Dyslexia Discovery

The San Francisco Giants Ball Park stadium and field was the home on Saturday, April 16^th, 2011, of EdRev, (Education Revolution) celebration. With the theme Stand Up, Speak Out this day-long event produced by Parents Education Network (PEN)  brought together the largest national gathering of students who learn differently. Their families, educators and professionals joined to support them and together they educated themselves on a variety of learning differences.  

With the Giants playing field as the backdrop, at the mid-morning point, the large number of attendees gathered in the bleachers to hear Dr. L. Todd Rose, a young and successful faculty member at Harvard. What made him unique to this learning challenged gathering was the fact that his schooling process and his learning difference, ADHD, had so hampered his ability to learn that he was a high school drop. By nineteen he had gone through twenty minimum-wage jobs, become married and fathered a son. Then eureka happened.  One day his father-in-law said to him: “You are lazy.”That statement confused Todd.  He knew he wasn’t lazy.  Something else was going on.  He decided to make notes every time he was fired.  This step brought him an important insight. The reason he got fired generated from his boredom.  As soon as he had learned the skills of the job, such as a checker at the check-out stand in the grocery store, he became bored.  Then he began acting out.  

One night he shared his insight with his father: “I know why I have trouble keeping a job.  I get bored so easily.  I need a job where everything keeps changing.”His father commented:  “Those jobs exist but you have to have an education.”  

This was the impetus Todd needed. Now, he had the drive to get his GED (high school graduation). Working fulltime, he continued taking college night courses and graduated at the top of his class with a 3.97 GPA. Next he was accepted into the doctoral program at Harvard University, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at the Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Todd is now Co-Chair of the Mind, Brain and Education Institute at Harvard University as well as being a research scientist with CAST, a non-profit organization focusing on creating next–generation learning environments that will work for everyone.  And, he is in his thirties! Todd’s personal story gave him the insight into his passion for his professional life. He remembers well how much he hated school where he was not learning anything.  Now, he has  become an outspoken advocate and scientist developing the next steps for the educational process.  

He claims there is good news!  A learning revolution is taking place in the science milieu.  At the moment it’s silent. These explorers have developed a simple equation to define their task.                                                  variability x context = outcome.   

At first I was mystified when he presented this.  What did he mean?  Here’s the answer.   

Learners today include a variety of learning differences (ADHD, dyslexia, hyperlexia, aspergers as well as learners who can digest new information as taught using the current education system.)   These differences with their special variations/characteristics define the Variability of the equation.  Context refers to what is happening in the environment in which one learns.  For Todd, he knew he was working very hard in school but his school environment was not addressing his learning needs.   

Predictable. Todd’s outcome was predictable:  boredom and then failure. With this equation as the basis of his presentation, Todd turned his attention to the students in this large crowd encouraging them to accept the fact that they can be in control by being an advocate for what the need.  How do you do it?  You have to know your own variability. Begin to document your patterns. As you start to know your variability you have control.  Then, you can find a way to put yourself in better contexts.   

And, Todd empathized:  I know there are many of you like me, smart, but unable to access the information. You need to say what you need to learn. You need to state your problem for the current education system is outdated.  And, ask the question:  Does your learning environment value curiosity as you take responsibility for shaping your behavior?    To the parents in the audience he said that he and his colleagues know now there is scientific proof that all sorts of variables exist in the brain which support the statement that learning challenged learners require different solutions.  Leave the space open for your child to discover his or her variables and value their judgments about their needs.  My colleagues and I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as “you having knowledge”. “We know absolutely for sure that we can vary what you know based on what context (environment) we provide for you in which to learn.”  

His parting comment to the students was: “ There aren’t easy answers.  However, you may have more control than you can possibly imagine.”  

Todd Rose contact info: (http://isites.harvard.edu/todd_rose).

Prior to the KeyNote address, the opening feature was a video welcome from Andres Torres, the San Francisco Giants Center-Fielder. In 2002 Andres was diagnosed with ADHD.  At the time he was struggling in the minors to become a major league baseball player. In 2007 he sought treatment, began taking medication, and learned to develop strategies and support systems to help him become a key player. Torres’ struggle to triumph was an important example to those present in the grandstand.  Torres made it clear that through struggle came the desired result.

Listen to audio version of post:  hit Barbara Kalmanson

Recently Barbara Kalmanson was a speaker at Parents Education Network in San Francisco.  Barbara is a clinical psychologist and special educator who has worked with infants, children and their families for over 30 years. She is also a founder of the Oak Hill School, a developmental, relationship-based school for children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum and related neurodevelopmental disorders.

Her two-hour lecture on the topic “Why does he do that?” – Identifying and empathizing with the social-emotional side of learning differences  - was so full of information, it was almost overwhelming.  I am reporting on a just a few of the highlights.

Ms. Kalmanson used a metaphor: down stream and up stream. By this she means some upstream activities are throwing children downstream into the river because they can’t find a solution upstream.   The challenge for parents, teachers and psychologists is to see what is causing the child to go downstream.  For example:

• Children who seem cautions and fearful may have low tone in their muscles, or have visual and spatial issues which make them moody and anxious.
• Some children have issues of sequencing and memory, perhaps from an insurmountable set of activities, or disorder in their environment.
• Some children don’t seem to have flexibility.  They can think of Plan A but if that’s not possible don’t know how to develop Plan B.
• Some kids are controlling and demanding:  could be an auditory process issues. He or she can’t figure out the sounds coming at them.
• Some kids try to control the topic. They could be doing it because the discussion is going beyond what they can understand.

The challenge for parents, teachers and therapists is to put themselves into the shoes of their child or student to know what the child or student is feeling inside themselves.  The goal is to discover  the cause of the disturbance. Its affect predicts the future.  In other words, the upstream experience predicts the downstream behavior.

Ms. Kalmanson commented that temperament is the “how” of behavior and described nine dimensions:

1. Activity:  how physical motion is going on
2. Rhythmic:  regularity of movement and psychological functions.   If a child needs and doesn’t have a predictable routine there’s an emotional sequel to that.
3. Approach/withdrawal:  reaction of a child to new stimulus e.g.: are they happy when they first go to school?
4. Ease in modifying reactions.
5. Intensity energy level of responses.
6. Mood:  how much does the child feel life is pleasant?
7. Persistence/attention space.
8. Distractibility:  effect of extraneous stimuli to ongoing behavior.   Do they notice when a fire truck goes by?
9. Sensory threshold:  how much stimulation does it take to get a response?

In tandem with these dimensions are Risk Factors that are associated with school performance.

1. Low task orientation
2. Low flexibility:  negative approach and social difficulty
3. High reactivity which could mean low sensory input.

Principles of assessment look at upstream issues:  Usually it’s advisable to look for a specific symptom, e.g. poor eye contact.  That symptom provides information that it is a functional limitation.  Then, look at the larger functional capacity.  Is there an intimacy connection?  Is the child thinking: how does someone know what I am feeling?  Most important, can the teacher,  parent or therapist empathize with the child/student?

The above highlights some areas Ms. Kalmanson encouraged parents, teachers and therapists to observe in their child or student.  The more the child’s behavior is understood the less opportunity for upstream disturbances and downstream behavior.

Dyslexia on-line resources

Recently I received an email to a link www.onlinecollegecourses.com   The writer, Carol Vertz, manages the content for this website. She shared a very detailed on-line resource list for persons challenged with dyslexia.  The information is listed below.

Per Carol Vertz, www.onlinecollegecourses.com

Living as a dyslexic can be a difficult experience, especially when it comes to college courses. However, you should know that you’re not alone in your journey. With these helpful links, you can find resources including learning tools, communities, and advice for living and studying with dyslexia.

Communities

Turn to these communities for dyslexia assistance and support.

1. Dyslexia Support Group: Find a helping hand in these dyslexia support groups.
2. DailyStrength: DailyStrength offers a dyslexia support group.
3. Council for Exceptional Children: The Council for Exceptional Children offers a voice and vision for special education.
4. Dyslexia Walk: Get involved in the cause of dyslexia by participating in the Dyslexia Walk.
5. Learning Disabilities Association of America: The LDA offers information, resources, and support for learning disabilities.
6. The International Dyslexia Association: The Interdys promotes literacy through research, education, and advocacy.
7. Council for Learning Disabilities: The CLD discusses issues related to students with learning disabilities.
8. Head Strong: Head Strong offers a forum to empower the dyslexic community.
9. Being Dyslexic: These forums offer information and support for teenagers, adults, teachers, parents, and experts alike.
10. Dislecksic Support: Find answers for dyslexia on Dislecksic Support.
11. DyslexiaSupport: Check out the DyslexiaSupport Yahoo! Group to share ideas and exchange help.
12. Dyslexic Advantage: Dyslexic Advantage is dedicated to fostering the gifts of people with dyslexia.

