Educational Therapy Program

As a home schooling veteran of 17+ years, it has been my observation that when it comes to home students with learning difficulties, learning disabilities, or special needs, home schoolers often feel stranded, helpless, and alone. Home schools do not have access to special education departments or on-staff specialists to pinpoint the needs of non-traditional learners. I have always found this frustrating.

About a year ago I was introduced to "educational therapy" through the Home School Legal Defense Alliance. Educational therapy is a supplementary program designed to help students with learning difficulties who have experienced frustration and/or failure in their school work. Educational therapy uses intervention techniques in one-on-one, twice weekly, educational sessions with the student. The focus of the intense individual therapy sessions is on continual stimulation and development of the deficit areas of perception, basic skills, and critical thinking skills.

I was so impressed with the distinctives of this therapy and the benefits for students, particularly for home school and private school students who seldom have access to professional help, that I decided to pursue training as an educational therapist.

Please note that educational therapy is not tutoring. Tutoring attempts to re-teach classroom material that a student did not master in class without addressing the underlying causes of the student's inability to master the material in the first place. Educational therapy, on the other hand, addresses the underlying causes of the student's inability. There is a big difference.

In contrast to many special education programs which simply teach a child how to "cope" with their learning difficulties, educational therapists work with students to actually "overcome" their disabilities. Of course, each student's learning challenges must be evaluated individually, but for many, overcoming these learning challenges is a reachable goal.

For parents of children who struggle to learn, finding effective intervention can be a challenge. As an educational therapist, I implement techniques for learning that offer hope. My goal is to equip students with learning difficulties and disabilities to succeed academically, and in life, as independent learners.

For a free consultation, please contact:

Lorri Wilke
Educational Therapist
Joliet, IL
815-744-7759
815-744-7759
lorriwilke@sbcglobal.net