HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE LANGSFORD STAFF

All of us at Langsford Learning Center would like to wish

you and your families

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

Here's a little peek at our Langsford staff and their families at our annual Christmas Party.

Enjoy!

Erick--A Mighty Learning Warrior

Sometimes learning new material can seem like a major battle, sometimes it's just a little skirmish. It is different for everyone.

But every single individual, regardless of their level of skill, can benefit from learning strategies designed to aid language comprehension. This mighty warrior, Erick, accepted the challenge of enriching his skills and came to Langsford prepared to face any obstacle, tackle any adversity, and to conquer new skills to help him excel academically.

For his last day celebration, Erick came dressed as the mighty warrior he is. (Oh, and did we mention his last day was on Halloween?)

Hail to Erick, a Mighty Learning Warrior!

Coincidence? Anomaly? A Mother's Imagination?

Recently a mother of one of our new students was talking to Jenny, our scheduler and office manager, and said, "It is probably a coincidence, but maybe not. I am not sure what is going on, but my husband and I have both seen some very positive changes already in Griffin."

She said that it did not make any sense to her that after only 3 days at Langsford they could already be noticing changes, but they were.

Hmmmmmm..........After only 3 days?

Actually, with the type of work we do to develop reading and spelling skills, parents often do see noticeable differences in a short period of time. This is because we start with the foundational processes necessary for success in reading and spelling with every client we have, regardless of their age.

We then ask them to apply this knowledge at a level that is consistent with their current level of functioning, gradually increasing the level of difficulty as they progress through sessions. Therefore, our students experience success every day they are here, starting with day 1. They see early on that they CAN be successful, which increases their willingness to attempt what was once considered challenging.

Perhaps most important of all, is the air of enthusiasm for learning that is present at Langsford. The children become enthusiastic as they experience success, and that makes us even more enthusiastic when we see their progress!

Sometimes it's almost palpable. Students often discuss what they are learning or which books they are reading while they are on break, and one child's enthusiasm carries to the next.

What we do is not "magic." It doesn't always take away all of the struggle, and it does require hard work. But it's much easier to be motivated when you can see light at the end of the tunnel.

Some Electrified Thinking!

                                                                        WOW!!!

I've heard of people being so scared that their hair stood on end, but never that someone was thinking so hard that their hair stood on end!

 But that's exactly what happened to Clayton during a recent learning session at Langsford!  He came into the session with normal looking hair and walked out looking like.........this!!!

But don't worry.  I've been assured no permanent brain damage was incurred.  It seems Clayton kept running his hands through his hair while he was thinking.  Now that's really Using Your Head!

 

The Chicken Farmer that's a Chicken Charmer!

This summer we had the honor of working with Vance, who lives in Barbourville, KY and loves working on the farm with his granddad, Pap.

Vance is a chicken farmer. Everyday he feeds and waters his chickens and then gathers the eggs!

Vance's family has nicknamed him the Chicken Charmer because the chickens are so calm around him and gather at his feet when he is around. While here in town, Vance visited the Lorikeet exhibit at the Louisville Zoo one day after sessions. Looks like he's also a charmer of all things feathered!

Mom asked Vance one day whether he'd told Kristin, his Learning Coordinator here at Langsford, about his chickens. He replied, "Nope! Because I'll just get asked a bunch of questions about them!"

And he was right! Vance did comprehension work with us and we ask LOTS of questions to encourage students to be clearer with their use of language while making movies in their minds about what they've read.

Kristin hopes that maybe Vance will write her a story about his chickens before next summer when he comes back to visit us again.

This summer we had the honor of working with Vance, who lives in Barbourville, KY and loves working on the farm with his granddad, Pap. 

 Vance is a chicken farmer.  Everyday he feeds and waters his chickens and then gathers the eggs!

Vance's family has nicknamed him the Chicken Charmer because the chickens are so calm around him and gather at his feet when he is around.  While here in town, Vance visited the Louisville Zoo one day after his sessions.   Looks like he's also a charmer of all things feathered!

