LD Month - The Friendship Club

Here at the Learning Disabilities Association of Toronto District, we offer valuable and exciting programming for children and youth suffering from Learning Disabilities and/or AD(H)D. One of our most popular programs is our Friendship Club.

This program is designed to teach children ages 4-17 years the skills and intricacies of socialization. Often children with LD are not equipped to pic up on non-verbal social cues, which can often lead them to acting differently than their peers, and being treated as an outcast. At our Friendship Club program we work in small settings to impart on these children the values of various skills such as maintaining eye contact, using a correct tone of voice, and properly asking inappropriate questions. These skills are valuable life skills and will ensure success in academic, personal and professional environments.

This program has been operating for 20 years, and every year enrollment is increasing and parents find they need a place to turn to help their children gain these valuable life lessons.

For many children and adolescents with LD and AD(H)D, interacting and socializing with peers can present an ongoing struggle. The ability to understand social interactions, read facial expressions, perceive and express emotions, and interpret language's more subtle meanings is acquired intuitively at an early age. Those with learning disabilities however, sometimes need help in both developing and understanding these social skills. As they learn, they need a safe and supportive place where they can practice these skills.

Parent Testimonials:

"As a parent, it's hard to watch your child struggle socially. Why does one kid get how to make friends and the other doesn't? The program at the LDATD really helped my teen figure out what they were doing right and what they were doing wrong. Equipped with the appropriate skills, she is doing much better and is much happier at home and at school. Thanks LDATD!"

"I am really thrilled that Carl is part of the social skills group. I realized after he had attended only a few sessions that things were improving and now I feel that he has had a great confidence boost. I noticed some positive changes in how he responds to social situations!"

The group meets once a week after school, and is grouped according to age. During the 1.5 hours they have in our agency they have time to socialize and make new friends, learn a new skill every day, while trained instructors ensure that they keep up with past skills learned.

For more information please contact Nicole Levy at 416-229-1680

LD Month - A Profile of Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill was born on November 30, 1874. Churchill suffered from a prominent speech impediment, which he worked consistently to overcome. Throughout much of his life, Churchill believed he suffered from dyslexia, and struggled all through school. While there is some dispute over whether or not Churchill actually had dyslexia, he still found obtaining an education difficult but was able to overcome the challenges presented to him to become one of the most influential men in British history, and a integral key to the success of the Allies over Nazi Germany during World War II.

Born in Woodstock, Oxfordshire to Lord & Lady Randolph Churchill, the family lived in Dublin for the first part of his early life. Here a governess tried to teach him reading, writing and arithmetic, but Churchill often performed very poorly. In school he was punished for his poor performance, and was under a great deal of pressure to achieve high grades.

In September 1908 he married his wife Clementine Hozier and together they produced 5 children: Diana (1909), Randolph (1911), Sarah (1914), Marigold (1918), and Mary (1922). Unfortunately due to a fatal illness Marigold died at an early age in 1921.

Sir Winston Churchill had an extensive military career, which took him around the world, and landed him several positions in the British Army. He also freelanced as a journalist to write as a correspondent about the conflicts he visited for many daily newspapers. Some of his most notable battles during his early military years included the Spanish fight in Cuba, the Pashtun tribe in Bombay, and the conquest of Sudan.

During his time in the military the Second Boer War broke out between Britain and the Boer Republics in South Africa. During his fight here, he was captured and help prisoner in a POW camp in Pretoria. He managed to escape from the camp, and rejoined the army to take Pretoria.

During the First World War, Churchill became heavily involved in politics and help many positions in government. He won many seats, and advocated on various social policies such as an opposition to military expenditure, free trade, minimum wages and labour exchanges, and the creation of taxes on the wealthy for the development of a social welfare program. He became Secretary of State for War, and began the development of the tank.

One of the greatest mistakes in Churchill's life was the decision of the Conservative Party to return Britain to the Gold Standard. This resulted in deflation, unemployment and a miner's strike. It also resulted in Churchill's political isolation for many years.

