Revolutionizing Behavior Management: The Power of Art in Special Education - Justin Bradford

This episode's sensory enrichment training [52:02 - 01:01:26] focuses on creating a calmer, more focused, and more motivated mindset in students, particularly beneficial for those with behavioral issues. Claudie emphasized the vital role of neuromediators like serotonin and dopamine in brain functioning. She described a Her protocol, designed to stimulate these brain functions, combines art appreciation with a simple color-matching task, leveraging the power of visual stimuli to increase serotonin and dopamine production. Exposure to art can significantly boost serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain. [10:34] What inspired you to get into education, especially special education? Justin Bradford shared that his entry into education was somewhat accidental. Initially planning a career in political science and aiming to be a diplomat, he took a part-time job as a paraprofessional, which ignited his passion for teaching. His journey in special education began with an emergency credential and a job at a non-public school in Los Angeles, teaching children with emotional and behavioral issues. [14:15] Approach in leading a special education program Bradford emphasized the importance of having everyone in the school district on the same mission. He believes in simplifying the mission statement to make it more impactful, using "Prescott students make the world better" as a guiding principle. He highlighted that special education teaching is essentially good teaching and that applying strategies beneficial for special education students can also serve general education students. [19:39] How do you address the unique challenges in your rural school district for special education? Bradford discussed the difficulty of creating specialized programs in a rural setting due to the diverse needs spread across various grade levels. He has focused on providing more support for 'push-in' services and emphasized that the funding should be based on student needs, not percentages or quotas. He also stressed the importance of including special education students as fully integrated members of the school community. [28:26] Successful strategies / programs Bradford recounted his experience in Cheney School District, where he developed a behavior program named 'Student Connections'. This program involved intensive work with students, gradual integration into general education, and close collaboration with staff across the school district. He highlighted the importance of planning and the challenges of adapting the program across different school levels. [44:56] Collaboration with teachers and principals, especially when implementing new programs? Bradford stressed the importance of having individual conversations, embedding himself into the system, and being open for staff to reach out directly. He emphasized the need for training and teaching staff about the purpose and methodology behind new programs, advocating for transparency and collaboration in the educational process.