Lisa's Lingo

powered by ODEO

iPod/MP3 Player Download

Lisa Parisi is a fifth-grade teacher and educational innovator in inclusion classrooms.
Check out her thoughts at Lisa's Lingo

Lisa writes about her Successful Inclusive Classroom and I enjoyed speaking with her about how she sets up a classroom to work for a roomful of learning diversity. I posted a link to her site from Learning Connections---check out the comments, too!

Lisa notes four maxims in setting up a truly inclusive classroom for success ---

#1: Do not separate the children. They should not stand out for being classified. Remember: inclusion means to be included, not separated.

#2: Don't hide special needs. Point out that we all need assistance at times. Make it available to everyone

#3: Mix the teachers up and allow students to choose their style of learning.

#4: Keep students in the classroom as much as possible. Eliminate as many pull-outs as you can.

She uses lots of technology in her classroom. Lisa's students all have their own blog pages http://herricks.org/webpages/spcollaborative/
and Lisa posts videos on ustream

Web TV provided by Ustream

Thanks, Lisa!

Carl Chew, Teaching & Civil Disobedience

Click to play
Podcast: Melinda has an indepth conversation with Carl Chew

Carl talks about how parents can opt their kids out of the WASL---

Carl Chew teaches 6th grade science at Eckstein Middle School in Seattle. This April, when he refused to administer the WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning), Carl was suspended for two weeks without pay. See Seattle PI Article

How do we insure quality education for ALL students? Is your state one of the thirteen or so with high-stakes testing? Do high stakes test improve education, and if so, how?

The WASL is a complicated issue and in fact, a complicated test! Each student must answer questions by writing in several booklets for multiple subjects---reading, writing, math, and science. Each student creates over 40 pages of handwritten responses that must be hand scored! The test used to be administered at three grade levels but now but now is administered every year from 3rd to 10th grades and beyond for those who don't pass. $ $ $

Read More of Carl Chew's Thinking

Story Links:

• Real Change
• ABC News
• Tacoma News Tribune - Editorial
• The Associated Press

powered by ODEO
Listen To The Interview with Carl on Odeo.com

Interview: ADDA Board Members

powered by ODEO
Melinda talks with Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) board members Linda S. Anderson, MA, MCC, SCAC, president, and Beverly Rohman, ADDA Conference Co-Chair, about the upcoming 13th National Conference, July 10-13, that will be held at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis.

Linda Anderson is a master certified coach and founder of Getting Clear. She has been actively involved in the world of adult ADHD, since 1993 and has been a coach for over a decade.

Her mission is to help ADHD individuals transform failure into success and struggle into achievement through awareness, access to resources, connection to skilled professionals and the support of other ADHD adults.

Beverly Rohman is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and a long-time advocate, ADHD coach and consultant for learning differences and school searches. She is the founder of The Learning Connections, which is dedicated to helping adults, families, and students who struggle with ADHD.

Her mission is to promote a world where the challenges of learning differences and ADHD are identified, managed and ultimately valued.

WASL: Interview with Shannon Rasmussen, WEA Rep

powered by ODEO

Melinda talks with Shannon Rasmussen, President of the Federal Way Education Association and the head of a Washington Education Association (WEA) task force that studies education reform about the WASL.

What is the WASL?

The Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) measures student learning of skills and knowledge important to our children’s success in school and life. Educators use WASL results to improve teaching and to do a better job of meeting every student’s academic needs. (Read More)

Educators don’t trust Terry Bergeson’s WASL numbers

To much fanfare, Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson has now released WASL test scores for the Class of 2008.

The good news: Most seniors passed the reading and writing WASL. The bad news: Bergeson’s WASL figures appear to be inaccurate and may not give the full picture.

In fact, superintendents in several school districts dispute the WASL numbers Bergeson released.

Federal Way EA President Shannon Rasmussen said WEA members continue to oppose Bergeson’s emphasis on the WASL as a high-stakes test, and they believe it takes too much time away from classroom instruction.

