Senior Dad

When we first met Senior Dad-to-be, Bob Brockob, he was filled with the anticipation of impending fatherhood. On this his forth visit to our show we have a 10 month check in with Bob to find out how this minimalist architect and education chair of OceanFilmFest.org is adjusting to being the dad of Max and how it has changed his life. For some reason the issue of inclusion seems to invoke strong passions. Everyone views it differently. Add in the prescription for a least restrictive environment, and wow that gets everyone really churning. You can just see everyone in the room tighten their backs as they set their positions in stone. Walking blindly into this loaded mine field, Senior Dad Stan Goldberg meets educator Paula Kluth, a fifteen year veteran of special education. Paula has helped schools and school districts transition from exclusion to inclusion. She has held workshops to broaden the understanding of both parents and educators on the benefits of inclusion. The discussion moves through the hot topics and then on to some common ground when discussing the positive benefits of inclusion (it’s not just that it can be less expensive for a school district). Paula Kluth- Everyone is Included Stan tells of the tummy ache

The news business has been changing even before that runner burst through the door, breathless to deliver her earth-shattering news. Nanette Asimov was not in the business that far back, but has been the mainstay of the Education Beat for the San Francisco Chronicle for over twenty years. Her focus is on state and national issues and has recently begun investigating special education and autism. Her stories are insightful, informative, and occasionally controversial, as her words describe a vision that is uncomfortable for some. Speaking with Nanette gives us insight to the person we meet so frequently at our breakfast table. Nanette Asimov- The Observant Witness. We have have a quick conversation with Shawna DeNofa Stan learns about life without Father

The small school movement and the charter school movement are definitely forces that are having increasing impact on public schools. It is hard to find a more out-spoken advocate for both of these movements as Joe Nathan. He was active in the formulation of small charter schools at the beginning of the modern-day small-schools movement. He is the Director of the University of Minnesota Center for School Change. The center features and promotes charter schools. This is Joe’s first visit to a Senior Dad Briefing Room, and we discuss his background, beliefs, and define areas of agreement and disagreement. Some of Joe’s ideas are controversial and are hotly debated by national leaders of the small school movement and by opponents of the charter school movement. Joe Nathan- What type of change do you want? stan hears of lice

When faced with a situation where a parent feels that a school system is not doing all it can for their children, some parents just complain. Some parents write letters and some parents, like Los Angeles parent Bill Ring, act. Bill got involved. He was on district parent advisory committee and when that was not yielding results, he started his own parent organization. When he was not satisfied with his child’s middle school choices he worked with others to start a charter middle school. The city rejected his application and he applied to the county. When the county rejected the application, they went to the state.  But time marched on, and his child was nearly in high school by the time the process was completed. Now, Bill is running for School Board in Los Angeles and has started a new parent organization called TransParent®. Bill Ring- Being quiet is not an option Stan’s soccer story about “don’t kick the goalie”

Patrick Henry Hughes was born enabled. His father, Patrick John, relates that when Patrick was four months old, the sound of the piano soothed the child, and by the time Patrick Henry was a-one-year old he was playing tunes on the piano. In the ensuing years Patrick Henry learned to play the trumpet and developed his voice. When Patrick applied to college he wanted to be in the pep band. The band director said ‘no problem’, however, all pep band members were also members of the marching band. This was somewhat of an obstacle for Patrick since he was born without eyes and had a muscle disease that made him wheelchair-bound. His father said that he’d be willing to move Patrick around in the formations. And so what is extraordinary for some is normal for this family. We talk to the two Patrick’s and hear about their new book, I Am Potential. Listening to the optimism of the Hughes family, where Patrick is the oldest of three boys, I can’t help but feel the strength and devotion of Patrick Henry’s parents. Eight lessons on living, loving, and reaching your dreams. “Home for the holidays?” Or, “let’s get this party started?” The holidays can be a stressful time for families under the best of circumstances. For your child with autism, they can be particularly difficult. Familiar routines are out the window and unfamiliar – and sometimes unfair – expectations arise at every turn. Listen in and hear how to empower your child with autism during this bustling time.  Internationally known award-winning author and columnist Ellen Notbohm (Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew) and San Francisco special needs activist Katy Franklin join “Senior Dad” Stan Goldberg in the Autism Briefing Room, explaining how the holidays effect their children with autism and their friends and families. Hear tips what to do before and during holiday parties and strategies for graceful departure. What to do about gifts and gift lists, and how to handle the lure of those attractive TV commercials?  Ellen and Katy share some of their experiences with their children and what works for them. Some of the lessons we learn apply to teaching and handling all children as well as helping us begin to understand the challenges of a family with a child with autism. Stan tells of time going fast

