January 27, 2025 • 49 mins
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Michelle Steiner, a paraeducator and blogger, has transformed her experiences with a learning disability into a source of inspiration. In this episode, she shares her journey of resilience, the unique strategies she developed, and the misconceptions she’s working to dispel about learning disabilities. Through parallels with nature and celebrating small victories, Michelle highlights the importance of supportive environments and finding beauty in life’s moments. Listeners will discover strategies for fostering confidence, resilience, and empathy, emphasizing that success looks different for everyone and celebrating learning differences can be transformative.
(12:11) https://www.passiton.com/
(32:30) https://www.afvclub.com/
You can learn more about Michele by visiting her website at https://www.mrsmichellesmission.com/
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Episode Transcript
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Josh Porthouse (00:00):
The views expressed in this podcast are
solely those of the podcast hostand guest and do not
necessarily represent those ofour distribution partners,
supporting businessrelationships or supported
audience.
Welcome to Transacting Value,where we talk about practical
(00:22):
applications for instigatingself-worth when dealing with
each other and even withinourselves, where we foster a
podcast listening experiencethat lets you hear the power of
a value system for managingburnout, establishing boundaries
, fostering community andfinding identity.
My name is Josh Porthouse, I'myour host and we are redefining
sovereignty of character.
(00:42):
This is why values still holdvalue.
This is Transacting Value.
Michelle Steiner (00:49):
Even at a very young age.
I really encourage them toadvocate for themselves, because
my students someday will end upleaving me, but their
disability won't, and I justhope that I give them the skills
that they need to survive.
Josh Porthouse (01:06):
Today on Transacting Value.
What is it about our lives thatdrives us, what triggers us to
excel, to do better and, in somecases, to overcome the feeling
that maybe we were overlooked Intoday's conversation.
Michelle Steiner, aparaeducator and blogger all
about Michelle's mission, isgoing to talk exactly about
(01:31):
those things what it's done forher and how it's helped her
become the woman she is today.
So, folks, without further ado,I'm Josh Porthouse, I'm your
host and, from SDYT Media, thisis Transacting Value.
Michelle, how are you doing?
Michelle Steiner (01:45):
I'm doing great.
How are you?
Josh Porthouse (01:47):
I'm good.
I'm good.
I appreciate you taking timeout of your evening to come and
talk.
So thank you first off.
Michelle Steiner (01:54):
Oh, it's a pleasure.
I'm excited about having thisconversation.
Josh Porthouse (01:58):
Me too, me too, and when I first found out about
you and your blog, there's alot of things that you focus on.
I think that are prettyinteresting too, and it's almost
like in the hustle of life thatmost people tend to get wrapped
up in and take things forgranted.
It seems like you've reallydeliberately slowed that process
down and you're bringing thingsup into the forefront.
(02:18):
So I guess let's just starthere for a second.
Just take the next coupleminutes.
Let's set the stage.
Who are you, where are you from, and you know what sort of
things are shaping yourperspective on life right now.
Michelle Steiner (02:31):
Sure Well, my name is Michelle Steiner.
I live in Pennsylvania with myhusband Ron, our two cats, jack
and Sparrow.
I am a writer, a speaker andI'm a photographer, and I have a
blog called Michelle's Missionwhere I write about life with
having a learning disability,and I also work in a school as a
(02:52):
teacher's aide with studentswho have disabilities and some
of them who don't.
Josh Porthouse (02:57):
Interesting.
Okay, and when you're talkingabout learning disabilities for
these students that you workwith, for example, is this like
students that need extra helpwith math and reading?
Or is this like students thatare wheelchair-bound and
actually physically can't read,can't comprehend what extent?
Michelle Steiner (03:15):
Right.
Well, most of the students thatI see are in the general ed
classroom but have disabilities,so a lot of them have autism.
Some of them have learningdisabilities, like I do, and
they are in the regular edclassroom and they also are in
learning support and they needjust some extra support.
(03:36):
Sometimes that might be re-teaching the lesson that the
teacher taught with theinformation.
Other times it might be helpingthem to prepare for a test.
It could be reading a test to astudent, it could be going over
spelling words or it could justbe simply cleaning out their
backpacks and helping with that.
And advocating is another thing.
(03:58):
I get a lot of students not allof them, but some of them.
It's like hearing yourrecording of myself at that age.
I hate my disability, I wish Ididn't have it.
And I get that opportunity togo in and say it's not a bad
thing to have a learningdisability and I show them ways
that they can advocate and beable to speak up for themselves.
And all the students know andthe staff knows or will soon
(04:22):
find out.
Do not ask me to help you withmath, I cannot do that, but I
find that being able to workwith the students is so
rewarding because of having adisability myself.
Josh Porthouse (04:35):
So do you think it's maybe a misnomer or an
unfair label to say it's alearning disability, or is it
just you have to find ways thatbetter suit your ability to
learn in order to learn?
Michelle Steiner (04:51):
Exactly, I need to find different ways and
different strategies to be ableto learn.
If I do things just one way,sometimes that may not work, and
that is part of the things thatI have to be able to do.
I have not found a great wayfor me to learn math, but I have
(05:13):
found ways in my life to beable to compensate for a lot of
things that I can't do.
And there's also things I cando, and I think one of the
biggest misconceptions is wethink people with learning
disabilities can't learn or wecan't do things, and there's
going to be things that westruggle with and some things
that I simply can't do.
But there's also just a lot ofother ways that I can live my
life and some people don't liketo call them disabilities.
(05:34):
They like to call it a learningdifference, and I'm comfortable
with having a disability andusing that term.
But other people likedifference and it's just really
what the person wants to say andhow they wish to refer to
themselves.
Josh Porthouse (05:50):
Well then it doesn't sound like you're that
different at all, if everybodyhas their own subjective way of
learning something anyway, orwhat best way works for them.
Michelle Steiner (05:58):
I just might have a little more challenges
that go along with that.
For example, with math, Icannot read the face of a clock,
so I use my digital watch to beable to do that.
And you are right, there aredifferent ways that people do
learn.
I just have a little moredifficulty.
I have not memorized all mymultiplication or my math facts.
(06:23):
I have a lot of difficulty whenI go into a class that I have
to learn, like when I was incollege, and I also confuse my
right from my left.
But I agree, everybody hassomething they're good at,
everybody has something theystruggle with and everybody has
a different way of learning aswell.
Josh Porthouse (06:42):
Okay, but you're an adult and I think a lot of
what we hear is learningdisabilities apply to kids and
so they get different treatmentor letters from a doctor or
whatever to account fordifferent allowances.
Is it the same sort ofprocedure for adults, or maybe
even in your case, do you think,where it's just a doctor's note
and then you can getaccommodations, or is it a
(07:04):
little more difficult?
Michelle Steiner (07:06):
It can be a little more difficult, but it is
sort of how that works.
So, like when I became an adultand I went to college, it was
up to me to advocate for myself,and I also got connected with
rehabilitation services and Ihad to be tested for having a
learning disability all overagain to be able to get the
(07:27):
accommodations that I needed,and that led to some
difficulties too.
I had a psychiatrist who toldme that he didn't think I can go
beyond community college, and Ihad professors who told me I
was going to have limited jobchoices.
But the big difference with mewas I still needed the
accommodations.
I still had to have thedocumentation from the
(07:50):
psychiatrist that I needed thoseservices, and we do have the
Americans with Disabilities Act,but that was up to me at that
point.
To be able to speak up formyself, I had to tell my
professors that I have alearning disability and I'm
going to be using these supportservices on campus, with having
(08:11):
extended test time and receivingtutoring, and it was up to me
to research programs that I knewwere going to be something I
could do, for example, if Iwanted to be a certified teacher
.
I knew that wasn't a wise courseof action, but I knew that
there were some other programsthat were out there that didn't
have as much math or science andthey had accommodations, but it
(08:35):
was up to me as an adult to dothat.
Now on my job, I have reallybeen lucky to have a pretty good
employer where I can go to theadmin and tell them I have a
learning disability and theylisten to that and I'm able to
state my needs and accommodate,advocate for myself, and I can
(08:55):
do that with my supervisors.
I'm pretty open about doingthat and I've also had jobs
where people didn't understandwith having a disability.
A lot of times they would think, well, you look normal or you
have a college degree, youshould be able to be able to do
some of those things.
Josh Porthouse (09:14):
Okay, well, is that something that you had to
figure out on your own theresearching, the ADA, figuring
out different opportunities foryou to learn things or is that
as you've grown in your own lifeor in the education system?
Is that a set of resources thatfind this file folder and
(09:36):
you'll have all the keys youneed?
Michelle Steiner (09:38):
It's a little bit of both.
Whenever I was a child, my momand dad advocated for me, and as
an adult I learned I had to doa lot of that myself.
Some of it's been research.
Some of it's also beenconnecting with other people,
and I think that's one of thegood things that's come up with.
Social media is being able toconnect with other people that
(10:00):
have disabilities and talkingwith them on how they do things
and learning about resourcesthat they use and being able to
help somebody else out.
A lot of that before socialmedia, I had to figure a lot of
that out myself, and it was justabout calling around places and
talking to people and justsometimes, just getting out
(10:22):
there and practicing.
That, too, was a big thing.
Josh Porthouse (10:27):
Practicing that.
Michelle Steiner (10:28):
Mm-hmm.
Josh Porthouse (10:30):
What does that mean?
Michelle Steiner (10:31):
I think it's really easy in theory that
people have this idea that Ihave a disability and if I ask
for accommodations and they'renot given to me, the ADA is
going to come along and there'sgoing to be this lawsuit and
things are going to change.
And that can work in that way.
But sometimes you might have abetter idea with just learning
(10:55):
how to, with asking foraccommodations, and that took a
lot of practicing.
I can remember when I firststarted out I didn't go around
that the correct way.
It didn't work out with somejobs and I didn't ask the right
way to do that.
