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.