One of my students (we'll call him "Cory"), is beginning eighth grade this week. Cory has been on a sound therapy program since late June, and we've worked weekly on reading and critical thinking skills. I sent home a checklist last week to get an update on his academic and behavioral progress.
The completed checklist came back today and shows wonderful changes - just what we usually see about this time in a sound therapy program, but it always amazes and blesses me. Cory himself has noticed and described some of his improvements:
- "My reading is way better than when I first got here!
- I have better rhythm,
- better ability to listen to others,
- I'm using my planner,
- and my attention span is better."
Cory has been listening in the high frequency range for the past four weeks. His trained inner ear is sending a better message to the brain, and the brain is responding by making new neural pathways. Executive function skills are kicking in, and we see mental effort sustained longer, better organization, less procrastination, etc. (so many skills come into play here).
His mother checked 28 improvements that she has noticed (such as, "expressing ideas better" and "seems more mature"). This young man is READY for eighth grade, and his confidence shows it. I’m so pleased and proud of him. I love my job!