And then in other places Iwouldn't say anything, I would
just be like, oh, I don't.
I didn't really feelcomfortable.
(11:16):
And then people were looking atme like, well, how are you?
You know, why are you notperforming to this standard?
And I've also gone to jobinterviews where I've said I
have a disability and other oneswhere I've learned to not say
things too.
And it just gets easier.
The first time you do it youmight blow up at your boss or
you might blow up at somebody,and that's not the way to handle
(11:39):
it.
But the more you practicesaying that, the more you get
comfortable with saying I have adisability and this is what I'm
going to need.
The better you get at it.
Josh Porthouse (12:06):
All right, folks sit tight and we'll be right
back on Transacting Value.
Ad (12:11):
When I start feeling like I want to give up, I think about
that little piece of coal.
And if that piece of coal canmake something of itself by not
giving up, so can I.
Persistence is in you.
From PassItOncom.
Michelle Steiner (12:27):
The more you get comfortable with saying I
have a disability and this iswhat I'm going to need, the
better you get at it and this iswhat I'm going to need, the
better you get at it.
Josh Porthouse (12:40):
Having that degree of self-control intact, I
think makes a difference, nomatter who you are in whatever
social circumstance.
But do you think it's a similarcase, maybe with age?
For example, people that maybegrowing up weren't diagnosed or
didn't or don't have a typicallearning disability.
They just haven't been inschool for 20 years and they're
going back to school.
(13:00):
That's a cognitive disabilityat that point right.
Michelle Steiner (13:05):
For somebody that may not even have a
disability and they just haven'tbeen in school for a while and
you have age, that can besomething that they might.
It might be a little harder forthem and they'll be able, you
know, to have like thoseresources too.
And sometimes it can be hardfor a lot of my coworkers too.
With them, with not having adisability, either they didn't
(13:27):
learn how to do it or it's beenso long that they just need to
brush up on that, and that canbe something that they'll catch
on and once they learn it, theyreally know what they're doing.
Josh Porthouse (13:41):
But it sounds like so do you within the realm
of a few things?
Right, and so now you've turnedit into a blog, yeah, and so
you're obviously gaining someconfidence and some degree of
awareness around it.
What do you write about?
Michelle Steiner (13:58):
My life with a learning disability and I use a
lot of nature analogies.
That is a big thing.
So I might talk about abutterfly and the transformation
process a butterfly has gonethrough and how I've accepted my
disability.
One of my latest posts is aboutthe different trees in the fall
and just how every tree isdifferent and so is every
(14:21):
learning disability, and I tryto put that in really simple
terms so people can be able tounderstand that, and I also put
a lot of pictures on my blog formy walks.
I get that chance to stop andsmell the roses because I'm not
able to drive because of mydisability and I have a great
support system I have a husbandwho takes me to work and I have
(14:43):
a great coworker who takes mehome at the end of the day.
But whenever I don't have aride, I get that chance to stop
and smell the roses and takepictures of flowers and people
say, wow, you bring out detailsthat I would miss in a flower
and I think if I was really sadthat I didn't have a ride or I
(15:04):
was driving, I would miss thatshot.
I wouldn't be able to take thatpicture because I would be so
focused on the road.
Josh Porthouse (15:11):
Yeah Well.
So how did you develop thisperspective then?
Because you seem very welladjusted, you seem not very
depressed, you know what I meanLike I had it so hard and
victimized.
You seem to be in pretty goodspirits.
I mean, you've been smiling thewhole time.
So what did you do?
How did you develop youroutlook?
Michelle Steiner (15:31):
Well, a lot of my outlook came whenever I was
in college.
I was not somebody what bringsme joy, that I felt empowered,
(15:57):
because if you sit me in frontof math or a calculator or a car
and want me to drive, I'm goingto be really frustrated and
upset.
But if you give me things thatI can do and I enjoy doing, I'm
a happy person, I'm empoweredand I just think it's that
finding those things that youlove to do and that you're good
(16:18):
at, and going towards that andnot worrying about the things
that I have no control over anddon't bring me happiness.
Josh Porthouse (16:28):
Yeah, but that kind of negativity is appealing
and it's contagious and it's soeasy to fall into.
So what's your trigger?
What worked for you to say youknow what I'm done.
Feeling this way, I'm taking aconscious control over the wheel
and changing it.
What worked for you?
Michelle Steiner (16:45):
I think it's when I moved back in with my
parents for a while when I wasyounger, because I was on my own
for a while and for financialreasons, I had to move back in
with them and I wasn't.
It was hard, but what I reallyreally helped me was I focused
on what I could do.
I found a program at universitythat had the least amount of
math and science possible andhad a program that I was
(17:07):
interested in and I started todo really well in my classes,
except for the math.
I mean I had an internal logicsclass.
That was hard, but a lot of myother classes I was the math.
I mean.
I had an internal logics class.
That was hard, but a lot of myother classes.
I was getting really goodgrades and I made dean's list.
And when I graduated with thebachelor's degree, that's when
my perspective really started tochange because I thought, wow,
(17:29):
this is something I was able toaccomplish that I really wanted
to do.
And, okay, my disability didn'tgo away, that's fine.
But I have this degree and nowI can look at other people,
whether I'm at my job with mystudents, and I can encourage
them and I can say you know,there is hope and I can also do
(17:49):
that with a lot of people frommy blog or just other
interactions that I can say Iknow it's hard, I understand
what it's like to be there, butI've been there and I've been
able to move forward.
Josh Porthouse (18:05):
And I know that there's a plan for you to do
that as well.
That's powerful.
I mean speaking of empowerment,like think of the message
you're putting out to people.
Congratulations, and obviouslyon your degree as well.
Thank you, well done, great job, yeah.
But so you've seen this nowfrom basically two different age
groups, right, like as a kidfirsthand, as an adult firsthand
, and then obviously secondhand.
Now working with kids andinteracting with adults.
(18:28):
What do you think posed thegreater challenge for you as the
individual?
To get through firsthand and tocommunicate through secondhand.
Michelle Steiner (18:38):
The greatest challenge, I believe, is as a
kid, because I couldn't seeahead.
All I could see was thesituation in front of me, and it
was really difficult.
I was struggling in a class.
I didn't feel very smart.
I also was really strugglingsocially.
I went to a very smallconservative school district
(18:58):
where if you didn't fit in withthem you weren't part of that.
And I really didn't.
And I was bullied in both mylearning support and my regular
ed classes and called somepretty unkind things and just
didn't think I was smart and myparents would encourage me.
My dad especially would say youknow, things are going to work
out in the end.
The playing field is going tobe even.
(19:19):
And when you're a kid you don'tthink that because all you can
see is what's in front of you.
You can't see the road ahead,you can't see just all the
opportunities that are out there.
So what I try to do with a lotof my students is I try to tell
them that there is hope outthere, there are opportunities
(19:40):
and it's not always going to bethis difficult.
Josh Porthouse (19:44):
For you Now.
Does that work?
Using that as an explanation?
Michelle Steiner (19:50):
With a lot of my students.
It hasn't really worked a wholelot effectively.
Some of them are just at thatstage.
They're in seventh grade.
They can't see ahead.
But sometimes we can start toget a little bit of that light
that goes through.
A good example of this is Iwill work on spelling words with
one of my students and in thevery beginning they don't do
(20:11):
very well.
They'll tell me I didn't dogood, we studied, I didn't do
very well.
They'll tell me I didn't dogood, we studied, I didn't do
well.
And then weeks will go by andwe'll be studying whenever they
have a spelling week and it getsto a point around where they're
saying, hey, I got a nay on mytest or I got a bonus word.
And then their friends who don'twant to study are starting to
(20:33):
say, hey, can you go overspelling words with me?
Friends who don't want to studyare starting to say, hey, can
you go over spelling words withme?
So they're starting to pick upon that skill of how to study
and how to do make little bitsof progress.
And I think that's importantbecause a lot of our kids just
come in and they don't have alot of that wisdom or they.
Some of them don't even havesomebody at home to be able to
look over things with them.
So we just work on this and wejust build upon it, even at a
(20:56):
very young age.
I really encourage them toadvocate for themselves, because
my students someday will end upleaving me, but their
disability won't, and I justhope that I give them the skills
that they need to survive.
Josh Porthouse (21:13):
All right, folks sit tight, We'll be right back
on Transacting Value.
Join us for Transacting Value,where we discuss practical
applications of personal values,every Monday at 9 am on our
website,transactingvaluepodcastcom.
Wednesdays at 5 pm and Sundaysat noon on
wreathsacrossamericaorg slashradio acrossamericaorg slash
(21:34):
radio.
Michelle Steiner (21:37):
My students someday will end up leaving me,
but their disability won't, andI just hope that I give them the
skills that they need tosurvive.
Josh Porthouse (21:47):
It sounds like you are.
I mean, being able to instigateeven a little win at any point
in time can make a hugedifference.
My younger brother actuallytold me this maybe about a month
ago now.
So in his job, most of what hehas to accomplish you know, his
work, tasks or whatever are likeenduring multi-month type
projects.
It's not like you can check abox at the end of the day and
(22:09):
you're like, well, I've madeprogress at work.
He's like well, I can check abox at the end of the day, so I
know I can start at this pointtomorrow.
I haven't actually accomplishedanything.
And one of the things I askedhim a couple of weeks ago I said
what does that do for you?
I mean, how does that make youfeel you can't really ever get
ahead at work then, cause you'renot really completing anything?
And he said I don't.
I go home and I have projectsthat give me a little victory.
(22:33):
Maybe it's a card game I canwin or a video game I can beat,
or something that I can dowithin an hour, within 10
minutes, just to get a littlewin.
He said it helps him spike andfocus and reorient himself, that
he's not totally wasting histime or worthless.
It sounds pretty similar towhat you're describing.
Am I close?
Michelle Steiner (22:52):
Exactly, I try to give myself that success.
I was even talking with my dadon the phone a while ago and I
said you know, when I was inschool, no one really told me to
take advanced placement classes.
