WHY
Active Learning Program?
The history of treatment for learning difficulties began in 1896.
Dr. Witmer did not turn away from the children with delayed language development. Instead, he applied psychological treatments to successfully improve their emotional and behavioral difficulties.
In 2003, Dr. Cho did not turn away from the children who lost all their hopes because they could not acquire the English language at their English-speaking schools. Instead, Dr. Cho started providing bilingual comprehensive psycho-educational assessments and treatments.
Our psycho-educational program gives a small miracle to children and their parents who have long experienced delayed language acquisition and academic progress.

About 120 years ago, Dr. Lightner Witmer, one of the early pioneers of American psychology, was deeply concerned about the large number of students who were suffering from academic difficulties in school and started to scientifically observe and evaluate their psychological and intellectual status. He then provided individualized psycho-educational treatments and interventions based on clinical methodology.
Dr. Witmer, a founder of Clinical and School Psychology, established a Psychological Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania in 1896 where he started his first clinical intervention for special students referred to him from various schools in the area. He had a strong belief that with the help of well-trained psychologists and experts, students could overcome their difficulties and achieve successful psychological/ academic/ developmental/ physical growth.
Our Active Learning Center follows the steps of Dr. Witmer. Through scientifically valid psycho-educational evaluation of each student’s abilities, we aim to improve students’ academic abilities, and to decrease their psychological struggles. It also aims to help parents lessen their own agony and suffering about their child, resulting in the development of a positive parent-child relationship.
Since 2003, many bilingual students and their parents who visited the Tree Group have expressed difficulties regarding the students’ academic endeavors and consequent struggles in parent-child relationships. For the most part, we have discovered child/adolescent psychological and behavioral difficulties find their root in academics which, in turn, are very serious and imminent issues in Korea.
As we are fully aware that these difficulties should be treated as soon as possible, we developed clinical and psycho-educational strategies. Such individualized strategies helped children to improve their difficulties in language development and effective learning behavior. Additionally, the children showed progress in regulating their emotions and grew confidence with positive emotions, which consequently led the parents to have reduced suffering and pain.
The ultimate purpose of the School of Life – Active Learning Center, which inherited Dr. Witmer’s ideas and values, is to: improve students’ basic academic skills and motivation through scientific evaluation and treatments, decrease their psychological/behavioral difficulties, and reestablish a positive parent-child relationship by reducing the parents’ concerns over their children.




Active Learning CenterㅣStory

2001 Dr. Cho started the English/Korean bilingual services in the U.S.
In 2000, Dr Cho started the English/Korean bilingual services
for Korean immigrants and their children at the Zucker-Hillside Hospital/North

2003 The New York Times highlighted the treatment work of Dr. Yong Cho
“Freud Meets Buddha: Therapy adapts to immigrants’ need”
The New York Times, January 18, 2003

2003 Promoting Evidence-Based Psychological Services in Korea
In 2003, Dr. Cho established the Tree Group to provide evidence-based treatment in both New York and Korea.

2008 Lectures about bilingual Korean students organised by Embassy of the United States in Seoul
Lecture offers help for Korean kids overseas
– JoongAng Daily by Moon Published July 23, 2008

2008 Dr. Marsha Linehan’s DBT Seminar, hosted by the U.S. Embassy
The DBT Center of Korea (under the umbrella of the Tree Group) invited Dr. Marsha Linehan and initiated the DBT

2010 China Shanghai, Lecture on how parents can better support their child
Dr. Cho explained the importance of the father’s role and mothers’ struggles in raising a child in a multicultural environment

2010 The Tree Group established its “Active Learning Center”
The Tree Group established “Active Learning Center”, which involves psycho-educational programs for English/Korean speaking bilingual children and young adults.

2013 Visiting international schools in Shanghai, China
In January 2013, the Tree Group team visited international schools in Shanghai, China to discuss the grave reality of the

2013 Established “The Tree Group Co.”
Established “the Tree Group Co.” to expand its mission.

2015 The Tree Group Co. relocates to Songpa Campus
The Tree Group moved from Gangnam campus to Song campus and rebuilds its space to illustrate our philosophy.