The Infinity Rainbow Club Series: Jen Malia discusses the importance of inclusion

10/26/23 • 34 min

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About The Guest(s): Jen Malia is a professor of English and a writer of children's books. She started out publishing literary criticism before transitioning to creative writing. Her interest in neurodivergence and autism led her to write personal essays and reported pieces on the topic. This eventually led to the opportunity to write children's books, including the "Infinity Rainbow Club" series.

Summary: Jen Malia, a professor of English and writer of children's books, discusses her transition from academic writing to creative writing. She shares how her autism diagnosis influenced her writing and inspired her to create stories about neurodivergent characters. Jen also talks about the inspiration behind her "Infinity Rainbow Club" series and the importance of portraying neurodivergent kids in everyday situations. She emphasizes the need for acceptance and understanding of neurodivergence and hopes that her books will reach a wide audience, including educators and parents.

Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/BTHkinTYPaxmxBV_6vl_f50Ng4E

Key Takeaways:

Jen Malia wanted to write books about neurodivergent characters who go about their everyday lives rather than focusing solely on their neurodivergence.
The characters in the "Infinity Rainbow Club" series are inspired by real-life experiences and composite characters.
Jen's autism diagnosis later in life changed her view of herself and her parenting approach, emphasizing acceptance and pride in being neurodivergent.
The educational experiences of the characters in the series are based on inclusive classrooms with collaboration between general education and special education teachers.
Jen hopes her books will be a resource for neurodivergent kids and help promote acceptance and understanding among all students.

Jen Malia:

Website: https://jenmalia.com/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/jenmaliabooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenmaliabooks/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MomWithAutism/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenmaliabooks/

MCIE:

Website: https://www.mcie.org/

Email List: https://bit.ly/MCIE-Email-List

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkInclusive/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/think_inclusive/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/think_inclusive

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThinkinclusiveUs

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inclusive-education/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/BTHkinTYPaxmxBV_6vl_f50Ng4E

Key Takeaways:

Jen Malia wanted to write books about neurodivergent characters who go about their everyday lives rather than focusing solely on their neurodivergence.
The characters in the "Infinity Rainbow Club" series are inspired by real-life experiences and composite characters.
Jen's autism diagnosis later in life changed her view of herself and her parenting approach, emphasizing acceptance and pride in being neurodivergent.
The educational experiences of the characters in the series are based on inclusive classrooms with collaboration between general education and special education teachers.
Jen hopes her books will be a resource for neurodivergent kids and help promote acceptance and understanding among all students.

Jen Malia:

Website: https://jenmalia.com/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/jenmaliabooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenmaliabooks/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MomWithAutism/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenmaliabooks/

MCIE:

Website: https://www.mcie.org/

Email List: https://bit.ly/MCIE-Email-List

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkInclusive/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/think_inclusive/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/think_inclusive

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThinkinclusiveUs

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inclusive-education/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

King of Hugs: Tim Harris on Inclusion and Spreading Joy

About The Guest(s): Tim Harris is a motivational speaker, author, and former restaurant owner. He gained national attention when he opened Tim's Place, a restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico, known for its friendly atmosphere and Tim's signature hugs. Tim has Down syndrome and has used his platform to advocate for inclusion and spread joy through his positive outlook on life.

Summary: Tim Harris, a motivational speaker and former restaurant owner, shares his experiences and insights on inclusion and living an awesome life. Tim talks about his favorite memories from his restaurant, Tim's Place, where he was known as the "king of hugs." He discusses the importance of giving hugs and how he kept track of the thousands of hugs he gave. Tim also opens up about the decision to close his restaurant and the impact it had on his life. He shares his love for public speaking and the joy he finds in bringing happiness to others. Tim emphasizes the importance of dreaming big and standing up for oneself, and he encourages people with disabilities to embrace their awesomeness and be a light in the world.

Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/EQqgDnFCvtRnzoHFc7eg8mOILs8

Key Takeaways:

Tim's favorite memory from Tim's Place was seeing people walk through the front door and feeling the world come in.
Tim kept track of the hugs he gave by using a hug clicker and adding them to a hug counter on the wall.
Tim's decision to close Tim's Place was sad, but his public speaking career has been fulfilling and exciting.
Tim encourages people with disabilities to dream big, be awesome, and have fun.
Inclusion means being accepted into the world and bringing light into people's hearts.

Tim Harris:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timsbigheart

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timsbigheart/

MCIE:

Website: https://www.mcie.org/

Email List: https://bit.ly/MCIE-Email-List

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkInclusive/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/think_inclusive/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/think_inclusive

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThinkinclusiveUs

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inclusive-education/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

FEED DROP School Disrupted with Toni Barton

This week, we are bringing you a feed drop from School Disrupted with Toni Barton.

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In this episode, Toni challenges the education system's approach to inclusivity. Toni kicks off the episode with the controversial sentiment, "...if we fix general education, we wouldn't need special education," and emphasizes the need to fix general education classrooms as essential to improving special education. This episode reveals a troubling reality where students with disabilities often lack adequate support in inclusive settings, shedding light on the absence of accountability and the limited training provided to educators. These hard-hitting truths underscore the significance of disruption and the necessity of redesigning schools where #NoChildIsLeftBehind.

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Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/qP2vxjYjdLRMpo8WNh7JeZM7QLA

Follow/Subscribe to School Disrupted: https://pod.link/1700326016

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.