We took the classes I neededfor math, which were learning
support, but I was in regular edclasses.
(23:13):
So my dad said well, and I didreally well.
And he said well, that'ssetting you up for success.
That's what we wanted you to do, not to go in and be
overwhelmed and frustrated.
But we wanted to also give youthat challenge too, and I think
it's turning those lemons intolemonade and looking to a lot of
the success and the things Ican do and those little wins
(23:36):
that I can have control overwithin my life.
And another really nice thingthat my husband and I do is I
call them carrots.
So over on the weekends wemight go out to a museum or we
might go to a garden orsomewhere else a park or
something that might be fun orsomewhere else a park or
something that might be fun, andI'll tell them sometimes if
(23:59):
it's a really rough week at workor something.
I'll say, okay, remind me whatmy carrots are this weekend, and
that's my motivation to getthrough my week at work and to
be able to have that fun.
And that's something that wecan look forward to, because I
think people need that orsomething that they can, and it
might just be something small,it could just be a cup of coffee
(24:20):
or a cup of tea or that shortmoment that you have, but I
think just giving peoplemotivation is so important isn't
that interesting too.
Josh Porthouse (24:29):
I mean, you just mentioned a couple minutes ago
about the impact social mediahad for you on finding outlets
and communicating with people.
But constructive criticism Imean actual positive feedback
like hey, good job.
Not like leaving a comment onsomebody's page or a thumbs up
or something, but like I reallyappreciate what you did, You're
doing awesome things, orwhatever people can compliment
(24:50):
each other about, Right, Is itreally that uncommon?
I mean, have we come that far?
Do you notice that?
Michelle Steiner (24:57):
I notice that sometimes there is that where
people don't always comment, orsometimes we don't always leave
very kind remarks too withthings like that.
But I've also think that that'sone of the negatives.
But I think one of thepositives has.
I've been able to find otherpeople that struggle with math
(25:19):
disabilities.
Especially whenever I was inschool, most of my peers had
math or not math.
They had reading difficultiesand some of them had some
behavior issues from trauma.
So I really didn't know anybodythat was like me and I've been
able to connect that there areother people that have those
(25:40):
issues as well.
Josh Porthouse (25:43):
So how do we get people to talk more openly,
authentically but not rude andabrasive.
Offer some constructivefeedback, have conversations in
person or digitally like thisand just talk people to people.
Michelle Steiner (25:59):
Right.
I think that's a big thing Talkpeople to people and to think,
I always try to think before Isay something online is that
something I would want somebodyto say to me?
And if it's not, I'll try toreally reframe it.
And also, if there is an issuethat somebody has I think
sometimes it's not I'll try toreally reframe it.
And also, if there is an issuethat somebody has, I think
sometimes it's better to dealwith it privately rather than
(26:23):
having a war out there and tojust be selective, I mean, of
what you put out there, becausesome things just may not be
something I'll share online, butthe people in my life know, and
that's okay too.
Josh Porthouse (26:39):
Yeah yeah, discretion goes a long way,
right, and empathy, like youbrought up.
You know this is a good pointin the conversation for a
segment of the show calledDeveloping Character, d-d-d.
Developing Character.
And so for everybody who's newto the show, michelle, you
included.
It's two questions, and here'smy why, real quick before I jump
(27:00):
into them.
I think that everybody hassomething to stand on to get
through the sticky spots wherethey lose sight of who they are,
their identity, what they haveto offer the world, their
strengths, their own advocacy, Ithink, is the word you used,
and, in my opinion, my workingtheory is that people have a
(27:21):
value system that they can standon to say, actually, this is
more accurately who I am, notall the stuff people say about
me, and this is what I have tooffer.
And so my questions, two ofthem, as vulnerably as you care
to be in your answers, are basedon time, because I think the
perspective that you'vedeveloped is so unique, not
(27:44):
because it's you and yours, butbecause it's self-perpetuating,
it's your own internal mechanism.
Now You're not reliant as muchon other people's opinions
internal mechanism now You'renot reliant as much on other
people's opinions, and so, as akid, my first question is as a
(28:04):
kid growing up, what were someof the values that you were
exposed to or that you remembergrowing up around?
My second question is then whatare some of them now, if any
have changed?
Michelle Steiner (28:11):
I think one of the values that I was really
exposed to was resilience andhard work.
My mom and dad expected me togo to school, even when they
knew I wasn't going to do wellon a test.
They were in a class.
They would study with me.
We had a lot of long, tearfulhomework sessions together, but
(28:31):
they wanted me to be resilient,so I had to go and go to school,
go face people even when I wasstruggling, and I think that was
a big thing.
Hard work was another thing.
I wasn't expected to haveperfect grades but I had to try
and I really always had to workharder than other people and
that really served me in the endbecause I wasn't just skimming
(28:54):
to get by in classes served mein the end because I wasn't just
skimming to get by in classes.
I was somebody that was reallygetting good grades because I
was doing sometimes bonus workand I was doing really good work
and people eventually said thatI was a good student because I
learned that I had to workharder and I also had a teacher
in my senior year.
She said I never knew a studentthat could have a part-time job
(29:16):
, still maintain good grades andhave a social life, and just
having all those things from ayoung child has taught me to be
a hard worker, and also thatendurance, too, has been a big
thing.
I can now understand thatwhenever I was a kid and I was
sometimes being rejected and Ihad to still go to school and
(29:39):
still face a lot of adversity,that I could be the kind of
person that could reallywithstand a lot of things and I
wasn't going to that, wascomfortable with being
independent and being my ownperson and not always having to
make decisions and be a peoplepleaser.
Those were some of the things Ilearned.
Josh Porthouse (30:00):
That's a huge lesson.
That's a huge lesson.
And then your perspective on it, I think, is pretty powerful
too.
Being relatively ostracized,growing up in whatever social
setting, oftentimes forces youto learn independence, and you
may not get that otherwise.
Maybe the courage to beindependent in public or the
(30:21):
confidence to stand behind yourindependent decisions, maybe
right, but that's huge, yeah.
And so how do you recommend, asparents, we advocate for or
help our kids, as a teacher oras an individual, to develop
that kind of awareness andconfidence and courage?
Is it all just emphasize andreinforce little wins, or are
(30:43):
there other strategies you foundto be effective?
Michelle Steiner (30:46):
I definitely think recognizing and
reinforcing little wins isimportant, because my dad found
a story about a dinosaur inthird grade that I wrote and up
until that point I didn't thinkI was good at anything and he
saw that and he said this ispretty good and that really
influenced my life.
So I think it's noticing whatour kids can do and recognizing
(31:07):
that and just building upon that.
But I also think it's havingthat resilience too.
I think it's okay.
You know you're going to studywith somebody and they're not.
That kid's not going to do wellon a test, but we have to say,
okay, go forward, try your best.
Let's try to learn from thesituation.
And it's also knowing when tocome into a situation too.
(31:29):
I had a teacher whenever I wasin fourth grade and I was
coloring and the teacher held upthe picture and said does this
look like she's really doing herbest?
And I told my parents about itbecause I really felt ashamed
and my mom and dad went to themeeting and he was called out on
that.
But in other situations my momand dad had me go to school, had
(31:52):
me talk to my teacher, had medo a lot of things independently
too, and I think it's justknowing when there's that point
where a parent and an adult hasto step in and also that point
where we have to just sometimeslet the student go and learn
life lessons.
Josh Porthouse (32:27):
All right, folks sit tight and we'll be right
back on.
Transacting Value.
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Michelle Steiner (33:16):
I think it's just knowing when there's that
point where a parent and anadult has to step in, and also
that point where we have to justsometimes let the student go
and learn life lessons.
Josh Porthouse (33:30):
What are some, I guess, thresholds that you've
identified, maybe not specificto certain students, but I mean
you mentioned knowing when toget involved, knowing when to
let kids fall, sort of, andlearn as they go.
What are some of thosethresholds that you've
identified?
Michelle Steiner (33:45):
I think some of the thresholds of learning to
let kids fall are naturalconsequences.
If the child forgets theirhomework, they have to go for
that maybe not getting as goodof a grade or maybe not learning
the subject, and then sometimesthat might just be something
they have to learn and toimprove on and have the parents
(34:06):
be there to support them.
But just some of the otherthings, like having parents show
up for their child's individualeducation plan meeting, that's
definitely a way that a parentcan be able that needs to show
up.
I can remember this was beforewe even let students go into
their own IEP meetings.
(34:27):
My mom and dad would go to mymeetings and they would tell me
okay, we're going to yourmeeting on this day.
Is there anything you want usto bring up?
And they would bring up myconcerns at the meeting and my
parents would get back to me onwhat happened with that too.
And I think it's having thathonesty and that advocacy not
something a parent can really dofor their child, but also
(34:51):
ultimately, it's having thatchild definitely sometimes go
through situations where theyhave to learn and they have to
be responsible and have thosenatural consequences.
Josh Porthouse (35:03):
So then, in developing that kind of
ownership, what doesn't work?
And I think there's someobvious, like you know,
insulting or belittling, likethose kinds of things won't work
.
But we don't always know, youknow, like I'm 37.
I'm a millennial, some obviousinsulting or belittling those
kinds of things won't work.
But we don't always know I'm 37.
I'm a millennial, I'm a father,I'm learning, I don't know what
I'm doing, just like any otherfather in their 30s before me,
(35:25):
generations back right.
So in the moment I don't knowwhat doesn't work.
Michelle Steiner (35:31):
Well, one thing with kids with learning
disabilities is expectingperfection, because, well,
nobody's perfect, whethersomebody has a learning
disability or doesn't.
But sometimes parents that arelike, well, if you don't get a
grade above a C, or if you get aC on your report card, you're
(35:52):
grounded, or if you get a D on atest or you don't do well at
one, that's really a surefirestrategy to really lose a
student that has a disability,because there might be times
where you might study with mefor hours or you might go over
information and I still mightbomb the test or I still might
struggle to find that.
