by Beth McGaw, Co-Chair, Communications Committee
Parents and teachers came together to remove roadblocks and create pathways to support children with learning disabilities/ADHD in the classroom and home in a one-day regional workshop presented by the Learning Disabilities Association of New Hampshire at Crowne Plaza Nashua in Nashua, NH on Saturday, October 14 and Learning Disabilities Association of Texas at Region 10 Education Service Center in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, November 4.
The track for general education teachers “Removing Roadblocks – Understanding and Supporting Students with LD/ADHD in the Mainstream Classroom” featured Allen Broyles, LDA Board of Directors, Assistant Head of School, The Children’s School, Atlanta, Georgia, and Scott Hamilton, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Assistant Head of School and High School Principal, The Howard School, Atlanta, Georgia.
In the professional workshop, educators learned how to identify roadblocks for students in the classroom. The training concentrated on planning lessons that anticipate barriers and offer compensatory strategies for students to work around obstructions while learning and expressing their knowledge.
In “Success for a Lifetime – Exploring and Developing Life Success Attributes,” John Willson, Executive Director, SOAR, Balsam, North Carolina, provided an interactive session with parents focusing on strategies fostering self-awareness and executive function skills critical for social competence, academic accomplishment, and life-long success.
These life-success attributes included self-awareness, goal setting, pro-activity, perseverance, support systems utilization and emotional coping skills. The practical, low-cost strategies can be used by the entire family.
“Learning Disabilities: It’s Not Confined to the Backpack” was the topic for the Nashua luncheon speaker, David Sylvestro, MA, CSP. After 43 years on the faculty of Eagle Hill School in Connecticut, Mr. Sylvestro retired this year as Director of Psychological Services.
“Raising Kids with LD, A Mother’s Perspective” was the topic for the LDA of Texas luncheon speaker, Heather McGehearty. Heather is the mother of four children, three diagnosed with dyslexia. Heather, a graduate of the University of the Ozarks, also spoke about her own struggles with dysgraphia.
LDA would like to again thank the sponsors of the workshops, Learning Disabilities Foundation of America, Fusion Academy, the Harkins Family, Huntington Learning Center, Landmark School, Launch Pad Consulting Group, SOAR and Southern New Hampshire University.
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