The LD Podcast is a weekly podcast about all aspects of learning
disabilities and kids who struggle in school. We interview educators,
authors, doctors and professionals who work with children who are
having some trouble in school or have developmental delays, whether or
not they have a diagnosis of a specific learning disability. Most
importantly, we also talk to other parents who have kids with learning
disabilities and have tread down this often confusing path before, to
help you make sense of this world, and how you can best help your
child.
One
of the most important parts about the podcast is building a community.
When your child is having problems and seems to just hate school,
doesn't like to read, or isnt as successful at school as you think they
could be, we offer strategies and tips to help you help your child. We
also provide links to online resources, books, and other information
you can use to help your child today.
Learning how to learn is
the best gift we can give to anyone, child or adult. Education isn't
just about children, it's about you, too. You need to understand how
your child thinks and learns, so you can help them reach their
potential. The first step is understanding how your child views the
world, and then providing them with the tools they need to be
successful. Without these tools, kids often give up on themselves and
stop trying, thinking it is simply no use. This sense of hopelessness
is the most destructive part of having a learning difference- it
defeats a child before they even start to try.
Our goal through
this podcast is to help you understand that whether you call it a
learning difference, learning disability, developmental delay, or
school struggles, all of these terms mean a child does not seem to fit
in well at school. And while no one will say for sure what the root
cause of learning disabilities are, we do know that they reflect a
difference in the neurological wiring of a child. Each child has their
own individual brain, a product of their genetics and experiences over
time. Childhood is also a developmental process, during which a child
will grow and change, and their ability to think and learn will be
affected by how they view the learning process. We hope to help you
help your child to love learning, and to be successful. As Dr. Mel
Levine has so eloquently put it, "Success is a vitamin" that is
absolutely necessary for the proper growth and development of children.
Let's help them be successful!
Please check out the links to other pages on this site by scrolling over the categories to your left.
About Us
Hi! I'm Whitney Hoffman and the creator of the LD Podcast. I have two sons, both with learning differences, ages 11 and 8. Besides being a mom, I am also an attorney, aspiring writer and professional pediatric logistic specialist. It's my hope that you'll find the LD Podcast, fun, informative, and even entertaining. We're sharing information, advice, and just girl talk about our kids and experiences, hoping you'll find it helpful and worthwhile. Please let us know how we're doing in the forums or by emailing us at ldpodcast@gmail.com.
Melody Ruth will be a frequent contributor to LD Podcast. Melody has a son with Asperger's Syndrome, and works evenings to make sure she can be a Mom during the day. Besides being a great friend and fellow knitter, Melody has a degree in Special Education and has worked with Group Homes and helping people with various disabilities for years. Her sense of humor is wonderful!
Episode Guide to Guests on the LD Podcast: (under construction)
Dr. James Conroy, Center for Outcome Determination Courtney Rau, special education coordinator Dr. Paul Spangler, Child Psychologist Dr. Michael Patrick Jr., Pediatrician Nancy Blair, The Academy in Manayunk Michelle Jones, Pediatric Occupational Therapist Laurie LeComer, Author of A Parent's Guide to Developmental Delay and special educator Rich Weinfeld, author and director of Weinfeld Education Group. Dr. Kathleen Nadeau, author, Nationally Recognized Expert on Adult ADHD and ADHD in Girls and Women Dale Brown, Author and Senior Manager, LD Online Melody Ruth, Parent Joan LaStrange, parent and former director of our local CHADD chapter Paige Heninger, Mom and co-producer of Mommycast Dr. Thomas E. Brown, PhD- Asst. Clinical Professor of psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine & Associate director of the Yale Clinic for Attention and Related Disorders. Dr. Perri Klass- pediatrician, knitter, and Professor of Journalism; author of Quirky Kids. Sally Smith- Founder of the Lab School Peter Wright- Special Education Law attorney and founder of Wrightslaw.com Paige Heninger- Mommycast podcast; ADHD mom with ADHD kids, like me! Anne Ford and John Thompson - Authors of On Their Own Dr. Robert Brooks - Author of The Self-Disciplined Child and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Jan Olsen - Occupational Therapist and Founder of Handwriting Without Tears Dr. Thomas Brown - Author of Attention Deficit Disorder - the Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults Alfie Kohn - speaker and Author of THE HOMEWORK MYTH: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing Dr. Perri Klass - Faculty at Pediatrics and Journalism at New York University and Co-author of Quirky Kids Sally Smith - Founder of the Lab School Rick LaVoie - Consultant on Learning Disabilities Nina Straitman - Language Coordinator for Centreville Schools Benjamin Mitchell - Director of Admissions, Landmark College Dr Steve Graham - Author of The Development of Writing
We want to hear from you!
email:ldpodcast@gmail.com
Voicemail (206) 666-2343
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