Why Meltdowns Happen Over Homework

About this Episode
On this episode of The Brainy Moms podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy unpack reasons why schoolwork so often triggers meltdowns and then give you a practical roadmap to fix them—by finding whether you’re facing a content gap, a cognitive skills gap, or a diagnosis that needs attention. As experts AND moms who’ve lived the dining-room-table drama, we share how to cool the moment, then build long-term capacity so your child needs fewer props and shows more independence.
We talk about content gaps, or how missed lessons, curriculum switches, and assumed knowledge silently sabotage progress. You’ll learn simple, respectful ways to investigate and reteach without shame—pretests, quick reviews, and targeted practice that restore confidence fast. Then we go deeper into the cognitive engine behind learning: attention, processing speed, working memory, long-term memory, auditory processing, and visual-spatial skills. When these lag, behavior often looks oppositional, but it’s usually “I can’t.” We show how to blend short-term supports like planners and checklists with skill-building approaches that actually strengthen the brain, not just the routine.
We also tackle the diagnoses that complicate schoolwork. ADHD often includes weaker working memory and processing speed; anxiety hijacks focus and stamina; reading disorders, auditory processing issues, and vision problems can all derail comprehension. Add real-life factors—sleep debt, food sensitivities, sensory overload—and you’ve got a perfect storm. We’ll help you become a calm, curious detective: map patterns, test one change at a time, and track function over percentiles to guide next steps. Expect practical examples, gentle scripts, and growth-minded ways to stretch without snapping, plus ideas for using games to build skills and connection at home.
If you’re ready to trade power struggles for progress, join us. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a hug and a plan, and leave a review telling us which strategy you’ll try first.
Your Kid’s Bookshelf Needs a Makeover: On Diversity, Belonging, & Empathy | Amber O’Neal Johnston

About this Episode
A single comment from a curious child—“We only study white people”—sent Amber O’Neal Johnston on a mission to rebuild her family’s learning around story, dignity, and depth. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with Amber to unpack how a balanced bookshelf can change the culture of a home and the character of a child. Using Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors analogy, Amber shows how to choose books that reflect kids’ lived experiences, open honest views into other worlds, and inspire real-life empathy that carries beyond the page.
We talk about practical ways to curate without censoring. Amber’s rule is brave conversation over banned books: preview when you can, invite your kids to bring you the sticky parts, and ask sharp questions about author intent, historical context, and your own family values. You’ll hear how this approach trains discernment for the teen years, when kids meet complex ideas without you in the room. We also dig into why diverse stories matter for every family, especially in communities that still feel segregated. Familiarity breeds friendship, and literature can be the first friendly bridge.
Then we pivot to pace. Amber guards margin so her kids can be bored, curious, and creative—because that’s where the magic lives. She makes a compelling case for a slow childhood and wide learning: linger in topics, pair fiction with primary sources, visit local history, cook the food, and let questions lead. Instead of climbing faster, go broader and deeper, and watch confidence and empathy grow together. Her final nudge is freeing: you are the special sauce. Lead with what you love—tech, nature, handicrafts, or culture—and let that authentic passion shape your homeschool DNA.
If you’re ready to raise thoughtful, joyful readers and make your home a place of belonging, press play. If this resonates, share it with a friend, subscribe for more conversations like this, and leave a review to help others find the show.
About Amber
Amber O’Neal Johnston is an established authority on including diverse voices in traditional curriculum and infusing culture and love for others into an intentional home environment. She shares her observations on education, living books, and worldschooling at HeritageMom.com, and connects with followers on Instagram @heritagemomblog. She is a regular contributor to the wildly successful Wild + Free homeschooling community, a frequent podcast guest on popular shows, and a coveted speaker at homeschool, education, and parenting conferences.
Connect with Amber
Website: https://heritagemom.com/
IG and FB: @heritagemomblog
Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Student Support at Home | Erin Vanek

About this Episode
Gifted doesn’t mean easy, and it certainly doesn’t mean perfect. With gifted educator and 2e advocate Erin Vanek, we dig into what giftedness actually looks like day to day: lightning-fast connections, rich vocabulary, and inventive solutions alongside emotional intensity, executive function gaps, and meltdowns over the smallest snag. We share the language that helps—neurodivergent, twice exceptional, asynchronous development—and the practical moves that turn tension into traction for bright kids who think differently.