(36:14):
And expecting perfection, well,that's not something that a lot
of us could well, any of us cando, but for, especially for a
student with a disability, thatcan be really hard.
The emphasis is but are youtrying?
My mom and dad made me do myhomework.
I still had to go to class, Istill had to put the effort in
(36:34):
and go to tutoring and do allthat.
So I think it's progress overperfection is a big way to
really help somebody.
I think it's also advocating isa big way too is encouraging
them to advocate for themselves,to be able to ask for things,
to be able to just kind of givethat ownership over to their
(36:56):
child eventually, but to betheir biggest advocate while you
have them there and to also betheir encourager too.
I know my mom and dad couldn'tfix all my problems, but they
were there to encourage me andI've also been blessed with some
wonderful friends that were agreat influence on me.
They're a few years older thanI am and they got.
(37:18):
I was in an adult writing groupand they got to see me grow as
a writer and a person and20-some years later we still
meet and I think it's pushing.
Yeah, it's finding those people, finding a good influence,
finding your tribe of people whoare going to to be in your life
(37:39):
well, okay.
Josh Porthouse (37:43):
Well, before I get to the tribe point you just
brought up, you made me thinkabout progress over perfection
point you made.
I think sometimes too and I'mcurious your opinion here that
that either can result in wellthen, I'm not going to get this,
I'm a failure, I'm not going tobe able to do this, I'm just
(38:03):
not that good.
That side of the mentality orthe other side Okay, well, I
figured it out, I'm just goingto study to the test, I'm just
going to learn what I need.
I understand the patterns inthe questions and I know those
answers, but you don't actuallylearn the material in either
circumstance.
Is that common as a response?
Michelle Steiner (38:23):
You're right.
I mean a lot of people you dostudy for the test and that's
all the information that youmight have retained.
Now my brain.
I couldn't pick up on a patternon a test.
I mean I just don't pick upsometimes on a lot of patterns,
but sometimes that can be really.
Yeah, I agree, sometimes thereis that time where we study what
(38:47):
we need and we do what we canto pass.
I mean, there's obviouslysituations like that, but
sometimes it's also figuring outthough maybe it's not that all
or nothing mentality.
Maybe it's one of those thingswhere maybe something doesn't
work out but we find a wayaround it.
I'm not able to drive, but thatdoesn't mean that I can't get
(39:09):
somewhere.
I might have to have somebodytake me, I might need to walk or
I might need to have publictransportation, but I can get
where I need to go.
It just might look different,and I think that was me
redefining what success was.
My father always told me thatsuccess doesn't always come in
the package that you expect, butsometimes it comes in something
(39:30):
different, and that has justbeen so true in my life.
Maybe there was things Icouldn't do, but I found ways to
be able to get pretty close toit.
Josh Porthouse (39:42):
Yeah, well, I mean, it's like you said too,
you've got to be able to findyour tribe right, and that may
mean infrastructure, the publictransportation or housing,
accommodations or actual peopleand friends you socialize with.
I think a tribe is a real broadsort of term for finding places
where you're comfortable andcompetent and capable and all
these other things right.
(40:02):
So well, like you mentionedearlier, sometimes you have a
harder time identifying patterns.
So how did you identify yourtribe If it's all really based
on like-minded people orsimilarly conceptual people, you
know?
Michelle Steiner (40:17):
and I just never really had a connection
with a lot of people I went toschool with.
Even today, I might have one ortwo people we're friends online
(40:41):
but I really don't have thatconnection and I could just feel
like, okay, I'm really notgoing to be able to connect well
with a lot of these people.
One of the first steps was Ifound a teen writing group that
was just outside of our schooldistrict and I found some
acceptance with that group and Istarted to write articles and
do other volunteer activities.
And then, when I got a littlebit older and I started to
(41:02):
transition out of that group, Iwas able to have that courage to
go out there because I alreadyhad acceptance from other people
and my dad found the group.
He heard about it on the radioand I went into the group and I
just I found people that had thesame interest that I did and
they were just a few years olderthan I was, and I think a lot
(41:27):
of it is what are the intereststhat you have?
I like writing, so I found otherpeople that like to write and
like to read, and I think thatpeople can do that in other
groups too.
There's a lot of communitygroups that need volunteers.
There's a lot of sportingevents.
If you're into that, Music, Imean.
There's just a lot of thingsthat people an interest for
(41:51):
everybody and it's going forthose groups where people are
nice and that might share someof those same values.
And then you also find peoplewho are different too.
No, not everybody's cookiecutter, Nobody's the same.
But if you find people thatshare those interests, then
you'll have stuff that you'llhave in common with them and if
(42:13):
it's the right people, you'lldevelop a tribe and they'll be
the ones that will get to seethe good in you and they'll also
see the bad and they can helpdevelop you as a person.
Josh Porthouse (42:25):
Oh, that's powerful.
Do you think and I guess thisis really one of my last
questions for the sake of timebut do you think that there's an
opportunity to do that?
If you move around every coupleyears?
Military kids foster home kids,you know people growing up
through the educational systemthat don't have stability at
(42:46):
home.
Is it still possible to developthat kind of tribal association
or comfort level orvulnerability?
Michelle Steiner (42:54):
I think that it's a possibility.
It might be a little moredifficult, but I mean it's
finding the good qualityprogramming that is out there.
For me it was finding a lot ofthe art groups like we also have
an art center in our communitytoo that people can do that.
There's also YMCAs that I alsoI belong to the Y and they do a
(43:18):
lot with youth development andthey have adult activities as
well, and I think it's findingthose people, some people.
It's places of worship wherethey can find friends or people
that might have the sameinterests.
It's just really looking out inthe community, seeking out
those resources and seeing whatyou love and what your passions
(43:41):
are and just going out towardsthem.
Josh Porthouse (43:46):
That alone takes a certain degree of awareness,
I think, and boldness in theprocess, to just discover well
you and learn who you aren't.
And you know people.
You may not talk to friends,you may not keep all the other.
That's the reality of it too, Ithink.
The harmony of the humancondition, I guess.
(44:06):
Yeah, okay, well, so let me askyou this of all the experiences
you've had and all the oneswe've talked about so far in
this conversation, compared towho you used to be as a person
growing up, as a kid or in highschool maybe, what has all of
this insight actually done foryour sense of self, or how has
(44:27):
it actually instigated your ownself-worth now?
Michelle Steiner (44:32):
now.
I think what it has done isshow me who I am and showed me,
just developed me as a person.
That was one of the things withespecially the ones in my adult
writing group I'm still meetingwith 20 some years later, when
I was a teenager.
They didn't want to just see medevelop as a writer, they
(44:52):
wanted to see me develop as aperson and they invested a lot
of that time into me and I havethat opportunity and also, with
my parents, they got to see whatI was good at and develop me
too, and I think what thathelped me to do is to see myself
as a whole person, that I havea disability, but there's also
(45:13):
things in my life that I'm notdisabled at and I can do and
there's value and there's worthand everything that I've gone
through, pain and just all thegood things have developed me
into who I am today, and I usedto spend a lot of my time
thinking, oh, if I had thisdisability, my life would be
(45:34):
perfect and I would be thisperfect person and I can't
imagine another life other thanmine.
Josh Porthouse (45:43):
Congratulations.
I think I've said it three orfour times this conversation,
but the amount of progressyou've made, yeah, unreal.
Good for you, good for you.
And so I guess the only otherquestion I have at this point is
for anybody that wants to gainmore inspiration from you, learn
more about your story,resources, outlets maybe they
have to help process the worldand, you know, relearn who they
(46:06):
are, learning, disabilities ornot.
Where do people go to find yourblog or any other resources you
might have?
Michelle Steiner (46:13):
Sure, you can find me at
wwwMrsMichelle'sMissioncom, andI'm also on Facebook and
Instagram.
Josh Porthouse (46:21):
Perfect, okay.
Well, so for anybody who's newto our show, depending on where
you're streaming thisconversation, click on See More
or click Show More, and there'sa little drop down arrow for the
show description.
In there you'll also see linksto Michelle's website, mrs
Michelle's mission for herwebsite, and Facebook and
Instagram, so you'll be able toget there as well.
(46:42):
And, michelle, I'm lookingforward to seeing how you
develop, how you continue towrite your blog.
I think you've got such apowerful position right now in
society as an authority, as anadvocate, as somebody with
enough courage to talk aboutthese things in public, so I
think you're in a really, reallysuccessful spot.
(47:03):
So, yeah, I hope you keep doingit.
Michelle Steiner (47:05):
Thank you so much.
It's been a pleasure speakingwith you today.
Josh Porthouse (47:09):
Thank you very much for your time as well, and
I appreciate it and foreverybody else who's tuned in
and listened to our conversationor watch the conversation in
this case.
Thank you, guys for tuning in.
Everything else all of ourother conversations you can go
to transactingvaluepodcastcom.
That's our website, but here'swhat's cool about it.
On the homepage, in the topright corner it says leave a
(47:30):
voicemail.
If you click on it, it it's twominutes of talk time all to
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Here's my recommendation let usknow what you think of the show,
your feedback about our topics,about how we're structuring the
show, the flow, my questions,whatever you prefer.
It's fine.
Let us know what you think ofthe show, but also let michelle
know what you think of theconversation.
(47:51):
Let her know how she's feelingabout the world and what she's
doing, and give her some insight, give her some resources or
just tell her thanks, becausewhat she said in this
conversation helped you or yourkids figure out better who they
are and get through some sort ofsituation, and we'll forward it
on to Michelle as well.
So it's a really powerfulopportunity for everybody
involved.
But again, michelle, Iappreciate this one to talk to
(48:12):
you and I look forward to seewhere you take it in the future,
but until next time, that wasTransacting Value.
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(48:34):
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(49:25):
we'll meet you there Until nexttime.
That was Transacting Value.
