Stowell Learning Center Blog

A Four-Year-Old Shares the Importance of Reading!

September 25, 2018

My daughter shared this Facebook video with me of a very cute and obviously brilliant 4-year-old giving a speech about the importance of reading! This little guy talks about how reading is an adventure that has enriched his vocabulary, long-term memory, thoughts, ideas, and problems solving skills!  He encourages parents and teachers that reading aloud to kids every day and developing their literacy skills is one of the most important things they can do.  Wow!  Out of the mouth of a 4-year-old!  And I think most parents would agree. But what if your child can’t read?  You can still read…

Waiting Out the Hurricane

August 29, 2018

Hunkered down in our condo, with the food and water hastily grabbed off the nearly empty shelves of the market, we prepared to wait out Hurricane Lane in Hawaii.  As it turned out, we were over-prepared, thankfully suffering no more than spending a windy, rainy few days indoors. If your child has traditionally struggled in school, you may have found yourself bracing for the beginning of the school year, wondering how on earth to prepare and what overwhelming challenges this school year will bring. Struggles in school are not generally something you can “wait out.”  Students may get more savvy…

What Does it Really Mean When the School Says Your Struggling Student Doesn’t Have a Learning Disability?

August 23, 2018

I recently spoke with a parent who was confused and distraught because he sees his child struggling with anxiety and frustration over school work every day, yet the school testing did not show a learning disability. Does that mean that the parent is crazy?  Over-protective? Does it mean that the student really could do the work if he cared enough? Does it mean that the school is lying so they don’t have to pay for special education services? No, no, and no. Patricia Lindamood’s research tells us that about 30 percent of the population have some degree of difficulty with…

3 Things You Can Do NOW to Avoid Homework Battles in the New School Year

August 16, 2018

My husband accuses me of being a “Ready, Fire, Aim” kind of a person.  I just want to say, that is probably not the best way to start off the school year! If you are facing Back-to-School with some trepidation, remembering the stress and tears of last year’s homework battles, here are three things you can do: With your child, establish a homework space. Outfit it with needed supplies but keep it quiet and clear – not too much stimulation. Establish a homework time. This may have to vary some from day to day depending upon other activities and commitments…

Start The New School Year Without Panic!

July 17, 2018

Dear Parents, Can we make the opening of school easier for you? Parents have asked and we listened: We’re holding a FREE Back-to-School Planning Event for PARENTS! In just 2 hours you’re going to get: Strategies for helping your child keep from falling behind before the year has started 7 “Must-Do’s” to eliminate homework battles before they start Parent planner to organize all your important contacts and deadlines Specific strategies for how to manage the weekly routine of school activities Strategies for getting homework done without struggle Dealing with yearly events that surprise parents How to prepare for and navigate…

Freedom!

July 5, 2018

This is Tori, a former Stowell Learning Center student and currently a sophomore Meteorology student at the University of Oklahoma.  At 16, she was the youngest female Hot Air Balloon pilot in the country and this August will represent the U.S. at the Women’s Worlds Hot Air Balloon Championship in Nałęczów, Poland. What an amazing young woman! See more:  https://youtu.be/ya11tMx-tcE I have never been in a hot air balloon, but I can just imagine the freedom that you must feel, sailing high above all the hustle and bustle below! If you are the parent of a struggling student, you may be feeling…

“I’m Listening, But It Sounds Like You’re Talking Through Water”

June 26, 2018

Summer in my family growing up meant road trips across the country to visit my grandparents.  One of my favorite things was getting to go in the motel pool when we stopped for the night. In fact, my brother and sister and I had so much fun that we had this clever little trick.  When my parents would come to the side of the pool to tell us it was time to get out, we would conveniently slide under the water so that we couldn’t really hear what they were saying. They weren’t fooled! But imagine for a second what…

“I Can’t Hold the Bike Seat Forever!”

June 7, 2018

Do you remember the first time your child rode a bike all by herself?  You let go of the seat and ran alongside while she wobbled along?  It was thrilling and a little terrifying at the same time, but very shortly, she was loving the feel of riding comfortably and independently. Learning to read and being a successful student is kind of like learning to ride a bike.  It takes guidance and support to get started, but before too long, you’re learning comfortably and working fairly independently – at least that’s what we hope will happen for our children. Have…

Red Flags that May Signal a Learning Problem

May 16, 2018

On a recent radio interview, the host asked me if there was one thing that parents should watch for that would tell them that their child is struggling in school? There are actually many things, not just one, but the first thing that came to my mind was the conversation that a mom starts to have with herself. “Is he just lazy?” “Maybe he’s not that smart.  No, I know my child.  I see how smart he is in other things.” “Could he do it if he tried harder?  No, that can’t be it either – I can see how…

What a Difference the Teacher Can Make!

May 9, 2018

My favorite teacher growing up was my 4th grade teacher, Mr. Baird.  Mr. Baird had a way of making every student feel like a million bucks and he made things kid-friendly.  We did a lot of really interesting hands-on science activities and he turned boring things like memorizing all of the prepositions into fun contests. Parents of struggling students are well-acquainted with how much a teacher can impact the kind of year their child has.  Teachers who embrace the energy and creativity of their ADHD students and their out-of-the-box thinkers find ways to channel the challenges and support the strengths. …

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