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Traditional education has long served as a foundational pillar in societal progress. Yet, its inclination to prioritize academic success over the holistic development of children remains a predominant concern. As students invest countless hours in classroom learning, more than 90% of the students are struggling to reap its full benefits. This results in unmotivated learners and a sense of disillusionment among parents and educators. This podcast addresses that critical imbalance head-on.
Introducing Aligned Learning Revolution, the podcast that re-envisions student learning for today's rapidly evolving landscape. It serves as a beacon for those seeking to supplement the conventional education model with rich, applicable learning experiences beyond traditional limits. Join a voyage of discovery that elevates the educational dialogue with insights from parents, teachers, and thought leaders who are altering the rules of student engagement and learning efficacy.
The show joins a diverse group of people who express their discontent with the current education system and offer their well-informed opinions on necessary changes. Listen to parents whose children deal with the challenges of a system that seems to be against them and how these families have successfully managed to navigate through standardized education to showcase their children's unique talents and abilities.
Don't let a single discussion pass by. Be part of the solution by listening and contributing.
Children need to learn how to plan and prioritize. This can be especially challenging for students with ADHD or other struggles with executive function. Today, learning success coach Lisa Ann Finley joins Kohila Sivas for an enlightening discussion on how to make ADHD, or any disability for that matter, as a superpower. Lisa is a devoted mother to two neurodivergent children, a role that has given her a profoundly unique perspective on the world of education. Listen closely to her valuable insights and strategies on guiding your child's education and implementing effective systems to help them shine through, despite any disabilities they may have.
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Thanks for having me.
I have loved being in the classroom and connecting with my students. Over the years of working with students, I realized that my superpower and what I'm good at is helping those students who don't understand why they're struggling. Students who have ADHD don't understand what their brain needs and what their individual needs are. I was getting the feedback that I was great with those kids and I dove into it. That's the part of my job that I enjoyed the most. It's also the part of my job as an educator that I think has the greatest impact on children and their future success.
If I can help a student learn how to manage, how to advocate, and what they need to be successful, it doesn't matter what they go into. They can go into anything. They'll have choices. When I found out that there was a way that I could focus on that for more students, and truly focus and not be distracted by mandated curriculums, testing, and books to get through, I could focus on the part of teaching that I loved and that I was the best at.
Exactly. I function from the perspective that everybody has the children's best interests in mind. Everybody wants to do these wonderful things. Teachers are working very hard in the classroom trying to teach a system to 30 kids at one time. The teachers now just can't. It's impossible. Each kid needs some little tweaks and something different. Even the best teachers, it's so hard to do that with those individual kids. By working with kids one-on-one, they create these great systems that they can keep up with. I've even had kids tell other kids some suggestions. I might be reaching more kids than I realize.
After my boss and administrators had made some comments about how I'm pretty good with these kids and parents are noticing, I shared that it was because I had those same struggles and I was not diagnosed until I was an adult. What I used to do is I couldn't figure out why things were hard so I would make up what I would call mind games. I have to trick myself into doing something. I was pretty good at it, but it was so frustrating and I didn't realize what I was doing or why I had to be doing it. Now, I realize that those mind games are systems. I can intentionally teach a child a system that will work and modify it for them, but it's hard to get a kid on board.
They need to know why. They need to see the point and not just another adult telling them something that they should do. They've tried everything they've been told and it hasn't worked. I shared it with the students. I connected. I had great feedback and relationships with my students and their parents but my administrators were not happy about that. I was told that I had shared inappropriate information and put it on the kids to accommodate me.
I chose to view it as connecting with, relating, and helping those students learn what would be harder to learn and take longer to learn without that connection. Also, creating the world to be a better place. There are neurodivergent people everywhere. Learning how to appropriately react and advocate for yourself is not telling somebody to make an accommodation. Let's be good, understanding, and accepting of people.
There are neurodivergent people everywhere learning how to appropriately react. Advocating for yourself is not making somebody make an accommodation. It's about being good, understanding, and accepting of people.
It was very challenging and very hard. That's when I ultimately made the decision to leave the classroom because I knew that what I was doing and how I was doing it was what was best for kids. The kids needed that. You can go to the best schools with the best teachers, but without those fundamental skills, if the best schools don't have the ability to customize, you're not going to reach your full potential.