The views expressed in this podcast are
solely those of the podcast hostand guest and do not
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supporting businessrelationships or supported
audience.
Welcome to Transacting Value,where we talk about practical
(00:22):
applications for instigatingself-worth when dealing with
each other and even withinourselves, where we foster a
podcast listening experiencethat lets you hear the power of
a value system for managingburnout, establishing boundaries
, fostering community andfinding identity.
My name is Josh Porthouse, I'myour host and we are redefining
sovereignty of character.
(00:42):
This is why values still holdvalue.
This is Transacting Value.
Michelle Steiner (00:49):
Even at a very young age.
I really encourage them toadvocate for themselves, because
my students someday will end upleaving me, but their
disability won't, and I justhope that I give them the skills
that they need to survive.
Josh Porthouse (01:06):
Today on Transacting Value.
What is it about our lives thatdrives us, what triggers us to
excel, to do better and, in somecases, to overcome the feeling
that maybe we were overlooked Intoday's conversation.
Michelle Steiner, aparaeducator and blogger all
about Michelle's mission, isgoing to talk exactly about
(01:31):
those things what it's done forher and how it's helped her
become the woman she is today.
So, folks, without further ado,I'm Josh Porthouse, I'm your
host and, from SDYT Media, thisis Transacting Value.
Michelle, how are you doing?
Michelle Steiner (01:45):
I'm doing great.
How are you?
Josh Porthouse (01:47):
I'm good.
I'm good.
I appreciate you taking timeout of your evening to come and
talk.
So thank you first off.
Michelle Steiner (01:54):
Oh, it's a pleasure.
I'm excited about having thisconversation.
Josh Porthouse (01:58):
Me too, me too, and when I first found out about
you and your blog, there's alot of things that you focus on.
I think that are prettyinteresting too, and it's almost
like in the hustle of life thatmost people tend to get wrapped
up in and take things forgranted.
It seems like you've reallydeliberately slowed that process
down and you're bringing thingsup into the forefront.
(02:18):
So I guess let's just starthere for a second.
Just take the next coupleminutes.
Let's set the stage.
Who are you, where are you from, and you know what sort of
things are shaping yourperspective on life right now.
Michelle Steiner (02:31):
Sure Well, my name is Michelle Steiner.
I live in Pennsylvania with myhusband Ron, our two cats, jack
and Sparrow.
I am a writer, a speaker andI'm a photographer, and I have a
blog called Michelle's Missionwhere I write about life with
having a learning disability,and I also work in a school as a
(02:52):
teacher's aide with studentswho have disabilities and some
of them who don't.
Josh Porthouse (02:57):
Interesting.
Okay, and when you're talkingabout learning disabilities for
these students that you workwith, for example, is this like
students that need extra helpwith math and reading?
Or is this like students thatare wheelchair-bound and
actually physically can't read,can't comprehend what extent?
Michelle Steiner (03:15):
Right.
Well, most of the students thatI see are in the general ed
classroom but have disabilities,so a lot of them have autism.
Some of them have learningdisabilities, like I do, and
they are in the regular edclassroom and they also are in
learning support and they needjust some extra support.
(03:36):
Sometimes that might be re-teaching the lesson that the
teacher taught with theinformation.
Other times it might be helpingthem to prepare for a test.
It could be reading a test to astudent, it could be going over
spelling words or it could justbe simply cleaning out their
backpacks and helping with that.
And advocating is another thing.
(03:58):
I get a lot of students not allof them, but some of them.
It's like hearing yourrecording of myself at that age.
I hate my disability, I wish Ididn't have it.
And I get that opportunity togo in and say it's not a bad
thing to have a learningdisability and I show them ways
that they can advocate and beable to speak up for themselves.
And all the students know andthe staff knows or will soon
(04:22):
find out.
Do not ask me to help you withmath, I cannot do that, but I
find that being able to workwith the students is so
rewarding because of having adisability myself.
Josh Porthouse (04:35):
So do you think it's maybe a misnomer or an
unfair label to say it's alearning disability, or is it
just you have to find ways thatbetter suit your ability to
learn in order to learn?
Michelle Steiner (04:51):
Exactly, I need to find different ways and
different strategies to be ableto learn.
If I do things just one way,sometimes that may not work, and
that is part of the things thatI have to be able to do.
I have not found a great wayfor me to learn math, but I have
(05:13):
found ways in my life to beable to compensate for a lot of
things that I can't do.
And there's also things I cando, and I think one of the
biggest misconceptions is wethink people with learning
disabilities can't learn or wecan't do things, and there's
going to be things that westruggle with and some things
that I simply can't do.
But there's also just a lot ofother ways that I can live my
life and some people don't liketo call them disabilities.
(05:34):
They like to call it a learningdifference, and I'm comfortable
with having a disability andusing that term.
But other people likedifference and it's just really
what the person wants to say andhow they wish to refer to
themselves.
Josh Porthouse (05:50):
Well then it doesn't sound like you're that
different at all, if everybodyhas their own subjective way of
learning something anyway, orwhat best way works for them.
Michelle Steiner (05:58):
I just might have a little more challenges
that go along with that.
For example, with math, Icannot read the face of a clock,
so I use my digital watch to beable to do that.
And you are right, there aredifferent ways that people do
learn.
I just have a little moredifficulty.
I have not memorized all mymultiplication or my math facts.
(06:23):
I have a lot of difficulty whenI go into a class that I have
to learn, like when I was incollege, and I also confuse my
right from my left.
But I agree, everybody hassomething they're good at,
everybody has something theystruggle with and everybody has
a different way of learning aswell.
Josh Porthouse (06:42):
Okay, but you're an adult and I think a lot of
what we hear is learningdisabilities apply to kids and
so they get different treatmentor letters from a doctor or
whatever to account fordifferent allowances.
Is it the same sort ofprocedure for adults, or maybe
even in your case, do you think,where it's just a doctor's note
and then you can getaccommodations, or is it a
(07:04):
little more difficult?
Michelle Steiner (07:06):
It can be a little more difficult, but it is
sort of how that works.
So, like when I became an adultand I went to college, it was
up to me to advocate for myself,and I also got connected with
rehabilitation services and Ihad to be tested for having a
learning disability all overagain to be able to get the
(07:27):
accommodations that I needed,and that led to some
difficulties too.
I had a psychiatrist who toldme that he didn't think I can go
beyond community college, and Ihad professors who told me I
was going to have limited jobchoices.
But the big difference with mewas I still needed the
accommodations.
I still had to have thedocumentation from the
(07:50):
psychiatrist that I needed thoseservices, and we do have the
Americans with Disabilities Act,but that was up to me at that
point.
To be able to speak up formyself, I had to tell my
professors that I have alearning disability and I'm
going to be using these supportservices on campus, with having
(08:11):
extended test time and receivingtutoring, and it was up to me
to research programs that I knewwere going to be something I
could do, for example, if Iwanted to be a certified teacher
.
I knew that wasn't a wise courseof action, but I knew that
there were some other programsthat were out there that didn't
have as much math or science andthey had accommodations, but it
(08:35):
was up to me as an adult to dothat.
Now on my job, I have reallybeen lucky to have a pretty good
employer where I can go to theadmin and tell them I have a
learning disability and theylisten to that and I'm able to
state my needs and accommodate,advocate for myself, and I can
(08:55):
do that with my supervisors.
I'm pretty open about doingthat and I've also had jobs
where people didn't understandwith having a disability.
A lot of times they would think, well, you look normal or you
have a college degree, youshould be able to be able to do
some of those things.
Josh Porthouse (09:14):
Okay, well, is that something that you had to
figure out on your own theresearching, the ADA, figuring
out different opportunities foryou to learn things or is that
as you've grown in your own lifeor in the education system?
Is that a set of resources thatfind this file folder and
(09:36):
you'll have all the keys youneed?
Michelle Steiner (09:38):
It's a little bit of both.
Whenever I was a child, my momand dad advocated for me, and as
an adult I learned I had to doa lot of that myself.
Some of it's been research.
Some of it's also beenconnecting with other people,
and I think that's one of thegood things that's come up with.
Social media is being able toconnect with other people that
(10:00):
have disabilities and talkingwith them on how they do things
and learning about resourcesthat they use and being able to
help somebody else out.
A lot of that before socialmedia, I had to figure a lot of
that out myself, and it was justabout calling around places and
talking to people and justsometimes, just getting out
(10:22):
there and practicing.
That, too, was a big thing.
Josh Porthouse (10:27):
Practicing that.
Michelle Steiner (10:28):
Mm-hmm.
Josh Porthouse (10:30):
What does that mean?
Michelle Steiner (10:31):
I think it's really easy in theory that
people have this idea that Ihave a disability and if I ask
for accommodations and they'renot given to me, the ADA is
going to come along and there'sgoing to be this lawsuit and
things are going to change.
And that can work in that way.
But sometimes you might have abetter idea with just learning
(10:55):
how to, with asking foraccommodations, and that took a
lot of practicing.
I can remember when I firststarted out I didn't go around
that the correct way.
It didn't work out with somejobs and I didn't ask the right
way to do that.
And then in other places Iwouldn't say anything, I would
just be like, oh, I don't.
I didn't really feelcomfortable.
(11:16):
And then people were looking atme like, well, how are you?
You know, why are you notperforming to this standard?
And I've also gone to jobinterviews where I've said I
have a disability and other oneswhere I've learned to not say
things too.
And it just gets easier.
The first time you do it youmight blow up at your boss or
you might blow up at somebody,and that's not the way to handle
(11:39):
it.
But the more you practicesaying that, the more you get
comfortable with saying I have adisability and this is what I'm
going to need.
The better you get at it.
Josh Porthouse (12:06):
All right, folks sit tight and we'll be right
back on Transacting Value.
Ad (12:11):
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Michelle Steiner (12:27):
The more you get comfortable with saying I
have a disability and this iswhat I'm going to need, the
better you get at it and this iswhat I'm going to need, the
better you get at it.
