These are ‘hot’ topics of interest

Public vs. Private Schools

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As a school psychologist, many parents consult with me for advice about placing their child in a public or private school.  I work with most of the schools in our area and know them well.  We are fortunate that most schools in the Jupiter/Palm Beach Gardens area have a high reputation for delivering quality education to children.  The decision to go public or private really comes down to the characteristics of the child, the school environment, and the individual teacher.

Every child is different so when parents consult with me, my advice is specific to each child and their qualities.  In general, children with learning differences such as dyslexia and ADHD can be successful in public or private schools as long as they receive accommodations.  These are things like extra time to complete homework or tests, preferential seating, not taking away recess, and reduced spelling lists.  Each child needs different supports and the school must provide the support your child needs.

While most schools have a solid educational reputation, parents must tour the school, talk with the administration, and get a feel of the school atmosphere.  Does the school have a caring environment where staff members are concerned about the emotional as well as academic needs of the child?  If it is an elementary school, are parents allowed to volunteer in the classroom?  Can parents eat lunch with their child?  How does the school discipline children?  These are important questions to ask because they provide information about the context of the school beyond their reputation.  Select a school that welcomes parent involvement in the classroom.  These schools have nothing to hide.

The third factor to consider in a public versus private school decision is the individual teacher.  Regardless of reputation, all schools have some teachers that are stronger than others.  You want to make sure your child has a strong teacher with qualities that mesh with your child.  While most schools do not allow parents to request a specific teacher, you want to be at a school where you can meet with the school administrator and discuss the type of teacher that would best fit their child’s characteristics.  Once the administrator knows your child’s unique needs, he or she can decide on the best teacher.  If the administrator will not meet with you to discuss your child’s characteristics as they relate to next year’s teacher, look elsewhere.

Change Your Child’s Mindset

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Everyone is talking!  We are usually talking out loud to someone or talking to ourselves.  When we talk in our mind this is called self or inner-talk.  Inner-talk is important because it is how we think about, conceptualize, and solve many of our daily problems.  It is important to teach children to develop positive inner talk because it is related to our self-esteem.  If our inner talk is mostly negative, then we start to believe it and feel negative about ourselves.  Positive inner talk leads to positive actions.  Think about how many times a day you say positive versus negative thoughts to yourself.  What do you say to yourself when you look in the mirror?

Think about your child in school.  Do you think he or she says positive statements such as: “School is OK. I’ll give it my best shot.  I can do well on this quiz because I studied.”   If your child is not using positive inner-talk then she is less likely to perform well in school or in other areas of life such as playing sports.  I use an analogy that goes like this with my son when he is thinking negatively.  I say, “Tommy’ when you get up to bat in baseball do you tell yourself you’ll strike out or get a hit?  Right, you tell yourself you’ll get a hit.  So now when you are doing this homework are you telling yourself you can try to get it done or that you just hate homework?”  Next we discuss how he can perform better with a positive mind set and thought process.

Parents need to show children how we use positive inner-talk during everyday events.  The next time you are preparing for an event such as a job interview, client presentation, sport event, or trying on a pair of jeans, explain your thoughts.  Give your child some insight into your thinking by talking about your thoughts aloud.  Teach your child to believe in him or herself and they will start to perform better in school and life.  A sudden drop in school performance can be related to self esteem or motivation problems.  Your child may believe that no matter how hard they try, they will fail.  I can help you with this.

Is Your Child’s Education in a Recession?

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If your child has repeated a grade, is at risk for failing this year, struggles to read, or gets in trouble in school, invest in your child’s future by having a strength based psychoeducational evaluation.  Many parents think about investing in their child by funding a Roth IRA or the Florida prepaid college program but may not always invest in their child’s educational success.  A strength based psychoeducational evaluation is a process that determines exactly how your child learns best and determines if they have any learning disabilities or other childhood disorders.  We then create a plan for your child’s educational success that can be used in any public or private school. 

My evaluations are highly comprehensive and I gather information from the parents, teacher, child, and from my interactions.  By having multiple viewpoints, I am able to see the whole picture of your child’s current status across many settings.  My evaluation will allow you to know exactly how your child learns best, how they process information, insight into their innate abilities, the status of their self-esteem, and much more!  When I am finished working with your child and gathering information, I meet with you and we create an action plan with recommendations and steps you can take to enhance your child’s educational success.  As a former teacher, I know which teaching methods and support will best help your child.

The report I write can be used in any public or private school setting so your child can receive accommodations, if needed.  If your child qualifies for extra time as an accommodation, my report is also used to get extra time on the SAT or ACT.  Your investment in a strength based psychoeducational evaluation for your child will continue to pay off for years to come!  You will know exactly what steps to take to make sure he or she finds success and happiness in school.

Dr. Forgan is a licensed school psychologist who can evaluate your child for dyslexia, learning disabilities, and gifted program placement.  Call Dr. Forgan at 625-4125 to discuss your child.

Understanding Your Child Behavior

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Last month I introduced the general principles that Dr. Mel Levine describes to helping parents and teachers understand differences in a child’s learning. Dr. Levine’s ideas are presented in his book, learning systems everyone has are:

1. Attention Control –The system that controls focus, alertness, planning and completion of tasks.

2. Memory – The system that helps the child store information and retrieve it.

3. Language – The way a child uses words to speak, write, and read.

4. Spatial Ordering – How your child organizes information in visual patterns, seeing how things fit together.

5. Sequential Ordering – The system that helps your child see the steps in solving a problem, follow directions, or manage time.

6. Motor Skills – How your child writes or draws, plays a sport, or ride a bike.

7. Higher Thinking – The system that helps your child solve problems and think critically and creatively.

8. Social Thinking –How your child makes friends, works in teams, and addresses conflicts.

In this column, I discuss the learning system Attention Control, keeping in perspective that these systems are interrelated and all need to work together for learning to occur  (Attentional Control is not necessarily ADHD or ADD).  Attention control is the command center for our mental processes that control learning and behavior. In school students must use their attention skills to pay attention, attend to important information, and produce products (such as tests or assignments) that show what they learn. Different students will show different strengths and weaknesses in this area. Helping students understand their different facets of attention and ways to strengthen all aspects of attention can increase their success throughout life.

For example, if your child has difficulty concentrating try strategies such as having him complete his most difficult homework first, rather than waiting until the end when he, and you, are tired. Give her advanced warning before you transition to a new activity so she can mentally prepare for the adjustment (e.g., “In two minutes it is time to clean up and brush your teeth before bed.”) You can also allow your child to use brief periods of stretching or walking to refresh themselves. For example, your child can complete his spelling assignment, stretch as you lead a game of Simon Says, then return to work to complete a math assignment. Suggestions for teachers include providing frequent breaks during the day such as collecting papers, assisting the teacher, or by having students talk to each other about one or more facts or skills they are learning.

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