If you have ever wanted to help a cause that will help dyslexic children worldwide get the recognition and respect they deserve, then have I got a cause for you.
Dislecksia: The Movie promises to bring awareness and assistance to kids who suffer through school without any help or understanding. Harvey Hubbell V, the Emmy-award winning director of the movie is himself dyslexic and wants to share his and other dyslexics' joys and pain with the world. He and his crew, many of whom are also dyslexic, want to let people know that while dyslexics have trouble reading they are also extremely talented in many other areas. They want to share the stories of these many talented people and inform the uninformed of the condition.
Right now the film is in the last stages of production and they are trying to raise money to get it done and get it out to the public. If you can donate even a dollar, it would help the crew create this much-need documentary to help spread awareness of dyslexia. Please donate today. It would mean the world to the dyslexics in your life.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
The upside to dyslexia
I try to find inspiration where I can to help my son feel better about what sometimes feels like a curse to him.
While we are making great headway with the Reading Horizons and All About Spelling programs, his mind sometimes reverts the words on a page back to the spinning vortex that is dyslexia and he gets frustrated. It is usually when he is tired or has been working a long time, so that's usually a sign to take a very long break.
When this happens, we can start working on art or LEGO construction or something creative like that. Science projects are very good or something else that is hands on, like cooking or maybe even some of the more fun household chores (the dogs still need to be walked).
The point is, allowing his creativity to flourish always helps him calm down when he is getting frustrated with his reading or writing. I always try to make a point to tell him that most people with dyslexia are very creative and, while it can be frustrating at times, there is an upside to it. Of course, I have a few names of some very famous people who are dyslexic that I rattle off, but he knows them all now.
However, I was recently introduced to a longer list of very successful dyslexic people that impressed Nick enough to make him feel proud of himself. There were a few on the list that I knew, like Tom Cruise and Whoopi Goldberg, but there were several more that I didn't know about.
I can't say the names on the list surprised me much because they are all extraordinarily talented and creative people. I would expect no less. After reading The Gift of Dyslexia
it is easy to understand how a dyslexic person could be so creative and yet have a difficult time reading.
Basically, a dyslexic person's brain wants to shape, mold, rotate, move and create before physically doing so with the hands. For an architect, artist or engineer this is an indispensable talent. Being able to see the blueprints in your head makes it a lot easier to work out the details and/or kinks before you begin to build. However, when you need to read and need the words and letters to stay in one location, the brain's desire to rotate, mold or move them makes it really hard to see what is actually on the page.
So when the words are moving around and Nick is getting a headache and getting frustrated, we create. I let him draw or build or do something with his hands so his mind calms down. But I also like to let him know it's OK. That despite the frustration he feels with reading, there are upsides to dyslexia. And having a list of famously successful dyslexics to point to and say, "They are doing more than OK because of their dyslexia," doesn't hurt at all.
~
While we are making great headway with the Reading Horizons and All About Spelling programs, his mind sometimes reverts the words on a page back to the spinning vortex that is dyslexia and he gets frustrated. It is usually when he is tired or has been working a long time, so that's usually a sign to take a very long break.
When this happens, we can start working on art or LEGO construction or something creative like that. Science projects are very good or something else that is hands on, like cooking or maybe even some of the more fun household chores (the dogs still need to be walked).The point is, allowing his creativity to flourish always helps him calm down when he is getting frustrated with his reading or writing. I always try to make a point to tell him that most people with dyslexia are very creative and, while it can be frustrating at times, there is an upside to it. Of course, I have a few names of some very famous people who are dyslexic that I rattle off, but he knows them all now.
However, I was recently introduced to a longer list of very successful dyslexic people that impressed Nick enough to make him feel proud of himself. There were a few on the list that I knew, like Tom Cruise and Whoopi Goldberg, but there were several more that I didn't know about.
