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Solving Math Equations

Grade Problems

Definition

When students are executing poorly, there might be a number of reasons that may cause or contribute to the issue.  It may be due to emotional issues, lack of motivation, sleep disorder, prolonged sickness that has left the student behind in content, poor instruction, a learning disability diagnosed or not, a neurological disability diagnosed or not, and/or not having the necessary cognitive skills for efficient learning.  The traditional approach has been to look for tutoring or educational approaches that are content related.  Nonetheless, why couldn't the student learn in the classroom at the required pace?  Why did he/she require additional time, additional exposure, additional repetition?  It is typically rooted in poorer cognitive skills which are also linked to learning disabilities and neurological disorders.  A study from the NIH establishes that 80% of the time is related to cognitive skills.  Therefore, while most of the time what is sought after is to repeat and repeat what has not sunk in yet - content (tutoring), what is needed is to improve skills required for learning and executing (cognitive skills).  The traditional approach of tutoring results in a student that most probably requires tutoring throughout the rest of his academic life or most of it. Many times, it is a combination of training cognitive skills to strength the ability to learn and then, with more efficient learning capability, repeat content through punctual tutoring.  

Parents and/or teachers are usually the first to
notice academic difficulties. IQRx provides a series of alternatives to strengthen academic achievement.  Our brain training program, BrainRx, is the cornerstone of the process.  BrainRx provides a professional cognitive skills evaluation to pinpoint the cause of academic difficulties. The tests measure all cognitive skills - including memory, processing speed, visual
and auditory processing, logic and reasoning, and
attention.   Our brain training program includes training of all cognitive skills as well as an additional program to focus on reading skills.  In addition, IQRx offers tutoring to be able to fill in the content and knowledge gaps of what was not efficiently learned from the beginning.  With better cognitive skills, learning will be more efficient.  Therefore, the gaps are filled in less tutoring sessions and tutoring is no longer needed.  In addition, IQRx also offers a Studying and Memory Techniques Workshop where students can learn or fine tune studying techniques.  

Causes & Consequences IQRx

 Characteristics

Grades are below average or what is expected while the student could be experiencing difficulties with any of these in addition to others:

  • Concentrating, sustaining attention, filtering distractions and/or multitasking

  • Remembering - requires multiple repetition of content and can still forget it when being tested

  • Reading fluently: skips words, lines, switches words for similar ones, reverses letters or order

  • Comprehending what was read

  • Remembering details or establishing chronological order

  • Synthesizing

  • Writing: incurs in spelling mistakes, does not use punctuation marks, sentences are not always complete 

  • Elaborating coherent paragraphs or an essay: ideas are all scattered when writing

  • Organizing thoughts and communicating them clearly

  • Copying from blackboard and/or taking notes

  • Finishing work on time, needs extra time

  • Starting a task and/or avoids those that seem difficult and/or procrastinates

  • Executing multiple or complex instructions without need of repetition

  • Recalling information

  • organization: misplaces keys, homework, etc.

  • Following directions

  • Executing tasks that require multiple steps

  • Visualizing

  • Planning & problem solving

  • executing math problems: still uses fingers to add or substract, makes simple mistakes, cannot understand, issues with solving verbal math problems

Treatment

Evaluation: Professional evaluation to rule out any learning disability, neurological or cognitive disorder.

Brain Training: Cognitive skills training attacks the root causes of learning and execution issues by strengthening weak cognitive skills, like short-term, long-term, and working memory as well as attention, visual and auditory processing, processing speed and logic and reasoning.

Unlike tutoring, which focuses on specific academic subjects (like history), cognitive skills training treats the causes of learning struggles to help children, teens, and adults excel in school, sports, the workplace, and extracurricular activities (like sports, music, art, and dance).

