Many of my colleagues working in the public sector are skeptical of companies selling products to school districts.  I’ve felt some of this skepticism myself as I’ve seen certain approaches gain traction because they’re well-marketed (yet not evidence-based).  So it’s understandable to me that people would question the motives of companies selling products; especially in the for-profit space. The elephant in the room, of course, is that Dr. Karen, LLC is a for-profit EdTech company.  I’ve...

Many people treat social skills groups as if they’re the complete package, when in fact they’re just one part of a bigger service plan.  When we “lesson plan” we can’t think of our intervention as something that starts and ends with a 20-minute therapy session. Instead, we should think of it as a “planning” or a “priming” session.  That’s why one of the very first things I teach clinicians in the School of Clinical Leadership is how to utilize multiple service delivery models when supporting...

Syntactic use is considered an “academic” skill that’s useful for reading comprehension and writing, but the impact of sentence comprehension goes way beyond school. Our ability to comprehend messages at the word and sentence level in oral and written language has a huge impact on our ability to function. So when clinicians ask me, “Should I focus on syntax, or should I focus on life skills?”, my response is that syntax IS a life skill. The same is true about semantic knowledge because of the...

I regularly hear from therapists who ask me questions about how to evaluate language in a way that gives detailed, meaningful, and accurate information. Most people know standardized tests only show a small fraction of what we need to know when it comes to language and cognition, yet many clinicians still don’t consistently utilize a complete portfolio evaluation.  A lot barriers get in the way, including: 👉Lack of clarity on what “dynamic assessment” means. 👉Misconceptions about how a robust...

Language evaluations are challenging enough; but when we’re evaluating multilingual and bilingual students, they become even more complex.  When clinicians ask me about language evaluations, the questions are typically: What tools/protocols can I use?  Who can I go to for help?  How can I advocate for change if current policies don’t support best practices? That’s why I invited Prabhu Eswaran and Puja Goel to episode 186 of De Facto Leaders to help answer some of these questions as they...

In this interview, I revisit conversations surrounding the school-to-confinement pipeline, giving students’ the language skills to understand their rights, the link between language, literacy and “behavior problems”, and how to get started with policy work.  I share my commentary on the following: ✅ Why students who’ve received repeated detentions or suspensions should be screened or evaluated to rule out language and literacy issues. ✅ Saying “developmental language disorder” is ALLOWED in...

In this interview, I revisit conversations surrounding the use of the term “dyslexia” in the schools, the use of technology, and equitable access to books.  I share my commentary on the following: ✅Saying “dyslexia” in the schools: Both the positive and negative consequences ✅Educational technology definitions: What “counts” as technology? What’s the difference between instructional and assistive technology?  ✅The tech tools are not the strategy: What’s happening when kids don’t use...

How much do we need to know about morphology and etymology to effectively help students? Is etymology an essential component to spelling and reading instruction? Will phonics instruction bore students?  Is exposure to interesting books enough to foster a love of reading for people who don’t have solid word decoding skills? I revisit my conversations with Anna Gieger (Episode 177) and Dr. Jan Wasowicz (Episode 176) in this episode and share my thoughts on these questions.This episode is a...

Many skeptics of the science of reading are concerned that structured approaches will bore kids and make it less likely they’ll enjoy reading.  These concerns are unfounded for a number of reasons.  First, structured approaches help reach students who don’t learn through implicit learning (which is a lot of kids). It’s hard to develop a love of something when you’ve failed repeatedly and no one has given you the tools to do it. Enjoyment comes with competence and confidence. Second, many...

Students who meet the criteria for developmental language disorder (DLD) are often categorized as “speech only” in the school systems.  In many cases, these students qualify for special education services under the eligibility category of “speech and language impaired”, which puts speech-language pathologists who serve as case managers in a difficult position ethically.  Sometimes students may qualify for services under other eligibility categories, but there’s still a lack of awareness about...

There is a disproportionate number of individuals with communication disorders and reading disabilities involved with the justice system for both children and adults. Past research suggests that more than 40% of incarcerated people have some type of nonpsychiatric disability (Berzofsky et al., 2015; Bixby et al., 2022; Thompson, 2022) Additionally, once youth are involved in the justice system, it becomes more difficult for them to access the education and therapeutic services they...

How can school leaders make informed decisions about reading curriculum when they know the home environments among their student body vary widely? I don’t envy people tasked with these kinds of decisions. My opinion is that schools should ensure students get their instructional needs met during the school day, because it’s difficult to control what happens to students once they leave the school campus. Direct instruction of reading has to fall on the plate of educators. If we assume certain...