Yes, they were. I've even had parents tell me that I've restored peace in their house because the stress and the fighting over homework every day after school aren't there anymore. They get to have family moments after school. They get to be the parents and enjoy dinner and not have to fight and be their teacher. Parents are an extremely important part of their child's educational journey and that's making sure that there's someone who can equip them with these skills, be on them, and hold them accountable.
That is very true. Much of knowing what I should do because it's what's right and what I'm allowed to do or what I have to do often don't align. I have sat in parent-teacher conference meetings with the parents think they're telling me things I don't know, and they have a problem with it. I agree with everything they're saying. I just can't do anything about it in that position.
However, in this position, I can do that. If a kid needs something, I can do that. This is why it can be difficult to share with others what I do because I do whatever is needed. I'm not a tutor. I don't just teach Math. Maybe the child needs help in math so we're going to learn these skills that are needed and we'll use math to do it and learn everything. Learn the skills that are needed.
That's a hard question to answer for what I'm enjoying the most. I am more passionate about what I do than I've ever been. I went into education very passionate and the system took away a lot of that passion. However, I love it because of the text messages I get from a parent about how their kid is bragging and was so excited about how much math work they got done, or a parent thanking me because their kid is now passing their math class.
It's a sense of I'm doing what I went into teaching to do. I love to be creative and have new ideas. This allows me to live and thrive on that. Instead of having to prove and ask for approval and then have to modify and change, I get to be creative. I get to use my brain in creative ways and then teach children how to do that.
Tutoring is all about helping with homework. Somebody's looking for a math tutor. They find somebody who knows how to tutor Algebra 1. The kid brings their homework. You help them step by step. They get their homework done. Maybe they get a decent grade on a test, but then they forget it. They don't remember it. What I do is look at all of the things that are needed to be successful in school. The last thing is the curriculum and the content. Students need to feel connected. They need to feel comfortable. They need to have those social and emotional skills. They need to have executive functioning skills. They need to know how to find what they need.
Students need to feel connected and comfortable. They need to have social and emotional skills. They need to have executive functioning skills. They need to know how to find what they need.
They need all of the foundational knowledge. Many times schools move so fast, pandemics, absences, or teacher shortages. There are so many reasons that kids miss those foundational skills and it doesn't matter how much homework help you give them in Algebra if they don't understand decimals, percent, and fraction. If a parent comes to me needing help with Algebra 1, I'm going to help with Algebra 1, but I'm going to find where those fundamental gaps are and fill those gaps so that they can continue and not need me.
It’s very individualized and custom for each child. I have structures that work, but there are always differences. It's never exactly the same for every child because no two brains are alike.
The way I involve parents depends so much on the child and the situation. Oftentimes, what I end up telling parents is to learn your child's system. Don't give them a system
By learning your child's system, you're giving them autonomy. You can then make helpful suggestions. Follow up and help them recognize and use their system and then they'll be so much more willing to modify and change and find things. If you expect a system or a new strategy to work immediately or it's a failure, it's going to fail every time.
Part of it is seeing how if I had done this, then this wouldn't have happened. It's not, “If you don't do this, this will happen,” because the kids have to experience it. They have to believe it. One thing that is a very common reason that students struggle, especially with ADHD or executive functions or all kids is just the organization and making sure that they've done the work they need to do.
What teachers assign is intentional. There's an order to it. There's a reason. There's a method. To get the benefit of the education, the child needs to participate in that. To do that, they need to be able to visualize what they're doing, what they need to do, and how to manage their time. That is a skill that's hard to learn anyway and now, we're so reliant on online platforms that take away our ability to learn to visualize.
Students need to keep a planner or an agenda that they write, that they keep, and that they can go verify online but that has to be theirs because there's not an online portal for your life. What I suggest to parents who are just getting started, make it as simple as can be. Rip out any page in that planner you don't need that's a distraction. This is when I get a lot of pushback from parents. They're like, “They need to write more. They need the weak view.”
My suggestion is when you're starting, a lot of kids don't have a sense of time. If it's not right in front of them, they don't see it. They need to see that there is a method to the reasoning. You don't take the test and then go back and do all your makeup work. I suggest a simple month view planner when you're just getting started.
