Blog
IEPs & 504s: A Brief Primer
Parents frequently ask about 504 Plans and IEP’s. Before getting too far into the weeds, I will respectfully ask the parents if they know the difference between them and what they even are. A majority of the time, I get a half shrug, coupled with a “not really.”...
Not Eligible For Services
In last blog post I talked about Jackson, a child who was struggling with basic concepts of math, such as time, money and simple fractions. I had intended to build on last week’s blog, but instead I need to take a different direction in terms of Jackson. Jackson was...
“Dyscalculia”… Don’t Let it Fool ‘Ya’
Dyscalculia: Severe difficulty in making arithmetical calculations, as a result of brain disorder. Recently, I had a number of kids who were struggling in basic mathematic functions. Parents will often inquire whether their child has "dyscalculia." Even though I've...
When You’re a Lego Kid
Those of you who have been following this blog or other Shut-Down Learner stuff for some time know that I have somewhat of a preoccupation with those kids I’ve referred to as “Lego Kids.” Even though I have assessed a few thousand kids in my career (yes, it’s true),...
Screen Abuse – Part II 14,600 Hours
It's fair to say that people are more addicted to their electronic devices than ever before. Gaming addiction is at a record level, Netflix is achieving its highest viewership levels, and as you can see from these Cell Phone Deal Statistics, the average daily app...
14,600 Screen Hours Logged In
When you work with kids, you can't help but reflect on the state of childhood, parenting, society and their intersection. This week's musing started with an article that I read talking about parents concerned about their children (i.e., boys) addiction to a video game...
The Pacing of Things
Sometimes it’s not easy being a kid. This is especially true if your brain works at a pace that is qualitatively different (i.e., slower) than the other kids around you or than the expectations that are being put upon you. Take Jordan, a 10 year old fourth grader. ...
Challenging & “Opposite Children”: Part II – “Off With Their Heads”
Last week we talked about a young girl, Olivia, an 8 year old who was extraordinarily demanding in her style, with the image of her mom as a nervous servant desperately trying to please her. (see, "Off With Their Heads"). We talked about two groups of kids. The...
“Off With Their Heads,” Screamed the Queen
“I guess I really messed this up,” said Jennifer, the mom of an 8 year old child who was extremely difficult and challenging. The kid, Olivia, was one of those kids who melted down when she didn’t get what she wanted. With the slightest bit of frustration or...
Assessment Basics – Part III
In the last two blog posts we discussed some of the basics considerations with regards to assessment (Assessment Basics Part I Assessment Basics Part II). Among the points included: Longer, more complicated reports are not necessarily better. Assessment reports...
Assessment Basics – Part II
Last week we talked about assessment and my view that there is often endless and unnecessary complication when it comes to assessing kids and their issues (Assessment Basics). To help assess kids' weaknesses in the classroom, there is now a easy grader system which...