I can't say the names on the list surprised me much because they are all extraordinarily talented and creative people. I would expect no less. After reading The Gift of Dyslexia
it is easy to understand how a dyslexic person could be so creative and yet have a difficult time reading. Basically, a dyslexic person's brain wants to shape, mold, rotate, move and create before physically doing so with the hands. For an architect, artist or engineer this is an indispensable talent. Being able to see the blueprints in your head makes it a lot easier to work out the details and/or kinks before you begin to build. However, when you need to read and need the words and letters to stay in one location, the brain's desire to rotate, mold or move them makes it really hard to see what is actually on the page.
So when the words are moving around and Nick is getting a headache and getting frustrated, we create. I let him draw or build or do something with his hands so his mind calms down. But I also like to let him know it's OK. That despite the frustration he feels with reading, there are upsides to dyslexia. And having a list of famously successful dyslexics to point to and say, "They are doing more than OK because of their dyslexia," doesn't hurt at all.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
A success story
Recently I had the pleasure of meeting someone living his dream. He is not extraordinarily wealthy — he lives off of the kindness of strangers — but he is happy. Very happy.
The story of Fox Elipsus
Fox Elipsus went to good schools and attended Oxford based on the direction his family wanted him to go. He did really well in school and easily graduated with top scores. His girlfriend knew the path he was headed down was not the one he really wanted to be on. Just after he graduated, she encouraged (and even pushed) him to try out singing rather than continue along the path everyone else expected him to take. Even family and friends who were supportive of his song-writing were not encouraging the path of a musician. His father even said he would disown him if he became a musician because he believed it would bring shame on the family.
Despite a huge lack of support he went for the life he wanted. Why? Because he said success is not measured by money or objects but by happiness. And happiness is not making other people happy; it's enjoying the life you want. He certainly could have taken another path because he had the skills and education, but he knew there would have been a hole in his life that could not have been filled with financial success or making the family proud.
So he's out there now, touring the world with his music of peace, love, acceptance and cats because that's what he wants to do. He considers himself successful because he is happy and gains support from those who listen to his music and love it.
Going against the expectations
I saw Fox perform at a coffee shop in Carson City, Nev. Rather than just sing his songs, he talked to the crowd and got us to respond back to him. It was a very interactive and lively performance. Because he wants people to take part in his efforts to change the world, he engages the crowd so they feel up to it. No one feels alone or out of place at his show.
He also shares a great deal of his life with his audience. You really feel as if you know him when you leave. He's very open and encourages lots of hugging. He shared the story of his father with the audience and the lack of support he got. His song about his father nearly brought me to tears. It really made me think about how we parents affect our children through our actions.
I talked to him later to hear more of his story. Because of his experience, Fox believes parents should not force certain expectations on their children. Just because children are good at something doesn't mean they would enjoy doing it for the rest of their lives. His message to parents is to not teach their children to live a life that others want but one they would enjoy. He said living to make someone else happy will not make you happy. He shared that having all those expectations placed on him by his family made him feel like he was letting everyone down and he felt bad. He felt bad that he did not have his father's support. But he had to learn to let go of those feelings to do what he felt was the right thing for him.
Part of what he is doing is sharing his vision of a better world with others and asking them to join the movement to make a better world for us and our children. He feels it is worth stepping out of the norm and doing his own thing in order to create this change. He says on his website, "I believe that we can save the environment, but it is going to take change of such drastic proportions that we may be doomed unless a truly global movement takes over us, and soon. A movement which supports people ... human rights ... the earth ... and peace."
A strong spirit
Fox may not realize how lucky he is to have the kind of spirit that keeps him going despite the odds. I have friends who continued the path their parents laid for them because they did not feel they had a choice. They were afraid of not being able to make it on their own without support and probably, deep down in their subconscious, they would have felt ashamed for going against their parents' wishes or letting their parents down. It takes a strong spirit to go your own way without support, emotional or financial.