I say consistent communication with teachers. Make sure that the teachers understand your child's needs. There are a lot of things that schools should do or could do. There are a lot of things that you might think that your school i doing. Send an email to each of your child's teachers at the beginning of the year or semester and give them a little bit of information about your child. You can say, “I'm Lisa's mom. She does have an IEP. Here are some of the things that we have found have worked or that past teachers have tried that didn't work.”
You need to consistently communicate with the teachers and make sure they understand your child's needs.
Sometimes that's as useful. Get it on the teacher's radar, especially when a new semester is starting. They might have 160 kids, 20 of whom have IEPs, all of which are many pages long. Yes, they need the information in there. Is it more helpful if you can give them the bullet points to get started and pull out what you want them to know? It's very useful.
It’s partnership and collaboration. Function from, and this can be very challenging. I am the mother of two special needs children, and I have been very unhappy and very upset at times and very tempted to send emails that I have received as a teacher and I don't. It's about collaborating with the teacher, coming from the place of we're all in it for the best interest. It took me many years to understand why certain things are in an IEP.
There were things that I was like, “This is not fair. I don't think that's right.” It doesn't matter what the teacher might think of an IEP and they may not have had experience. They may think what they're doing is the best. Reach out to the teacher. Come from a place of curiosity. “Why are you doing it this way? That's not going to work for my child because.” Now, if you've reached out to the teacher and nothing is happening, then it is very appropriate. You're your child's best advocate. Go up the ladder, but always start with the teacher and come from a place of good intention and collaboration.
Those are all very great suggestions. I always put it in the perspective of I've received these emails and I've received some very disheartening emails for kids that I was losing sleep over. As I said, as a parent, I understand.
There are times when I'm on the parent side of this, I will write an email and ask for a phone call. It’s because when you're having a conversation face to face or just over the phone, you remember that you are dealing with a person and it is hard to convey partnership and genuine good with a difficult topic in an email.
I have three main systems that I focus on. One of my systems is the barrier breaker pillar. It is helping students identify barriers that are preventing them from learning or getting what they need. It’s because if they can't identify future barriers, they can't break them down. Sometimes you need to learn your multiplication facts. Sometimes you don't have a dedicated study space at home so you can't get into your mind's best work. You can't get into the best zone to do work or you're where you are seated in the classroom or the way you organize.
There are so many different barriers that we don't realize are preventing us. Helping students identify what those barriers are and then make a plan to overcome them. This allows students to become more confident and empowered. They're developing resilience and problem-solving skills that are going to benefit them not only in the classroom but almost more importantly in their life.
There are so many different barriers that we don't realize are preventing us. Helping students identify those barriers and then make a plan to overcome them allows them to become more confident and empowered.
It's about having students set their intentions and then create a plan to get to those intentions. Sometimes it might be like, “We have figured out that it is best for you to come home and do your work right away,” or sometimes you need a break. We need to find that zone or that time that's best for students to get into that flow state. Also, to have some kind of ritual when it becomes time to settle, work, and focus.
There are different mindfulness activities like breathing, types of music, and the priority that you do things. Some students check off a few things at the beginning. You feel like you're getting on a roll. Others, let's work on that hardest thing first. It’s about trying different things and then where you feel the success expanding on those.
I bring them in at the beginning before we even start. Everybody needs to have clear established goals for what we're doing. We're doing whatever is needed, but we need to know what we've decided that is and make sure we are all working toward that. If I'm working with a student, we're starting to coach, and I realize something is not working and the right thing to do is change, which I wouldn't be able to do in a classroom, I would reach out to the parents. I'd have a conversation with them.
We would learn about why and how we're going to try it and make sure that everybody's on board and that it is still working toward the common goal. Sometimes, it's me telling a parent, “I've got this. I don't want you to sit down and do your Math homework with your child. I've got this. This is my thing. You get to be the parent at dinnertime.”
Other times it might be, “Your kid needs a little bit more support from you. Here's what they're telling me.” It's making sure that I have shared goals with the parents. Also, communication. They know what's happening. They know that they can ask me for something if they think their child needs something. It’s constant open communication.
It’s helping the child understand what the label does in the real world. You're right. In school, it is important to have assistance and to get the IEP to ensure that of the 160 students, your child is still getting what they need. In the world, it is helping you find the path faster. I know that I struggle with ADHD.
