TPP 016: Understanding and Navigating the Parent-Teacher Relationship with Becca Wertheim
episode
Full-Tilt Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children
34 min
2 speakers
8 chapters
transcribed 4 hours ago
Transcript
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Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
What is an inclusion school and how does it work in Becca’s classroom?
Communication has been so important so that we can all be on the same page. And along with communication comes honesty, which may not always be easy for the t the teacher or the parent. Because there may be times where I don't want to share something because I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings or I don't want anybody to feel bad about something that's happened. But the only way that we can do what's best for the child and the only way that a child can continue to show growth is if there is honesty about what's going on in the classroom.
Welcome to the Tilt Parenting Podcast, a podcast featuring interviews and conversations aimed at inspiring, informing, and supporting parents raising differently wired kids. I'm your host, Debbie Rieber, and today we're fortunate enough to be talking with Becca Wertheim, a second grade teacher at an inclusion school in North Carolina. What I hear from parents over and over again is that navigating the world of school is one of, if not the, biggest challenges. So I think it's really important to talk with teachers and school administrators so we can better understand what things look like from behind their desks and ultimately figure out how to strengthen the dynamic between parents and teachers so that our child can benefit.
As you'll hear in just a minute, Becca absolutely loves what she does and especially the role she has of learning how to meet the unique needs and learning styles of the differently wired kids in her classroom. And she shares a lot of useful insight for parents who want to have better communication and support both in and out of the classroom. To learn more about Tilt, the revolution for parents raising differently wired kids, visit www.tiltparenting.com. And now on with the show. Welcome to the show, Becca. Hi, Debbie. Thank you so much for having me. I'm so glad you were able to come on. And on a weekend, by the way, we're recording this on a Saturday. So I really appreciate that. Yeah, I'm happy to be here.
You know, I was just thinking about this before the call. I don't think we've ever met in person, have we?
No, we haven't, but I feel like we
have. I do too. Like we've known each other virtually and over the phone for a super long time now. Yeah, since I was fifteen. So Really?
Almost I guess nine years, almost ten years.
Wow. Well, one of these days we'll have to meet in person. Yeah. We'll have to make that happen. Definitely. But anyway, I I'm really glad we were able to do this. So as a way to start our conversation, would you mind just telling us a little bit about where and what you teach and what the focus of your school is?
Yeah, so I teach second grade at Claxton Elementary School, which is in Asheville, North Carolina. And my school is an inclusion school. So what that means is that students who are identified as having disabilities or identify as gifted and talented are all included in a general education classroom along with their peers of the same age. And students are provided with the necessary support or accommodations and modifications needed to best fit their educational needs. So in my classroom, I have a variety of students who learn in different ways and they all work together and they're with each other for the majority of the school day. And it's really great to see everyone working together and being together and appreciating each other's own unique gifts and talents.
How many kids do you have in a classroom then? What does that actually look like?
This year I have 20 students, so I'm pretty lucky to have such a small class size. And in the past, I will typically have about four or five students who are identified as having some type of disability or identified as um learning differently than their peers. So it can be up to a quarter of the class.
And is it just you in the classroom with these kids or do you have an assistant working with you?
I'm very fortunate that I do have an assistant. Most second grade classes in my state and I believe across the nation do not have assistants. Typically, assistants are in kindergarten and sometimes first grade.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is an inclusion school and how does it work in Becca’s classroom?
0:00–4:10
2
How many students are in Becca’s second‑grade class and what support staff are present?
4:10–8:57
3
Why does Becca believe inclusion benefits both differently‑wired and neurotypical learners?
8:57–13:39
4
What strategies does she use for differentiating instruction for diverse learning styles?
13:39–18:48
5
How does Becca build honest and open communication with parents?
18:48–22:48
6
What are the benefits of home visits and classroom observation for parents?
22:48–27:33
7
How can parents effectively advocate for their child’s academic or social needs?
27:33–32:20
8
What final advice does Becca give to parents about teamwork with teachers?
32:20–34:32
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from Full-Tilt Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children
TPP 266a: A Conversation with Poet and Advocate LeDerick Horne
TPP 522: A Whole Child Approach to ADHD with Phil Boucher, M.D.
TPP 091a: A Conversation With Steve Silberman About His Book “Neurotribes”
TPP 521: A Conversation with Dr. Peter Gray About Restoring Childhood
TPP 253a: Advocate and Author Jonathan Mooney on Why Normal Sucks
TPP 520: Dr. Özgür Bolat on Why Rewards Backfire and the Real Science of Motivating Kids