Josh Porthouse (12:40):
Having that degree of self-control intact, I
think makes a difference, nomatter who you are in whatever
social circumstance.
But do you think it's a similarcase, maybe with age?
For example, people that maybegrowing up weren't diagnosed or
didn't or don't have a typicallearning disability.
They just haven't been inschool for 20 years and they're
going back to school.
(13:00):
That's a cognitive disabilityat that point right.
Michelle Steiner (13:05):
For somebody that may not even have a
disability and they just haven'tbeen in school for a while and
you have age, that can besomething that they might.
It might be a little harder forthem and they'll be able, you
know, to have like thoseresources too.
And sometimes it can be hardfor a lot of my coworkers too.
With them, with not having adisability, either they didn't
(13:27):
learn how to do it or it's beenso long that they just need to
brush up on that, and that canbe something that they'll catch
on and once they learn it, theyreally know what they're doing.
Josh Porthouse (13:41):
But it sounds like so do you within the realm
of a few things?
Right, and so now you've turnedit into a blog, yeah, and so
you're obviously gaining someconfidence and some degree of
awareness around it.
What do you write about?
Michelle Steiner (13:58):
My life with a learning disability and I use a
lot of nature analogies.
That is a big thing.
So I might talk about abutterfly and the transformation
process a butterfly has gonethrough and how I've accepted my
disability.
One of my latest posts is aboutthe different trees in the fall
and just how every tree isdifferent and so is every
(14:21):
learning disability, and I tryto put that in really simple
terms so people can be able tounderstand that, and I also put
a lot of pictures on my blog formy walks.
I get that chance to stop andsmell the roses because I'm not
able to drive because of mydisability and I have a great
support system I have a husbandwho takes me to work and I have
(14:43):
a great coworker who takes mehome at the end of the day.
But whenever I don't have aride, I get that chance to stop
and smell the roses and takepictures of flowers and people
say, wow, you bring out detailsthat I would miss in a flower
and I think if I was really sadthat I didn't have a ride or I
(15:04):
was driving, I would miss thatshot.
I wouldn't be able to take thatpicture because I would be so
focused on the road.
Josh Porthouse (15:11):
Yeah Well.
So how did you develop thisperspective then?
Because you seem very welladjusted, you seem not very
depressed, you know what I meanLike I had it so hard and
victimized.
You seem to be in pretty goodspirits.
I mean, you've been smiling thewhole time.
So what did you do?
How did you develop youroutlook?
Michelle Steiner (15:31):
Well, a lot of my outlook came whenever I was
in college.
I was not somebody what bringsme joy, that I felt empowered,
(15:57):
because if you sit me in frontof math or a calculator or a car
and want me to drive, I'm goingto be really frustrated and
upset.
But if you give me things thatI can do and I enjoy doing, I'm
a happy person, I'm empoweredand I just think it's that
finding those things that youlove to do and that you're good
(16:18):
at, and going towards that andnot worrying about the things
that I have no control over anddon't bring me happiness.
Josh Porthouse (16:28):
Yeah, but that kind of negativity is appealing
and it's contagious and it's soeasy to fall into.
So what's your trigger?
What worked for you to say youknow what I'm done.
Feeling this way, I'm taking aconscious control over the wheel
and changing it.
What worked for you?
Michelle Steiner (16:45):
I think it's when I moved back in with my
parents for a while when I wasyounger, because I was on my own
for a while and for financialreasons, I had to move back in
with them and I wasn't.
It was hard, but what I reallyreally helped me was I focused
on what I could do.
I found a program at universitythat had the least amount of
math and science possible andhad a program that I was
(17:07):
interested in and I started todo really well in my classes,
except for the math.
I mean I had an internal logicsclass.
That was hard, but a lot of myother classes I was the math.
I mean.
I had an internal logics class.
That was hard, but a lot of myother classes.
I was getting really goodgrades and I made dean's list.
And when I graduated with thebachelor's degree, that's when
my perspective really started tochange because I thought, wow,
(17:29):
this is something I was able toaccomplish that I really wanted
to do.
And, okay, my disability didn'tgo away, that's fine.
But I have this degree and nowI can look at other people,
whether I'm at my job with mystudents, and I can encourage
them and I can say you know,there is hope and I can also do
(17:49):
that with a lot of people frommy blog or just other
interactions that I can say Iknow it's hard, I understand
what it's like to be there, butI've been there and I've been
able to move forward.
Josh Porthouse (18:05):
And I know that there's a plan for you to do
that as well.
That's powerful.
I mean speaking of empowerment,like think of the message
you're putting out to people.
Congratulations, and obviouslyon your degree as well.
Thank you, well done, great job, yeah.
But so you've seen this nowfrom basically two different age
groups, right, like as a kidfirsthand, as an adult firsthand
, and then obviously secondhand.
Now working with kids andinteracting with adults.
(18:28):
What do you think posed thegreater challenge for you as the
individual?
To get through firsthand and tocommunicate through secondhand.
Michelle Steiner (18:38):
The greatest challenge, I believe, is as a
kid, because I couldn't seeahead.
All I could see was thesituation in front of me, and it
was really difficult.
I was struggling in a class.
I didn't feel very smart.
I also was really strugglingsocially.
I went to a very smallconservative school district
(18:58):
where if you didn't fit in withthem you weren't part of that.
And I really didn't.
And I was bullied in both mylearning support and my regular
ed classes and called somepretty unkind things and just
didn't think I was smart and myparents would encourage me.
My dad especially would say youknow, things are going to work
out in the end.
The playing field is going tobe even.
(19:19):
And when you're a kid you don'tthink that because all you can
see is what's in front of you.
You can't see the road ahead,you can't see just all the
opportunities that are out there.
So what I try to do with a lotof my students is I try to tell
them that there is hope outthere, there are opportunities
(19:40):
and it's not always going to bethis difficult.
Josh Porthouse (19:44):
For you Now.
Does that work?
Using that as an explanation?
Michelle Steiner (19:50):
With a lot of my students.
It hasn't really worked a wholelot effectively.
Some of them are just at thatstage.
They're in seventh grade.
They can't see ahead.
But sometimes we can start toget a little bit of that light
that goes through.
A good example of this is Iwill work on spelling words with
one of my students and in thevery beginning they don't do
(20:11):
very well.
They'll tell me I didn't dogood, we studied, I didn't do
very well.
They'll tell me I didn't dogood, we studied, I didn't do
well.
And then weeks will go by andwe'll be studying whenever they
have a spelling week and it getsto a point around where they're
saying, hey, I got a nay on mytest or I got a bonus word.
And then their friends who don'twant to study are starting to
(20:33):
say, hey, can you go overspelling words with me?
Friends who don't want to studyare starting to say, hey, can
you go over spelling words withme?
So they're starting to pick upon that skill of how to study
and how to do make little bitsof progress.
And I think that's importantbecause a lot of our kids just
come in and they don't have alot of that wisdom or they.
Some of them don't even havesomebody at home to be able to
look over things with them.
So we just work on this and wejust build upon it, even at a
(20:56):
very young age.
I really encourage them toadvocate for themselves, because
my students someday will end upleaving me, but their
disability won't, and I justhope that I give them the skills
that they need to survive.
Josh Porthouse (21:13):
All right, folks sit tight, We'll be right back
on Transacting Value.
Join us for Transacting Value,where we discuss practical
applications of personal values,every Monday at 9 am on our
website,transactingvaluepodcastcom.
Wednesdays at 5 pm and Sundaysat noon on
wreathsacrossamericaorg slashradio acrossamericaorg slash
(21:34):
radio.
Michelle Steiner (21:37):
My students someday will end up leaving me,
but their disability won't, andI just hope that I give them the
skills that they need tosurvive.
Josh Porthouse (21:47):
It sounds like you are.
I mean, being able to instigateeven a little win at any point
in time can make a hugedifference.
My younger brother actuallytold me this maybe about a month
ago now.
So in his job, most of what hehas to accomplish you know, his
work, tasks or whatever are likeenduring multi-month type
projects.
It's not like you can check abox at the end of the day and
(22:09):
you're like, well, I've madeprogress at work.
He's like well, I can check abox at the end of the day, so I
know I can start at this pointtomorrow.
I haven't actually accomplishedanything.
And one of the things I askedhim a couple of weeks ago I said
what does that do for you?
I mean, how does that make youfeel you can't really ever get
ahead at work then, cause you'renot really completing anything?
And he said I don't.
I go home and I have projectsthat give me a little victory.
(22:33):
Maybe it's a card game I canwin or a video game I can beat,
or something that I can dowithin an hour, within 10
minutes, just to get a littlewin.
He said it helps him spike andfocus and reorient himself, that
he's not totally wasting histime or worthless.
It sounds pretty similar towhat you're describing.
Am I close?
Michelle Steiner (22:52):
Exactly, I try to give myself that success.
I was even talking with my dadon the phone a while ago and I
said you know, when I was inschool, no one really told me to
take advanced placement classes.
We took the classes I neededfor math, which were learning
support, but I was in regular edclasses.
(23:13):
So my dad said well, and I didreally well.
And he said well, that'ssetting you up for success.
That's what we wanted you to do, not to go in and be
overwhelmed and frustrated.
But we wanted to also give youthat challenge too, and I think
it's turning those lemons intolemonade and looking to a lot of
the success and the things Ican do and those little wins
(23:36):
that I can have control overwithin my life.
And another really nice thingthat my husband and I do is I
call them carrots.
So over on the weekends wemight go out to a museum or we
might go to a garden orsomewhere else a park or
something that might be fun orsomewhere else a park or
something that might be fun, andI'll tell them sometimes if
(23:59):
it's a really rough week at workor something.
I'll say, okay, remind me whatmy carrots are this weekend, and
that's my motivation to getthrough my week at work and to
be able to have that fun.
