Current Trends in Education

Megan and Erin discussed Erin's recent experience at South by Southwest, where she attended sessions focused on AI in education and executive function coaching.

Executive Function Coaching Certification Discussion

Erin and Megan discussed the importance of using accurate vocabulary when talking about executive function and the challenges of identifying qualified coaches. Erin shared insights from a conference about a questionable board certification for executive functioning and recommended asking potential coaches specific questions about their approach to identifying and addressing executive function issues. They also discussed a course on mastering executive functioning that parents could take to better understand and support their children's needs.

Simulating Learning Disabilities Experience

Erin and Megan discussed an educational activity where they experienced simulating dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and dyslexia. During the activity, Erin and former cohost Gretchen had a conflict over following instructions, which escalated into general frustration among participants. Megan observed that the exercise highlighted how educators might forget what it's like to be a struggling student and noted the lack of nervous system regulation techniques provided at the end of the session.

Student Competition and Recognition Challenges

Erin shared her experience of feeling competitive and cheating during a classroom exercise where students had to trace and replicate signatures. Despite getting a good score of 4 out of 10, Erin felt disappointed that her achievement wasn't recognized, highlighting how students often don't receive acknowledgment for their efforts. Megan reflected on the importance of educators and parents putting themselves in students' positions to better understand their experiences and provide appropriate support and grace.

Educational Technology Tool Sharing

Erin shared two educational technology tools she found interesting. The first was Share the Board, which allows teachers to record whiteboard lessons while capturing and displaying the content on screen, enabling students to review and interact with the material later. The second tool was Banter Box, an app that enables interactive conversations with historical texts and primary documents, allowing users to ask questions and have discussions with characters like Hamilton or Frederick Douglass. Megan inquired about the app's ability to provide sources for its responses, to which Erin was unsure but believed it might indicate when it couldn't answer specific questions.

Educational Technology Conference Insights

Erin shared insights about two educational technologies she encountered at a conference. She discussed Banter Box, which uses AI to make historical texts more engaging by allowing users to interact with them, and Florio, a VR system designed for special needs classrooms to help students practice real-life skills in a safe environment. The conversation highlighted how these technologies can help students with various challenges, including nonverbal communication and trauma recovery, while also sparking discussions about responsible screen time and technology implementation in education.

Resources:

Here are links to the resources Erin mentioned:

• JST Coaching's article on how to choose a good Executive Functioning Coach
• Connected Pathways Coaching Executive Functioning Course
• Share the Board
• Banter Box
• Floreo VR