"We support high academic standards, but we fundamentally disagree with how Terry Bergeson is implementing the WASL," Rasmussen said. "We've lost faith in her." (Read More)

An Interview with Christina Samuels

powered by ODEO
Melinda chats with Christina Samuels, Education Week Special Ed Reporter.

Since 2004, Christina Samuels has been covering special education and student health for Education Week . She also is the author of "On Special Education," a blog that follows the world of disabilities and giftedness and how they intersect with schools.

Before joining the staff of Education Week, she was a reporter for the Washington Post, covering a fast-growing school district in Northern Virginia.

Live with Maria Kelley, OTR / L

powered by ODEO
Podcast: Friday May 2, 2008

Join Melinda Pongrey and special guest, Maria Kelley, OTR/L Assistive Technology Specialist from the Washington Assistive Technology Act Program or WATAP. Each state has created an Assistive Technology Resource Center. Find out about WATAP and the services available, as well as partner programs.

Maria Kelley, OTR/L Assistive Technology Specialist from WATAP demonstrates Dragon Naturally Speaking for Jacob.

WATAP serves Washington residents of all ages with disabilities of all types, their families, employers, and employment service providers, educators, health care and social service providers, and others seeking information about assistive technology (AT) and assessible information technology.

Interview: HP Education Market Development Manager

powered by ODEO
Update: Jack Olmsted, LD LIve, and Pamela Livingston interview Cheryl Hewett, HP Education Market Development Manager

On Thursday, April 24 at 2pm (PST), Pamela Livingston, author of 1-to-1 Learning: Laptop Programs That Work, will talk with Cheryl Hewett, HP Education Market Development Manager, about the new HP 2133 Mini-Note PC and the computer manufacturer's concept of 21st century learning.

Listen to a podcast interview with Pamela on EdTechTalk (Oct. 2, 2006)

Bio: Cheryl Hewett, HP Education Market Development Manager
BS Education Curriculum and Instruction, Texas A&M UniversityMBA, University of Utah

Cheryl has over 20 years of experience within the Education Space. Her initial work began as a classroom teacher, teaching Physics and Algebra II. She also worked as a program evaluator for the US Department of Energy, evaluating the department’s K12 outreach programs. Cheryl then served as the Deputy Program Manager of the NASA Jove program, funding NASA research at small colleges and universities throughout the US and Puerto Rico. She has most recently worked at HP covering the public sector segment for the past nine years. Seven of those years have been dedicated to furthering HP’s impact on the US and Worldwide Education Market.

Pamela Livingston has spent the past fifteen years administering technology education in schools, most recently as the Head of Technology at the Peck School in Morristown, NJ. The author of ISTE’s bestseller "1-to-1 Learning: Laptop Programs That Work", Pamela wrote the book by spending over a year interviewing laptop leaders around the U.S., synthesizing research and studies on 1-to-1, and documenting her experience running a laptop program. Pamela has also written for “Learning & Leading with Technology”, “Connected Classroom”, and “Technology & Learning.”

A frequent presenter and keynote at national conferences such as NECC, Lausanne Collegiate's Laptop Institute, South Dakota's Laptop Conference, and Penn State’s One-to-One Conference, Pamela delivers workshops, and conducts evaluations for U.S. and international schools and districts. She also consults for Learning Sciences, Inc. as their 21st Century Learning Expert, creating professional development materials for Pennsylvania’s Classrooms for the Future. Pamela holds a B.S. in computer systems from CUNY and an M.S. in education and technology from Chestnut Hill College.

Live with David Flink : Eye to Eye

powered by ODEO

Join host Melinda Pongrey for our conversation with David Flink, Executive Director & Co-Founder of Project Eye-To-Eye
Friday April 11th, 9 am PST

David Flink is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Project Eye-To-Eye. Project Eye-To-Eye is a national mentoring program that matches college and high school students with LD/ADHD, acting as tutors, role models and mentors, with elementary, middle, and high school students with LD/ADHD in order to empower these students and help them find success. Like many who are eventually diagnosed with dyslexia, David Flink’s first exposure to the treatment of this learning difference was on the cold linoleum floor outside is 5th grade classroom.
He existed for a year in this reading group of one where his teachers, although often well intentioned, did not teach David fundamental reading skills but instead, shame. Though struggling through much of his pre-college education, David eventually found success in school and once attending Brown University decided he needed to transcend his past experiences and attempt to empower others who might be encountering similar difficulty in school. Hence, he became one of the founding creators of Project Eye-To-Eye.

