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Diverse Thinking Different Learning

Diverse Thinking Different Learning

By: Karen Wilson
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 Diverse Thinking · Different Learning, a ChildNEXUS podcast, is hosted by pediatric neuropsychologist, mom of two, and ChildNEXUS founder Dr. Karen Wilson. Each week, Dr. Wilson provides support and guidance for parents raising kids with learning differences. Diverse Thinking · Different Learning features informative and inspiring interviews with top experts in their fields, and gives parents and educators the tools and takeaways they need to better understand neurodivergence, learning disabilities, and youth mental health. This podcast informs offers actionable advice to help diverse learners and children with unique needs reach their fullest potential. Parents of diverse learners or children with mental health challenges can access vetted information and connect with qualified professionals at https://www.childnexus.com/.ChildNEXUS.com Parenting & Families Relationships
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Episodes
  • Ep. 235: Why Stress Sabotages Learning and How Parents and Educators Can Help with Jerome Schultz, PhD

    Ep. 235: Why Stress Sabotages Learning and How Parents and Educators Can Help with Jerome Schultz, PhD
    May 6 2025
    We are happy to welcome Dr. Jerome "Jerry" Schultz to Diverse Thinking Different Learning this week. Dr. Schultz is a clinical neuropsychologist and lecturer at Harvard Medical School with nearly four decades of experience working with children and young adults with learning and behavioral challenges. A former special education teacher and author of Nowhere to Hide, he has held academic positions at several universities, directed multiple clinics, and maintained a private practice in Wellesley, MA for over three decades. He holds degrees from Ohio State and Boston College and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology at Tufts Medical Center. Dr. Schultz joins us today to talk about stress - not your everyday kind of frustrations, but the kind that keeps kids awake at night and makes school feel unbearable. Dr. Schultz discusses the significant impact of stress on children’s learning and behavior, revealing the difference between tolerable stress, which is manageable, and toxic stress, which can disrupt a child’s ability to think and learn effectively. We explore how toxic stress can alter brain function, leaving children in a constant state of alert and fear, making everyday tasks like schoolwork feel overwhelming. As we dig into the science behind stress, Dr. Schultz offers some great insights into how to help kids build confidence and resilience, highlighting the importance of framing challenges in a way that helps kids see their own strengths and capabilities. He also discusses how well-meaning encouragement (such as “I know you can do this!”) can backfire by actually adding pressure, and with real-life examples, including strategies for parents and educators, we reveal how small changes in approach (such as helping kids break tasks into manageable pieces or allowing time for a quick break) can lead to a more productive and less stressful learning environment. This episode of the show offers strategies that can help children overcome stress and set them up for long-term success, both in and out of the classroom. Show Notes: [2:37] - Dr. Schultz explains that stress is a natural response that helps protect us from perceived danger, though it’s evolved. [4:36] - Stress varies between individuals, with toxic stress being long-term and damaging to mental health. [7:07] - Learn how stress impacts learning and how well-meaning encouragement can backfire by increasing pressure on struggling kids. [10:58] - Parents and teachers need practical strategies to support kids experiencing stress. [11:28] - Dr. Schultz discusses how kids' reactions to tasks depend on their belief in success. [14:59] - Rating task difficulty and ability helps kids assess challenges and match them with their capabilities. [16:41] - To recap, Dr. Schultz explains that matching task difficulty and confidence helps kids manage stress and build self-esteem via success. [19:23] - When students feel overwhelmed, breaking tasks into smaller parts can help reset their confidence and mindset. [21:54] - Success enhances brain chemistry, while failure creates a negative mindset that can heighten stress. [23:53] - Dr. Schultz gives an example of coaches using video feedback to correct errors. [25:47] - Dr. Schultz argues that a student's readiness and willingness to complete a task depend on timing and emotional state. [28:31] - Increased pressure on teachers and difficult curricula contribute to stress in both students and educators. [31:06] - Meditation in schools improves behavior and academics, offering students an important time to relax. [33:07] - Dr. Schultz points out that engaging kids in creating their own relaxation strategies helps them more effectively manage stress. Links and Related Resources: Episode 8: Mindfulness with Dr. Kathleen Carroll-Wray Episode 28: Why We Need to Celebrate and Continue to Build Our Kids’ Resilience Episode 54: Managing Family Stress and Anxiety with Dr. Stephanie Mihalas Jerome J. Schultz - Nowhere to Hide: Why Kids with ADHD and LD Hate School and What We Can Do About It Connect with Us: Get on our Email List Book a Consultation Get Support and Connect with a ChildNEXUS Provider Register for Our Self-Paced Mini Courses: Support for Parents Who Have Children with ADHD, Anxiety, or Dyslexia Connect with Jerome Schultz, PhD: Dr. Schultz on Understood Dr. Schultz on LinkedIn
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    37 mins
  • Ep. 234: Understanding and Addressing Math Anxiety with Aditya Nagrath, PhD

