048 – S2 E12 – Connection, project based learning, and an understanding of how our brains work

homeroom is an international podcast bridging the education gap between the classroom and the living room by starting conversations impacting the next generation. In this episode, I speak with Megan—a special education teacher and advocate for the disability community—about her memories of testing gifted at an early age, and her discovery of what giftedness means when she went through her special education credentialing program, over a decade later. We talk about the structural issues with our heavily standardized education system, including how it strips away the creativity of not only our students, but also our teachers, and what the solution this might be. We also talk about neurodivergence, what it is, how it impacts our society at large, and how we can better serve our neurodivergent students going forward. Check out our conversation, join our ongoing discourse on social media, and subscribe for more. https://www.instagram.com/homeroomed You can also find a computer-generated transcript of our episode at https://www.homeroomed.com — Megan is an educator and advocate living with multiple chronic illnesses. She has worked with youth with disabilities for over 15 years as an instructional aide, interventionist, infant development supervisor, and Special Education teacher. Megan has been a passionate advocate for her students and clients, particularly those in underserved communities. She is currently venturing into solopreneurship as a Special Education Advocate supporting families of students with disabilities in ensuring that they receive access to equitable education. Connect with her: Instagram: @EdquityAdvocacy TikTok: @edquity_advocacy Email: [email protected] Rée is a visual storyteller and educator exploring the consequences that mass education has on creativity, identity, and interpersonal connection. https://www.instagram.com/theinterdisciplinarian — References: The United States Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (website) Maternal migration and autism risk: Systematic analysis (paper) The Gap Within the Gap: Using Longitudinal Data to Understand Income Differences in Educational Outcomes (article)