Mom asked Vance one day if he'd told Kristin, his Learning Coordinator here at Langsford, about his chickens.  He replied, "Nope!  Because I'll just get asked a bunch of questions about them."

And he was right!  Vance did comprehension work with us and we ask LOTS of questions to encourage students to be clearer with their use of language while making movies in their minds about what they read.

Kristin hopes that maybe Vance will write her a story about his chickens before next summer when he comes back to visit us again.

A Model Family

Recently we celebrated Jolie's completion of a phase of work at LLAC devoted to improving her reading and spelling skills.  Since Jolie's older sister who lives in Chicago was in town, it was a rare photo op for the family!  

Two Young Heart-throbs

All of our female staff this summer stayed in a state of infatuation.  And who could blame them with these two boys around.  Toooooo cute!  We all had crushes on them.   

Henry and Mitchell came to Langsford over the summer to work on their reading skills.  We suspect they'll be needing those skills in the near future for reading love letters from their girl classmates.

These two are surely going to break a lot of hearts!  Ahhhhh.......to be young again! 

A Mother's Love

You've heard the phrase, "It takes a village......" Indeed, everyone involved working together has proven to be the best way to assist children in the development of their reading skills.

One of the most important people on this "team," is often the child's mother.

Since Mom generally practices the new concepts needing mastered and helps with the homework assignments, she is often in the best position to recognize when the child is struggling or just needs a little boost. Often the final output in the classroom that the teacher sees does not reflect the level of effort that had to go into the assignment.

For any child working to develop his or her reading skills, having a parent as an advocate to monitor the work done at home, to stay in close contact with the child's teachers, tutors, or anyone else from "the village" that is working with their child, is a critical component to coordinating the efforts of all involved in addressing their child's individual needs.

Addie, shown here with her mother and younger sister, is lucky to have her mother as an advocate for her. Addie's mother has worked tirelessly and with much enthusiasm to make sure that her daughter gets the help she needs to perform to the best of her abilities.

And isn't that what a mother's love is all about?

Sarah's Got Talent!

While this may look like a new singing group auditioning for "America's Got Talent," the show in this picture is all about Sarah! One of Sarah's many talents include winning the hearts of the Middletown Langsford Staff. On Sarah's last day of sessions, everyone wanted to get into the act for her celebration!

In this picture, from left to right, are Sarah's supporting cast: Fran, suffering a little stage fright but excited about getting into the act; Toni W., trying to steal the show; Claudia, Sarah's Learning Coordinator and Ringmaster of this crew; and Toni H., another instructor, who would sing, dance, or juggle to have more students like Sarah!

Sarah, we think you're a winner and your talent will take you far in life!

Failure Is Necessary for Success

For some reason our society often teaches that failure is something to be avoided at all costs. We fear failure.

To avoid failing, many of us simply stop trying. We stop taking risks. We play it safe and never go outside of our predefined boundaries. Even worse, we may let others define these boundaries for us.

When we put all of our energy into avoiding failure, we are missing out on the best opportunity we have to reach success.

Failure is simply a natural part of the learning process. We try, we fail. We learn from the failure and try again. As this process continues, we learn and we grow...

And we succeed.

The video below clearly demonstrates how several successful and famous people were not just born that way. They had to fail. And fail. And fail again.



Here's another video describing Michael Jordan's success through the perspective of his failures.



Finally, take a look at this video of Michael Jordan talking about failure and our inclination to make excuses rather than continue trying.



Failure deserves more respect.

So go ahead, be inspired by failure.

Langsford Lecture at University of Louisville

The photos above were taken last week, when our Director Stephen McCrocklin gave a presentation at the University of Louisville. This lecture was part of the curriculum for graduate students enrolled in the Doctor of Audiology Program in the Department of Surgery.

Stephen’s talk explained how the brain works in connection with auditory processing and learning. He described how auditory processing within the brain is an integral part of learning how to process language, which in turn is a vital component in learning how to read.

