I Watched But Did Not See | Part 1

I now realize there were many signs I missed as our bright, funny, clever daughter moved through the first five years of her life. I loved watching her play. She was doing 100 piece puzzles at the age of three. How clever is that? She loved to draw, but she rejected doing coloring books. We wanted to expand her drawing ability and we were more than happy to put the coloring books out of the picture. She loved animals of any kind and her menagerie of stuffed animals was significant because everyone in the family knew of her passion. Those…

How SOI & IPP Benefit the Deaf Community

During my many years at the Tennessee School for the Deaf, I was often asked if my deaf students were a challenge because of their deafness. I would always reply, “At TSD, my students are great; it’s the adults that drive me crazy”. I said that because it didn’t take me long to learn that kids in the deaf community are just like their hearing counterparts in public school. They laugh, play, love, and learn just like any other kid. The deaf child also brings into the classroom the same learning challenges that any other child brings. If there is…

The Missing Link to Learning

"I'M NOT DOING THIS ANYMORE! My head hurts, I keep losing my place, and I can't remember what I read!" These words assailed me as I walked into our fifteen year-old's room. Her text book landed on the floor in front of her, just before her words landed on me. As a parent, these are not the words you want to hear from you son or daughter. Needless to say I was dismayed. Aside from adolescence, what had changed this person from an enthusiastic student who claimed reading as her favorite subject, to the frustrated student sitting dejectedly on the floor of…

To Teach and To Learn: A Separate Experience

I simply never tire of watching students strengthen their learning abilities through using the SOI modules (learning booklets) in the area of Cognition, Memory, Evaluation, Problem-solving, and Creativity. I remember leaving meetings focused on our daughter’s challenges in school feeling discouraged and frightened. We were told she had low comprehension. A parent does not stop by the bookstore and buy a book on comprehension that would solve the problems being experienced in the classroom. Fortunately, SOI came into our lives when our daughter was nine and SOI knew how to teach comprehension! In her case, we learned it was visual…

Certified Learning: Practice Makes Progress

“Would you choose to build a house on top of an unfinished foundation? Of course not. Why, then, do we rush students through education when they haven't always grasped the basics?” Mastery based learning is a concept we embrace at Shady Oak Learning. Sal Kahn, who created the now famous Kahn Academy, recently illustrated this in a Ted Talk. Kahn created a carefully structured series of educational videos offering complete curricula in math and, now, other subjects. I get excited when I see well-known experts validate what we know to be true with our students in our school. SOI Certified…

SOI Success In My Classroom

I’ve had the pleasure of being the SOI/IPP teacher at Southcrest Christian School in Lubbock, Texas for four years. In those four years I’ve learned more about people and education than I ever did in college, and I know there is so much more to learn! I think the thing that gives me the most pleasure in working my students is the self-confidence and happiness I see develop in them. I have so many success stories to share, but I will just give some snapshots of a few of them. One particular student began to ride his scooter and bike…

There Is Always Time To Speak Words That Inspire

I can vividly remember the moments when someone spoke directly to me with kind words that helped define how I thought about myself. One such memory was as far back as 11 years old. I perhaps did not interpret the words to mean that I was being viewed as trustworthy and dependable, but all these years later I recognize the gift of my teacher’s words. Being a very shy child, when Mr. Schneider asked for my help and shared his respect for me, I began to see myself differently. Other moments of hearing sincere words spoken to me have continued…

I Can Do It When It’s Tough: SOI Training

Happy 2016! As I was contemplating our success and challenges over the past year, while looking forward to the new year, I realized there is a key value in using the SOI philosophy: perseverance. Perseverance is defined as “steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” I love the synonyms for perseverance: tenacity, determination, staying power, indefatigability, purposefulness; patience, endurance, application, diligence, dedication, commitment, doggedness, tirelessness, stamina; intransigence, obstinacy; stick-to-it-iveness.” When working with our children and their parents, the process of overcoming learning barriers through training is not easy or quick; it is a not sprint but…

IPP Success Stories Are The Best!

Who doesn’t love a good success story? Take a look at some of these stories about the SOI-IPP program!

This program has moved our intervention with students to a level not seen anywhere else in our district and, I dare say, to a level not seen in most districts in Texas. We have truly implemented an effective RTI program. SOI has put in place the protocols for intervention, provided tracking and structure to our progress monitoring, and built an incredible support team for students and teachers.

We have seen a documented drop in our special education referrals in the last five years due to this program. SOI/IPP is foremost an intervention program that helps students be more successful with school, but it is also a cost effective way of identifying those in need and preventing unnecessary referrals for special education or dyslexia.

– R.M., principal in Lubbock, TX

I am taking this opportunity to thank all of you who have made it possible for my son, Ryan, to be a participant in the SOI program… He has shown great improvement in his writing skills, enough that his SOI specialist has recommended he no longer needs to see Ryan. Another area in where Ryan has shown improvement is in his reading. Although he is still five years behind, he has jumped three grade levels in just one semester. (more…)

How I Became an SOI & IPP Practitioner

The IPP program is successful because it addresses the cause(s) of the learning difficulty. It works to improve attention span, memory, comparison & contrast thinking, eye-hand coordination, systems reasoning, and other skills essential to the learning process. This helps students perform better in school and in life. The truth is, I found SOI by accident! I became a certified teacher in the field of physical education, but the reality is that I have never used my degree in a traditional sense. My first teaching job was as an instructional assistant working in a Life Skills classroom. I followed that with…

I Watched But Did Not See | Part 1

How SOI & IPP Benefit the Deaf Community

The Missing Link to Learning

To Teach and To Learn: A Separate Experience

Certified Learning: Practice Makes Progress

SOI Success In My Classroom

There Is Always Time To Speak Words That Inspire

I Can Do It When It’s Tough: SOI Training

IPP Success Stories Are The Best!

How I Became an SOI & IPP Practitioner

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