    Ep. 234: Understanding and Addressing Math Anxiety with Aditya Nagrath, PhD
    Apr 29 2025
    This week on Diverse Thinking Different Learning, we welcome Dr. Aditya Nagrath. Dr. Nagrath is the founder of Elephant Learning Mathematics Academy and helps students overcome math anxiety, rapidly advancing their skills with just ten minutes of practice a few times a week. He holds a PhD in Mathematics and Computer Sciences and has over three decades of experience as a software engineer, entrepreneur, author, and speaker, working on a wide range of projects from atomic clocks to mobile apps. Dr. Nagrath joins us for this episode to discuss mathematics anxiety - where it comes from, how it’s misunderstood, how to address it and more. A child’s early struggles with math are not always just academic but are also emotional and potentially even life-changing. Dr. Nagrath draws from his rich background in math, computer science, and education to help us break down why so many students begin falling behind in math as early as kindergarten and how early delays often snowball into years of lost confidence, missed opportunities, and career shifts away from math-intensive fields. This isn’t just about numbers or curriculum, however. As Dr. Nagrath explains, math anxiety is often rooted in beliefs such as “I’m not a math person” - beliefs that can trigger lifelong avoidance and reinforce themselves with every uncomfortable encounter with numbers. This is truly a vicious circle that hinders growth and learning well into adulthood. The conversation challenges the common misconception that disliking math is harmless. How early numeracy can actually influence language development, how adult comments can unconsciously pass limiting beliefs to children, and why literacy-focused initiatives may be unintentionally crowding out math readiness. Dr. Nagrath also tells us about Elephant Learning, a tech-based platform that adapts to each student’s comprehension level and uses gamified learning to rebuild mathematical confidence from the ground up. This episode serves as a reminder that math isn’t just a subject but a gateway and that what we do (or, for that matter, don’t do) in the earliest years can shape far more than just test scores. Show Notes: [2:22] - Dr. Aditya Nagrath explains how working with Elephant Learning revealed that minor complaints often mask deeper math anxiety. [5:05] - The belief that "I'm not a math person" stalls effort and future academic/career opportunities. [7:09] - Similar to AI training, learning depends on the meanings that we assign to experiences and challenges. [9:53] - Hear how Dr. Nagrath defines mathematics anxiety. [12:11] - Dr. Nagrath argues that many students' unresolved early math gaps snowball, derailing STEM careers and impacting the economy. [15:48] - Dr. Nagrath also asserts that Algebra is essential because it introduces written mathematics that are needed for interpreting the modern world. [17:40] - Hear how preschool math practice improves children's future reading, writing, and speaking abilities. [19:41] - Dr. Nagrath uses a basketball analogy to demonstrate that practicing math is essential because no alternative "game" exists. [21:46] - Dr. Nagrath explains that Elephant Learning builds math skills by meeting students at their comprehension level with gamified learning. [24:01] - By mapping standards to age levels, Elephant Learning helps students visualize progress. [27:18] - Because of deeply rooted self-doubt, overcoming math anxiety later in life tends to be more difficult. [28:44] - Dr. Nagrath stresses that problem-solving, like basketball, improves with practice rather than innate intelligence. [31:00] - Modern demands require deeper, language-like mathematical understanding. Links and Related Resources: Episode 59: What Is Dyscalculia (AKA Math Disorder)? with Monica Grillo Episode 60: A Multisensory Intervention for Kids Who Struggle with Math with Adrianne MeldrumElephant LearningElephant Learning - K-12 School Solutions Treating Mathematics Anxiety: Inclusive Strategies for Working with Students Exhibiting Mathematics Anxiety Connect with Us: Get on our Email ListBook a Consultation Get Support and Connect with a ChildNEXUS ProviderRegister for Our Self-Paced Mini Courses: Support for Parents Who Have Children with ADHD, Anxiety, or Dyslexia Connect with Aditya Nagrath, PhD: Dr. Nagrath’s LinkedIn ProfileEmail: anagrath@elephantheadsoft.comPhone: 303.919.6071
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    36 mins
  • Ep. 233: Body-Based Interventions for Neurodivergent Students with Megan Beardmore, PhD, NCSP

