Shows
Falling for Learning PodcastTeacher Appreciation: Teachers Who Shaped My Future | Ep. 98Send us a textT.D. Flenaugh celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week by highlighting four influential teachers who shaped her life. She praises Mr. Beu for instilling potential and honesty, Ms. Nelson for treating students as scholars and preparing her for college, Ms. Coerr for fostering a love for nature and journaling, and Ms. Byler for her meticulous editing of scholarship essays and introducing her to Zora Neale Hurston. Flenaugh emphasizes the importance of teachers in preparing students for life and encourages parents to support their children's education. Support the showWe drop new e...2025-05-1132 minFalling for Learning PodcastEasy Ways to Boost Your Child's Concentration | Episode 97Send us a textTD Flenaugh discusses the importance of stamina for children's academic success, particularly during end-of-year testing. She emphasizes the need for children to develop the ability to focus for extended periods, suggesting incremental practice starting from early grades. Flenaugh recommends daily reading sessions, think-aloud activities, and tracking progress with charts. For middle schoolers, she advises book talks and timed reading sprints. High school students should engage in practice tests and structured study sessions. She also highlights the significance of perseverance and the use of brain breaks and note-taking systems to enhance concentration and learning...2025-05-0429 minFalling for Learning PodcastRewrite the Future: Education, AI, and Student Success | Episode 95Send us a textT.D. Flenaugh discusses integrating AI into the writing process, using tools like Otter AI and ChatGPT. Chat GPT assisted in categorizing expenses for taxes and creating a book cover. Flenaugh emphasizes responsible AI use, particularly in education, through a collaborative project with the California Writing Project. Students use AI to enhance their writing, but Flenaugh stresses the importance of maintaining personal intelligence over AI-generated content. The approach involves using AI for revision and feedback, while ensuring students understand the value of their own creativity and critical thinking skills. Support the s...2025-04-2022 minFalling for Learning PodcastHow the GED Could Be a Path to Success | Episode 94Send us a textEducational expert Tauanja Kittrell and host, TD Flenaugh, discuss the General Educational Development (GED) test, explaining its history, purpose, and structure. The GED, developed in the 1940s, is a four-subject test (English, science, math, social studies) that can lead to a high school equivalency. Flenaugh highlights the financial benefits of obtaining a GED, noting an average income increase of $9,000 annually. Contact Tauanja Kittrell for GED Prep - pursuingpossibleprllc@gmail.comShe is a premier GED Prep coach. Kittrell emphasizes the importance of vocational training and entrepreneurship. She shares her extensive b...2025-04-1321 minFalling for Learning PodcastLearning Fun during the Break | Episode 92Send us a textBuy the bookset - The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method & The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method Workbook In episode 92, T.D. Flenaugh discusses strategies for keeping learning fun during breaks. She emphasizes the importance of giving children choices in their learning activities, such as gamifying tasks and setting achievable goals. She also suggests using resources like libraries and YouTube for learning new skills, such as cooking, baking, or building. Flenaugh also highlights the value of documenting and sharing the learning process with family and friends. S...2025-03-3023 minFalling for Learning PodcastCritical Thinking & Consumer Awareness: A Deep Dive into Research Skills | Ep. 91Send us a textTD Flenaugh discusses the importance of researching issues that matter personally and sharing these methods with children to foster critical thinking and informed decision-making. She highlights the dangers of synthetic braiding hair, citing a Consumer Reports investigation that found carcinogens in all 10 synthetic hair products tested. Flenaugh emphasizes the need to evaluate source credibility, avoid sponsored content, and cross-verify information from multiple sources. Flenaugh also stresses the importance of building lifelong research skills and applying critical thinking to make informed choices.Support the showWe drop new episodes every...2025-03-2325 minFalling for Learning PodcastDecodable Passages to Build Fluency | Episode 90Send us a textGet The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method and The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method Workbook!TD Flenaugh discusses the importance of decodable passages and repeated readings to build reading fluency in children. Decodable passages contain spelling patterns children have learned, such as "cr" and "fr." Flenaugh emphasizes the need for multiple reads to help children recognize and sound out words. She suggests marking up the text with different colors or symbols to highlight patterns. Flenaugh also mentions the importance of