Insights from an Educational Psychologist and mom
Believing that intelligence can grow allows students to learn more. The idea that intelligence is not a fixed trait leads students to acquire deeper knowledge and do better than students who believe their intelligence is set. Studies by Carol S. … Continued
“I can’t do it! It’s wrong!” Nicole announces loudly. Tears are followed by the declaration that the book is wrong. Nicole is adamant that this is not the way the teacher showed her how to do the problem. Nicole has weak flexible thinking … Continued
Starting a task requires strong initiation skills. Students who struggle to begin their work may have weak executive functioning skills. Initiation of task is a key executive functioning skill and utilizes other executive functioning skills such as planning and organization. … Continued
Work smarter not harder, is a great theme for time management. People who lack time management skills tend to run late and build up stress along the way. Time management skills are important for creating a balanced life. When you … Continued
Working memory skills are used for all learning tasks. A child with weak working memory skills has to work harder than other students to keep information in mind, as rather than being able to both hold and process the … Continued
Bryce wants to be like his friend who is excellent at soccer, can memorize anything quickly and always has a witty comment to share. So he asked me to explain how his brain works and what he can do … Continued
Many parents have written to me in response to my post about the Frustration Profile: High Verbal Skills with Low Processing Speed. That article was written four years ago and remains my top post. Many students with the Frustration Profile … Continued
Today I spoke to a mom of a 10 year old boy who is struggling in school. This student, Ben, is a bright boy who had been diagnosed with ADHD and a processing speed disorder. Ben’s reading, writing and math … Continued
Effective teaching requires a connection between the teacher and the student. This is especially true when a child has a learning challenge. A close connection allows the teacher to modify and accelerate instruction as the student grows. Understanding the zone … Continued
