The 7 Essential Virtues of Moral Intelligence - Virtue 3 SELF-CONTROL

Virtue 3 - Self- Control

This virtue helps students restrain their impulses and think before they act so that they behave right and are less likely to make rash choices with potentially dangerous outcomes.  This is the virtue that helps kids become self-reliant because they know they can control their actions.  It is also the virtue that motivates generosity and kindness because it helps kids put aside what would give them immediate gratification and stirs their conscience to do something for someone else instead.

Reprinted with permission from Dr. Michele Borba - www. micheleborba.com

The 7 Essential Virtues of Moral Intelligence - Virtue 2 - CONSCIENCE

Virtue 2 - Conscience

This is the strong inner voice that helps students decide right from wrong and stay on the moral path, zapping them with a dose of guilt whenever they stray.  It fortifies our youth against forces countering goodness and enables them to act right even in the face of temptation.  It is the cornerstone for the development of the crucial virtues of honesty, responsibility, and integrity.

Reprinted with permission from Dr. Michele Borba - http://www.micheleborba.com/

The 7 Essential Virtues of Moral Intelligence - Virtue 1 - EMPATHY

Virtue 1 - Empathy

This is the core moral emotion that allows students to identify with other people's feelings.  This virtue helps kids become more sensitive to the needs and feelings of others, be more likely to help those whe are hurt or troubled, and treat others more compassionately.  It is also the powerful moral emotion that urges kids to do what is right because they can recognize the impact of emotional pain on others, stopping them from acting cruelly.

Reprinted with permission from Dr. Michele Borba - http://www.micheleborba.com/

The 7 Essential Virtues of Moral Intelligence

Over the next number of days I will be posting a new virtue everyday.  These are reprinted with permission by Dr. Michele Borba - http://www.micheleborba.com/  and are from her book Building Moral Intelligence 

Moral Intelligence consists of seven essential virtues:  empathy, conscience, self-control, respect, kindness, tolerance, and fairness - that help kids navigate through the ethical challenges and pressures they will inevitably face throughout life.  These core virtues are what give students the moral bearings by which to stay on the path of goodness and to help them behave morally.  Here are the seven virtues that will nurture a lifelong sense of decency in your youth.

We will be adding 1 virtue a day.......keep tuned!

Tips for Parents

Providing Structure
- Get ready for school before going to bed
- Establish a predictable daily routine
- Use a visual schedule of daily activities
- Have a firm bedtime routine
- Five advance warning when an activity will be ending
- Insist child finish one task before proceeding to another

Behaviour
- Teach child to "Stop and Think" before acting to control impulsivity
- Redirect behaviour, intervene before behaviour escalates
- Model and practice positive peer interactions with your child
- Use a kitchen timer for the task reluctant child
- Use a sticker chart to reinforce positive behaviour
- Give child choices when you want something done
- List problem solving strategies on the fridge and cue child to use them

Discipline
- Set limits and consistently follow them
- Use only those consequences you are willing to follow through with
- Spend time talking about cause and effect relationships
- Use time out when your child's behaviour becomes excessive
- Don't argue with your child about your house rules
- Notice when your child is doing well or behaving appropriately

Arrowsmith Program

What the Arrowsmith Program accomplishes for students with learning disabilities:

- Builds and strengthens cognitive processes that are necessary for more effective learning
- Trains visual and auditory memory as well as attention and concentration
- Improves fine motor skills necessary for writing and note-taking
- Strengthens working memory, processing speed and cognitive efficiency
- Strengthens executive functions
- Builds the capacity of both verbal and non-verbal thinking, reasoning and problem solving

For more information on the Arrowsmith Program please visit their website at  http://www.arrowsmithschool.org/

For information on the Arrowsmith Program at the Learning Disabilities Association of Saskatchewan please contact Dale Rempel at (306) 652-4116

Michele Borba: 6 Surprising Changes That May Help #ADHD Kids in School

Please click on the link below to read the article

Michele Borba: 6 Surprising Changes That May Help #ADHD Kids in School

Suggested Readings for Parenting

- Maybe You Know My Kid - By Mary Cahill Fowler

- 1-2-3 Magic! Effective Discipline for Children 2-12 - By Dr. Thomas Phelan

Suggested Readings for Children with ADHD

- Shelly the Hyperactive Turtle (ages 4-7) - By Deborah Moss

- Sometimes I Drive My Mom Crazy But I Know She's Crazy About Me (ages 5-12) - By Lawrence Shapiro

- Putting On The Breaks (ages 8-12) - By Patricia Quin, MD and Judith Stern, MA

Suggested Readings for Adults with ADHD

- Driven To Distraction - By Edward M Hallowell MD and John J Ratey MD

- You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?! - By Kate Kelly and Peggy Rammundo

Suggested Readings for ADHD Adolescents

- Survival Guide for Teenagers with LD - By Rhoda Cummings, Ed.D, Gary Fisher, Ph.D

