• Diverse Thinking Different Learning

  • De: Karen Wilson
  • Podcast

Diverse Thinking Different Learning

De: Karen Wilson
  • Resumen

  • Diverse Thinking · Different Learning, a ChildNEXUS podcast, is hosted by pediatric neuropsychologist, mom of two, and ChildNEXUS founder Dr. Karen Wilson. Each week, Dr. Wilson provides support and guidance for parents raising kids with learning differences. Diverse Thinking · Different Learning features informative and inspiring interviews with top experts in their fields, and gives parents and educators the tools and takeaways they need to better understand neurodivergence, learning disabilities, and youth mental health. This podcast informs offers actionable advice to help diverse learners and children with unique needs reach their fullest potential. Parents of diverse learners or children with mental health challenges can access vetted information and connect with qualified professionals at https://www.childnexus.com/.
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Episodios
  • Ep. 234: Understanding and Addressing Math Anxiety with Aditya Nagrath, PhD
    Apr 29 2025
    This week on Diverse Thinking Different Learning, we welcome Dr. Aditya Nagrath. Dr. Nagrath is the founder of Elephant Learning Mathematics Academy and helps students overcome math anxiety, rapidly advancing their skills with just ten minutes of practice a few times a week. He holds a PhD in Mathematics and Computer Sciences and has over three decades of experience as a software engineer, entrepreneur, author, and speaker, working on a wide range of projects from atomic clocks to mobile apps. Dr. Nagrath joins us for this episode to discuss mathematics anxiety - where it comes from, how it’s misunderstood, how to address it and more. A child’s early struggles with math are not always just academic but are also emotional and potentially even life-changing. Dr. Nagrath draws from his rich background in math, computer science, and education to help us break down why so many students begin falling behind in math as early as kindergarten and how early delays often snowball into years of lost confidence, missed opportunities, and career shifts away from math-intensive fields. This isn’t just about numbers or curriculum, however. As Dr. Nagrath explains, math anxiety is often rooted in beliefs such as “I’m not a math person” - beliefs that can trigger lifelong avoidance and reinforce themselves with every uncomfortable encounter with numbers. This is truly a vicious circle that hinders growth and learning well into adulthood. The conversation challenges the common misconception that disliking math is harmless. How early numeracy can actually influence language development, how adult comments can unconsciously pass limiting beliefs to children, and why literacy-focused initiatives may be unintentionally crowding out math readiness. Dr. Nagrath also tells us about Elephant Learning, a tech-based platform that adapts to each student’s comprehension level and uses gamified learning to rebuild mathematical confidence from the ground up. This episode serves as a reminder that math isn’t just a subject but a gateway and that what we do (or, for that matter, don’t do) in the earliest years can shape far more than just test scores. Show Notes: [2:22] - Dr. Aditya Nagrath explains how working with Elephant Learning revealed that minor complaints often mask deeper math anxiety. [5:05] - The belief that "I'm not a math person" stalls effort and future academic/career opportunities. [7:09] - Similar to AI training, learning depends on the meanings that we assign to experiences and challenges. [9:53] - Hear how Dr. Nagrath defines mathematics anxiety. [12:11] - Dr. Nagrath argues that many students' unresolved early math gaps snowball, derailing STEM careers and impacting the economy. [15:48] - Dr. Nagrath also asserts that Algebra is essential because it introduces written mathematics that are needed for interpreting the modern world. [17:40] - Hear how preschool math practice improves children's future reading, writing, and speaking abilities. [19:41] - Dr. Nagrath uses a basketball analogy to demonstrate that practicing math is essential because no alternative "game" exists. [21:46] - Dr. Nagrath explains that Elephant Learning builds math skills by meeting students at their comprehension level with gamified learning. [24:01] - By mapping standards to age levels, Elephant Learning helps students visualize progress. [27:18] - Because of deeply rooted self-doubt, overcoming math anxiety later in life tends to be more difficult. [28:44] - Dr. Nagrath stresses that problem-solving, like basketball, improves with practice rather than innate intelligence. [31:00] - Modern demands require deeper, language-like mathematical understanding. Links and Related Resources: Episode 59: What Is Dyscalculia (AKA Math Disorder)? with Monica Grillo Episode 60: A Multisensory Intervention for Kids Who Struggle with Math with Adrianne MeldrumElephant LearningElephant Learning - K-12 School Solutions Treating Mathematics Anxiety: Inclusive Strategies for Working with Students Exhibiting Mathematics Anxiety Connect with Us: Get on our Email ListBook a Consultation Get Support and Connect with a ChildNEXUS ProviderRegister for Our Self-Paced Mini Courses: Support for Parents Who Have Children with ADHD, Anxiety, or Dyslexia Connect with Aditya Nagrath, PhD: Dr. Nagrath’s LinkedIn ProfileEmail: anagrath@elephantheadsoft.comPhone: 303.919.6071