In 2015, the Office of Special Education Programs published a letter stating that school teams were “not prohibited” from using the term “dyslexia”.  Unfortunately, this letter left many questions unanswered and is often misinterpreted. Parents seeking out services for their children are still unsure how to advocate for appropriate services in their schools and communities. School teams are still unsure about what they’re “permitted” vs. “required” to do. Professionals are unsure who is...

There are many “science of reading” terms being used right now (including the “science of reading” itself). Yet debates about how to help kids become literate continues; and part of that is because of common logical fallacies applied to education. That’s why I invited Anna Geiger to episode 177 of De Facto Leaders to define important literacy terms and discuss myths associated with teaching reading. Anna Geiger is a former teacher, mom of six, the founder and owner of The Measured Mom, host...

The “science of reading” is trending; but in order for professionals to engage in effective instruction, they need to understand that literacy also includes spelling and writing. Writing, spelling, and reading are interconnected, and the growing body of research continues to show us that these skills need to be taught explicitly.  That’s why I invited Dr. Jan Wasowicz to episode 176 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to discuss the Language Literacy Network (Link here:...

In this episode, I’m revisiting an older episode in honor of a special event that I'm doing in the month of September, 2024. I'm so excited to participate in the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, which we're presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF). De Facto Leaders is part of the BE Podcast Network (Link here: https://bepodcast.network/), so I’ll be participating in this effort. About Reading Is Fundamental (RIF): Reading Is...

I’m a huge supporter of professionals taking ownership of their careers; regardless of the systemic issues at play. But having said that, I ALSO like to help educators get to a place where they can work towards addressing systems issues head on. That’s why I was so excited to talk with Kurtis Hewson about the Collaborative Response Framework in episode 174 of De Facto Leaders. Kurtis Hewson is an award-winning former administrator and teacher, as well as teaching faculty at the post-secondary...

A while back, I heard someone refer to school administrators and other public sector leaders as “middle managers”, and it really hit home for me.  As I’ve transitioned through different roles in my career, I’ve gotten into the trap of thinking that when I achieve the “next step”, I’ll finally have the influence I want.  In my experience, telling myself that I’ll be satisfied with the level of impact I can make when I reach the “next step” is a recipe for disappointment. In reality, I don’t...

How can districts reverse chronic absenteeism and gain a deeper understanding of why students don’t come to school?  Can we measure how “connected” students are to their schools? How do we impact the level of connection they feel with potential mentors in their lives?  I invited Jen Perry to episode 172 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to discuss this topic and explore ways schools can assess student engagement and put meaningful programs in place to increase it.  Jen Perry is Senior Manager...

Most discussions around social-emotional learning are about helping kids stay regulated, healthy, and adjusted, but we can’t forget about the adults.  Being in any type of role that involves caring for others can be incredibly dysregulating; whether you’re a K-12 professional or a parent.  That’s why in this episode, I’m highlighting past interview clips with guests that address emotional regulation and self-care in adults.  In this episode, you’ll hear discussions on: ✅How to teach...

As a school leader, when is it best to make “top-down” decisions, and when should you make it a collaborative process? How can you tell which stakeholder input to prioritize? What’s the best way to communicate with your staff in a way that feels transparent, but doesn’t burden them with too much information?  How can you make decisions confidently when you’re supervising staff in positions you’ve never held yourself?  I invited Dr. Jen Schwanke to episode 170 of the De Facto Leaders podcast...

Today, I wanted to share some FAQs that people ask about how to teach executive functioning. Some of those common questions are: How do you teach self-talk, time-perception, and strategic-planning? How do you offer help without making kids prompt-dependent?​I understand that executive functioning intervention is more than just checklists and behavior charts, but what’s the right way to structure interventions? ​How can I provide environmental scaffolding after students leave my therapy...

Almost every school leader that I know has said they didn’t realize what they were getting themselves into when they started their first administrative position.  In this episode, I wanted to share clips from past “De Facto Leaders” guests to showcase some of the challenges faced by school administrators (or those hoping to move into an administrative role). You’ll hear discussions on: ✅Qualities of a good principal: Protecting staff and removing barriers ✅Navigating ambiguity and impostor...

As a professional field, we’re getting stuck in old ways of thinking when it comes to designing services for students experiencing executive dysfunction.  When we think of “therapy” the first thing that comes to mind is a clinician sitting in a chair saying things like, “And how does that make you feel?” or a clinician doing exercises in a 1:1 or group setting. When we think of “planning for therapy”, we think of what materials or activities we’re going to do in our direct therapy...