Dyslexia Awareness & Information

You’ll find advice, articles, and information on these helpful sites.

1. Dyslexic.com: Dyslexic.com will help you make the most of your abilities.
2. Dyslexia Awareness and Resource Center: DARC shares awareness and information for dyslexia and other learning disorders.
3. Misunderstood Minds: You can experience dyslexia and other learning disabilities firsthand on Misunderstood Minds.
4. How Mind Mapping Can Help with Dyslexia: Read this article to see how you can use mind mapping to help with dyslexia.
5. Understanding Dyslexia: Read this article to get an understanding of dyslexia.
6. Dyslexia Wikia: Here you’ll find the wiki for the dyslexia community.
7. Answers to Common Questions: This resource shares the answers to a number of common questions about dyslexia.
8. The Power of Dyslexia: The Power of Dyslexia shares the signs of dyslexia, famous people with dyslexia, and information about dyslexia in children.
9. Dyslexia My Life: Find information and advice on dyslexia and learning diabilities from this dyslexic.
10. Dyslexia-Explanations, Tips, and Strategies: Visit the Internet Special Education Resources page to find explanations, tips, and strategies for dyslexia.
11. You Know (of) Lots of Dyslexics!: This resource lists a number of famous people with dyslexia.
12. I Am Dyslexic: I Am Dyslexic shares dyslexia from the perspective of a dyslexic child.

For Students, Parents, and Teachers

These sites cater to specific groups affected by dyslexia.

1. Dyslexia at College: Dyslexia at College offers support for dyslexic college students.
2. How Can I Help My Dyslexic Child?: WiseGeek explains how parents can be supportive to a child with dyslexia.
3. Dyslexia: Coping and Support: Read this resource to find out how to help your child with dyslexia.
4. Dyslexichelp: Check out this website to find help for the parents of dyslexics.
5. Dyslexia Parents Resource: Find tips from other parents, symptoms, schools, and more on this site.
6. A Dyslexic Child in the Classroom: Here you’ll find a guide for parents and teachers of dyslexic children.
7. Go Phonics: Go Phonic explains how you can teach reading to someone with dyslexia.
8. Dyslexia Teacher: Dyslexia Teacher has information and resources for helping dyslexic kids and teens.
9. All Kinds of Minds: All Kinds of Minds shares information for a learning revolution that supports students in crisis.
10. Reading Resource: Find reading strategies and activities for dyslexic students on Reading Resource.

Resources

If you’re searching for learning tools, assistive technology, and more, these sites offer a great place to start.

1. Free Software: Check out this resource to find links to free dyslexia software.
2. Dyslexia Books: Dyslexia Books help make reading and spelling fun.
3. A Primer on Dyslexia: This primer from PBS includes links and a glossary of common dyslexic terms.
4. RFB&D: Find out about different ways to read with Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic.
5. The Dolch List: Use this vocabulary list to practice words.

Blogs

Get connected with other dyslexics and people in the community through these blogs.

1. Twice-Exceptional: Twice-Exceptional is written for those who raise, educate, or counsel children with dyslexia and other learning issues.
2. DyslexicAdvantage: This blog discusses some of the advantages of dyslexia.
3. Dyslexia Discovery: Read Dyslexia Discovery to find advice, news, and more in dyslexia.
4. Dyslexia News & Notes Blog: On this blog, you’ll find news and personal stories in the world of dyslexia.
5. Myomancy: Myomancy offers discussions on learning disorders and more.
6. The Dyslexic Storytellers Blog: Real dyslexic writers share their posts on helping the learning disabled be understood by the mainstream.
7. American Dyslexia Association: The ADA writes this blog to offer help to those with dyslexia.
8. Denver Dyslexia Awareness Blog: See how this organization is working to build dyslexia awareness.
9. Dyslexia Wonders: Read this blog to learn about the life of a dyslexic from a child’s point of view.
10. Dyslexic in America: This blogger shares day to day thoughts about dyslexia, as well as resources and advice.
11. Dyslexic in America: Find out what it’s like to be dyslexic in America by reading this blog.
12. In the Mind’s Eye: Read this blog to learn about visual thinking, dyslexia, learning difficulties, and more.
13. The Dee Zone: This blogger discusses her experiences in dyslexia and dysgraphia.
14. Dyslexia My Life: Girard Sagmiller answers questions about dyslexia on this blog.
15. Jaypiddy’s Blog: Check out this blog to see travel and photography from a dyslexic point of view.
16. Rants & Raves from the Right Side: Victoria shares alternative ideas about dyslexia on this blog.
17. Lav’s LD Blog: This blog offers the unedited version of a dyslexic’s mind.
18. I Speak of Dreams: I Speak of Dreams discusses effective parenting and education with learning disabilities.
19. Dr. Linda’s Blog: Dr. Linda writes about parenting and dyslexia support.
20. Dyslexia Blog: Read the Dyslexia Blog to find resources and information for dyslexia parents.
21. Parenting Dyslexia: In this blog, you’ll see a different perspective on dyslexia.
22. Dyslexia Tutor: Adrienne Edwards shares news and resources for dyslexia.
23. Our Journey to Become Dyslexia Aware: The Muritai School shares their efforts to become more dyslexia aware.
24. LD Insights: LD Insights explores learning disabilities from all angles.
25. Dyslexia Blog: Here you’ll find a blog for dyslexic students.
26. Eide Neurolearning Blog: This blog features articles on brain-based learning for kids with dyslexia and other learning disorders.
27. Bonnie Terry: Bonnie Terry has reading, writing, and math help for dyslexic students.
28. The Wrightslaw Way: Learn about special education law and advocacy from a dyslexic lawyer.
29. The Ghotit Blog: This text correction tool offers insightful blog posts and more.
30. Techno Dys: Techno Dys is a technology blog for those interested in dyslexia.
31. Dyslexia Information: Check out this blog for dyslexia testing and information.

Related Posts:

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• 100 Best Blogs for Tech-Savvy Teachers
• 50 Best Blogs for Botany Students
• 50 Excellent, Scholarly Literary Criticism Blogs
• 100 Places to Find Your Next Great Read

© 2011. All rights reserved. Online College Courses.  Published with the permission of Carol Vertz, Online College Courses.

Recently Kathy Johnson author, speaker and educational consultant, ( kjohnson@pyramidofpotential.com,)  wrote this book review of my book, The Other Side of Dyslexia.  I feel her comments caught the spirit of this book. The review follows:

___________________________________________________________________________

Ann was a director of the opera-musical theater program at the National Endowment for the Arts when she discovered she had Dyslexia. She writes in this book about her journey of self-discovery to being able to read.

When I first opened the book, I was delighted by what I saw inside – unlike any other book, each page has colorful simple pictures with the words below. It conveys what she has in her mind: pictures and emotions; less words. My immediate thought was how authentic it is. To get into the mind of a person with learning disabilities, you must go beyond just words, as words have different meanings and understandings.  Although in the main part of the book, Ann does not specifically describe the trainings and therapies that she has used to help her, she references them in the end. Anyone who would like to follow a similar path can.

The journey included many therapies that I have used as well, including Brain Gym, Energy Medicine, eye exercises and watching diet. Yet for her, the emotional and spiritual journey helped unlock the physical stress that held her back.  Today she is able to use words much better for both her reading and writing.

This book was written primarily for dyslexics so that they can read about someone like them. She gives hints as to how to read it, and the print is big so that people can have an easier time with the words. It is also for the non-dyslexic to understand what can happen in the mind and body of another human. We are after all, unique. One thing I have learned is that we don’t know how other people see, hear or feel unless they tell us. Ann does an excellent job of that!

I highly recommend this book to people who have learning disabilities as well as those who teach, care for, and love people with LD. Enjoy!

Written by Kathy Johnson, [kjohnson@pyramidofpotential.com]

Kathy Johnson’s book The Roadmap from Learning Disabilities to Success is simple in form, short in length and long in information. 

Being challenged by both dyslexia and hpyerlexia I am not overly fond of reading.  I do it, I can do it, but you don’t often find me choosing it.  The format of Kathy’s book made reading the content easy.  It’s as though she chose to present it for learning challenged adults reading skills. Kathy’s book succinctly describes success stories and provides a checklist for parents to consider. 

I find it interesting that she has made the links that I made as I progressed through my process of overcoming the negatives of dyslexia and many years later hyperlexia.  At the outset she provides the order and importance of various approaches using a Pyramid of Potential.  The base of the pyramid is Mind and Body.  I too, through my own experimentation and with advice of others started my healing with these two topics.

