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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…

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! Three Ways to Avoid Homework Battles If you are facing Back-to-School with some trepidation, remembering the stress and tears of last year’s homework…

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: What You Will Get in 2 Hours Strategies for helping your child keep from falling behind before the year has…

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!…

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…

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 Is…

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? The Conversation Parents Have With Themselves There are actually many things, not just one, but the first thing that came to my mind was the…

The tenacity and resilience of dyslexic children and adults never ceases to amaze me!  I was doing a radio interview this morning and the host, Christina Nitschmann said, “If only I’d known you when I was in school!”  She went on to say that she was dyslexic and couldn’t read when she entered junior high. …

Several years ago, my wonderful friend and mentor, Dr. Joan Smith and I were standing around “solving the world’s problems” with learning challenges.  As we talked about what could be done and what techniques to use, I said, “But what about kids with Autism?” Joan said, “Jill, we’re teaching kids.”    Her message was, it’s not…

Weak underlying mental tools cause smart students to struggle in school My husband is fond of saying, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”  But the bottom line is that even though a hammer may be an excellent tool, it isn’t the right tool to do all jobs.…