How Does It FEEL to Struggle in School?
January 30, 2015
Dr. Peg Dawson on Helping Children Control Impulsive Behavior
February 6, 2015
Springer parent Andrea Werbrich shared with Carole Barnhart her experience with Springer's day school.
Before my son came to Springer, stress and worry were a part of our daily life.
We faced upwards of two hours of homework every night. Sometimes Ben did not understand the assignment, and we had to teach him the concept or the process before he could do the homework. He could not participate in fun activities outside of school because homework took so much or our time and energy.
Now that my son is at Springer, he is a happier kid at home. He is in wrestling and the ski club. He is experiencing success in school, so now he is more confident. Ben does his own homework. If he does not understand something, I just write a note on his paper and the teacher will take care of it the next day. He does not worry that he will miss recess because he did not “finish” his homework. If I forget to sign off on an assignment, he does not get in trouble at school.
When our younger child was initially struggling in reading, we did not wait to connect her with support. We knew from our experience with Springer that getting specific instruction was the best path and not to wait to see if she would “catch up” on her own. We arranged for tutoring in reading, and today she enjoys reading.
The biggest impact from our Springer experience is that my husband and I do not worry about our son’s education. We know that he is taken care of at Springer. The teachers have placed him where he needs to be. They know his strengths and weaknesses and are guiding him in the right direction. He can be challenged without feeling overwhelmed.