And that's something that wecan look forward to, because I
think people need that orsomething that they can, and it
might just be something small,it could just be a cup of coffee
(24:20):
or a cup of tea or that shortmoment that you have, but I
think just giving peoplemotivation is so important isn't
that interesting too.
Josh Porthouse (24:29):
I mean, you just mentioned a couple minutes ago
about the impact social mediahad for you on finding outlets
and communicating with people.
But constructive criticism Imean actual positive feedback
like hey, good job.
Not like leaving a comment onsomebody's page or a thumbs up
or something, but like I reallyappreciate what you did, You're
doing awesome things, orwhatever people can compliment
(24:50):
each other about, Right, Is itreally that uncommon?
I mean, have we come that far?
Do you notice that?
Michelle Steiner (24:57):
I notice that sometimes there is that where
people don't always comment, orsometimes we don't always leave
very kind remarks too withthings like that.
But I've also think that that'sone of the negatives.
But I think one of thepositives has.
I've been able to find otherpeople that struggle with math
(25:19):
disabilities.
Especially whenever I was inschool, most of my peers had
math or not math.
They had reading difficultiesand some of them had some
behavior issues from trauma.
So I really didn't know anybodythat was like me and I've been
able to connect that there areother people that have those
(25:40):
issues as well.
Josh Porthouse (25:43):
So how do we get people to talk more openly,
authentically but not rude andabrasive.
Offer some constructivefeedback, have conversations in
person or digitally like thisand just talk people to people.
Michelle Steiner (25:59):
Right.
I think that's a big thing Talkpeople to people and to think,
I always try to think before Isay something online is that
something I would want somebodyto say to me?
And if it's not, I'll try toreally reframe it.
And also, if there is an issuethat somebody has I think
sometimes it's not I'll try toreally reframe it.
And also, if there is an issuethat somebody has, I think
sometimes it's better to dealwith it privately rather than
(26:23):
having a war out there and tojust be selective, I mean, of
what you put out there, becausesome things just may not be
something I'll share online, butthe people in my life know, and
that's okay too.
Josh Porthouse (26:39):
Yeah yeah, discretion goes a long way,
right, and empathy, like youbrought up.
You know this is a good pointin the conversation for a
segment of the show calledDeveloping Character, d-d-d.
Developing Character.
And so for everybody who's newto the show, michelle, you
included.
It's two questions, and here'smy why, real quick before I jump
(27:00):
into them.
I think that everybody hassomething to stand on to get
through the sticky spots wherethey lose sight of who they are,
their identity, what they haveto offer the world, their
strengths, their own advocacy, Ithink, is the word you used,
and, in my opinion, my workingtheory is that people have a
(27:21):
value system that they can standon to say, actually, this is
more accurately who I am, notall the stuff people say about
me, and this is what I have tooffer.
And so my questions, two ofthem, as vulnerably as you care
to be in your answers, are basedon time, because I think the
perspective that you'vedeveloped is so unique, not
(27:44):
because it's you and yours, butbecause it's self-perpetuating,
it's your own internal mechanism.
Now You're not reliant as muchon other people's opinions
internal mechanism now You'renot reliant as much on other
people's opinions, and so, as akid, my first question is as a
(28:04):
kid growing up, what were someof the values that you were
exposed to or that you remembergrowing up around?
My second question is then whatare some of them now, if any
have changed?
Michelle Steiner (28:11):
I think one of the values that I was really
exposed to was resilience andhard work.
My mom and dad expected me togo to school, even when they
knew I wasn't going to do wellon a test.
They were in a class.
They would study with me.
We had a lot of long, tearfulhomework sessions together, but
(28:31):
they wanted me to be resilient,so I had to go and go to school,
go face people even when I wasstruggling, and I think that was
a big thing.
Hard work was another thing.
I wasn't expected to haveperfect grades but I had to try
and I really always had to workharder than other people and
that really served me in the endbecause I wasn't just skimming
(28:54):
to get by in classes served mein the end because I wasn't just
skimming to get by in classes.
I was somebody that was reallygetting good grades because I
was doing sometimes bonus workand I was doing really good work
and people eventually said thatI was a good student because I
learned that I had to workharder and I also had a teacher
in my senior year.
She said I never knew a studentthat could have a part-time job
(29:16):
, still maintain good grades andhave a social life, and just
having all those things from ayoung child has taught me to be
a hard worker, and also thatendurance, too, has been a big
thing.
I can now understand thatwhenever I was a kid and I was
sometimes being rejected and Ihad to still go to school and
(29:39):
still face a lot of adversity,that I could be the kind of
person that could reallywithstand a lot of things and I
wasn't going to that, wascomfortable with being
independent and being my ownperson and not always having to
make decisions and be a peoplepleaser.
Those were some of the things Ilearned.
Josh Porthouse (30:00):
That's a huge lesson.
That's a huge lesson.
And then your perspective on it, I think, is pretty powerful
too.
Being relatively ostracized,growing up in whatever social
setting, oftentimes forces youto learn independence, and you
may not get that otherwise.
Maybe the courage to beindependent in public or the
(30:21):
confidence to stand behind yourindependent decisions, maybe
right, but that's huge, yeah.
And so how do you recommend, asparents, we advocate for or
help our kids, as a teacher oras an individual, to develop
that kind of awareness andconfidence and courage?
Is it all just emphasize andreinforce little wins, or are
(30:43):
there other strategies you foundto be effective?
Michelle Steiner (30:46):
I definitely think recognizing and
reinforcing little wins isimportant, because my dad found
a story about a dinosaur inthird grade that I wrote and up
until that point I didn't thinkI was good at anything and he
saw that and he said this ispretty good and that really
influenced my life.
So I think it's noticing whatour kids can do and recognizing
(31:07):
that and just building upon that.
But I also think it's havingthat resilience too.
I think it's okay.
You know you're going to studywith somebody and they're not.
That kid's not going to do wellon a test, but we have to say,
okay, go forward, try your best.
Let's try to learn from thesituation.
And it's also knowing when tocome into a situation too.
(31:29):
I had a teacher whenever I wasin fourth grade and I was
coloring and the teacher held upthe picture and said does this
look like she's really doing herbest?
And I told my parents about itbecause I really felt ashamed
and my mom and dad went to themeeting and he was called out on
that.
But in other situations my momand dad had me go to school, had
(31:52):
me talk to my teacher, had medo a lot of things independently
too, and I think it's justknowing when there's that point
where a parent and an adult hasto step in and also that point
where we have to just sometimeslet the student go and learn
life lessons.
Josh Porthouse (32:27):
All right, folks sit tight and we'll be right
back on.
Transacting Value.
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Michelle Steiner (33:16):
I think it's just knowing when there's that
point where a parent and anadult has to step in, and also
that point where we have to justsometimes let the student go
and learn life lessons.
Josh Porthouse (33:30):
What are some, I guess, thresholds that you've
identified, maybe not specificto certain students, but I mean
you mentioned knowing when toget involved, knowing when to
let kids fall, sort of, andlearn as they go.
What are some of thosethresholds that you've
identified?
Michelle Steiner (33:45):
I think some of the thresholds of learning to
let kids fall are naturalconsequences.
If the child forgets theirhomework, they have to go for
that maybe not getting as goodof a grade or maybe not learning
the subject, and then sometimesthat might just be something
they have to learn and toimprove on and have the parents
(34:06):
be there to support them.
But just some of the otherthings, like having parents show
up for their child's individualeducation plan meeting, that's
definitely a way that a parentcan be able that needs to show
up.
I can remember this was beforewe even let students go into
their own IEP meetings.
(34:27):
My mom and dad would go to mymeetings and they would tell me
okay, we're going to yourmeeting on this day.
Is there anything you want usto bring up?
And they would bring up myconcerns at the meeting and my
parents would get back to me onwhat happened with that too.
And I think it's having thathonesty and that advocacy not
something a parent can really dofor their child, but also
(34:51):
ultimately, it's having thatchild definitely sometimes go
through situations where theyhave to learn and they have to
be responsible and have thosenatural consequences.
Josh Porthouse (35:03):
So then, in developing that kind of
ownership, what doesn't work?
And I think there's someobvious, like you know,
insulting or belittling, likethose kinds of things won't work
.
But we don't always know, youknow, like I'm 37.
I'm a millennial, some obviousinsulting or belittling those
kinds of things won't work.
But we don't always know I'm 37.
I'm a millennial, I'm a father,I'm learning, I don't know what
I'm doing, just like any otherfather in their 30s before me,
(35:25):
generations back right.
So in the moment I don't knowwhat doesn't work.
Michelle Steiner (35:31):
Well, one thing with kids with learning
disabilities is expectingperfection, because, well,
nobody's perfect, whethersomebody has a learning
disability or doesn't.
But sometimes parents that arelike, well, if you don't get a
grade above a C, or if you get aC on your report card, you're
(35:52):
grounded, or if you get a D on atest or you don't do well at
one, that's really a surefirestrategy to really lose a
student that has a disability,because there might be times
where you might study with mefor hours or you might go over
information and I still mightbomb the test or I still might
struggle to find that.
(36:14):
And expecting perfection, well,that's not something that a lot
of us could well, any of us cando, but for, especially for a
student with a disability, thatcan be really hard.
The emphasis is but are youtrying?
My mom and dad made me do myhomework.
I still had to go to class, Istill had to put the effort in
(36:34):
and go to tutoring and do allthat.
So I think it's progress overperfection is a big way to
really help somebody.
I think it's also advocating isa big way too is encouraging
them to advocate for themselves,to be able to ask for things,
to be able to just kind of givethat ownership over to their
(36:56):
child eventually, but to betheir biggest advocate while you
have them there and to also betheir encourager too.
I know my mom and dad couldn'tfix all my problems, but they
were there to encourage me andI've also been blessed with some
wonderful friends that were agreat influence on me.
They're a few years older thanI am and they got.
(37:18):
I was in an adult writing groupand they got to see me grow as
a writer and a person and20-some years later we still
meet and I think it's pushing.
