I am an Educational Psychologist in private practice for the last 20 years……, specializing in ADHD, ADD, learning difficulties, dyslexia, dyscalculia, under-performing learners, autism, medical conditions related to learning and development as well as gifted learners and their specific needs. For high school learners and students, I do career guidance, IQ tests, aptitude tests, personality tests as well as interest questionnaires.
Over the past 6 years I have been drawn into the world of HOME SCHOOLERS ……this happened when my daughter and her husband decided to home school my two grandchildren, two boys, now aged 11 and 9. Initially I was very opposed to the idea! In my training (from 1994 – 1999) as an educational psychologist, I was never exposed to the concept of home schooling in an objective manner and had no frame of reference other than my own negative perceptions. BUT, as I saw my grandchildren grow to love learning and develop into carefree, loving, confident, independent, emotionally stable, happy and well balanced young boys, my perceptions changed radically!
Today I am a firm believer in home schooling and would even call myself an advocate of home schooling!
I have developed a special interest in assisting home schooling parents when they have to or want to or chose to evaluate their child or seek guidance about different issues and conditions affecting their children. I am aware that many professional people in the field of education have the same perception that I had – they do not understand or condone home schooling, mostly due to their training and lack of exposure to home schoolers. I believe in this time we are facing, where education-as-we-know-it is rapidly changing, the home school community will grow rapidly!
As an Educational psychologist I can offer to do different assessments, depending on the need of the family. The process is as follows:
- The duration of the first assessment is anything from 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the specific needs of the child. During the evaluation I use a battery of tests in which I can compare your child’s scores with the scores of their own age group, thus giving an indication of areas of special ability (scoring higher than age group), developmental delays (scoring lower than age group) or normal ability (scoring the same as age group). The tests are used to give more information about your child’s individual learning modalities and not to measure him or her against other children or any prescribed curriculum or grade level. I will also be able to supply those, but it is usually not why parents bring their children for an assessment.
- After the evaluation, a parental guidance and feedback session of 60 minutes will be conducted and a written report with results and recommendations will be e-mailed. Follow up sessions can be arranged if needed. Every person has a different reason for seeking advice, so parents are free to discuss their specific situation with me so that we can come to an arrangement that suits their needs.
I am registered with the Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and can claim my services from medical aids that pay for psychological services. I work on an hourly rate, and payment plans can be arranged.
HPCSA number: 0070092
Practice number: 0018929
MARION LE ROUX – 082 607 0081
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST / OPVOEDKUNDIGE SIELKUNDIGE
MEd Opvoedkundige Sielkunde(UP)