In addition to his work in Project Eye-To-Eye, he also received a double degree in Education and Psychology from Brown University and graduated with honors. The Orton Gillingham Society has recognized his Honors Thesis on the Treatment of Dyslexia through Multisensory Learning and David has lectured at Brown University , Dartmouth College , Vassar College , Columbia University , Reed College , and numerous conferences for organizations including the International Dyslexia Association.

David has served as an Admissions Officer for Brown University , where he evaluated over 4,000 applications, and was the Disability Admissions Liaison at Brown University , reviewing all applications of those who apply to Brown with disabilities.

Dr. Kathleen Whitmire: NCLD RTI Action Network

powered by ODEO

Wednesday April 9
9 am PST

Dr. Kathleen Whitmire, Director of the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) RTI Action Network, introduces this week's web launch of the RTI Action Network site. Funded by a grant from Cisco Foundation, the goal of the Action Network is to be an interactive Web site of resources for families and educators. Read More

Live with Ed in 08

powered by ODEO

Melinda is Live with Ed in 08's Liz Snyder and Rachel Bird, Policy Analyst
The broadcast was Wednesday March 26 9 am PST

eSN TechWatch: Two Million Minutes -- February 18, 2008

How do we make sure that ALL students receive a quality education? How do we determine what that means, especially for students with learning disabilities?

Listen in and bring your questions to our discussion as we find out more about the non profit Ed in 08 and their views on how to raise the level of excellence in schools across the nation.

ED in '08: The State of America's Schools

Interview: Benna Golubtchik Talks About The Teachers Network March Conference

powered by ODEO

Jack Olmsted, multimedia journalist, talks with Benna Golubtchik, Senior Faculty Adviser for the Teachers Network, about the 7th Annual Curriculum, Community, Collaboration & Celebration Conference that was held on Saturday, March 15, 2008 in a downtown Brooklyn elementary school.

Keynote by Walter Dean Myers, critically acclaimed author of more than 85 books and newest publication Sunrise Over Falluja.

For the last 35 years, Benna's teaching experience has spanned the grades, from kindergarten through high school. She has taught general education and special education classes. Benna's Bio

Live with Kevin Bushweller

powered by ODEO

Friday March 21st 9:30 PST

Join host Melinda Pongrey and guest Kevin Bushweller, award winning executive editor of Education Week's Digital Directions who tackles the question, What works, and what doesn't work, to motivate students to do better in school? in his edweek blog with Katie Ash, Motivation Matters. A father of four children—ages 3, 8, 11, and 14, Kevin has been reporting on education issues for over twenty years, and led panel discussion at the Teaching & Learning Celebration in New York March 7-2, 2008 Tough Choices for Tough Times, with William Brock, Henry Schacht, Marc Tucker and Brenda Welburn.

Edweek.org Open House - March 26 - April 7 Next week you can check out their publications online FREE as well as the Technology Counts 2008: STEM: The Push to Improve Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Report.

Live with Cyd Imel and Ron Hume:Juvenile Justice, ADHD & LD

powered by ODEO

Join host Melinda Pongrey and special guests, Cyd Imel, Executive Director of LDA of Washington, and Ron Hume, Executive Director NCO Youth and Family Services, Naperville, IL as we discuss the relationships between ADHD, LD and Juvenile Justice. Ron and Cyd were both instrumental in developing Social Skills curriculum for adults and youth with ADHD and LD.


powered by ODEO

Ron mentions Rick LaVoie's book The Motivation Breakthrough: 6 Secrets for Turning On the Tuned-Out Child

If you'd like a copy of Delinquency or Disability? Learning Disabilities and the Juvenile Justice System you can e-mail Ron or access the document from links in the LD Live! Yahoo Group Calendar!

