Classroom

The holiday season is a time of transformation. The landscape turns into a winter wonderland (more naturally in some parts of the country than others)! Attitudes and outlook are transformed. My living room has been transformed into a display case for a miniature winter village. Transformation is a hopeful idea. It means that things that…

It’s the holidays, and along with the fun comes a whole other set of stressors that may cause already inflexible children (and their families) to miss the magic. Why Does My Child Act This Way? A big snowstorm near one airport can cause flight delays and cancellations all over the country. While people got to…

It’s coming! It’s inevitable. So we might as well get on board and enjoy it! I love the winter holidays, but they do come with their own special set of challenges. Holiday Anxiety for Kids With Learning Challenges For kids with learning challenges, the excitement of the holidays may be laced with anxiety. Schedules and…

I remember going to a “Haunted House” on Halloween when I was in the 6th grade. At one point, we were given peeled grapes in the dark and told that they were eyeballs. It was so deliciously creepy! What is it about that little thrill of fear that is so fun? Maybe it’s that we…

Have you been to a pumpkin patch yet? When my kids were young, this was one of our favorite Fall activities. Such excitement and such a hard choice – picking exactly the right pumpkin! October Is Dyslexia Awareness Month In addition to pumpkins and Breast Cancer Awareness, October is Dyslexia Awareness Month. I find that…

David Letterman and Jay Leno both used to do “man-on-the-street” interviews. In spite of all kinds of documentation on the contrary, a “man-on-the-street” interview would reveal that many people equate a learning disability with low IQ. Parents with smart but struggling students see far too much evidence of their child’s ability to accept the low…

Chris Botti is one of my favorite artists. When asked the key to success as a musician, he said, “Four things – Practice, Practice, Practice, and being friends with Sting!” It is generally accepted (and generally true), that if you want to be good at something, you have to practice, practice, practice. In his book,…

I learned something this weekend. I was in New Hampshire and while I didn’t expect a foliage change yet, many people that we ran into were apologetic for the lack of colorful fall leaves. They sadly predicted that the leaf change this year would not be as good as expected because it is too dry.…

Last week, I got to spend some time with a dear friend who is a third grade teacher. This friend was not only my college roommate, but is also a phenomenal teacher. School had already started for her and she was telling me about a little boy in her class who was the most delayed…

With Back-to-School excitement waning and the reality of the new grade level expectations kicking in, struggling students are probably starting to become apparent. The first and most obvious symptom of a learning challenge is poor attention. This may cause worried parents wonder if their child has ADHD. In our experience, attention challenges can mean many…