Photo by Maxime Bhm on Unsplash
Everyone intuitively seems to know that getting outside helps boost their mood, especially in the good weather. But recent studies have shown that spending time outdoors can have extremely powerful and transformative effects on children’s cognitive function and mental health. It also encourages social-emotional learning, something that students with learning disabilities tend to struggle with, especially those with autism and ADHD. Outdoor education offers a unique and enriching learning experience that complements traditional academic instruction, particularly for students with learning disabilities. Immersion in nature provides a multisensory environment that stimulates curiosity, creativity, and exploration, which is often particularly helpful for neurodivergent students. Getting Outside is Important! Since 2020, an increasing number of studies have focused on the benefits of immersive outdoor education. With an epidemic of screen time distracting children and limiting their executive function abilities, this is an area of research that is very significant. While technology has been a positive thing for many students with learning disabilities, it has also negatively impacted their attention spans. On the other hand, getting outside and away from screens can be a liberating experience for students who struggle to focus, such as those with ADD symptoms. Outdoor education offers a respite from the structured confines of the classroom, providing opportunities for hands-on learning that students with learning disabilities profoundly benefit from. Health Benefits to Outdoor Education Spending time outdoors has been shown to have numerous physical and mental health benefits, which are especially important for students facing learning challenges. Outdoor activities promote physical fitness, sensory integration, and motor coordination, contributing to overall physical well-being and reducing stress and anxiety. The outdoor environment also offers a sense of freedom and autonomy for students with learning disabilities, allowing them to explore and engage with their surroundings in a novel way. Through collaborative outdoor activities, such as team sports, cooperative games, and group projects, students learn valuable communication skills, empathy, and cooperation, fostering a sense of belonging and community. At special education schools like our own, we embrace outdoor education—Michigan weather permitting–as an integral component of our student-centered approach. We are taking significant steps to integrate outdoor learning into our constantly evolving curriculum, and welcome the opportunity to invite your child into our community of eager learners and compassionate educators. The Role of Parental Involvement in Academic Achievement for Students with Learning Disabilities5/15/2024
Photo by Gabe Pierce on Unsplash
Parental involvement is crucial for fostering a healthy academic and social environment, but for students with learning disabilities, a consistent dialogue between parents, students, and educators is even more crucial—arguably the cornerstone of success. No one knows kids better than their parents, and special education schools are more likely to welcome parental insights to guide the individualized educational approach that distinguishes our facilities from public schools. Research consistently underscores the significance of parental involvement in enhancing the educational outcomes of students with learning disabilities, from ADHD and autism to lesser-understood conditions like dyscalculia and dysgraphia. Building a Robust Support System One of the primary benefits of parental involvement is the strong support system they provide for students outside of the classroom. Though children spend more hours at school than at home, their core values and self-worth is developed through the household dynamic. Parents who are actively engaged in their child’s education provide emotional support, encouragement, and advocacy, which are vital for navigating the challenges associated with learning disabilities, including learning guilt and social challenges. Forming Links Between Parents and Educators Effective communication between parents and educators is vital to the success of students in special education. When parents and teachers open—and maintain—a dialogue throughout the school year, they can exchange valuable insights about the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and individual learning needs. This collaborative approach enables educators to tailor instruction and support interventions to address the specific challenges faced by students. Contrary to popular belief, you can’t simply leave school at school. The concepts learned in the classroom must be put into practice in order to internalize them and fully grasp them. By establishing a conducive learning environment and incorporating learning activities into daily routines, parents can practically apply concepts taught in school promote the development of essential academic and life skills. Through ongoing collaboration, communication, and support, we strive to cultivate a partnership between parents, educators, and students, working together to unlock the full potential of every child. If you’re considering making the transition to special education, now might be the right time. Photo by Ashton Bingham on Unsplash
It seems as though nowadays, everyone is talking about ADHD: whether it’s the self-diagnosis community on social media or studies about adult ADHD diagnoses, it has never been discussed with as much fervor as it has the past few years. According to one article by the BBC, the flood of ADHD misinformation on TikTok has been highly controversial and worrisome to clinicians, some of whom feel that the misinformation is perpetuating harmful stereotypes and leading many to believe that normal quirks are symptoms of a more serious disorder. Proponents of “ADHDTok” disagree, believing that the widespread dialogue about attention deficit disorder is only removing stigma and spreading awareness. The fact remains, however, that with the rise in self-diagnosis and a large-scale misunderstanding of how ADD symptoms actually present, many are being misdiagnosed—while actual sufferers fly under the radar at school and in the doctor’s office. Why are Younger Kids Diagnosed More Often? While young people are most likely to use social media to self-diagnose as “trendy” disorders, parents with young children are also at risk of internalizing inaccurate messaging about the presentation of disorders like ADHD. Sometimes what appears to be a warning sign is actually a normal behavioral quirk—or your child is just young compared to their peers. One groundbreaking report by Child Mind Institute revealed that children who are among the youngest in their class are diagnosed with ADHD at a significantly higher rate than their peers, despite being close in age. This confirms what developmental psychology has told us for decades: children grow and mature very rapidly, with even a few months’ difference in those crucial early years making a large impact. One of the studies that confirmed this happened right in our own state of Michigan. Watch and Wait Until They’re Older If your child is in the younger cohort of their class, there is a good chance their ADD symptoms are a result of immaturity and they will simply grow out of them as they age. However, if your child continues to present with symptoms that significantly impact their life as they get older, it might be worth getting an assessment. ADHD can be disruptive and frustrating, causing students to struggle with learning guilt, especially as they move into the later grades and their workload becomes heavier. It’s crucial to intervene as soon as possible, so that your child can catch up to their peers, learn to implement their own strategies for success, and gain the confidence necessary to thrive socially and academically. Teachers see kids for most of the day, so they are more likely to notice ADD symptoms, such as difficulty sitting still and concentrating, but our special education staff (despite working with students with learning disabilities every day) advise against taking your child’s teacher’s word for it. Instead, review how they behave at home versus in the classroom. If symptoms persist after the final bell, getting an ADHD assessment might be valuable. Traditional education is a great fit for many children, but for students with learning differences, including ADD/ADHD, dyscalculia, and Central Auditory Processing Disorder, it can be a chaotic and frustrating environment in which to learn.
