PARENTS: Here’s Someone You Need to Know Dr. Raimel Perez-Pasiliano When we meet an amazing professional who works with kids, we want you to know about it! Dr. Rai has been a favorite pediatrician of our families for many years. She … Puts children at ease Listens to parents Goes out of her way to help families get the help they need We are thrilled to have Dr. Rai in our community! 12574 Central Ave Chino, CA 91710 (909) 627-7433
Good question! Is it because as a teenager, he looks mature and like he should have the skills to be doing better? Is it because he’s now so discouraged that he acts like he doesn’t care? Is it because his work doesn’t reflect his intelligence, making it look like the issue is just a lack of effort? A therapist in our Learning Center Network brought this student to my attention. He’s not one of our students, but he could be. Because this incongruity comes up all the time: Poor grades, poor test scores, but the parent is told that the…
Ashley was a bright, popular, engaging 11th grader who was failing History and barely scraping by in her other classes. Her parents and teachers were extremely frustrated with her underachievement and were adamant that if she would just try harder, she would get better grades. Her parents were fearful for her future as her apparent lack of effort was going to impact her chances of getting into college. When we tested Ashley, we found that she could read, write, spell, and do math, but her auditory processing, processing speed, working memory, and reasoning skills were weak and inconsistent. As a…
Last weekend was Father’s Day, and so, naturally, I was thinking about my dad. Good memories. When I was growing up, my dad was very supportive, but was never really involved with my homework because homework was done and dinner ready by the time he got home from work. For many years after I started the Learning Center, I dealt almost exclusively with moms. Dads didn’t seem as involved in their children’s schooling and homework, and in fact, they notoriously felt that if their struggling students would just try harder, they would do just fine. These days, I get…
Whenever I stand on the edge of a lake or river, I find myself picking up small, flat rocks to skip across the water. I have a very special memory of my dad teaching me to skip rocks at Yellowstone Lake when I was probably 7 or 8 years old. Father’s Day is coming up, so first and foremost, Happy Father’s Day to all the dads! Dads Like FUN! Many dads kid that they are just little boys at heart. They need their toys and play time. There are some lessons to be learned there for students, especially those who…
I’m writing this on Memorial Day, a holiday that many of us value as a day off we get to spend with our families, but also a day to remember, with tremendous gratitude, the soldiers who have given their lives for their country and freedom. I got to thinking about what it takes to be a soldier – the physical and mental toughness, the ability to follow orders, the quick visual awareness, the bravery and stamina. It takes a special kind of person. In reality, it takes all kinds of minds, all kinds of personalities and talents to make the world…
Last night, in Uniondale, New York, Ringling Brothers Circus performed its last show. After 146 years, is has closed forever. Regardless of what side of the animal rights issue you’re on, you have to appreciate the incredible talent of the performers. When I think of creative, talented people, my mind always goes to our students. In spite of the struggles that they have with reading, or other aspects of school, I am continually amazed by the creative brilliance many of them exhibit. Children with learning disabilities often have what seem like extreme strengths and weaknesses. They may excel in sports…
Have you ever sat in a long meeting or seminar and found yourself getting sleepy, antsy, and dying for a break so you could get up and move around? Research shows that physical movement can enhance clarity, attention, and readiness for learning. Physical movement increases oxygen flow to the brain, improving alertness, concentration, and receptivity. Adding movement or physical action to a learning activity increases recall. At the Learning Center, we find that integrative movements that cross the midline of the body are extremely helpful in bringing students to a calm, alert, and mentally and emotionally ready state for learning.…
Last week I attended a media training event and was interviewed by Mike Koenigs. He asked me about the root of my passion for correcting learning and attention challenges. And I remembered a student, a 12-year-old boy… Thirty-five years ago, I was teaching special education in a public school when Frankie slouched through my door. He was very bright and kind of charming, but belligerent and a little scary at the same time. At 12, he was already entrenched in a gang and everyone in the school, including the teachers, knew not to mess with Frankie. Frankie was coming to…
The bell rings. Eleven-year-old Kasey explodes from her desk and races out the door, knocking into a few desks, trampling a few toes, and elbowing several classmates out of the way. She is SO ready for recess and trots off to grab a ball before anyone else does. Kasey has no idea that there is a problem. After all, the bell rang and all she’s doing is going outside for recess! But once again, she is in trouble and her parents are going to get a call because she knocked a classmate down as she jettisoned out the door. Kasey…