Wednesday March 18 at 9 am (PST) As we were talking, Steve Scher host of Seattle's KUOW Weekday was interviewing Silja Talvi author, Women Behind Bars and Paul Wright, former prison inmate and editor of Prison Legal News. Listen to Steve's podcast Incarcerated in America

One in 100: Behind Bars in America 2008 Pew Report

Interview: Benna Golubtchik, Senior Faculty Advisor Teachers Network

powered by ODEO

Melinda Pongrey, LD Live, talks with Benna Golubtchik, Senior Faculty Advisor Teachers Network.

For the last 35 years, Benna's teaching experience has spanned the grades, from kindergarten through high school. She has taught general education and special education classes. Benna's Bio

Interview: Deborah Meier, Educational Reformer, Writer and Activist

March 7: Check out Will Richardson's Live Blog post of the Deborah Meier/Diane Ravitch talk at the Teaching and Learning Celebration this morning.


powered by ODEO

Deborah W. Meier, a presenter at the 2008 Teaching and Learning Celebration March 7 in New York City, talks with Melinda Pongrey about how she views education and what is needed for students today. Deborah is currently on the faculty of New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education, as senior scholar and adjunct professor as well as Board member and director of New Ventures at Mission Hill, director and advisor to Forum for Democracy and Education, and on the Board of The Coalition of Essential Schools.

Meier has spent more than four decades working in public education as a teacher, writer and public advocate. She began her teaching career as a kindergarten and headstart teacher in Chicago, Philadelphia and New York City schools. She was the founder and teacher-director of a network of highly successful public elementary schools in East Harlem. In 1985 she founded Central Park East Secondary School, a New York City public high school in which more than 90% of the entering students went on to college, mostly to 4-year schools. During this period she founded a local Coalition center, which networked approximately fifty small Coalition-style K-12 schools in the city. Deborah Meier Bio

Deborah also writes a "point-counter-point" blog for Educational Week called Bridging Differences with Diane Ravitch.


Deborah talks at The Forum for Education and Democracy Educational System conference in Chicago. November 2006.

Interview: Ronald Thorpe, Vice President Thirteen/WNET

powered by ODEO

Melinda Pongrey talks with Ronald Thorpe, Vice President and Director of the Educational Resources Center at Thirteen/WNET, about the Teaching and Learning Celebration, an annual educational conference hosted by public broadcasters Thirteen/WNET and WLIW21. The two day educational conference theme is “Science and Global Awareness” and begins March 7 in New York City.

Thirteen/WNET New York is one of the key program providers for public television, bringing such acclaimed series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, Wide Angle, Secrets of the Dead, NOW with David Brancaccio, and Cyberchase – as well as the work of Bill Moyers – to audiences nationwide. As the flagship public broadcaster in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut metro area, Thirteen reaches millions of viewers each week, airing the best of American public television along with its own local productions such as The Thirteen Walking Tours, New York Voices, Sunday Arts and Reel 13. Thirteen extends the impact of its television productions through educational and community outreach projects – including the Teaching and Learning Celebration – as well as Web sites and other digital media platforms.

Interview with Anne Ford

powered by ODEO

Melinda Pongrey speaks with Anne Ford and John-Richard Thompson about living with and advocating for children who have learning disabilities. Anne Ford served as Chairman of the Board of the National Center for Learning Disabilities from 1989 to 2001, and is currently Chairman Emeritus. As with many parents, her interest in the subject was greatly heightened when her daughter was diagnosed with a learning disability. During her term as Chair, Ms. Ford has led the organization and broad expansion of NCLD, including establishing a Washington, D.C. office, presenting educational summits on learning disabilities in several regions of the United States, and effectively collaborating with national service organizations outside of the learning disabilities field, representing issues including literacy, school dropout, cultural diversity, and early childhood development (Head Start).

In 1994, Ms. Ford was appointed to the Department of Health and Human Services, Commission on Childhood Disabilities, as the representative for learning disabilities.

Ms. Ford was also a member of the New York State Board of Regents Select Committee on Disabilities. She serves on the Board of Directors of the National Board of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America; the Board of Women's Committee of the Central Park Conservancy; and the Board of The Riverview School in East Sandwich, Massachusetts.

