Shari Pierce was born and raised in Yonkers, New York and was a special educator for the Yonkers Public Schools for thirty-three years. For twenty-three of those years, she worked with middle and high-schoolers with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. Following her retirement, she wrote a book, "Life Skills: A Handbook for Parents & Teachers of the Intellectually Disabled" which gives gentle advice about educating this most special population and emphasizes collaboration among parents, teachers, administrators and support staff. She is also the sibling of an adult with developmental disabilities.Shari received her B.S. in Special Education from New York University and an M.A. in Learning Disabilities from Teachers College, Columbia University. She was named a Leader in Education by the JCY – Westchester Community Partners in 2012.Key Takeaways:Shari's book is organized in a way that serves as a desk reference.Learning takes place in many different ways, including outside of the classroom, and is often messy when it's authentic.Kids are kids and good teaching is good teaching. We can all learn from what our colleagues are doing in different classrooms.Administrators can support their teachers through understanding, listening, and funding.It's important for administrators to spend time in sub-separate classrooms getting to know the students.Inclusion starts with small steps that lead to greater opportunities.It's important for students to know that they are loved but even more important to feel as if they are valued.Stay in Touch:BookEmail: shari33199@aol.comDon’t Forget to Review the Show!I appreciate you checking out the episodes. I would mean a lot to me if you took a minute right now to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, or wherever you listen! It helps the show out a lot!Who am I?I’ve been an educator in Massachusetts for 23 years.  I’m finishing my 16th year as a building leader.  I’m a teacher centered Principal and passionate about continuous improvement and the idea that success is not a destination, but a process. I’m active on social media, vlog about continuous improvement on a weekly basis, and wrote a book also called SEEing to Lead as a way to help everyone improve education as a whole by promoting my “just cause”: improving the educational experience for as many people as possible by being purposeful, acting with integrity, and building character. SEEing to Lead Extras!Like the content, want to be a guest, or know someone who would? Reach out to me on Twitter at @DrCSJonesHave you taken the time to order and read my latest book! Seeing to Lead is filled with practical resources and personal stories to help you support, engage, and empower those you lead no matter your position!Jimmy Casas said, "If you are a leader who is looking to support, engage and empower your staff, then SEEing to Lead, by Dr. Chris Jones, is a book you will want to pick up and read. Dr. Jones reminds us that building capacity and helping others achieve personal success is the key to elevating your organization and leaving a lasting impact."Get your copy here! Don't forget to leave a rating and review for others. I would appreciate it!Subscribe to My Newsletter! We are all busy, often unsupported, and struggle to stay engaged! Here is a weekly resource that has something to support, engage, and empower you. Not to mention it saves you time by getting to the point! Increase your focus and become a better leader; no matter your position. Check it out here!Get in touch to schedule me for a workshop or presentation!This show is part of the Be Podcast Network. Our podcasts go beyond education as we know it — in any learning environment, formal or informal — and help you be the change you want to see. Learn more about the network and all our shows at https://bepodcast.network We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.