IQRx Cognitive Training Programs Include:

      BrainRx

      ReadRx

      Accelerate

      Combo Programs

At IQRx, while we do not provide diagnoses, the fact is that many of our students come to us with previous diagnoses.  We help children and adults with these issues because we address the cognitive deficits that are commonly linked to the diagnosis. In fact, our brain training programs strengthen all critical cognitive skills, which is why children and adults with different diagnoses who go through our program, experience such significant improvements in school, work, and life.

Targeted Tutoring after Training: Once the student has improved and efficient cognitive skills required for learning and executing as expected, IQRx can close the gap of knowledge content of what was not previously learned efficiently through targeted tutoring.  These sessions will only be temporary until the student reaches the appropriate level of content.

 

  • Math Tutoring​

  • Spanish Tutoring

  • English Tutoring

  • Reading

  • Other Courses (per class)

Studying Techniques: IQRx can also provide studying skills necessary for success through individual sessions or group workshop of our Studying Habits and Memorization Techniques (TEM: Técnicas de Estudio y Memoria).  This program should be completed once the student has improved learning skills through brain training in order to obtain the greatest benefit and ensure that the student can in fact apply everything learned.  Once learning is maximized, IQRx can teach the student how to organize, plan, manage time, prepare for tests, take notes, prepare reviews, and different memorization techniques to support their studying process.  TEM can be acquired through individualized one on one sessions, a group workshop, or a group workshop paired with individualized coaching.

Nutrition: You might also want to consider improving nutrition by limiting the intake of foods containing non-organic dyes.  Controlling sugar consumption can also be helpful as well as supplementing with Omegas.  Including plenty of varied fruits and vegetables as well as non-processed foods is key to brain health.  Ensuring appropriate hydration is also essential for brain function and overall health.  IQRx works with our Juice Plus partners in improving nutrition and a healthy lifestyle (mdevarona.juiceplus.com).  IQRx counts with support of a licensed nutritionist for additional consultations when needed.

Exercise: Physical exercise is also effective to manage some symptoms and overall brain health.  Exercise has been found to reduce brain cell loss, reduce risk of depression and anxiety, and help you sleep better.  Exercising regularly increases blood flow therefore achieving better brain oxygenation.  Children should exercise 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous exercise including bone and muscle training at least 3 days a week.  Adults should exercise at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise (or 75 of vigorous exercise) and muscle strengthening twice a week.

Sleep Habits: Getting the proper amount of sleep is known to optimize mental functioning.  While sleeping, the brain is regenerating neurons and consolidating memory.  There are tables to offer guidance as to how much sleep is needed per age.  In general, preschoolers (3 - 5 years old) require 10 - 13 hours a day including naps.  Elementary students (6 - 12 years old) need 9 - 12 hours a day.  Teenagers (13 - 18) need 8 - 10 hours a day and adults (> 18 years old) require at least 7 hours a day.  There are natural ways to ensure proper sleep health such as using aromatherapy, essential oils, specific teas, white noise, ensuring no electronics are emitting light, removing mobile phones and other electronics from the room or not keeping them nearby, using melatonin.  

Protecting the Brain: Wear helmets when riding bicycles, motorcycles, mopeds, horses, etc., and when playing contact sports like football or rugby.  Protect the brain from chemical contaminants in the environment as well as in food or by avoiding drugs, cigarette, and alcohol consumption.​​

Helpful Resources

All Kinds of Minds
http://allkindsofminds.org

National Center for Learning Disabilities
http://www.ncld.org


Learning Disabilities Association of America
http://ldaamerica.org

LD Online

http://ldonline.org

“I have 2 daughters, Nikita (16) and Tanishqa (10). Both the girls enjoy going for their training as their trainers seem to make it fun. The most obvious change I have noticed in Nikita is her improved memory and her improved coordination. The training has made her more confident. Tanishqa was very dependent on me for many things like getting ready for school, doing her homework and projects, etc. After her training, she has become much more independent, plans her day well and does her homework on her own. She says she can multi-task better and solve exercises in class faster.”

 

— Mother of two BrainRx students

Brain Training Results

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