IDTALK4ED LIVE EPISODE

In this week's episode, I sit down with global inclusion consultant Lauren Jones, a leading voice in international education whose work spans continents, cultures, and communities. With experience supporting schools across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and beyond, Lauren specializes in building inclusive ecosystems that affirm every learner, particularly those who have been historically marginalized or misunderstood.

Drawing from her extensive background in learning support, neurodiversity, trauma-informed practice, and whole-child development, Lauren shares how she partners with schools and organizations to shift systems, strengthen leadership, and cultivate cultures of belonging. Together, we explore her consulting work, leadership coaching, and contributions to projects like The Guardian Project.

Throughout the conversation, Lauren offers practical insights for teachers, leaders, and school communities working to create more inclusive, equitable, and humane learning environments.

To learn more about Lauren's work, you can visit her website at laurenjonesconsulting.com or follow her on Instagram (@laurenjonesconsulting) or LinkedIn.

To learn more about Identity Talk Consulting and the professional development services that we offer, visit our website at https://identitytalk4educators.com.

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Timestamps:

0:00-1:04 - Welcome to IDTALK4ED LIVE
1:05-3:59 - Podcast Subscription Reminders & Learning to Relearn Promo
4:00-6:56 - Introducing Lauren Jones
6:57-14:38 - Lauren's Early Childhood, Schooling Journey & Early Years in Education
14:39-21:52 - What Does It Means to be a "Good Student"?
21:53-25:18 - Cross-Cultural Influences on Inclusion
25:19-34:30 - Auditing & Assessing Inclusion Systems in Schools
34:31-38:38 - Emerging Challenges That Impact Inclusion in Schools
38:39-42:59 - Neuro-Inclusive Teaching Toolkit
43:00-49:40 - The Guardian Project
49:41-55:36 - Celebrating The Wins!
55:37-57:03 - How do you stay true to the teacher in you?
57:04-58:01 - How to connect with Lauren
58:02-58:49 - Thank Yous & Goodbyes

BIO: Lauren Jones is an educational and leadership consultant focusing on supporting schools and organizations with building and expanding programming to support neurodivergence in their communities. Lauren helps schools through professional development, inclusion audits, coaching, board and leadership training, and programmatic and policy design and implementation. Lauren has a Master’s degree in Special Education and a post graduate certificate from Harvard University in School Management and Leadership. Lauren has lived and worked in Nigeria, South Sudan, The U.S., Qatar, and Rwanda. She most recently served at the Head of School at the International School of Kigali. Prior to that, Lauren led instrumental work in Qatar, expanding programming and policy to include a broader scope of neurodiversity.