Brain Coach Tips

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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brain coach tipsBrain Coach Tips Podcast with your host Dr. Jan Bedell

 

Each week, receive practical brain building tips that have proven to be life-changing for thousands who have applied these principals to make life and learning easier. Your host, Jan Bedell, PhD, started a journey in 1992 that transitioned her from desperate home school mom of a struggling learner into a Master NeuroDevelopmentalist. With her new knowledge of how to optimize brain function, coupled with her previous experience as a public, private and home school teacher, Jan understood there was more to education than just technique and curriculum.
he found hope and help for her daughter through The NeuroDevelopmental Approach and now conveys her passion by teaching you ways to stimulate brains of all ages. So whether your child is typically developing, gifted, struggling or has a disability, join Brain Coach, Jan Bedell as she shares knowledge that has helped children, teens and adults reach their true God-given potential.

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Brain Training Tips Podcast

A New Label on the Block – CAPD

Another label has emerged for individuals that are having learning challenges – it’s CAPD. CAPD stands for Central Auditory Processing Disorder and is also referred to as APD or Auditory Processing Disorder.  There are different aspects of this “disorder” that negatively affect a person’s ability to function fully.  Symptoms include: Difficulties in recognizing and interpreting […]

Special Replay: Cornerstone of Math

Special Replay this week from The Brain Coach: Is your child struggling with math? Do you have a gifted child that needs to secure a good math foundation that will let them soar? Is your 5, 9 or 15 year old having trouble remembering their math facts? If the answer is yes to any of […]

Special Replay: The Best Way to Teach Reading

The almost militant battle of how to best teach reading has been waged over the last 150+ years with proponents from both sides being adamant about their recommendations.  As the reading curriculum pendulum has swung back and forth from phonics to sight to phonics the controversy roars on with little attention given to anything except […]

Why Cursive?

Have you ever wonder if it is really necessary to teach your child cursive? Do you have a child that just doesn’t get it? Today Dr. Jan Bedell visits with Prisca Lecroy one of the co-owners of CursiveLogic. Prisca shares how their method of teaching cursive came about when her mother was tutoring a 23-year-old […]

Come and Be Encouraged

Do you attend Homeschool conferences?  If the answer is no, you may want to reconsider your decision not to go. Today Dr. Jan Bedell visits with Leslie Nunnery who along with her husband David, started the Teach Them Diligently Home School Conferences. Leslie shares the call they felt to encourage homeschool families to stay the […]

Hidden Gem

Do you have a child that struggles to maintain focus when completing tasks?  Do you have to supervise every minute of your teen’s school day? Today Dr. Jan Bedell visits with the founder of Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum, Dr. Ron Johnson.  Doc, as many like to call him, was formerly a public-school principle and superintendent who […]

Special Replay: Neuroplasticity – Rewiring The Brain

Special Replay: Neuroplasticity – Rewiring The Brain with Dr. Jan Bedell Podcast #19 Neuroplasticity, hmm? Do we really have to use such an unfamiliar word?  Yes, to describe the amazing gift that God has given us we can start with a big word and break it down.  It really is quite simple – “neuro” is […]

Special Replay: Draw Close To God In A Busy World

Special Replay:  Draw Close To God In A Busy World with Dr. Jan Bedell and Pastor Alan Bias Pastor Alan Bias joins Brain Coach, Jan Bedell for some tips on how to hear God in the “everyday”.  Learn how to escape the “Big Gray Swirl” of busyness and distractions to experience life to its fullest. […]

Special Needs Resources

Do you have a child with special needs?  Are you lost, and you don’t know where to turn for help?  Do you just need some encouragement? Today Dr. Jan Bedell talks with Peggy Ployhar, the CEO and founder of SPED Homeschool.  The mission for SPED Homeschool is – Helping students succeed through parent directed special […]

Etiquette Made Easy

Do your children have an awareness of the impact of good etiquette?  Today Dr. Jan Bedell speaks with Monica Irvine from The Etiquette Factory about how life-enhancing proper etiquette can be. “If you are not taught, you don’t know,” is what Monica has learned from speaking with parents who have used her products. It is […]

Behavior Alert – What’s the Root?

