Christine, Author at Strategies for Learning

Parental Guide to Student AI Use

How does a parent know when a child becomes overly reliant on AI and outsources the very learning they need to acquire? While the answer is quite complex and ever evolving, the key lies in knowing when the tool enhances a child’s learning and when it prevents learning.

Pathological Demand Avoidance and School Struggles

If your child resists school, melts down over routine tasks, or avoids expectations in ways that feel extreme. One possible explanation is Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), a profile currently thought to be a subtype of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) where everyday demands trigger intense anxiety, leading to extreme avoidance behaviors.

Understanding and Supporting Dysgraphia

If we use the etymology of dysgraphia (the history of the word as well as it’s language of origin), we find that it comes from the Greek words dys meaning “impaired” and graphía meaning “writing by hand” we can see that describes an avoidance when it comes to writing. Dysgraphia can also be a neurological disorder and learning disability that affects the ability to write with coherence.

Dyslexia Assessments: How to Choose the Right One for Your Child

When parents begin to suspect dyslexia in their child, the first question often asked is: What kind of assessment should we pursue? Two common options are a full diagnostic psychoeducational evaluation or a formal dyslexia screener or targeted assessment, such as the Tests of Dyslexia (TOD). Both approaches provide valuable information, but they differ in terms of purpose, cost, time commitment, and the depth of results.

7 Strategies for Tackling Math Word Problems

Math word problems place heavy cognitive demands on students, requiring strong working memory, reading comprehension, and a solid grasp of foundational math concepts. This can be overwhelming for many students. The good news is there are simple and effective ways to support your student in building confidence with math word problems. Here are a few strategies to try.

Helping Your Child Succeed—Even Without School Testing

Schools might refuse testing because the child is doing “well enough” academically despite immense effort. Private neuropsychological testing is often unaffordable. So, what do you do in this diagnostic limbo? The good news is, you don’t need a formal label to make a profound impact. Here’s how you can empower your child to thrive.

Art and Creativity in Educational Therapy

Getting the first “yes” from a student can be the hardest part of a session. Without buy-in, no real work can begin. When met with resistance, Educational Therapists draw on research-based strategies—especially the growing evidence from art therapy and neuroscience that shows how the arts support well-being and learning.