Arrowsmith School

Arrowsmith School is an independent co-educational and non-denominational day school headquartered in mid-town Toronto and Peterborough. We offer both full time and part time programs with the sole purpose of helping individuals of all ages with specific learning difficulties. The Arrowsmith assessment provides an informative perspective of one’s learning experience. The purpose of the assessment is to measure the underlying cognitive capacities that are responsible for learning, and to create an individualized report which identifies one’s unique and specific combination of strengths and weaknesses. For many, an Arrowsmith report is the first time an individual or family comes to understand the underlying causes of one’s learning disability, inconsistent performance, or social and emotional difficulties.

The Arrowsmith Program Assessment Difference based on foundational neuroscientific research, the Arrowsmith Program recognizes learning as the result of the complex interactions of brain networks. These networks are comprised of distributed regions of the brain and each perform their own unique job, what Arrowsmith calls cognitive functions. Everything we do, from reading to solving a math problem, from navigating a new social situation to remembering our responsibilities in the workplace, requires these cognitive functions to be working together. If one or more of these functions are weak, learning becomes difficult.

A traditional assessment usually seeks to diagnose a learning disability such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, poor executive function, attention problems or auditory processing disorder. The Arrowsmith assessment goes beyond such diagnoses and determines which discrete cognitive functions are weak and therefore leading to these diagnoses. Each function is measured on a 12-point rating scale, which indicates the degree to which a function is operating, and therefore the degree to which it is capable of contributing to a given learning task.

Upon completion of the assessment, an individualized report is created. This learning profile summaries the individual’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses by describing each function, its contribution to the learning process, and its rating. It offers a comprehensive understanding of one’s unique cognitive composition and how it impacts the learning experience. A post-assessment meeting is arranged and with staff guidance, individuals or a family comes to understand the learning profile and how it relates to an individual’s learning experience. The learning profile also includes recommendations, including programs offered in Toronto and Peterborough that lead to measurable changes in the individual’s capacity to learn.

The Arrowsmith Program Assessment is not a traditional psychological or educational assessment and cannot be used to obtain mainstream school accommodations, curriculum modifications or compensations that a conventional assessment might. Instead, it classifies the nature of one’s strengths and difficulties across a continuum of ability, and recommends individualized programming to address the learning disability, not compensate for it.

Assessments at Arrowsmith School Toronto and Arrowsmith School Peterborough. The Arrowsmith School campuses in Toronto and Peterborough schedule assessments throughout the calendar year. Typically, in addition to the assessment, individuals also spend time with their peers in the cognitive classroom and during school breaks.

Janice Jordan, Psychometrist, graduate of the University of Toronto Institute of Child Studies and member of the OACCPP (Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists, Psychotherapists) completes the Assessments at Arrowsmith School Toronto.

Arrowsmith School Peterborough Principals and senior Arrowsmith staff, Jill Marcinkowski and Rob Gunning, complete the Assessments at Arrowsmith School Peterborough. The assessment process is approximately 1-2 days, depending on the age of the student. The hours of scheduling differ slightly between Toronto and Peterborough however the assessment, individualized learning profile, and post-assessment meeting to discuss results are identical and reflect the mission and values of the Arrowsmith Schools and Program.

Arrowsmith School provides an environment where students who have been having difficulty in school obtain a sense of accomplishment by mastering increasingly difficult levels of the cognitive exercises and discover that their strengthened learning capacities are allowing them to handle academic work that they could not do before. Students who had been feeling isolated and defeated by school develop new social skills and a sense of personal self worth.

The majority of our students are enrolled in the full time day program, which is the foundation of Arrowsmith School. Our full time students spend six periods per day on the Arrowsmith cognitive exercises, and the other two periods on academics, with one period of English and one of mathematics. These two daily academic classes are closely integrated with the cognitive exercise program and form an important part of our program. Please visit our Academic Programs page for more information.

Our students typically spend three or four years in the program before returning to a full academic program or to the workplace. If a student is unable to complete the three to four year program, they achieve benefit each year they are in the program.

Our teachers provide guidance, support and encouragement and all of the students in our school recognize that they are working toward a common goal of improving their learning. Our low student to teacher ratio ensures that each student receives personal attention.

Performance criteria are built into each of the cognitive programs based on accuracy, consistency, speed, and automaticity of performance. A student needs to meet these criteria to master each level before advancing to a more difficult level. The program is modified throughout the year based on the student’s progress. To read what some of our students and their parents as well as others have said about Arrowsmith School.

Arrowsmith School Peterborough
366 Parkhill Road East, Peterborough, Ontario K9L 1C3
+17057414800