Full PreFrontal: Exposing the Mysteries of Executive Function Ep. 53: Dr. Judy Wolman - Navigating the Educational Terrain
No one is free form worrying about their children and their success. From sippy cups, nap times, and play dates, parents move on to worrying about lost papers, missing homework, too much cell-phone use, or not getting a part in a school play. Normal mishaps aside, a struggling child can cause even greater worry. Email exchanges like this one are not uncommon. “Johnny seems to work tremendously hard in school, but he is struggling to get his work done efficiently. I am concerned that he’s falling behind, and his effort is not reflected in his test performance. Johnny also seems to struggle in socializing with his peers and he doesn’t seem to have any friends. I think Johnny needs help.”
At the start of each year, teachers anxiously wait to see what their classes are going to look like and within few weeks the chips begin to fall as they may as the students who are likely to need more individual attention and specific help begin to emerge with their struggles; sometimes subtly and sometimes vividly. Teachers share their concerns with the parents and then the parents begin to worry as they try and make sense of these observations. Parents, teachers, LD specialists, SLPs, and school psychologists begin to begin to put the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together as they sort, assess, and find ways to label these issues to correctly guide their learning journey. What is needed is a clarity that informs the decision about the next step. On this episode, Dr. Judy Wolman, an education psychologist, will discuss the process of evaluating the relationship between the brain and behavior and how that impacts education.
About Judy Wolman
Judy Draisin Wolman is a psychologist in Sandy Springs, Georgia, specializing in psychoeducational evaluations, family therapy regarding child-related issues, and psychotherapy for children and adolescents.
She received her Ph.D. in Developmental School Psychology at Georgia State University in December of 1984. Prior to that, she received a Masters in Learning Disabilities in 1976, and a Bachelor of Science in Special Education and Elementary Education from the University of Maryland in 1974.
Dr. Wolman has been practicing in the Sandy Springs area for almost thirty years. She was previously with the Dekalb County School System for ten years as a school psychologist, as part of a preschool assessment team, and as a Learning Disabilities Resource Room teacher. Dr. Wolman speaks to many school and community groups on topics such as behavior management of preschool and elementary age children, living happily with pre-adolescents, building self-esteem, identifying Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders and Learning Disabilities, and other topics related to successful parenting.
She is an actively involved member of many professional associations, including the American Psychological Association, the Georgia Branch of the International Dyslexia Association, the Georgia Psychological Association, and the Learning Disabilities Association.
Dr. Wolman is married and has two children, who have made it through the child and adolescent stages she addresses in her practice and lectures. She is now a proud grandmother, as well.
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About Host, Sucheta Kamath
Sucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of