S11 E3 Understanding Bullying: A Personal Journey and Call for Change with Kayla Taylor
TTim VillegasSep 21, 2023 at 1:04 pm47min
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00:00Kayla Taylor
When I picked my daughter up at school, the whole class was late. And the parents were annoyed. And then we started to get worried. And then they finally did come out. And my daughter took my hand as we walked away. And she said, you know, sorry, we're late mom. Some kids created an I hate Hana club. And the teacher needed to keep us after to talk about kindness. And she said this so matter of factly. But Hannah is my daughter, the exact child holding my hand. And it was at that point that I realized I needed to get educated fast.
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00:36Tim Villegas
Hi, friends. I'm Tim Vegas from the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education and you're listening to think inclusive, our podcast that brings you conversations about inclusive education, and what inclusion looks like in the real world. We are already at episode three of season 11. So here's a quick recap. Episode One was with the one and only Dr. Shelley Moore. We talked about inclusion in secondary schools. Episode Two was with the amazing Andrea Teesha Fitzgerald, and we talked about the connection between anti racism and UDL. Today we have a guest that is going to speak on a topic that we have not covered nearly enough. Kayla Taylor, is a best selling writer, researcher, advocate and parent dedicated to raising awareness and addressing crucial issues affecting families and vulnerable individuals. Her book canaries among us blends poignant storytelling with groundbreaking scientific research, showcasing her passion for empowering families. For this episode, Kayla discusses her book, which explores the experiences of raising a child with learning differences, bullying and anxiety. She emphasizes the importance of sharing these stories to create a sense of community and support for families facing similar challenges. Kayla also delves into the complexities of bullying, the power dynamics involved, and the long term effects on both the targets and the children who exhibit bullying behaviors. She provides insights into effective ways to address bullying and create a more inclusive and caring environment in schools. Kala encourages educators to value and celebrate the differences of all learners, empowering them to reach their full potential. Thank you so much to our incredible sponsor for this week's episode, changing perspectives, an international nonprofit that partners with schools and districts to create inclusive and equitable learning communities for all students. They offer customizable teacher trainings, family workshops, and curriculum resources. They've already helped over 300,000 students, 12,000 teachers, and 500 schools. Visit their website at changing perspectives now.org To learn more, and schedule a free meeting. We've got a great conversation for you today. Make sure you hang around till the end of the interview to hear this week's mystery question. And for free time this week. Something come pletely different after a short break my interview with Kayla Taylor.
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03:52Tim Villegas
Kayla Taylor, welcome to the think conclusive podcasts.
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03:55Kayla Taylor
And thanks so much for having me. I'm honored to be here.
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03:59Tim Villegas
So you have a book called canaries among us. And it's a fantastic book. And the writing is so well done. And that the reason I bring that happens because sometimes I think memoirs are that memoir style of writing. You don't always know what to expect, but you like, we're going to get into the big story behind it, and why he wrote the book. But I just want to let our listeners know that if you pick this book up, you're not going to want to put it down.
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04:35Kayla Taylor
Thank you, Tim, though, in a way that's a little hard to hear. Because as you know by now it's a really vulnerable story. There are several times I almost pulled the presses on it because it is so personal to me and my family. But I did it ultimately because I felt like if we don't tell these stories, nothing will ever change. And so often the story or this self help book or the memoir comes out 20 or 30 years after the fact. But I think you lose some of the emotionality of it you, you know, when you look back on things, 30 years later, it's easier to paint yourself in a more beautiful light, as if you understood everything as it was happening. I mean, it's hard not to use your current understanding to repaint your past experience. I just knew how alone I felt in my experience, and I wanted other families to feel less alone. So I just decided to go for it and do that vulnerable thing and put it out there and with a goal of hoping other people will feel less alone.
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