SENGinar: Education with "Ease"

Over 2000 years ago, the philosopher Plato declared that learning has an emotional base. Our current education system also uses emotion - fear, fear of punishments for poor grades, fear of consequences for poor behavior, fear of grade retention. However, employing positive emotional experiences, student trajectories can change when educators use a broader lens to engage, use experiences, and include emotions in learning, creating education's "three E's."

Lois' journey began many years ago when her second son failed first grade. He was never labeled "gifted," only the ubiquitous, all-encompassing, garden-variety, "learning disabled." With such a dire prognosis, Lois used an opportunity to homeschool him for a brief six months. This period changed both their worlds as her son progressed in reading, and Lois recognized the power and impact of changing the teaching so "the child can learn." Told through a personal story of tragedy to triumph, Lois provokes us to question the limitations of traditional education and approaches while providing alternative practices that move educators from "ease" to "eese" - engagement, experience, & emotion.

About the Presenter: 

Lois Letchford’s dyslexia came to light at the age of 39, when she faced teaching her son, Nicholas. Examining her reading failure caused her to adapt and change lessons. The results were dramatic. Lois qualified as a reading specialist to use her non-traditional background, multi-continental experience and passion to assist other failing students. Her teaching and learning have equipped her with a unique skill set and perspective.

Reversed: A Memoir is her first book. In this story, she details her dyslexia and the journey of her son’s dramatic failure in first grade.