Learning Challenge

What Came First?  The Chicken or the Egg?  I think lack of confidence and motivation in students comes down to this kind of question. What Parents Often Say About Motivation “If my son were more motivated, he would do fine in school.” “I think she just lacks confidence.  That’s why she takes so long to…

Most things in life get better with practice.  A learning challenge is not generally one of them. A 10-year-old with a 1st grade reading ability A perpetually distracted student A teen who studies like a maniac but never fails to fail his tests A child who constantly says, “Huh? What?” Who is falling behind in…

Did you know that when you use the facial muscles to create a SMILE it stimulates a feel good party in your brain?  Smiling distracts momentarily and allows positive energy to recharge.  “Feel good neurotransmitters” are released when you smile!   Dopamine (attention modulator), endorphins (pain reliever), and Seratonin (mood lifter) join the party when you…

This is my Father-in-Law with my husband David when he was a little boy.  Today is Veteran’s Day.  I’ve been thinking about my father-in-law who went up on the beach in Normandy on D-Day and all of the other service men and women, who throughout all the years of our county, have helped preserve our…

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…

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…