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    36 m
  • Ep. 233: Body-Based Interventions for Neurodivergent Students with Megan Beardmore, PhD, NCSP
    Apr 22 2025
    Joining us this week on Diverse Thinking Different Learning is Dr. Megan Beardmore. Dr. Beardmore is a licensed school psychologist with expertise in assessing and treating children, adolescents, and young adults with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities, as well as co-occurring anxiety and depression. She received her training at the University of Arizona, completed a postdoctoral fellowship at The Help Group, and worked at UCLA’s Center for Autism Research. She uses evidence-based therapies such as CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and breathwork to support emotional regulation and foster the mind-body connection. Dr. Beardmore returns from episode 119 to discuss what happens when traditional behavior strategies or even well-known talk therapies simply are not working and to explore what is really going on inside the bodies and brains of neurodivergent kids when emotions run high. Dr. Beardmore, from the ground up, helps us unpacks the science behind emotional dysregulation. With vivid metaphors as well as real-world examples, she breaks down how the autonomic nervous system shapes behavior and why interventions that start with the body rather than the brain can often reach kids when logic and language are not working. Hear how body-based techniques like exhaling, rocking, and self-hugging can offer immediate access to safety and regulation, with our bodies often recognizing safety or danger before our brains even catch up. Also, learn why telling an upset child to “calm down” rarely works. Perhaps most strikingly, Dr. Megan Beardmore shares how small, everyday movements and sensory experiences can help both kids and adults move out of stress and into deeper connection. It’s not about elaborate plans or complicated therapies; it’s about practical and easily accessible tools that speak the body’s language. Whether you're a caregiver, educator, or clinician, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on supporting emotional regulation through science, empathy, and some surprisingly simple strategies! Show Notes: [0:07] - The nervous system greatly influences emotional regulation, especially in neurodivergent students, and Dr. Megan Beardmore joins us to address this. [3:15] - Dr. Beardmore explains that, like a seesaw, the autonomic nervous system seeks balance between stress response and calm. [6:50] - Recognizing behaviors as nervous system responses helps caregivers reframe them as unintentional and not defiant. [8:53] - Since 80% of signals travel body-to-brain, somatic techniques calm emotional overload more effectively. [11:38] - Somatic tools, Dr. Beardmore explains, bypass logic, offering kids faster emotional regulation when reasoning is not accessible. [14:27] - Hear how deep breaths and movement-based strategies calm the nervous system by signaling safety. [17:53] - Parents can use these tools to regulate themselves and their child’s nervous system during struggles. [18:32] - Learn how adults modeling self-regulation help children through mirror neurons. [19:39] - To emerge from a “freeze state,” movement, grounding, and heat gradually increase energy and activation. [22:48] - Accessible strategies that don't require fancy equipment help provide immediate support for nervous system regulation. [23:12] - Simple actions like humming or gargling stimulate the vagus nerve, improving nervous system regulation. [26:41] - Being mindful integrates body awareness and breathing to help manage stress, allowing thoughts to pass naturally. [29:49] - There are various tools which support nervous system health, tailored to body needs in different stress responses. [31:05] - Dr. Beardmore touches upon how curiosity around body responses assists with self-regulation. [34:26] - Asking “How do you feel?” can help kids connect strategies with emotional regulation. [36:22] - Dr. Beardmore argues that empowerment ultimately comes from regulating stress without external tools. Links and Related Resources: Episode 72: Prioritizing Co-Regulation and Self-Regulation in Communication with Danielle G. Kent, M.S., CCC-SLP Episode 119: Autistic Girls Overlooked and Underrecognized with Megan Beardmore, PhD, NCSP Episode 168: 5 Tips for Supporting Neurodivergent Youth Connect with Us: Get on our Email List Book a Consultation Get Support and Connect with a ChildNEXUS Provider Register for Our Self-Paced Mini Courses: Support for Parents Who Have Children with ADHD, Anxiety, or Dyslexia Connect with Dr. Megan Beardmore: Spectrum Psych Dr. Beardmore’s Instagram Page Email: meganbeardmore@spectrumpsychla.com Phone: 424.248.9563