I was particularly excited to see how effective her work is with patient’s reflexes – those that normally develop while the baby is in utero and the first three years of life.  I came across this technique shortly after I learned (six years ago) that I have hyperlexia.  I had already taken the Lindamood-Bell verbalizing and visualizing process but it wasn’t until after a year a half of correcting my many reflexes that were under-developed did I find much more peace around the hyperlexia.  I strongly support a parent having a child with learning challenges checked for the development of the child’s reflexes. 

Kathy’s Roadmap also gives good explanations of eye issues and has several useful suggestions on how to better eye problems.  I loved her description of the use of a Brain Gym technique – lazy eights – a technique I have frequently implemented.  

As you can see I relate to Kathy’s work because her tools are many of the ones I have been fortunate to come across.  The uniqueness of Kathy is that she has integrated them together and created a broad spectrum of skills to help her clients.  It is this approach that she describes in her book, The Roadmap from Learning Disabilities to Success. I would recommend this book to any parent whose child has learning challenges.  

To learn more go to:  www.PyramidofPotential.com, PO Box 103, Burnt Hills, NY 12027, telephone: 518 585 2007

Dr. John Medina:  Brain Rules for Teachers

The second lecture on Friday, January 21, 2011  that Dr, John Medina presented  at PEN (http://www.parentseducationnetwork.org)  was titled Brain Rules for Teachers. Dr. Medina, a developmental molecular biologist and author of the New York Times bestseller, Brain Rules, began with a familiar theme outlined in his previous lecture, Brain Rules for Parents. The brain is designed to solve problems, related to surviving, in an outdoor setting and to do so in constant motion. Secondly, the brain is incapable of multi-tasking.  It takes a person twice as long and the margin for error is 50% when a person is multi-tasking. In other words, if you do well at task A, you don’t do well at task B. 

Keeping these core premises in mind, Dr. Medina moved on to discuss sleep. It seems that animals, particularly gazelles, sleep in short segments to keep themselves aware of any predator about to attack. Similarly, we wake up during the night and if stressed, sleep eludes us. Stress is an arousal force if left unchecked and will keep a person awake!  

Dr. Medina moved on to the topic of the brain’s need for sleep in mid-afternoon between 2 PM and 4 PM.. The brain wants a down cycle. It’s time to take a nap. Another way of expressing this idea is that the brain wants to rest 12 hours passed the midpoint of a person’s previous night’s sleep. “You may ignore this suggestion but you will not change the need,” he commented. It seems that an astronaut’s crew followed this discipline and there was a 34% improvement in the output of their work.  So, Dr. Medina’s recommendation for teacher is: Do not teach between 2 PM and 4 PM.    

Dr. Medina’s discussion moved to the importance of each person knowing their daily rhythm including sleep times. 20% of the population he calls Larks. They are early birds, ideally waking at 6 AM and going to bed at 9 PM.  Their productive time is the morning, peaking at noon. 20% of the population he calls Owls who ideally would go to bed at 3 AM and wake at 11 AM. The rest are Hummingbirds and fall into a “regular” day pattern. A person who is a Lark cannot transform into an Owl. You can try, but your body rhythm will not change.

 In summarizing sleep he said most of us are sleep deprived, a reason why school children who stay up late doing homework or other activities can seem unfocussed in school. When the students get to college and can take classes at the times when they are at the best, this behavior falls away.  Dr. Medina suggested to teachers:  The school of the future will have Owls teaching owls, and Larks teaching Larks.  At this point teachers can’t control the sleep cycles of students but teachers can control how they teach.  

In the second hour Dr. Medina described how the brain is wired. Using metaphors of Interstate Highways (trunks), city boulevards and alleys to describe the wiring. He claims trunks are the same in all people but the city boulevards and alleys are different in each person. It is in the latter where learning occurs. And, yes, we all learn differently. So teachers take note:

1.  The brain is not interested in learning, it is interested in surviving.  Teachers need to be able to improvise off this learning base.

2.  A teaching system, or any system needs to have two approaches to learning, memorizing and improvisation.  If one is taught to learn and then improvise off it, the data base of the person becomes accumulative.  The knowledge edge is accumulative.  

A teacher needs to develop their ability to have empathy. He suggests they give energy to learning how to penetrate inside the minds of their students. This can be taught, and Dr. Medina emphasized, kindness and safety will do more than anything else in your classroom. 

In the third hour the focus turned to memory.  Dr. Medina cautioned that if a speaker says that memory works in a specific way, run out of room. It is not true. There are 40 memory gadgets in the brain. At the moment we know very little about them and we know very little about how they react. 

 What we do know is that when a piece of information comes to the brain and the brain decides it is important it will put the information into a buffer memory. This buffer can hold seven pieces of information for thirty seconds.  If it is not repeated within the thirty seconds, the brain will dump it. If the teacher or the student internally repeats it, the information goes into another buffer – working memory. Working memory has its own series of rules including that it will hold the information for only two hours.  If not repeated within two hours, the brain will drop it. 

So, for teachers, Dr Medina suggested transforming the 60 minute lecture into three 20 minute segments. The first being the information, the second a different activity, the third repeating the information taught during the first twenty minutes. This approach might obviate the need for homework!

 If the information is repeated within two hours it is then recruited by brain for long term storage in the hippocampus located in the brain. It may take a decade to become permanent which is the reason why information within ourselves can become corrupted.  At some point the hippocampus releases the information into the cortex. In this final phase, the information becomes infinitely retrievable.

 This memory process is a hint for teachers. Children who learn information in grade three cannot count on the information being imprinted in the brain for ten years. Students need to be retaught what they have learned. The brain is unbelievably sensitive to repetition.  Remember, the brain was not designed to be in the classroom it was designed to be in the jungle. 

Dr. Medina had two final comments:

1.         The hippocampus is affected by drugs. Marijuana stops the process of integration of learning.

2.         The greatest predictor of the ability to learn is the emotional stability in the home! 

There is more information on Dr. John Medina’s lectures for PEN.  See blog Brain Rules for Parents. Dr. Medina’s website is: http://brainrules.net. His books are: Brain Rules and Brain Rules for Baby.

Brain Rules for Parents

Dr. John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist and author of the New York Times bestseller, Brain Rules was a guest speaker on Thursday evening, January 20^th at PEN. (http://www.parentseducationnetwork.org)  He is also an affiliate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington, School of Medicine and the director of the Brain Center for Applied Learning Research at Seattle Pacific University. 

This evening his topic was Brain Rules for Parents. Dr. Medina is an energetic man with a robust physique and voice. His approach to lecturing involves stories that prove his points, facts quickly offered and a point of view that stops the listener in his or her tracks. He has much to share that is cogent and exciting. He envisions how it could be in the future implementing the information that he and other brain scientists know for sure about the brain.   

At the outset of the evening he kept reiterating that the brain’s unified performance envelope is designed to solve problems, related to surviving, in an outdoor setting and to do so in constant motion. In other words, the brain isn’t interested in learning, it’s primary concern is surviving. 

With this fact in mind he moved to the topic was stress. Stressed brains don’t learn in the same way as normal brains. He suggested to parents that if your child is stressed see what they are running from. The trigger points are the problem. The more out of control the child (or adult) is feeling, the more the learning, including short and long term memory is affected. 

Dr. Medina then turned his attention to the “home” stating that the single predictor of academic success is the emotional stability at home. Marital conflict causes stress not only for the couple but also their children. If there is marital conflict when the baby is in utero and the partners work on their relationship during this time both the baby and the relationship benefit. In other words when adults are able to control themselves both individually and in partnership, they change the nervous system of their kids. He said that if the woman is feeling she is being heard by the man, the marriage works. An important key to being heard is that the woman is able to communicate her psychological behavior in the way a man can understand it. He can then respond by examining his behavior.  

 A stable home environment is particularly important for kids with learning disabilities. There are some kids who are hyper active because they don’t feel safe.

There is good news around what improves the stressed conditions. Aerobic Exercise:  Aerobic exercise affects something in the brain that assists the memory process. It has been proven that memory can change as a result of this type of exercising. The caveat is that the exercise program must be continuous (30 minutes of aerobics 3 times a week). Scientists are now researching the value of exercise for both ADD and ADHD conditions.  Reason: exercise affects the brain chemistry. The more an individual saturates the blood with oxygen, the less there is depression (merely increasing the amount of oxygen without aerobic exercise did not have the same effect.) He emphatically stated: PE, physical education, is the most important hour in a kid’s academic life! 

There is more information on Dr. John Medina’s lectures for PEN.  See blog Brain Rules for Teachers. Dr. Medina’s website is: http://brainrules.net. His books are: Brain Rules and Brain Rules for Baby.

