September Thoughts: Reflections on a New School Year
As the summer winds down and the days get shorter, people in the LD OnLine community think about the new school year. Rick Lavoie wrote September Thoughts: Reflections on a New School Year exclusively for LD OnLine. He tells teachers timeless truths about the importance of their work with troubled children — the "Saturday kids" — kids who are confident and competent on Saturdays, summers, and school vacations, but are frightened and frustrated when they enter the classroom.
This article will inspire and inform parents, and help professionals and people with learning disabilities themselves. Lavoie uses the acronym SEPTEMBER. Here are some key points:
- S — Squeaky wheel: The squeaky wheel gets the grease, because the squeaky wheel needs the grease.
- E — Every child is motivated in a different way: So teachers must use a variety of approaches.
- P — Performance inconsistency: Learning problems come and go. The child can do the task one day, but can't do it the next. Don't blame the child if he can't do something you painstakingly taught him the day before. The inconsistency is beyond his control.
- T — Troubled kids: The pain that a troubled child causes is never greater than the pain that she feels. Kids need love the most when they deserve it the least.
- E — Entrusted, so act in loco parentis: Rick Lavoie reminds teachers to give their students the dignity and respect they would want for their own children.
- M — Multidisciplinary education doesn't work: Instead, Rick Lavoie suggests trans-disciplinary meetings in which professionals and parents discuss the child with a spirit of cooperation and collegiality.
- B — Bad vs. dumb: Children, particularly adolescents, prefer to be viewed as a bad kid rather than a dumb kid. So, Rick Lavoie says, "If a child is acting consistently 'bad,' reflect for a moment: Are your approaches and activities making him look 'dumb'?"
- E — Each year is a new year: Give each child a clean slate and let him or her start afresh in your classroom.
- R — Reward direction, not perfection: Progress may be plodding, but you must recognize and reinforce each step toward the target behavior.
Develop a Strong Relationship with Your Child's Teacher
The best way to support your child is to develop a partnership with the teacher, administrators, and other staff who educate your child. The National Center for Learning Disabilities offers some tips on how to Develop a Strong Relationship with Your Child's Teacher. For example:
- Before the school year starts, tell the teachers and staff members how much you are looking forward to working with them.
- Let the administration know how much you appreciate the child's teacher. Speak to the principal or vice principal or send a letter to one of the administrators (with a copy to the teacher).
- Send cards for special events in the teacher's life such as birthdays or the birth of a child or grandchild.
Nominate an LD Young Person for a "Yes I Can" Award
The Council on Exceptional Children honors 27 young people with disabilities. They have to be between 2 and 21 years of age to be eligible. They are selected for excellence in categories such as academics, community service, and employment. The committee reviews the students' achievements as well as the severity of their individual disability in relation to their achievements.
Winners receive a statue, a letter of congratulations from the President of the United States, and they are also invited to attend an awards ceremony and celebration of success.
read more >>
A Must-Have Resource from LearningStore: Do you ever have days when the kids seem totally out of control? Do you find yourself falling into the same pointless arguments with your students or your children? Host Richard Lavoie, nationally known expert on learning disabilities, offers practical advice on dealing with behavioral problems quickly and effectively. |
Featured Articles
For All of Our Readers
- Dyslexia and High School
Melinda Pongrey sits in the back of a high school class and describes what it is like to be a student with dyslexia in high school. She "tells all" in Dyslexia and High School. She describes the barriers the student faces, then provides alternatives that will accommodate the student's learning.
read more >>
For Teachers
- Organizational Skills for Students with Learning Disabilities: The Master Filing System for Paper
Teach your students to manage their materials. Use the Master Filing System for Paper developed by Landmark School. The system will help your students spend more time on task and keep track of their papers and assignments.
read more >>
For Parents
- Documenting Communication with the School About Special Services
If your child needs special services, start a notebook so you can be documenting communication with the school about special services. Before the school year begins, learn to keep the records that will help you get the services your child needs.
read more >>
For Adults Who Have Learning Disabilities
- Case Examples: A College Graduate with Learning Difficulties Faces New Challenges
Read about Michael in Case Examples: A College Graduate with Learning Difficulties Faces New Challenges. A professional describes the challenges he experiences at work and his emotional responses.
read more >>
In the News
- Work, School, Life Combine to Challenge Teens
- Video: Winkler Inspires at Sandwich HS
- Built to Swim, Phelps Found a Focus and Refuge in Water
View more headlines in LD News >>
LD OnLine Proudly Introduces the New and Improved LD OnLine Yellow Pages
Each month, over 500,000 parents and professionals visit LD OnLine seeking information and resources. LD OnLine Yellow Pages gathers in one place the services and products parents and professionals are searching for. It's a fast and easy way to find what you are looking for — simply search by location, specialty, or service. Browse the LD OnLine Yellow Pages for products and services geared towards your needs.
go now >>
Advertise in the LD OnLine Yellow Pages
Reach more than 200,000 parents and professionals each month. Since 1996, LD OnLine has been the number one source of trusted information for parents and professionals.
read more >>
All the Best from LD OnLine!
- Noel Gunther, Executive Director
- Shalini Anand, Technical Web Manager
- Dale S. Brown, Senior Manager
- Katie Chase, Associate Editor
- Kelly Deckert, Web Producer
- Laurie Fry, Publicist
- Sun Kim, Web Coordinator
- Christian Lindstrom, Director, Learning Media
- Alan Lundy–Ponce, Director, Learning Media Websites
- Joanne Meier, Ph.D., Research Consultant
- Laura Schreiber, Project Associate
- Rachael Walker, Outreach Consultant
Newsletter Editor: Dale S. Brown
