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Frequently Asked Questions

Why was ICOL founded?

The Integrated Centre for Optimal Learning was founded by three forward - thinking educators who dreamed of starting a centre to help children with learning difficulties. They combined their knowledge and expertise from teaching and providing counselling to children and teens, to develop an integrated approach to helping children learn. Understanding the ability of the brain to change, the heart/brain connection and how movement creates the vehicle for neurological change were key concepts which formed the foundation for ICOL.

What causes learning difficulties?

There are a number of causes of learning difficulties for children/teens today. For some children it is an inability to integrate the sensory information which is coming into their brain. For others it is due to toxins which may have created neurological processing issues. For others they may have experienced some kind of head or physical trauma which damaged the brain or restricted movements during key developmental stages. Other children have experienced significant emotional traumas which have created anxiety and stress which blocks their ability to focus and use their energy for learning.

How does ICOL use brain/body/energy connection to enhance learning?

At ICOL we use the latest in brain and learning research, Emotional Intelligence and an in depth understanding of the brain/body/energy connection plus years of teaching experience to put together an integrated approach which facilitates the growth of the neural connections needed in the brain to make learning fun and efficient. The founding partners opened ICOL the beginning of October in 2004 and have been working steadily with children, teens and young adults since that time. We are excited to see the positive ways we can make a difference in children & teens lives through our proven techniques.

What steps are necessary to become involved with ICOL?

Any one who is concerned about their child/teenager is welcome to phone ICOL to ask questions or to set up an intake interview. Since our program is very different than a traditional tutoring approach, others find it helpful to see it in action. Please phone Sandra Milne or Jan Yordy to set up any observation times. We will also be glad to answer questions you may have about our assessment process or the learning programs offered.

If ready to move forward, the next step is to conduct an intake interview with Jan Yordy or Sandra Milne to gather background information. Following the intake interview we recommend three unique learning assessments to help us understand the child/teen’s blocks to learning. (Times to conduct those assessments can be scheduled at the intake interview.) We also may recommend that the parents set up an appointment with a nutritionist and bioenergetic specialist to understand confusing health issues which may be impacting learning. This may provide information about some changes needed in the child’s diet, supplements which may be helpful or information about removing toxins such as heavy metals or chemicals which often are stored in the fat cells in the brain. Once the assessment process is completed, we meet again with the parents to share what we have learned about their child plus our recommendations for setting up an individualized brain training program for their son or daughter. If the parents decide to proceed with our program for growing the neural connections, we set up a mutually preferred time to meet with their child or teenager. Most children begin a weekly brain training session which last for an hour although in some cases a different approach is recommended.

How do you assess a child's abilities?

Depending on the age of the child we offer 3 assessments for understanding the way your child’s brain is processing.

Analyzing and integrating the information from all three of these assessments is what informs us about where your child/teen may be blocked and need our brain training program to fire up their brain.

What if my child has already had prior extensive testing such as a Psychoeducational Assessment or some other type of speech, language or hearing assessment?

We understand that some parents have already spent money, time and energy to understand their child’s learning needs. We welcome reports from previous assessments and may be able to gain valuable insights into your child’s processing issues from them. However the assessments may not contain enough of the specific information we need in order to design their individualized brain training program. We find it extremely helpful for all children to participate in a Brain Dominance Profile. The Structures of Intellect and Learning Style Analysis may or may not be optional depending on the age and types of problems your child is experiencing learning. We are open to discussing what assessments are needed at the intake interview.

Can you tell me more about the one hour individualized Brain Training sessions and why they are helpful?

Each session begins with several energy balancing, brain tune up exercises. We want to help your child become energetically grounded and present, create coherent brain processing as well as connect up the three different dimensions of the brain/body. Brain Gym’s PACE is incorporated into the warm up process and is often carried out while the child is standing on a balance board to insure integrated brain connections. Following the Brain Warm Up a series of fun, movement activities are carried out while standing on a balance board, mini trampoline, balance beam, computer or drumming on an exercise ball. For the next 20 to 25 minutes the brain is further stimulated by doing specific perceptual motor activities while balancing, jumping, spinning, catching or tapping. Typically children and teens find this fun and enjoyable!

The second half of the Brain Training session usually involves some type of Structure of Intellect booklets which are specifically designed to stimulate weak connections in the brain. Some key Brain Gym exercises such as drawing Lazy 8’s or Double Doodles may also be included to further develop eye/hand coordination and fine motor control. If appropriate, the child’s homework may be incorporated into this time to enhance the child’s abilities to see how ICOL’s activities connect to his academic learning. Coaching your child to be successful in school is part of our goal.

How long should we expect it to take to grow our child’s neural connections and ability to integrate the sensory information?

Each child is unique and will develop at his or her own rate of speed. Because we are growing neural pathways, it does take time to establish efficient processing. We ask parents to start with a three month commitment to see what kind of changes are visible within that time. In many cases the child will need six or nine months to change the inefficient processing. For other children who lack the neural wiring and/or the sensory integration skills they may need a year or two to complete the brain/body connections. If your child has considerable neurological issues, expect it to take longer. For every child a healthy diet plus proper nutritional supplements will facilitate brain processing. Getting enough exercise and plenty of sleep will also help create emotional stability and improve brain functioning. Some children also need assistance to remove toxins from their brain/body before the brain processing significantly improves. Avoiding a diet with trans fats, sugary treats, chemicals, pesticides and unnecessary preservatives and food coloring makes sense for all children. You may also want to investigate some ways to cut down on the amount of Electromagnetic Frequencies (EMFs) your child is exposed to. Spending hours playing computer and video games or watching tons of TV is also not good for developing minds. It may actually take your child/teen longer to improve healthy brain processing.

What age of children/teens benefit the most from coming to ICOL?

ICOL has successfully worked with children as young as four as well students involved in high school or university programs. (We have also helped several adults who have had a lifetime of issues.) Since we design individualized learning programs based on our knowledge of brain functioning and sensory integration, we can work effectively with any age of individual to extinguish inefficient brain patterns and to grow neural connections. The neural plasticity of the brain, given the correct stimulus and movement activities is some of the cutting edge research information we base our work on here at ICOL.

Is there anything we as parents can do to help our child progress more efficiently in growing the neural connections?

Observing what we do with your child will give you a better idea of how you can assist your child at home. Incorporating Brain Gym into your daily routines, taking every opportunity to make learning fun, and modeling positive ways of dealing with your emotions are good parenting strategies to build on. Some children need the opportunity to process emotional trauma, upsetting feelings or to grow their positive attachment to their parents/caregivers to feel safe enough to focus for learning. For these children as they release the emotional blocks their brain is able to change inefficient processing. Stressed and emotionally upset children have a much harder time learning. For those parents who are interested in improving their parenting techniques or for helping their children to process unresolved feelings, Jan Yordy, a caring and experienced therapist is available to set up appointments at her private practice within ICOL. To reach Jan Yordy you are welcome to call 519-664-3568.