IRL Media Page

May is Mental Health Month. Chances are you or someone you know has been affected by mental health issues. One in five Americans live with a mental health condition. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think,...

The Institute for the Redesign of Learning (IRL) is pleased to share Abel V’s story as this one is close to our hearts as Abel started as a client and now is an IRL employee.  In January 2014, Abel’s father, Modesto, a valued member of our transportation team since...

Founders Message, Nancy J. Lavelle, Ph.D. April, 2021 April is Autism Spectrum Disorders Acceptance Month. The Institute for the Redesign of Learning has been serving students on the Autism Spectrum since its founding in 1974. Although little was known about the...

All learners develop at their own pace and in their own way. Taking a first step, smiling for the first time, or waving “bye-bye” are called developmental milestones. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, behave, and move. When...

The 2020 holiday season is already upon us! Can you believe it? In a year that has been full of unexpected and challenging events, I think we could all use a little bit of the comfort and joy that comes with the holidays.  As an Occupational Therapist (OT)...

When it comes to giving a toy we have a lot of questions: Will it be useful to my kids? Will it promote positive values? Will it improve their learning and developmental ability? Depending on their age there are toys that are more adapted to their growth. The skills...

As we are all asked to stay safer at home this holiday, I was thinking about ways to find joy even in a few moments each day. I know we will all have different circumstances in our world as we experience the holidays during the COVID public health emergency. One way I...

As families are balancing working from home, parenting, schooling, cooking meals, maintaining the house, and keeping kids entertained, all while staying sane and healthy, it’s understandable why we’ve needed to rely on screens a little (or a lot) more to help navigate...

Can you identify ways to maintain positive mental health? The best thing that each of us can do for ourselves daily is to eat healthy food, exercise and get enough sleep. Connecting with loved ones like friends, family members, faith-based communities, and mentors is...

Every morning they get up and mentally prepare, they get dressed and pack their bag for the day. Going through the checklist of what they need.  Lunch, water bottle, change of clothes, masks, and any curriculum items they need for their classroom. Then they head...