    Ep. 233: Body-Based Interventions for Neurodivergent Students with Megan Beardmore, PhD, NCSP
    Apr 22 2025
    Joining us this week on Diverse Thinking Different Learning is Dr. Megan Beardmore. Dr. Beardmore is a licensed school psychologist with expertise in assessing and treating children, adolescents, and young adults with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities, as well as co-occurring anxiety and depression. She received her training at the University of Arizona, completed a postdoctoral fellowship at The Help Group, and worked at UCLA’s Center for Autism Research. She uses evidence-based therapies such as CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and breathwork to support emotional regulation and foster the mind-body connection. Dr. Beardmore returns from episode 119 to discuss what happens when traditional behavior strategies or even well-known talk therapies simply are not working and to explore what is really going on inside the bodies and brains of neurodivergent kids when emotions run high. Dr. Beardmore helps us unpack the science behind emotional dysregulation. With real-world examples, she breaks down how the autonomic nervous system shapes behavior and why interventions that start with the body rather than the brain can often reach kids when logic and language are not working. Hear how body-based techniques like exhaling, rocking, and self-hugging can offer immediate access to safety and regulation, with our bodies often recognizing safety or danger before our brains even catch up. Also, learn why telling an upset child to “calm down” rarely works. Perhaps most strikingly, Dr. Megan Beardmore shares how small, everyday movements and sensory experiences can help both kids and adults move out of stress and into deeper connection. It’s not about elaborate plans or complicated therapies; it’s about practical and easily accessible tools that speak the body’s language. Whether you're a caregiver, educator, or clinician, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on supporting emotional regulation through science, empathy, and some surprisingly simple strategies. Show Notes: [0:07] - The nervous system greatly influences emotional regulation, especially in neurodivergent students, and Dr. Megan Beardmore joins us to address this. [3:15] - Dr. Beardmore explains that, like a seesaw, the autonomic nervous system seeks balance between stress response and calm. [6:50] - Recognizing behaviors as nervous system responses helps caregivers reframe them as unintentional and not defiant. [8:53] - Since 80% of signals travel body-to-brain, somatic techniques calm emotional overload effectively. [11:38] - Somatic tools, Dr. Beardmore explains, bypass logic, offering kids faster emotional regulation when reasoning is not accessible. [14:27] - Hear how deep breaths and movement-based strategies calm the nervous system by signaling safety. [17:53] - Parents can use these tools to regulate themselves and their child’s nervous system during struggles. [18:32] - Learn how adults modeling self-regulation help children through mirror neurons. [19:39] - To emerge from a “freeze state,” movement, grounding, and heat gradually increase energy and activation. [22:48] - Accessible strategies that don't require fancy equipment help provide immediate support for nervous system regulation. [23:12] - Simple actions like humming or gargling stimulate the vagus nerve, improving nervous system regulation. [26:41] - Being mindful integrates body awareness and breathing to help manage stress, allowing thoughts to pass naturally. [29:49] - There are various tools which support nervous system health, tailored to body needs in different stress responses. [31:05] - Dr. Beardmore touches upon how curiosity around body responses assists with self-regulation. [34:26] - Asking “How do you feel?” can help kids connect strategies with emotional regulation. [36:22] - Dr. Beardmore argues that empowerment ultimately comes from regulating stress without external tools. Links and Related Resources: Episode 72: Prioritizing Co-Regulation and Self-Regulation in Communication with Danielle G. Kent, M.S., CCC-SLP Episode 119: Autistic Girls Overlooked and Underrecognized with Megan Beardmore, PhD, NCSP Episode 168: 5 Tips for Supporting Neurodivergent Youth Connect with Us: Get on our Email List Book a Consultation Get Support and Connect with a ChildNEXUS Provider Register for Our Self-Paced Mini Courses: Support for Parents Who Have Children with ADHD, Anxiety, or Dyslexia Connect with Dr. Megan Beardmore: Spectrum Psych Dr. Beardmore’s Instagram Page Email: meganbeardmore@spectrumpsychla.com Phone: 424.248.9563
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    39 mins

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