Blog
Here you'll find the archive of my blog Straight Talk, where I discuss what's new and relevant in the world of learning differences.
Progressive thinking in higher education: here is how one college is addressing the very real issue of attrition in sophomore year. Many colleges have adopted some version of a first year seminar or experience to help students with the transition from high school to college. What colleges are noticing is that they lose students in sophomore year because the introductory programming disappears but the need remains.
https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-One-University-Seeks-to/242772
Transitioning from high school to college is one of the most significant milestones a young adult makes. It can be a particularly stressful experience that impacts a student academically, socially or emotionally (or a combination). In this article I offer a discussion and some suggestions for how to ease and manage the anxiety that may arise from the transition as well as identifying some skills that help make students feel more successful at college.
http://www.smartkidswithld.org/getting-help/college-bound/managing-anxiety-college/
Students who are diagnosed on the autism spectrum are attending college in record numbers. Academic, social and emotional issues can arise and may not be fully understood or addressed on college campuses. The result too often is that the student who is diagnosed is either punished for not interpreting a situation accurately and therefore reacting inappropriately or failing because he/she cannot follow the rules or thinks too inflexibly. This article highlights the issue of the rise in complaints of sexual assault on campus and of students' vulnerability to those accusations when they are on the spectrum and don't understand how their behavior might be interpreted in a different context, where it is considered inappropriate. Clearly, the office of disability services and of residential life at colleges need to better recognize and address these issues so that students diagnosed on the spectrum can live and go to school in harmony with their peers.
More and more colleges across the country are adopting the practice of having multiple admissions counselors divide up the parts of a student's application for review. One admissions counselor might see a student’s scores and grades, while another sees their essay and extra-curricular activities. The desired result for the college is that the total review time is reduced, thereby helping colleges cut down on labor; the result for students is a less holistic review of their applications. While historically, students have always needed to make it past an initial review process, now the decision of whether an application moves forward might be made by a counselor who sees only a small portion of a student's overall abilities, and those decisions are final. For students who have learning differences, this new trend is particularly disturbing as it limits their ability to show an admissions committee their skills in a variety of areas. This review method effectively sells students with learning differences short because many of them excel in areas that are not measured in the traditional categories. A holistic approach is much better because it allows students with learning differences to put their best foot forward and to be considered as a whole rather than a few of their parts. Realistically, as volume of applications increases, more colleges are likely to join this trend; regardless, students should understand what that means in terms of choosing colleges and how their applications are considered at those colleges.
It is critical that students who learn differently understand and accept how they learn. Students who understand their needs are better able to communicate them and develop the strategies they need to be successful, as well as the confidence that comes with that success. Over the past decade I have seen firsthand that a student's ability to understand him/herself together with self-advocacy are game changers when it comes to college success.
Trained as a clinical psychologist, Dr. Michelle Berg works with families to help them navigate the academic, social and emotional challenges of students who have learning differences from kindergarten through college. Dr. Berg has developed a highly individualized process to understand and help meet your child’s educational goals. She takes the time to figure out how your child learns and does individualized research to find the right educational environment and support for your child. Based in Westport CT, she works with families locally and all over the world.
Berg Advising & Placement | , Westport, CT, U.S.