Jonathan Mooney penned a wonderful opinion piece in the New York Times in which he thoughtfully frames disabilities as social constructs that are often exacerbated by rigid, unaccommodating learning environments. We all know of responsive schools and teachers that help struggling students thrive, whereas others can make school and learning more stressful and unsuccessful.
This perspective reflects one reason I have always been a big proponent of assistive technology: it's an environmental accommodation that enables students to compensate for many common academic challenges. Awareness of assistive technologies, coupled with the skills to use them effectively, can be a total game-changer for many students. Through a range of assistive technologies (and paper-pencil approaches, learning strategies, coupled with an informal, therapeutically helpful approach, I develop programs that help kids with all kinds of learning and attention challenges.
My lengthy experience working with students with LDs/ADHD suggests that the earlier interventions can be identified and implemented, the better. While I work with students of all ages, by focusing on upper elementary and middle school students, I hope to mitigate challenges which, during adolescence, are often more difficult to support and manage.
My extensive training and background, including over 20 years of combined teaching and work in K-12 Bay Area independent schools, enable me to:
This perspective reflects one reason I have always been a big proponent of assistive technology: it's an environmental accommodation that enables students to compensate for many common academic challenges. Awareness of assistive technologies, coupled with the skills to use them effectively, can be a total game-changer for many students. Through a range of assistive technologies (and paper-pencil approaches, learning strategies, coupled with an informal, therapeutically helpful approach, I develop programs that help kids with all kinds of learning and attention challenges.
My lengthy experience working with students with LDs/ADHD suggests that the earlier interventions can be identified and implemented, the better. While I work with students of all ages, by focusing on upper elementary and middle school students, I hope to mitigate challenges which, during adolescence, are often more difficult to support and manage.
My extensive training and background, including over 20 years of combined teaching and work in K-12 Bay Area independent schools, enable me to:
- Understand the whole student: Dan understands kids' lives at school and can recommend a variety of helpful ideas that address a range of challenges and settings
- Understand and communicate about the results of an neuropsychological or psycho-educational assessment in ways that help students feel more comfortable and open to taking action
- Designing supports that accommodate challenges, while preparing students to take more ownership of their learning.
Contact Dan Leibowitz.