Episode 49: Interview with Michael Weingarth

Welcome to the Counter Narrative Podcast, a show designed to change the way we talk, and think, about education. By sharing stories of successes and triumphs, we aim to challenge the dominant narrative that often negatively portrays our disenfranchised populations.

I’m your host, Charles Williams. An educator for 15 years, a current school principal in Chicago, and an educational consultant.

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Hey listeners! Before we jump into the show I wanted to tell you about The EQuip to Achieve EQ and Remote Learning Summit, which will be held from April 8th through the 11th. This is a can’t-miss opportunity for those seeking strategies, information, and inspiration on everything from parenting and teaching in the digital age, to addressing social isolation through the lenses of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)—and you don’t have to leave your house to attend.

We weren’t prepared for the impacts of COVID-19 on our education system, but this virtual event promises to bridge the gaps and equip and empower attendees with the knowledge and skills to do better in 2021 and beyond.

Now here’s the best part. Registration for this four-day event will normally cost you over $200. But if you use the link found below, you can get full access to this entire conference for only $100. That’s over 50% off! So be sure to register today by using the link in the show notes or on any of my other sites.

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In this episode, I chat with Michael Weingarth, a biological parent, a foster parent, and an educator who founded the first neuropsychological tutoring and test prep company in 2009. Most of Michael's research and work is about addressing learning challenges faced by bright students, specifically in math, writing, reading, science, and test prep with or without diagnosed learning disabilities.  You can find more of his work at pillarsoflearning.com or read him tweeting into the void at @LearningPillars on twitter.

Now, I’m going to warn you before we get started. This episode is heavy. Essential … but heavy. During our conversation, Michael talks about his journey with Twice Exceptional Learners and how he quickly realized that since all of our students are unique they present unique challenges and that we should avoid the prescriptive approaches so often presented as we attempt to incorporate SEL, Mindfulness, and other holistic educational initiatives into our curriculum. Instead, he argues, that context should drive content and we must be wary about teaching students to simply acknowledge and accept the situations in which they are in. Michael takes a deep dive into brain’s processing and points out that this information should be streamlined but due to various reasons, it is overly complicated and thus not readily accessible by all educators. Be sure to check out the show notes to link with all of the resources he shares throughout the discussion.

Ready? Let’s go..

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This podcast is also featured on SchoolRubric.com, where you can find educational articles, videos, and interviews with educators from around the globe.

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Take care.

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Links & Resources

Follow Michael on Twitter

Check out his website

denasimmons.com

Behave by Robert Sapolsky

Executive Function & Child Development by Marcie Yeager