Do you have a child that is constantly in trouble?  They don’t look at you when you talk to them.  They don’t follow directions.  They don’t answer when spoken to. They will not sit still and do their school work.  Guess what? This may not be defiance! Dr. Jan has worked with clients using the […]

But I Want To Go To College

Do your children want to go to college? Do you wonder if they can succeed? Are they struggling just to make it through high school? Is taking a test a daunting prospect? This week you will hear an inspirational testimony of a seventeen-year-old who realized his life-long dream of going to college by using The […]

ADD Resolved

Do you have a child that is distracted, disorganized or impulsive?   Has someone suggested that they are ADD and they need to be put on medication to reach their full potential?    Today Dr. Jan visits with Michelle, Little Giant Steps’ Director of Parent Support, about her encounter with the ND Approach with her […]

Reading Struggles

Do you have a child that is a struggling reader?  Have you wondered if your child has dyslexia?   Once again Dr. Jan asks us to think differently and drop the thought of labels.  Labels are given when you can check off a number of present symptoms. What good is that?  The Neurodevelopmental Approach looks at […]

Stressed Child – SOS!

Is your homeschool struggling with stress?  A stressed-out child or momma can make for a long day!  Dr. Jan discusses some of the things that can cause stress in your homeschool life and gives some practical solutions, once again, she asks you to think differently. Metabolic challenges can cause gut issues and more. These chemistry […]

Cornerstone of Math

Is your child struggling with math? Do you have a gifted child that needs to secure a good math foundation that will let them soar? Is your 5, 9 or 15 year old having trouble remembering their math facts? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, this is the podcast for you! […]

Kindergarten Skills for Academics

Underlying developmental building blocks are necessary for a kindergarten child to be ready for more formal academics.  From Little Giant Steps’ perspective, kindergarten is the culmination of effective development in six areas.   When there are gaps in one or more areas of development, children can suffer from a myriad of learning challenges and even learning […]

Long Term Memory Boosters

More and more families are seeking help for their children to function better emotionally, behaviorally as well as academically.  Many are having long term memory problems where they seem to know something one day and not the next. One reason for this is the link between hand, eye and ear dominance.  You can learn more […]

Preschool Essentials

What is it that preschoolers really need to experience to help their brains work at peak capacity when they start formal schooling?  That question has puzzled professionals in the educational field for years.  From a neurodevelopmental perspective, preschool preparation has nothing much to do with books you find at teacher supply stores, Sam’s or Cosco […]

Brain Plasticity- God’s Special Gift

In the 1950’s and 1960’s, information about how the brain functioned was based on what scientists could observe.  The general consensus was that the brain was hardwired by the time you were an adult. In other words, it was believed you were stuck with what you had if you were past 20 years old.   As […]

Let’s Fix It! The NeuroDevelopmental Approach for Life

Being a mom of a child with involved developmental issues, Jan knows first-hand the feeling of wanting to “fix it.”  The NeuroDevelopmental Approach for Life is dynamically effective for changing the structure of the brain so individuals move through life more efficiently. If your child has symptoms of or the documented labels of ADD or […]

Navigating Special Needs Home Schooling

Do you sometimes feel alone in your quest to educate your child with special needs?  This week, you will enjoy hearing from a mom that has walked through difficult times with her two boys, each with very different special needs.  She will share how God was faithful to send her help and support along the […]

Strategic School Start

It happens every year. Summer draws to a close and plans are made for the start of a new school year.  Teachers, young and old, experienced and first timers, get a great sense of anticipation about the prospects the new year holds. In this episode, Jan Bedell, the Little Giant Steps’ Brain Coach, will help […]

Answered Prayer – A Mother’s Answer For Her Struggling Child

Have you ever felt like there was a glass ceiling above your head and prayers just weren’t being heard?  Have you ever experienced God’s divine intervention where you just knew it was Him and there were results to prove it?  Come, listen, and be inspired by a God that moves mountains for moms. On this […]

Homeschooling Special Needs 911

Do you find that your child with unique learning needs has been happy-go-lucky all summer while the pressure of school has been off?  Are you seeing that now the closer to the start of school you come, the more anxious the child is?  Have you been considering home schooling your child who has been struggling […]

Siblings Of Special Needs Kids

Special needs require special focus. Many parents must focus a great deal on their child with special needs, and rightfully so. Yet, how does the situation of having a special needs sibling affect the other children in the house? All family members of children with ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, developmental delays, CAPD, Autism, syndromes, and genetic […]

