School Based Services
Philosophy Talks
These are wonderful, kid-friendly Socratic Dialogues that address philosophical conundrums in the fields of aesthetics, ethics, epistemology, and ontology. Sound sophisticated? They are but they are incredibly approachable. Starting with a short little story or situation, I present a philosophical problem which we then begin to discuss in a very structured and civilized manner. They usually last about an hour and are a powerful avenue to teaching children to be flexible, deep thinkers. (Teachers love it too!)
Home School
Often families begin to struggle when they discover that their home schooled child is encountering difficulties in learning to read, write, or perform in mathematics. I can help you in several ways if you suddenly find yourself without the appropriate resources. My formal/informal assessments are very helpful in making decisions about particular curricula or can point to the possibility of seeking an IEP with the school or a psycho-educational evaluation with a professional. If your child has presented with red flags for dyslexia, I can offer you a tailored language arts curriculum to specifically meet your child’s needs. I am a vendor for Grass Vally Unified and am willing to become a vendor for whatever district you are in.
Educational Consulting
I have many years of experience coaching and mentoring both new and seasoned teachers. As a national trainer for LETRS (Science of Reading), I can also help guide schools and classrooms in effective administration and interpretations of various Dyslexia Screeners. These will be required of all public schools in the upcoming school year. Let’s set up a plan to move your educators toward independence, skill, and confidence that each child will be given the education that they need and deserve.
School Based Group Sessions
Provided that the school supports it, I offer to come to your school and work with a small group of children (2 - 4) who are at the same basic level of competency. Requirements would be a quiet, private space to work and consistent schedule
(i.e., Thursdays at 1:00 p.m.).
Learning Differences Simulation PD
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO HAVE DYSLEXIA? Experience Dyslexia™ is the latest version of IDA Northern California’s popular learning disabilities simulation. The simulation is a hands-on activity that lets participants experience some of the challenges and frustrations faced by people with this language-based learning disability. WHAT HAPPENS DURING A SIMULATION? Participants rotate among six learning stations that simulate language-related tasks that may be encountered in the classroom and workplace. Station leaders guide participants through each 10-minute station. Station 1: Learn to Read simulates a beginning reading problem Station 2: Listen to Me simulates an auditory figure-ground problem Station 3: Write with Mirrors simulates a visual-motor and writing problem Station 4: Name That Letter simulates a letter-word identification problem Station 5: Write or Left simulates a copying and writing problem Station 6: Hear and Spell simulates an auditory discrimination problem PROVEN EFFICACY The simulation has been shown to be an effective teaching tool. A 2008 study from researchers at Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) using materials from the IDA Northern California simulation clearly showed that participation increased awareness of dyslexia among teachers-in-training.