Transcending Your Child's Learning Disability

In February 2001, the New York Times published a memorable article about a scientific study by a group of psychologists. The group claimed to have done an "exhaustive" review of Winnie-the-Pooh literature and then catalogued and diagnosed a range of clinical, personality, and psychological disorders among the major characters in the Winnie-the-Pooh books. Their study, called the Pathology in the Hundred Acre Wood: A Neurodevelopmental Perspective on A. A. Milne, was one in which the authors describe the various deficiencies of each character. Pooh, for example, has impulsivity issues signaling ADHD, which is compounded by his addiction to honey. For him, they prescribe Ritalin and adherence to the Zone diet. Piglet, they contend, is beset by generalized anxiety disorder and may benefit from a low dose of paroxetine. Owl, though bright, is dyslexic; no drugs are able to help him. Christopher Robin spends too much time playing "make-believe," perhaps signaling some future malfunction, and the scientists noted the total lack of adult supervision in the Hundred Acre Wood.

The study was a great joke, highlighting our increasing tendency to label each other and focus on weaknesses rather than strengths. An amazing number of people didn't get it. They complained research "shouldn't be used for stuff like this." Other people got it but didn't think it was funny. "These things are much too serious to be joked about," they said. The joke
is in the madness of it all. We have created in real life a storybook world that is as crazy as the study done on the Hundred Acre Wood.

Most of the labels we ascribe to children overlook what is right about children. We prefer to concentrate on labeling weaknesses. Teachers and parents must begin to change the focus from labeling weakness to proclaiming strengths. I am not suggesting that the students who are labeled LD do not struggle -- they clearly do, and suffer as a result. And I am all for helping kids catch up and learn what they need to know to get ahead in life, but the way in which we do
that -- with a sole focus on the weakness of the students -- is only half the equation. If we are going to remediate weaknesses, we must have an equal commitment to building strengths. We don't help children succeed when we place all the blame for the learning problems on them. We assume that the struggle in school is all the student's fault when there are many factors that can contribute to a child having difficulty in school:

• If an adolescent is left home alone most afternoons, with no one to talk to her or help her solve problems or learn how to interact, the child may become delayed in social or intellectual development.
• If teachers have a learning style that is at odds with the child's style (such as a highly visually oriented adult and an energetic child who learns by doing, not by seeing), the mismatch may appear to be a learning disability in the child.
• If a child is fed a constant diet of junk food and gets little exercise, he may be unable to concentrate in school. If early instruction in reading and math was poor, a student who cannot catch up may become so frustrated that he gives up.

People will have to learn to rely on different types of evidence that measure individual achievement and satisfaction. This is going to require a major paradigm shift, but just like every other important shift in outdated, conventional thinking, the process begins with the individual. We can make things better for future generations, and for our own futures, if we begin to see past the learning disability paradigm and come to realize that we all learn differently.

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Comments

[RichBobby]

Thank you Jenifer for continuing to advance a strengths movement for our children’s education system. Your article definitely highlights the frequent mismatches between how children learn and how they are taught. In response to Etta’s comment regarding teaching methods not being able to address the central nervous system for children with learning disabilities, I would like to propose an alternate outlook of approaching children who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities, specifically for children who are without parents and who have experienced abuse and neglect by their parents or family.

Many children do not have families as a result of being removed due to abuse or neglect, therefore throughout their life they rely solely on the education system to be the system to identify and build on their strengths.

The establishment of new neural connections is possible with strengths-based teaching methods when there is predictability, structure and consistency in both the education system and the home environment. Reframed another way, a strengths-based teaching approach actually aids in the development of new neural networks through the continued repetition of taping into their strengths. When a child is receiving constant strengths-based feedback, the child’s brain is actually being re-wired neurologically, and teachers can play an active role in this re-wiring when highlighting their strengths.

Thanks for keeping the movement going Jenifer!

Rich Bobby

[Jenifer Fox - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Rich,

Thanks for your thoughtful comments. Did you see the recent blog on this page about California foster care? You should reach out to that author. I think you two have a lot in common. His post made me think of you and the good work you do.

Jenifer

[Etta Brown]

Jennifer,
I am a fan of anyone who tries to get the word out about learning disabilities. 20 assinging the learning problems of children made it clear to me that the problem is growing and no one is looking at the cause. .
Research clearly indicates that a learning disability is a deficiency in neural development that impedes learning. Children cannot learn if the brain and central nervous system do not have the neural connections necessary for learning. Learning is hampered when environmental trauma like poor nutrition, toxins, poor parenting, and lack of sleep interfere with the development and function of the learning mechanisms of the brain. Parents are the only people who can prevent these things, and it is high time we began to educate parents with relevant information.
Learning disabilities are real limiting conditions within the central nervous system, and no teaching method is going to correct or prevent that.
. Research further verifies that when the source of trauma is removed from the child's environment the brain and central nervous system eventually returns to normal function. Go to www.understanding-learning-disabilities.com. The book is entitled LEARNING DISABILITIES: Understanding the Problem, Managing the Challenges and it outlines a very clear, doable plan of action for parents. A free ebook is available to any parent who cannot afford to purchase the book. Printed copies are mailed to the press. Send an email, or leave a comment on the site.

[Jenifer Fox - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Etta,

Thanks for your comment and the reference to the book. As the former Head of a School for girls with learning disabilities, I speak from direct experience with hundreds of students with LD diagnoses.

Some children have neurological deficiencies as you suggest. But, in my experience it is not the vast majority of young people with this diagnosis. In fact, most young people with IEPs have never had any brain scanning performed on them to prove there is anything physically wrong with them.

Consider recent brain research suggesting a difference between male and female brains--that they learn differently because their brains are different. Many of the girls were taught in a highly male-style method and were not able to absorb the information of return it to the teacher in the way they were asked to do so. In a different environment, with more female centric teaching methods; i.e. collaborative learning, greater verbal and narrative emphasis, deeper personal connections, these young people were able to thrive and go on to attend colleges.

I appreciate your mission for the kids who actually have been physically damaged by environmental factors. But we need to be really careful about we label young people. It would be a crime, for example, if because girls and boys learn differently, that one group be referred to as disabled. The gender example is but one example. Thanks for the discussion. I look forward to getting your book.

[nick4343]

Great article. Once again I appreciate your passion about changing the way we see children. It's so easy to see children as problems to be managed rather than miracles to be celebrated. They are nearly all smarter than us. Think about what the average three year old has learned!
I wrote a little piece about accelerating learning http://bit.ly/34bliF that may be interesting. I was wondering how it is that infants learn so fast and what we could do to keep on learning that quickly. How amazing would that be!
Please keep up your excellent work.
Best wishes,
Nick

[Jenifer Fox - Huffpost Blogger]

Nick, Thanks for your comments. I just read your article you referred me to in your comment. Great piece! I love that children instantly celebrate their learning. I have seen that so many times and failed o recognize exactly what was happening. I think we have kind diverted the notion of celebration in our society..you have pointed out how intrinsic it is to our most basic development. Thanks, you have provided me with something new to think about.