Exercise and Joy

Exercise and Joy with Felice Gerwitz Podcast #212 What does exercise have to do with joy? Being joyful is a result of exercise and can help our mood and stamina. In this episode, Felice explains her findings – what has worked for her and what she still struggles with in her exercise routine. Many of […]

A New Label on the Block – CAPD

Another label has emerged for individuals that are having learning challenges – it’s CAPD. CAPD stands for Central Auditory Processing Disorder and is also referred to as APD or Auditory Processing Disorder.  There are different aspects of this “disorder” that negatively affect a person’s ability to function fully.  Symptoms include: Difficulties in recognizing and interpreting […]

Far-reaching Effects of Ear Infections

Ear infections are painful, but who knew the extremely far reaching effects of fluid on the inner ear, which is often the result of ear infections? The Brain Coach, Dr. Jan Bedell, will go through the cascading negative consequences of ear infections.  Children with small ear canals, like many of those with Down Syndrome, are […]

Healing from Trauma

This week, the discussion focuses on how the brain is resilient and can be healed from the effects of trauma in a person’s life. Dr Jan will be joined by a colleague, Ruth Young. Ruth has been a NeuroDevelopmentalist for 15 years, is a pastor’s wife of 37 years, and an author of many article […]

NeuroDevelopment Can Help Your Child with a Syndrome or Brain Injury

A syndrome is a group of symptoms that collectively indicate or characterize a disease, disorder, or other condition considered abnormal. There is a large range of negative effects in a person’s functional ability with and within each syndrome. Brain injury can occur from genetic anomalies, birth trauma or accidents at any time during a person’s […]

I Said, “Hold Your Pencil Right!”

Have you wondered if it is worth the battle to get your children to hold their pencil correctly? An instinct deep inside nags at you about the importance of this skill, but you are so tired of saying, “Hold your pencil right!” Often you are tempted to give up because you are not absolutely sure […]

Essentials for Spelling

Spelling is an important skill for school and life. Many parents are baffled as to why some of their children are good spellers and others are not.  This seems to occur even when children are taught with the same reading program.  Some educational professionals advocate spelling using a phonetic approach.  The challenge with this line […]

Adopted: Isn’t Love Enough?

Thank you adoptive parents!  You are all heroes for taking on the challenge of raising adopted children!  You know that heroes go through hard things to get that “hero” recognition and I would dare say that most, if not all of you, qualify as having done hard things. Many of you were prepared for the […]

Autism Solutions

The label of autism can strike fear in the heart of any parent.  One of the most confusing aspects of autism is how the level of functional ability can vary to the extremes. This wide array of the effects has caused people to refer to this as a “spectrum disorder” or refer the individual as […]

Create a Positive Learning Environment, Part 2

Behavior modification is the topic of many books, ministries and websites, so it can be confusing terrain for parents.  Disciplining children with learning issues or low auditory processing can sometimes be challenging, and take extra thought and attention. But no matter what the state of the child, a behavior management system is necessary to curb […]

Create a Positive Learning Environment – Part 1

Living in a household where the environment is negative is no fun for anyone.  There are many factors that could cause this undesirable situation to be happening in your home.  Some such factors can actually result in symptoms of learning struggles and even labels like ADD, ADHD or dyslexia.  I am not saying your child […]

When Does Homeschool Really Begin? Part 2

The discussion from part 1 of When Does Homeschool Really Begin? continues as Jan Bedell, the Little Giant Steps’ Brain Coach, leads you through the last stage of brain organization at the cortex level.  The cortex is the thinking part of the brain and is where you interact most with your children.  Be sure to […]

When Does Homeschool Begin?

Most people don’t think about educating their children until pre-school age. In this episode, the Brain Coach lets you in on some tips that will save you hours of effort in later years.  When children go through ALL the developmental steps that God intended, the foundation for successful education is laid.  Children will then be […]

The Best Way to Teach Reading

The almost militant battle of how to best teach reading has been waged over the last 150+ years with proponents from both sides being adamant about their recommendations.  As the reading curriculum pendulum has swung back and forth from phonics to sight to phonics the controversy roars on with little attention given to anything except […]

