Traditional education is a great fit for many children, but for students with learning differences, including ADD/ADHD, dyscalculia, and Central Auditory Processing Disorder, it can be a chaotic and frustrating environment in which to learn.
Large class sizes, a lack of individuation, and a one-size-fits-all curriculum are not conducive to all students. Furthermore, the sensory overload common to the typical school classroom can be distracting for student with learning differences. Why LMA? It’s true that public education has become more welcoming to students with learning differences over the past several decades, providing IEPs and other accommodations. But only in special education classrooms will you find educators who are uniquely qualified to teach students with ADHD, Dyslexia, and other common learning differences. All of our educators are passionate about teaching in the classroom and provide parents with resources to complement their education at home. We believe that it takes a village to raise a child, and parents should play an active role in the academic development of their child with learning disabilities. Since learning guilt is so common to these students, familial support is crucial. Focused and Individualized Education We utilize helpful devices in the classroom, such as voice-to-print tools and audiobooks. What’s more, we keep our class sizes deliberately small, in order to provide every student with equal opportunities to thrive in a comfortable and safe atmosphere. No student gets left behind because a teacher is too busy assisting another. We pride ourselves on our highly focused and tailored approach to education, which contributes to significant mental well-being as well as social and academic growth. Many of our students go on to attend post-secondary institutions, and we firmly believe in the capacity of all of our graduates to go the distance. For parents and students in West Michigan, Lake Michigan Academy provides an alternative to public school that might be the answer to your child’s struggles. An emphasis on small class sizes, individualized attention, and tailored curriculum makes our school an excellent place to learn, grow, and even thrive at the elementary or secondary level. For students with learning differences like ADHD or dyslexia the traditional classroom rarely provides the resources they need to succeed. Student-centered learning, on the other hand, is a tailored approach that puts each individual child in the driver’s seat of their own education---and prepares them for a lifetime of academic and social achievement that would be impossible without the right resources.
Lake Michigan Academy is what happens when a team of highly specialized teachers with knowledge in a variety of learning differences come together to provide a specialized approach to learning for students of all ages. Student-centered learning has helped hundreds of our graduates and current students gain mastery over their special skills and overcome their challenges, with many going on to perform with confidence at the post-secondary level. What Exactly is Student-Centered Learning? Student-centered learning, also sometimes called “personalized learning,” is the term used to describe a host of different approaches to individualized study that engages the student where they are at, not where a student believes they should be. Student-centered learning (SCL) allows for a higher level of student engagement and hands-on projects that are overseen, but not necessarily guided by, teachers. Students with learning disabilities like ADHD often have a profound passion for certain topics and the ability to hyperfocus on subject matter that interests them. Student-led projects, especially in the higher grades, allow students the freedom to apply their knowledge in practical, real-world ways. Interdisciplinary Learning and Why It Matters It could be argued that students learning under an SCL framework enter the workforce with more practical experience than their peers, due to the overemphasis on theory in most traditional educational programs. Graduates of Lake Michigan Academy are primed for the singular focus of a college degree, or the workforce, where interdisciplinary knowledge is crucial to professional success and advancement. To put it simply, being able to draw connections between various subject matters and understand how topics link together is one of the most important skills a young person can have. Student-centered learning strategies emphasize a deep connection between subject matter, personal interest, and practical application. When students care about and understand the way their studies operate on a larger scale, they are more likely to retain knowledge. At our special education school, we serve families throughout Grand Rapids and the surrounding area who have felt let down by public education. With small class sizes, qualified special education teachers, student-centered learning, and a supportive environment overall, our students not only achieve higher grades but become more confident in their academic performance. Similar to dyslexia and dyscalculia, dysgraphia is often misunderstood by parents and educators alike. Children with dysgraphia struggle with most aspects of the writing process, including spelling, legibility, word sizing and spacing, and dexterity.
