The Vancouver Learning Centre
is the "Village" it takes
to get the very best outcome
for each learner.
The VLC is a Learning Centre, not a school. Click here for clarity.

The VLC is not a school but a Specialist Learning Centre. The VLC delivers a team-based process. A teaching captain is assigned to oversee the program delivery and to be the main contact with the parents who then become an integrated part of the team. Schools can then be involved as appropriate.

In the case of home schooling, the curriculum, homework tasks, testing, and the program to earn credentials and provide oversight to the curriculum is up to the distance education school. This becomes the learner’s school and the VLC will work collaboratively with the school’s contact person and will actively address all IEPs or special needs developed by that school.

Whether the student attends on site at VLC and remains as part of a class or works with a distance education school, the VLC becomes the specialist provider of one to one teaching based on the special needs of the learner in collaboration with the learner’s parents and the contact person assigned by the school.

The Vancouver Learning Centre
is the "Village" it takes
to get the very best outcome
for each learner.
The VLC is a Learning Centre, not a school. See here for clarity.
Dr. Schwartz here...

Parents Advisory

Giftedness

Giftedness is considered when parents and teachers are alerted that a young person is showing potential well above age and grade performances in language or motor abilities or by early mastery of academic skills such as reading, writing, spelling, use of language, or mathematics.  Giftedness is diagnosed ...

Giftedness is diagnosed when test performance indicates at least some skills are well above the norm, in the top 5 percentiles or higher, at least in some test domains, regardless that weaker ones also exist.

By the time action is taken some academic skills like reading and language may be present well beyond the norm, while others may be average. As a result, these learners in the areas of their strengths do not experience challenge level tasks and do not learn how to deal with them. At the same time, boredom with regular classwork can cause low grades, poor marks and lack of enthusiasm and motivation for learning, even in strength areas. This can result in serious life consequences.

However, at the VLC, we now know the brain is neuroplastic and can improve in skills and function when a different, strategic approach to teaching these learners is undertaken. The VLC’s individually designed, strategic, targeted program addresses its signature programs and services to the root cause of learning needs for advanced and development in each case in 4 ways: 

  • We establish goals and potential academic destinations by identifying and using the learners’ strengths (i.e. giftedness is directly addressed)
  • We address weaknesses (if any below grade level performance) by building new skill platforms in areas of weakness using a different approach to teaching them.
  • We integrate both of the above by building success and learner independence into current and future learning by the array of neurocognitive and academic programs and services set forth in each individual program at age appropriate levels in:
    1. Neurocognitive training (advanced).
    2. Academic skills and executive function development (at challenge levels).
    3. Emotional maturity and regulation training (as needed).
    4. Behaviour training using CBT if needed.
  • The VLC’s Learning to Learn signature programs and services are taught at appropriate age and grade level so they can be used to grow strengths to challenge levels to build skills at their level of excellence and work directly on emotional strength and regulation to inspire more mature behaviour, if needed, so they will thrive.

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