One of my friends was an accomplished pianist. She had incredible talent and accolades from friends, family and teachers. She dreamed of a life on stage performing at Carnegie Hall and other famous music halls. Her parents did not feel it was a good path and thought she should go a more "sensible" route. They could have sent her to any college or university she wanted to go, not only because they had the money but also because she had the grades to enter some of the more prestigious schools. She had a school in mind that had a terrific music program, but her parents refused to pay for it. They wanted her to go to the university they attended and would not pay for anything else.
So she went to the school of their choice, not hers, and became an administrative assistant. She is not happy with this path and has now lost her ability to play because of an on-the-job injury. She is miserable and I'm certain her parents did not expect this life for her either. But because they made a big decision about her life without even considering what she wanted, no one is happy.
Another friend of mine had been accepted into an MIT program but his father wanted him to study theology. His father refused to pay for MIT and sent his son to a theology program of his choice. Now my friend is working in sales, listening to people complain to him all day and not having any fun at all. He is financially successful but is also miserable.
We often make decisions for our children based on what we think is best for them, especially when it comes to their education. However, if we don't listen to what our children really want, we sometimes make decisions that will hurt them in the end, or at the very least give them bad memories or resentments toward us.
Let them go their own way
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less traveled by,
And that had made all the difference."
lines from The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost
If you are reading this because you are seeking help for homeschooling your dyslexic child, then you and your child probably march to a different drum beat already. Obviously, I think that's wonderful.
When I first found out my son was dyslexic it turned my plans for schooling him upside down. I had to learn a whole new way to teach. I had these expectations for him, plans and a set curriculum for study. But the more I pushed, the more he struggled. I had to learn to let go of my expectations and let him lead.
Letting go and letting him set his own curriculum was the best thing I could have done for him. His electronic expertise is far beyond anything I could have expected. I don't understand the tasks he's performing but he gets things working. I am no longer the teacher, yet he is still learning. I guide; I help when I can. I buy components or software he tells me to buy and he does what he needs to do. He tells me how to operate certain gadgets and programs we have. I couldn't have, in my wildest dreams, taught him all of this on my own, mainly because I never would have considered it. But this is the path he wanted to take and I got out of the way.
The future looks bright
I have no doubt now that my son will be successful in doing whatever he wants to do, and I will support him every step of the way.
Fox had just a little support in his venture but believed enough in himself to go after his dream. Not all kids have that strength of character in them. We humans are social animals and we need the love and support of others, especially our families. As parents, we want what is best for our children. We want to be sure they can make it on their own. We fear for their safety and well-being. So sometimes when they bring up dreams of being rock stars, actors, astronauts or careers that seem difficult to impossible to attain, we feel we need to teach them to be more sensible.
However, Fox's message would be to believe in the dream. We need to believe in our children more and let them dream. Dreams lead to wonderful accomplishments. Dreams lead to new and better technology. Dreams lead to the impossible becoming possible.
~
If you would like to support Fox Elipsus' dream of helping create a better world through music, please visit his website, listen to and buy his music, watch his videos, go see him live for free, and donate to the cause. Every little bit helps him continue on his journey.
Another great review
Fox Elipsus Shares Music, Fun, and Serious Messages on Free US Concert Tour
The story of Fox Elipsus
Fox Elipsus went to good schools and attended Oxford based on the direction his family wanted him to go. He did really well in school and easily graduated with top scores. His girlfriend knew the path he was headed down was not the one he really wanted to be on. Just after he graduated, she encouraged (and even pushed) him to try out singing rather than continue along the path everyone else expected him to take. Even family and friends who were supportive of his song-writing were not encouraging the path of a musician. His father even said he would disown him if he became a musician because he believed it would bring shame on the family.Despite a huge lack of support he went for the life he wanted. Why? Because he said success is not measured by money or objects but by happiness. And happiness is not making other people happy; it's enjoying the life you want. He certainly could have taken another path because he had the skills and education, but he knew there would have been a hole in his life that could not have been filled with financial success or making the family proud.
