GreatSchools Acquiring SchwabLearning.org

We are proud to announce that we are acquiring SchwabLearning.org, the highly respected Web site dedicated to helping parents of children with learning and attention problems. You can read the full announcement and check out SchwabLearning.org if you haven't already seen it.

If you ask parents of a child with a learning problem about the difficult journey they've been on, you'll quickly recognize that we have a wonderful new opportunity here to provide a much needed service — and an awesome responsibility. Parents have a profound need for accurate information and empathetic support, whether their child has a specific learning disability, AD/HD or a learning challenge that doesn't qualify for special education. The issues can be complex and the right approach to help a child is not necessarily easy to determine.

SchwabLearning.org has done a great job helping parents for more than a decade. Our challenge is to maintain this excellence and build on it. We have great respect for Charles and Helen Schwab, who took it upon themselves to create this resource, and for the staff members of SchwabLearning.org, who have done a fantastic job bringing the Schwabs' vision to reality.

SchwabLearning.org has made research-based information accessible to parents. We recognize we have a lot to learn in this area, and we're bringing in a new editor and writers with expertise in learning difficulties to help us. We will also create a new advisory council of experts in these issues.

We see this as an exciting opportunity for GreatSchools to bring information, support and advice to an even broader range of parents. We're dedicated to serving more parents as they work through their children's learning challenges. At the same time, we're also going to work to help every parent learn what parents of children with learning difficulties know: Each child is unique, with unique abilities and needs.  All can be empowered to manage their challenges, overcome setbacks and achieve success in their lives.

Drop me a line if you have any thoughts about how we can make the most of this new opportunity: bjackson@greatschools.net . 

Comments

[Make children Successful]

Awesome tips for parents. I'm in search of blogs which have information about parenting. I have a problem with my kid who wastes most of their time playing. My neighbour has helped me to solve this problem by providing a CD of Make children successful which helped my kid to overcome the problem. Now, I am thankful to you for providing more information.

[cobyseven]

Mr. Jackson,

I was an active participant in the Schwab learning community forum. I volunteer my time to help other parents of learning disabled children find resources and have intelligent discussions regarding the issues that they face with education. Issues are many, but most LD kids experience great success if they are provided the ways and means of achieving their potential.

However, in light of recent advice posted by your staffers in your community forum, I can no longer support Great Schools in their endeavors.

Much of the advice tendered by your staffers exhibits a complete lack of understanding about educating children with disabilities.

http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/showarticle/742

I've never read such drivel in my entire life. If this were an isolated incident, I might feel differently.

You should reconsider your efforts if your staff is to continue dispensing advice.

[sanfrancisco mom]

Let's thank the public schools - they are the schools taking the lead in equitable learning for all!

[Liza's Eyeview]

Aloha Bill. I'm commenting here as Liza from Liza's Eyeview but I also am known as LEP at Schwablearning.

First, I'd like to highlight two points you've written that I highly agree:

1)Parents (of kids with LD)have a profound need for accurate information and empathetic support, whether their child has a specific learning disability, AD/HD or a learning challenge that doesn't qualify for special education. The issues can be complex and the right approach to help a child is not necessarily easy to determine.

2) SchwabLearning.org has done a great job helping parents for more than a decade. Our challenge is to maintain this excellence and build on it.

Second, I don't know how you reacted to the last comment (from Concernedmom), but that to me sounds quite discouraging. I just want to encourage you - please keep on your desire to help the families affected by LD and ADHD. Like what the movie Fields of Dream says: "If you build it, they will come". Transition is hard, but once we see the "authentic" concern of this site to help us, parents of kids with LD/ADHD, we will come.

I have a lot to say but I know this is a comment section and I shouldn't write a "novel" here ;)

I guess I'd blog more about my "thoughts and feelings" on this "new home" of our "beloved board".

In the meantime, again, I just want to say "thank you" for giving our board a home and I hope you take on the challenge of building on the excellence that the Schwablearning has established.

[Concernedmom]

Have you read any of the comments over at Schwablearning lately? Your taking what was a wonderful resource for parents and running it into the ground. I predict the new Great Schools learning disabilities forum will be a monumental flop. You've squandered the good will of knowledgeable,long time commentors at Schwablearning, from what I can tell most of them will be going elsewhere, and this wonderful resource will disappear for good. What a shame.

[Terry Bergman]

As a tenured professional in the field, I relied heavily on the reassurance that Schwab Learning used research based evidence whenever available to write articles. Opinions and others experiences can provide interesting perspectives, and I appreciate the need for these resources. But, the access to research under one roof was so valuable! Please strive to continue this tradition.

