Is your student’s calendar already out of control? What about yours, as you try to manage daily schedules, homework and project assignments, test dates, extra-curricular activities and family responsibilities?
Well, imagine trying to juggle and balance it all if you have a learning disability; especially if it is complicated by Attention Deficit Disorder.
October is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month, and in recognition, Dr. Jade Carter, executive director of The Horizons School in Birmingham, is offering parents and families some tips to help regain control of their daily to-do list, as well as a realistic approach for the weekly schedule. In fact, Dr. Carter will outline an approach that does not leave students or their families feeling so overwhelmed. She can address specific strategies that target student management skills and promote student accomplishments.
Learning difficulties can present themselves in many ways, but some of the most common include difficulty managing and prioritizing tasks and activities, participating in organized recreational and social activities, and managing time efficiently. The area of the brain where decisions are made, such as how and when to begin a task, homework, a school project or even a routine household chore, may not be functioning efficiently or effectively.
This can leave students and parents feeling overwhelmed and defeated.
Dr. Jade Carter specializes in ways to improve learning, and time management and the ability to schedule play a critical role in a student’s success. According to Dr. Carter, parents who suspect their child is having difficulties in these areas should contact their child’s teacher and discuss whether specialized testing would be appropriate.
The Horizons School serves young adults, ages 18-26, with learning disabilities, Autism and other handicapping conditions. The only program of its kind in the Southeast, and one of just 15 in the nation, The Horizons School offers students the opportunity to learn life, social and career skills designed to teach them how to live independent, productive lives.
For more information, contact Anita Bosley at The Horizons School at 205-322-6606 or visit the website at www.horizonsschool.org.
