(Strength based training and strength based parenting works for these students)

We focus on how parents can take charge and help your right brain kinesthetic learner succeed. Note, most smart struggling students are right brain kinesthetic learners, who learn best when they see and experience information.  When we were told our 8th grade daughter was not college material, I became a mom on a mission.  I leveraged my educational and parenting skills and developed what has become the 3D Learner Program ®.  With the program, she was able to improve:

• Her reading comprehension 4.2 grade levels in 7 months
• Her Grade Point Average from a 2.7 to a 4.4
• Chances for success.  She got her Master’s in Education from the University of Florida.  Next year will be her 19th year of teaching and in May 2024 she should be receiving her Doctorate in Education from the University of Florida.

Many of our students are bright right brain kinesthetic learners, who often struggle with:

• Reading comprehension — just this year we have had 6th and 7th graders who were 3, 4 and even 5 years below grade level
• Reading speed — too often students read so slowly that it is hard to sustain attention
• Math word problems
• Putting their thoughts on paper
• Being in classes with kids who are not motivated

For the purposes of this blog post, we will define success for these students as:

• Being on grade level for reading speed
• Reading comprehension two, three or four grade levels higher than their present level
• Being able to get a B or better in math, learn how to check their work and start to like math
• Both mastering math facts and being good at math word problems
• Writing at least at grade level
• Being able to do their homework more independently in much less time
• Now being placed in advanced or gifted classes, where they are far more engaged
• Being proud of their success

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Here is a classic case:

The parents had invested $34000 in a competitors’ program and their 5th grade daughter’s reading comprehension was at the 1st grade level, she was a slow reader, and her homework was taking 2.5 hours or longer.  She came across an article that asked

• Does your child remember places visited, even from years ago?
• Does your child learn best when he or she sees and experiences information?
• Is your child a lot smarter than her present level of reading comprehension would indicate?

The mom was an action taker.  She called us from Texas and wanted to know more.  We did a remote assessment that showed her reading comprehension was at the 1st grade level, her reading speed was 115 words per minute and she was a right brain kinesthetic learner.  Her parents brought her to Florida for an intensive week of training. 

6 months later, she had improved as follows:

• Her reading comprehension was now at the 5th grade level
• Her reading speed was 229 words per minute, virtually doubling where it had been
• Homework time had decreased from 2.5 hours to 1.25 hours and her mother’s time helping her had decreased from 2.5 hours to 15 minutes
• She was now doing well in school and was being recommended for some advance classes in 6th grade — where she did very well

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Note, in 2023 we had had many local successes and we had had successes with students from the State of Washington and Arizona.

If you would like to discuss how to put your child on their
Pathway to Success, call us at 561-361-7495

What Are The Common Strengths and Challenges for The Smart Struggling Student

The bright right brain kinesthetic learner often has 3, 4 or 5 of the following strengths and challenges

They often:

• Learn differently and are right brain kinesthetic learners
• Have auditory and/or visual processing issues
• Have one or more executive function challenges (attention, working memory and/or processing speed)
• Have a learning disability or dyslexia 
• Are frustrated and/or anxious

Note, the strengths of the right brain kinesthetic learner are rarely identified or capitalized on.

Bright Right Brain Kinesthetic Learners Benefit When One Capitalizes on Their Strengths,
while Identifying and Addressing the Relevant Issues
This Often Requires The Parents to Take Charge

Is your child a bright right brain kinesthetic learner?

• Does your child remember places visited, even from years ago?
• Does your child learn best when he or she sees and experiences information?
• Is your child a lot smarter than present results would indicate?

For a more comprehensive screening tool, download our “Is my child a right brain kinesthetic learner”.

If your child is a right brain kinesthetic learner, you play a pivotal role.  Too many of these kids are identified by their challenges.  These could include dyslexia, executive function issues, auditory or visual processing and/or anxiety and frustration.  We have been there with two of our four kids.  Over the last 26 years we have helped thousands of kids like this succeed with a process that starts by helping parents to be an informed, empowered and proactive parent.

 

We FRAME this differently than most.  Specifically:

–     Frustration comes with the territory.  We encourage you to embrace the frustration and to commit to helping your child to be all they can be.  If your child is a right brain kinesthetic learner, there is a good chance that when you leverage their strengths, identify and address their challenges, and leverage their desire to succeed, success is much more likely to follow.

–     Reject the status quo and low expectations.  Too often we have heard, parents being told that one cannot expect significant gains within a year.   Two key points:

• We are seeing many kids whose reading comprehension is far below grade level.  This chart shows how often students in special education fall far below grade level

• Improving reading comprehension by 2, 3 or even 4 grade levels within 4 to 6 months is often possible.  A few words of caution:
  • Such results take both a commitment to training and follow-up
  • Students with lower IQs and/or significant impairments may not make these gains
  • Cooperation and collaboration help

Waiting is Not an Option

The next critical step is to:

 

Assess for Success.  This would include assessing for:

• How your child learns best
• Executive function issues (e.g. working memory, processing speed and attention)
• Auditory and visual processing issues.  
• Dyslexia or another learning disability
• Your child’s present level of reading fluency and reading comprehension

If the assessment shows considerable upside potential, we recommend you adopt the

Mindset that Success is the Only Option.  Then you consider

• Enrolling the services of the right professional for your child and you.  Ideally, you want to work with professionals who will:
  • Leverage your child’s strengths
  • Address their challenges
  • Boost their confidence and resilience
  • Help you to be the coach and advocate your child needs
  • Produce excellent results within months

If you would like to discuss how to put your child on their
Pathway to Success, call us at 561-361-7495

Feel free to share with others, who have a smart struggling child with significant upside potential.

Note, next week we will have our second article on Helping Your Bright Right Brain Kinesthetic Learner succeed in 4th grade and above. That article will focus on Assessing for Success.