reading like speaking and modeling...2025-03-1624 minFalling for Learning PodcastThe Shifting Parent Relationship: For Parents of High Schoolers | Episode 87Send us a textFalling for Learning Podcast Episode 87 features Melida Haye, a veteran educator, who discusses her journey from Panama to the U.S., where she pursued a career in education despite her parents' initial aspirations for her to become a doctor. She emphasizes the importance of listening to children's interests and supporting their choices, even if they differ from parents' expectations. Haye highlights the significance of self-care and professional development, sharing her experience at a writing retreat that helped her combat burnout and rediscover her passion for teaching. She advises parents to actively listen, support...2025-02-2330 minFalling for Learning PodcastConsonant Blends & Sight Words for Reading Development | Episode 86Send us a textTD Flenaugh discusses strategies for teaching children to read fluently, focusing on consonant blends (CR and FR) and sight words from the Dolch 1000 word list. The episode emphasizes the importance of blending sounds in words and using decodable text to help children recognize patterns and improve reading fluency. Practical activities include oral blending and segmenting of words, letter-sound correspondence, and using pictures to aid second language learners. The passage "Fun at the Crab Pit" is used to illustrate these techniques, encouraging children to sound out words and read with expression. The goal is...2025-02-1628 minFalling for Learning PodcastSight Words to Support Reading Development | Episode 85Send us a textResources Buy T.D.'s book bundle - The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method and The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method Workbook Get sight words for your reader - https://superstarworksheets.com/sight-words/fry-sight-words/TD Flenaugh discusses the importance of sight words, specifically Fry's sight words, for reading fluency. The podcast aims to help parents and caregivers with resources and strategies for their children's learning. Flenaugh explains that sight words should be recognized automatically and emphasizes the need for consistency i...2025-02-0928 minFalling for Learning PodcastBlack College Expo & Battle of the Bands | Episode 84Send us a textSupport the showWe drop new episodes every Saturday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. Follow us: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fallingforlearning/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fallingforlearning/https://linktr.ee/falling4learning2025-02-0222 minFalling for Learning PodcastTest Ready Writing Strategies | Episode 83Send us a textSupport the showWe drop new episodes every Saturday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. Follow us: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fallingforlearning/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fallingforlearning/https://linktr.ee/falling4learning2025-01-2627 minFalling for Learning PodcastWord Families to Improve Reading Fluency | Episode 82Send us a textTD Flenaugh discusses strategies for improving children's reading fluency through word families. The episode focuses on the CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) pattern, emphasizing the use of short vowel sounds, and the concept of "magic E." Flenaugh introduces -ID and -IDE words, explaining how children can recognize patterns to read more efficiently. The importance of reading connected text and sight words is highlighted, along with the use of tools like ChatGPT and Project Read AI for creating decodable passages. Get your book bundle The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method...2025-01-2023 minFalling for Learning PodcastBuild Reading Fluency with Word Families | Episode 82Send us a textSupport the showWe drop new episodes every Saturday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. Follow us: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fallingforlearning/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fallingforlearning/https://linktr.ee/falling4learning2025-01-1923 minFalling for Learning PodcastTrauma Informed Parenting: Support Children with Emotional Problems | Episode 81Send us a textBook: Signed Copy [https://bit.ly/signed-copy-hamm] & Amazon [https://a.co/d/i1NrP35].Parent-Child Relationship Card Deck: https://bit.ly/parentingrelationshipFacebook Community [Mastering Meltdown Moments with Megan] - https://www.facebook.com/share/1DTYatpmkF/Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/meganhamm-lpcInstagram & Tik Tok: @meganhammlpcMegan M. Hamm, a licensed professional counselor and registered play therapist, discusses trauma-informed therapy and mental health awareness, particularly for children. She...2025-01-1245 minFalling for Learning PodcastSolve Reading Challenges (Part 2) with Structured Literacy - Episode 80Send us a textTD Flenaugh discusses structured literacy, emphasizing its effectiveness in teaching 95% of students to read. The podcast aims to support parents and teachers in improving literacy skills. The lesson plan, divided