So he's out there now, touring the world with his music of peace, love, acceptance and cats because that's what he wants to do. He considers himself successful because he is happy and gains support from those who listen to his music and love it.
Going against the expectations
I saw Fox perform at a coffee shop in Carson City, Nev. Rather than just sing his songs, he talked to the crowd and got us to respond back to him. It was a very interactive and lively performance. Because he wants people to take part in his efforts to change the world, he engages the crowd so they feel up to it. No one feels alone or out of place at his show.
He also shares a great deal of his life with his audience. You really feel as if you know him when you leave. He's very open and encourages lots of hugging. He shared the story of his father with the audience and the lack of support he got. His song about his father nearly brought me to tears. It really made me think about how we parents affect our children through our actions.
I talked to him later to hear more of his story. Because of his experience, Fox believes parents should not force certain expectations on their children. Just because children are good at something doesn't mean they would enjoy doing it for the rest of their lives. His message to parents is to not teach their children to live a life that others want but one they would enjoy. He said living to make someone else happy will not make you happy. He shared that having all those expectations placed on him by his family made him feel like he was letting everyone down and he felt bad. He felt bad that he did not have his father's support. But he had to learn to let go of those feelings to do what he felt was the right thing for him.
Part of what he is doing is sharing his vision of a better world with others and asking them to join the movement to make a better world for us and our children. He feels it is worth stepping out of the norm and doing his own thing in order to create this change. He says on his website, "I believe that we can save the environment, but it is going to take change of such drastic proportions that we may be doomed unless a truly global movement takes over us, and soon. A movement which supports people ... human rights ... the earth ... and peace."
A strong spirit
Fox may not realize how lucky he is to have the kind of spirit that keeps him going despite the odds. I have friends who continued the path their parents laid for them because they did not feel they had a choice. They were afraid of not being able to make it on their own without support and probably, deep down in their subconscious, they would have felt ashamed for going against their parents' wishes or letting their parents down. It takes a strong spirit to go your own way without support, emotional or financial.
One of my friends was an accomplished pianist. She had incredible talent and accolades from friends, family and teachers. She dreamed of a life on stage performing at Carnegie Hall and other famous music halls. Her parents did not feel it was a good path and thought she should go a more "sensible" route. They could have sent her to any college or university she wanted to go, not only because they had the money but also because she had the grades to enter some of the more prestigious schools. She had a school in mind that had a terrific music program, but her parents refused to pay for it. They wanted her to go to the university they attended and would not pay for anything else.
So she went to the school of their choice, not hers, and became an administrative assistant. She is not happy with this path and has now lost her ability to play because of an on-the-job injury. She is miserable and I'm certain her parents did not expect this life for her either. But because they made a big decision about her life without even considering what she wanted, no one is happy.
Another friend of mine had been accepted into an MIT program but his father wanted him to study theology. His father refused to pay for MIT and sent his son to a theology program of his choice. Now my friend is working in sales, listening to people complain to him all day and not having any fun at all. He is financially successful but is also miserable.
We often make decisions for our children based on what we think is best for them, especially when it comes to their education. However, if we don't listen to what our children really want, we sometimes make decisions that will hurt them in the end, or at the very least give them bad memories or resentments toward us.
Let them go their own way
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —I took the one less traveled by,
And that had made all the difference."
If you are reading this because you are seeking help for homeschooling your dyslexic child, then you and your child probably march to a different drum beat already. Obviously, I think that's wonderful.
When I first found out my son was dyslexic it turned my plans for schooling him upside down. I had to learn a whole new way to teach. I had these expectations for him, plans and a set curriculum for study. But the more I pushed, the more he struggled. I had to learn to let go of my expectations and let him lead.
