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105 What Most Schools Miss About Learning with Allison Bourke
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When your child struggles with homework, meltdowns, or falling behind—especially when they’re bright—the issue may not be academic at all.
In this episode, Andi sits down with Allie Bourke, owner of Oxford Learning in Waterloo, Ontario, to talk about how executive functioning shapes everything from learning and memory to focus, flexibility, and frustration tolerance.
Allie shares insights from her 19+ years supporting kids through cognitive and academic assessments—and explains why understanding how your child learns is often more important than what they’re learning.
Key Takeaways:
- Why executive functioning struggles often show up as academic issues, behavior challenges, or emotional outbursts
- How standard report cards miss critical learning and cognitive skill gaps
- The difference between the school system and individual teachers—and how to build collaborative support
- How to help your child when they “know it” but can’t show it
- Why some kids shut down over homework even when the material is “easy”
- The role of flexibility, memory, inhibition, and self-monitoring in learning success
- How parents can advocate more effectively (and when to bring in outside support)
Episode Highlights:
[00:00] – Andi introduces Allie and her background in child psychology and education
[02:00] – Why so many kids struggle in school even when they’re bright
[05:00] – What executive functioning looks like in everyday classroom behavior
[07:30] – Real-life examples of cognitive inflexibility and how they impact learning
[10:00] – The homework meltdown: why it’s not just about the math
[12:00] – Executive functioning vs. academic level—when your child knows the answers but can’t get them on paper
[15:00] – How Oxford Learning uses both academic and cognitive assessments to get a full picture
[19:00] – Dysgraphia, working memory, and why testing format matters
[24:00] – Why some parents shouldn’t be their child’s teacher—and how to recognize when to step back
[30:00] – Talking to schools when expectations don’t match your child’s current ability
[35:00] – What to do if your child is always chasing “perfect marks” but losing confidence
[42:00] – Helping kids build self-awareness, pause before reacting, and choose recovery
[45:00] – Final thoughts from Allie: don’t wait if you suspect something’s off
Resources Mentioned:
FREE Dynamic Assessment (Reg. $275):
Oxford Learning Waterloo is offering a free academic + cognitive assessment to Kids With Big Emotions podcast listeners!
Offer expires May 31, 2025.
Available in-person only at the Waterloo, ON location.
👉 To book:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📞 Call: 1-519-725-3577
📍 Mention you heard about it on the Kids With Big Emotions podcast
🔗 Social:
- Instagram: @oxfordlearningwaterloo https://www.instagram.com/oxfordlearningwaterloo/
- Facebook: Oxford Learning Waterloo: https://www.facebook.com/OxfordLearningWaterloo
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