Is Your Child Struggling in School?  This Unique Brain Development Program Could Be the Answer.

• “I know my son is smart–he can do better; but he just can’t seem to get a grip on school.”
• “My daughter is so frustrated in class; she’s becoming bored and withdrawn.”
• “It’s just not clicking for him and now he’s starting to act like he doesn’t care.”

Any of these sound familiar?  According to a 2014 report conducted by the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), there are 2.4 million American public school students (approximately 5 percent of the total public school enrollment) identified with learning disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Additionally, there are likely 15 percent or more students whose learning disabilities have not been officially diagnosed. In fact, learning disabilities account for the largest category of students receiving special education services in the nation today. It’s no wonder that one-third of parents report deep feelings of isolation, stress, anxiety, guilt, and pessimism regarding their child’s learning and attention issues. According to James H. Wendorf, Executive Director of NCLD, “Stigma, underachievement, and misunderstanding of learning disabilities continue to be stubborn barriers for both parents and children to overcome. The data in this 2014 report reveal that, if left unaddressed, as many as 60 million individuals risk being left behind, burdened by low self-esteem, subjected to low expectations, and diminished in their ability to pursue their dreams.”

Dr. James Fadigan, founder of the brain development center Learn To Learn in Ocoee, is a national authority on learning. During his residency for clinical psychology at NYU Medical Center and while investigating how to best rehab the brain of patients who suffered from various kinds of brain damage, Dr. Fadigan began to discover that the brain’s capacity to overcome problems was far greater than the scientific beliefs of the time. When he became aware of the educational crisis in this nation, he redirected his studies and began developing a revolutionary program that would improve the brain’s ability of school-aged children to learn not only better, but faster. “The problem is never with the child,” explains Dr. Fadigan.  “It’s that the child’s brain connectivity isn’t wired up quite right.”

Imagine that you are the parent of a child who has a very difficult time focusing and paying attention. You ask your child to go into the living room to pick up his toys and to then go brush his teeth. A few minutes later, you walk into the living room to find your child sitting in the middle of the toys. He seems oblivious to the directions that you provided just minutes ago. And in fact, his brain is oblivious to that conversation. Dr. Fadigan declares, “A parent could ask that brain a hundred times, a hundred different ways to do those three things. If the connectivity isn’t there, it’s not going to happen. That brain, as is, simply cannot make the connections necessary to complete those tasks in sequence.”

Now transfer this type of scenario to the classroom and you can understand the frustration that students, parents, and teachers face when trying to deal with what appears to be a complex problem.

Over the last two decades, cutting edge research in the field of neuroscience has shown that brains are flexible. They can be molded, enhanced and, most importantly, rewired for the optimal flow of information. Over 14 years ago, Dr. Fadigan began developing a program to address the needs of students who don’t fit the normal student profile:

• Students who are inattentive
• Students with behavior distractions
• Students who cannot learn at a prescribed pace
• Students who test low on standardized IQ and achievement tests
• Students who seem unmotivated or disinterested

Building on the concept of neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to change itself at any time in life, Dr. Fadigan has identified 14 core intelligences most critical to learning in the modern world. His program allows the ability to measure and develop these intelligences by using cutting edge software with very specific motor skill activities which, together, will rewire the brain’s ability to work more efficiently, thus allowing students to retain more information in less time. “Our clients typically spend two 1 ½ hour sessions per week, for a total of 32 sessions, to complete our full program and see optimal results that last a lifetime. That’s all it takes,” according to Dr. Fadigan.

Sounds too simple? Over the last twelve years, Dr. Fadigan tested his Learn To Learn program by conducting scientifically designed validation studies involving more than 17,000 children and adults nationwide ─ from the most learning-challenged to the most gifted ─ at public, private, and charter schools, government agencies, and corporations. The consistent conclusion is:  This unique brain development program works! Even Dr. Fadigan is astounded by the outcome, “We are not just changing brains, but changing lives! Students are now succeeding where they had previously struggled or failed.  Teachers and parents are encouraged at the prospect of a more successful future for each child. Even seniors are living fuller, more competent lives.” It is the vision of Dr. Fadigan to bring this new era of intelligence improvement to parents and schools throughout the nation and, luckily, Central Florida families have access to the program in our own town!