into two 30-minute sessions, focuses on the short "o" sound using CVC and CVCC words. Activities include word work, word sorting, and reading connected text. Key strategies involve sounding out words, using cards, and hands-on activities. The importance of sight words and high-frequency words is highlighted, with a recommendation to introduce 3-5 per week. To create your own passages that connect...2025-01-0524 minFalling for Learning PodcastCutting College Costs: Moves to Make Now | Episode 79Send us a textDon't overpay for college! Buy The College Cost Cutter's resources now!OrderThePlaybook.comCollegeCostCutter.comFinancialAidByDesign.com (FAFSA workshop on Jan. 12)Connect with LaTonja Muhammad on Socials:www.facebook.com/CollegeCostCutterwww.linkedin.com/company/college-cost-cutter/?viewAsMember=truewww.youtube.com/@CollegeCostCutter-k3rLaTonja Muhammad is a guest on Falling for Learning Podcast episode 79. Muhammad is a certified college funding specialist, on the Falling for Learning Podcast to discuss strategies for paying for college. LaTonja emphasizes the importance of starting early, even...2024-12-2927 minFalling for Learning PodcastSolving Reading Challenges With Structured Literacy: Episode 78Send us a textWatch episode 76 on Letter Sound Blending - https://youtu.be/MU2t1DHD8VM?si=30GAWCGO6Xxnnt8N.TD Flenaugh discusses structured literacy, a method aligned with the science of reading, aimed at solving reading issues in 95% of children if practiced systematically five days a week. This episode involves four of the 8 stages of structured literacy: phonological awareness, reviewing letter sounds, letter sound blending (decoding) , and encoding (dictation). TERMSPhonological awareness focuses on manipulating sounds in words, which includes the highest stage of phonemic awareness.2024-12-2230 minFalling for Learning PodcastRestorative Justice: How to Get Kids to Get Along - Episode 77Send us a textFalling for Learning Episode 77 focuses on the journey into education for Restorative Justice Teacher, James Riley. Check out his YouTube Channels - https://www.youtube.com/c/mrrileysworld and https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinPaliFootball. Purchase the Falling for Learning Book Bundle by T.D. Flenaugh - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW18L9GQ?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbkSupport the showWe drop new episodes every Saturday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. Follow us: Instagram - https://www.instagram.c...2024-12-1545 minFalling for Learning PodcastReading Techniques That Work: Blending 101 - Ep. 76Send us a textFalling for Learning Podcast episode 76 focuses on Letter Sound Blending, a key technique in helping children learn how to read fluently.Purchase the Falling for Learning Book Bundle by T.D. Flenaugh - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW18L9GQ?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbkSupport the showWe drop new episodes every Saturday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. Follow us: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fallingforlearning/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fallingforlearning/https://linktr...2024-12-0830 minFalling for Learning PodcastFun Family Activities to Build Bonds - Episode 75Send us a textTD Flenaugh discusses the importance of engaging in screen-free family activities during holidays to build bonds and teach children about culture. She shares personal experiences, such as playing spades and dominoes, cracking nuts, and cooking together. Flenaugh emphasizes the value of cleaning together while sharing music, teaching kids to appreciate family traditions, and involving them in shopping and gift-giving. She also suggests creating crafts and having indoor or outdoor camping experiences to foster family time and appreciation. Flenaugh promotes her books, "The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method" and "...2024-12-0129 minFalling for Learning PodcastYour Teen's 1st Job - Episode 74Send us a textSupport the showWe drop new episodes every Saturday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. Follow us: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fallingforlearning/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fallingforlearning/https://linktr.ee/falling4learning2024-11-2428 minFalling for Learning PodcastPerfectionism is Fear: A Guide for Parents - Episode 73Send us a textPerfectionism is FearTD Flenaugh discusses the detrimental effects of perfectionism in children, emphasizing its roots in fear of rejection and inadequacy. Perfectionism can lead to procrastination and hinder children's ability to achieve their dreams. Flenaugh advocates for a growth mindset, where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities, and encourages parents to model their own imperfections. Strategies include predicting and embracing mistakes, discussing personal failures, and fostering a positive outlook. Flenaugh also highlights the importance of self-acceptance and resilience, urging parents to help their children navigate perfectionism early to prevent long-term...2024-11-1731 minFalling