Stephen enjoyed the opportunity to interact with this engaging group of people who will soon be devoting their lives helping others as Doctors of Audiology.

Shortly after the lecture, Stephen received this email from Clinical Instructor, Dr. Julie M. Manche:

“The Au.D. students found the lecture fascinating. They now have a greater appreciation for the complexity of the brain and how auditory processing directly affects so many other skill areas, such as reading and language processing. The “real world” connection that you highlighted between audition and reading has enriched their knowledge and understanding.”

Langsford specializes in assessing dyslexia and other reading, spelling and comprehension difficulties. If you know of someone who may need a reading tutor, you can learn more about our evaluations and how we develop a customized plan of action by clicking here.

Back to School!

It's that time of year again!  The days are getting shorter, the kids are getting up earlier, and the smell of schoolbus exhaust is in the air.  Schools are going back to sessions!  We had lots of kids come to Langsford over the summer to work on their skills.  Some wanted to catch up, some wanted a jump-start on the upcoming year, and some were returning clients wanting a review and the chance to brush up on their skills.  The drive and motivation we witnessed was an inspiration to us all!  Here's to a great 2009/2010 school year!  

Ready for Second Grade!

Nothing is worse than having to dread school starting up in the fall! Collin and his family won't have to do that this year, as Collin has been working all summer to prepare!

He completed his session work with us in June, with a promise of continuing on his own this summer so that he would be well-prepared for second grade. Collin's Learning Coordinator, Kristin, sent home sight words to practice, spelling words to master and a recommendation for lots of fun reading and writing. Collin's summer plans included signing up for the reading club at his local library.

How great for Collin to start a new school year feeling prepared and confident! We hope he wow's his teacher this year!

All Work and No Play Makes for No Fun!

Have you ever noticed that boys will be boys, wherever they are? Although the breaks are short between sessions at Langsford, the kids seem to make fast friends. Several kids at the Middletown office have recently had their mothers make play dates for them with their new found friends.

The boys, in particular, like to outdo each other figuring out the complex puzzles in the waiting area. And sometimes they look for mischief to get into. At Middletown, that means they head for the Learning Coordinator's office! They know they can usually find something fun there.

On a recent afternoon, Alex and Mitchell wandered into Rhonda's office on break, and the three of them proceeded to make cool pictures of themselves with the help of Rhonda's laptop computer. (Don't tell her boss!) Above is Alex, who has a good head on his shoulders. ;-)

This one is Alex and Mitchell. Mitchell is the one with the muscles! He was feeling a little "blue" that day. ;-) Now-break's over-back to work guys!

The Family Who Reads Together, Learns Together

DAD AN INSPIRATION

For some Langsford families, reading is a family affair. Parents who lead by example and make reading a family-centered activity are creating an environment which fosters life-long readers.

Ethan and his dad, David (right), are a perfect example. Ethan came to Langsford throughout the spring to work on reading and spelling. Often, while Ethan was in sessions working on reading, Dad could be found in the lobby working on his reading, too.

When students took breaks from sessions to play in the lobby, they could usually expect to find David sitting and reading, and even taking notes.

Here, Ethan is pictured on the day of his celebration marking the completion of a phase of work at Langsford. Typically, on celebration day, students receive a certificate and are asked to pass out cookies. Ethan’s celebration, though, was different. Ethan chose to let Dad pass out the cookies, because he’d put in so much hard work, too.

Ethan’s family isn’t the only family like this, however. Many siblings and parents of Langsford students pass a quiet hour or two in the lobby with a good book. Situations like these aren’t just heart-warming, they support the belief that reading skills are one of the most important things that families can nurture in children. We commend Ethan's family and those like them that inspire by example.

Staff Spotlight

Gemma Newland

Where were you born and how long have you lived in Louisville?

Born in Louisville, spent 2 years in Germany, reluctantly became a Hoosier 22 years ago.

My school/work background is:

Associate degree in Science Allied Health, UK; Lab Tech, Respiratory Therapist, phlebotomist. Home-schooled 2 of 4 children for 5 years. I discovered Langsford when we were referred here for my son.

