Blog
Cutting Through the Delusions
Many of the kids I talk to seem to be fairly delusional about school. Somehow they have gotten the notion that school should be this fun, Candyland-type of experience and when it is not, they are, well,…outraged. 13-year-old Liam offers a litany of complaints about...
“Further Down the Rabbit Hole:” #Dyslexia
Since this blog and its over 500 entries are not entirely about dyslexia/reading disabilities, I was determined for this week not to continue going down the “dyslexia rabbit hole.” But, as I was organizing books on my shelf (yes, I still have hard bound physical...
Part II: Understanding the ‘D-Word’: #Dyslexia
As we discussed in the last week's post ("Misunderstanding the "D-Word'" ), the problem with the use of the word "dyslexia," which has become quite popular among parents and professionals, is that the word is almost universally misunderstood. We encouraged you to ask...
Misunderstanding the “D-Word” (Yep, #Dyslexia)
Not sure how it happened, but it seems that there has been a wave of parents that think that their child has “dyslexia.” They also often note that many people in their family, such as the parents and grandparents also have or had dyslexia (even though most were never...
“A Day in the Life” (2022 Version)
“Woke up, fell out of bed Dragged a comb across my head Found my way downstairs and drank a cup And looking up, I noticed I was late Found my coat and grabbed my hat Made the bus in seconds flat Found my way upstairs and had a smoke And somebody spoke and I went into...
Part III: “Helping Your Struggling Reader & Dyslexic Child at Home”
Within the last two blog posts, we discussed the foundation needed to understand how to work at home with your struggling child. While moving forward there is one overriding principle that is important to stress, that is - TAKE YOUR TIME - DO NOT RUSH. Understand...
Part II: Helping Your Struggling Reader & Dyslexic Child at Home
In last week's post we started the discussion of how to help struggling children at home, many of whom are dyslexic (Helping Child at Home: Part I ) The case of Ruth helps further set the stage. Ruth, a Case Study To illustrate the experience of a child on the rough...
Helping Your Struggling Reader at Home – Part I
Imagine you are a child about to ride a bicycle, with a group of other children led by a teacher. You are anxious because you kept a big secret from the teacher and your friends. You don’t know how to ride a bike yet. You’ve tried, but you just can’t get the hang of...
“Maybe I Have ‘Golflexia'”
Let’s say you have a passion for golf, but by everyone’s estimation (yours included), you are a petty bad golfer. It is obvious that your swing is not fluid and there are clear flaws that get repeated the more you play. In order to address your poor golf skills...
“P.A.D. – ‘Pain Avoidance Disorder’ & the Reality of School”
In the landscape of modern childhood there is something that I have come to call, “P.A.D.” or “Pain Avoidance Disorder.” For children showing P.A.D., basic tasks/chores asked of them are viewed as enormous impositions and they will go to great lengths to sidestep the...
Math Word Problems – “I’m Just Not That Smart”
Mathematic word problems are quite popular in school. Starting in the early grades they become the primary vehicle for developing mathematic skills. Unfortunately, for many of the children, even if they show good mathematic facility, they start to believe they are...