PODCAST · education
Empowered 2 Advocate
by Michelle Farrell
Our mission at Empowered 2 Advocate is for you to feel confident that you have the support, information, resources and expertise to be your child’s biggest advocate. Our goal is to make sure you get there. Listen each Friday for easy to digest and implementable tips, tools and strategies!
Episodes
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The Green Flags of a Well Written IEP
In this episode of the Empowered to Advocate podcast, Michelle and Dana Marie discuss the essential green flags to look for in a well-written Individualized Education Plan (IEP). They emphasize the importance of student-centered language, effective goal setting, and the inclusion of both student...
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The Essential Role of Parents/Caregivers in Special Education
In this episode of the Empowered to Advocate podcast, Michelle and Dana Marie discuss the importance of parental involvement in IEP meetings as the school year begins. They outline five key reasons why parents should actively participate in these meetings, emphasizing legal rights, understanding...
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What Happens During An Office Hour Session with Empowered 2 Advocate?
In this episode of the Empowered 2 Advocate Podcast, Dana Marie and Michelle discuss the purpose and structure of their office hours service, aimed at supporting parents navigating the special education process. They outline common topics addressed during these sessions, including: understanding...
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School Year Success Starts Here!
It's the time of year again: Back to School time! In this episode of the Empowered 2 Advocate Podcast, Michelle and Dana Marie discuss the transition back to school, focusing on the mixed feelings of excitement and anxiety that parents and educators experience. They provide three key strategies…
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Financial Planning for Families with Children with Disabilities
In this episode of the Empowered to Advocate podcast, Dana Marie and Michelle welcome Michael Pereira, founder of Autism Voyage, who shares his journey as a parent of a child with autism and his transition into financial planning for special needs families. Michael discusses the importance of…
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Where Do IEP Goals Come From?
In this episode of the Empower to Advocate podcast, Dana Marie and Michelle discuss the origins and importance of Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals. They emphasize the need for these goals to be personalized and based on data reflecting a child's current abilities. The conversation...
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Navigating IEP Meeting Pressures: You Always Have the Right to Pause
In this episode of the Empowered to Advocate podcast, Michelle and Dana Marie discuss the challenges parents face during IEP meetings, particularly the pressure to make immediate decisions. They provide strategies for navigating these situations, emphasizing the importance of asking questions,...
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Understanding Your Child's Special Education Evaluation Report
In this episode of the Empower to Advocate podcast, Dana Dana Marie and Michelle discuss the complexities of understanding evaluations in special education. They provide insights into how parents can navigate lengthy reports, focusing on key areas to look for, ensuring accuracy, and decoding...
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Our Ins and Outs for 2025
Join in the conversation! Comment what you're leaving in 2024 and what your bringing into 2025 in the comments or over on instagram @empowered2advocate! ------------ In this episode of the Empowered 2 Advocate Podcast, Michelle and Dana Marie discuss the transition into 2025, focusing on what to...
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We're Back!
In this episode of the Empowered to Advocate podcast, Dana Marie and Michelle discuss their return to the podcast after a long break, sharing updates on their professional lives and the evolution of their advocacy work. They emphasize their commitment to empowering parents and caregivers in the...
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What is RTI and Why Does it Matter?
In this episode, Michelle discusses Response to Intervention (RTI) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). She clarifies the purpose and implementation of RTI, emphasizing its role in preventing academic struggles and providing valuable information for determining eligibility for special...
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Answering Listener and Follower Questions!
In this episode, Dana Marie answers some questions from listeners and followers. She talks about: OSEP: The Office of Special Education Programs Reevaluation Meetings Becoming a Special Education Advocate Being prepared for an initial eligibility meeting and more! All About OSEP:...
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Let Us Reintroduce Ourselves!
Summary In this episode, Michelle and Dana reintroduce themselves and share their backgrounds and experiences in special education. They discuss their passion for supporting parents and caregivers, as well as their approach to advocacy, which focuses on collaboration and conversation. They...
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The 411 on IEP Goals
Summary In this episode, Dana Marie and Michelle discuss the importance of well-written goals in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). They highlight the need for goals to drive services and placement, as well as the role of goals in measuring student progress. Michelle and Dana Marie provide...
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Take Flight with Amy Flores-Young: Strategies for Accessible Travel
In this episode, Dana Marie interviews Amy Flores-Young of Flo Yo Travel. Amy Flores Young (FloYo) is the founder of FloYo Travel and the creator of the IMPACT Retreat Roadmap. Amy is a specialist in planning travel for those with disabilities and chronic health needs. Not only does Amy have over...
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My Child is Eligible for an IEP! Now What?
In this episode, Dana Marie and Michelle discuss what happens after a child is found eligible for special education. They provide guidance and information on various aspects of the IEP and special education process, including the initial eligibility meeting, developing the IEP, annual reviews,...
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The Importance of (early) Transition Planning
In this episode, Michelle and Dana Marie discuss the importance of transition planning in the IEP process. They emphasize the need to start transition planning early, especially for middle school students, and highlight the connection between a student's vision for their future and the skills…
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Can the School Request I Pick My Child Up Early?
