Meet Dolly Herron

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dolly Herron. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dolly, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

My purpose was a lifetime in the making. I went to college to be a journalist, then ended up with early childhood and elementary education degrees. In my 20’s, I went to a school to get on the substitute list and was hired on the spot to teach students with learning differences in a resource/pull-out setting. Eventually I was hired to help establish and teach in a school for students with dyslexia and other language-based differences. It was a long and winding road, but I found my purpose one child at a time. Helping children with obstacles see that they also have gifts is priceless. Helping families get educated about their children’s educational rights and advocating for them is the most rewarding job imaginable. This is why Aspire Educational Consulting and Advocacy was created.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

After working as admissions counselors, my colleague, (Monica Madden,) and I saw a desperate need for education and advocacy in the area of special education and special education rights. Often families do not understand the educational testing which was given to diagnose their child with learning differences, emotional struggles, ADHD, etc. Due to our extensive backgrounds in both the private and public sectors of education, as well as our work as admissions counselors, we have the knowledge needed to decipher the tests and explain the intricacies of each child’s strengths and weaknesses.
We can then map out next steps in finding the educational setting that will best meet the unique needs of the child. Every child is one-of-a-kind. There is no one recipe for everybody. It is important to consider not just the academic needs, but also the social and emotional needs of a child.
Finally, we can go into the academic setting and advocate for the services and accommodations that are needed to level the playing field and create the opportunity for success. Having been in the shoes of many of the decision-making team members, (parent, classroom teacher, special education teacher, and administrator,) we have a more comprehensive perspective of the complexities of our requests. By working together with the team, we can craft a plan to make school a positive and productive place to spend every day. Children with diagnoses have legal rights to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. We have a strong understanding of these rights and can advocate for them.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful as we created our advocacy business:
* A strong curiosity and work ethic when it comes to researching the law and understanding the rights of students with learning differences and/or other special needs.

*Deep empathy for the obstacles that children, and therefore their families, face is s driving force behind our passion for this work. Understanding that these obstacles are balanced by “super-powers,” or strengths helps us encourage children and families to see the big picture and know that a diagnosis if often a gift.

* The ability to communicate calmly, to listen to all sides, and to let passion fuel the work, but not burn down the lines of communication is key. It is important to go into meetings with an open mind, a willingness to listen, and creative ideas to solve problems. If the child’s “team” truly works together, miracles can happen and children’s lives can be changed.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

The hardest thing about running an Educational Consulting and Advocacy business is the fact that many of the children and families who really need our services either do not know about them or can not afford them. In the south, where we live and work, educational consulting is not very well known. Our business if 99% word of mouth, so it has grown at a perfect pace for us to give 100% to each family. However there is so much need out there. There are so many children suffering in school. They need help. Families need guidance. To solve this issue, we are considering going nonprofit so that we can write for grants and accept donations. When a child is struggling and school becomes unbearably difficult, families suffer. Drop-out rates go up. Our society pays the price for not meeting the needs of children while they are in school. If we can educate, guide, and advocate for the needs and rights of the most underrepresented children, perhaps we can make our little corner of the world a better place.

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Image Credits

Ray Troumbly: dandelion

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