I have learned about what ADHD is so that when I need a new system, I'm probably going to pick the one that works faster because it gives me a guide of what to try first. It makes no difference. Every single person's brain is different. What works for every single person is different. It doesn't change the way I work with kids. It changes the guide we follow but in the world, there could be a label for everyone.
Every single person's brain is different. What works for every single person is different.
I think it's important that the parents check their feelings about the label and that it might be hard. It was very hard for me as a parent to get a 60-page report about all the things that my child struggles with. I felt very defeated. I had to check my feelings and my emotions before communicating them with my child. It needs to be framed in a positive way. If your kid is newly diagnosed with dyslexia, the kid already knows. They know that they struggle. It's not a bad thing that they can now come to understand it.
It might be hard for you to hear as a parent. Accept it, check your emotions, and let your child know. Don't make it a big deal because it oftentimes comes with a sense of relief. It's like, “There's a reason why this is hard.” You can use that relief to build that confidence, find those strategies, and empower them instead of, “You have a disability. This is going to be hard. This is bad.” Use it as a time of empowerment.
As I said about parents, check your emotions and what you can be portraying to your kids, it’s the same thing with teachers. Teachers are doing the best that they can, given the circumstances. I think teachers need to give themselves grace so that they're able to do what they can in the classroom. If one of your students has a learning success coach, view us as a partner because I know how challenging it is.
I am excited to take something off of your plate, have a child in your room with systems that are working, or with that foundational knowledge so you can help another child fill in some of those gaps. Also, you can see a system that works and start implementing it in your classroom. I want to take something off of your plate so work with us. We are not there to make your job harder. We are here to make your job easier and to help with the success of all of your students by helping some of your students.
One of the things that I often think about is how long it has been since an administrator has been in the classroom. In the fifteen years that I've been in the classroom, the classroom has completely changed.
The teacher's freedom and ability to modify what needs to be done. Also, constant changes in the curriculum where as soon as teachers start getting good at something or something starts working or we don't even know if it's working yet, but we're given something else new. I think teachers' autonomy in their classrooms has gone away, as well and behaviors are increasing.
I think behaviors are increasing for many reasons. One of them is that teachers aren't able to adapt to what needs to be done early on so then there are learning gaps that are then going to add to behaviors. It’s a snowball effect. I would like for administrators to trust your teachers and set guidelines, but allow flexibility within the guidelines. Allow teachers to be creative. Allow them to try something.
Behavior challenges are increasing for many reasons, one of them being that teachers aren't able to adapt to what needs to be done early on.
I say that also knowing that administrators also have a boss. That is such a huge part of education. I think it's important for teachers as well to give that grace that we want from our parents to our administrators because just like our hands are tied by our administrator, a lot of times their hands are tied too.
As I said, I function from a place where everybody has the children's best interests in mind. It's very frustrating when you can't act on that no matter what level you're at.
The individual needs of kids are changing. They're more diverse. There are more needs. When kids' needs aren't being met, there's going to be increases in behavior. If you're going to Math class every day and you are so bored and you have no idea what's going on, you're not going to sit there the whole time. Many students would not sit there and be quiet the whole time. They're bored. They're going to act.
That then takes the attention of the teacher and then more needs aren't being met. Again, it's one of those snowball effects. It wasn't created by the pandemic, but it was magnified greatly by the pandemic. Now, I'm working with kids at the middle school level who missed, by no fault of the teachers, a lot of those basic foundational things.
Parents need to recognize that schools aren't able to do it all. Parents need to invest in finding what those gaps are and filling them. Sometimes they might be equipped for it, other times they're not. It's finding somebody who is equipped to identify those foundational things so that your child can have choices later in their life. They've got to have those foundations or it just crumbles and choices are taken away from them.
Parents need to recognize that schools aren't able to do it all. They need to teach it or invest in finding what those gaps are.
Sometimes it might be investing in that time. It might be investing in somebody else. I know that my child has her own learning success coach. For me and many children and many families, my child is going to receive this information and this support better from somebody else with that coaching relationship instead of the mother-child relationship. I also know that I work better with other people's kids because I have that mother-daughter relationship with my child. It's harder. It takes more time than it would. I think oftentimes the best option is to find that person that is going to connect and fill those gaps with your child so that you can foster your parent-child relationship.
