All Kids Can Podcast

Setting Kids Up For Success With Montessori Education

In this episode of The All Kids Can Podcast, Kristy chats with educator and mum, Shirona Lowe. Shirona shares her experience navigating education with her neurodivergent daughter, he experience with homeschooling and Montessori learning. We discuss inclusive learning environment looks like, how Montessori education can support children with ADHD, autism, or dyslexia, and what to do when your child starts refusing school. What We Talk About: * The red flags when school isn't working * Shirona’s first-hand experience with school refusal * What Montessori is (and isn’t) * How the right environment can mask or magnify a child’s learning needs * The role of trauma-informed practice in early childhood education * Why inclusion shouldn’t mean pushing every child into the same model * Shirona’s plans for creating inclusive kindy options Resources & Links Mentioned: * Montessori Course [https://seemelearning.teachable.com/l/products?sortKey=created_at&sortDirection=asc&page=1] (Usually $89 - free for All Kids Can Podcast listeners!) Just use the code ALLKIDSCAN at the checkout. 🔗 Connect with Shirona Lowe: * See Me Website [https://seemelearning.teachable.com/]  * See Me Learning Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/seemelearning.now/] ❤️ Rate, Review & Follow: This podcast takes a lot of time and heart to produce, and we do it all for free to support families like yours. If you found this episode helpful, the best way to say thanks is to leave a rating and review. It really helps us reach more parents who need this support. 🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so that you never miss an episode! Does you child need literacy support?  Our Phonics Club is for families who want to access high quality structured phonics lessons at home in their own time, with additional 1:1 email support and live monthly online kids classes. Enrolments are by application only so that we can make sure that this is the right fit for your family. 💖 Click below if you'd like to learn more.  www.allkidscan.com.au/apply [http://www.allkidscan.com.au/apply]

Wayfinders: It’s not a school - it’s what comes next

Sara Hocking is back on the podcast to share her bold new vision for education, Wayfinders.  It’s not a school - it’s what comes next. After years of advocating for families through her business See Beyond, Sara is building something radically different. Wayfinders is designed from the ground up to meet the needs of neurodivergent learners and children who simply don’t fit the current school moulds. In this inspiring chat, Sara and Kristy dive into what this new model looks like, who it’s for, and why our traditional education system is no longer working. In This Episode: * What Wayfinders is, and why Sarah refuses to call it a school * How Wayfinders will be designed around strengths, not deficits * The problem with standardised assessment and what real learning can look like * AI, multi-age classrooms, and project-based learning: How innovation is front and centre * Creating a nurturing, home-like learning space that truly supports kids * How you can help: board roles and community involvement * The emotional reason Sara keeps pushing forward, despite the hurdles Resources & Links: * Learn more about Wayfinders: http://www.wayfindersau.org/ [http://www.wayfindersau.org/] * Follow Wayfinders on Facebook [http://www.facebook.com/wayfindersau] * Email Sara: sara@seebeyondau.org [sara@seebeyondau.org] Rate, Review & Follow This podcast is created with love to support families like yours. If you found this episode valuable, please take a moment to rate and review the show, it really helps us reach more parents who need this support. ❤️Thank you! Does you child need literacy support?  Our Phonics Club is for families who want to access high quality structured phonics lessons at home in their own time, with additional 1:1 email support and live monthly online kids classes. Enrolments are by application only so that we can make sure that this is the right fit for your family. 💖 Click below if you'd like to learn more.  www.allkidscan.com.au/apply [http://www.allkidscan.com.au/apply]