Although in exile, Churchill remained an avid advocate of warning against the dangers of Hitler. He consistently opposed giving Germany the right to military parity with France, and campaigned for rearmament against the Nazis. During his time in exile, Churchill still had many contacts in the government, and was often consulted on confidential matters.

On the day that Britain declared war on Germany, Churchill was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty and a member of the War Cabinet. During his position in the War Cabinet Churchill advocated a pre-emptive occupation of Norway, but it was shot down by other members. Germany soon invaded Norway and gained strategic control in Europe. After this failure King George VI appointed Churchill to Prime Minister

Churchill was an early recognizer of the threat of Hitler, and was not willing to negotiate peace with Germany. He used long, inspirational speeches, and didn't shield the public to the facts of the war. Britain was prepared for a long war, and were convinced that a peaceful resolution was not an option.

Churchill maintained good relations with the United States, and this relationship encouraged President Roosevelt to send vital food and supplies up to Britain during the war. Churchill also managed to maintain relations with the Soviet Union. Although he did not support communism, he once famously stated: "If Hitler invaded Hell, I would at least make a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons." British supplies and tanks were provided to help the Soviet Union during occupation.

Due to Churchill's strong military background, a passion to never step down, and his ability to empower his people, in 1944 the Allied forces invaded Normandy, which ultimately pushed the Nazis back into Germany. In 1945 Germany surrendered, and the Allied Forces won the war.

After the war, Churchill was defeated in the next election. While the people of Britain admired and respected Churchill, they did not believe the same man who led them in war would be suitable to lead them in peace. Churchill served as the Leader of the Opposition for 6 years until he was re-elected as Prime Minister in 1951. In 1955 he retired after a series of strokes left him weak and quite ill.

On January 15, 1965 he suffered a massive stroke, and died 9 days later on January 24, 1965.

In addition to Churchill's extensive military and political career, he was also a very prominent writer. During his life he wrote over 40 pieces of literature, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his works.

Churchill was an inspirational man, who although had his struggles and challenges remained true to his character and never let social pressures change his opinion of what is right and wrong. His strong leadership, and unwillingness to compromise in the face of adversary was essential to the Allied Forces success during the Second World War, and is a part of history that shapes the way the world is today. Although Churchill never overcame his speech impediment, and struggled with learning throughout his life, Churchill was able to build a legacy that will live on forever.


Churchill Quotes:

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on."



"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential"

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen"

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill

LD Month - Profile of Albert Einstein.

October is LD Awareness Month. In an attempt to raise awareness to Learning Disabilities, we will be publishing short biographies and quotes from various famous people with Learning Disabilities.

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879. He struggled quite a bit in school, however grew up to be one of the most brilliant men in the history of humanity. Albert suffered from Dyslexia, and was often put down by his peers, and told by his teachers that he would no amount to anything.

Born in Ulm, in the Kingdom of Wurttemberg, in the German Empire, Einstein was a Jewish-German who overcame his struggles to develop the theory of relativity, and many other breakthroughs in the physics world. He was often regarded as the father of modern physics, and by his death he had published over 300 scientific papers.

At a young age Albert moved to Munich, were his father founded a company that manufactured electrical equipment. As he grew, Einstein build models and mechanical devices for fun, and began to show a talent for mathematics. He was awareded his PhD in 1905, and published four groundbreaking papers in the same year on photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, special relativity and the equivalence of matter and energy.

By 1908 he was recognized in the world as a leading scientist. He became a full professor at Karl-Ferdinand University in Prague in 1911. In 1921, we was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.

Throughout his life, Einstein took the opportunity to travel at first throughout the United States, and then through Asia and Palestine. he took pride in visiting many scientific, intellectual and political figures around the world.

In 1933 with the rise of the Nazis, Einstein emigrated to the United States. He had learned that the new German government had passed a law barring Jews from holding any official positions, including teaching. When the Nazi book burnings began, Einstein's works were among the books being destroyed. Einstein took up a position at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where he worked until his death.

