Different Learners Los Angeles Martha Daley

Different Learners – Maja Watkins



Maja Watkins is the SEL Specialist & Co-Founder of Zip Zap Zop Enrichment, which aims to teach Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) using improv as the tool to enhance children’s social skills. She has a robust educational background, including a B.A. in Child Development, and she is also a graduate of The Second City, where she studied improv and sketch comedy. Maja loves her work as a teacher and behaviorist, and her focus is on inclusive classrooms where the curriculum is designed to allow children to reach their highest potential in a fun, relaxed environment.

Maja joins me today to share why she founded Zip Zap Zop then quickly expanded the program and her dreams for the future of the organization. She discusses her experience of quarantine and what it means for her personally and professionally, and the challenges it has thrown up for Zip Zap Zop’s funding. Maja also shares why she was inspired to write her book as a tool for parents and educators, the process of co-authoring with TiaMarie Harrison, and demonstrates one of the improv games from the book.






“All children need to be thrown into the pool, to be organically practicing social skills without judgment and with the freedom to make mistakes or say the wrong things and it's ok because we can organically play out of those moments.” - Maja Watkins

How her autistic older brother influenced her life and the founding of Zip Zap Zop

The link between improv and organic social skills practice

The social/emotional aspect of learning and how she works in schools to enrich and support the curriculum

Their Social Skills Saturdays class relaunch and what attendees can expect

Why it’s so important to continue to raise donations and what additional funding means for the service

How improv works to improve children’s skills

Gift Exchange game - an example of how Maja’s improv enrichment games work





Resources Mentioned:
Larchmont Charter School
Mindvalley Institute
Extraordinary Kids Summit

Connect with Maja Watkins:

The Brain’s Playground: Using Improv to Teach Social and Emotional Learning by TiaMarie Harrison and Maja Watkins

Zip Zap Zop Enrichment website

Zip Zap Zop on Facebook

Zip Zap Zop on Instagram

Zip Zap Zop on YouTube

Connect with Zip Zap Zop

Oscar@zipzapzopenrichment.org and the website www.zipzapzopenrichment.org is also a great way to contact us!

Due to COVID we had to re-vamp some things on the classes side of things but stay tuned! I do have my ebook available for purchase at the link below!

https://ferriswheel.samcart.com/products/10-minutes-of-play-for-10-days-?fbclid=IwAR2D1FA_BAiRgbCfkmrQHy_4D3mzaPLTLxnh8Mv0Pusf5qcjlaOsNO9DzmI


Connect with Different Learners:

Different Learners on Instagram

Dr. Braun is a clinical audiologist and a credentialed educational audiologist with nearly 30 years of experience, including completing comprehensive (central) auditory processing evaluations in private and educational settings. She founded the Auditory Processing Center of Pasadena in 2005 to provide comprehensive (central) auditory processing evaluations for children and adults while educating patients and their families as to each individual's specific deficits and strengths. Dr. Braun is a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology, a member of the Educational Audiology Association, and a guest lecturer at Cal State Northridge.

Dr. Braun joins me today to discuss what she wishes that parents knew at the point of looking for and accessing the services their child needs and how to manage the process so that it works for them. She describes why she chose this fascinating career pathway and the route she took into the educational audiology profession. Dr. Braun also details why ‘auditory processing’ is an umbrella term and discusses some of the other learning differences, such as ADHD and dyslexia, that also connect with difficulties in processing sounds.


“Our brain is what they call plastic doing auditory training with a young child versus older children. Getting your children assessed young is the key, and getting intervention completed young is the key.” - Dr. Bea Braun


This week on The Different Learners Podcast:

●What is an auditory processing disorder, and how you test for it
●What happened in the world of education in 2008 that made Dr. Braun decide to move to private practice
●Why there are so many similarities between ADHD, auditory processing disorders, and dyslexia
●What to look for as a parent if you think your child may have auditory processing issues
●Programs that parents can do at home, and how to ask your school to move forward with an assessment
●The specific tests and interventions parents should be asking for


Connect with Dr. Bea Braun:

●Auditory Processing Center of Pasadena website
●Dr. Bea Braun on LinkedIn
●Auditory Processing Center of Pasadena on Facebook

Connect with Different Learners:

●Different Learners website
●Different Learners on Instagram

In this extra episode we learn how Maxie is handling the change to online learning. This episode was recorded in May 2020.

Lisa Mosko has worked for over 13 years to support families with children with learning differences to advocate and plan for their kids’ social, emotional, and academic success. She is the leader of Speak UP’s Special Education Task Force, which serves to engage, train and empower Los Angeles parents to take action in support of policies that directly impact their kids. Lisa also serves on LA Unified School District’s Community Advisory Committee and serves as an elected parent representative liaison between parents and administration at her kids’ LAUSD school.

Lisa joins me today to discuss why parents and specialist organizations have to be the union reps for differently-abled kids, how Lisa was inspired to be an advocate, and her work at Speak Up. She shares her thoughts on the lawsuit brought against the LAUSD for failing to meet the needs of children with special education needs by not providing in-person learning. Lisa also shares why morale is currently flagging for parents of different learners in LA, and what's next up for Speak Up.


“We have to keep looking towards our kids' ability and approach them through that lens and raise awareness for everyone else; there's so much ability in (dis)Ability.” - Lisa Mosko


This week on The Different Learners Podcast:

●Why Lisa had to advocate so hard for her own children to have things that should be their right
●What Lisa means by becoming a change agent for kids with (dis)Abilities
●Why Lisa got involved with the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) overseeing Special Education Local Plan and why it has been such a fascinating organization to be part of
●What’s next for the Learning Rights Law Centre and Alliance for Children's Rights and how Lisa is working collaboratively to help stop children from falling behind in their education
●Why Lisa feels that the Teachers Union have been the best advocates for students with disabilities
●What Lisa is hearing from higher need kids and parents right now
●How we should refer to kids with special needs and the term that Lisa prefers
●The power of organized advocating and what people power has achieved during the pandemic


Resources Mentioned:

●Learning Rights Law Center
●Alliance for Children's Rights
●WritesLaw
●Understood.org

Connect with Lisa Mosko:

●Speak Up
●Lisa Mosko on LinkedIn
●Speak Up on Facebook
●Speak Up on Instagram
●Speak Up on Twitter


Connect with Different Learners:

●Different Learners
●Different Learners on Instagram

In this mini bonus episode of Different Learners Los Angeles we hear from Khasar, who is distance learning in Los Angeles. This episode was recorded in April 2020.