Jan. 25, 2007 — Nationally renowned family psychologist and author John Rosemond will be conducting a series of workshops on Feb. 2 and 3 geared toward helping both parents and teachers deal with issues surrounding difficult children. The workshops, which will be held at V.I. Montessori School, are open to the public.
A nationally syndicated columnist and family psychologist since 1971, Rosemond's articles appear in more than 200 newspapers nationwide.
The first workshop, entitled “Working with Parents of Problem Students,” will be geared toward teachers, counselors, school psychologists and other education professionals. This teacher workshop will be held Friday, Feb. 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost will be $45 per person, including lunch.
A workshop for parents will be held the following Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. The subjects will be “Assuming the Power of Parenthood” and “Parenting the Strong-Willed Child.” The cost will be $25 per person.
Seating is limited. Advance tickets may be purchased in person at the school, which is located at 6936 Vessup Lane, St. Thomas.
Tickets may also be purchased using a credit card by calling (340) 775-6360. Walk-ins will be welcomed as long as seating is available.
For more information, call VI Montessori School, (340) 775-6360.
An unedited outline of the workshops, provided in a release from V.I. Montessori School, is included below:
“Working with Parents of Problem Students” (Feb. 2)
This is a teaching in-service for teachers, counselors, school psychologists and other education professionals. It is consistently rated as “the best in-service I have ever attended.” The emphasis throughout is on practical, field-tested strategies for assigning full responsibility for classroom behavior and academic performance to the underachieving/problem child.
Areas covered include:
1. Approaching the “Reluctant” Parent: There are more parents who have a reputation for being defensive and uncooperative than there are parents who are actually defensive and uncooperative. John shares effective ways of selling parents on the idea of forming an “educational alliance” with their child’s teacher(s).
2. Homework Management: John outlines a homework management plan that has been close to 100% effective at helping children accept responsibility for their homework.
3. Motivating the Underachiever: Design and implementation of motivational strategies for underachieving and /or misbehaving students from grades one through high school. Included are strategies for resolving classroom behavior problems.
4. Understanding and Managing the Child with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD): John brings the expertise he’s gained working with hundreds of ADD children to this module. He discusses the symptom picture, theories as to cause, what to do if you suspect ADD, the controversy surrounding the use of medication, and strategies for effective treatment.
Parent Workshop (Feb. 3)
#1: “Assuming the Power of Parenthood”
In the 1960s and '70s, American parents embraced a new, psychological vision of children and child rearing. This new paradigm, which John calls "postmodern psychological parenting," is the antithesis of the viewpoint that had guided western parents for thousands of years. This 180-degree turn has proven enormously destructive to child, marriage, family, school, and culture. John asserts that many–nearly all, in fact–of today's parenting struggles are the result of parents who unwittingly adopt a parenting paradigm that does not work.
After clearly illustrating the difference between the traditional and modern points of view and demonstrating in the process the bankruptcy of the latter, John outlines an equally clear solution: Parents need but conform their behavior to each of the "Three Seasons of Child Rearing" as they naturally and logically unfold over the term of a child's dependency. Attendees regularly use such terms as "uplifting," "liberating," and "empowering" to describe this powerful yet immensely entertaining presentation.
#2: “Parenting the Strong-Willed Child”
The so-called "strong-willed child"–oppositional, argumentative, assertively demanding–presents a unique challenge to his or her parents. The adjective is synonymous, after all, with "hard to discipline." In this enlightening and entertaining presentation, John outlines a virtually fail-safe formula for successful discipline of not only the child who is strong-willed, but also any child.
The strong-willed child's parents ask, "How can we get our child to stop arguing with us?" John answers that question, giving a prescription he absolutely, positively guarantees will stop arguments forever.
The strong-willed child's parents ask, "How does one discipline a child who does not want to do what he is told?" John answers that question too, explaining that the secret to effective discipline is found in mastering each of discipline's "Three C's"–communication, consequences, and consistency–and John never fails to impart that mastery to his audience.?The strong-willed child's parents ask, "How can we put an end to discipline problems that have been hounding us for years?" Believe it or not, John answers that question too, and the prescription is practical, not.
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