Inclusivity: Let’s Do It Better This Year! with Larkin O’Leary

Happy Back-to-School Season! Whether you have already stepped boldly into the new school year or are frantically preparing for those upcoming first few days, all of us in the education world are hoping that 2022-2023 will be the best one yet! An important topic for any new school year is inclusivity; we should be asking ourselves how we can look for more inclusivity and make students’ lives better. Join us to learn more from today’s guest!Larkin O’Leary is president of Common Ground Society, an organization whose mission is to educate and empower people to be more compassionate, accepting, and inclusive of people with disabilities. She’s a Google-certified teacher who knew teaching was her destiny since 4th grade, and she firmly embraced this destiny by marrying into a family full of teachers. A general education teacher since 2005, Larkin’s passion is teaching and making connections with students, which she knows far outweighs the importance of academics. When her eight-year-old son, James, was born with Down Syndrome, hearing loss, and other medical issues, she knew that her teaching passion would intersect with advocacy work for inclusive education. Show Highlights:How Common Ground Society was born because people want to learn more about inclusivityWhy we need a perspective shift toward those with disabilities and special needs and learn to focus on what they CAN doWhy we need differentiation even within special ed classrooms to accommodate different levels of learners–not a “one-size-fits-all” approachHow our educational system is built on foundations that were created centuries ago—and those things aren’t working anymore; we need a reset!What school districts should be doing to train teachers for inclusivityHow we can teach kids about inclusivity and acceptanceLarkin’s advice to parents and educatorsLinks/Resources:Connect with Larkin and Common Ground Society:  Website, Facebook, and Instagram.Email Larkin:  [email protected]  Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:FacebookInstagram–We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us there and send us your questions!TwitterIEP websiteEmail us: [email protected]  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific need