By WESLIE STRATTON
Moapa Valley Progress
Permanent Leaning Solutions, a local program that focuses on teaching struggling young students how to learn, is celebrating the graduation of Shanlin Totten, daughter of Doug and Korindi Totten.
When first introduced to program director KaeLyne Pendleton, Totten was reading at a second grade level. But after a year of hard work and dedication she graduated from the program at a seventh grade reading level and is set to take on fifth grade next year.
Pendleton said that many students who come to the Permanent Learning Solutions program struggle with reading. It is necessary to train the brain to learn using various activities, she said.
“We use physical and mental exercises that build the neurological pathways in the brain so that learning can take place the way it’s supposed to,” Pendleton said of the program.
She added that left and right brain exercises include marching, skipping and jumping rope and that other activities involve auditory and visual tracking.
“To increase the ability to focus,” she said. “And everything we do has a mental and physical side to it.”
Pendleton emphasized that the four main factors in learning properly include auditory, visual, physical and mental. Each student that comes to Pendleton has to be begin by being evaluated.
“That will help us understand what is going on with your child and then from there we can come up with a plan of action,” she said.
Pendleton said that the average student works with her one day a week for approximately seven months. Once the student has mastered all of the activities that are aligned with set curriculum they are qualified to graduate. She said that students are also required to do at-home therapy throughout the program.
“We’ve had a lot of success,” she said. “A lot of our kids have increased three to four grade levels in their reading. They tend to be doing better in school.”
Pendleton said that the students are also able to better understand math as well as other subjects.
“Because we’re dealing with the brain and neurological pathways, once we are able to build a pathway, it’s there,” she said, referring to students ability to maintain progress gained through the program.
Previously, the franchise that Pendleton operated didn’t work with children under the age of seven. Recently though, she has been running a preschool that allows her to work with younger children.
“We start at preschool age to begin as prevention rather than intervention,” she said. “That’s worked out really well.”
Pendleton wants to track kids through the elementary school years to see how they do and what she needs to change.
Those interested in enrolling a child in Pendleton’s preschool program can contact her at (702) 706-4599 or by email at permanentlearningsolutionsllc@gmail.com. Those interested can also visit the Facebook page Permanent Learning Solutions LLC.
Pendleton has a Master’s degree in educational leadership, certification in physio-neuro therapy and has taught school for 18 years.
