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Monthly Archives: November 2014

It’s Ok to be Chopped

November 30, 2014

By Sarah Vander Schaaff This past Thanksgiving morning, when I sat on a yoga mat in a surprisingly packed room of yogis looking to find some calm before the storm, my yoga teacher mentioned something we should all be grateful for: our setbacks. We can learn a great deal from them if we listen to what they have to tell us. Giving thanks for failure and disappointment is not a philosophy embraced by many parents, myself included, who often rush to kiss a wound, physical or emotional, before a larger lesson can be seen or felt. Perhaps the most aggressive among us act to erase the setback all together, picking up the phone or pen or walking into the principal’s… Read More

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Let’s Share Notes: 7 Must-Reads on ADHD

November 22, 2014

By Sarah Vander Schaaff Today we examine some specific issues related to Attention and the increasingly common diagnosis of ADHD. To do this, Nancy and I are opening up our filing cabinet of great articles, digitally speaking, and sharing the ones we think you’ll find helpful. These articles are primarily from non-profit sources such as the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) and The Child Mind Institute. We also have several from The New York Times. You can find more academic literature, but we think these cover some broad and important ground. To put this “red flag” in perspective, our first suggested article discusses the fact that while ADHD is not considered a learning disability, it frequently goes hand-in-hand with various LDs…. Read More

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Does my child have ADHD? What should I do?

November 13, 2014

  If there is one cognitive skill Americans are familiar with it is this week’s topic: attention. It seems that every parent asks themselves, “Does my have child have ADHD?” And that is largely because the diagnosis of ADHD has risen significantly over the years. According to the CDC, 6.4 million children between the ages of 4-17, or 11%, had been diagnosed with ADHD in 2011.  That is up from 7.8% in 2003. While all cognitive skills are important, attention plays a particularly big role in our contemporary lives. So if you are currently asking yourself, “does my child have ADHD?” you will want to keep reading. Attention Attention is the ability to initiate and maintain focus for learning, work, and… Read More

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Processing Speed: When Efficiency Makes a Difference

November 3, 2014

Slower processing speed can cause frustration for even the brightest kids. They might have a hard time finishing tests, take longer on homework, or have trouble keeping up with class discussions even when they know the answers. Note: This is one of a 10 blog series on learning traits. Read about all 10 learning traits here. What is Processing Speed? Processing speed is the rate at which a student can see or hear information, analyze it, and respond. It is also referred to as visual processing, auditory processing, or processing efficiency. Why is Processing Speed important? In elementary school, slower processing might only be evident when a student scores much lower than expected on standardized tests. Slower processing might become more obvious in middle or high school, when there is a lot more work. Slow processing… Read More

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