How to Detect Developmental Delay and What to Do Next  by Mary Mountstephen has been reviewed and highly recommended by Kathy Johnson: www.pyramidofpotential.com/blog     

Ms. Johnson comments:  I would suggest this book for anyone who is looking for answers as to why an individual struggles in school. Ms. Mountstephen uses her background as the leader of a large specialist support center at a major independent school and as an educational and neurodevelopmental delay specialist is private practice to put this book together. She also consults internationally to schools and organizations from her home in the UK, giving her the experience to understand all she writes in this book. 

The book has two parts: Child Development and Signs of Delay in Part 1 and Interventions for Home and School in Part 2. Part 1 includes factors affecting early development including pregnancy and child development, genetic and environmental factors, and the role of primitive and postural reflexes. The chapter on what to expect in the early years is helpful in determining if development was typical or delayed by reading through lists of milestones. Next Ms. Mounstephen writes about special education and specific diagnoses, including dyslexia, dyspraxia, and ADD/ADHD.  

Part 2 is all about the “What to do Next” in the title. She looks at movement, such as neurodevelopmental programs, balance, handwriting, and using a multi-sensory approach to classroom and home work. 

The chapter on Vision, Visual Processing and Learning includes information such as why vision issues are frequently not found, strategies for children with visual problems, vision therapy, a vision assessment checklist, and the link between primitive and postural reflexes and visual problems. Indeed this is a thorough and important chapter! 

Children receive informational input in school using two primary modes: vision and hearing. So another wonderful chapter is on Hearing, Auditory Processing and Learning. She discuses the importance of these skills, language development, causes and symptoms of auditory processing problems, dealing with these issues in the classroom, speech and language therapy, and finally listening therapy programs. 

The final chapter is on how a psychologist can help, written by Elvie Brown, and educational psychologist. In it she about her role, why see an educational psychologist, and information about a psychological assessment. Sample assessments help a parent know what to expect. 

Finally, the Appendices include forms to aid a parent as they help their child, a brochure about Central Auditory Processing Disorder, and many resources.

 I recommend this book highly for parents and professionals alike, as they seek to change children’s lives from struggling to learn to being successful in school. I was able to purchase it off Amazon.com.

On Thursday, January 6^th, 2011, PEN (www.parentseducationnetwork.org)  hosted a discussion with four college students challenged with learning and attention difficulties.  They shared some of their experiences both in high school and college and gave advice to parents along with high school students  challenge with learning and attention difficultues as they prepare for taking the step to college.

 Common themes during the discussion:

 College:

1.         College environment is much more accepting of students with learning challenges than high school.

2.         It seems easier in college to build community with others.

3.         In college there seems to be less of a stigma around requesting accommodations.

4.         Professors are more available to students than teachers in high school.

5.         Professors accept who you are.

6.         When you find a professor you like, eg: who uses different media throughout his or her lecture, see if he or she offers other courses you can take.

7.         Note taking is easier if they give out Power Point summaries

8.         College registration process is “horrible”.  Can be hard to get the class you want.  E-mail the professor and ask for his or her help. Use texting – ask you be informed when a class opens up.  Get counselors to help you.

9.         Don’t sign up for classes that won’t work for you. Eg:  if you are not good in the mornings, schedule your classes in the afternoon.  Be sure to schedule classes that relate to your best ability.

10.       College is actually fun:  no longer have to spit out answers

11.       College is more understanding about hitting walls:  it’s expected.

12.       The participants in this discussion said they find they need more sleep in college.  The tests are harder and one participant said that more sleep helps. 

High School:

1.         SAT: 

Be sure to ask for accommodations before taking a SAT.

Be thorough with all documentation and meet all the deadlines

One participant said he was rejected at a college based on the results of his SAT.  As he had great grades, he changed his approach and found schools that looked beyond the SAT.  He is doing well in college.

2.         When you are writing your essay as part of the application for college, disclose your disability. Add stories about it.  Share why you like your disability. Share your strengths as a result of your disability. Put something in that essay that makes you unique.

3.         Teachers are preparing you for college and as a result they seem to be constantly evaluating and judging you.

4.         High school has so much homework, that the students found they didn’t get enough sleep.

5.         High school provided tutors.  They helped us become independent. They helped us learn how to tackle the obstacle ourselves. Again self advocacy was encouraged. Have to learn how to do this in school. Only as a last resort is it appropriate to have parents step in.

6.         The hardest things in school was getting teachers on the same page.

7.         Standardized tests require a lot of preparation.  Only so much tutoring can help.  Very important to learn the tricks about these tests.

 General Keys to being successful in both college and high school. 

1.         Be a proactive self advocate.  

If you are shy, begin by using e-mail to a teacher or professor. Have a friend support you in the process.  Keep self advocating with your professors, even if you are no longer taking his or her classes. Office hours of a professor can be jammed. E-mail in advance for an appointment.

2.         Find a teacher/professor/counselor who will help you define your learning style.

3.         Always go to every meeting with your questions prepared and document the responses. Take all the information you need to make this meeting successful.

4.         Get to know the system of the school or college 

Managing 1^st year college away from family and other support 

1.         Take an easier load in 1^st year.

2.         Get the accommodations you need.

3.         Make use of Kurzweil, Dragon, BookShare, Win, Inspiration (supports visual thinking techniques) or other assistive technology.

4.         Go into college with an open mind.  Be willing to find out who you are. Be willing to change your course of study in mid-stream. Find courses that you love.  Makes learning so much easier.

5.         Be ready to assume more responsibility for yourself.  You now have to set your own schedule. Get comfortable using a calendar to keep on time.  Put dates from syllabus where deadlines are stated so you have papers in on time.  A couple of the college speakers highly recommended the Mac.  Note taking and calendar are excellent with this system.

6.         Develop a work study system.

7.         It’s important to have your own computer:  can save info there, good for time management and much more. 

Do you feel that having a disability better prepared you for college? 

1.         You know how to handle hitting the wall, you know how to push through the wall because you hit it before in school.

2.         You have learned in school how you learn and what strategies work for you.

3.         You have learned in school how to be an effective self advocate:  need to continue in college.

4.         And, you need to continue to be open about your disability and be organized. Play with your strengths

5.         However, a lot of students are 1^st diagnosed in university or college.

 General Comment: 

The speakers encouraged the parents: As soon as you find out that your child has a learning disability, tell them.  In the long run it serves them.

Following the definition of dyslexia I, Ann Farris, describe the value of removing refined sugar from my diet improving both my dyslexic and hyperlexic condition.

On Friday, December 10^th  2010, Jeffrey Lazarus, M.D, a Menlo Park pediatrician who specializes in the treatment of situational anxiety and test-taking anxiety utilizing clinical hypnosis, was the speaker at PEN’s morning session held at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.   www.parentseducationnetwork.org.

Dr. Lazarus works primarily with children and feels that clinical hypnosis can assist students with their academic performance if they are affected by anxiety or distractibility.  Clinical hypnosis is defined as helping another reach a highly focused state of mind.  In that condition a student is able to visualize doing things he or she didn’t expect they could. 

Anxiety happens when a student overestimates the risks/challenges or when he or she underestimates his/her resources.  For example, a child who starts coughing because he feels anxious can in a highly focused state of mid learn to stop this condition before it gets to the cough state.   One of Dr. Lazarus’ students visualized a stop sign and now uses this image as a tool when the condition begins to make its presence known.  

 If negative self-talk is the issues, he helps the student learn how to deep breath, relaxing their muscles as he teaches them meditation, positive self-talk and clinical hypnosis/guided imagery.  Dr. Lazarus was clear that a highly focused state doesn’t necessarily mean an individual is relaxed. Rather, the guided imagery process enables an individual to find a place in their imagination where they feel relaxed, like a beach or driving down a mountain, or listening to music, whatever.  It’s that state that the student recalls during times of stress.

 The issue of distraction or lack of focus where the student might be thinking about recess, playing after school or remembering a fight with a friend/student can also benefit from clinical hypnosis.  The process of visualization can provide confidence and focus. 

Dr. Lazarus commented that he screens his patients before introducing clinical hypnosis into their life.  If he discovers the child has a hearing or vision issue or learning disability that requires special attention he recommends other specialists in the field required.  He was clear this approach is not for everyone. However, his experience and the results have proven to him and his clients that clinical hypnosis provides an opportunity for an individual to perform differently. It helps students think about how to solve their problems.  

More can be learned about his approach on his website:  http://www.jefflazarusmd.com.

Damon Korb:  Meltdowns to Shutdowns 

In early November, 2010, Parents Education Network in San Francisco presented Damon Korb, MD, whose specialty is developmental and behavioral pediatrics. He is the Director of The Center for Developing Minds which provides care for children and young adults who struggle at home and at school.  This specialty clinic, located in the Silicon Valley, focuses on behavior issues, learning difficulties, attention problems, social skill deficits, Autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays and psychological disorders. 