When I was a child, when I grew up I wanted to be…

Wanted to be a teacher. I just took the road less traveled to become one.

People say I…

Never met a stranger.

In my free time, I…

Love to read books, see plays and hike in the woods.

One of my favorite books of all time would be….

Frekles and Girl of the Limberlost. These are set in the early 1900s and show how with faith and determination you can overcome obstacles.

One of my hidden talents is…

I know all the lyrics for songs from the early 1900s onward. It drives my children crazy!

I love and I hate…

I love music theater but hate the song "Memories" from Cats. It just grates on my last nerve. ;-)

Lucky Langsford

At Langsford, we feel like there’s plenty of good luck to go around. Students get to improve their reading skills, and we get to help them.  How can you get much luckier than that?  That’s a great question for this Langsford client, Mitchell, and the turtle he rescued and named Lucky.

 One day, a parent came into the Middletown Langsford office and reported a turtle in the road.  Mitchell persuaded mom, Mollie, to drive him down to investigate.  Mitchell rescued the turtle from the busy streets of Middletown, and came back to Langsford to get a box in which to put his hard-shelled new friend.  Looks like it was just another Lucky day at Langsford. Great job, Mitchell!

Kristin's Decade at Langsford

Recently, one of our Learning Coordinators, Kristin, celebrated her tenth anniversary working with Langsford. As a celebratory gift, Kristin received a beautiful cut-glass bowl engraved with a special thank-you for her years of enthusiastic commitment.

Regarding her decade at Langsford, Kristin says, “This is by far the best job I've ever had AND the best working environment. Working with people who are truly invested in a common purpose, with little regard for personal gain, is a delight.”

Before coming to Langsford, Kristin specialized in Special Education, with a particular focus on children with severe behavioral and emotional difficulties. For twenty years she worked in a variety of settings in many different states, before finally leaving JCPS to work full-time at Langsford. She still thinks it was the best decision she ever made.

We agree! Thanks, Kristin, and here’s to another ten years!

POWER OUTAGE HITS LANGSFORD! STUDENTS CONTINUE WORK WITHOUT A HITCH!

What does dedication look like? It looks like this! Recently Langsford was struck by an afternoon power outage. In a building with very few windows, this could certainly be a problem. But, as you can see, where there's a will, there's a way! After just a few moments of scurrying, everyone was quickly back to work.

Grace and her instructor Kara found an office desk next to a window to work at.

Not to be outdone, Shelby and her instructor Rachel simply moved outside into the sunshine! In short order, all of our clients had found new places to work that didn't require electric lighting.

When you're dedicated to becoming good readers, you don't let anything stand in your way! Certainly not a little power outage!

Letters From Home

At Langsford, we talk a lot about letters of the alphabet, and we read a lot of stories. But hands down, our favorite letters and stories are the ones we get from parents and relatives reporting success, confidence, happiness, and accomplishment for past clients. Each one is gratifying and heart-warming for instructors, learning coordinators, and administrators alike. Here are a few we just had to share.

Austin is a first-grader working on reading and spelling. Before he came to Langsford, Austin would do anything to avoid spelling. Recently, Austin's dad reported that Austin had come to him after having a privilege revoked at home. Austin had asked dad if he could earn it back by spelling a word. Austin's dad was stunned! Good negotiating, Austin!

Sam is a sixth-grader who recently finished work at Langsford to aid his comprehension. The focus was on developing his ability to mentally picture what he reads (concept imagery). Sam's Mom emailed to let us know about the changes she has seen since he finished his sessions: "I have seen such an increase in his confidence and he seems so much happier with himself; that is priceless to me." Those words made us picture Sam with a big smile on his face. Great work, Sam!

