Learning Center: What's it Like to be Suzi?

Editor's Note: The Teaching and Learning Centers works with teachers, students and parents to support the academic endeavors of all students. Many people wonder what type of students are served and what types of services are offered. The following blog series represents an amalgamation of students served through the Teaching and Learning Center, the goal being to explain services through examples. Remember that these are fictional characters and do not represent any one individual. If you have any questions about the Teaching and Learning Center, please contact one of Darlington's learning specialists.  

Suzi is a freshman from another school. Her educational testing is fairly typical for a child with diagnosed ADHD at Darlington. Suzi has a high IQ, but her processing (how fast she can metabolize information) is slow. Put in another way, Suzi has a big engine in her head, but she doesn’t have a gear for the highway speeds her brain could otherwise do (which is often necessary in high school). Because of this, she “spaces out” frequently because she can’t keep up with the teacher’s lecture. Also, it takes her an extra long time to do homework, so this is frustrating and exhausting to her.

She feels stupid because she wants to do well on tests, but she can never finish them. She does everything she can to be invisible in class lest she be revealed as “dumb” (horror of horrors) in front of her peers. Teachers have misunderstood her in the past and pressured her in various ways, so she is pretty anxious. The last thing she will do is go to a teacher for help, especially math, because her math teacher in fourth grade unknowingly convinced her she was bad at math. Now math just puts her in a cold sweat. Suzi feels in her heart that if she just has the time to do all she needed to do, she could do well, but she never has enough time even though she works harder and longer than her peers!

Because Suzi’s educational testing reveals her slow processing and her high level of anxiety built up over years, she is allowed time and a half on tests. She can take her tests in a quiet environment (the Learning Center) so she does not feel anxious when the students around her finish. This alone was an enormous relief, but Suzi’s life gets better. Because Cindy and I work closely with the teachers, they know not to cold call Suzi in class. Instead, they might give her a question the day before so she can be prepared and therefore gain confidence. They also might give her an outline to the lecture, or set her up with a good note buddy in class so she can just listen without worrying about taking notes.

Suzi’s math teacher knows to reach out to her in coach class (Suzi’s job is to go twice a week), thus building a trusting, helping relationship. Cindy works with Suzi on building math skills as well, while I teach Suzi time-saving, note-taking skills and study skills. Suzi is brought through a step-by-step process of how to self advocate for herself with her teachers and plan her time. Her testing suggests she might benefit from a consultation with a physician to determine if any other interventions are necessary, so this information is relayed to parents.

The long-term result, sparing you considerable more details, is that Suzi makes slow and steady progress as she gains confidence and skills. Finally, Suzi receives college counseling to help her find just the right college that also provides Learning Center services.

Stay tuned for John’s story next week!