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The Parent Journey

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Be A First Responder For Your Child

 

Core to our value system here at Park Century is listening to our current parents, anticipating the journey for new parents and providing a support system that makes the discovery a little easier.   This is an overwhelmingly difficult time with endless information resources, and the decision for how to support your child's learning differences can be daunting.  If we could distill down the essentials we have learned as educators and parents, to give this process some clarity, here's what we'd like to share with you:

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Image by Kim Cafferky

Trust your gut.

You know your child better than anyone else so listen to yourself. You may have your current school encouraging you to "wait & see" or you might be listening to others about the stigma of a special school. Trust your instinct that your child may need additional support and act on it.

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Act early.

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The time your child has spent struggling with schoolwork and putting in the hours to barely keep up is slowly chipping away at their self-esteem and creating immeasurable stress on the family. The earlier you act on getting them the education they need to thrive, the sooner you can get your family back on track to joy.

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Get a neuro-psych test.

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This is probably the most valuable companion to your determination and decision for your child's educational needs.

A neuropsychological evaluation looks at how a person’s brain works,  measuring things like attention span, memory, and language skills. PCS requires this test with an application.  Book this test early because it can take time to get in and then get results.  Learn more.

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Your child does not need to be "fixed".

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They are uncommonly bright and learn differently, with gifts and strengths worth celebrating.  Learning disabilities or differences are lifelong conditions that require remediation, accommodation, an awareness for developments in these differences, and the necessary support systems. With the right support, your child will gain the grit and resilience to self-advocate for how they learn.

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Get your child into a school where they are seen.

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Your child learns differently. They are no less intelligent than any of their peers in mainstream school, they just have a unique learning DNA that doesn't respond to a one-size-fits-all teaching approach. Getting them into a specialized school, like PCS, will have them alongside other exceptionally bright kids and with teachers who teach them in the ways they need to learn and grow.

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Be kind to yourself.

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The journey to discovering and dealing with  your child's learning differences can be emotionally draining and extremely stressful on the whole family. Parents can feel guilt and shame over why their child is not learning at grade level. Honor yourself for even starting this journey, and know you will find a supportive community of like-minded parents and an environment where learning differences are celebrated.

Common signs that your child may have learning disabilities/differences include the following*:

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  • Problems reading and/or writing

  • Problems with math

  • Poor memory

  • Problems paying attention

  • Trouble following directions

  • Clumsiness

  • Trouble telling time

  • Problems staying organized
     

A child with a learning disability also may have one or more of the following:
 

  • Acting without really thinking about possible outcomes (impulsiveness)

  • “Acting out” in school or social situations

  • Difficulty staying focused; being easily distracted

  • Difficulty saying a word correctly out loud or expressing thoughts

  • Problems with school performance from week to week or day to day

  • Speaking like a younger child; using short, simple phrases; or leaving out words in sentences

  • Having a hard time listening

  • Problems dealing with changes in schedule or situations

  • Problems understanding words or concepts
     

*These signs alone are not enough to determine a learning disability. Only a professional can diagnose these.

Learning Disabilities & related disorders defined
Diagnostic testing

Identifies how learning differences affect students.
 

Evaluates best ways to approach a student’s learning style.

 

Recommends effective learning programs and testing accommodations.

 

Test early, and explore both private testing and through your school.

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Neuro-psych
test

Considered the most comprehensive type of assessment and  completed by neuropsychologists

 

Provides an in-depth assessment of skill and ability linked to brain function.

 

It also includes a review of medical and other records, interviews with the child, and the administration of tests .

 

PCS requires this test.

Park Century & testing

The specialists at

PCS can review  and will guide our parents honestly to the best education fit. 

We also look at results of a psychoeducational evaluation, the WISC V (Wechsler Intelligence Scale)  and a student’s IEP (Individualized Education Program). 

 

Visit our testing page for more details.

Next Steps

 

Once you receive your child's test results, you'll then determine where your child is going to need additional support in their learning programs. You could choose to piece together a team of outside specialists to supplement their current learning program or explore schools like Park Century that will tailor the curriculum to each child's individual needs and will have many of these specialists all under one roof. The trained staff at PCS can assess your results to determine if the school is a good fit, and guide you in your next steps.

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