Educators

Founder & Executive Director

Linda Hurren

To start John Cooper Learning Centre (JCLC) was not a hard decision to make as I continually see the struggles that many of the students I support have been through or are going through. As I began the journey of establishing a Learning Centre, I wanted there to be full support for the students in their unique learning needs and styles. I wanted the students to have a positive experience of learning despite their learning challenges and their past experiences within the education system. I believe that every student has the ability and potential to learn. Learning styles, strategies and curriculum’s may need to be adapted to support the student and enable the student to learn and to reach their maximum potential. However, by ensuring the learning bar is always raised high, students will always strive to reach their goals. JCLC will never give up on a student. JCLC will look at every factor and influence that is impacting the student to make sure they have the very best support in the areas that they require. With the Direct Instruction and the Precision Teaching Philosophy, along with our trained teaching staff at JCLC, we will support the students through their successful learning experience. John Cooper Learning Centre will fully support students to ensure they reach their educational goals.

Senior Instructor

Linda Hurren

“Fair isn’t everybody getting the same thing…Fair is everybody getting what they need in order to be successful”. -Unknown

Linda Hurren has over 35 years experience working with neurodivergent children, youth and adults. She has run the York Autism Centre operating as Making Small Talk since 2008,  offering services for children and families within the autism spectrum including IBI services, social skills classes, tutoring services and camp programs. Part of the services is to provide a classroom type environment within a typical school, it offers the full Ontario curriculum online. Students are supported as required to enable them as individuals to excel in areas of promise. Support includes development of social skills with their peers in the school environment. Linda is experienced as a residential social worker living with adults in a community teaching independence skills. She worked in York Region District School Board mainstream community classrooms for children with Asperger Syndrome. After 4 years in the classroom, she set up her own business in 2008 to support families struggling with the many challenges confronting their children. She started by offering social-skills classes from a local church hall. It was then in 2016 that she decided to start up this charitable organization, the John Cooper Learning Centre in honour of her father, John Cooper.