Letting go and letting him set his own curriculum was the best thing I could have done for him. His electronic expertise is far beyond anything I could have expected. I don't understand the tasks he's performing but he gets things working. I am no longer the teacher, yet he is still learning. I guide; I help when I can. I buy components or software he tells me to buy and he does what he needs to do. He tells me how to operate certain gadgets and programs we have. I couldn't have, in my wildest dreams, taught him all of this on my own, mainly because I never would have considered it. But this is the path he wanted to take and I got out of the way.
The future looks bright
I have no doubt now that my son will be successful in doing whatever he wants to do, and I will support him every step of the way.
Fox had just a little support in his venture but believed enough in himself to go after his dream. Not all kids have that strength of character in them. We humans are social animals and we need the love and support of others, especially our families. As parents, we want what is best for our children. We want to be sure they can make it on their own. We fear for their safety and well-being. So sometimes when they bring up dreams of being rock stars, actors, astronauts or careers that seem difficult to impossible to attain, we feel we need to teach them to be more sensible.
However, Fox's message would be to believe in the dream. We need to believe in our children more and let them dream. Dreams lead to wonderful accomplishments. Dreams lead to new and better technology. Dreams lead to the impossible becoming possible.
If you would like to support Fox Elipsus' dream of helping create a better world through music, please visit his website, listen to and buy his music, watch his videos, go see him live for free, and donate to the cause. Every little bit helps him continue on his journey.
Another great review
Fox Elipsus Shares Music, Fun, and Serious Messages on Free US Concert Tour
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Fixing the Playstation and growing up
Recently my son, Nick, told a friend's parents that he thought he could fix their PlayStation 3. They said they were watching a movie on it and it just died. Now it won't turn on at all. They figured, what the heck, they would let him open it up and look at it. They didn't expect that Nick would be able to fix it, but thought it would be a good education for him to see the inner workings of the thing.However, in my family we have an electrician and a certified electronics technician. My son brought the Playstation home and we all opened it up to take a look inside. After much tinkering it was decided that the power supply was dead. After much research (YouTube searching) we found out that it's easy enough to buy a replacement and fix it ourselves (assuming it is the power supply).
When it finally came in, I decided I'd have Nick watch a video on replacing the power supply so he'd know what we were doing when I got home. I gave explicit instructions to not attempt to replace the power supply without one of us adults supervising. It wasn't that I thought he might hurt himself, because I know he knows better than to mess with it while it's plugged in, but I was just trying to play it on the safe side.
So while my friend, the electronics technician, was in the other room, Nick decided to go for it. He totally believed in his ability to do it and just did it. He kept the YouTube video on the computer and paused it at every step so he could follow the instructions carefully. And then he called me at work. He needed to know where the power cord was to test it.
At first, I was surprised my friend was helping him because I thought she was going to leave it up to us to fix it. Then Nick explained he was doing it all by himself. He had so much confidence in his voice and was certain he had done it correctly because he did everything the guy in the YouTube video did. So, I didn't really get mad. I was just a little nervous.
But when it was all said and done, it worked. He plugged it in, turned it on and got signs of life. So, there you go.
Realizing he's growing up
This isn't the first time Nick has put something together and got it to work, so I really should have trusted him more. He knows his way around electronics, that's for sure. I just get nervous because I still see this little boy in my mind, when he's not anymore. And knowing that he can take things apart and put them back together again, especially electronics, means he's getting older and maybe I can't handle that very well.
I know I need to let him try things, so I'm happy that he did it all by himself. I know he learned a lot in the process too, so that's good. But my little baby boy is growing up and while I'm very, very proud of him, at the same time I'm a little sad too.
Is anyone else going through this?
Sunday, August 29, 2010
School is starting around the nation
Many homeschoolers follow a schedule that mimics the public school schedule, so this week and last was probably the beginning of school for many homeschooling families.
I never really stop educating my son because it is my firm belief that you learn something new every day. Also, I don't want to get him out of the habit of learning. However, because he has friends in regular school we do lighten up a bit during summer.
