mike
denver,#2UPDATE Employee
Thu, February 25, 2010
Hi,
As an employee of Learning Rx, I do agree that 1 1/2 hour sessions are probably too much for most 6 year olds. Twice a week on this schedule if the 6 year old student is burning out after an hour or 45 minutes (not sure how long in your child's case) might equate to overall wasted time. However, we've learned to adjust pacing of sessions to accommodate these types of burnout students. In addition, we switch the activities every 5-10 minutes. This variety does allow even younger students to maintain a full training session...even if they complain or don't necessarily like this amount of time...it's not about liking though, it's about results, and thinking long term progress. As for the possible session time mishap (1 hour vs. 1 1/2 hour sessions) this has nothing to do with the overall effectiveness of the program. A scheduling mishap can jeapordize any program of study. As a musician, we learn that different practice regiments (amounts of hours per amounts of days per week) produce different results. As a trainer, I am curious as to how well you were able to administer home training sessions and the effectiveness of your implementation...I see students that fight back against parents, and win when it comes to getting their way and not maximizing their at-home sessions.
I have a feeling that your child's headaches, temper tantrums, stomach sickness, etc, was a sure tell-tale sign that the program WAS working. People generally fight back the hardest against the things that are forcing the most change and challenge. No child likes to be challenged mentally. If it was easy and watered down, your child most likely would have complained less and breezed through relatively unscathed. Assuming the trainer was competent and doing their job, and that you did the home-training to par, it's possible your child might be a fluke case of not improving...highly doubtful. We are told that some students need only around 12 weeeks to improve to satisfaction, whereas most of my students are 24 week students, and need more than 12 weeks (they still see improvements by 12 weeks 100% of the time). While I do see improvements almost every week in almost all my students, your child might be a more long-term case. To say that you don't have 4 months "to waste" on a program, but you are willing to leave the child in a school system that is barely moving any of the skill levels for years and years is a bogus outcry.
If there were vacations taken and enough days off or missed sessions over the course of the 12 week completion, then you have to expect a certain amount of minimizing of results. For example, if I trained any skill only sporadically or once a month, even for 12 weeks, the spacing would severely slow down my progress. To blame the Learning Rx program for this problem is bull.
There is no other program that gives any kind of chance for improvement like Learning Rx.
No I'm not paid, yes it's the most comprehensive and effective learning system I've ever seen in 35 years.
Good luck trying any other learning program...I truly feel bad for your situation and supposed lack of results.
K Hanson
Colorado Springs,#3UPDATE Employee
Thu, May 21, 2009
I would first like to say, that I am very sorry that you feel ripped off and that you did not get any value from the time you spent in our program (I'm not sure how long, but it sounds like from your complaint it was about half way through a 12 week program?) I also feel for you and your son. Having a son who struggles to read is hard on the whole family. I know what it is like to have a son who struggles/ed to read. I was told by doctors early on that my son who had PDD and was in the lowest 5-10 percentile would likely never read and his speech would be limited. (Hard words to hear as a parent and an educator.) I don't know what happened in your situation, and why you didn't see any progress yet, but what I do know is this: I grew up around cognitive training. I went through what was the early beginnings of Learningrx as a child, and a teen. I know first- hand, the power it has to change and strengthen underlying skills and how it can totally change the tools one has to work with. I have personally worked with student after student after student and have seen the results myself not just in school but far reaching into life. This program works, and that's why I had hope for my son. I knew that although he was born with a huge disadvantage, cognitive skills can change. Was it easy? No. Was it a fast fix? No. Was it worth every penny and every hour? Yes. My son now a fourth grader reads beautifully. He still likes to read out loud, so I get to hear him every night. I often tear up with joy and get chills when I hear him read. He defied all of the odds the doctors gave him. I hope that you will find what you are looking for and that your son finds the help he needs. I also hope that other parents will share their success stories on this site. I am one of the vice presidents of LearningRx, anytime there is a complaint I have it come directly to me. I know how few we get each year, I can count them on my fingers. When I get down to the bottom line of the complaint, it almost always involves communication or unrealistic expectations. We meet, get to be advocates for, and help thousands of students and their families (lots of adults too!) I'm lucky because lots of their stories come across my desk on a daily basis.