The Growing Role of AI in Education “Artificial intelligence (AI) is going to become the future of education,” a colleague recently remarked in passing. As a current Dyslexia Interventionist, I have found myself returning to this statement again and again. While AI is undoubtedly becoming a critical component of modern classrooms, an important question remains: […]
Special Education
Posted inSpecial Education
A Place to Belong: Life Inside an Enhanced Autism Classroom
Enhanced Autistic Support classrooms are rarely the topic of casual conversation, yet they are places where meaningful growth happens every day. Too often, students with autism are left on the margins of social circles in general education settings. In my classroom, that story is rewritten daily—one connection, one success, and one confident learner at a […]
Posted inSpecial Education
Hope in the Margins: Teaching special education in one of Tennessee’s poorest counties
I grip my coffee cup as I drive across the ridge lines that roll and dip like frozen waves. Mist cloaks the forest in a gauzy blur, and the faint scent of pine drifts through the cab of my car. I can feel the chill creeping through my jacket, seeping into my fingers despite the […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Understanding Developmental Coordination Disorder: Supporting students who struggle with movement
Poor handwriting? Difficulties with spatial awareness? It could be dysgraphia; it could be Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); or, it could be a lesser-known, but prevalent disability called Developmental Coordination Disorder. Teachers are not diagnosticians, but in order to help our students with the most effective and targeted interventions, we need to have an idea about what […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Why classroom placement matters: Lessons from a decade in Special Education
Ten years ago, I followed a fascination with how children think, feel, and learn into the world of special education. Since then, working across public school districts has been a journey full of challenges, growth, and purpose. And what a ride it’s been. Over the past decade, I have had the pleasure of encountering some […]
Posted inTechnology
When testing means torture: The unseen burden on students with visual impairments
The moment that broke me was quiet. The lead tester and I locked eyes from across the room, and both of us mimed a slow groan. My student’s finger—just one small hand on one long page—hadn’t moved in over an hour. He wasn’t distracted. He wasn’t lazy. He was simply doing his best to read […]
Posted inSpecial Education
Emperor’s New Clothes: The myth of the magic reading curriculum
For years, teachers have been waiting for commercial reading curricula and textbooks used in college reading methods courses to fulfill the fairy tales they’ve been promised. For instance, we may be dreaming of meeting Prince Charming and living in his magnificent castle. Even in our nightmares, nobody wants to walk down the street without clothes. […]
Posted inSpecial Education
Words Matter: A teacher’s response to Robert F. Kennedy’s statement on autism
Words matter. We often learn this simple but important concept before we enter preschool or kindergarten. For some reason, many people with large platforms often seem to forget this principle. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a prime example of individuals who have forgotten the power and potential harm that words […]