Organizing Einstein: Enhancing the Abilities of the Gifted Learner Part 2

Organizing Einstein: Enhancing the Abilities of the Gifted Learner Part Two – with Dr. Jan Bedell In part two, the Brain Coach continues the workshop on staying ahead of that voracious appetite for new ideas and expanded content that comes with a gifted learner.  Additionally, the concept of teaching with frequency, intensity and duration to […]

Organizing Einstein: Enhancing the Abilities of the Gifted Learner Part 1

The Gifted Learner with Dr. Jan Bedell When your child has an above average IQ, you have a whole new set of challenges.  Staying ahead of that voracious appetite for new ideas and expanded content can definitely keep a home school mom hopping. The goals for podcast #26 (part 1) and #27 (part 2) are: […]

Special Needs Homeschooling 101

Do you have a child with special learning needs?  While every child is unique and needs specialized attention, some seem to require more. They struggle to progress through typical milestones and traditional curriculum and approaches don’t seem to help them much.  They have learning, behavioral or emotional struggles or have received labels like Sensory Integration […]

Homeschool Success with Your Struggling Learner

Homeschool Success with Your Struggling Learner with Dr. Jan Bedell It seems more and more children these days have some sort of learning struggle that challenges their academic progress or gives them one of the common learning or behavioral labels like ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, OCD, bipolar, Asperger’s and the list goes on.   It is estimated that […]

UPDATED: You Knew It Yesterday – What Happened on the Test?

You Knew It Yesterday – What Happened On The Test with Dr. Jan Bedell Have you ever had that frustrating experience where you were certain your child grasped an academic concept, and then the very next day, she couldn’t recall ever seeing it? Well, it is not just a frustration for you.  The child is […]

Stop Twirling That String

Stop Twirling That String with Jan Bedell, PhD Visual challenges can be varied and sometimes hard to detect, but often mom or dad know something isn’t quite right. The challenge is to figure out what is causing the problem.  The doctor might say, “The child’s vision is fine.”  The question from a neurodevelopmentalist standpoint is, […]

Stop Overreacting It’s Just A Sock

Stop Overreacting It’s Just A Sock with Jan Bedell, PhD – your brain coach.   Do you ever want to just yell, “IT’S JUST A SOCK, put it on your foot!”? It is hard to understand the reaction of some children when their tactile system is giving the wrong messages to the brain. The sensory […]

Stop Overreacting! It’s Not That Loud!

#20_StopOverreactingItsNotThatLoud_handoutStop Overreacting! It’s Not That Loud! Episode #20 Stop Overreacting! It’s Not That Loud! Have you ever been really frustrated with your child’s reaction to sound?  Have you been troubled by his ability to understand what you are saying?  Has it crossed your mind that you might need to get her hearing checked?  If the […]

Neuroplasticity – Rewiring The Brain

Neuroplasticity – Rewiring The Brain with Dr. Jan Bedell Podcast #19 Neuroplasticity, hmm? Do we really have to use such an unfamiliar word?  Yes, to describe the amazing gift that God has given us we can start with a big word and break it down.  It really is quite simple – “neuro” is having to […]

Making Math Easier

Making Math Easier with Dr. Jan Bedell  Podcast #18 Be sure to download the handout below As homeschoolers we tend to teach the way we were taught or at the very least we are influenced by how we experienced school ourselves.  In this episode, Jan Bedell, the Little Giant Steps Brain Coach, challenges the standard […]

Making Reading Easier

Making Reading Easier by Dr. Jan Bedell   A prerequisite to reading using the phonics approach is a good auditory processing ability (auditory short term memory).  If processing is not well developed, reading with phonics past three letter words can be next to impossible.  Don’t go buy another phonics program!  It isn’t the phonics program […]

Absent Minded Professor

That Absent-Minded Professor with Dr. Jan Bedell Podcast #16 Do you have an Absent-Minded Professor at your house?  The child that is really smart but has a low attention span, trouble sitting still, difficulty following directions, knows something one day and not the next, overreacts to sounds, touch, etc.  Many of these are symptoms of […]

ADD/ADHD A Drug Free Solution

ADD/ADHD A Drug Free Solution with Dr. Jan Bedell Podcast #15 Show Notes: ADD/ADHD A Drug-Free Solution The labels ADD/ADHD are symptomatic labels.  In other words, there is not a blood test or brain scan used to diagnosis an individual with this label.  Typically, there is a list of symptoms or a checklist filled out […]

