I’m having trouble writing my blog this morning because I’m sitting at Starbucks trying to write and everyone around me is talking about the Kings’ huge win last night. I’m a big Kings fan, so it’s hard to not engage! For those of you who are not NHL Hockey fans, the Los Angeles Kings are going to the Stanley Cup Finals after three seven-game series! GO KINGS!! The amazing thing about these series has been that every time the Kings were down and seemed to be heading towards a loss or elimination, they managed to pull it together and win. …
Read MoreSTOP the Band-Aid Approach to Dealing with Learning Challenges Dr. David Angus, author of A Short Guide to a Long Life was recently on talk radio speaking about preventing and reversing disease and pain by addressing the root cause of the problem. What struck me, besides my interest in health, was that his message was the same as ours… Stop putting a Band-Aid on symptoms and deal with the issue that is really causing the problem. When applied to health, this might look like strengthening core muscles to prevent long term back pain or avoiding habits that cause pain and…
Read MoreHomework is traditionally a battle of wills and tears at eight-year-old Sam’s house because he is so frustrated and struggles so much with reading. The day his mom got him some (secretly) plain glass glasses, Sam was ecstatic. He told her, “Now I can be smart!” Two thoughts struck me when Sam’s mom shared this with me: Struggling learners may look rebellious or lazy or unmotivated, but they desperately want to be capable, successful students. I was glad Sam’s mom was at one of our parent information meetings when she shared this, because Sam’s euphoria at getting glasses probably…
Read MoreAt a Parent Information Meeting recently, a mom shared about her 7-year-old’s reading challenges. She finished by saying, “I Don’t Want My Son Accommodated!” This is not a stubborn parent or a parent in denial. Of course she wants support in place at school to help her son feel more successful. But fewer spelling words or taking tests orally, while valuable at the moment, are not going to help her son be successful. Struggles in school are NOT typically the result of laziness, lack of motivation, or lack of smarts. The most common reason for a child to struggle in…
Read MoreI once worked with a young man who was so dyslexic that he couldn’t recognize his middle name in print. But he was also so smart, that he dated a reading specialist for several months and she never knew he couldn’t read! Smart children and adults who struggle academically are often pegged as lazy or unmotivated. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only do they have to put out MUCH more effort, time, and energy to complete tasks than their equally or less intelligent peers, but they often funnel considerable time, energy, and creativity into hiding their learning challenges. While…
Read MoreWhen my daughter was 5 years old, she and her friend, Drew, decided they would play an April Fools joke on us, so they glued 3 pennies to the pavement right by our front door. They thought they were so clever! And they were! Don’t you just love the funny, creative things kids do? We have a center full of kids who, in spite of their struggles in school,have special talents or abilities – artists, athletes, and Lego-masters; kids that fix anything that’s broken; and others who make everyone around them laugh and feel good. Just the other day, we…
Read MoreYesterday at a baby shower, I ran into the mom of a former student who shared with me that her son, now 31, came to Stowell Learning Center when he was 7. She said, “We’re so grateful. I don’t think he would ever have learned to read if it hadn’t been for his time at the ‘Stowell Institute.’ Now he is a voracious reader.” This student, virtually a non-reader at the end of first grade, easily completed college, has a successful career, and is never without a book! Wow! I love hearing about our former students and I feel so…
Read MorePerseverance is Not Just for Athletes! Go Moms! I normally try NOT to watch ads on TV, but I’ve been quite drawn to some of the commercials aired during the Olympics. I’m not even sure what they’re advertising, but I love the commercials that show athletes as children going through both the excitement and growing pains (and real physical pains) of learning their sport. The thing I especially love is the tribute to the moms who are by their young athlete’s side all the way, crying with them, cheering them on, fixing up scrapes and bruises, and helping them…
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