Kris Olson was one of the founders of Parents for Public Schools in Waco, Texas. Kris has witnessed some very critical times for her city and its school system. Kris was in school when the courts ordered desegregation. In her lifetime she has seen the system go from promoting busing to discontinuing busing. Her entire family is a product of the Waco school system. Her city has grown and learned and Kris shares with us what that journey was like. We introduce a new feature called a brief. This will be a self contained topic that is usually less then 10 minutes in length. Mel Levine helps us kick off this feature with a 8:42 show about “rules”. Michael Robinson is used to being beaten about. He was a race car driver until an unfortunate crash battered him up and ended his career. He has a child with autism and the crash energized him to focusing his future on being an advocate for all extra needs children. He is a registered lobbyist and an Internet advocate. We talk about new ways of funding special education. stan talks about i need

This show has two “Briefs”. Mel Levine chats with me about “Trust”. I am also joined by Susan Barnes the founder of “Classes for Causes and we learn what is happening there. The last story on the show is from Mike Henry an involved parent. We here the frightening escalation of punishment his son received from the school district and in a post script I share another “Racism” story in it’s not racism, it’s EGO.

Todd Risley, noted researcher was one of the team that named “time outs”, a tool that parents have been employing as a technique to help them retain their sanity as their children grow. Todd’s major work, along with researcher Betty Hart, was a study that showed convincingly that the more a parent talks to their child, between birth and age three, the larger the child’s vocabulary, and the higher the child’s IQ. Start behind, stay behind. I recently learned of Todd’s passing in December 2008. As we remember the contributions of Todd I am broadcasting my interview with Todd from December 2006. The interview was conducted while Todd was home in his beloved Alaska. Todd told me he was at the end of the power grid, that after his house, technology ended. He was not far from being correct. The phone call dropped ten times during the interview and we had to pick up context and continuity on the fly. In the process I learned about his research, his misconceptions about Head Start, and the warmth and good nature of the man himself. Although the man is gone, his research, if implemented, will help scores of children to have better lives. Thank you Todd. Edward Zigler is Director Emeritus of the Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy at Yale University. He was the youngest member of the planning committee for Head Start and later served as its director. Recently he has been a member of President Obama’s Childhood Transition Team. Ed speaks to us about the past and the future. We talk about the persistent economic education gap, about charter schools, preschools, early childhood education, and developing integrated educational communities. Arguably there are a few educators in America as well qualified as Edward Zigler to help us chart the direction of American education for the future. Stan tells of no more Princess’s

Mel Levine on Individual Education plan for all. The Sustainable Chef Throughout his life Bryant Terry has tried many different diet plans. As a Chef he has explored cuisine from varied corners of the United States. Nationally known, he has participated in sustainable garden projects on both coasts and he has appeared in a featured article in the Sunday New York Times Magazine. Now a Berkeley resident, he has spoken at Alice Water’s and Ann Cooper’s school food project. In this conversation we chat about his new book “The Vegan Soul Kitchen” as well as his cooking roots, growing organic produce at home, school food, sustainable gardening, buying local food from farmers markets and what spices to use to enliven a meal. Teaching children language skills is always a challenge. Children all learn on their own time table. StageWrite.org has devised methods that use the elements and techniques of theater to engage both the learner and the instructor. We meet Elana Lagerquist, Founder and Executive Director, to learn how the program works and hear some antidotal evidence of the methods effect with instructors and at-risk students. Elana Lagerquist--Drama queens welcome. Stan contributes to the education gap.

Amber Lamprecht Learning and reading are unquestionably tied together. No doubt someone can learn without knowing how to read but it makes the acquisition of information a lot harder. Amber Lamprecht specializes in teaching different types of learners how to read. One of of techniques she uses is multi-sensory learning. We discuss this as well as how the 20 percent of our population that are dyslectic-thinkers need to be trained to use their talents to learn to read. We also focus on the effects on children when we delay addressing the issues around learning to read until later grades. Amber shares with us what parents should look for as signs that their child may need additional help in learning to read. Amber Lamprecht- it’s not as simple as ABC. Ellie Goldberg If your child has allergies, it is important to have the child’s school engaged as a good- health partner. When starting a new school, the time to get acquainted with the school is the springtime before. Ellie Goldberg shares with us in a Senior Dad Brief that lasts 10 minutes 50 seconds. “How to prepare for a new school year for a child with allergies.” Mel Levine on bringing up minds.org Stan and a reporter give a crop report.