We talk through why “definitions” of giftedness vary wildly across schools, and how that confusion leaves many families feeling isolated or dismissed. Erin explains how to spot authentic strengths—rapid learning with fewer repetitions, cross-domain links, divergent thinking—and how to honor them without feeding perfectionism. When a child refuses to show work or challenges a one-right-way method, we model how to teach the why, offer real choice, and compare solution paths for efficiency. If big feelings take over, you’ll hear a simple re-engagement technique that brings the prefrontal cortex back online so problem-solving can start again.
For homeschoolers and parents looking for ways to support their child after school, we map a path that values depth over speed. Instead of racing up grade levels, go lateral: invent operations, flip number orders, and use Bloom’s higher levels to analyze and create. Protect reading joy by pairing accessible texts with deep conversations about character, structure, and theme. And leverage games as a secret classroom for cognitive flexibility, planning, patience, and losing well—ending early when needed and debriefing with curiosity. The takeaway is freeing: gifted is not better or worse, just different. When we stop measuring worth by acceleration and start nurturing thinking, resilience, and engagement, our kids learn to thrive on their terms.
If this conversation helped, follow and share the show, leave a quick review, and subscribe to our newsletter at TheBrainyMoms.com for more smart, usable tools.
About Erin
Erin is the founder of The Gifted Perspective, whose social media presence has created a community for thousands who are navigating the world of giftedness. The Gifted Perspective also offers tailored workshops and accessible resources for families and educators supporting gifted and children. With nearly 15 years as a gifted intervention specialist, a master’s degree in education, and licensure in gifted education, she brings deep professional expertise to her work. She is also a mom of neurodivergent kids and a twice-exceptional adult, ensuring her work reflects both research and lived experience.
Connect with Erin
Website: http://www.thegiftedperspective.com/
IG: @the.gifted.perspective
TikTok: @thegiftedperspective
Alone in the Arctic: How it Reframed Fatherhood, Faith, & Fear for Timber Cleghorn

About this Episode
Ever wonder how being alone in the wilderness impacts your faith, your views on fatherhood, and how you define fear? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy unpack all of that with Timber Cleghorn--humanitarian aid worker, survivalist, and cast member on Season 9 of Alone. Timber shares lessons from a life that spans an off-grid childhood, years in conflict zones, and 83 days alone in the Arctic Circle on the show. The result is a disarmingly honest look at fear, faith, and the daily choices that turn hardship into wisdom.
Timber shares how producers of Alone protect the true experiment—extreme isolation—forcing contestants to face themselves without distraction. In that silence, he used scripture to speaking both fear and gratitude out loud to steady his spirit. From missing a moose with millions watching to withstanding online backlash for expressing his faith, he explains how to loosen your shoulders, learn what you can, and take the next right step. Success may be fleeting, but satisfaction can be solid when your identity isn’t riding on outcomes.
We also go deep on parenting. Timber and his wife are raising three kids while dialing back overseas work, breaking cycles of fear-based decisions, and centering kindness as the family’s North Star. He tells a revealing story about choosing connection over performance. We talk about giving children silence, autonomy, and wonder; modeling a beautiful life with God rather than forcing belief; and how conviction beats confidence when facing real-world challenges, including their toddler’s developmental needs.
If you’re curious about resilience, gratitude, and practical ways to bring wildness home—without making your kids replicas of you—this conversation delivers. Expect thoughtful insights on echo chambers, empathy, failure, and why choosing kindness at any scale matters.
This episode is different from any we've done in all six seasons so far. In a conversation among parents, we laugh, we cry, we share our faith, and we laugh some more. It's an hour and fifteen minutes of pure joy. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs courage today, and leave a review telling us where you’re practicing conviction over confidence right now.
ABOUT US:
The Brainy Moms is a parenting podcast hosted by cognitive psychologist Dr. Amy Moore and Sandy Zamalis. Dr. Amy and Sandy have conversations with experts in parenting, child development, education, homeschooling, psychology, mental health, and neuroscience. Listeners leave with tips and advice for helping parents and kids thrive. If you love us, add us to your playlist and follow us on social media!