She’s Such A Drama Queen

She’s Such a Drama Queen! This podcast explores the root causes of why children act out  and some solutions children that seem to get out of control. What Causes a Drama Queen? This child is typically labeled a Drama Queen or King. The classic response from parents is frustration and aggravation at such emotional responses […]

He Is Just Not Trying

He is Just Not Trying with Jan Bedell Podcast #13 Have you ever thought that your child is not trying? There could be a number of reasons for your child’s behavior. In this podcast, Jan explores those reasons and ways you can help. Visit our sponsor Little Giant Steps for information about Free auditory processing kit […]

School Reboot After A Break

School Reboot After a Break with Dr. Jan Bedell Show Notes: Everyone needs a break from the school routine but how do you gracefully get back in the swing of things after a holiday or summer break?  That is the focus of today’s podcast.   Breaks from school typically come with other challenges that make it […]

Avoiding Labels

Avoiding Labels – Podcast #11 To Label or Not To Label? That is the question.  This podcast discusses whether or not labels are effective and the amazing work from Jan Bedell at Little Giant Steps Show Notes: Avoiding Labels It is a very challenging world out there for parents of struggling learners.  All types of […]

God Made Us Different

God Made Us Different with Dr. Jan Bedell Podcast #10 Intelligence comes in many forms. In this episode, Dr. Jan explores Dr. Howard Gardner’s identification of many different ways in which a person can be intelligent.  Besides your specific “IQ smarts,” you may also have kinesthetic, spatial, musical, logical/mathematical, linguistic, naturalist, interpersonal or intra-personal intelligence.  […]

The Foundation: Learning Styles

Shoring Up The Foundation of Learning Styles with Dr. Jan Bedell Podcast #9 The brain has an incredible ability to grow and change in order to shore up the foundations for learning.  There are certain natural intelligences that are God given which are outlined here. The question is, what is the best way to take […]

Understanding The Foundation Of All Learning

Understanding the Foundation of all Learning with Dr. Jan Bedell The Learning Styles Philosophy has become a paradigm of many in academia and adopted by homeschool families as well.  It promotes the notion that you should find the primary learning style of each student and then teach whatever you are teaching through that style.  The […]

Dyslexia Reading Roller Coaster

  Reading Roller Coaster – with Dr. Jan Bedell Reading can be a roller coaster when you have a struggling child. In this episode, you will understand more about why we at Little Giant Steps say that most labels are symptomatic labels. When things are not going well, symptoms are what most people pay attention […]

Draw Close To God In A Busy World

Draw Close To God In A Busy World with Dr. Jan Bedell and Pastor Alan Bias Pastor Alan Bias joins Brain Coach, Jan Bedell for some tips on how to hear God in the “everyday”.  Learn how to escape the “Big Gray Swirl” of busyness and distractions to experience life to its fullest.  When you […]

Dyslexia Dilemma

The Dilemma of Dyslexia with Dr. Jan Bedell According to some sources, 15-20% of the population has a language-based learning disability with the dyslexia dilemma being the most common.  From my experience, parents don’t really want a label, they want to know what to about it.  If you listen to the naysayers, one has to […]

Demystifying Auditory Processing

Demystifying Auditory Processing with Jan Bedell The Best Kept Secret in Education – Auditory Processing (See handout below) Auditory Processing is known in my circles as the best-kept secret in education because not many people know about it, yet it affects so many aspects of everyday life.  We are talking here about your auditory short-term […]

Three Keys To Learning Anything

Three Keys to Learning Anything with Jan Bedell Do you know the three keys to learning anything? If you understand these three keys to learning – frequency, intensity, and duration – you can teach and your child can learn anything. Even the children that are struggling with learning or have special needs can accelerate function […]

NeuroDevelopmental Approach

The Foundation of Learning – The NeuroDevelopmental Approach to Life with Jan Bedell  PhD, M ND What is the Neuro-Developmental Approach? To be most productive, each individual’s brain must have a good foundation. This foundation consists of a certain level of organization and the ability to receive and process as well as store information efficiently before it can […]

Brain Coach Tips – Jan Bedell

Brain Coach Tips with Jan Bedell  PhD, M ND   Brain Coach Tips: Changes Lives  Learn a little of the journey that brought Jan from a desperate mom needing help for her own daughter with learning struggles to being known as the Brain Coach helping thousands of families reach their full potential. Whether you have a […]

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