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    39 m
  • Ep. 232: Turning Kids’ Passions and Enthusiasms into Superpowers with Barry Prizant, Ph.D., CCC-SLP (Re-Air)
    Apr 8 2025
    We are doing a reairing this week of episode 80 of Diverse Thinking Different Learning in which we talked with Dr. Barry Prizant. This episode is being revisited at a perfect time because this is Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. In this episode, Dr. Prizant helps us understand why it’s important to stop labeling certain behaviors in children as intentional defiance or difficulty. Dr. Barry Prizant is a speech-language pathologist with nearly five decades of experience working with individuals with autism and their families. He serves as a Visiting Scholar at Brown University and directs Childhood Communication Services, and he is widely published, including The SCERTS Model as well as multiple books and over 130 scholarly works. Dr. Prizant has delivered more than 900 presentations worldwide, including twice at the United Nations, and he has received many awards for his contributions to the field. The truth (as Dr. Prizant discusses) is that challenging behaviors are not always just the child being deliberately defiant for the sake of it. It is sometimes the child’s way of dealing with anxiety and/or emotional overwhelm, and Dr. Prizant discusses this alongside insights from his book Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism. Encouraging us to reconsider how we interpret challenging behaviors, he suggests that we not try to eliminate these actions but rather try to better understand the reason(s) behind them. Dr. Prizant stresses the fact that real progress comes not from suppressing behaviors but from nurturing a child’s strengths, enhancing their abilities, and providing a supportive environment. After all, in doing so, children can begin to display more positive behaviors and enjoy a greater sense of well-being. Throughout the conversation, we also explore why it's important to take a closer look at children’s interests and passions which are far too often misunderstood or undervalued and how we can use those passions as gateways to growth and learning, so whether you are a parent, teacher, or caregiver, this episode offers valuable insights into how to connect with and support children in more empowering ways. Show Notes: [0:05] - Karen announces a new podcast schedule and reintroduces Dr. Prizant’s episode on kids' passions. [4:35] - Dr. Prizant highlights his book’s update and its alignment with evolving autism advocacy. [6:09] - Decades of developmental training helped shape Dr. Prizant’s strength-based, human-centered view of autism. [8:14] - Understanding autistic behavior requires empathy and rejecting interpretations such as “noncompliance.” [10:05] - Dr. Prizant urges professionals to self-reflect and further explore the reasons behind challenging behaviors. [12:31] - Dr. Prizant argues that children cannot learn or connect effectively when overwhelmed emotionally. [15:50] - Echolalia and personal interests can be strengths that lead to communication, connection, and self-esteem. [19:06] - Passion-based learning can evolve into broader knowledge when adults nurture and expand children's interests. [22:47] - Dr. Prizant points out how dismissing a child's passion shuts down connection. [24:13] - Children's deep interests can enrich families and communities, even guiding future career aspirations and expertise. [26:21] - Nurturing a child’s interests can lead to connection, skill development, and social engagement. [29:37] - Some fascinations in childhood fade, but others evolve into lifelong passions or hobbies. [31:47] - Highlighting a child’s strengths can reshape peer perception and lead to more inclusion. [34:42] - Karen praises Uniquely Human for transforming fear and uncertainty into understanding and hope. [35:19] - Dr. Prizant now narrates his audiobook and co-hosts a podcast with an audio engineer who has autism. Links and Related Resources: Episode 25: Raising Differently Wired Kids with Joy and Confidence with Debbie Reber Episode 43: Building Social Competence and Enhancing Social Skills with Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson Episode 80: Turning Kids’ Passions and Enthusiasms into Superpowers with Barry Prizant, Ph.D., CCC-SLP Uniquely Human: Updated and Expanded: A Different Way of Seeing Autism by Barry Prizant, Ph.D. Connect with Us: Get on our Email List Book a Consultation Get Support and Connect with a ChildNEXUS Provider Register for Our Self-Paced Mini Courses: Support for Parents Who Have Children with ADHD, Anxiety, or Dyslexia Connect with Dr. Barry Prizant: Dr. Prizant’s Website Dr. Prizant’s LinkedIn Page Dr. Prizant’s Facebook Page Uniquely Human Podcast
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    37 m
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