One great mistake Einstein stated during his lift, was the initiation of the Manhattan Project. Just before World War II broke out, Einstein and a few colleagues who had fled Germany felt it was their responsibility to inform the American government that German scientists were working to build an Atomic Bomb. Einstein wrote a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt to warn him of this possibility, and to recommend that the U.S. government become involved in uranium research. This letter resulted in the U.S. to enter the race to develop the bomb, and actually became the only country to develop it during WWII.

In 1940, Einstein became an American citizen. On April 18, 1955 he died of an abdominal aortic aneurysm at the age of 76.

Throughout his life Einstein made great strides in the formation of modern physics. He struggled with his Learning Disability and overcame the challenges it presented to become one of the most brilliant, successful, and well-known scientist to date.

"A question that sometimes drives me haze: am I or are the others crazy?"~ Albert Einstein

"A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new" ~Albert Einstein

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius - and lots of courage to move in the opposite direction" ~Albert Einstein

"Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school" ~Albert Einstein

"Few are those who see with their ow eyes and feel with their own hearts" ~Albert Einstein.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein 

It's that time of the year again!

Well not quite, but with 4 weeks left, summer is winding down and it is almost time to think about back to school! Our summer camp program is doing wonderfully, and children are enjoying every moment of it. However, once the leaves start changing and the weather grows colder we need to begin to think about the fall.

This year all our wonderful programs are coming back to help your child/youth in every way possible to succeed in the academic and social environment called school. Registration for our Friendship Club, Smart Kidz Tutoring, Keyboarding for Kids and Assistive Technology programs have already begun, and spaces are filling up quickly!

We are also pleased to announce a new set of exciting parent workshops will be taking place this year. The first one is Advocating for Your Child! A must-attend if you are having difficulties working the system to provide the best accommodations for your child possible.

Please give us a call or check out our website for more information on these exciting programs!

Fun in the Sun

Hey Everyone!

WOW! It has been a while. Summer time is here in full force, and our Keyboarding Camp is rocking. Packed sessions every week, children gracing our offices with enthusiasm and a readiness to learn the essentials of Keyboarding.

We are working hard to get our programs up and running for the new school year. One project that is well underway is the planning for our annual charity function. This year we are hosting an exciting Casino Night! Currently our days are spent harassing local businesses for donations and sponsorships.

The event is shaping up and looking to be a fun, exciting night out. :) If you have any questions, feel free to call our office!

An Inspiring Story of a Canadian Success

Hey Everyone, 

Starting today, every Friday we are going to post an interesting mini-biography of someone famous who has learned to overcome the struggles with disabilities that life has thrown at them to make their lives a success. Hopefully, this will inspire others to not give up in the face of challenge and conflict, but to push through and be the best you can be. 

Our first success story is someone who, if you were born here in Canada at least, has impacted all our lives even though his tale of struggle and endurance is often overshadowed by the wonderful tales he likes to tell. 

Robert Munsch was born June 11, 1945 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, although when he became an adult he gave up his American Citizenship to become a Canadian Citizen. He now lives in Guelph, ON. Robert has suffered from dyslexia as well as bi-polar disorder and substance abuse. The beloved children's author struggled to get through grade school, and by the time he was completed had skill not mastered the ability to spell or do simple mental math. 

Even though Robert struggled academically, he was always creative with his words and stories. He constantly wrote poetry throughout his education, although it was done as a personal outlet which he never thought much about. 

After further education and a period studying to be a Jesuit priest, Robert began to work at an orphanage, and then moved onto a day care. It was here that Robert discovered the trick to nap time. Exciting and engaging stories. Robert began making up many stories, although he never really wrote any down or made an attempt to sell them. They were merely for the amusement of the children in the room. 

Eventually, Robert was persuaded to turn one of his stories into a book, which soon became Mud Puddle. Mud Puddle sold 3000 copies in its first year. This initial success paved the road for Robert to go on to publish 54 books over time, and LOVE YOU FOREVER has become the number one children's book in North America with over 18,000,000 copies sold.

