more special education support visit Learning Essentials. We’re gonna provide that individual systematic approach to supporting students with various learning needs and differences. Again through that academic coaching educational therapy we offer Brain Camp, which is our executive function support model. And then as a parent I’ve got you covered through IEP coaching as well and you can also like and follow us on social @learningessentials and then you can get more information and insight through the Special Ed Strategist podcast.
FRANCES ( 00:37:50): That is wonderful. And I think I’m going to be a guest soon on your show. It’s exciting because now we’re gonna jump back and forth. Thank you so much Wendy. This has been such a great show and I think, I think our listeners are going to really appreciate learning all of this about you and the program.
WENDY ( 00:38:05): Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. Thank you. It’s been fun.
VOICEOVER ( 00:38:52): You’ve been listening to Stress-Free IEPTM. With your host Frances Shefter. Remember you do not need to do it all alone. You can reach Frances through ShefterLaw.com where prior episodes are also posted. Thank you for your positive reviews, comments and sharing the show with others through YouTube, LinkedIn, Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and more.
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