Dr. Korb’s topic was Meltdowns to Shutdowns. He began with an encouraging statement.  Most children grow out of their meltdowns meaning that they have learned the skills they need to handle their behavior.  He went on to state that oppositionality is a normal behavior as the child matures. Beginning at birth, a baby chooses either to gaze directly or averts it. At 8 weeks a baby begins to initiate a “dialogue” showing what he or she wants. At 9 months, they want Mum.  At twelve months tantrums can begin.  At 4 years the child has confidence and will start wandering off and so it goes. 

According Dr. Korb there are four ways that oppositional behavior can be defined: by becoming familiar with a child’s temperament, environmental facts, a child being thwarted of a need and failure to learn pro-social behavior. 

Dr. Korb throughout his two-hour presentation kept returning to the importance of understanding the child’s temperament. He cautioned: if you are a parent set on a path that your child needs to take in life and it is in conflict with the child’s temperament, this is a recipe for oppositional behavior. 

When defining the child’s temperament he suggests considering several components: a) what is their rhythm to determine their regularity, b) how do they respond to new information, c) how adaptable are they, e) are they intense by nature? f) what is their mood pattern? g) what is their attention span – are they easily distracted, are they persistent and h)are they sensitive?  

He offered several temperament tips that increase results between a parent and child.  Remember to appreciate your child’s strengths, give positive messages about the child to the child along with lots of praise. Keep in mind you can help your child change behavior but not their temperament. Avoid criticism for things that are just about individual style.  Let your child know that you are listening. 

Environment factors revolve around the kind of environment parents are providing for their child. If a child is growing up in a stressed environment caused by marital discord, poverty, legal problems, mental health, depression, anxiety, drugs or alcohol it is most like that the child will exhibit oppositional behavior. He commented that he and his staff spend a lot of time working with parents, encouraging them to focus on their unresolved issues.  He cautioned: parents who are not managing their behavior be aware, your children will copy your undesirable behaviors.   

The third characteristic, thwarting of a need is both simple and complex. The simple: ensuring the child is being given food that serves him best, has lots of sleep and many hugs. The complex revolves in part around issues like – the need to provide regulations/house rules so that the child can learn how to regulate his or her life. In Dr. Korb’s family, dinner every night is at 5 pm and his five children are expected to be present. They have specific times when they are to be in bed. A special effort is made to control noise to avoid over stimulation. 

Dr. Korb made reference to Dr. Eric Erickson, a Danish-German-American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst talking about his theory on social development. There are eight stages, four of which were mentioned during this talk:

1. Hope: basic trust is the first ingredient for an infant.  If trust exists at that age, the child is more likely to grow up believing what you say.
2. Will: autonomy versus shame and doubt.  This is tricky.  The toddler wants freedom and must be offered it and at the same time the child needs to learn how to limit him or herself.
3. Purpose: initiative versus guilt.  The kindergarten child needs to express creativity but can easily put into guilt if the discipline process is not consistent and generous.
4. Competence – Industry versus inferiority. Age 6 to adolescence. Self worth becomes an issue here.

 Failure to learn pro-social behavior.  Dr Korb was clear that the responsibility for the child to learn social behavior lies with the parents.  Setting criteria and keeping to it is essential for every aspect of the child’s life.  So, when the child doesn’t turn off the computer when asked, set the criteria and then hold to it.  Give warnings:  “You have five minutes more on the computer.  It must be shut down within five minutes.”

 If a child is given time out, when they re-join the activity find a reason to complement them.  Then, later when the issue is no longer a sore point, find time to discuss with the child what happened and re-iterate the criteria. 

Dr. Korb spent some time talking about behavior patterns coming from a learning disorder and offered several areas to consider:    

1. Executive skills. This function is controlled by working memory.  The child’s ability to organize and plan his or her life is a component.  They need schedules, lists, routines so the parent doesn’t need to nag so much.  They need to be prepared to handle change.  . 
2. Language processing skills. These children need to know how to communicate, how to express what they feel. This is essential for them to stay out of trouble. 
3. Find ways to send a message that celebrates the strengths of the child.

 If a child experiences a meltdown, recognize that it is a panic attack. Be with them helping them to find a way to calm down.  Once the meltdown is over consider the steps to take. If it’s a teenager who experienced the melt down, it’s time to consider where they are developmentally when they are in the behavior of melt down.  It may be necessary to back up with parenting to that level. Remember: to the child, it’s not about the meltdown it’s about everything that happened before the meltdown.  Later, when discussing the meltdown with the child, make an effort to diffuse the situation by offering collaborative problem solving.  In summary Dr. Korb said behavior problems are learning disorders. Meltdowns are 99.9% predictable. 

Dr. Korb recommended three books:

• Carol Gray’s Social Stories. These books describes a situation, skill, or concept in terms of relevant social cues, perspectives, and common responses in a specifically defined style and format. http://www.thegraycenter.org.
• Michelle Garcia Winner and Chris Abildgaard’ book  Social Thinking and Applied Behavior Analysis is one several publications addressing the needs of individuals with a broad range of social and communication challenges in their communities. www.socialthinking.com.  
• Ross Greer, The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children.

Attention Deficit Disorder Discussion Report

Friday, October 22^nd, Katherine Ellison, author of the recently published book, Buzz, was the speaker at Parents Education Network in San Francisco, CA.   A mother of a son who has ADD, her book vividly describes her family’s trials, tribulations and successes with the challenges her son faces. She was also very frank about herself letting us know that she, too, has the same brain aberration. 

A brief description of ADD culled from the field’s leading experts set the scene. The core problem is a weakness in the brain’s inhibitory system. She describes it as “faulty breaks”. The symptoms include impulsiveness, forgetfulness and distraction. 

Before reading a dramatic scene from her book, Ms. Ellison, a successful newspaper reporter and author, shared that Jack, her husband, and her two sons were torn apart with the tensions generating from challenges her oldest son, nine years old Buzz, faced. Writing her book was the only way she had to handle the family crisis. She described her inability to stop herself going into reaction, screaming at him, even spanking him when he said horrible things. Now, she understands that he was in his own world and didn’t see the cause/effect relationship of his comments.   

This drama heightened as she read a scene from her book, describing her efforts at 6 am to get Buzz up for his Spanish class, a class he enjoyed. Rising from bed, taking a shower, eating breakfast was chaotic ending in a verbal war between mother and son.  As Buzz exited, slamming the door, Ms. Ellison experienced an “ahha”. She realized she was bordering on not loving her son and was stunned!  She saw that her ADD and his were sparking each other’s worst side. She knew she had to be the one to change and turned her attention from her own distress and challenges with her ADD to her child. One of her strategies that had positive effect was finding ways to show Buzz that he was loved by her. This meant thinking twice before yelling when Buzz employed the “oppositional defiance kicker”. She reframed her feelings and took the advice of the writer, Toni Morrison: “Light up when a child comes into the room.”  At first, there was little immediate return. However, the more she released control the better the results. Slowly they were able to talk about what happened and sometimes he would respect her point of view if not accept it. 

Ms. Ellison enlisted her husband to become more involved and at this point her presentation Ms. Ellison’s invited her husband, Jack, a quiet, loving, somewhat distant husband to join her.  They shared they have clashed over different parenting styles on subjects such as TV, food, bedtime etc.  

The Ellisons then opened the morning session to questions.  Mothers and some fathers reported similar challenges and asked for advice. Topics covered a wide span:

• ADD kids have a hard time with social interaction Most agreed that friends of an ADD student from Grade 1 and 2 had long disappeared, no more play dates.
• Questions around the value of “consequences”: eg.” if you do this you will lose the use of your laptop” were brought to the fore. Most agreed that ADD kids are less sensitive to the concept of consequences and thus bribery doesn’t work.
• More often than not the discussion moved to drugs, Ritalin and others.  Are they effective, are they damaging?  It seems these mood changing pills enable the distracted child to be comfortable with her or himself and they became more open to learning.  However, there was no agreement on the long term effect.  Ms. Ellison’s son did use drugs for a time, but then chose to stop. This topic kept re-emerging with no resolution.
• There seemed to be a general consensus that private schools in Marin County are less effective in handling children with ADD than public schools.
• The Ellisons encouraged parents to invest time helping their ADD child find something he or she is good at.  This effort does pay off.  Buzz discovered pleasure with  tennis. He is now coaching tennis with little kids and his social interaction is improving.

 Throughout the  morning Ms. Ellison suggested.

Outsource homework.  You have enough to handle in the house and need space from the battles over homework.

Find a way to become an ally – if it means taking the child out for pizza.

Choose your battles, Let some things slide. 

