“Think and wonder and wonder and think.”
INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PLAN
Each brain is unique. Even with the same diagnosed learning difference, two kids will find progress in vastly different ways. A student's needs and strengths - coupled with belief systems, prior experiences, and personalities - provide the base for their specialized learning plan.
I work with students from second grade through college and have a clear understanding of grade level expectations. I front-load instruction, introducing students to tasks that will soon be presented in school. When students have some prior knowledge they are less anxious when presented with new concepts and are able to apply them more easily.
therapeutic Approach
Emotional issues affect learning. I address the whole student and pay close attention to any impediments to the learning process. Many students experience increased anxiety or depression, often related to school, tests, or communication with teachers and peers. I help students address these issues and implement strategies for what is most problematic. Promoting self-reflection and self-monitoring practices helps students understand their reactions to stressors and develop helpful responses.
DEMYSTIFY LEARNING ISSUES
When students understand how their brains work, and what inhibits their learning, they move from shame around their struggle to ownership of their process. They learn that the stumbling blocks they encounter are in no way "their fault" and that everyone has something that causes them difficulty. Knowledge equips them with the mindset to help them be successful. Instead of internalizing their struggle as a weakness, they become skilled at putting adaptive strategies in place to aid them in the daily school related tasks.
STEP-WISE instruction
Writing fluently and coherently requires significant brain power. A step-wise approach that incorporates prewriting, drafting, and editing, frees the brain to focus on one task. It reduces stress by limiting the number of functions engaged in at one time. Genre-specific graphic organizers help students conceptualize the underlying structure of a piece, be it expository, narrative, or poetry. Instruction in each domain of writing (descriptive, persuasive, informative, narrative, compare and contract, how to) are applied to the various forms of writing: essays, reports, stories, summaries, literary analysis, scripts, short answer response.
Advocate
I collaborate with parents, teachers, school learning specialists, neuropsychologists, therapists, and other professionals involved with the student. A collaborative approach ensures that the student receives the best care. Students are more likely to integrate concepts when they receive the same messaging from multiple trusted sources in their lives.
I consciously create a space conducive for learning. In our world today, there is a constant buzz that keeps the brain stimulated and on high alert. The problem is that learning is often a quiet activity. It's about absorption, and absorption takes time. My office is a place where students can settle into themselves for an hour each week.