Tristan is a seventh-grader and Langsford alum from a few years back. She came to Langsford to work on her reading and spelling. Since then, she has really taken off! According to Mom: "Wow!... She is doing wonderfully. Her reading, writing, and confidence in her ability continue to strengthen. ...We are so lucky to have found the Langsford Center... She does well academically and is able to keep up with her reading and writing requirements and gets many compliments from teachers and friends on her kind and charitable nature. I am forever grateful for how you all set her on this road and cheered her on." It sounds like this road is leading Tristan straight to success!

Last, but certainly not least, there's Maggie (pictured above). Maggie came to us (over ten years ago!) as a second-grader to improve her visual-spatial skills, and later, during high school, returned to work on applying these skills to geometry. This spring, as Maggie prepared for her junior year, she was accepted into the prestigious Governor's Scholar program, and will spend five weeks this summer working to enrich her academic background. Congratulations, Maggie!

Thanks to all of you for sharing your stories. We are so proud!

Broadway Bound

In 2002, this creative young man, Max, was a second grader struggling with reading and spelling. After working at Langsford, Max became a voracious reader and writer. Today, Max is headed for high school as a published playwright. This spring, Max became the youngest playwright ever to have a ten-minute play produced as part of Actor's Theater's Humana Festival of New American plays.

But wait, there's another scene in this show: Max has also won the Young Author's contest in Oldham County four times, and recently received state recognition in the "critical reading" category of the Duke Talent Identification Program.

Recently, Max's mom emailed an update on his exciting progress, and to tell us that she remembers us every time the spotlight is on her successful son: " I often wonder how different his life would have been if he had not gone to the Langsford Center. His life revolves around reading and writing - mostly, related to the theatre. He would have a hard time acting if he couldn't read...and he would have a horrible time writing play scripts, too. He spends all of his free time writing and reading plays. I think about you guys with [everyone] of Max's successes. I really do!"

This story deserves a standing ovation. Bravo, Max! On with the show!

How Three Months Can Change A Life

In the course of a K-12 education, three months usually doesn't amount to much. Three months is hardly a blip for most students. But for a child struggling with reading, three months can create such a tidal wave of change that it sends out ripples for a lifetime.

One of Langsford's past clients, Rachel Stivers-Bender, was recently honored by Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson as the 2009 Outstanding Student of the Year for duPont Manual High School.

We've heard from Rachel's family on this blog before. Click here to listen to a message we received from mom.

Believe it or not, at one point in her elementary career, Rachel's family was told not to expect Rachel to go to college. After all, some kids just aren't cut out for it. She was also discouraged from taking foreign languages.

Then her mom found Langsford.

We know the three months of work Rachel did with Langsford removed the biggest obstacle standing in her way, which was a lack of phonemic awareness, a vital component in learning to read. But past that, it was Rachel's continued hard work, backed by the support of her mom, that makes her so Outstanding.

Even so, Mom continues to credit our Director, Stephen. She says Stephen's willingness to be available for continued support and advice through the years has been invaluable.

Now Rachel's been accepted to at least 5 colleges and has received some amazing scholarship offers. She plans to major in International Studies.

When Rachel was notified that she could invite two people to attend the awards banquet, she knew immediately who she wanted to be there with her in addition to her mom: Stephen.

Stephen accepted with pleasure and reports that it was a wonderful event showcasing the achievements of 47 local students. (You can read more about the winners here.)

Since attending the banquet, Stephen says he can't help but wonder what the future holds for the students attending Langsford this summer. After all, three months can sometimes make all the difference in the world.

Rachel and her mom at the banquet:



Rachel and Stephen McCrocklin, Langsford's Director:



Rachel and duPont Manual Principal Larry Wooldridge:

Staff Spotlight on Rachel

Where were you born and how long have you lived in Louisville?

Sacramento, CA. I’ve lived in Louisville 3 years.

My school/work background is:

BA in Biblical Studies – Master’s College in Southern CA; Courthouse intern for several years, school office manager and at Southern Seminary

When I was a child, when I grew up I wanted to be…

A stage actress

People say I…

Am chatty. Of course we all know that’s not true...

In my free time, I…

Play guitar, read, spend time with people, attempt to cook

One of my favorite books of all time would be….