for Learning PodcastAgreeing to Disagree: A Guide for Parents | Episode 72Send us a textTD Flenaugh discusses the importance of teaching teens to handle disagreements productively, emphasizing respect, empathy, and clear communication. Key strategies include understanding friends' personalities, avoiding public arguments, and advocating for changes respectfully. For conflicts with authority figures, private discussions are recommended. Flenaugh highlights the need for self-preservation and the ability to revisit conversations when calm. The conversation also touches on the importance of writing skills and advocating for oneself, especially in situations of bias or discrimination. Practical advice includes role-playing, understanding rights, and knowing when to walk away from unproductive discussions....2024-11-1028 minFalling for Learning PodcastLearning & Loving Science | Episode 71Send us a textTD Flenaugh and Tauanja Kittrell, STEM professional and educator, discuss strategies for encouraging children to pursue science and technology careers. Kittrell, with a background in fire services and forensics, emphasizes the importance of practical applications of science in everyday life, such as understanding clothing materials and their impact on health. She suggests activities like scavenger hunts, cooking experiments, and visiting local museums and manufacturing sites to foster curiosity. Kittrell also advises parents to engage in their children's education and to expose them to various career paths beyond traditional STEM fields. She highlights resources...2024-11-0337 minFalling for Learning PodcastDating & Romantic Relationships: for Parents of TeensSend us a textTD Flenaugh discusses the importance of parents guiding their teenagers on dating and relationships. She emphasizes that children will receive advice from someone, either from trusted adults or peers, and stresses the need for parents to be that source. Flenaugh highlights the dangers of not being involved, such as children seeking advice from untrustworthy sources and engaging in risky behaviors. She advises parents to focus on qualities like responsibility and trustworthiness rather than just looks. Additionally, she addresses issues like nude selfies, extortion, and the long-term impact of online presence, urging open communication...2024-10-2733 minFalling for Learning PodcastCareer Exploration Mistakes Parents Make with Kids | Episode 69Send us a textPurchase the books The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method and The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method Workbook by TD Flenaugh to help children improve their writing skills Get Rooted in Joy by Deonna Smith Register for the With Different Eyes Conference hosted by the UCLA Writing Project! TD Flenaugh discusses the importance of early career exploration for children, emphasizing that it should start by age 10. She advocates for exposing children to various activities, skills, and experiences to help them discover their t...2024-10-2028 minFalling for Learning PodcastSTOP Letting Rejection Keep Your Kids from Success | Episode 68Send us a textPurchase the books "The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method" and "The R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method Workbook" by TD Flenaugh to help children improve their writing skills.Get Rooted in Joy by Deonna Smith Register for the "With Different Eyes" Conference hosted by the UCLA Writing Project, where TD Flenaugh will be a presenter and host a book signing.TD Flenaugh discusses the importance of teaching children to write and express themselves, emphasizing the Rewrite Method and Workbook. The...2024-10-1329 minFalling for Learning PodcastGame-Changing Strategies to Support Your Child's Learning | Episode 67Send us a textTD Flenaugh discusses the importance of supporting children's learning journeys without shaming them for not knowing something. She emphasizes the need for patience, positive reinforcement, and recognizing children's efforts. Flenaugh highlights the issue of labeling and over-referring black and brown children to special education, urging parents to seek help when their children are behind academically. She stresses the importance of independent work and the potential negative outcomes if children lack basic skills. Flenaugh also advises parents to invest time or money in their children's education and to advocate for their needs in special...2024-10-0629 minFalling for Learning PodcastSchool Quality | Episode 66Send us a textThanks for watching! PLEASE LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE! Be sure to get your book set of the R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method and Workbook at https://fallingforlearning.com!In this episode of Falling for Learning Podcast, TD Flenaugh discusses a parent's concern about their children's school, highlighting issues such as lack of teacher assistants, small classrooms, and low school ratings. Flenaugh advises parents to follow the chain of command: teacher, school leadership, and district as well as visiting the school and conducting classroom observations. She emphasizes...2024-09-2932 min