CONNECT WITH US:
Website: www.TheBrainyMoms.com
Email: [email protected]
Social Media: @TheBrainyMoms
Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter
Visit our sponsor's website: www.LearningRx.com
About Timber
Timber Cleghorn is a humanitarian aid worker and survivalist. He grew up off the grid as one of 11 homeschooled siblings. He's worked his way through the complexities of learning the modern world and settled into a lifestyle of international aid work in conflict zones. He's the author of the book Memoir of a Wild Man, where he chronicles his experience and reflections from being a contestant on season 11 of the survival show Alone: Arctic Circle. And joined us to talk to us about how his experiences and his faith have shaped him, how he approaches the world, and how it's influenced his parenting.
Connect with Timber
Website: https://www.timbercleghorn.com/
His book: Memoir of a Wildman
IG: @timbercleghorn
Read MoreWhat If Autism Isn’t Always Lifelong? A Scientist-Mom Shares Evidence and Hope | Dr. Theresa Lyons

About this Episode
What if the story you’ve heard about autism is incomplete—and changing? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy dive into the science with Dr. Theresa Lyons, an Ivy League-trained researcher and autism parent who translates complex studies into clear, practical steps. Our conversation challenges the “lifelong and fixed” narrative about autism, explores why some children no longer meet diagnostic criteria over time, and shows how a health-first approach might unlock progress in speech, behavior, and learning.
We talk about digestive health and constipation. We discuss the FRAT test and why a child can have “normal” blood folate while the brain is still starving for it. That’s where folinic acid (leucovorin) comes in, supported by multiple trials showing benefits in speech, social connection, and motor control, with manageable side effects and thoughtful dosing.
We also tackle hot-button topics with nuance: vaccines, detox capacity, glutathione, and acetaminophen. Two kids can face the same exposures and have very different outcomes based on genetics, immune status, and liver function. And we address the “autism cure” debate with care—respecting identity while refusing to accept avoidable pain, insomnia, or self-injury as inevitable.
This conversation gives you a roadmap grounded in both evidence and empathy. It's outside the scope of what mainstream media talks about. It might ruffle a few feathers. But we're okay with that. At The Brainy Moms, we like to hear from lots of voices and we like to consider all possibilities. It challenges us and it challenges you. Join us! Subscribe, share with a parent who needs hope, and leave a review to help more families find practical answers.
About Dr. Lyons
Dr. Lyons is an international autism educator, an Ivy League scientist, and autism parent. She's the founder and CEO of Navigating Autism, a groundbreaking platform that transforms the overwhelming complexity of autism science into clear, actionable steps for families. With a PhD from Yale and a deeply personal mission, she has worked with parents in over 21 countries, bringing evidence-based strategies that change lives. She uses her unique blend of rigorous science and real-world experience in giving parents what they've never had before: clarity, confidence, and a roadmap for progress.
Connect with Dr. Lyons
Website: https://awetism.net/
Read the research study Dr. Lyons quotes in this episode about 37% of kids whose autism diagnosis does not persist over time:
Harstad, E., Hanson, E., Brewster, S. J., DePillis, R., Milliken, A. L., Aberbach, G., Sideridis, G., & Barbaresi, W. J. (2023). Persistence of Autism Spectrum Disorder From Early Childhood Through School Age. JAMA Pediatrics, 177(11), 1197–1205. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.4003
Read MoreUnlocking Handwriting: Why Teaching Cursive, Core Stability, & Purposeful Practice Transforms Kids’ Writing | Sarah Collins

About this Episode
Handwriting isn’t just pencil meets paper; it’s purpose, posture, vision, and motor planning working in sync. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with occupational therapist and homeschool consultant Sarah Collins (The Homeschool OT) to explore how kids move from “hot mess” letters to confident, legible writing by addressing the real foundations: core strength, shoulder stability, explicit motor plans, and a clear sense that their ideas matter.
We break down why cursive can be a game changer for productivity and flow, especially for ADHD and dyslexic learners, and how copy work—when used wisely—reduces cognitive load so kids can master patterns before juggling spelling and punctuation. Sarah shares practical strategies you can use today: vertical writing on mirrors or whiteboards, sand and tactile tracing, wooden letter forms, and programs like Size Matters for spacing and size or Learning Without Tears and its wet-dry-try sequence for consistent motor cues.
Vision gets a spotlight too. From visual scanning to convergence, subtle eye issues can sabotage reading and writing. You’ll hear how to spot red flags, when to consider referrals, and why multi-sensory practice helps the brain integrate “hardware and software.” We also revisit early milestones like crawling and cross-body play, connect them to later fine-motor readiness, and offer creative ways to rebuild those foundations if they were missed. Throughout, we focus on legibility over perfection, endurance for note-taking, and the powerful memory benefits of handwriting and summarizing in your own words.
