How COVID Left Kids with Special Needs Behind
Schoolutions: Curious Educators. Evidence-Based Strategies. Classrooms Where Every Child Thrives.
06/20/22
•32m
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In this S1E19 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies conversation, special education expert and parent advocate Tina Andrews reveals the harsh realities facing students with disabilities and their families in today's education system. When the pandemic hit, special needs students were left behind in ways that most people don't realize.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why inclusive teaching isn't safe in many schools right now
• The difference between compensatory services and extended school year
• When parents need legal help (it's sooner than you think)
• How to advocate effectively for your child's IEP
• Red flags that indicate your child isn't getting proper support
Tina Andrews, a mother of five adopted children with special needs and project coordinator at Delaware's Parent Information Center, shares her expertise as both a former special education teacher and current parent advocate. Her insights on classroom management, student engagement, and education strategies will empower educators, parents, and school administrators to better support students with disabilities.
Whether you're dealing with disruptive students, seeking better parent communication, or working toward inclusive classrooms, this conversation provides essential guidance for creating equity in education and supporting the whole child.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction to Tina Andrews
2:15 - Inspiring Educator: Tina's Mother
4:13 - The Reality of Learning Loss Post-COVID
5:17 - Tina's Journey to Parent Advocacy
7:20 - Finding Support: Parent Training Centers
8:54 - When Inclusion Isn't Safe
11:00 - The Problem with Understaffed Classrooms
13:08 - Understanding IEPs vs 504 Plans
15:51 - Compensatory Services Explained
18:58 - Extended School Year Requirements
22:17 - When to Seek Legal Help
24:17 - State Complaints vs Due Process
27:40 - Hope for Public Education's Future
30:45 - Final Thoughts on Student Resilience
- Parent Information Center (PIC) of Delaware & Tina’s Team Profile
- Parent’s Information & Resource Center
- IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
- What is the Difference Between an IEP and a 504 Plan?
- Center for Family Involvement
- Center for Parent Information and Resources
- Find Your Parent Training and Information Center
- disAbility Law Center of Virginia
- dcist
- CADRE (The Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education)
- COPAA (Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates)
- Endrew F. Supreme Court Case
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Previous Episode
How One School Secretary Changed Hundreds of Lives
June 12, 2022
•22m
In this S1E18 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies conversation, discover how one remarkable school office assistant, Tricia Coon, transformed her district by mastering classroom behavior, student engagement, and building powerful home-school connections. In this inspiring episode, Tricia shares her proven behavior strategies for managing disruptive students, creating student motivation, and fostering inclusive classrooms that support the whole child.
What You'll Learn:
✅ Effective classroom management techniques that reduce office referrals
✅ Student discipline approaches that focus on solutions, not punishment
✅ How to build authentic parent communication and family partnerships
✅ Behavior strategies that turn difficult students into engaged learners
✅ Creating a pro-kid mindset that transforms school culture
✅ Practical teaching tips for supporting thriving students
✅ Student engagement methods that work across all grade levels
Perfect for: Teachers, education coaches, school administrators, parents, school counselors, instructional leaders, and anyone passionate about student success and education transformation.
Tricia's approach to managing students goes beyond traditional student discipline - she creates a safe space where student participation flourishes and attention in class improves naturally. Her innovative teaching methods and culturally responsive teaching practices have made her the "heartbeat" of Madison Central School District.
Chapters
0:00 - Introduction: Meet the "Heartbeat" of Madison Central School District
1:17 - Student Voices: How Basketball Builds Life Skills
2:35 - Classroom Management: From Court to Classroom
4:06 - The Power of Mentorship in Education
5:54 - Building Home-School Connections That Work
7:10 - Creative Parent Communication Strategies
8:09 - Supporting Families Beyond the Classroom
9:25 - De-escalation Techniques for Disruptive Students
11:01 - Individual Student Support: The Matchbox Car Story
12:19 - Basketball as a Behavior Management Tool
14:31 - Creating Team Unity and Reducing Drama
15:13 - More Student Success Stories
17:47 - Life Lessons Through Sports
19:24 - Tips for School Administrators
21:15 - Long-term Impact: Students 15 Years Later
#ClassroomManagement #StudentEngagement #TeacherTips #SchoolLeadership #ParentCommunication #StudentSupport #EducationStrategies #BehaviorManagement #StudentMotivation #TeacherCoaching #SchoolCulture #StudentSuccess #EducationTransformation #ProKidMindset #InclusiveTeaching #WholeChild #ThrivingStudents #TeacherImpact #InspiredTeaching #EducationLeadership #HomeSchoolConnection #FamilyPartnerships #StudentDiscipline #EffectiveTeaching #ClassroomControl #MentorTeachers #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolImprovement #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EquityInEducation
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When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Next Episode
The Award-Winning School Farm That Uses 95% Less Water
June 27, 2022
•19m
In this S1E20 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies conversation, discover how (former) Principal David Friedrich revolutionized his elementary school through innovative vertical farming and farm-to-school programs. In this inspiring conversation, learn how Hopewell Elementary School secured $25,000 in grants to build a customized vertical farm that's 2-3 times larger than Princeton University's model!
What You'll Learn:
✅ How vertical farming brings Next-Generation Science Standards to life
✅ Innovative teaching strategies that integrate STEM across all grade levels
✅ How to transform school culture through nutrition and hands-on learning
✅ Professional development approaches that don't overwhelm teachers
✅ Building parent involvement through cooking classes and community events
✅ School leadership strategies for securing grants and community partnerships
✅ Creating inclusive teaching environments that serve the whole child
This farm-to-school program uses 95% less water than traditional farming while growing fresh herbs, vegetables, and strawberries that students help cultivate and then enjoy in their cafeteria. From preschool through 5th grade, every student participates in hands-on STEM learning that connects to real-world applications.
Perfect for: teachers, education coaches, school administrators, parents, homeschoolers, instructional leaders, school counselors, and anyone interested in education transformation, school improvement, and student success.
Featured Topics: student engagement, active learning, instructional strategies, innovative teaching, school leadership, parent communication, family partnerships, education at home, inspiring students, empowered educators, teacher impact, and creating thriving students through experiential learning.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to David Friedrich & Hopewell Elementary
02:59 What is the Vertical Farming Initiative?
05:09 Why "Vertical" Farming? The Science Behind It
05:58 How Students Access the Program (Pre-K through 5th Grade)
06:37 Top Tomato Award & Farm-to-School Recognition
07:24 From Classroom to Cafeteria: The Implementation Journey
09:22 Impact of COVID & Current Status
10:16 Virtual Cooking Classes During the Pandemic
11:22 Top Chef Enrichment Program
12:39 Cross-Curricular Impact on Literacy & Math
13:25 Future Plans & Expansion
15:24 Community Events: Farm-to-School Day & Parent Lunch
16:39 Community Partnerships & Giving Back
18:00 The Power of Relationships in Education
- Vertical farming project partners with school (2016)
- Hopewell Elementary School Awarded $10,000 STEM/Sustainability Grant for Vertical Gardening Initiative (2018)
- President Biden Honors 117 Individuals and Organizations with Highest U.S. Award for Science and Mathematics Teachers and Mentors (2022)
- GFP Graduate, Helen Corveleyn, Awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (2022)
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
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