In May 1999, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine presented Ms. Ford with the Lizette H. Sarnoff Award for Volunteer Service. In 2001, she was honored by the Lenox Hill Hospital's Center for Attention and Learning Disorders for her many years as a leader in the field of learning disabilities. In 2002 she received a volunteer service award from the Connecticut Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities (CACLD).

Her story has been featured in Newsweek and Newsday and on ABC, Lifetime, the Oxygen Network, and more. She lives in New York City. Her daughter, Allegra Ford, is now 30 years old and lives in upstate New York.

Interview with Glen Eden Institute Directors

powered by ODEO

Dr. Rick Brennan, Director of Glen Eden Institute in Vancouver, Canada, started this unique therapeutic educational program in 1984 after observing a need for highly complex students to have a scientifically based program that could offer education within a physiologically monitored context. Impressed with the results of the program developed by Dr. Brennan, Dr. Ron Seifert, collaborated to open another school in Poulsbo, Washington in January 2000.

Frederick (Rick) Vincent Brennan, Ph.D., earned his degree in developmental psychology from University of British Columbia and Alvin Ronald (Ron) Seifert, Ph.D., earned his degree in physiological psychology from University of Tennessee (Knoxville campus March 1975)

The mission of the Glen Eden Institute is to maximize the potential of Youth With Complex Needs by providing individualized, comprehensive programs that combine clinical and educational services for each student and their family. The school serves students in small groups who may have multiple diagnosis, including ADHD, anxiety, depression, etc. Students with more severe diagnosis who may have multiple diagnosis, including Pervasive Developmental Disabilities including Autism Spectrum Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Tourettes, epilepsy or a genetic disorder, may be served in one-on-one settings.

LDA: Learning Disabilities & Juvenile Justice

powered by ODEO
Learning Disabilities & the Justice System: Practice to Policy

From the LDA Conference! Checking in with Ron Hume, LDA Board of DIrectors, NCO Youth and Family Services, Naperville, IL who introduces Dave Parr, from the North Aurora Police Department, North Aurora, Il, and Bradley Bitten, Attorney-At-Law, Denver CO. Highlighting the interconnection between LD, ADHD, and youth in the juvenile justice system.

LDA Interview: Ron Hume, NCO Executive Director

Click To Hear Ron's Interview

Press Release:

NCO Executive Director Hume Speaks at LDA Conference in Chicago

Naperville - Ron Hume, Executive Director of NCO Youth & Family Services will be presenting at the 45th Annual International Conference of the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA of America) on February 27 – March 1, 2008 in Chicago. The annual conference is attended by over 3000 individuals including; professionals, educators, researchers and parents from across the United States and fifteen foreign countries.

Hume will be presenting workshops on the topics of Learning Disabilities and the Juvenile Justice System: Practice to Policy, presented with Detective Dave Parr of the North Aurora Police Department, Bradley Bittan, an attorney from Denver, CO and David Admire, J.D. from Bethany College in Lindsborg KS. This session will cover from the street to the courtroom and beyond addressing the unique features of the individuals with learning and attention disabilities in the justice system.

Hume will also present a session entitled “It’s not Just an Academic Problem” addressing how individuals who struggle with learning and attention difficulties often experience a complex array of social, emotional and behavioral problems. They session will explore this complicated and confusing puzzle that is often so problematic in the family, school or work and community.

Hume serves on the LDA of America Board of Directors and as its chair for the Justice System/Mental Health Committee.



NCO Youth & Family Services is a private, not-for-profit human service agency supported, in part, by United Way. Services include sliding-fee counseling for youth, adults and families, 24-hour crisis intervention for runaways/lockouts, temporary and long-term shelter for boys 13-17 years as well as transitional housing programs for young adults 18-21 years. Also provided are prevention education programs serving children k-12 and families as well as parent mentoring and youth leadership programs. NCO has offered services to youth & families in DuPage and Kane Counties as well as surrounding communities for more than 37years. (More)