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Director and Correspondent Alpha to Omega Global School
Certified Trainer – Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Program
Certified Trainer – Strategic Instruction Model
Professionally Certified Educational Therapist
As a mother, I never imagined teaching would be my thing. But when I heard your child is great at talking and listening but struggles with writing, it opened my eyes to a whole new world. It turns out, there are kids who are smart but just not cut out for traditional schoolwork.
So, I decided to take charge, making sure my child was well-read and ready for school. This journey led me to explore the strengths and weaknesses of every kid in school.
Back in the ‘80s, students with reading and writing difficulties were often seen as “learning challenged” and not able to succeed in school. The term “remedial education” was a new concept for me. It was usually just called tutoring or getting help from a good teacher.
I was really confused about whether “tuition” and “remedial classes” were the same thing. As a parent, my confusion and worry only grew. How could I help my child, and who could help?
Then it hit me: I needed to figure out how to help my child. Learning the multisensory method with Dr. Beve in the late ‘80s was my first step. This quickly showed me that teaching reading, spelling, and writing is just one part of the journey.
To really help my child succeed in academics, I had to consider their social, emotional, perception, and subject material. But the biggest question was, did the student have the thinking and reasoning skills to understand, analyze, organize, compare, and categorize? I knew reading comprehension wasn’t always effective, even with good reading skills. My child’s mastery of reading gave me a huge sense of accomplishment as a mother. But it also pointed out an area where I needed to focus, which was developing comprehension. The Kansas University Learning Strategies and Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment program seemed to answer my questions. The next step was to learn these methodologies. My child taught me to be open to new methods and to accept the challenges that come with different stages.
When we’re supporting our child, our learning never really ends. We need to stay up to date with the latest developments in specific learning issues. The terms experts use don’t always help us guide or work with students who have challenges.
My journey from being a teacher to my child led me to help other children like her. In 1988, I started with Alpha to Omega, a program by Dr. Hornsby for teaching reading, spelling, and writing for English. The method showed that we could improve the literacy skills of any student. The first steps, with a few students, gradually led to the creation of a full-time center to help children with specific learning difficulties. Every day and every child bring a new learning experience. No two children have the same set of problems. This time also made me realize that our city didn’t have a school to meet the needs of these students as they moved into high school.
In the 90s, I had to turn back to the West again to help my child finish her schooling. This was also the time to upgrade myself for my new goal of having a learning center in my hometown to help children. This vision became Alpha to Omega Learning Centre’s full-day school in 1994. Having a place to help those who had to leave the mainstream gave me and the parents who came with their children a sense of satisfaction.
I noticed that the help I received wasn’t quite complete, focusing mainly on reading and spelling. It was important to address the cognitive aspects, like helping them focus, pay attention, and stay on task. I was so lucky to meet Dr. Onita Nakra, who introduced me to the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment program. I was completely blown away when I attended the course; it changed how I see working with students. Meeting and learning under Professor Feuerstein was a blessing. I was deeply impressed by his belief system. Everyone can change, and I can change. Once we change our beliefs and mindset to a positive one, I think change flows freely. Another thing that really impacted me was his theory of mediation. As parents, when we are clear about our intentions and ensure they are meaningful to the child—helping them see the connection between what they are learning and real life—they become willing learners. Adults often understand the benefits of learning a task but sometimes forget to emphasize its importance to the learner.
Introducing the Instrumental Enrichment program to our students really enriched our learning environment. Dr. Lou Falik, my mentor for the program, introduced me to Dr. Kathy Hopkins, who was also a follower of the program in Virginia. Dr. Kathy, an expert in helping students with Specific Learning Difficulties, showed me how to integrate multisensory methods and thinking skills.
Looking back on my journey, I think it’s important to keep searching and learning. This field is constantly growing with new research and developments.
Initially, working with students with significant difficulties was passive, which, unfortunately, had a negative impact on the community, who mistakenly thought our students were intellectually challenged.
Now, our goal is to help everyone see that students can struggle with school, but with the right guidance, they can shine! To do this, we’ve transformed our Learning Centre into Global International School, where we use an inclusive approach under the Cambridge board. We also have the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), which welcomes children with any learning needs.
We believe in change, and we’re committed to changing ourselves, our children, and helping everyone along the way.
