She Saw It Before I Did
There are people who enter your life and completely change its trajectory. Rashanda Jenkins is one of those people for me. Rashanda is responsible for the career that feeds my soul today. In 2016, I was invited to serve on the board of a community action agency. Because I always want to make myself useful, I began looking for the place where I could contribute most meaningfully. That search led me to the Head Start Policy Council meetings, where I served as the board represen
Owning Your Identity | Episode 32
Episode 32: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman Owning Your Identity. This episode continues the archival interviews I conducted with my son while writing Raising Superman as he approached the end of his Young Tree stage and prepared for the transition into college and emerging adulthood. In Episode 32, we discuss the evolution of the identity I originally gave him and what happened when he began deciding for himself who he was. But listening to this conversation now th
Becoming Superman | Episode 31
Episode 31: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman Becoming Superman. This episode begins another layer of our developmental archive. In 2024, as my son was approaching the end of his Young Tree stage and preparing for the transition into college and emerging adulthood, I was writing Raising Superman. As part of that process, I conducted a series of interviews with him to capture his perspective on his own growth and development before that chapter of childhood closed. In
Look What Was Waiting in My Mailbox
I really should check my mail more often. 😊❤️ I received my Florida Head Start Association lapel pin today!!! I’ll be sure to wear it this week while visiting Head Start teams in Virginia and Pennsylvania! #HeadStartWorks #TheAcornMovement 🌰🌱🌳☀️ Dr. El Brown is an early childhood keynote speaker, trainer, and engagement strategist who partners with Head Start, early childhood programs, and children and family service organizations to strengthen family engagement, support
The Rhythm of Conversation | Episode 30
Episode 30: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman The rhythm of conversation. This video is especially nostalgic for me to watch now. In Episode 30, you actually see me teaching my son a strategy we called the rhythm of conversation. The strategy began because my son told me he wanted to be one of the “cool kids.” Of course, I told him he was already a cool kid. What he was really trying to communicate was that he wanted to make friends and was having difficulty connectin
Helping My Child Understand Autism | Episode 29
Episode 29: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman Helping my child understand autism. In Episode 29, we discuss something I believe is essential to self-awareness and self-advocacy: talking to your child about autism. When my son was about 8 years old, I realized I wanted to begin inviting him into his own IEP meetings. Then it occurred to me: How could I invite him into a meeting about him without first making sure he understood that he had autism? So, I told him. There
The Village Starts Before the Classroom in Warrenton, VA
Today I had the opportunity to return to Fauquier Community Action Committee Head Start in Warrenton, Virginia, an agency I have had the pleasure of partnering with for three years. One of the things I appreciate about this team is that every time I return, they are ready to learn, reflect, and add new strategies to their practice. In fact, they were the first Head Start program to put the Acorn Affirmation on their bulletin board. So, they have been sipping the Top-Notch Koo
Giving My Child the Gift of Time | Episode 28
Episode 28: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman Giving my child the gift of time. In Episode 28, we discuss one of the most valuable resources we can give children as they grow and develop: Time. I have never been in a rush with my son. My background in early childhood and human development taught me that skills build upon skills. I understood that there were foundational skills he needed before he would be prepared to develop the next level of skills, and I wanted to g
Be the Light—Right Down to Her Fingertips in Muskogee, OK
Yesterday, I spent four hours with Muskogee County Head Start/Early Head Start, and from the moment I entered the room, they felt like home and a warm hug. Listening to them speak about their mission, their hopes for the children and families they serve, and the responsibility they feel to help children and families WIN poured directly into my soul. Then, I watched them make the work their own. They designed Top-Notch Village™ ecosystems, identified the people surrounding chi
When the Mission Becomes a Song in Muskogee, OK
A Top-Notch Village™ is, by definition, a mission-aligned village. When I work with agencies, one of the things we often discuss is how we can become more mission-aligned and operate under one shared mission to support healthy outcomes for children and families. I suggest that a mission should be simple enough to be understood by children, families, and new team members, and it should answer the question: Why do we exist? Every decision should be made with that mission in min
