Melissa Packwood | SpeakerHub

Personal Details

Bio

Melissa Packwood has devoted her life to teaching. She found a renewed sense of purpose after opening her own business and working with children who have special needs and their families to provide positive and meaningful educational experiences. As a mother to three children with special needs, she has seen the benefits of providing enriching experiences though this often means thinking outside of the box.

Melissa's experience includes working in public schools, teaching ESOL, and tutoring students with special needs. She holds a master’s degree in reading and literacy and an ESE graduate certificate from Walden University. She has a current Florida teaching certificate which includes Early Childhood, Reading, and ESOL endorsements. Her goal is to enrich the lives of others by educating schools and families about ESE students' rights as well as by helping schools and universities become more developmentally appropriate for ESE students' individual needs.

Topics often requested include educational models, discipline, sensory rich environments, pathological demand avoidance, autism, down syndrome, behavior challenges, ways to support ese students in college, parent encouragement and support, and more!

Melissa believes that there is a way for every student to learn and it is the job of the teacher to find that way. Together we will create an even better education system by working with the differences in learning styles of students using developmentally appropriate practices.

Current position (1)

Public Speaker, Educator, Business Owner

Presentations

Presentations (11)

SLD, Universal Curriculum Design, and Accommodations: Providing Accessibility to Curricula

Many special needs fall under the SLD umbrella. A class may include students with a variety of needs and teachers must provide support for each and every one of these needs. Participants will learn how to utilize universal curriculum design and accommodations in an effective manner. Assistive technology (from low and high tech), visual supports, movement breaks, homemade and store bought tools, sensory activities and areas, and more can assist students in accessing the curriculum.

1. Participants will implement at least one universal design strategy to assist all students, including those with learning disabilities.
2. Participants will use at least one new accommodation to assist students who are struggling with SLDs. (Dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and more).
3. Participants will implement at least one assistive technology option to assist students with SLDs.

Pathological Demand Avoidance

Are you a parent or professional who takes care of children who have Autism? Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is an Autism profile that is characterized by heightened anxiety, which causes demand avoidance. During the Pathological Demand Avoidance in Autistic Children presentation, you will learn strategies to assist with preventing meltdowns and aid in de-escalation of big emotions.

Participants will learn to recognize when PDA may be a reason for behavioral issues.
Participants will learn de-escalation techniques.
Participants will leave the seminar with tools and strategies to assist them in providing support and teamwork to those with demand avoidance resulting from anxiety.

Facilitating Executive Functioning Skills for Teens and Young Adults

Executive functioning includes working memory, cognitive flexibility (flexibility in thinking), and inhibitory control. These are challenging skills to learn yet teens and young adults need these skills to successfully move into adulthood. This workshop will explain what executive functioning is and how to facilitate the learning of these skills for teens and young adults.

Participants will learn what executive functioning is and how it affects daily life.
Participants will learn ways to facilitate executive functioning skill growth in teens and young adults.
Participants will leave with ideas for activities and supports to assist with the process of facilitating executive functioning skill growth.

Supporting Children with Oppositional Behavior Patterns

Are you a parent or professional who helps children who have oppositional behaviors? Is mainstream behavior management not working well? Trauma, anxiety, and chemical imbalances can all factor into this complex issue. Mainstream behavior management strategies may not be effective for those with oppositional behavior patterns.

Participants will learn strategies to assist with preventing meltdowns and aid in de-escalation of big emotions.
Participants will learn ways to prevent miscommunications and how to foster a diverse and inclusive environment.
Participants will learn how to encourage participation in self-advocacy and problem-solving.

SEL in Schools

Social and emotional learning are necessary before academic gains can be made reliably. Students who struggle with SEL often have lower test scores and less understanding of topics covered in school. They are also at risk for not graduating from high school. How can we help?

Participants will learn about social skills and emotion regulation.
Participants will learn how to effectively model social and emotional skills and strategies.
Participants will leave with strategies to assist students in learning mood regulation and social skills.

Autism Information for Parents and Professionals

Autism rates have historically increased each year. Professionals will work with children with autism at some point in their career. Parents may not expect to have a child with autism, yet have to hit the ground running to support their child. How can we support children and young adults with a diagnosis of autism as they grow and learn? What are the best ways to handle tough situations? How do we set children with autism up for success, so they are less likely to need a guardian in adulthood?

Participants will learn about coping strategies and how to find support during difficult situations.
Participants will learn about the wide umbrella of autism.
Participants will leave with action steps to take and strategies to assist with decision-making.

Special Needs Education

What should first-year teachers know about children with special needs and special needs education? Learn about your responsibilities when your students have IEPS, how to work with parents as stakeholders, and how to ask for help if you are in over your head. If you are new to teaching or new to teaching students with special needs, this presentation is for you!

Participants will learn the lingo related to IEPs and ESE. (OHP, ASD, EBD, FAPE, LRE, etc.)
Participants will learn about their responsibilities when a student has an IEP, BIP, and/or 504 plan.
Participants will leave with action steps to stay organized and start off the year with positivity and solid working relationships with students, parents, and school staff.

LIteracy in Early Childhood Classrooms

As a teacher and consultant, I will give you strategies to use in your early childhood classroom. This presentation is greared towards prekindergarten to third grade classrooms. ln this presentation, I will decode the reading continuum and provide activity ideas for your classroom. Please let me know if you have a specific task or age/stage group on which you wish me to focus. Put my experience to work for you!

Literacy in the ESE Classroom

As a teacher and consultant, I will give you strategies to use in your ESE or multi-age classroom for a variety of ages and stages. ln this presentation, I will decode the reading continuum and provide activity ideas for your classroom. Please let me know if you have a specific task or age/stage group on which you wish me to focus. Put my experience to work for you!

Homeschooling Your Child with Special Needs

As a parent of children with special needs, teacher, and consultant, I will give you strategies to use in your homeschool classroom. ln this presentation, I will discuss special needs, curriculum options, strategies to help with meltdowns, and more! Put my experience to work for you!

Peaceful Parenting and Special Needs

Wondering how to work with your child rather than being adversarial? As a mother to three children with special needs, teacher, and consultant, I will give you strategies to use to gain compliance when needed, be patient in the face of meltdowns, and help your child flourish. You don't have to go it alone. Put my experience to work for you!

Past talks (11)

Supporting Children with Oppositional Behavior Patterns

Daniel Kids Growing Pains Independent Living Conference 2022

Orlando, FL

Pathological Demand Avoidance for Parents and Professionals

Apraxia Kids National Conference

Las Vegas and Virtual

Pathological Demand Avoidance for Parents and Professionals

US Nanny Association Parent and Nanny Conference

Virtual

Pathological Demand Avoidance for Parents and Professionals

Autism Notebook Connections Conference