If you’re a parent, educator, or homeschooler looking for evidence-based, real-world tools to make writing easier and learning stick, this conversation delivers. Subscribe for more brain-smart episodes, share with a friend who needs fresh handwriting strategies, and leave a review to tell us which tip you’ll try first.
About Sarah Collins
Sarah is an occupational therapist with a specialization in helping parents align homeschooling with their children's unique needs. Through her brand, Homeschool OT, she provides personal consultations. She teaches month-long courses on key topics, fosters community through groups and individual coaching, and speaks at national conferences. Her work empowers parents to build learning environments that support their children's development and passions.
Connect with Sarah
Website: https://homeschoolot.com/
Podcast: https://homeschoolot.com/podcast/
IG: @homeschool_ot
Read MoreTransforming Reluctant Writers | Andrew Pudewa

About this Episode
What if better writing doesn’t start with a prompt, but with what’s already living in a child’s mind? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with Andrew Pudewa, founder of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, to trace a surprising line from Suzuki violin training to strong language skills. Andrew shares how deep listening, memorized repertoire, and deliberate repetition lay the groundwork for fluent expression—whether you’re bowing a cello or crafting a paragraph. Input shapes output: the richer the vocabulary and sentence patterns a child absorbs, the more creative and confident their writing becomes.
We unpack the twin engines of memory and imagination and why they share the same neural real estate. That insight reframes everything from read-alouds to comprehension: prior knowledge often outweighs decoding when it comes to understanding, and books ask kids to co-create mental imagery word by word. Andrew contrasts that with today’s “cartoons on steroids,” where hypervisual stimulation, thin language, and passive consumption blunt attention and displace inner pictures. The fix isn’t anti-tech dogma; it’s smarter sequencing—long-form stories first, screen adaptations second, and daily habits that favor focus over flicker.
Then we tackle AI. Yes, modern tools can collect and polish at lightning speed, but only students who know the underlying process will use them well. Andrew argues for paper-first drafting to recruit more of the brain—motor planning, spatial processing, and the intuitive, artistic networks that spark better ideas. From there, we walk through his step-by-step method for transforming reluctant writers: start with short source texts, build keyword outlines, ask structured story questions, and move toward inventive writing that recombines known elements. Along the way, parents become coaches who prize process over product and help kids stack small wins into lasting confidence.
If you wonder about about attention, language, handwriting, and how to raise resilient thinkers in an AI world, this conversation offers clear tools and a hopeful roadmap. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s teaching a reluctant writer, and leave a review telling us one change you’ll try this week.
About Andrew Pudewa
Andrew is the founder and director of the Institute for Excellence in Writing. As a global speaker and educator, he addresses issues related to teaching, writing, thinking, and spelling with clarity, insight, practical experience, and humor. His seminars for parents, students, and teachers have helped transform reluctant writers and have equipped educators with powerful tools to dramatically improve student skills. He's a graduate of the Talent Education Institute in Japan, best known for the Suzuki method. He holds a certificate of child brain development, and he and his wife Robin homeschooled their seven children and are now proud grandparents of 19.
Connect with Andrew
Website: www.IEW.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/iew
FB: https://www.facebook.com/excellenceinwriting
Read MoreIs Homeschooling the Rescue Plan Your Child Needs? | Christy Faith

About this Episode
Ever wondered why your child’s spark fades the longer they stay in a school environment that never quite fits? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with master educator and homeschool expert Christy Faith to rethink the purpose of education and design a path that actually supports healthy development. Drawing on decades of work with families, Christy shares why home-based education isn’t about recreating school at the dining table—it’s about building a flexible team of co-ops, live online classes, tutors, and parent coaching that aligns with your values and your child’s needs.
We unpack the socialization debate with a fresh lens: belonging versus fitting in, and why peer orientation can derail identity and confidence. If your kid lives in fight or flight, learning stalls. You’ll hear how reducing chronic stress at home can unlock curiosity, grit, and self-regulation without coddling. We talk indicators that school isn’t working—rising anxiety, shame from labels, and mounting family conflict—and outline how to respond with deschooling, intentional routines, and practical supports that restore calm and momentum.
