Customer Reviews

Thinking Goes to School: Piaget's Theory in Practice

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Excellent reading for those interested in learning more than the basic techniques of vision therapy. Some prior knowledge in psychology and the visual system is helpful, but anyone can learn from and enjoy this book.

This book is older than most, but I felt that the ideas suggested and theories discussed were relevant to todays therapy. You can adapt certain suggestions to suit todays more modern equipment.

I'm 34 years old. I had some learning disabilities early on in elementary school and started with Harry Wachs at his house in 2nd grade. I was held back in second grade, and that's when we started with the drills highlighted in this book. Prior to that, I worked with several different tutors on memorization which did not work for me. The drills did. I remember doing a little bit of everything (the balancing, crawling, hitting balls, following balls with letters on them), but early on we spent lots of time on the eye drills and learning to control my focus, crossing my eyes and rapidly focusing. Once all the body movement and control items where mastered (I remember that part going quick and being done quick because it was fun) we went to hard stuff the thinking games. That's what I spent two to three years doing ending sometime in fifth grade (grade 2, 2, 3, 4, 5). So if your kids are not getting the thinking games right away keep pushing it. That's what I think made the difference. I think it's a form a brain exercises or neuroplasticity that really made my brain develop. I have a BA in Mass Communication, and while working fulltime I'm half way through an MBA program with a 3.5 GPA (with two children of my own). I think I turned out alright but it took my parents and lots and lots of thinking drills right across the kitchen table of Dr. Wachs himself.

The book looks dated, but trust me do everything, but focus on the hard stuff because that's what made my mind blossom.

I'm still a horrible speller, I'm sure my mind works differently than others like someone that is dyslexic. But, I feel like these drills gave my mind the tools to overcome any dyslexic type slowdown. I think most of the drills teach the brain work more efficiently and foster left and right brain communication which might be very limited in someone that is having a hard time in school.