How The Ability Challenge is Transforming Special Education with Sarah Sandelius & Kristen N. Briggs
Schoolutions: Curious Educators. Evidence-Based Strategies. Classrooms Where Every Child Thrives.
03/10/25
•41m
About
Comments
Transcript
Featured In
Join me as I speak with Sarah Sandelius and Kristen N. Briggs from The Ability Challenge about revolutionizing special education through their groundbreaking THRIVE Framework. We need to shift from deficit-based thinking to presuming competence in all learners.
You'll Learn:
- Why focusing on Tier 1 instruction is essential for ALL students
- How to move beyond compliance metrics to meaningful student outcomes
- The critical difference between visible and invisible disabilities
- Why "kids will meet whatever bar you set for them, low or high"
- Practical strategies for creating truly inclusive learning environments
Sarah Sandelius, a former lawyer who founded The Ability Challenge, shares her personal journey from witnessing educational inequity to creating systems-level change. Kristen N. Briggs brings her invaluable perspective as a special education teacher and school leader, highlighting how intentional support systems can transform educational experiences for students with disabilities.
Episode Mentions:
- National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)
- IDEA
- MTSS-i
- Juliana Tapper, M.Ed - Teaching 6-12 Math Intervention
- The Ability Challenge's 2025 White Paper "From ABC to THRIVE"
Chapters:
- 00:00 - Introduction and overview
- 01:00 - Meet Sarah Sandelius and Kristen Briggs
- 02:00 - Research that informs their work
- 03:50 - Kristen on lived experience vs. academic research
- 06:10 - Sarah's journey to founding The Ability Challenge
- 09:56 - Understanding visible vs. invisible disabilities
- 11:59 - What schools could do better to support students
- 13:21 - The problem of "Tier 2 and 3 ourselves out of a Tier 1 challenge"
- 17:23 - The importance of collaborative professional learning
- 19:29 - The THRIVE Framework explained
- 21:50 - Taking a systems-level approach to special education
- 24:40 - Moving beyond compliance metrics to meaningful assessment
- 27:46 - Grade-level content access for all students
- 29:08 - The "what, so what, now what" data analysis protocol
- 31:32 - Setting high expectations and checking educator biases
- 34:34 - Future vision and emerging trends in special education
- 37:17 - Building teacher knowledge around specialized instruction
- 38:37 - Resources for understanding functions of behavior
- 39:12 - Reimagining staffing approaches
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
Discover how writer's notebooks create essential spaces for student creativity and authentic expression in this S4E26 bonus episode featuring insights from Ralph Fletcher's book, A Writer's Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You. Learn practical strategies for implementing writer's notebooks in your classroom and providing meaningful feedback that empowers rather than constrains young writers.
🔑 In this episode:
🌟Why writer's notebooks serve a distinct purpose beyond assignments
🌟How to shift from formulaic writing to authentic expression
🌟The difference between "done" and "done for now" in the writing process
🌟Practical ways to provide feedback that focuses on growth, not just praise
🌟John Hattie's research on effective feedback for student learning
I share my experience implementing writer's folders and notebooks across grade levels and explain how giving students freedom transformed their writing. This episode is perfect for K-12 teachers, instructional coaches, and anyone interested in helping students develop authentic writing voices.
00:00 - Introduction: The power of greenbelt writing
01:00 - Schoolutions podcast overview
01:43 - Ralph Fletcher's concept of greenbelt writing
02:00 - Writing folders vs. writer's notebooks
03:12 - Breaking free from genre constraints
04:32 - The problem with writing formulas
05:12 - Ralph's definition of a writer's notebook
07:00 - Choosing the right people for writing feedback
08:23 - Creating in-person writing groups
10:15 - The writer should control the feedback process
11:32 - You don't have to accept all feedback
12:58 - John Hattie's research on effective feedback
14:25 - Why "great job" isn't helpful feedback
15:32 - Connecting feedback to zones of proximal development
Episode Mentions:
- A Writer's Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You by Ralph Fletcher
- Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning by John Hattie
- Lev Vygotsky’s Zones of Development
Want to learn more about Greenbelt writing and offering students choice as writers? Check out my full S4E26 interview with Ralph Fletcher.
#WritersNotebook #TeachingWriting #LiteracyInstruction #RalphFletcher #GreenbeltWriting #StudentWriters #TeacherPD #WritingWorkshop #JohnHattie #WritingFeedback #ElementaryWriting #MiddleSchoolELA #WritingProcess #LiteracyCoaching #AuthenticWriting
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
BONUS: Unlocking the Power of Students Who Learn Differently
March 14, 2025
•24m
In this bonus episode I break down the groundbreaking "Forward Together" report from the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) shared by Sarah Sandelius and Kristen N. Briggs during their S4E27 Episode: How The Ability Challenge is Transforming Special Education. Discover the three essential mindsets and eight key practices that benefit not just the one in five students with learning differences, but ALL learners.
I share practical strategies for:
➡️explicit instruction,
➡️Universal Design for Learning,
➡️strategy instruction,
➡️flexible grouping,
➡️positive behavior strategies,
➡️collaboration,
➡️culturally responsive teaching,
➡️and evidence-based content instruction.
Learn how to create equitable learning environments where every student can thrive despite political pushback against inclusive education initiatives.
Episode Mentions:
- ✨NCLD Report: FORWARD TOGETHER: Helping Educators Unlock the Power of Students Who Learn Differently
- ✨Stiggins's 7 Strategies of Assessment FOR Learning
- ✨S3 E31: Your AI-Powered UDL Thought Partner: LUDIA with Beth Stark and Jérémie Rostan
- ✨S4E19: Educational Teams Bridging School & Family Communication w/ Leah Mermelstein & Dr. Jen Gioia
- ✨Kalyn Belsha of Chalkbeat
Perfect for educators, administrators, and caregivers committed to supporting diverse learners.
00:00 - Introduction and Episode Overview
01:00 - About the Forward Together Report
03:00 - Understanding the "One in Five" Students
05:00 - Three Essential Mindsets for Effective Teaching
06:00 - Self-Efficacy: Believing in Your Ability to Teach All Students
08:00 - Positive Orientation Toward Inclusion and Belonging
09:00 - Growth Mindset for Teachers and Students
10:00 - Eight Key Practices That Benefit All Learners
11:00 - Explicit Targeted Instruction and Universal Design for Learning
12:00 - Strategy Instruction for Independent Learning
14:00 - Positive Behavior Strategies and PBIS
15:00 - Flexible vs. Fixed Grouping Approaches
16:00 - Collaboration Between Educators and Caregivers
17:00 - Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Pedagogy
19:00 - Evidence-Based Content Instruction
20:00 - What Science Says About Neurodiversity in Learning
22:00 - Moving Forward Together and Finding Purpose
23:00 - Closing Thoughts and Next Episode Preview
#TheAbilityChallenge #SpecialEducation #InclusiveTeaching #LearningDifferences #EquitableEducation #TeachingStrategies #EducatorResources #NCLD #UniversalDesignForLearning #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EducationPodcast
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.
If you like this episode you’ll love
Promoted