During the four years Fiona was in The Thrive Program, her self-confidence blossomed. She went from hating to read, to using her allowance to buy novels! She made friends in the school at large and participated in many activities, from student leadership to extra-curricular sports. THRIVE was a wonderful program for her.

Janet Smith-Hamilton
THRIVE Parent
August 2006

WHAT'S THRIVE ALL ABOUT?

While far from perfect, our public school system generally works pretty well. Many of today's teachers are extremely dedicated to their work and make great efforts to include and educate all of their students -- regardless of need and often with little outside help. THRIVE strongly supports the notion that most kids can find success in regular classes.

Yet, today's teachers still face many pressures:

• crowded classrooms filled with kids whose needs often differ greatly from one another
• demanding curricula, high-stakes testing and a heavy paperwork load
• textbooks and learning resources that are frequently out-dated or in poor condition
• limited resources to assist with ESL and special needs integration

To be sure, there are many kids who struggle with school -- and many reasons for those difficulties! And an alternative classroom like ours is not for most of them!

By contrast, THRIVE is specifically suited to help one particular kind of student: those who seem to show lots of potential yet still end up falling behind their peers in key areas. When this kind of profile is first noticed in a child, schools typically respond with some kind of pullout support. They will adjust expectations to help the child find more success and may even develop a unique IEP. Many parents will also seek out private tutoring.

If these kinds of approaches don't solve the problem, frustration will usually begin to build and "the experts" will be called in. If IQ tests show at least normal intelligence, the child's academic struggles may well point to the presence of a learning disability such as dyslexia. It is a puzzling fact that the brains of some obviously bright children process information in unusual ways -- sometimes making "formal academic learning" more difficult.

If further efforts still don't result in greater success, it may be time to try something different for awhile! And that's where THRIVE fits in!   With fewer students than mainstream classes, we work hard to deliver creative, individualized programs that get these kinds of kids' skills and confidence growing fast! We use research-proven strategies and emphasize the use of assistive technologies that empower kids to take control of their own learning.

Want to know more? Read our FAQ, check out our Team or browse through our glossary of some important terms.