Community

It’s ok; I was just . . .

Dr. Berger recently posed questions to Dr. Gustavo Lara González, ABE/GED Department Chair at Moreno Valley School District, about his journey from Mexico to the U.S. and his entrance into an educational system that not only earned him a Ph.D. but led him to become a leading Adult Learning advocate. Lara González shares a backdrop to his early student life in Mexico and how he blended his past learning into his teaching methods in the United States. Most of all, Lara González demonstrates how his hardened pursuit of a higher education and eventually teaching, led him to become a leading proponent of Adult Learning, avowing him to lessen the hurdles of his past for others.

John McLaughlin sits down to discuss recent news surrounding Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and the unfortunate tendency to pigeonhole the field of autism. McLaughlin warns against limiting therapy methods in favor of a “check box” approach made popular by insurance companies looking to set pricing and organize treatment protocols.

edCircuit Opinion

edCircuit Opinion
It was a very eventful year for The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, commonly referred to as FIRE. There has been a great deal of pressure on Colleges and Universities to publicly confront issues amongst the student body including race, sexual assault, gay rights and politically correct comments. Many would argue that these institutions are getting too involved, others say that they are not intervening enough.

edCircuit Opinion:
The short film “Hallelujah” by Aliza Eliazarov follows New York City students preparing for their big musical concert. These students have such a strong love for music that they have chosen lessons with their teacher, Peter Mancini, over recess. During the filming, it became evident how desperately these children needed music in their lives. “Hallelujah” follows the story of only one class in NYC. But, there are thousands more just like it across the country. The short film shines a light on the fact that these kids love what they are learning.

In this episode, Kindly Segovia shares her journey as a Assistive Technology Coordinator at Kent Intermediate School District, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

edCircuit Opinion:
To many, the thought of lecturing in front of a large group of people is incredibly daunting. For educators, this is their everyday reality. It’s easy to assume that skilled public speakers are naturally talented and that effective communications are a rare group of outspoken and articulate individuals. The reality is that one’s ability to present in an engaging and persuasive way must be learned and frequently practiced. Without this skill, it’s easy to lose your audience’s attention.
The Atlantic published that many college lectures today are deemed as dull.

edCircuit Opinion:

There is one skill that every institution looks for when recruiting individuals: creative thinking. Whether it be the education sector, business sector, or even the medical field, more and more as a society we appreciate the workings of a creative mind. If you’re asking yourself, how do I know if my child is a creative thinker? The Conversation has the answer. If your child uses their imagination, utilizes their storytelling skills or expresses quality emotions, then they exhibit creative thinking skills.