As you might have gathered, this condition shares commonalities with dyslexia in that it is a writing difference/disorder, but there are minor differences that a clinician would be able to notice. Additionally, the presentation of symptoms may appear different. For instance, dysgraphia is more closely associated with the act of transcribing written words, so children with this condition are likely to write more slowly than their peers and fall behind when they’re taking notes. Early Intervention in the Classroom Typically, dysgraphia is first noticed when a child is learning to write, so they might be diagnosed earlier in childhood than their dyslexic peers. For students with writing deficits, co-morbid learning differences/disabilities are very common, especially ADHD. For the child without a solid support system and strategies in place, guilt and shame can become paralyzing. This is why it is so crucial to seek assistance, whether in the form of an IEP or transference into special education, as early as possible. Strategies in Alternative Education Voice-to-print tools, audiobooks, and one-on-one attention with a qualified educator are all strategies that we use at Lake Michigan Academy to help our students with dysgraphia succeed. These tools are especially helpful given what clinicians currently know about dysgraphia: that it is related to fine motor control issues. Our approach to learning is highly individualized and beneficial for our students of all ages. In fact, our students thrive in more personalized and downsized classrooms with minimal sensory overload and distractions that might exist in traditional educational settings. It is important for parents to remember that these differences/disorders are neurological and simply an expression of neurodiversity in human beings. They are not the result of laziness or stubbornness. While dysgraphic students may print more slowly or struggle to type on a laptop, they are not fated to struggle in the post-secondary world. Students with diverse ways of learning are capable of achieving many great things academically and socially, if they are offered the chance. Unlike its inverse (dyslexia), dyscalculia is not commonly discussed amongst educators and very rarely represented in media. The result is that this condition remains notoriously misunderstood. Myths and stereotypes abound, with plenty of people mistakenly believing that it is simply “math dyslexia,” or while the reality is more complex.
For a child with dyscalculia, math is not just boring: it is fundamentally confusing. They find it difficult to comprehend complex concepts such as large numbers, algebra, and sequences, leading to challenges with more advanced mathematical problems in the later grades. Early Intervention and Effective Teaching Strategies While the causes of the disorder remain largely unknown, some neuroscientists believe that it can result from inadequate synaptic pruning in early childhood, or the process of building neural pathways that lay the foundational understanding of how mathematics work. Early intervention for dyscalculia, as with any learning disability/difference, is crucial. Classroom accommodations, especially when combined with one-on-one instruction and a low teacher-to-student ratio, are an excellent way to proactively assist the child with math learning challenges. Some Strategies for Educators Children with dyscalculia often find it difficult to connect mathematical problems to real-world situations, so practical application is highly beneficial for them. These can be replicated in the classroom either through tangible means, such as graph paper and coins, or prompted by explaining circumstances where this knowledge could be applied. Many parents and public educators lack the knowledge, and certainly the resources, necessary to ensure a child with dyscalculia is able to succeed in the classroom and in their post-secondary endeavors. A comprehensive understanding of the condition, including its symptoms, causes, and treatment, is crucial for parents and teachers. If your child has received a dyscalculia diagnosis and you are seeking alternatives to the traditional education system, Lake Michigan Academy is staffed with special education teachers who are well versed in the specific needs of students with various learning disabilities/differences, including dyscalculia. Although it wasn’t always so, dyslexia is now quite commonly understood to educators and clinicians. Students presenting with symptoms of dyslexia might struggle with learning guilt and feel insecure about their reading comprehension issues, but most special education schools provide resources that empower and inform both students and their parents.
On the other hand, dyslexia’s inverse, dyscalculia, sometimes known as “math dyslexia,” is much less understood. We have a considerable way to go before it becomes de-stigmatized and normalized in classrooms across America. But what is it, and how can you know if your child is struggling with it? The answer may lie in the brain areas that are used to process numbers. Dyscalculia Testing and Early Intervention While dyslexia affects a student’s ability to process language, dyscalculia makes numbers and math seem like a confusing foreign language. Children will typically show signs in early childhood, and early intervention, as in all cases of learning difference, is the key. Children’s young brains are very malleable. One-on-one tutoring, individualized lesson plans, and compassionate educators are all capable of helping them learn, and even excel, in math. The earlier a child receives a dyscalculia test, the sooner you can get them an official diagnosis and the tools to get them back on track. Some people make it to adulthood without ever receiving a diagnosis, probably due to the fact that many people claim to be “bad at math.” Co-Morbidities and Common Symptoms Unlike most of the population, though, people with dyscalculia actually are neurodivergent, with difficulties related to mathematical reasoning and mastering an understanding of numbers. In early childhood, you may see a student struggle to comprehend the organization of numbers. In adolescence they may struggle to read analog clocks or make change. By the teenage years, when math class becomes much more complex, they will feel hopelessly lost when expected to learn trigonometry and convert fractions. Like most learning disabilities, dyscalculia does not often come alone: it is most commonly co-morbid with ADHD, dyslexia, non-verbal learning disorders, sensory processing disorders, and autism. Treatment in a special education system, then, is typically the most effective at providing a holistic, personalized approach. Frustration and learning guilt are common with dyscalculia, leading to physiological and psychological manifestations: anxiety, depression, insomnia, a phobia of going to school, and even stomach problems. It is crucial to receive testing to see if your child is indeed struggling with dyscalculia, along with any co-morbid learning disabilities. Special education in West Michigan is available and accessible to your family. |