Buckle in for the third and final part of the Empowered 2 Advocate special 3 episode series about school behavior and discipline! Be sure to go back and listen to the first episodes in this series if you have not already listened! In this episode we discuss: Informal removals: what does this…
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FBAs, BCBAs, BIPs - Oh My!
Whew! There are a TON of abbreviations, acronyms and just fancy lingo that is specialized to the world of education that gets tossed around at meetings and on the internet. For parents (and even educators!) this can become confusing, overwhelming and make it super challenging to fully participate...
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Unpacking behavior support, school discipline and the rights of children with disabilities.
In this first episode of a series on behavior, school discipline, and the rights of children with disabilities Dana Marie brings listeners through 5 Frequently Asked Questions we receive as advocates and parent coaches. She shares some tangible next steps with parents and caregivers who may be...
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My Child Isn't Receiving Their Services; What Do I Do?
A question form parents that has comes fairly regularly is "my child's teacher or service provider is out on leave or the position is open and my child is not receiving their services. What do we do?" And this a tough one because of the teacher shortage and the challenges school districts are...
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Why a Record Review is Useful When Advocating for Your Child
Wondering how an advocate can help you and you child in school? A comprehensive record review, either as part of an on-going advocacy relationship (i.e.: attending meetings, ghost writing, completing observations, etc) or as a stand alone support service is so beneficial for caregivers to be…
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How do I know if my child is making progress?
If you are a parent or caregiver of a child on an IEP it is likely that you have heard that term "effective progress" many times. It is one of the ways a team determines if a child is eligible for special education and a way to monitor how the child is doing once they are receiving the support of...
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Finding a Community and Caring for Yourself
Thank you for listening! In this episode we talk all about self care. We discuss: small things you can do to care for yourself while also caring for a child or children with a disability locating your local SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) looking to local organizations for…
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Don't Panic! Back to School Advice from Educational Advocates
Welcome back to season 3 of the Empowered 2 Advocate Podcast! If you are tuning into this episode then you probably have a child that is returning to school this fall - and you might be having anxiety about where their IEP process was left in the spring or concerned about how extended school year...
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Making Movement Fun with Dr. Jennifer Hutton, Pediatric Physical Therapist
If your child has a disability, they very likely have a team of specialists that they work with - inside and outside of school. And like we've discussed on other episodes of the Empowered 2 Advocate Podcast, this can feel very overwhelming. Trying to know and remember who does what can feel like…
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Top 5 Accessible Summer Activities in Boston!
Summer time can be challenging enough to find fun activities for the whole family; but when a family member has a physical, emotional, sensory, or cognitive disability, a whole other layer of planning comes into play to ensure a fun and safe day for all! In this episode of the Empowered 2…
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6 Reasons to Request an IEP Team Meeting
While an IEP is reviewed annually to update progress and services and goals, caregivers have the right to request a team meeting anytime in between these annual reviews. In this episode of the Empowered 2 Advocate Podcast, Michelle discusses 6 reasons that caregivers should request a reconvene of...
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Understanding the roles of service providers and ensuring the right people are at the IEP table.
In this episode, Dana Marie gives an overview of the service providers you may see on your child's IEP and at their IEP meeting. She covers: understanding the role of the SLP, AAC specialist, AT specialist, BCBA, RBT, OT, PT, ETL and School Psychologist. unpacking the acronym for each service...
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4 Things to do at the End of the School Year
It's the end of the school year and everything feels like it's moving in a million different directions with a sense of urgency that can feel overwhelming and chaotic. Our number one piece of advice is to take a deep breath and remember that most things that are feeling urgent now, CAN be…
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The Road Map to IEP Development
When a team writes an IEP, it's important that all the pieces are in alignment and are working together to support the student in accessing their grade level content. There ARE numerous parts to an IEP and it can be overwhelming to understanding how we get from point A to point B and how all the...
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Top Tips for Creating Your Parent Concern Statement
If you've been to an IEP meeting for your child, you should be asked about your concerns or, for you parent concern statement. The parent concern statement is one of the most important parts of the IEP; and a pace for caregivers to express what they are concerned about when it comes to their...
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The Power of Assistive Technology in the Classroom
In this episode Dana Marie and Michelle chat with Melissa Derr, Assistive Technology Specialist. Melissa works in Early Intervention at Easter Seals in Pennsylvania and has experience assessing and implementing assistive technology plans for children of all ages. In this episode Melissa helps us...
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Your Challenge Can Be Your Super Power with James Norris
In this episode Dana Marie and Michelle chat with James Norris, founder of Handi Capable Fitness a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping people get out, be active, and be proud of the life they live. James is also the author of Feeling Left Out, the first in a series of four children's books...
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Behavior is Communication with Karyn Roy, BCBA
In our first ever guest episode, Michelle and Dana Marie chat with Karyn Roy, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at a K-8 school who supports students with a variety of disabilities in both the inclusion and the substantially separate setting. In this episode we discuss: What is a BCBA? How do...
