Show #47 Conversation with Sally Smith, Founder of the Lab School

Sally Smith started the Lab School in Washington, DC, in 1967, based on her need to find a school for her own son who had severe learning disabilities. Like most moms on a mission, she gathered her friends and turned an old house into a school. Now, 40 years later, the Lab School serves children from age 5 1/2 to age 19, provides support of college students and adults with learning disabilities, and provides in depth multidisciplinary testing. There are now Lab Schools in Baltimore, MD and Manayunk, PA. Sallycontinues in her role as Director of the Lab School, as well as servign as Head of the Graduate Program in Special Education:Learning Disabilities at American University. She has written a wonderful book, which continues to be updated, entitled "No Easy Answers: The Learning Disabled Child at Home and At School".

My conversation with Sally took place at the Lab School in Washington. When you enter the grounds of the Lab School, you are immediately struck by the art work and creativity that permeates the whole school. Sally's office is filled with art, pictures, mementos from travels around the world, and a sense of warmth and home. I've split the conversation into two parts. In Part I, we discuss how Sally founded the Lab School as a way to help her own child, and how it's grown exponentially over the years. We discuss the state of LD education now, and what has changed over the years. In Part II, we discuss early intervention, the deficits many kids with LD share, and how we can help them succeed. We also discuss the importance of parental support, reading methods, including Orton Gillingham and Linda Mood Bell, and why it may be best to have all tools at your disposal rather than just one.

Click Here to Listen to Show #47-Conversation with Sally L. Smith, Part I

Show # 28 Academy in Manayunk Pt. 2 Reading and Self Esteem

Welcome to all our new iLearn Radio Listeners!

In the second part of my interview with Nancy Blair of the Academy in Manayunk, we talk about how important self esteem is to a child''s success in school. So many very talented people have learning disabilities and have struggled in school but my learning how to maximize their strengths, they have really been able to shine. Whether it's designers like Tommy Hilfiger, or Businessmen like Charles Schwab, or Actors like Henry Winkler (who now writes books about what it was like to grow up with learning problems) many kids are both smart and LD, and we need to be able to let their strengths shine while helping them overcome their weaknesses.

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Show #27 The Academy in Manayunk

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Parents know one source of special education is the local public school. But if your child needs help but doesn't qualify for services, or if you aren't happy with the services or the progress your child is making, is there any alternative?

One of the options is to look at the growing number of private schools specializing in teaching children with language-based learning disabilities. The gold standard and original school to specialize in teaching children with learning disabilities is the Lab School of Washington, DC, started by Sally Smith. The school just recently opened a third affiliate in Philadelphia, The Academy in Manayunk. The Academy uses the Lab School Model to instruct children with language based learning disabilities on a college prep course of study, 2nd through 7 th grade. It also has a large commitment to instruct teachers, educators, parents, and the community about research-based instruction and how all groups can team together to make these children academically successful.
I know you'll enjoy learning about the Academy from the Executive Director, Pat Roberts and Associate Director, Nancy Blair, themselves.