Comment on Diana Garfias's post: I was also surprised that we are able to join these organizations outside of our employers. I think it would also be beneficial to mention these conferences to higher ups as a growth opportunity. If the conference is local maybe a small group could attend together.

What is your why? and what? why are you here? What are your goals? These questions apply to both staff and students. The intention sets the tone for how you will show up for yourself and others. If you are intent on being supportive and working as a team to achieve goals then you are in the right place. 

Emotional intelligence is a good sign of leadership and the ability to be successful. Intrinsic motivation, honesty, and professionalism are great traits for students to develop for when they enter the program and eventually the workforce. 

A student's HABE's can be shaped by their personal experiences and their families' personal experiences/attitudes. If a student is excited about school but their family isn't supportive that negative attitude can rub off on the student. It is important to help the student see the bigger picture that would allow them to change their own perspective and eventually allow them to be successful and leave the negative environment. 

Build a rapport with your students so when you reach out to them about assignments and attendance, they feel you genuinely care about them and are motivated to make a change, get back on track, and achieve their goals. 

I learned new techniques for working with students with psychiatric disorders. A learning environment that has a lot of order and consistency is beneficial for these students. It is also helpful to remain calm and when addressing a student having an episode. To mitigate episodes student can work on ways to check in with themselves to see if their behavior is changing. 

I learned about Dyscalculia for the first time. The video said an accommodation could be allowing a calculator. I wonder how much that actually helps for a student that mixes up numbers? I know certain online platforms for exams have filters for disabilities that are supposed to make taking a test more equitable.   

Accommodations are not a one size fits all. Students may have the same disability but require different levels of support. Adapt based on what they share and what the ADA says they need support with.

There are many ways to identify disabilities in children. This includes, peaks and valleys in learning, physical differences and behavioral differences. 

Student-centered learning that is both visual and hands-on are more likely to retain student attention. Gen z and y should respect the lessons being shared to them. Previous generations should try to share information that is applicable to the goals students set.