Do your best to balance attention with all children in your family. Those not affected by ADD need to feel that they are being fairly treated.

Try meditation and neuro-feedback. At first she used bribery to get her son to the sessions. But, they had some success with both.

Most important is reconnecting with your child, finding a way to let him or her know you love them, get back to a point where you can hug.

 Finally, Ms. Ellison urged parents who have a tendency to ADD behavior to get tested for diagnosis.  Don’t continue investing energy in covering up.  And, then find a way to slow down.

 The two hour morning session flew by.  Ms Ellison’s book, Buzz, is published by Voice, Hyperion, New York and is well worth the investment.

Parents Education Network in San Francisco sponsored a talk on Assistive Technology in early October, 2010.  The speaker, Jan Tuber, is a staff member at Parents Helping Parents, a non profit organization based in San Jose, CA.  Ms. Tuber had an enormous amount of information to share.

 Assistive technology refers to a device, (any item, piece of equipment, product system) used to increase, maintain or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability.  Ms. Tuber underscored the changing behavior of this broad field. New and updated products appear on the market unexpectedly. Keeping abreast is a challenge.

 General comments Ms. Tuber made for parents and teachers: 

• Don’t buy a product until you have sampled it by training on it.  Many people get excited about the potential of the product but lose interest fast if they have not committed to the training.
• Many developers offer their product for a testing period – often thirty days.  Take that offer and test the value of the product to your situation.
• Have a clear sense of the learning disability challenge to be served. Take the time to understand the student’s barriers to learning eg: does the student have memory or note taking or graphic challenges?   Then, match the learning style and needs with the tools.
• Teachers:  be sure to order assistive technology tools when books are being ordered for the year.

 Ms. Tuber had many websites listed in her handout that address different learning styles.  Some are listed below. She suggested a good way to start exploring assistive technology is with Low Tech Supplies.

 Low Tech Supplies: 

Filters, Lottie Kits, Reading Rulers, Franklin products, pencil grips, AT notebook, raised line paper, handwriting guides, highlighter tape, margin maker.  The following websites are valuable for research and potential purchase.

•  www.onionmountaintech.com  This site Ms. Tuber considers a “bible”
•   www.beacon-ridge.com
• www.mayer-johnson.com
• www.levenger.com
• www.therapyshoppe.com
• www.AssistiveWritingSolutions.com 

Audio Support

• www.rfbd.org:   (Recording for the blind and dyslexic). You can download their material to your computer.
• Victor Reader Stream
• iPod/MP3
• Audio/TTS: Classmate Reader
• www.humanware.com
• www.audible.com   This company has monthly subscriptions for materials that can be downloaded.
• Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. 

Graphic Classics

• www.amazon.co.uk
• Shakespeare Comic Books: www.shakespearecomics.com

              Edited original text in one color, and modern English text translation in another. Fully illustrated comic style presentation.

• Classical Comics: www.classicalcomics.com
• Original Text, or Quick Text versions
• Full color graphics
• No Fear Shakespeare: www.amazon.com,
• www.sparknotes.com
• Simply Shakespeare: Barron’s Educational series, Inc

 Tools for Comprehension:

• Intel Reader:               reader.intel.com
• Click,Speak:                http://clickspeak.clcworld.net/
• WordTalk:                   www.wordtalk.org.uk/ (Win)
• Readplease 2003: FREE or professional version (Win)   www.readplease.com, www.dyslexia-software.com
• Natural Reader: FREE or professional version, (Win)
• www.naturalreaders.com
• GhostReader (Mac):
• www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/productivity_tools/ghostreader.html
• TexEdit Plus (Mac):
• www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/9013 (shareware) 

Tools for Comprehension:  Comprehensive Text-to-Speech Programs: 

• WYNN: WYNN Reader, WYNN Wizard text-to-speech reader. www.freedomscientific.com
• Kurzweil 3000: Text-to-Speech reader
• www.kurzweiledu.com
• Read & Write Gold: Text-to-Speech reader
• www.texthelp.com
• Read: OutLoud:
•  www.donjohnston.com 

Tools for Writing:  Word Prediction/Spelling

• Word Q:                    www.quill.com
• Co:Writer:                 www.donjohnston.com
• WriteOnline:            www.cricksoft.com
• “Sounds like”-Spell, Write!   www.afh-net.com
• SpellCatcher: (Win/Mac)      www.rainmakerinc.com
• Ginger Software:       www.gingersoftware.com
• Breme Write Right:   www.bremesoftware.com
• Franklin Spellers:      www.franklin.com

Note: Onion Mountain has pens which don’t click.  However, some students need the click to keep them focused.

Tools for Writing: Talking and Portable Word Processors

• Talking Word Processor       www.readingmadeez.com
• Write:OutLoud                         www.donjohnston.com
• WordTalk, Free                         http://www.wordtalk.org.uk
• The Writer Fusion                   www.writerlearning.com
• Embedded in programs such as WYNN, Kurzweil, RWGold

 Note:  This approach works best if the student has aural challenges rather than written.

However, they need cognitive ability to see errors. It takes patience to get this technology working as the student has to learn commands as well as being willing to take the time to set the voice recognition component. 

Tools for Writing

• Inspiration & Kidspiration:           www.inspiration.com
•  Report Writer Interactive ( and Write it Live):  www.ftcpublishing 
• Paragraph Punch/Essay Punch:     www.meritsoftware.com

              Other programs address grammar, comprehension & vocabulary

• Draftbuilder: (SOLO                          www.donjohnston.com
• Livescribe’s Echo Smartpen:        www.livescribe.com/smartpen

 Finally, a comment about Parents Helping Parents.  Their signature Assistive Technology service, Techsploration, provides more details on Assistive Technology as well as an opportunity to experience the tools “hands on” through a guided session in their iTECH demonstration lab. To contact Ms. Tuber in San Jose call (408) 727-5775 or jan@php.com.

Summary of talk by Claudia Koocheck,  Head of School at Charles Armstrong, in Belmont, CA, Friday, September 24^th, 2010.

The first speaker of the 2010-11 PEN (http://www.parentseducationnetwork.org) Speaker Series in San Francisco, Claudia Koocheck, focused most of her remarks on the role of parents whose children are learning challenged. She speaks from first-hand experience as Head of School at Charles Armstrong, a much respected Northern California independent elementary and middle school for students with learning challenges. One facet of her responsibilities is meeting with parents on a continuous basis giving them support while challenging them to move into new paradigms to support their children through the schooling process.

Parent’s reactions after learning a child has a learning challenge.

Ms. Koocheck talked about parent’s shock after discovering that their child has learning differences. It’s a hard fact to absorb and especially true when parents have specific goals for their children emanating from the time of their offspring’s birth. The child they pictured is turning out not to exist.Parents become confused and upset. Ms. Koocheck understands as she helps them walk a new and unexplored path.

Need for parents to change and grow as they help their children

One of the first steps in this journey is encouraging parents to think beyond themselves and their needs.  Now is the time to accept their children as they are and to put emphasis in collaborating with the teachers to achieve the best results for them.

Most parents want an academic path for their child. This step may be achievable but not in the traditional way. A learning challenged child’s brain learns differently which can mean some kids don’t test well.

Often parents lay the fault with the academic environment mostly because they don’t know how to help their child. Sometimes parents resort to hiring a tutor or a coach hoping these steps will solve everything. It does, in some cases, but not the total answer.

Fixed Mindset versus Growth Mindset

A Fixed Mindset from a parent or child derails progress. This behavior can be best expressed when a parent is focused on how good their child is academically or more tragically, when a child thinks he or she is stupid because they can’t master the traditional schooling process.

The goal for parents and learning challenged children is to develop a Growth Mindset, one that opens doors to new approaches. It is much more important for the child to learn something in a class than to get the best grades.  This means focusing on the process, not the results. It’s about effort, not about the outcome. The child wants and needs to enjoy learning. It may come from an unexpected way like a child drawing pictures to understand what they are learning. So be it.

Hints for parents:

• Don’t ask “how was school?  Broad questions are difficult. Instead start with something small like “what did you learn in music today?”
• Invest effort in helping the child discover and move from some skill they are good at. Movement, music, art can be an effective tool to help a learning challenged youngster learn.
• Learning challenged children read information in a different way: through tone of voice, body language, etc rather than intellectual information. Ms. Koocheck gave an example of a child coming home from school, feeling sad and not having the words to say what is wrong. It may be that at school they realized as a result of the teacher’s behavior, not words, that they are different from everyone else. They are perplexed because but don’t know why.
• Keep reminding your child that he or she is smart by asking, “how did you do that?” This question gives the child a chance to digest what he or she accomplished while experiencing the joy of sharing the success.  Note: the phrase, “great job” doesn’t have the same affect. In fact, it may have the reverse. It may not be a “great job” in the traditional way of mastery and learning challenged children know that!
• Kids don’t know what they need until you show them. Give them options.
• Children have a challenge asking for what they want.  To make her point, Ms. Koochek used the analogy of an adult deciding he or she will ask for raise and all the fears and hesitancies that come with that decision.  The same is for the child.  Be sure to provide a safe environment for the child to open up. Then ask: “what do you want to say to me?” Remember: it is the parent’s responsibility to teach their child how to address another and to ask for what they need.
• After providing a safe environment consider these three possible communication tools to help a child share how they are feeling.