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Five things to know about the MCAS and your child on an IEP
Five Things You Need to Know About the MCAS. In this episode we talk about 1. The MCAS as a graduation requirement. 2. The MCAS Decision Making Tool and annual review. 3. The Alternate Assessment. 4. Why your child's disability category and classroom do not determine how they participate. 4. And...
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Least Restrictive Environment
In this episode we dive into the topic of Least Restrictive Environment. We discuss: what it is in the simplest terms how it is protected by IDEA the continuum of settings and placements in Special Education how students can be supported in an inclusion setting the benefits of including students...
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What Its Like Working With Empowered 2 Advocate
In this episode, hear how Empowered 2 Advocate might be able to support you. We discuss: 1. how educators can benefit from our support. 2. why an observation of your child in their school setting may be helpful for you. 3. how E2A can review documents and help make sense of them for you. 4. how…
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Episode 12: Introducing Dana Marie and Michelle
In this episode, Dana Marie and Michelle re-introduce themselves and talk about where they came from and what inspired them to start Empowered 2 Advocate! Hear from Dana Marie and Michelle as they talk about their backgrounds in special education, what they are passionate about, and how Empowered…
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Important Special Education Timelines Parents Need to Know!
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) there are procedural safeguards and due process laws and protocols to ensure students with disabilities are given access to their Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Part of these laws are timelines that must be adhered to by...
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The school district said my child's not eligible for special education services - now what?
You have concerns about your child's progress in school. You request an evaluation. At the meeting, the school district determines your child is not eligible for an IEP (special education). What are the next steps after the meeting that you as a parent can follow to ensure your child is receiving...
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Get organized for you child's next IEP meeting!
This episode is all about getting organized! Be sure to head to www.empowered2advocate.com to download your FREE binder organization system! CLICK HERE Being prepared for you child's meeting supports you with being better able to fully participate in your child's IEP meeting and understand the...
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Gift Ideas for Educators!
December break and end of the school year are 2 big times for caregivers and parents to be wondering, "what are great gift ideas for my child's teachers and therapists that they will actually love and use to say thank you!" In this special episode of the Empowered 2 Advocate Podcast, Dana marie…
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The Power of Student Voice in the IEP Process: Students with Unique Communication and Emotional Needs (part 5 of 5)
In part 5 of this 5 part series on student voice and including students in their IEP process, we discuss how to support students of all ages (3-22) with unique communication, emotional, and behavioral needs. In this episode we: • Discuss strategies for gathering information about students'...
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The Power of Student Voice in the IEP Process: Pre-K to 4th Grade (part 4 of 5)
In part 4 of this 5 part series on student voice and including students in their IEP process, we dig into the preschool and elementary school years (3-10 year olds). In this episode we: Discuss strategies for gathering information about students' interests, accomplishments and strengths…
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The Power of Student Voice in the IEP Process: The Middle School Years (part 3 of 5)
In part 3 of this 5 part series on student voice and including students in their IEP process we dig into the middle school years, grades 5-8, ages 10-13ish. In this episode we discuss: How to have conversations with your child / students about their disabilities and disabilities and learning...
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The Power of Student Voice in the IEP Process: Ages 14-22 (Part 2 of 5)
In this second part of our 5 part series about the power of student voice in the IEP process Dana Marie and Michelle focus on students aged 14-22. While teams are legally obligated to include students in their meetings and IEP process, specifically their vision and Transition Planning Form, at…
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The Power of Student Voice in the IEP Process! Part 1 of 5
In this 5 part series, Michelle and Dana Marie dig into the power of student voice in their IEP and education in general. In this episode we discuss what is student voice, why we care and give an overview of what we will discuss in the upcoming 4 episodes! Be sure to subscribe / follow us…
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Top 10 Myths About Special Education: Busted!
This podcast episode is based on a live webinar we hosted on 11/8/2022! There was such great information in this webinar, we wanted to share with all of you! Check it out and be sure to subscribe / follow the podcast on your favorite platform (apple, Spotify, google) so you never miss an episode!...
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We're Empowered 2 Advocate: Welcome to Our Podcast!
Welcome to Empowered 2 Advocate! We're Michelle and Dana Marie and our mission is that when caregivers and parents work with Empowered 2 Advocate you will feel confident that you have the support, information, resources and expertise to be your child’s biggest advocate. Our goal is to make sure…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Our mission at Empowered 2 Advocate is for you to feel confident that you have the support, information, resources and expertise to be your child’s biggest advocate. Our goal is to make sure you get there. Listen each Friday for easy to digest and implementable tips, tools and strategies!
HOSTED BY
Michelle Farrell
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Empowered 2 Advocate have?
Empowered 2 Advocate currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Empowered 2 Advocate about?
Our mission at Empowered 2 Advocate is for you to feel confident that you have the support, information, resources and expertise to be your child’s biggest advocate. Our goal is to make sure you get there. Listen each Friday for easy to digest and implementable tips, tools and strategies!
How often does Empowered 2 Advocate release new episodes?
Empowered 2 Advocate has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Empowered 2 Advocate?
You can listen to Empowered 2 Advocate on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Empowered 2 Advocate?
Empowered 2 Advocate is created and hosted by Michelle Farrell.
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