[Bharat pd Badal]

Education is, was and will the priority of every parents. if parents are lacking on it by money in developing country like Nepal, how do you assist them?
for my more information visit
www.kiki-foundation.org

[Shawna Nielsen]

Bill, Congratulations on acquiring the best chat for parents in need of information about learning issues on the WEB. The resources in parent knowledge are awesome and very willing to share what they have learned in a respectful way free of charge. The work that has gone into the site is emense and it works very seemlessly. The active parents can stay active easily and respond to many different topics and areas by viewing one thread of issues. The ability to work within the site has been fine tuned over many years. I wish my week at GS beta Schwabbies site had been easier. I expected some difficulty but the lack of ability to see the whole entirety of parent requests for info is concerning. I learn volumes just reading what comes along. I fear i won't get that opportunity to learn ahead of my particular issue because I won't go find it on another group i may not feel i fit into.

Another issue that has bogged me down is the number of emails I have recieved. The volume for connecting with friends is making me less confident in your site. I am not sure why that is important. Maybe you could help us to see what value that part of the site is to GS? It makes me feel like it is more of a networking for social purposes site which i am not interested in, than a content driven, educational site that i can mine for my own use.
You have a gold mine of interested parents who want to help you fine tune your Schwab section. Please let us help you.
Maybe a survey is in order to find out what the regulars like the most and what they can't live without???

The comments on Schwab from those of us brave enough to try out GS are not giving any warm fuzzies to the masses at Schwab, and that is too bad. The season does not help with vacations and such, but we could be a powerful support if you respond in a timely manner and ask a few questions.

All the best to you,
momtochase
A dedicated and active mom.

[hello]

First, let me thank you for allowing the Schwabees to have a new home.

The Schwab message board has provided me with the information and support I've needed over the years to advocate for my son. I truly believe this message board played a big role in altering the course of my son's life! I have learned more from this board than any other resource and the support I've received has helped me not to give up in my fight for my son's rights when I think there was any further hope.

I'm not very computer savy, so without the ease of use this board provided, I'm sure I wouldn't have stuck around as long as I have without the format being as it is.

I'm saying a little prayer, that you too will see the value in it's arrangment and keep the format at GreatSchools similar.

Thanks for all you're doing to help so many children!!!

[dhfl143]

I am so pleased that you have offered to carry on the torch that SchwabLearning first lit. I think that GreatSchools (GS) will provide an excellent opportunity to raise public awareness to all parents. GS is in an excellent position to educate and inform parents empowering them to help children now.

I hope that you will consider developing a "Great Room" concept and direct interested parties to its location to allow former "SchwabLearning Mesaage Board Members" to be as responsive to GS inquiries as we were at SchwabLearning. With so many areas to post, it is difficult to track and be as responsive as we once were.

SchwabLearning allowed me to quickly and efficiently (in five minutes or less) to see and monitor a large volume of posts, to see what had been newly posted since my last visit, review any responses to "my" posts, and respond. Even with the limited number of postings in the beta site, the time required to monitor, review, and repond is considerably greater. It would be a shame to loose the experience and expertise of parents who could help due to the complexity of finding, tracking and responding to posts.

We appreciate having a new place to call home and appreciate your concern for all parents and children.

[Ann Terry]

How do I get to the actual Schwab interchange on this site? I don't see a way to get there from the main page other than through Bill's Blog. I joined the Beta group but I can't tell what that means. How do I find it?

[healthy11]

Hi, Bill. First of all, thank you for your willingness to "carry on" what the Schwab's have started. I realize that the www.Schwablearning.org site won't be operational for much longer, but if you haven't already done so, I'd encourage you to register over there, and spend a few minutes navigating through various conversations. You'll be amazed at the ease with which it can be done.[The "Search all Discussions for (type in keywords)" is one of my favorite features, to look up past conversations about almost any topic.]

Once you have an idea of how smoothly the old Schwablearning site functions, I'd like to invite you, and anyone else who is interested, to please join the "Schwabbie" subgroup that's part of GreatSchools. Only then will the many comments and suggestions for improvement that we've made make "sense" to you.

Again, thank you for your willingness to continue what the Schwab's started, and to help parents ensure that their children all get Great Educations!

[Kimberly]

Bill,
I have used Schwablearning's website for many years. It is a great source of information for parents and students with learning challenges. It is wonderful to see that two of my favorite websites will be under one "roof". Keep up the good work with both websites.

[Maria Gregori]

Please try to keep the Schwablearning website as true to it's original format as possible. Also, please use the same resources/ authors for articles. I can't begin to express how many times I have referred to the Schwab website for help and guidance it has truly been a God sent.I will miss them dearly. They did an outstanding job and my hopes are that you can continue their legacy. Thank you for taking this on, I wish you the best of luck.