1. Sticky notes: one with a thumbs up and one with a thumbs down.
2. Face charts with many different emotional looks along with a description of each is each useful. Ask the child to point at the face on the chart that best describes how they are feeling at that moment.
3. Ask questions.  Ask the child to raise their hand when the response is correct.

The goal is to get to the point where the child develops a sense of ownership. It will only happen in a safe environment.  Remember the learning challenged child comes from a sensorial point of view.  They read body language and tone of view before anything else.

• Don’t correct the children’s homework.  If you do the teacher will never know where the child is struggling.

Dyslexic Simulation Process

As part of Ms. Koochek’s presentation she suggested parents learn what it feels like to be a dyslexic.  The Northern California Association of the International Dyslexic Association offers a dyslexic simulation process where parents can demystify themselves. The next simulation is Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, 9:00 am-12:00 pm at the San Francisco Day School, 350 Masonic Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94118.  For more information go to www.dyslexia-ncbida.org.

Summary

Ms. Koochek had much more to say.  In summary, she encouraged teachers and parents to foster resilience in the child. The desire end results are 1) self motivation, 2) self direction, 3) self advocacy, 4) emotional well-being, 5) social connections and skills, 6) self awareness 7) Self control.

And, parents, remember, applaud teachers and their efforts. They want your kids learning and you happy.

Recommended books

Ms. Koocheck gave high marks to two books:

1. Mindset, The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck, (2006), Random House Publishing Group, New York.   It describes how kids perceive themselves.
2. Brooks, Robert and Goldstein, Sam (2003), The Power of Resilience: Achieving Balance, Confidence and Personal Strength in Your Life.  New York Contemporary Books/McGraw Hill.

Kathy Johnson, who has a blog, www.pyramidofpotential.com/blog , recently posted a blog on this book:  Disconnected Kids:  by Robert Melillo. It sounds interesting and I thought my readers might like to explore .  Here is what she says:

Ms. Johnson states she hasn’t  read the entire book cover to cover, but is impressed with what she has seen so far. Dr. Melillo uses three basic pathways to helping children with various neurological disorders, using his Brain Balance program. He focuses on nutrition, sensory-motor improvements, and hemispheric balance. Part 1 is about his theories, brain development, and general information about identifying the cause of “Functional Disconnection Syndrome” or FDS as he calls it.

Part 2 is where I was impressed. There are descriptions of  extensive testing routines followed by exact directions as to how to work at home with your child to correct what was identified. There are exercises taken from vision therapy, listening therapy, as well as vestibular, tactile, and aerobic exercises. There are academic exercises for reading, comprehension, and math. Finally, there is a long chapter on nutrition, something I consider at the heart of brain health. Many suggestions are given, as well as foods that essential to a healthy brain diet. Not surprisingly, he suggests testing for sensitivities, altering the diet as necessary, and supplementing with vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and digestive enzymes.

I was able to get this book from my local library, so you could “check it out” too if you want, without spending the $15.95. But it’s worth the investment if you want to see other programs that seem to be working well for those with learning disabilities.

Recently I came across a pyramid describing steps the creator, Kathy Johnson took to assist her daughter with her learning disabilities. She claims her child moved into being a successful student as well as enjoying both  raised self esteem and and increased IQ.

I found this material, brief as it is, useful. I like the progression and the commitment to looking at different approaches as part of whole to reach results. It is my experience as a dyslexic/hyperlexic that diversity of healing approaches is essential.   I just wish there were two more elements, emotional and spiritual on the pyramid.

However, this is a wonderful beginning. To contact Ms. Johnson go to: www.pyramidofpotential.com

The following is a quote from Ms. Johnson’s site.

“As an overview, the base of the Pyramid is Body and Mind Health. In order for the brain to be working at its best, the cells must be healthy. Just above that is Neuro-Development. Between pre-natal and age 3, we go through many stages that develop our brains and bodies, and open up pathways to our higher brains. Next is Sensory-Motor Development. If we cannot see, hear, or feel well, it is difficult to get proper input to our brains. We need to be able to use large and small motor abilities to properly express what we know. Our Cognitive Development of skills (like processing speed, memory, and reasoning) is dependent on the other parts of the Pyramid; neuro-development and the sensory-motor systems must be in proper working order to develop fully in the cognitive area.

Learn more on www.pyramidofpotential.com

First of all let me tell you a little bit about PEN. The acronym stands for Parents Education Network, PEN, a coalition of parents collaborating with educators, students and the community to empower and bring academic success to students with learning and attention difficulties.  If you live in the San Francisco Bay area and have children with these challenges, this is a lively group, well worth your time and energy.   http://www.parentseducationnetwork.org

PEN offered it’s last Speaker event of this season on Friday, May 14, 2010.  A panel of high school learning specialists shared their experiences of working with high school students who have learning and attention challenges.  The panelists and the institutions they represented were:  Susan Coe Adams, Marin Academy; Constance Clark, Immaculate Conception Academy: Karen Houck, Drew School: Denise Olivera, Gateway High School and Charles P. Roth, Bay School of San Francisco.  This is a summary of their points of view.

This discussion focused primarily on Grade Nine, though there were references to high school students in general. All of the schools are college preparatory.

Admission:  Some schools require documentation on the prospective students learning or attention challenges.  One school distills the documentation and develops a learning profile on challenged children. They have the student confirm the information on the learning profile and then the student takes it to his or her teachers as part of a self-advocacy program.  Some schools have workshops on study skills, how the brain works and time management at the beginning of Grade Nine to help the students integrate into high school.

Parents when interviewing a school would be best served by first checking the school’s website to see if the profile of the school fits their child.  Go to admission open houses and be sure to visit the resource center.

At the interview these are some questions that might be asked.  a: what services are offered including information on a resource program. b. what are the qualifications of the resource program staff.  c. how do teachers teach: lecture, visual aids etc. d. how is the child assessed: projects, homework, tests. e. How many students have learning issues? f. Can a student have a waiver for a subject?  g. how many students leave because of their learning difference. h. Ask  for contact information of parents who have kids with similar issues. Be sure to make a list of your questions and give them to the admissions director.

Most of the panelists felt that students with ADD or ADHD would be best served if they were given psychological testing. In similar kind, most of the panelists felt that a dyslexic student and their teachers would benefit from the information gained from an Educational Therapist.

 1.        Support systems: 

 Some schools have programs where Grade 12 learning or attention challenged students support the incoming Grade Nine students with like situations. This program seems very supportive especially for those Grade Nine  students who more recently learned about their challenge and are  embarrassed by it.  Peer support seems effective. 

Grade 12 students also mentor in chemistry and writing.  Learning how to plan and organizing material is often top on the agenda.

Learning specialists help students become advocates for themselves.  Some schools run training programs for this purpose.

 2.    Homework:

All of the panelist’s schools have homework which can vary from 2-3 hours for students with no learning or attention challenges. This can mean almost double the time for the challenged students.

Learning specialists need to re-inforce with the student that they will have to work harder. 

Some parents choose to have tutors help with homework. Others look to Books on Tape.   Parents and their kids need to plan how homework will be accomplished.  Some parents use bench marks. 

Most schools post homework on-line.

Computers:

Yes, they are useful tools. Parents need to control their use at home so that     homework time is strictly homework. One solution offered was having the student in the kitchen doing homework.

3.   Parents access to teachers, supervisors etc

One person in the school needs to become the central connection with parents. Information can be garnered from the Resource Specialist overseeing each grade level, sometimes a care team. Other sources are E-mail,weekly meeting of faculty to discuss students who are facing problems. 

One advisor has each of his challenged students send an e-mail once a week to his teachers checking if he is up to date with all his assignments.

4.  Most panelists seemed to agree that it is not realistic for a school to provide the following for learning and attention students:  modification of the curriculum, tutors, direct services, therapy, daily communication with parents about homework.   Remember: these schools are all college preparatory.

