Episode 064: Dyslexia

Let’s talk about dyslexia. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterized by having difficulties relating to language, particularly reading. It runs in families and is estimated that around 20% of the population. Payne Education Center, located in Oklahoma City, trains teachers to prevent reading difficulties in children and to remediate dyslexia while serving as a resource and a referral center for teachers and parents. In recent years, the state of Oklahoma has updated laws and policies around teaching children with dyslexia. You can learn more about them and the work that they do on Facebook or their website: www.payneeducationcenter.org. For this episode I interviewed Heather Johnson, the Executive Director of Oklahoma’s Payne Education Center.

Reflection Questions:

1. What practical steps can you take to meet the needs of your students who are demonstrating reading difficulties?
2. How does your school/district plan to prepare your staff for meeting the needs of students with dyslexia?
3. What resources do you have available that support your understanding of reading difficulties?

Advertisement

Episode 063: Teaching for Purpose

I have been holding on to this episode for too long. Truth time between having a new position in the district last year to a pandemic to just the regular day-to-day, I have found my self constantly behind. I am so thankful a historic ice storm gave me time to sit with some excellent recordings and prepare them for release.

So meet Heather Malin, Ph.D. Dr. Malin is director of research at the Center on Adolescence. Her book is Teaching for Purpose: Preparing Students for Lives of Meaning. Dr. Malin focuses her work on applying research to education practice (YAY!) and exploring how schools can support students in developing purpose. This excellent conversation explores her research on developing purpose and how it can be applied in practice.

Questions for Reflection:

1. How do you embed purpose in your teaching?
2. How do you help and support your students to find their purpose and weave that purpose into your teaching?
3. Do you provide opportunities for your students to find their purpose?
4. What atmosphere do you create in your classroom or school?