Blog
ADHD…Maybe!
Practically every week I hear an array of concerns regarding distractibility and inattentiveness. There's always the question lurking of, "Does my child have ADHD/ADD?" While talking to parents I try and broaden the narrative, reviewing other factors that may be...
Assessment: The Basics
It's that time of year. That time when we sense the summer fading and the press of the fall (the school year). Since so many of you have questions about what is involved with assessment, I am to lay it out for you with basic food for thought regarding the essential...
Homework (and School) Hidden Agenda
Nine year old Lucas hates his homework. On a fairly regular basis he meltdowns over any assignment that might take more than about 10 minutes to complete. Whining constantly, rolling around on the floor, crying and sobbing are part of the nightly rituals...
Mickey Mouse & His Too Soon Powers
Perhaps you’ve seen the Disney movie Fantasia, a cartoon movie from the 1940’s comprised of different shorts. One of them was the famous story of “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.” Mickey Mouse, as the apprentice, discovers the sorcerer’s magic powers and is delighted to...
My Worksheet Obsession
I try and find my weekly inspiration from my interactions as they happen from parents and kids. This week’s comes from a seven year old second grader, Jonah, who told me he was not a big fan of school. In fact, he was clear in stating that he “hated it.” I pressed...
Frustration Intolerance: Part II
Last week we talked about a trend that I see in childhood where kids will have major whining events or meltdowns over seemingly small to medium amounts of frustration (discomfort), such as homework. We gave it a name F.I.D or Frustration Intolerance Disorder. Here’s...
Frustration Intolerance Disorder
I don’t know if it’s an official documented trend or not, but there is something that I have seen in kids (boys, in particular). To give it a name, we’ll coin a new term, “Frustration Intolerance Disorder” or F.I.D. FID manifests in many ways, the chief among them...
Lego Brain Kids & Self Esteem
Any of you who have been following this blog for some time or who have read Shut-Down Learner, know that we pay particularly close attention to the kids I have called “Lego Brain Children.” These are children who gravitate to "hands-on" visual thinking activities like...
Not a Broken Bone #Dyslexia #ADHD #LD
Each week (probably every day) of my professional life, I grapple with the concerns that parents bring to me. Usually, they involve questions of learning disability, dyslexia and ADHD/ADD. Why grappling? I mean, I’ve been in this business a while. Shouldn’t it be a...
On 504 Plans & Finding the Right Accommodation
Many people come in inquiring about a 504 Plan for their child. It’s important to know what you are seeking. With 504 plans (which come out of Americans with Disabilities Act legislation or ADA , we are saying that the child has a disability and needs to have...
Draining the Joy of #Reading
I’m not exactly sure when it occurred, when we collectively decided to drain the joy out of reading in early childhood, but it happened some time ago perhaps when we weren’t looking. The expression about the frog being boiled by degrees so he won’t jump out of...