5.  Parents can support their children by a:  helping them become advocates for themselves, b. make sure they understand how they learn, c. provide a safe environment and build confidence finding ways for the child to be successful, d. encourage them to join support groups for themselves eg: SafeVoices for students http://www.parentseducationnetwork.org/safevoices, or Project Eye to Eye: http://www.projecteyetoeye.org

Challenges learning and attention students need to master during high school so they can be successful.  a. Executive functions:  planning and organizing material, handling effectively a daytimer. highlighting b. making transitions, c. finding ways to deal with dense text books, d. self advocacy, e. how to approach long projects.

 Book recommended:  Primal Teen, Barbara Strauch

Comment:  If I were a parent with a child who has recently discovered he or she is dyslexic I would be both grateful for this panel discussion and perhaps overwhelmed at the task before both the child and the parent.

This article on Ann Farris was published in March, 2010.  It is written by  Daniel J. Vance   www.danieljvance.com

 What she did with a reading disability.

For years, Ann Farris of San Francisco, California, tried keeping a secret hidden: she wasn’t particularly gifted in comprehending what she read.

“You can fool a heck of a lot of people when you’re smart,” said 73-year-old Farris in a telephone interview. “I gravitated towards opera beginning at age 11 because I found out that classical music and opera allowed my brain to rest. My mother took me to the symphony as a child. I could float with the music. By the end the concert I was a happy kid. I really wanted to be around it a lot because afterwards I could read and understand what I was reading. It made my life better.”

Eventually, Farris learned she had a learning disability in reading comprehension.

Yet she has succeeded in her chosen profession. She worked in musical theater from ages 18-24 before entering the world of opera. Her first big break came as the production manager for the 1967 World’s Fair in Montreal, and while there worked with the Bolshoi Opera, Hamburg State Opera, and Royal Swedish Opera, among others. Later, she was on staff with the San Francisco Opera and managed Opera America, the international service organization of professional opera companies. Ultimately, she became program director of the Opera-Musical Theater Program of the National Endowment for the Arts, and produced the Expo 86 Royal Bank World Festival.

At the National Endowment for the Arts, her learning disability became all too apparent. “It was a desk job,” said Farris. “Suddenly, I was sitting there reading applications. It was all paper and reading and writing, and I was plenty unhappy. Yet, I had found my way through the Yale School of Drama with this.”

How? In college, she had “hung out” with people who talked all the time about what they were reading for classes. She listened intently, and listened to class lecturers. And she had learned from an early age to write everything down she heard.

“I was never a brilliant student, but a B student,” she said. “I wasn’t comprehending the big words, but I would get concepts.”

Five years ago, she tested at a grade 3 reading comprehension level, but claims to have improved that to grade 9 using certain imaging techniques. “The reason I couldn’t comprehend was because I wasn’t imaging,” she said. You can learn more about her personal story at dyslexiadiscovery.com.

Contact danieljvance.com

Blue Valley Sod and All American Foods made this column possible.

Mr. Vance asks two things if newpaper editors are planning to publish this article.  Please notify him  Weekly_Disabilities_Column-owner@yahoogroups.com and that you publish the TAG LINE mentioning the above listed sponsors.

I found this interesting article Taking charge of dyslexia in the workplace through www.btob.co.nz.  It originated from the Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand, www.dyslexiafoundation.org.nz.  Enjoy.

Taking charge of dyslexia in the workplace

Shame is a powerful emotion. And so is fear. You may think they are uncommon feelings in the workplace, but right now there is a one in 10 chance that a colleague is experiencing these disabling emotions.

And the reason? Their dyslexia has been misunderstood, particularly at school, resulting in life experiences that have challenged their self-esteem and identity.

To those of us who might take for granted our ability to peruse a report or express our ideas in an email or document, it is hard to imagine how these seemingly simple tasks can produce such an emotive reaction from so many dyslexic people. But for those whose dyslexia has been misunderstood either in school or elsewhere in their life, the feelings are very real, and understandable.

Richard Taylor, co-founder and co-director of the Weta companies, regularly comes into contact with people struggling with the feelings dyslexia evokes. “Only a few weeks ago I met a young man whose parents brought him to the workshop to see what we could do. He had been labelled in degrading ways in terms of his ability, when actually his motor skills, visual and creative skills were amazing.

“It’s tough at that age, but what I tried to make him understand is how important it is to believe in his own unique capabilities. When he leaves school it will become apparent that he is actually in a unique position to make the most of his exceptional creative view of the world,” he says.

The story is just one of many that Taylor offers when talking about dyslexia, a topic he is deeply passionate about, and its sentiments are echoed by other high profile New Zealanders who experience dyslexia.

“I hid the fact that I had issues with writing and spelling for 37 years, out of shame and fear of being judged a dummy, an idiot, lazy or stupid. At high school, to cover up my issues I just pretended I didn’t care and teachers told my parents I was lazy and didn’t try. You get the picture,” says Paul Reid, CEO of the New Zealand MetService.

Fortunately, for young New Zealanders and those already in the workforce who have dyslexia, a global step-change in thinking is underway. Instead of pigeon-holing dyslexia as a disability, the new thinking focuses on increasing understanding which helps employers to notice the difficulties (or preferences) a staff member has and to adjust their actions in response.

This simple “notice and adjust” approach empowers employees to achieve their potential and demonstrates an employer’s willingness to support genuine needs. This leads to increased job fulfillment for dyslexic employees, and for the employer, an enhanced bottom line.

Understanding dyslexia

At its essence, dyslexia is the disparity between thinking skills (which are usually strong) and basic skills such as reading and writing (which can often be weak in comparison). This is a consequence of how the brain is wired, and a strong preference as to where it processes information.

In fact, leading dyslexia researcher Sally Shaywitz, founder of the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity has shown that dyslexics tend to have strengths in higherlevel thinking processes, learning capacity, creative problem-solving, thinking ‘outside the square’ and empathy. She also found that dyslexics excel when focused on highly specialised areas, ranging from medicine and law to science and architecture.

Dyslexics also have great skills in entrepreneurialism. Research from the United Kingdom shows that 35 percent of US entrepreneurs and 20 percent of UK entrepreneurs are dyslexic.

With such strengths to offer, the challenge for New Zealand employers is to find the right way to harness the potential benefits. For Taylor, the emphasis for a good employer needs to be on changing their approach to working with dyslexic employees in order to help them flourish.

“You need to identify exactly what attributes you want in the person you hire. If you expect a more traditional, linear thinking mode you will need to put more support around a dyslexic person to help them achieve that.

“Awareness is critical. You need team leaders who can identify the signs of dyslexia and make simple adjustments so the employee feels valued and empowered. This will involve good peer support and making sure that the challenges you set dyslexic employees are testing, but not outside the realm of their capability,” he says.

These sentiments are echoed by Reid.

“Dyslexia has helped me be a good leader because I’ve learnt to communicate ideas, issues and concepts in different ways. I have had to adapt to succeed but I believe this has actually made me a stronger leader,” he says.

“For example, in moments of crisis, I can take a lot of verbal information, process it, draw conclusions and make decisions on the spot. I deal in concepts rather than in details and I can give a one hour presentation without notes. I spend a lot of time walking around the business talking to people, and I often use the telephone to discuss business matters, rather than email.”

Reid believes that business owners or employers need to rethink traditional principles and rules to help dyslexic employees, and to allow them to help themselves.

“Employees with any form of dyslexia can be of great use to organisations as long asyou don’t put them in the wrong job and expect them to undertake tasks that they cannot perform. It’s about horses for courses and matching skills to strengths.

Reid says many dyslexic adults can work very hard at hiding their weaknesses, instead of using their significant abilities to add value to the business. Employers can lift productivity by helping them identify, and play to their strengths.

“It’s great to see a new model emerging that is based on attitude, where knowing the questions to ask is more important than knowing the answers, and where people areconstructively speaking out. Good communication and understanding strengths and weaknesses is essential for supporting employees, especially those affected by dyslexia,” he says.

Where to learn more

Tips for harnessing the benefits of dyslexia

• Attitude is everything, and it counts from top to bottom. Make an effort to understand the strengths that Dyslexia can offer and do not confuse weakness in basic skills with a lack of intelligence, ability or commitment.

• Accept the challenge to review your company style guides and fine tune them to suit the needs of dyslexic people. It’s not only them who benefit, everyone gains when things are communicated in a way that is clear, concise, well-planned and combines a mixture of words and visuals.

• Focus on communication. Deliver information and instructions orally or visually wherever possible, rather than writing things down. Encourage others to do the same because it is often quicker, more efficient and engages people more effectively in the business at hand

• Value visual information as well as the written, and include diagrams and pictures in presentations and reports.

• Always give an overview and explain the big picture.

• Ask for ideas verbally in meetings instead of always seeking written responses.

• Ensure support structures are in place for dyslexic employees if you expect themto deliver work in a traditional, linear fashion.