Morning Star

Children who suffer learning disabilities are often misunderstood and in some cases even ridiculed. Giving them an opportunity to learn in a non-threatening environment is critical to their success in learning.

In Assignment: Education.. Bill Ratliff takes us to a school that gives these students a special place to learn.

--[Teacher Eliana Pino says:] "Why does Max need a clock. What's the problem?"--
Morning Star teacher Eliana Pino is working with six-year-old Christina on her reading comprehension. She does it one-on-one.. In a very quiet, positive way.

--[Pino says:] "You think he said time is up?.. or" [Christina says:] "Time is up. Time's up!"--

Discovery. That's what it's about for the 87 learning disabled students at Morning Star School in Tampa. To help them get to that point.. classes average only about 10 students, and..

--[Principal Jeanette Friedheim says:] "We have an ungraded setting, which means that youngsters are placed in groups based on where they are academically."--

Principal Jeanette Friedheim says that reduces the pressure to learn at pre-determined specific rates.. like in mainstream schools..

--[Principal Friedhiem says:] "Typically, youngsters who are learning disabled are youngsters who have normal ability. Uh, but who learn in different ways, and very often at different rates."--

--[Teacher says:] "Do you think you have learned anything valuable recently from watching television?"--

Since these students are permitted to progress at their own rate, they don't get labeled by the school, by the teachers, or by their peers. That has an impact on their performance. The mother of 13-year-old Robert says she has seen a major improvement in her son.. since coming to Morning Star four-years ago.

--[Mother Alice Webb says:] "Mostly anything above everything else.. self esteem. He has more confidence than he has ever had."--

And for learning disabled children.. confidence in learning leads to learning.

Morning Star School is for First through Ninth Grade students. Parents pay about 42-hundred dollars in tuition. Bill Ratliff Newschannel 8.

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