I implement the same things I tell them to do with my students. I have worked hard to develop and I'm always modifying different systems in my household. There needs to be specific times for parents to take care of themselves. You're a better parent if you take that time either away from your child or take that time with your child not just being with your child. Not time spent doing homework, not time spent doing chores but do what rejuvenates you because it makes the time that you do have with your children and the decisions you make regarding your children better.
Your kids feel the energy. You might think you're good at hiding it, but if you are burning out, your kids know it. If you have that positive energy, your kids feel it.
I say definitely. That's the best way to create a culture of acceptance and willingness to learn, connection, and credibility. I think it's beautiful when students and parents learn to advocate and own who they are. We are all proud of who we are and the way our brain works is part of who we are. I think it's a beautiful thing to share and be able to have that empathy and that connection with your child and with others. It's amazing.
It's beautiful when students and parents learn to advocate for and own who they are.
I do it both ways. For my child with ADHD, I name it because she's going to school hearing that label and she needs to know what that means and, “Okay. Mommy too, and mommy talks about it this way.” ADHD means it's the way our brain works. Our brains work sometimes differently. Focusing on the label is not necessary but if they're hearing it at school, they need to see the connection there.
Amazing things have happened in my life because I have ADHD. My daughter is adopted and sometimes it takes families. They say it’s a minimum of six months to do a home study and sometimes it takes two years to get everything in place. My ADHD allowed me to hyperfocus and do it in one week. There are amazing things about it. What you said made me think of what I've been learning. I am not an autistic person so I do not speak from the autistic point of view but once my son was diagnosed with autism, I did a lot of research.
I think the best way I can support my child whose brain works in a way that I don't understand because my brain is different is I listening to people who live with the lived experience. It is becoming more and more of a trend within the autistic community to name yourself as an autistic person because that's who you are. It's a part of your identity. It's the same as you are Kohila and that is interesting because we've often heard a child's first language, but so much of how our brain works can be viewed as an identity.
Our brain tells us so many things. We need to train it to tell us nice things.
I want to thank you for having me here. I want to remind parents, administrators, and students that we're all on this difficult journey together. There are lots of disagreements. There are a lot of problems in education but let's all continue to come from a place of what can we do best for kids.
Thank you so much for having me and allowing me to share. Also, giving a platform for that and a way to help more students to reach more.
Believe in yourself. You are fully capable and believe in yourself. You deserve to get what you need.
Believe in yourself. You are fully capable, and you deserve to get what you need.
Thank you.
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Lisa Ann Finley is a passionate middle school math and science teacher with 15 years of dedicated experience. Armed with a Bachelor's degree in Middle Childhood Education and dual Masters in Teacher Leadership and Curriculum Instruction and Design, she has been shaping young minds with enthusiasm and expertise. Lisa Ann is a devoted mother of two neurodivergent children, an experience that has given her a unique perspective on education. She herself navigates the challenges of ADHD, turning it into a strength that fuels her coaching approach. Now, Lisa Ann is thrilled to focus on her true passion – guiding capable students who may be struggling, and ensuring they unlock their full potential.
It’s an absolute delight to introduce our guest today, Lisa Ann Finley. Lisa Ann is not just a middle school math and science teacher with 15 year’s experience but also a Certified Wholistic NeuroGrowth Learning Success Coach and the founder of Pathways to Potential coaching practice.
She has a Bachelor's degree in Middle Childhood Education and dual Masters in Teacher Leadership and Curriculum Instruction and Design, Lisa Ann's educational background speaks volumes about her commitment to excellence. She has been shaping young minds with boundless enthusiasm and expertise throughout her career.
But Lisa Ann's journey is even more remarkable. She is a devoted mother to two neurodivergent children, a role that has given her a profoundly unique perspective on the world of education. As she navigates the challenges of ADHD in her own life, she's transformed it into a strength that fuels her coaching approach.
Today, Lisa Ann is on a mission that aligns perfectly with her passion – guiding capable students who may be facing struggles and ensuring that they unlock their full potential. It's a pleasure to have her today, welcome to Lisa Ann Finley."
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