Bio Notes, Presentations, and more…

I am an Neurodivergent Educator, Writer, Activist, Speaker, and Parent. 

I completed my Doctorate in Education at Simon Fraser University with a focus on connecting disability studies to educational practice. I am currently working with pre-service teachers at the university level, after 30+ years of experience as a public-school teacher, including as a primary teacher, an inclusion resource teacher (K-12), and an SEL (Social Emotional Learning) Helping Teacher. 

I continue to pursue research, focused upon connecting the ideas and concepts of Disability Studies to Educational Practice, and seeking out spaces and opportunities to bring the concepts of critical disability studies to teacher education.

I have additionally worked as a part of the instructional team for Simon Fraser University’s Graduate Field Studies Program “Supporting Diverse Learners,”  which was an exciting opportunity to work in a mentorship role with educators to support them in building their understanding(s) and capacities within the teacher research paradigm and for their own work to support the diverse needs of students in our schools.

I write 30 Days of Autism from the perspective of an Neurodivergent and otherwise disabled educator, and consultant, working with educators, future educators, families, as a parent of an Autistic son (now and adult), and as an disability rights activist.

I find I am writing less often now.  I was working on completing my dissertation, and now I am finishing the final bits on a soon to be released book. That being said, my goal remains to share what I notice and what I am learning about disability, education, pedagogy, parenting, and child development, from a strength-based perspective that encourages and promotes understanding, acceptance, and pride for those who experience and process the world differently.

I believe in kindness, the potential in each of us, and the power of one small voice… (well perhaps not so small… one insistent and passionate voice) to bring about change…

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Workshop and Presentation Topics Include: (soon to be updated)

• Developing Perspective Taking, and  Social & Emotional Understanding with Literacy Activities with Universally Designed Strategies (UDL)  for the inclusive classroom setting 

• Flipping the Table on IEPs: Building collaborative relationships between home & school

• Autism and Neurodiversity: Thinking about Perspectives

• Transition as Process: Supporting Resiliency, Self-Determination and Advocacy in Development

• Strategies for Inclusion in the Regular Education Classroom

• Strategies for Supporting Challenging Behaviours

• Getting Beyond Frazzled: Adlerian Theory and Classroom Management

Upcoming Speaking Engagements: (soon to be updated)

February 2018 – AzTASH Annual Arizona TASH Conference on Inclusive Practices, Phoenix, Arizona – Presentation: Inclusive Practices for Facilitating Positive Social Relationships

Recent Presentations:

April 2015 – CEC (Council for Exceptional Children) Conference, San Diego – Autism Strand Presenter: Preparing Individuals with Autism [sic] for the World of Adulthood  Topic: Transition as Process: Foundational Skills for Self-advocacy, Resiliency, and Self-determination in Autistic Youth

December 2014 – TASH International Conference, Washington, DC – Panel Participant/Presentations: Collaborative Advocacy in Autism Communities: An Inclusive Framework for Social Change and  Social Model of Disability: Reframing Disability In Teacher Education Programs and Classrooms

October 2014 – Edu Talks: Educational Seminars, Vancouver, BC – Presentation: Vectors of Autism and Dear Teacher: Building Social Understanding and Supporting Self-­advocacy for Students on The Autism Spectrum

April 2014 – CEC (Council for Exceptional Children) Conference, Philadelphia – Autism Strand Presenter: Supporting Transition to Adulthood for People on the Autism Spectrum

December 2013 – TASH International Conference, Chicago – Panel Participant/Presenter: Autism and Neurodiversity: UDL Strategies for Inclusion

October 2013 – BCTELA – Richmond, BC: presentation on Autism across the lifespan and supporting educators in understanding the perspectives of Autistic students  from a neurodiverse perspective

July 2013 – Presentations for pre-service teachers at Simon Fraser University

July 2013 – IASE (International Association of Special Educators) Biennial Conference , Vancouver, BC: Screening Vectors of Autism and Panel Participant

May 2013 – Inclusion BC Conference (Formerly BCACL – BC Association for Community Living):  Developing Perspective Taking, and  Social & Emotional Understanding with Literacy Activities with Universally Designed Strategies (UDL)  for the inclusive classroom setting 

May 2013 – School District #36 (British Columbia) Surrey Teacher’s Association Convention: Perspective-taking and Developing Social Understanding Through Story: Literature Based Activities for Students with Social Cognitive Challenges

February 2013 – Keynote Presentation – School District #33 (British Columbia) Keynote presentation for Student Services and Special Education Training Day.

