Legs swinging, feet kicking – at the dinner table, at the homework desk, any time seated in a chair. That was my M.O. as a child. I wasn’t even aware of it, but obviously my mom was, because I heard the infamous, “Sit still!” very often. I still have a tendency to fidget with my feet when sitting, but I learned long ago to be more aware and keep those pesky feet under control. For many children, teens, or even adults with learning challenges, sitting still is not so easy. Those Crucial Core Learning Skills We’ve talked often about the…
Read MoreAt Starbucks not too long ago, I overheard a group if young teenage girls talking about a softball tournament they had just participated in. They talked excitedly and knowledgeably about the game for a while, and then the conversation turned to school. One of the girls said about her performance at school, “I’m really lazy and not that smart.” The girls were sitting behind me, so I couldn’t even see them, but as teenage girls often do, they were speaking quite loudly. They came across as highly motivated, intelligent, capable girls. Not one sounded “lazy” or “not smart.” Lazy may…
Read MoreI’m not really a football fan, but I have to admit, the sound of football on TV brings a smile to my face. It signals the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. Don’t get me wrong, I love summer, but each new season, especially Fall, seems like a new beginning – a fresh start. Starting school was always a big deal in our family – new clothes, new routine, and excitement and a little trepidation over who the new teacher would be, By the end of this week, nearly all students will be back in school. This is…
Read MoreTen-year-old Hannah spent 6 weeks of her summer working 3 hours a day in an intensive learning program at our center. As we sat down to begin her retesting, I asked her how she was feeling about what she had learned. “I’m very happy that I came,” she exclaimed. “I can’t wait to go to school and use what I learned!” I can’t wait to go to school and use what I learned! Now that is worth repeating! It was music to my ears, and what every parent is dying to hear. I told Hannah she was such an inspiration…
Read MoreIn a couple of hours, my brother-in-law, who was born with Down Syndrome, will fly home from Los Angeles to New York on his own. This is quite an accomplishment for a guy whose parents were told when he was born, not to even bring him home from the hospital. Rob has been all over the world. He knows how to be a part of a family. He is funny and well-behaved. He attends concerts and church. He conducts Sousa music like a champ. And he can fly around the country to visit his siblings without mishap. All because his…
Read MoreWhile in Colorado recently, one of our Distance Learning parents invited me to speak to a group of parents and teachers. There was a kindergarten teacher in the group who was literally moved to tears by the plight of smart but struggling students. She shared that, as a classroom teacher she could see when a student was having difficulty but felt powerless to do anything that would really make a difference. She was heartbroken knowing that while she was an excellent kindergarten teacher, she didn’t have the knowledge, the skills, or the time to help her smart but struggling little…
Read MoreMission Possible! That’s our theme this summer at the learning center, and what fun it is to watch students carry out their missions in reading, meeting new people, developing new skills, and problem solving. On all the doors around the center, staff has put up inspirational stories about people who have persevered and met their goals. The people highlighted on my door are former students. I don’t always hear what happens to our students years after they have finished with us, but it is so exciting when we do. Here are my heroes (names changed, but stories are true!): Jose,…
Read MoreI’m a great believer in the American Dream. I grew up in a family where anything was possible. We didn’t have a whole lot of money, but my parents always told us kids that we could do anything we put our mind to. As I’m writing this, we’re just coming up to Fourth of July – Independence Day. Independence Independent kids Isn’t that ultimately what all parents want for their kids? And, in fact, what kids want for themselves? To be able to do it on their own? To be independent? When smart kids struggle in school, their parents find…
Read MoreI’m looking out the window at Southern California’s June gloom, so I know summer is right around the corner. While the end of the school year and homework often comes as a relief to parents, many also become fearful that their kids will lose ground over the summer break. For the next couple of weeks, I’ll be posting some suggestions of ways families can apply skills learned in school, keeping those young brains active over the summer break. Make a Weekly Schedule Planners and assignment sheets are something that many students resist during the school year. It just seems like…
Read MoreThe Family’s Not The Problem. The Problem Is The Problem And The Problem Can Be Solved. This statement was made by a colleague, a local Marriage and Family Therapist, Judy Riggan, and I thought it was brilliant. We both work with children and families who are dealing with learning challenges of some kind and were talking about how having one child with a learning challenge can affect the whole family. One child needs so much help that the other siblings feel left out. Family activities get put on hold because there’s no time left after homework, even on weekends. Parents…
Read More