- Adolescents and ADD - Gaining The Advantage - By Patricia Quinn

- I Would If I Could - A Teenage Guide to ADHD - By Michael Gordon, Ph.D

We offer Psychoeducational Assessments

What is a Psychoeducational Assessment?
- Assessment of intellectual, academic, behavioural and/or adaptive skills
- Identifies strengths and areas of need
- Can identify:  learning disabilities, giftedness, intellectual deficites
- Can screen for:  ADHD, speech and language difficulties, mood disorders, developmental disorders, etc

How do I know if an assessment is needed?
- experiences academic, behavioural and/or social-emotional difficulties
- struggles with planning, organization, memory, task completion
- may be necessary to access funding (e.g. academic accommodations, assistive technology)

What information does an assessment provide?
- pinpoints strengths, areas of need and provides practical recommendations for managing intellectual, learning, behavioural and/or social-emotional differences

LDAS conducts assessments for both children and adults.  Please contact our offices:  Saskatoon (306) 652-4114 ext 4; Regina (306) 352-5327; and Prince Albert (306) 922-1071 for further information

Dr. Michele Borba - Educator's 1/2 day workshop

LDAS is proud to present Dr. Michele Borba on October 20, 2010

"Building Moral Intelligence:  Integrating Character Into and Boosting Student Respect, Rigor, and Responsibility"

Participants will learn:
- What moral intelligence is, why it is teachable, how it impacts student's behaviour and attitudes
- Troubling trends that confirm our children's character is declining
- The Moral Core of Moral Intelligence:  Empathy, Conscience and Self-Control
- Simple & practical ways to instantly infuse character building into yoru existing curriculum
- How to improve students' self-control, manage anger in healthier ways and solve problems more amicably
- Ways to teach listening that will boost empathy, test scores and retention
- A simple five-step strategy (TEACH Conscience-Builder) to boost students' conscience and your influence
- Ways to use Monthly Character Themes and how one showcase school boosted Respect in their site
- A Five Star Lesson Planner to teach any virtue and examples of how to apply it to teaching kindness
- Empathy builders that reach at-risk students, reactive empathy and mobilize compassion in our youth

Where:  Park Town Hotel - 924 Spadina Cr E, Saskatoon
Time:  9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Cost:  $100/person

Please phone LDAS to register for this event:  652-4114 ext 4

What Every Parent Needs to Know..... - Dr. Michele Borba

LDAS is proud to present Dr. Micele Borba on October 19, 2010

Parenting Evening

What Every Parent Needs to Know to Help Today's Kids Survive and Thrive in Today's New World

Dr. Michele Borba - Award-winning Author and International Speaker on Character Education and Social Development of Children


Where:  Third Avenue United Church:  304 - 3rd Ave N, Saskatoon
Time:  7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Cost:  $15/person

Please phone LDAS to purchase your tickets to this event at 652-4114 ext 4
Tickets will also be avaliable at the door

Fast ForWord Program

LDAS Offers the Fast ForWord Program.  This is a software program that develops the cognitive skills needed to read and learn effectively.  If your child is experiencing difficulty with understanding instructions and questions, finding the right word, pronouncing common words, decoding words, reading and spelling, understanding or finishing long sentences then this program may be the program for you. 

What do Fast ForWord products do?
- Improve essential cognitive skills required for reading and learning.

This program is offered at our Saskatoon location. 

ABSee Reading Program

LDAS offers the ABSee Reading Program.  If your child is experiencing difficult with reading, finds writing a challenge, don't understand what they read, struggle in a specific subject area, have poor self-esteem about shcool then this program is for you! 

What is the ABSee Reading Program?

This is a literacy program aimed at students with learning disabilities and "at-risk" readers.  It is designed to prevent students from "falling through the cracks", and to introduce coping strategies to students with learning disabilities.

The ABSee Reading Program Provides:
- Initial comprehensive testing
- One-on-one instruction
- Strategies for reading and writing
- Self-correction skills
- Strategies to aid with the comprehension process
- An opportunity for students to build on their strengths
- Individualized programming geared to address students' needs and challenges
- Enhanced self-esteem

The ABSee Reading Program is offered in all three of our locations.

Welcome to the LDAS Blog

What is the Learning Disabilities Association?

Our goal is to advance the education, employment, social development, legal rights and general well-being of people with learning disabilities.

The Learning Disabilities Association of Saskatchewan (LDAS) has existed in the province since 1971.  LDAS is a non-profit organization that works at local, provincial, and national levels to promote understanding and improve services for people with LD and ADHD.

We have 3 locations in the province:

Provincial Office
3 - 701 Second Ave N
Saskatoon SK  S7K 2C9
Phone:  (306) 652-4114
Fax:  (306) 652-3220
Email:  reception@ldas.org

Regina Branch
438 Victoria Ave E
Regina SK  S4N 0N7
Phone:  (306) 352-5327
Fax:  (306) 352-2260
Email:  ldas.reginabranch@sasktel.net

Prince Albert Branch
1106 Central Ave
Prince Albert SK  S6V 4V6
Phone:  (306) 922-1071
Fax:  (306) 922-1073
Email:  pabranch1@sasktel.net

We will be updating this blog often with events and all that is happening at our offices.