But Robert's road was not always one paved with butterflies and sunshine. Struggling to overcome his Learning Disability throughout school was a challenge, and later when he discovered his manic-depressive tendencies the path ahead of him seemed dark. 

The book Purple, Green and Yellow tells the story of a little girl who draws on herself with "super-indelible-never-come-off-till-you're-dead-and-maybe-even-later colouring markers". When the mother washes her, she is horrified to discover that she is now invisible. The little girl solves this problem by colouring herself back in. Robert Munsch has expressed that this book is his portrayal of what it is like to live with depression. The feeling of losing yourself, but having to paint the picture of perfection to present to the world. Depression is a very challenging time, where even with proper support one feels alone and helpless.

To cope with his later diagnosed bi-polar disorder, Robert developed a severe addiction to substances such as alcohol and cocaine. This took him down a increasingly darker path until Robert was able to get the help he needed in the form of therapy and antidepressants. 

Eventually Robert overcame the demons and began to enjoy life again. The treatment opened his eyes to how life can be without depression weighing him down. He is still writing new books, and loves interacting with the children he meets along his travels. Now Robert is an advocate for speaking out against the stigmatization of mental illness. 

Robert worked hard to overcome the challenges presented by his chemical imbalance, and with his success he has inspired children all over the world with his stories. Robert Munsch is a true Canadian success story of how determination and a passion for life can pull you through any obstacle.

Computer Camp for Kids

Hello everyone,

Registration for our exciting Computer Camp program is well underway. The spaces are filling up quickly, and we are very excited to begin our new summer programming. Starting on July 4th we will get our first group of kids, excited to learn the wonderful tools the computer has to offer.

We are looking forward to an exciting, challenging and rewarding summer and hope all the children who attend our program have an amazing time. If you are interested, feel free to check out our website or give us a call :)

We would love to hear from you,

Have a good summer!

~LDATD!

High School Exam Prep!

Summer is almost here! We are all preparing for a couple wonderful months of playing in the sun, lazy beach days and vacations far away. However, before that can begin, high school students everywhere must get through the most difficult and stressful time of the school year. Exams and culminating activities!

With the prospects of fun in the summer sun just around the corner, it could be quite difficult for any student to sit in a library and get cracking on all the material they have learned throughout the semester. Here at Learning Disabilities Association we have a solution! Our High School Exam Prep starts this Sunday at 10am. Come in and have a chance to get 4 solid study hours down each day for the next two Sunday's. Our trained tutors will work with students to ensure they fully grasp all material concepts before heading into exams. In a fun, non-pressure environment this opportunity will ensure success over the exam period and allow students to put the stress of finals behind them, and look to the exciting holidays ahead.

Call today to register for our High School Exam Prep!

Exciting Summer Programming!

Hey Everyone!

Here at Learning Disabilities Association Toronto District we are proud to announce an exciting summer camp designed to teach children aged 8-15 the essentials of Keyboarding and Assistive Technology Software. This camp, which offers a choice between a half day Keyboarding class, or a full day program with the Assistive Technology in the afternoon, is designed to provide a comfortable and receptive environment where children can acquire skills necessary to succeed in the technological era.

The camp runs from 9:30-3:00pm, with the half-day program finishing at 12:00pm. The camp is designed to be friendly, interactive and keep the children who attend entertained and engaged all week long.

For more information on the Summer Camp, please call us at 416-229-1680. Spaces are filling up fast, so take this time to register!

Exciting New Social Opportunity!

Hey everyone!

I have created this new blog as a chance for people to come together and discuss the various difficulties that life with a Learning Disability, or with a child with a learning disabilities can bring. The challenges that arise when walking down this path are numerous and vary between each exceptional situation. Our agency is one that works with the parents, children, youth and adults to overcome these social, emotional and professional challenges to allow each individual to thrive in the world around them. We offer many services for people of all ages, and constant support for those who feel ready to give up and throw in the towel. Every person is special and unique, and we never forget this at our agency. Please feel free to let me know what topics you would like to see discussed in the challenge of overcoming learning disabilities and AD(H)D

~Victoria Green, Outreach Coordinator.