Multiply THIS!
Every year, at the end of the year, there are one million* referrals for special education testing for students in 5th grade. All have the same referral question/concern: Johnny/Johnisha is behind academically and (insert negative prediction about middle school). The referral then becomes a mad dash to test the kid before the retention decision has […]
PBS is my Friend
Hello fellow educators, parents, and random people who google “Throne of Lies!” and get to my blog because of that random post I did about Santa Claus! There is a new PBS special on my favorite, Frontline, called “Kids Online” about the world of this cyber-savvy generation through the eyes of teens and their parents, […]
Dear Abby (If Abby was a School Psychologist)
I have received several emails since starting my blog, mostly from budding young school psychologists or those interested in school psychology as a career. I can’t believe sometimes that my blog doesn’t scare them away from the profession. I had the same feeling when I had interns who wanted to continue working in the school […]
Response to Intervention
Response to Intervention (RtI) is a new service delivery system in the schools that has been receiving considerable attention in the field since the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). RtI, in a nutshell, is aimed at preventing academic and behavioral difficulties as well as identifying and teaching students with disabilities. It […]
The Medicated Child-Part II
I couldn’t begin to do justice to summarizing this recent special on Frontline about pediatric psychiatry (though as promised, I did take copious notes, which are replete with my own secret shorthand that no one can read). Thankfully, PBS has done an excellent job of summarizing it for me. The essence of the film is […]
Attention Deficit Disorder: The Golden Years
Recently, I saw a movie in which two kids, about age 10, were walking along a path and the following dialogue ensued: Young Boy: So what’s new?Young Girl: I found out I have Adult ADD.Young Boy: Don’t you mean you have ADD?Young Girl: Somehow, I got the adult kind. So what is the difference between […]
The Medicated Child
Hello friends of the school psychology blog! I thought you all might be interested in the following program that is airing this Tuesday, January 8th 2008. It is a PBS program called “The Medicated Child” about the fascinating world of child psychiatry and its promises and pitfalls. Click here for more information: Frontline’s “The Medicated […]
Kindness
I have been so annoyed at the lack of the “K” on the S.M.A.C. acronym in my previous entry.* After pondering a possible “K” for goal setting the past few days, I’ve decided your goals must be Kind. Though you shouldn’t have evil goals, such as “World Domination” (though that’s not specific or measurable, if […]
Happy New Year!
I write new years resolutions every year. And being the social scientist, I evaluate them the following year according to predetermined criterion. Nerd alert! One of my friends who I’d describe as a “gym rat” (someone who religiously works out 5 days a week), muttered to me the other day that she hates January because […]
Tengo Que Practicar
Recently, my distinguished Alumni organization, UC Berkeley, called me for a donation to the School of Education. They are clever in their money-asking ways too. The girl announced that she was majoring in Education to be an English teacher, and as an Alumni, do I have any advice for her. Oooh. I got suckered right […]