Then we get tactical. Learn how to pick curriculum by educational style and place by skill rather than age, especially when learning is asynchronous. Discover why “it’s the brain, not the books” matters: if working memory, processing speed, or visual processing lag, no worksheet swap will fix it. We share a real-world story of letting a teen experience safe failure to build executive function, and how to coach time management without hovering. Expect a balanced roadmap: fewer bells, more thinking; fewer labels, more growth; strong academics paired with resilient minds.
If you’re on the fence, this conversation offers clear next steps, free tools to find your homeschool style, and encouragement to make changes at a humane pace. Subscribe for more grounded guidance, share with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to tell us: what would you redesign first in your child’s learning?
About Christy Faith
With over 20 years of extensive experience in K-college academics and administration, Christy-Faith has worked in and instructed every level of education in a professional capacity. She achieved remarkable success by establishing and managing a private educational center and consulting firm, alongside her husband Scott. As their family expanded along with their center, Christy-Faith embarked on a personal exploration of homeschooling, an experience that profoundly transformed her perspective on educating children. Today, Christy-Faith spends her days advocating for homeschool on social media, advising moms within her flourishing membership community, Thrive Homeschool Community, hosting her podcast The Christy Faith Show, and writing. She's the author of the book, “Homeschool Rising: Shattering Myths, Finding Courage, and Opting Out of the School System.”
Connect with Christy Faith
Website: https://christy-faith.com/
Instagram: @Christy_Faith_Homeschool
TikTok: @Christy_Faith
YouTube: @Christy-Faith
Twitter/X: @Christy_Faith_1
Facebook: @ChristyFaithHomeschool
Podcast: The Christy Faith Show - https://christy-faith.com/pages/podcast
Book: “Homeschool Rising: Shattering Myths, Finding Courage, and Opting Out of the School System” (on Amazon)
Click here to access the Free Homeschool Style Finder from Christy
Read MoreSeason 6 Launch: A Year of Tools for Homeschooling (and Classroom) Parents | Dr. Amy Moore & Sandy Zamalis

About this Episode
Ready for a season that actually makes parenting, homeschooling, and supporting your child easier? We’re kicking off season six with a clear promise: weekly, expert-driven conversations that turn overwhelm into action for families of struggling learners—homeschoolers and classroom parents alike.
In 2026, you’ll hear from experts around the world on topics relevant to kids with learning struggles and special needs as well as curriculum choices and support for all types of students. Starting with homeschooling guru Christy Faith, we've got a lineup you won't want to miss. For example, occupational therapist Sarah Collins returns with practical strategies for executive function and sensory processing—think sensory diets that fit real lives, smoother transitions, and routines that build independence without battles.
We go deep on writing and thinking with Andrew Pudewa, exploring how background knowledge fuels expression and how breaking skills into tiny steps wires stronger pathways. Expect concrete takeaways for reluctant writers, from copywork and oral narration to deliberate practice that sticks. Scientist and autism expert Dr. Teresa Lyons brings a sharp, evidence-first lens to epigenetics, nutrition, and supplements, cutting through social media noise so you can make decisions with clarity and care.
You’ll also get a no-nonsense guide to choosing methods and reading curricula by fit, not hype—what each approach does well, where the gaps are, and how to supplement at home. We tackle technology and the brain with balanced guardrails: when screens help, when they hinder, and how to protect attention, sleep, and deep work. And we widen the lens with survivalist Timber Cleghorn on fear, faith, and resilience, connecting outdoor grit to everyday parenting courage.
We’re back to weekly drops, launching a monthly newsletter packed with free PDFs and guides, and hitting conferences across the country to meet you in person. Subscribe now, share with a friend who needs practical hope, and leave a quick review to help more parents find tools that work. What topic should we tackle next? Email us at [email protected]
If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick review. Your feedback helps more families like you!
Read MoreHomeschooling Tips for Military and Special Needs Families | Natalie Mack & Ashly Barta

About this Episode
Are you a military or special needs family feeling torn between stability, services, and what your child actually needs to thrive? We sit down with Natalie Mack and Ashley Barta, two military homeschool leaders who have navigated frequent moves, special needs, and high school planning—then turned those lessons into practical guidance for families everywhere. Their stories show how homeschooling can transform from a last resort into a flexible, confidence-building path that adapts to your life instead of demanding you adapt to it.
