Linda A. Blumenthal, MS, has been a New York State permanently certified special education teacher, grades K - 12, since 1979. Since receiving her Masters degree in Special Education in 1984, she has taken an additional 60+ graduate and inservice educational credits to advance her skills. She also holds an AAS degree in physcial therapy, giving Ms. Blumenthal an understanding of her student's physical and gross motor developmental needs. Ms. Blumenthal has taught children from every grade level, from preschool through twelfth grade. She has also been a scotopic sensitivity screener, where she has screened clients to determine if colored overlays and/or colored lenses were beneficial to support their perceptual needs. She has maintained a private practice for many years, offering educational and perceptual testing, and learning plans, to her clients.
Ms. Blumenthal's reason for writing "MY EXTRA HELP" is quite simple. "I realized very early on that there was a tremendous need for educational and perceptual support. Parents and guardians were not simply satisfied with a grade level score provided by their school district; nor should they be satisfied. They wanted to know what to do to improve those scores, and what methods were most effective with their particular child. Unfortunately, such individualized assessment is very expensive and time consuming. It also takes a very skilled and experienced teacher to understand the interplay of educational needs, perceptual needs, and preferred learning style. The teacher must be very creative to fashion lessons based upon this individualized information. As a result of this need, my private practice began to flourish. The amount of time necessary to assess and complete an individualized report, caused me to charge large sums of money for a personalized plan. My time was also limited, so I could not always accept new clients looking for help. I decided to write "MY EXTRA HELP" to offer an affordable solution to this dilemma. Being a teacher and a parent has given me a well balanced perspective. As a parent, you want the best for your child. To be able to sit down with your child's teacher, on equal footing, and intelligently discuss your child's needs is a neccessity. Knowing what to do at home to support your child educationally, is equally important. I wanted to empower parents and guardians to become a strong voice in their child's education. On the other hand, I also know first hand what a difficult job a teacher has. Most parents do not realize the "behind the scenes" pressures that are put on our educators. Teachers would love support from the families they serve. They would love to see educational reinforcement in the home environment. The reality is that teachers do not have the time to individualize daily plans for each of their students. I wanted to bridge the gap between the needs of teachers and the needs of parents. "MY EXTRA HELP" does just that. My plan offers a forum for communication. Families and schools can now afford to individualize educational planning, in a cost effective manner, requiring little time and effort. The amount of time expended amounts to the time it takes to answer a little over 120 multiple choice questions. The suggestions are already prepared based upon those responses. Now parents, guardians, teachers, and other concerned parties can spend their time actually teaching as a united front. The lack of time and communication are no longer issues. This is the way education is supposed to work. When a child sees his or her family working together with his or her school, the child is more apt to become a part of that supportive dynamic. The most effective educational programs are those that unite all individuals in a concerted effort towards improvement. Personally, I am proud and honored to be a team member of this educational change."
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