January 2013 – Phoenix, Arizona, AzTASH  Annual Arizona TASH Conference on Inclusive Practices: Perspective-taking and Developing Social Understanding Through Story: Literature Based Activities for Students with Social Cognitive Challenges

October  2012 – BCTELA (BC Teachers of English Language Arts) Provincial Conference: Autism and Literacy Strategies for Perspective Taking

September 2012 – Fraser Valley Autism Society: Flipping the Table on IEPs: Building collaborative relationships between home & school

September 2012 – Panel Discussion – SFU Alone Together Film Festival: Screening and Discussion of Documentary Film: Vectors of Autism

June 2012 – Phoenix Arizona, AzTASH Conference on Inclusion and Advocacy:    Strategies for Inclusion in the General Education Classroom

April 2012 – Flagstaff, Arizona at the Northern Arizona Autism Society of America (NAzASA) Conference held at NAU: Autism: Thinking about Perspectives and Developing Perspective Taking & Social Understanding with Literacy Activities

Previous Presentations:

I have presented on Autism and Literacy Strategies for Perspective Taking for the October 2010  BCTELA (BC Teachers of English Language Arts) Provincial Conference, as well as for numerous Simon Fraser University Teacher SDL (Supporting Diverse Learners) Graduate Diploma Programs. I have also presented Autism and Perspective Taking within my own school district, in addition to facilitating other inservice and mentoring opportunities for educators.

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Contact Information:

gmail: mailto:thinkingaboutperspectives@gmail.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/30-Days-of-Autism-Leah-Kelley/154311301315814?sk=wall

On Twitter: @Leah_Kelley

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Journal Articles, Published Work:

Kelley, L. (2018). The Teacher’s Kid: It’s not what you think…  BCTF Teacher. November -December 2018, 31(2), 5. Retrieved from:https://issuu.com/teachernewsmag/docs/bctf_nov_dec_teacher_issuu/4?ff&e=6001376/65747902

Kelley, L. (2019). Let’s talk about Language: Is disability a bad word? BCTF Teacher. January-February 2019, 31(3), 16-17. Retrieved from:https://issuu.com/teachernewsmag/docs/teacher_magazine_jan_feb_2019/16?ff&e=6001376/66935084

Kelley, L. (2019). Talking Language: Ableism and Opportunity? BCTF Teacher. November-December 2019, 32(2), 22-23. Retrieved from:https://issuu.com/teachernewsmag/docs/teacher_magazine_nov_dec_2019/22?ff

“Dear Teacher: A letter from H”…Listening to Autism 13-year-old Style, International Bureau of Education of the UNESCO in partnership with the Gulf Arab States Educational Research Center (GASERC) based in Bahrain. This article is included in the guides/resources for the development of inclusive schools and classrooms in seven Arab States of the Gulf.

Treasures I found at the Thrift Shop: Autism and Understanding: English Practice, (BCTELA Journal, Spring 2012) bctela.posterous.com/treasures-i-found-at-the thriftshop-by-leah-kelley

Ladybugs: English Practice, (BCTELA Journal, Spring 2011)               bctela.posterous.com/ladybugs-by-leah-kelley

Olden Days of Summer: English Practice, (BCTELA Journal, Spring 2011)  bctela.posterous.com/olden-days-of-summer-by-leah-kelley

Other Projects:

Film:

Vectors of Autism: A Documentary about Laura Nagle (pre-release version premiered April 13, 2012) John Schaffer ~ Director; Susan Marks ~ Producer; Leah Kelley ~ Co-Producer

The Shadow Listener (currently in production) John Shaffer ~Director; Leah Kelley ~ Executive Producer

Autism Positivity Project:

I am a part of the blogging collective Thinking About Perspectives and together we have collaborated to create the Autism Positivity 2012 (to 2015) Flashblog Event and Website. http://autismpositivity.wordpress.com/

Interviews:

Teaching Tolerance Issue 53, Summer 2016 (A Publication of the Sothern Poverty Law Society) ~ interview for article: A New Frame of Mind: What autistic students wish you knew about who they are and how they learn

AWOP Radio ~ interview on  A World of Progress Radio:  http://awopradio.com/post/22427282365/leah-kelley-of-30-days-of-autism-and-co-producer (Aired May 4th, 2012) *Please Note – the segment containing my interview begins about 1/3 of the way through the podcast link

Healthy Place TV~ America’s Mental Health Channel: Video Interview My Child has Autism   (February 2012)

CBC Radio ~ On the Coast: Interview for The Parent Project with Michelle Eliot  http://www.cbc.ca/onthecoast/episodes/2011/07/05/the-parent-project-1/ (Aired July 5, 2011)