Emma by Jane Austen

One of my hidden talents is…

I can type really fast.

I once won an award for…

Drama performance in high school.

I love and I hate…

I love old movies and I hate being cold!

Why Kids Want to be Able to Spell

Carter is a charismatic kid who will be going into 3rd grade in the fall. He just started sessions this week. While he's been great once he gets here, he's been giving his mom a little bit of a hard time in the mornings about why he has to come.

Today Mom came in and said she thought he wouldn't be avoiding coming any more. Last night they were watching Carter's favorite show, Wheel of Fortune. Carter solved the puzzle before Mom!

She asked, "Carter-how did you figure that out?" He said, "a-u. We've been doing letter combos at Langsford. a and u go together in some words." Then, "Whoa......maybe Langsford will pay off for me after all!"

Our Friends from Colombia

This family came to the US for 2 years to learn English.  Langsford helped Claudia and Santiago break the code of the English language for reading and spelling.   Mom also worked to improve her pronunciation.  

Both made great gains!  Now they are back home in Colombia, where the plan is for Santiago to enroll in an English speaking school where it is required that one parent speak fluent English.  

While at Langsford, Santiago discovered a love for silly books and biographies of interesting people.  Claudia discovered a newfound pride in her English fluency.

A Future Indiana Jones??

Upon completing his quest for a Certificate of Achievement at Langsford Learning Center, Seth prepared for his next adventure by starting the book, King Tut's Mummy.   Seth's "Mummy" must be very proud of her little adventurer!   

Betsy Rocks!

One o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock, Rock! This is Betsy all dressed up and ready to go to a sock hop after her sessions. Her poodle skirt was so cute it made us all want to twist and shout!

But Betsy doesn't just rock at sock hops-we think she rocks in sessions too. Hmmm...Rockin' and Readin'.......sounds like a hit!

Margaret is one of our staff members and works at our Middletown office.

Where were you born and how long have you lived in Louisville?

Radford, VA; I lived in Louisville for 10 years and now live in Shelbyville.

My school/work background is:

Bachelor's from University of Utah; Masters from UofL. I have taught language arts and reading in Utah, Louisville, and Simpsonville. Manager at the Red Cross.

When I was a child, when I grew up I wanted to be...

an English teacher.

People say I...

am creative, dependable and tenacious.

In my free time, I...

read (of course), play golf, and sew. I make Home Decor items, drapes and pillows.

I once won an award for:

A Graduate Dean's Citation from UofL.

I love and I hate...

I love Saturday mornings, my family, and Cosette, my cat. I hate spicy hot food!

A Historian in the Making

This is Tyler and Paul. Tyler is a 1st grader attending Langsford and Paul is his favorite instructor.

They discuss history together on their breaks, as Tyler and Paul are both big history buffs. Tyler was delighted to find out that Paul knows "almost as much" about history as he does!

Tyler's goal from day one here at Langsford has been to be able to read books about weapons in history. With the progress he's been making, who knows? Maybe one day Tyler will be writing history books!

You Gotta Love Those Dimples!

This is Lindsey (a 2nd grader who finished up her sessions just last week), hanging out in her Learning Coordinator's office at our Middletown site. Lindsey liked to visit with Rhonda on her breaks for girl talk and a little something from Rhonda's stash of chocolate.

Every day the Middletown staff waited in anticipation to see what cute outfit Lindsey would be wearing that day. Lindsey loves horses and her grandmother makes her a lot of "cowgirl" clothes that she wears with her authentic cowboy boots. Too cute!

We heard from Edward (one of our current clients), that he saw Lindsey on the playground today and she said to tell us all "Hi!" Edward is not as interested in fashion as we are, so, alas, no update on what she was wearing.

Successful Sisters

Several months ago, we posted a blog entry about Mallory having some fun in her session. You can read it by clicking here. We received the following update and letter from mom:

Dear Langsford,

As you know, we were very pleased with the results we had when we brought our first daughter, Courtney to the Langsford Center. She came to Langsford in the summer after second grade and you really made a difference. She still needed extra help for a time, but after 5th grade, she needed no help at all. She is in the 8th grade now and doing well.

