I want to share a simple piece of advice that I wish I had received earlier in my life.

Make memories whenever you can.

Let’s explore how this plays out in your personal life and in the classroom.

It’s LIVE!!! I have given birth!!!

No, I wasn’t pregnant and no, it’s not a human baby.

I’ve given birth to a new website, an embodiment of my life mission. I don’t know any other way to describe the process I’ve been going through -- it’s been a two month gestational period.

and…who’s the author?

You’d think that at this stage of my life I wouldn’t still be learning anything new about stories. I started as an English teacher, after all…. But it seems that everywhere I turn, the universe is expanding my understanding of personal narratives and how they impact lives — your life as a teacher, the lives of your students, and yes, their families.

The title of this blog was the slogan used by disability rights activists in the 1990s who wanted a say in their services.

According to Google, the phrase has its roots way back in European unrest in the 1500s, but America shouted the same message from the rooftops during the American Revolution with “No Taxation Without Representation!”

So it has become an American tradition.

Can I speak openly? I think that the co-teaching structure One Teach / One Support has gotten a bad rap. Recently a school leader told me she didn’t want her teachers to use it during co-teaching. I think that’s a mistake. It’s a powerful instructional approach, but not when it’s confused with One Teach / One Whisper.

What’s the difference? A lot!

Last week, I was excited to be back in a schoolhouse. It was my first chance since February, 2020 – that’s 20 months!

Sure, during that time I’ve talked with many school leaders and Inclusion Coaches with school settings visible in their backgrounds, but that’s not the same thing.

I felt a rush of gratitude to see teachers in motion – freed from their stationary position in front of a camera.

Why was I there?

When I saw the challenge “Return to school, but not to normal” on social media today, I started pondering how we can create an amazing experience for special needs families.

So much has changed in the 18 months since the pandemic forced school closures across the country. What has happened to them? What do they need now? What would be better than “normal”?

Do you know what I’m asking here? Have you ever set a goal for yourself or taken on a particularly challenging project and felt that what was at stake was much more important than the goal?

I was listening to a podcast by Jordan Peterson yesterday in which he mentioned this ironic phenomenon, and I can’t stop thinking about it. The more I ponder, the more possibilities I see for our work as teachers, parents, and human beings who want to keep growing.

We are at a pivotal moment in the world. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act  was signed into law on March 11, 2021. It will distribute $123 billion in additional educational funding between now and 2023 for implementation of Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA). In addition, the ARP includes another $3 billion for additional support through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). That’s a LOT of funding!!

I haven’t written a newsblog in nearly two months. I’ve been focused on my BIG new project. I’m tickled pink that it launched on May 12, 2021!

I’m so excited to announce that the Included by Design Mastermind Website has been published!

Let me begin by saying that teachers are my heroes (in case you didn’t already know that). Over the last year, they have repeatedly demonstrated their resilience, tenacity, and determination.

For more than two decades, I’ve provided professional development and coaching support to teachers to expand their effectiveness with learner engagement in face-to-face environments. As a former special ed teacher and professor, I’m steeped in evidence-based and research-based practices.

As 2020 winds down, it’s natural to look back over a tumultuous year and look forward with hope.

Whether your school is open, operating remotely, or some sort of hybrid, one thing is certain: there’s lots of confusion. Your school leader’s job is to blaze a trail where we haven’t gone before.

Are you like me? Do you dread calling those impersonal businesses that put you on hold? I know how it will go… There will be a voice telling me to press 1 for this department and 2 for that kind of information. I listen to the options, knowing that my request doesn’t really fit any of them, but I make my choice.

I was conducting midyear Inclusion Rounds last week with the district Special Education Director and building principals. Getting back into classrooms keeps me real by reminding me about issues teachers face on a daily basis and reinforcing the complex layers of systems change. There are just so many variables to consider as we transform educational systems into nurturing places for ALL students AND teachers!

Schools are in the midst of BIG questions and preparations for fall opening —

1. Face-to-face or online?

2. How do we keep everybody safe?

3. What will instruction look like?

4. What do families want?

5. How do we assess learning?

6. How can we build a resilient school community?

It’s 4th of July but nothing feels normal since the pandemic. While some places are starting to open up, others are reporting an increase in cases. Overall, more families will “shelter in place” this holiday — fewer backyard barbecues, fewer pool parties, fewer people going to the beach and parks, fewer shoppers taking advantage of big holiday sales.

If you are on my newsblog mailing list, it’s because you’ve signed up from my website, you’ve given me your information at a national conference, or you have participated in my professional development sessions – in person or online.

Therefore, I think it’s safe to say you know something about me.