by Amanda | Jul 5, 2026 | Meditation, Mindfulness, Neurodiversity, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast
You can’t regulate a classroom from a dysregulated nervous system. And you can’t regulate a nervous system you don’t understand. In Part 1 of a three-part series on the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Werner — a certified meditation...
by Amanda | Jul 3, 2026 | ELD, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast
What happens when an American teacher who spent many years teaching English Language Development (ELD) students becomes an immigrant herself? In this deeply personal episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Werner records from Uruguay — her new home —...
by Amanda | Jun 26, 2026 | ADHD, Autism, Neurodiversity, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast
If Part 1 of this series was about what was lost in autism history, Part 2 is about what replaced it — and the damage it caused. In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Warner continues her deep dive into Steve Silberman’s NeuroTribes,...
by Amanda | Jun 23, 2026 | Autism, Book Review, Neurodiversity, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast
Why do so many misconceptions about autism still persist in our schools — even as we know more about autism than ever before? The answer is buried in history. In Part 1 of a multi-part series on the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Werner breaks down the...
by Amanda | May 2, 2026 | Management, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast
What if the next time a student lies, sneaks, or breaks a rule, instead of reaching for a consequence, you reached for a conversation? In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Werner shares a powerful reframe for how teachers and parents can...
by Amanda | Apr 25, 2026 | End of the Year, Mindfulness, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast
What happens when a meditation teacher stops meditating — and decides that’s okay? In this deeply personal episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Warner gets honest about the chaos of her life right now: selling a house, moving her family to...
by Amanda | Apr 18, 2026 | ADHD, Autism, Neurodiversity, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast
What is neurodiversity — and why should teachers care? In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Warner — a certified meditation teacher, 16-year classroom veteran, and AuDHD educator — breaks down the neurodiversity movement in plain language...
by Amanda | Apr 18, 2026 | ADHD, Autism, Neurodiversity, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast
On the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Werner shares that she pursued an autism diagnosis at 43 after years of researching autism following her child’s 2021 diagnosis. During this time she was also diagnosed with ADHD, identifying as AuDHD. She describes...
by Amanda | Apr 18, 2026 | ADHD, Autism, Neurodiversity, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast
Host Amanda Werner shares why she is discussing her family’s diagnostic journey, describing years of feeling overwhelmed and not understanding why daily life felt so hard for her and her child. She explains pursuing evaluations through medical providers and insurance,...
by Amanda | Apr 11, 2026 | Management, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast, Student Motivation
Host Amanda Werner discusses how schools often misinterpret student “defiance” as willful disobedience when it may reflect nervous system distress, trauma responses, autism, or ADHD. She shares her experience as a former teacher and as an autistic parent of an...
by Amanda | Apr 2, 2026 | Discussion, Mini Lessons, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast
In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Werner dives into the essential skill of collaborative problem solving. This episode is part of a broader series focusing on the critical skills needed for students’ futures. Amanda provides...
by Amanda | Apr 2, 2026 | ADHD, Autism, Neurodiversity, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast
Amanda Werner hosts an off-the-cuff episode of the Empower Students Now podcast about what led her to suspect she was autistic and eventually seek a formal adult autism diagnosis. She explains that her suspicion began after her child was diagnosed with autism in 2021...
by Amanda | Feb 14, 2026 | ADHD, Autism, Management, Mindfulness, Mini Lessons, Neurodiversity, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast
Amanda continues her Empower Students Now series with short classroom slideshow lessons available via email sign-up here by focusing on emotional regulation. She defines it as noticing emotions and body sensations, understanding triggers, using strategies to reduce...
by Amanda | Feb 14, 2026 | Management, Mindfulness, Mini Lessons, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast
In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda dives into the critical skill of conflict resolution. Amanda shares personal experiences and highlights the lack of formal education on resolving conflicts. Offering a range of practical steps and...
by Amanda | Jan 25, 2026 | Elementary Teachers, Mindfulness, New Style Blog Post, New Style Podcast, Secondary Teachers, Social Justice
In this urgent and heartfelt episode, recorded on Sunday, January 25th, Amanda offers raw and real advice for teachers dealing with a recent tragedy involving the death of ICU nurse Alex Preti by federal agents. Acknowledging the emotional burden and chaos, Amanda...