So of course we came to you when her younger sister, Mallory, began having similar struggles with reading. Mallory has really improved! Like Courtney, she still needs some assistance but her confidence has changed so much and she knows she can do it.

Every teacher Mallory had at Langsford found a way to click with her. Mallory needs time to get used to new situations and once she realized you were going to take her where she is and move through at her own pace, she relaxed. She never complained about going to her sessions.

Both of my children did continue to need assistance after the bulk of work at Langsford but that was no surprise because from the beginning you helped my husband and I understand that this is a process and not something that necessarily gets ‘fixed’ immediately.

All of that was explained so well in the consultation we had to discuss the results of the testing. Certainly there are always concerns about whether or not something will help, but realizing that it is a process made all the difference to us.

We were also fortunate in that our daughter’s teachers also attended the consultations. Mallory’s teacher was so supportive of the additional assistance and worked well with us. She was great. That is priceless to us.

I definitely recommend The Langsford Center, it did wonders for my daughters. So thank you. Twice!

Staff Spotlight

Carolyn is one of our staff members.

Where were you born and how long have you lived in Louisville?

Louisville most of my life, but also Greensboro, NC & Cleveland, OH

My school/work background is:

MAT Bellarmine; MA Expressive Therapy UofL; BA Graphic Design Uof L

Expressive therapist at Baptist East hospital and preschool teacher at St. Matthew's Baptist preschool

When I was a child, when I grew up I wanted to be...

An artist or a writer

People say I...

Laugh too much and look like Meryl Streep

In my free time, I...

Like to garden, swim, ride bikes, read, watch Food Network and cook

One of my favorite books of all time would be...

John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath

I once won an award for:

Perfect attendance in dancing school

I love and I hate...

I love classical music and I hate rap!

Toni's 5 Year Anniversary!

Toni recently celebrated her 5 year anniversary here at Langsford! She is a lively instructor, dedicated to creating independent learners. We've really missed her the last couple of weeks, as she had to take a little time off for a medical procedure.

Apparently Langsford Staff aren't the only ones missing her. On a recent trip to see her, we found one of her favorite students sitting there visiting her! She'll be back soon and all the staff and students here wish her a speedy recovery!

Sometimes a Smile Says it All

This is Kennedy, an 8th grader, with his instructor Joseph. It's his last day at Langsford, and it's hard to say which of these guys is prouder!

While here, Kennedy worked on his comprehension, with lots of application to schoolwork.

High school should be a whole lot easier next year!

Jon: A Real Goal Getter!

Jon is a first grader who recently came in with his spelling test for the previous week. He was excited to announce that he'd gotten all the words correct for the first time this year.

A lot of our clients have goal sheets to help keep them on track in sessions and to promote independence in using their new skills. Jon has a goal sheet with things like:

ask the teacher questions

try my best

and follow the steps for tasks.

As Jon was about to start his session, he asked his instructor if he could add a new goal to his goal sheet. She asked what he wanted to add. He said, "To make a good grade on my spelling test every week!"

Creative Moment

This is Haysley in the lobby of our office. We didn't think she could have a more beautiful name until we saw this. Haysley recently completed some work in reading and spelling at Langsford. Mom says spelling tests are now a breeze for her!

Samantha Shines!

Samantha is a third grader who has been doing work at Langsford over the last few months to improve her reading and spelling skills. Mom came in recently giddy with good news! She had just met with Samantha's teacher to go over Samantha's January SRI scores. Her teacher said that they hoped for an increase of 50 points per student on SRI scores over the course of the year. Samantha's score between fall and January increased by 297 points!

Samantha recently told us that she used to feel like she wasn't as smart as her classmates because they could read better than her. But now she has been helping all the good readers with the hard multi-syllable words. In Samantha's words, "It makes me feel good about myself."

It makes us feel good too. Keep up the good work, Samantha!