A major problem affecting your student’s learning potential and true intelligence is the inability to transition  (stay focused) from one school lesson to the next. Include developmental differences (maturity), learning styles/multiple intelligence, skill or ability, home environment (boundaries) and failure to transition from one subject or activity to another effectively [...]

Every child and/or adolescent should have the opportunity to create a “success identity.” It is particularly important during the 7 to 11 year old stage of development as described by Harvard social psychologist, Erik Erikson, as “Industry versus Inferiority.” At this stage children need to create, to be industrious and [...]

The connection between dog training and man and the connection between cognition and moral development are intrinsically related in more ways than one. The man is the control and the dog attempts to follow his lead. Conversely, with cognition, man is the control or thinking and the moral judgment is [...]

Moral Remediation, Multi-systemic Therapy and Effective Interventions For Serious Juvenile Offenders. Our juvenile hall population is at an all time high, 2.2 million inmates at an average cost of about $35,000 per inmate (OJJDP, 2006). In fact, we lead the world in incarcerated juvenile offenders and the juvenile system is [...]

With mandated state testing looming on our students’ horizon why focus only on test score results when there are so many other factors that are never reported such as those parents, teachers and students who give tireless energy for successful school achievement. Unfortunately, they are the unknowns, the unsung heroes [...]

Recently I received a call from a parent who requested that I conduct an IQ assessment with her 7-year-old daughter. My response was as follows: First and foremost, I do not prescribe labeling or attaching an IQ score to any particular child, let alone a seven year old, for the [...]

Never have the words ‘you are what you eat’ been more important than with children and their ability to learn and express their true intelligence. You do not have to be a genius to link school success to good food habits. The by-products of poor eating habits show up in [...]

Blogger David Sortino's recently published book is titled, "The Promised Cookie- No Longer Angry Children" About the book: A bankrupt state regional school is faced with closing its doors unless the staff can demonstrate some success with severely disturbed children. The original director and most of the school staff resigned [...]

Developmental differences among students can affect school performance, particularly with mandated curriculums, testing pressures, etc. Combine these differences with a shortened school year, larger class sizes, fewer support services and we can recognize a few causes of poor male student performance. However, another factor rarely discussed, but known by brain [...]

The transition from elementary school to middle school is considered a major milestone in every student’s life. It is as though your student has just worked seven years at the same company and now must move to another company. Instead of one boss he now has five or six bosses. [...]