Different Learners Los Angeles

By: Martha Daley
  • Summary

  • Different Learners Los Angeles is a podcast about neurodiversity, advocacy and special education.
    Copyright Martha Daley
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Episodes
  • Aspies and Improv with Maja Watkins
    Oct 4 2021
    Different Learners – Maja Watkins Maja Watkins is the SEL Specialist & Co-Founder of Zip Zap Zop Enrichment, which aims to teach Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) using improv as the tool to enhance children’s social skills. She has a robust educational background, including a B.A. in Child Development, and she is also a graduate of The Second City, where she studied improv and sketch comedy. Maja loves her work as a teacher and behaviorist, and her focus is on inclusive classrooms where the curriculum is designed to allow children to reach their highest potential in a fun, relaxed environment. Maja joins me today to share why she founded Zip Zap Zop then quickly expanded the program and her dreams for the future of the organization. She discusses her experience of quarantine and what it means for her personally and professionally, and the challenges it has thrown up for Zip Zap Zop’s funding. Maja also shares why she was inspired to write her book as a tool for parents and educators, the process of co-authoring with TiaMarie Harrison, and demonstrates one of the improv games from the book. “All children need to be thrown into the pool, to be organically practicing social skills without judgment and with the freedom to make mistakes or say the wrong things and it's ok because we can organically play out of those moments.” - Maja Watkins How her autistic older brother influenced her life and the founding of Zip Zap Zop The link between improv and organic social skills practice The social/emotional aspect of learning and how she works in schools to enrich and support the curriculum Their Social Skills Saturdays class relaunch and what attendees can expect Why it’s so important to continue to raise donations and what additional funding means for the service How improv works to improve children’s skills Gift Exchange game - an example of how Maja’s improv enrichment games work Resources Mentioned: Larchmont Charter School Mindvalley Institute Extraordinary Kids Summit Connect with Maja Watkins: The Brain’s Playground: Using Improv to Teach Social and Emotional Learning by TiaMarie Harrison and Maja Watkins Zip Zap Zop Enrichment website Zip Zap Zop on Facebook Zip Zap Zop on Instagram Zip Zap Zop on YouTube Connect with Zip Zap Zop Oscar@zipzapzopenrichment.org and the website www.zipzapzopenrichment.org is also a great way to contact us! Due to COVID we had to re-vamp some things on the classes side of things but stay tuned! I do have my ebook available for purchase at the link below! https://ferriswheel.samcart.com/products/10-minutes-of-play-for-10-days-?fbclid=IwAR2D1FA_BAiRgbCfkmrQHy_4D3mzaPLTLxnh8Mv0Pusf5qcjlaOsNO9DzmI Connect with Different Learners: Different Learners on Instagram
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    26 mins
  • Neurodiversity Primer with Orley Garber
    19 mins
  • Auditory Processing disorder with Dr Bea Braun
    Mar 10 2021
    Dr. Braun is a clinical audiologist and a credentialed educational audiologist with nearly 30 years of experience, including completing comprehensive (central) auditory processing evaluations in private and educational settings. She founded the Auditory Processing Center of Pasadena in 2005 to provide comprehensive (central) auditory processing evaluations for children and adults while educating patients and their families as to each individual's specific deficits and strengths. Dr. Braun is a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology, a member of the Educational Audiology Association, and a guest lecturer at Cal State Northridge. Dr. Braun joins me today to discuss what she wishes that parents knew at the point of looking for and accessing the services their child needs and how to manage the process so that it works for them. She describes why she chose this fascinating career pathway and the route she took into the educational audiology profession. Dr. Braun also details why ‘auditory processing’ is an umbrella term and discusses some of the other learning differences, such as ADHD and dyslexia, that also connect with difficulties in processing sounds. “Our brain is what they call plastic doing auditory training with a young child versus older children. Getting your children assessed young is the key, and getting intervention completed young is the key.” - Dr. Bea Braun This week on The Different Learners Podcast: ●What is an auditory processing disorder, and how you test for it ●What happened in the world of education in 2008 that made Dr. Braun decide to move to private practice ●Why there are so many similarities between ADHD, auditory processing disorders, and dyslexia ●What to look for as a parent if you think your child may have auditory processing issues ●Programs that parents can do at home, and how to ask your school to move forward with an assessment ●The specific tests and interventions parents should be asking for Connect with Dr. Bea Braun: ●Auditory Processing Center of Pasadena website ●Dr. Bea Braun on LinkedIn ●Auditory Processing Center of Pasadena on Facebook Connect with Different Learners: ●Different Learners website ●Different Learners on Instagram
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    31 mins

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