One More Quiet Miracle from the IPP Program

When third-grader Helmut was introduced to the IPP program in an alternate school, I was amused by his high creativity, but pained by his struggles. He was truly a student of cognitive mountains and valleys. Even though he was gifted in his creativity and vocabulary, he had some serious problems with learning. The SOI assessment showed severe cognitive ‘holes’ – extremely low visual and auditory memory, trouble decoding (or sounding out words), poor visual patterning and no written output. All his brilliant stories had to be scribed for him. The IPP assessment uncovered severe problems with balance, cross-over, and eye-tracking.…

Memory Training I

Did you know that memory is one of the easiest learning abilities to train? Memory training is an important part of life and learning, but how much time do we really spend developing or improving it? At SOI, we have testing and training materials that target a variety of learning abilities: comprehension, memory, evaluation, creativity, and problem solving. Aside from these materials, there are many exercises/games that improve specific learning abilities. Below you will find two exercises/games that improve memory that can be used with younger children/students. These activities are a fun way to train this important ability. They can…

A Treatment for the Cause of Learning Disabilities

Tutoring is a remedy for inappropriate or ineffective teaching, because tutoring is, by definition, individualized teaching. Good tutoring may “teach around” a disability, but it probably will not cure the learning problem. Our IPP system is successful because it treats the causes of the learning disability. What are the causes? Find out below. Cognitive Problems: Some learning disabilities are cognitive in nature - the learner has not developed those cognitive abilities required for success in the instructional program. Learning abilities can be developed. The key to their development is focused experience. IPP offers cognitive assessment to identify the weaknesses and…

Opening the Venetian Blinds

I read with dismay an article in the Washington Post about the Obama administration’s new plans to tighten oversight of states’ special education programs by applying “more stringent criteria” for outcomes. Unfortunately, this means the standards will be based on standardized tests. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Tuesday that for the first time his department will also consider outcomes such as: how well special-education students score on standardized tests, the gap in test scores between students with and without disabilities, the high school graduation rate for disabled students, and other measures of achievement. “Every child, regardless of income, race, background,…

Helping Students Around the World

SOI is dedicated to helping students around the world. Our program is designed to assess and improve learning abilities that cause learning difficulties. Rafael came to the SOI Center with behavioral problems and academic disorders. His parents were very worried because Rafael had been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. What upset them most was that he struggled with social interaction and anxiety/mood disorders that included excess verbiage, an explosive temper, and a very low tolerance to frustration. Rafael was bullied a lot at school. He also constantly questioned any new information that his teachers gave to him. They had no idea…

A Tribute to Dr. Mary Meeker

Meeting Dr. Mary Meeker was like a strong wind that comes unexpectedly. It blew my mind and life in a totally different direction. It was like waking in a new dimension that was full of truth, energy, understanding, and hope. Though not tall in stature, the force of her determination to share the SOI Model, her genius in development and enhancement materials to meet the needs of all ages, and her ability to train thousands of individuals defined her as a brilliant giant. Her goals never wavered. She believed that individuals deserved to know what kind of intelligence they had,…

Davis’ Story

Davis' story began at MindMenders when he was tested in October of his sixth grade year. He had been diagnosed at six with dyspraxia, and later with sensory integration dysfunction and “mild Asperger’s Syndrome.” He began resource class for language arts in first grade and for math in fourth grade. By the beginning of sixth grade, Davis was in resource classes for language arts, social studies, math, and science. When Davis came to MindMenders for the SOI test, he exhibited poor eye contact, poor social skills, and anxiety in peer-group settings. He was still struggling academically, especially in math. Davis…

If Teaching Were the Problem

If teaching was the problem, tutoring would be the answer. When school starts, it is a positive thing for many children. With new shoes, colorful backpacks, high hopes and aspirations, they climb onto buses, exit automobiles, and walk expectantly into schools to begin learning! For other students, it is a dreaded event. For them, little positivity is associated with this yearly ritual. The above expectation seems to not be available to them. Year after year they are held in, held over, and held back because they are not successful, despite the best and most extensive efforts and expenditures of teacher…

Success with SOI: A Personal History

I was in high school when I first experienced the SOI model. Of course that was 50 years ago, and since I am Mary Meeker’s daughter, my experience of SOI might have actually begun in utero! At 30, I began shipping SOI materials at the SOI Institute in El Segundo. Oh how I long to go back in a time machine to relive just one day downstairs shipping SOI workbooks, having lunch with my mother and Bob Meeker, and talking about interesting profiles! Like my mother, I have seen tens of thousands of profiles, and helped so many understand their…

Should Eye Tests be a School Requirement?

I brace myself each morning to look at the headlines in the newspaper. This morning was another shock, but in a profound way. The article on the top front page said, “Eye tests now a school requirement.” Quoted: “Eighty percent of learning happens through the visual system.” This is near/far vision screening. It will test for lazy eye, the need for glasses for reading or distance, and any other issues that hamper a student from learning to read successfully. Parents, do you realize that most public schools only test for distance? We simply do not read a book twenty feet…

One More Quiet Miracle from the IPP Program

Memory Training I

A Treatment for the Cause of Learning Disabilities

Opening the Venetian Blinds

Helping Students Around the World

A Tribute to Dr. Mary Meeker

Davis’ Story

If Teaching Were the Problem

Success with SOI: A Personal History

Should Eye Tests be a School Requirement?

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