John C. Dvorak is an internationally renowned technology reporter and analyst. John joins us to tell us if you can expect your paper textbooks to be replaced by digital ones shortly. Distracted— this is a very popular word and it describes what is happening to many people in our modern world. We look at our children and see that they can't focus and we wonder whether this is caused by some medical condition or by the way we live. Commercials, technical devices, music and popular entertainment pull us in several directions. Are these the root causes of the distraction of our society? Maggie Jackson, the columnist for the Boston Globe has written a book called "Distracted". She explores this phenomena and discusses the coming dark age caused by distraction. Maggie joins me to discuss her book and explores the lives we live. Rarely will you find such an interesting and entertaining person as Maggie Jackson. It is easy to see why she has such a loyal following at the Boston Globe. Maggie Jackson—Distracted. Mel Levine tells us about parents bribing children A young reporter shares some preparations for a party

When school districts create short lists to evaluate their progress with their small schools, or want a road map to move toward small learning environments, or a coach or consultant to help them refine their small school directions, these short lists have one thing in common. That common element is Inquiry and Learning For Change, based in Oakland, California. John Watkins, Principal of the firm joins me to talk about small schools and a wide range of topics about how our schools and learning environments are changing and the political conditions that may help or inhibit this process. John Watkins- A thinking man’s perspective. Ellie Goldberg tells us about school food and allergies A young reporter reveals the Tactile Dome

The Tenderloin district of San Francisco has the heaviest concentration of children in the City. It also had 2,000 violent crimes last month. Twenty-four liquor stores are in one four-block area, alongside sex shops, drug users, and the homeless. This is the playground for 3,500 children of the urban poor. When a new liquor store tried to get permitted, community activist Barbara Lopez energized the community and developed a broad based support against the permitting. Is this the turning point in the resurgence of the Tenderloin? Barbara Lopez joins me to update me on how the community came together. She helps me understand a world so different than the world that I live in that it could well have been the moon. Different issues. The safety of their child is a constant fear. Where to buy food, as there is no supermarket in the Tenderloin. Barbara Lopez stands up for this community every day. Hear about cooperation and hope in the Tenderloin. Mel levine talks of Homework Ellie Goldberg tells us about field trips and allergies A young reporter shares some vacation experiences

I want to be happy. I want my kid to be happy. Sound familiar? Most of us want this but getting there is something else. How do we get our kids to expect to be happy? Christine Carter the author of “Raising Happiness” joins me to chat about how we can promote happiness in our children’s lives and our own. The greater autism community of New York State has been working on a new comprehensive autism insurance bill for two years. They gathered supporters and lobbied legislators. They had victory in sight and it all started unraveling before their eyes to become their worst nightmare. New bill less coverage. Michael Smith, Chairman and Northeast Regional Director of the Foundation for Autism Information and Research, Inc. and author of the discarded bill joins me to explain his view that Autism Speaks hired an insurance company lobbyist to replace his bill with one that is harmful to children and is designed to reduce coverage from today’s unsatisfactory levels. Is there something rotten in New York? Stan shares a discussion.

A few years ago when I was investigating different methods of teaching children I encountered a teaching method that was gentle yet effective. A small widespread school district in Alaska had adopted a method of teaching where every child learned at their own pace. The method had some elements of the Glasser system which includes a heavy reliance upon choice. The method that was used in Alaska, which I called the Chugach method after the school district that originated it, was a definite paradigm shift. It changed the factory model of education where time is the constant and learning is the variable to a model where learning is the constant and time is the variable. I spoke with Bob Crumley the superintendent of the district and learned about the program. In the ensuing years I have spoken to many people about this method of teaching. I have to confess after this period of time I am still in enamored with the method. Bob Crumley joins me again and we discuss his districts use of this IEP for all and everyone at their own pace method of teaching. In 2008, the San Francisco Unified School District's Special Education department decided to illegally censor the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education’s newsletter. This Committee is state-mandated to provide oversight of SFUSD’s special education department and reports directly to the School Board. The School Board did not support the Committee and allowed the Committee to be censored. As an aftermath of this cataclysmic event, the director of special education retired. Shortly after that, the head of the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) also left the school district. After one interim special education director, in the spring of 2010, the school district engaged the services of the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative to audit SFUSD’s special education department. David Riley, Executive Director of the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative, joins me to elaborate on this far-reaching audit. Stan tells us about swimming issues