Advocating for Neurodivergent Kids in a System That’s Failing Them

In this powerful episode, Kristy is joined by Sara Hocking, founder of See Beyond and a fierce advocate for neurodivergent children. With a background in both American and Australian education systems, Sara shares her eye-opening experience navigating Australian schools and the alarming systemic gaps in support for children with learning disabilities. Together, Kristy and Sara unpack the realities facing parents of kids with dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning differences, especially when it comes to advocacy, reasonable adjustments, and IEPs. From confronting school resistance to empowering families with the right language and tools, this is a must-listen for any parent struggling to get their child the help they need. What You'll Learn in This Episode: * Why Sara started See Beyond and what she discovered working in Australian schools * The difference in teacher training between the US and Australia, and why it matters * What to do when your child isn’t getting the support they need at school * How to advocate effectively: keywords, strategies, and when (and how) to escalate * The truth about Individual Education Plans (IEPs) in Australia  * Why a diagnosis isn’t required for support, and how to use the word “impute” * The reality of pulling kids out of school for private intervention * A sneak peek at Sara’s next big project: Wayfinders—"not a school... but what comes next." Resources & Links Mentioned: * Disability Standards for Education – Fact Sheet 2  [https://www.education.gov.au/swd/resources/fact-sheet-2-disability-standards-education-2005] * Dyslexia and the Law Code Read Fact Sheet [https://codereadnetwork.org/?attachment_id=698] * See Beyond Resources Page  [https://seebeyondau.org/resources] Connect with Sara Hocking: * Sara Hocking – See Beyond Website  [http://www.seebeyondau.org/] * See Beyond Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/see.beyond.education/] * See Beyond Facebook [http://www.facebook.com/seebeyondeducation]  ❤️ Rate, Review & Follow This podcast takes a lot of time and heart to produce, and we do it all for free to support families like yours. If you found this episode helpful, the best way to say thanks is to leave a rating and review. It really helps us reach more parents who need this support.  🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe or follow the podcast so you never miss an episode! Does you child need literacy support?  Our Phonics Club is for families who want to access high quality structured phonics lessons at home in their own time, with additional 1:1 email support and live monthly online kids classes. Enrolments are by application only so that we can make sure that this is the right fit for your family. 💖 Click below if you'd like to learn more.  www.allkidscan.com.au/apply [http://www.allkidscan.com.au/apply]

Parenting Smarter, Not Harder with Human Design

They say that kids don't come with instruction manuals but human design advocates might disagree with that! In today’s episode, Kristy chats with Fiona Lindberg, a Human Design guide and parent, about how understanding your family's unique energetic makeup can dramatically improve relationships at home. After decades behind the camera as a photographer, Fiona found Human Design and never looked back. Her deep dive into this framework has not only transformed her life, but also the way she parents—and today she shares why knowing your child’s design can make such a powerful difference in how you support and connect with them. What We Cover in This Episode: * What Human Design actually is (in parent-friendly language) * How Human Design can improve your connection with your kids * Why awareness of your child’s design can reduce stress and conflict at home * Understanding emotional authority vs. sacral authority—and how that plays out in families * How Projectors, Generators, and Manifesting Generators all experience energy differently * Why some kids struggle in traditional systems—and what to do about it * Practical ways to support your child based on their design * The power of validation and acceptance for both parent and child * Why Human Design isn’t about fixing, but honouring how we’re each uniquely built Resources Mentioned: * Free chart generator: geneticmatrix.com [https://geneticmatrix.com] * Fiona’s website: https://www.beingseenhumandesign.com [https://www.beingseenhumandesign.com] * Instagram: @being.seen.human.design [https://www.instagram.com/being.seen.human.design/] * Email: fiona@beingseenhumandesign.com [fiona@beingseenhumandesign.com] * Use the code ALLKIDSCAN for 10% off any Human Design session with Fiona ❤️ Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with a fellow parent who might love this insight too. Don’t forget to subscribe - as a Generator by design, this fires me up and helps me create more for families that need it! Does you child need literacy support?  Our Phonics Club is for families who want to access high quality structured phonics lessons at home in their own time, with additional 1:1 email support and live monthly online kids classes. Enrolments are by application only so that we can make sure that this is the right fit for your family. 💖 Click below if you'd like to learn more.  www.allkidscan.com.au/apply [http://www.allkidscan.com.au/apply]

Setting Up for Literacy Success in the Early Years

In today’s episode, Kristy chats with Del from The Little Reading Nest, an early literacy specialist based in the UK, about what parents can do at home to set their kids up for success with reading and spelling, right from the start. With over 10 years of experience and a background as a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo), Del & Kristy share practical and realistic advice for parents, including: What We Cover in This Episode: * What is phonological vs. phonemic awareness, and why it matters * When and how to start phonics instruction at home * Why structured, progressive phonics is so important * The role of oral blending and segmenting in early literacy * How to make phonics fun and embedded in daily life * The truth about tricky words, high-frequency words, and sight words * Multisensory activities that actually work (like movement, music and magnifying glass word hunts!) * How to avoid common mistakes parents make when teaching phonics * Encouragement for parents who feel unsure or overwhelmed Resources Mentioned: * Del’s curriculum: Phonics at Home (The Little Reading Nest [http://www.thelittlereadingnest.co.uk]) Connect with Dell: * Instagram: @thelittlereadingnest Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with a fellow parent or educator who’d find it helpful. And don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations just like this one. ❤️ Does you child need literacy support?  Our Phonics Club is for families who want to access high quality structured phonics lessons at home in their own time, with additional 1:1 email support and live monthly online kids classes. Enrolments are by application only so that we can make sure that this is the right fit for your family. 💖 Click below if you'd like to learn more.  www.allkidscan.com.au/apply [http://www.allkidscan.com.au/apply]