It’s A Miracle- We’re Back!!!

After a long hiatus, I’m bringing the LD Podcast back!

I’ve gotten a bunch of great and supportive emails from folks, letting me know they miss the show.  And now that my book is finished, it’s time to dust off the microphones and hit Reboot!

While I can definitely say some tech problems helped delay our comeback, including an upgrade to Windows 7 and incompatible drivers essentially meaning I had to transfer all my files and gear over to my Mac, we’re back in the saddle again!

During the time off, the boys are further along in school, and I was asked by Jossey Bass to write a book.  Together with Jenifer Fox, we’ve written The Differentiated Instruction Book of Lists, a book that helps teachers figure out ho to help differentiate instruction and personalize learning for all kids in the classroom.  In addition to the book, we’ve put together a website on differentiation over at www.differentiatedinstruction.co, and we’d love to have you check it out!

This show willgive you the update on what’s been happening, and we’ll have my interview with Anne Ford and her great new book, A Special Mother, next week!

Thanks again for all your support and sorry for the extended holiday.  If I’ve learned anything, it’s to never overlook your community.

Feel free to also connect with me on social networks- @ldpodcast on Twitter, and Whitney Hoffman on Facebook!

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And, We’re coming back!

We have a couple of new shows in the works- one with Anne Ford and her new book, The Special Mother and another on ADHD… Stay tuned- there will be updates here in the next week.  (I’m currently behind due to a bout of laryngitis…. just when I’m starting to get my act together.)

Finally- Taking Learning Styles into Account

I just got a notice on a Mom Bloggers feed I watch, that Master Lock has introduced a new set of locks- the 1500iD Speed Dial™ Set-Your-Own Combination Lock and the 1590D Set-Your-Own Combination Lock – that were designed with students’ unique learning styles in mind.

When I saw this, I immediately thought, Thank Goodness. My older son has had problems with his locker at school to the point where he simply opted not to use it. I have pictures of him from Middle school, carrying everything with him, and looking like a street person, underneath the piles of books and notebooks he carried with him all day long, just to avoid using the locker he didn’t feel comfortable opening quickly between classes.

The new locks include – The Speed Dial Set-Your-Own Combination Lock that opens on up-down-left-right directional movements, instead of the traditional rotary dial, and can be customized with letters, shapes or numbers, depending on how students most easily remember their combination.  The second type of lock is a set your own combination lock- a traditional rotary dial for students more comfortable with that method, but with a new reset feature that allows them to choose their own combination using, letters, numbers or both.  So you can still choose a rotary lock that may look more “normal”, but have it set so the kid never has to worry about forgetting the combination- they can choose one easy for them to remember.

It’s great to see companies like Masterlock finding ways to adapt to kids and solving what may seem like a small problem, but it’s one that has really caused us a lot of problems over the years.  By making the locker issue difficult, my son ended up carrying all his stuff with him- and became less, rather than more organized as a result.  Not being able to find your homework in your piles has academic consequences, even if part of the cause is something as simple as not being able to open your locker.  This may go a long way to helping kids not only keep their stuff safe, but keep it organized and do better in school as a result.

In addition to keeping kids’ text books and gym clothes safe, Master Lock is also helping kids keep their secrets safe and secure online with the “Master Lock Secret Vault” Facebook application. After installing the application, participants have a chance to win a cash prize in the “Master Lock $5,000 Secure Your Future Sweepstakes.”

This is pretty exciting at least for high school students, as they start to interact with Facebook and learn about what information to keep open, and what to keep “locked” behind closed doors, for their own safety.  I haven’t yet added the Facebook application myself,  but I am all for teaching kids about maintaining appropriate levels of privacy, where possible, online, and learning how to manage their digital footprint.

Disclosure:  There may be a chance that Masterlock will send us a lock to give away on the show due to this blog post.  If we are chosen, the give away information will appear in an upcoming episode of the LD Podcast.

Dale Brown- Growing up LD

Dale Brown- Self Help for Learning Disabilities
When Dale Brown was young, she struggled in school. This was long before the term learning disabilities became common. She did what she could to get along, but she often found the way her mind worked and the way she perceived things got in the way.

In this three part series, Dale will tell us what it was like for her, to grow up with learning disabilities long before they were as widely recognized and understood; Starting the self help movement for people with learning disabilities, and working as the director for LD Online, the largest LD website online.

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Show 109: Kevin Carroll – The Rules of the Red Rubber Ball

Welcome Back!

We took a bit of a haitus, in part due to construction going on at my house (recording would have sounded like I was living in traffic) and a brief trip overseas I took with my husband.

The good news is that I am back, rested, and have a ton of wonderful interviews to bring you in relatively rapid succession!

First up is our two part interview with Kevin Carroll.  Kevin has written a new book, The Red Rubber Ball at Work, where he looks at what Dr. Stuart Brown would call play histories of successful adults.  Surprisingly, much of what kids enjoyed and made them happy as kids finds its way into their work.  And apparently, LEGO has some sort of magic, but listen to hear more!

In the first half of the interview, Kevin and I talk of his growing up outside of Philadelphia, and how a red rubber playground ball saved his life.  Kevin’s had a remarkable life so far, and serves as a real inspiration.  His book, The Rules of the Red Rubber Ball is one of my favorite gift books- the books I pass on to people I care about, and people who need it’s message of finding your own red rubber ball- that special thing, and then how to use it to build success in your life.

While our previous show was all about the importance of play, this show is about connecting the dots- and brings home the idea on many levels that our childhood and how we learn to create, what makes us excited, helps shape who we are and informs what we do as adults.

At the end of today’s show, we also have two minutes of out-takes, talking about the National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, a place I often take my kids when we’re visiting my mom.  The Strong Museum/National Museum of Play also publishes an academic journal about the importance of play, that educators really should take  a look at, if they have not already.

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