Have hope.

Hope is a miraculous ingredient in teaching and in life. I have seen miracles happen from having hope in children who never before had anyone who had hope for them. Jorge was one of those students. His dad had left before he was born. His mom was exhausted all the time just trying to keep up with paying bills. She didn’t speak much English so she didn’t come to school. Jorge had LD and ADHD. When he came into Mrs. Lawson’s class, he felt hopeless. He had failed a grade once, and barely passed his other grades. Mrs. Lawson saw something in Jorge, a little tiny spark that was almost gone. She decided to fan that spark. She fanned it with shortened assignments, special one-on-one tutoring times, assigning him a study buddy, and mostly, she fanned it by believing in him, and letting him know that she cared. She said, “Jorge, I know you haven’t made it before, but I believe you can this time.” Jorge had never had anyone say that to him before. He had never had anyone believe in him. Slowly, he changed. He got more confidence in himself. He tried harder. He spent more time on tasks. He started walking taller, raising his hand more, and that spark grew and grew and became a flame of learning. Jorge left Mrs. Lawson’s room a different child than when he came in. He kept that confidence with him in other grades. He became the first one to ever graduate high school in his family. He went to college, another first! He never forgot Mrs. Lawson and the difference she made in his life. Twenty years later, she received an invitation to the opening of his new business, a tutoring center for children with special needs. He asked Mrs. Lawson to cut the ribbon over the front door, and then he and his wife and three children all posed for a photo together.

You just never know the difference you make in the lives of children. Have hope.

You are a difference maker.

Have a great day and a wonderful week-end and feel free to share this column with your friends, co-workers, and parents.

Maryln

Less is more for many students.

Students with ADHD, LD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder, may become easily distracted by too many stimuli and have difficulty focusing on what you are teaching. Eliminate distractions. I remember a student telling me that he couldn’t “hear” what I was saying because he was watching my hands move. I was wearing red nail polish at the time. I had another student tell me that my dangling earrings distracted her. Students can become lost looking at “busy” walls, cluttered desks, and even “busy” carpeting on the floor. Keep everything simpler. Provide small offices made of file folders to prevent distractions.

Have a great day. You make a difference in the lives of children.

Maryln

P.S. Click on “Ask Maryln,” to ask questions. Feel free to share this column with your friends, co-workers, and parents.

There are more and more children diagnosed with special needs

Anyone working with students cannot help but notice how many more students are being diagnosed with different disorders. There are children with ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, LD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, and more.

I am curious which of these special needs you are seeing the most of in your classroom.
So today, we are launching a new survey at www.atiseminars.org for you to share which disorders you see most in your classrooms.

It is my belief that all children are special. Every child has his or her own special needs. But there are some children who need more. If three children come to a doctor, one with a cold, another with a tummy ache, and another with a deep cut, and the doctor prescribes an aspirin for all three of them, the doctor would be treating the children equally, but not fairly. The doctor would not be accommodating for the special needs of the children. That is what you have to do. Find the “right medicine” for each child. While the medicine may not totally cure the problem, it can help the child have a better and more successful life.

Have an awesome day.

Maryln

'Dear Abby' for Schools, Child Care, and Parents

Hurray!!! We have something brand new for you. Starting today, I will answer your questions via a brand new column on my blog called, “Ask Maryln.” It will be a “Dear Abby” type column devoted exclusively for educators and parents.

I am starting the column by posting some of the great questions some of you have asked and their answers. I have changed names and initials and some details to keep it confidential. Confidentiality is very important in education. I will always keep your name confidential unless you specifically tell me you want me to put your name in the question.

We at Appelbaum Training Institute are so excited about this new feature for you. Please share this column with your friends, co-workers, and parents. They can all feel free to ask their questions. If there is a high volume, it may take awhile to get an answer, but the goal is to answer every question. Marty may sometimes help answer questions too because he too is an expert.

Have an awesome day and feel free to share this column with your friends, co-workers, and parents.

Maryln

A life without goals is like a ship floating aimlessly at sea.

A ship needs to chart its course to determine where it will go. If not, it will float around in the sea aimlessly. The same is true for you and for your students. Teach students to set daily goals of what they will accomplish that day. Have them write it down and scratch it off when it is finished. They can start smaller so that they set themselves up for success. Set daily goals for yourself too. I do it. It’s an awesome way to start the day, to set goals, and to watch them come into fruition. It gives focus and sets an intention and an individual expectation. It works!!!

Have a great day.

Maryln

P.S. I have set a goal that tomorrow will be the day to start the “Ask Maryln” column on this site.