We unpack the “now what?” moment after withdrawing from school and offer a clear starting plan: distinguish online school from true homeschooling, take a short deschooling reset, and use interests to weave core subjects into meaningful projects. If calculus or chemistry makes you sweat, we share how outsourcing, co-ops, tutors, and dual enrollment let parents become curators, not solo teachers. For high school, we flip the script: begin with the destination—college, trades, service, entrepreneurship—and reverse-map requirements with transcripts that reflect real initiative, not just seat time.
Special needs families will find concrete strategies that honor therapy schedules, energy windows, and real progress. Ashley explains how to embed OT, speech, and PT goals at home, use puzzles, games, and assistive tech for literacy and math, and embrace the power of the pause. We also tackle the socialization myth with a richer picture of sibling bonds, multi-age learning, and intentional community. For military families and anyone moving often, we highlight how virtual networks serve as lifelines to local co-ops, park days, and inclusive groups—plus what leaders can do to genuinely welcome neurodivergent learners and short-term volunteers.
If you’re craving educational choice with confidence, this conversation is your homeschool roadmap—practical, hopeful, and real about the work involved. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review to help more families discover tools that make learning lighter and life-giving. What’s one change you’ll try this week?
If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick review. Your feedback helps more families like you!
About Natalie Mack
Natalie Mack is an experienced author, TEDx speaker, educational consultant, podcaster and military home educator, with over 23 years of service to military homeschooling families. Her passion for homeschooling is clear through her encouraging words. She is the proud mother of five children, four of whom are college graduates and a current 12th grader.
Recently, Natalie’s husband, a Navy chaplain, retired after 34 years of service, marking a new chapter for their family. Through her business, Natalie Mack LLC, she offers consultations to homeschoolers, assisting with navigating how to homeschool well, She is also the founder of Military Homeschoolers Association (MHA) which is an advocacy and resource support nonprofit for military homeschoolers. The podcast Base2Base Military Homeschooling is a service of MHA and is viewable on the MHA YouTube channel.
Her TEDx speech on The Impact of Homeschooling has over 27K views on YouTube. Her insights on military life have been published in outlets like The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, with articles such as “Fair Winds and Following Seas” and several other magazines. She is the magazine’s new columnist for Military Homeschooling. Natalie is also the author of 101 Tips for Homeschoolers available on Amazon. She is currently working on Homeschooling on the Move: Military-Style, a guide for military homeschooling families.
Natalie Mack’s dedication to homeschooling and the military community makes her a respected leader and advocate. Some of her initiatives and experience include more than 20 years of leadership of military homeschool groups, HSLDA Military Outreach Coordinator, training and collaboration with all six DoD branches of school liaisons, training of US Army and US Air Force recruiters and Education Service Specialists, collaborations with Tutor.com, Military Family Advisory Network, Military Child Education Coalition, Blue Star Families, Milspouse Fest, Partners in Promise, and others. She is a huge supporter of military service, having partnered with National MEPS to host two ASVAB/Career Exploration Program opportunities for homeschoolers in the D.C., MD and VA area.
About Ashley Barta
Ashly Barta is the Special Education Program Director for the Military Homeschool Association, where she brings over a decade of experience in education, specializing in special education, curriculum development, and educational technology. With a Master of Science in Learning Experience Design and Educational Technology, a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and more than 10 years of homeschooling experience, Ashly is dedicated to helping military families navigate the complexities of education for children with diverse learning needs.
A mother to a child with special needs, Ashly has firsthand experience designing and implementing individualized educational plans to support her son’s unique learning journey. This personal insight allows her to deeply understand the challenges military families face when educating children with special needs.
As an Educational Consultant at Empowered Strategies and Consulting, Ashly supports parents and educators with IEP/504 consulting, offering customized activity recommendations based on thorough evaluations. Her background also includes serving as a Preschool/Kindergarten Teacher, Early Childhood Evaluator, and the owner/teacher at Puddle Jumpers Preschool, where she developed tailored curricula for children with varying abilities.
Ashly believes in creating inclusive and supportive learning environments where all students can thrive. She is committed to empowering students by integrating the latest educational research and technology into her teaching approach. Beyond her professional roles, Ashly enjoys reading, photography, and traveling with her family, discovering new places through their military life. She is continuously striving to improve her expertise to make a lasting, positive impact on education.
Connect with MHA
Website: https://militaryhomeschoolers.org/
Instagram: @military_homeschoolers
Facebook: @militaryhomeschoolersassociation
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