Large class sizes, a lack of individuation, and a one-size-fits-all curriculum are not conducive to all students. Furthermore, the sensory overload common to the typical school classroom can be distracting for student with learning differences. Why LMA? It’s true that public education has become more welcoming to students with learning differences over the past several decades, providing IEPs and other accommodations. But only in special education classrooms will you find educators who are uniquely qualified to teach students with ADHD, Dyslexia, and other common learning differences. All of our educators are passionate about teaching in the classroom and provide parents with resources to complement their education at home. We believe that it takes a village to raise a child, and parents should play an active role in the academic development of their child with learning disabilities. Since learning guilt is so common to these students, familial support is crucial. Focused and Individualized Education We utilize helpful devices in the classroom, such as voice-to-print tools and audiobooks. What’s more, we keep our class sizes deliberately small, in order to provide every student with equal opportunities to thrive in a comfortable and safe atmosphere. No student gets left behind because a teacher is too busy assisting another. We pride ourselves on our highly focused and tailored approach to education, which contributes to significant mental well-being as well as social and academic growth. Many of our students go on to attend post-secondary institutions, and we firmly believe in the capacity of all of our graduates to go the distance. For parents and students in West Michigan, Lake Michigan Academy provides an alternative to public school that might be the answer to your child’s struggles. An emphasis on small class sizes, individualized attention, and tailored curriculum makes our school an excellent place to learn, grow, and even thrive at the elementary or secondary level. For students with learning differences like ADHD or dyslexia the traditional classroom rarely provides the resources they need to succeed. Student-centered learning, on the other hand, is a tailored approach that puts each individual child in the driver’s seat of their own education---and prepares them for a lifetime of academic and social achievement that would be impossible without the right resources.
Lake Michigan Academy is what happens when a team of highly specialized teachers with knowledge in a variety of learning differences come together to provide a specialized approach to learning for students of all ages. Student-centered learning has helped hundreds of our graduates and current students gain mastery over their special skills and overcome their challenges, with many going on to perform with confidence at the post-secondary level. What Exactly is Student-Centered Learning? Student-centered learning, also sometimes called “personalized learning,” is the term used to describe a host of different approaches to individualized study that engages the student where they are at, not where a student believes they should be. Student-centered learning (SCL) allows for a higher level of student engagement and hands-on projects that are overseen, but not necessarily guided by, teachers. Students with learning disabilities like ADHD often have a profound passion for certain topics and the ability to hyperfocus on subject matter that interests them. Student-led projects, especially in the higher grades, allow students the freedom to apply their knowledge in practical, real-world ways. Interdisciplinary Learning and Why It Matters It could be argued that students learning under an SCL framework enter the workforce with more practical experience than their peers, due to the overemphasis on theory in most traditional educational programs. Graduates of Lake Michigan Academy are primed for the singular focus of a college degree, or the workforce, where interdisciplinary knowledge is crucial to professional success and advancement. To put it simply, being able to draw connections between various subject matters and understand how topics link together is one of the most important skills a young person can have. Student-centered learning strategies emphasize a deep connection between subject matter, personal interest, and practical application. When students care about and understand the way their studies operate on a larger scale, they are more likely to retain knowledge. At our special education school, we serve families throughout Grand Rapids and the surrounding area who have felt let down by public education. With small class sizes, qualified special education teachers, student-centered learning, and a supportive environment overall, our students not only achieve higher grades but become more confident in their academic performance. |