Empowering Advocacy with AI: Charmaine Thaner's Insights

About the Guest(s):

Charmaine Thaner is a seasoned educator and advocate with over 30 years of experience, who has dedicated her career to supporting families and children with special needs. As a mother to a son with Down syndrome, she blends personal experience with professional expertise to guide parents through the complexities of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. Thaner is the founder of the Connecting for Change group, where she coaches parents and offers innovative tools and techniques to empower them in educational advocacy, focusing on creating inclusive environments where every child feels valued and supported.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Think Inclusive Podcast, host Tim Villegas converses with Charmaine Thaner about the intersection of artificial intelligence and inclusive education advocacy. Villegas kicks off the episode with an intriguing twist — using an AI-generated version of his voice to introduce the topic and set the stage for a discussion on how AI can be leveraged as a tool for empowerment in educational advocacy.

Thaner shares her journey into using AI tools like ChatGPT, describing how they have revolutionized her approach to helping parents navigate the IEP process. By integrating AI in drafting emails, summarizing meetings, and even crafting legislative communications, Thaner highlights the potential these tools hold for reducing stress and enhancing clarity for parents and educators alike. She discusses the nuanced art of crafting effective prompts and custom GPTs tailored to individual advocacy goals, and how Chris Voss's negotiation techniques inspire more engaging conversations in educational settings. Throughout the episode, Tanner emphasizes the importance of maintaining authentic human connections in advocacy work, even as AI tools enhance efficiency and precision.

Complete show notes and transcript: (coming soon)

Key Takeaways:

-AI in Advocacy: Charmaine Thaner discusses how AI tools like ChatGPT can support parents in writing effective advocacy emails, summarizing meetings, and preparing for educational presentations.

-Customized AI Solutions: Thaner introduces the concept of custom GPTs, tailored AI solutions that reflect personal advocacy goals and values, proving invaluable for individualized support.

-Negotiation Techniques: Inspired by Chris Voss, Thaner utilizes negotiation strategies to craft more productive and empathetic communications with educators.

-AI Beyond Emails: The use of AI extends to legislative advocacy, assisting parents in developing personalized messages to policymakers.

-Human Connection: Despite AI's capabilities, Thaner stresses that authentic human interaction remains vital in advocacy efforts.

Resources:

Find Charmaine here: https://iep.today/Charmaine

Chris Voss's book: Never Split the Difference: https://amzn.to/4knHSx3

AI tools mentioned: ChatGPT, Claude, Poe, and Descript

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