Yeah, it's finding those people, finding a good influence,
finding your tribe of people whoare going to to be in your life
(37:39):
well, okay.
Josh Porthouse (37:43):
Well, before I get to the tribe point you just
brought up, you made me thinkabout progress over perfection
point you made.
I think sometimes too and I'mcurious your opinion here that
that either can result in wellthen, I'm not going to get this,
I'm a failure, I'm not going tobe able to do this, I'm just
(38:03):
not that good.
That side of the mentality orthe other side Okay, well, I
figured it out, I'm just goingto study to the test, I'm just
going to learn what I need.
I understand the patterns inthe questions and I know those
answers, but you don't actuallylearn the material in either
circumstance.
Is that common as a response?
Michelle Steiner (38:23):
You're right.
I mean a lot of people you dostudy for the test and that's
all the information that youmight have retained.
Now my brain.
I couldn't pick up on a patternon a test.
I mean I just don't pick upsometimes on a lot of patterns,
but sometimes that can be really.
Yeah, I agree, sometimes thereis that time where we study what
(38:47):
we need and we do what we canto pass.
I mean, there's obviouslysituations like that, but
sometimes it's also figuring outthough maybe it's not that all
or nothing mentality.
Maybe it's one of those thingswhere maybe something doesn't
work out but we find a wayaround it.
I'm not able to drive, but thatdoesn't mean that I can't get
(39:09):
somewhere.
I might have to have somebodytake me, I might need to walk or
I might need to have publictransportation, but I can get
where I need to go.
It just might look different,and I think that was me
redefining what success was.
My father always told me thatsuccess doesn't always come in
the package that you expect, butsometimes it comes in something
(39:30):
different, and that has justbeen so true in my life.
Maybe there was things Icouldn't do, but I found ways to
be able to get pretty close toit.
Josh Porthouse (39:42):
Yeah, well, I mean, it's like you said too,
you've got to be able to findyour tribe right, and that may
mean infrastructure, the publictransportation or housing,
accommodations or actual peopleand friends you socialize with.
I think a tribe is a real broadsort of term for finding places
where you're comfortable andcompetent and capable and all
these other things right.
(40:02):
So well, like you mentionedearlier, sometimes you have a
harder time identifying patterns.
So how did you identify yourtribe If it's all really based
on like-minded people orsimilarly conceptual people, you
know?
Michelle Steiner (40:17):
and I just never really had a connection
with a lot of people I went toschool with.
Even today, I might have one ortwo people we're friends online
(40:41):
but I really don't have thatconnection and I could just feel
like, okay, I'm really notgoing to be able to connect well
with a lot of these people.
One of the first steps was Ifound a teen writing group that
was just outside of our schooldistrict and I found some
acceptance with that group and Istarted to write articles and
do other volunteer activities.
And then, when I got a littlebit older and I started to
(41:02):
transition out of that group, Iwas able to have that courage to
go out there because I alreadyhad acceptance from other people
and my dad found the group.
He heard about it on the radioand I went into the group and I
just I found people that had thesame interest that I did and
they were just a few years olderthan I was, and I think a lot
(41:27):
of it is what are the intereststhat you have?
I like writing, so I found otherpeople that like to write and
like to read, and I think thatpeople can do that in other
groups too.
There's a lot of communitygroups that need volunteers.
There's a lot of sportingevents.
If you're into that, Music, Imean.
There's just a lot of thingsthat people an interest for
(41:51):
everybody and it's going forthose groups where people are
nice and that might share someof those same values.
And then you also find peoplewho are different too.
No, not everybody's cookiecutter, Nobody's the same.
But if you find people thatshare those interests, then
you'll have stuff that you'llhave in common with them and if
(42:13):
it's the right people, you'lldevelop a tribe and they'll be
the ones that will get to seethe good in you and they'll also
see the bad and they can helpdevelop you as a person.
Josh Porthouse (42:25):
Oh, that's powerful.
Do you think and I guess thisis really one of my last
questions for the sake of timebut do you think that there's an
opportunity to do that?
If you move around every coupleyears?
Military kids foster home kids,you know people growing up
through the educational systemthat don't have stability at
(42:46):
home.
Is it still possible to developthat kind of tribal association
or comfort level orvulnerability?
Michelle Steiner (42:54):
I think that it's a possibility.
It might be a little moredifficult, but I mean it's
finding the good qualityprogramming that is out there.
For me it was finding a lot ofthe art groups like we also have
an art center in our communitytoo that people can do that.
There's also YMCAs that I alsoI belong to the Y and they do a
(43:18):
lot with youth development andthey have adult activities as
well, and I think it's findingthose people, some people.
It's places of worship wherethey can find friends or people
that might have the sameinterests.
It's just really looking out inthe community, seeking out
those resources and seeing whatyou love and what your passions
(43:41):
are and just going out towardsthem.
Josh Porthouse (43:46):
That alone takes a certain degree of awareness,
I think, and boldness in theprocess, to just discover well
you and learn who you aren't.
And you know people.
You may not talk to friends,you may not keep all the other.
That's the reality of it too, Ithink.
The harmony of the humancondition, I guess.
(44:06):
Yeah, okay, well, so let me askyou this of all the experiences
you've had and all the oneswe've talked about so far in
this conversation, compared towho you used to be as a person
growing up, as a kid or in highschool maybe, what has all of
this insight actually done foryour sense of self, or how has
(44:27):
it actually instigated your ownself-worth now?
Michelle Steiner (44:32):
now.
I think what it has done isshow me who I am and showed me,
just developed me as a person.
That was one of the things withespecially the ones in my adult
writing group I'm still meetingwith 20 some years later, when
I was a teenager.
They didn't want to just see medevelop as a writer, they
(44:52):
wanted to see me develop as aperson and they invested a lot
of that time into me and I havethat opportunity and also, with
my parents, they got to see whatI was good at and develop me
too, and I think what thathelped me to do is to see myself
as a whole person, that I havea disability, but there's also
(45:13):
things in my life that I'm notdisabled at and I can do and
there's value and there's worthand everything that I've gone
through, pain and just all thegood things have developed me
into who I am today, and I usedto spend a lot of my time
thinking, oh, if I had thisdisability, my life would be
(45:34):
perfect and I would be thisperfect person and I can't
imagine another life other thanmine.
Josh Porthouse (45:43):
Congratulations.
I think I've said it three orfour times this conversation,
but the amount of progressyou've made, yeah, unreal.
Good for you, good for you.
And so I guess the only otherquestion I have at this point is
for anybody that wants to gainmore inspiration from you, learn
more about your story,resources, outlets maybe they
have to help process the worldand, you know, relearn who they
(46:06):
are, learning, disabilities ornot.
Where do people go to find yourblog or any other resources you
might have?
Michelle Steiner (46:13):
Sure, you can find me at
wwwMrsMichelle'sMissioncom, andI'm also on Facebook and
Instagram.
Josh Porthouse (46:21):
Perfect, okay.
Well, so for anybody who's newto our show, depending on where
you're streaming thisconversation, click on See More
or click Show More, and there'sa little drop down arrow for the
show description.
In there you'll also see linksto Michelle's website, mrs
Michelle's mission for herwebsite, and Facebook and
Instagram, so you'll be able toget there as well.
(46:42):
And, michelle, I'm lookingforward to seeing how you
develop, how you continue towrite your blog.
I think you've got such apowerful position right now in
society as an authority, as anadvocate, as somebody with
enough courage to talk aboutthese things in public, so I
think you're in a really, reallysuccessful spot.
(47:03):
So, yeah, I hope you keep doingit.
Michelle Steiner (47:05):
Thank you so much.
It's been a pleasure speakingwith you today.
Josh Porthouse (47:09):
Thank you very much for your time as well, and
I appreciate it and foreverybody else who's tuned in
and listened to our conversationor watch the conversation in
this case.
Thank you, guys for tuning in.
Everything else all of ourother conversations you can go
to transactingvaluepodcastcom.
That's our website, but here'swhat's cool about it.
On the homepage, in the topright corner it says leave a
(47:30):
voicemail.
If you click on it, it it's twominutes of talk time all to
yourself, and in there.
Here's my recommendation let usknow what you think of the show,
your feedback about our topics,about how we're structuring the
show, the flow, my questions,whatever you prefer.
It's fine.
Let us know what you think ofthe show, but also let michelle
know what you think of theconversation.
(47:51):
Let her know how she's feelingabout the world and what she's
doing, and give her some insight, give her some resources or
just tell her thanks, becausewhat she said in this
conversation helped you or yourkids figure out better who they
are and get through some sort ofsituation, and we'll forward it
on to Michelle as well.
So it's a really powerfulopportunity for everybody
involved.
But again, michelle, Iappreciate this one to talk to
(48:12):
you and I look forward to seewhere you take it in the future,
but until next time, that wasTransacting Value.
Thank you to our show partnersand folks.
Thank you for tuning in andappreciating our value as we all
grow through life together.
To check out our otherconversations or even to
contribute through feedbackfollows time, money or talent
(48:34):
and to let us know what youthink of the show, please leave
a review on our website,transactingvaluepodcastcom.
We also stream new episodesevery Monday at 9 am Eastern
Standard Time through all ofyour favorite podcasting
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You can now hear TransactingValue on Reads Across America
Radio Eastern Standard Time,wednesdays at 5 pm, sundays at
(49:01):
noon and Thursdays at 1 am.
Head to wreathsacrossamericaorg.
Slash transactingvalue tosponsor a wreath and remember,
honor and teach the value offreedom for future generations.
On behalf of our team and ourglobal ambassadors, as you all
strive to establish clarity andpurpose, ensure social
tranquility and secure theblessings of liberty or
individual sovereignty ofcharacter for yourselves and
your posterity, we will continueinstigating self-worth and
(49:25):
we'll meet you there Until nexttime.
That was Transacting Value.
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