Our Guest: Pam Shanks
Show Notes
Pamela Shanks joins the Voices in Montessori podcast to share information about Cortical Visual Impairment, an underdiagnosed learning difference that affects as many as 1 in 30 children in mainstream classrooms. CVI is often ignored, missed, or misdiagnosed as low vision, behavior problems, or learning disorders. CVI is a neurological visual processing disorder.
While classroom guides are not diagnosticians, you don’t need a diagnosis to begin implementing classroom interventions. Pam will describe what to look for in students struggling with visual processing. Then she shares just a few of the 47 strategies (offered in Chapter 5 of her book alone!) that classroom teachers can use to support students with visual processing challenges. These include simple interventions, such as changing the color of the work rug, showing pictures differently during read aloud time, and pairing visual tasks with motor ones.
Pam’s book, The Montessori Approach to Classroom-Based Interventions: A Handbook for Educators, Administrators, Service Providers, and Familes of Children Whoese Development is Impacted by Delay or Disability, addresses a variety of learning differences and provides a multitude specific strategies to use in the classroom to support students.
About our Guest
Pamela Shanks, M.S.Ed.
Author, The Montessori Approach to Classroom-Based Interventions
Pam Shanks has been involved in both Montessori and special education for her entire teaching career. In addition to her AMS 3-6 credential, Pam earned a master’s degree in special education from the University of Kansas and held licensing for early childhood education, early childhood special education, and severe multiple disabilities while teaching in Kansas. She worked as a lead teacher in a primary classroom at Raintree Montessori School, Lawrence, KS, for over 30 years. She coordinated the program of inclusion at Raintree while also serving as a supervising teacher for graduate practicum students from KU’s department of special education placed at Raintree. She served as a Field Based Consultant for the entire tenure of the Inclusive Network of Kansas (INKS) and was an instructor for the University of East Carolina’s Deafblind Intervener Program for several years. She also served as the Associate Head of School at Bowman School in Palo Alto, CA, supporting Montessori teachers and inclusive education.
Pam’s work culminated in a deep understanding of Montessori pedagogy and inclusive strategies for children who experience disability, learning, and/or behavioral challenges. She currently provides professional development and consultative services for Montessori schools. She is the author of the new book, The Montessori Approach to Classroom-Based Interventions: A Handbook for Educators, Administrators, Service Providers, and Families of Children Whose Development is Impacted by Delay or Disability.
Resources
Connect with Pam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/havethecouragetofollowthechild/
Learn more about CVI: https://www.perkins.org/cvi-now/resource-center/
Alison’s Lowercase Cursive Small Moveable Alphabet (Please type “Voices in Montessori” in the “Order Comments” section when ordering)
The Montessori Approach to Classroom-Based Interventions: A Handbook for Educators, Administrators, Service Providers, and Families of Children Whose Development is Impacted by Delay or Disability by Pamela Shanks, M.S.Ed.
Alison’s Lowercase Cursive Small Moveable Alphabet (Please type “Voices in Montessori” in the “Order Comments” section when ordering)
Voices in Montessori Podcast
Listen and Subscribe
Listen and subscribe where you get your podcasts. Voices in Montessori Podcast can be found on iTunes, Apple Podcast, Samsung Podcast, Podbean, Spotify, Amazon Music, and iHeart Radio.
Stay tuned for our latest episodes.
We invite you to Like, Follow, and Subscribe to get the latest updates from Greenspring Center for Lifelong Learning.
We invite you to join our growing community of educators and leaders! Subscribe to our newsletter and join us on social media to keep up to date on our latest releases.