I know I sound like I'm being too strict by continuing school through the summer, but Nick doesn't even realize it because I use the unschooling method for the most part and let him direct his own education. Because of this, he's actually the one deciding to continue his education through summer.
This summer Nick learned a great deal about making stop-motion videos and other short movies (using our digital camera and Flip video camera) and editing them in iMovie (we're on Macs at our house). We got him his own YouTube account and let his creativity soar.
Nick also learned a great deal about research as he spent a lot of his time looking for video game walkthroughs and other video game-related information. He got an education in setting goals, saving and spending because of these same video game desires. Every day I'd come home from work and he would tell me what he learned that day. I don't care that it's about video games because I know he's developing a lot of Internet search skills that will serve him well into the future.
Now the real work begins
But now with the official start of school I've developed a loose educational plan. Because he was so interested in video games and creating movies, I thought we'd continue his education with the software programs he was researching plus learn a little more about graphic design and programming. I know enough about graphic design to be of help there, but I turn to others for the programming part (Lynda.com helps out there along with all the free tutorials I can find).
There's a free program called Unity that allows you to build video games and they have a lot of tutorials to help you get started. We are going to be looking over that and learning more about actually creating a video game. Because there's a lot that goes into it, he will be learning coding, art, math, writing (or at least story development) and more. Hopefully we'll have something I can share with everyone and their children by the end of the year (or later, I don't know yet).
I'm also going to be ordering the Adobe Design Suite for him to begin working on graphic arts and design. Because I homeschool I can get MAJOR discounts from Academic Superstore on the set.
Still considering the curriculum
Even though unschooling is my main method of teaching Nick, I still have this nagging feeling I need to teach him the mainstay stuff they teach in public schools: history, science, math, etc. So I use all the free videos and online resources I can find (YouTube, the History Channel, National Geographic Kids) to help out with that. I also sign on to a lot of iTunes Podcasts
which are free and very helpful in sharing important information. I recently joined a local homeschool group too and we have a lot of group activities planned that will allow the kids to learn a variety of information (ecology, food preparation, conservation, etc.) as well as hang out together and learn from each other.
Excited for the possibilities
I have a lot of expectations for this school year, but I will let things go as they wish to go. I hope everyone has a great school year. Please share your plans for the year and any ideas you have or triumphs and anything else you'd like to share. I love to hear from other parents on their educational goals and successes with their children.
~
I never really stop educating my son because it is my firm belief that you learn something new every day. Also, I don't want to get him out of the habit of learning. However, because he has friends in regular school we do lighten up a bit during summer.I know I sound like I'm being too strict by continuing school through the summer, but Nick doesn't even realize it because I use the unschooling method for the most part and let him direct his own education. Because of this, he's actually the one deciding to continue his education through summer.
This summer Nick learned a great deal about making stop-motion videos and other short movies (using our digital camera and Flip video camera) and editing them in iMovie (we're on Macs at our house). We got him his own YouTube account and let his creativity soar.
Nick also learned a great deal about research as he spent a lot of his time looking for video game walkthroughs and other video game-related information. He got an education in setting goals, saving and spending because of these same video game desires. Every day I'd come home from work and he would tell me what he learned that day. I don't care that it's about video games because I know he's developing a lot of Internet search skills that will serve him well into the future.
Now the real work begins
But now with the official start of school I've developed a loose educational plan. Because he was so interested in video games and creating movies, I thought we'd continue his education with the software programs he was researching plus learn a little more about graphic design and programming. I know enough about graphic design to be of help there, but I turn to others for the programming part (Lynda.com helps out there along with all the free tutorials I can find).
There's a free program called Unity that allows you to build video games and they have a lot of tutorials to help you get started. We are going to be looking over that and learning more about actually creating a video game. Because there's a lot that goes into it, he will be learning coding, art, math, writing (or at least story development) and more. Hopefully we'll have something I can share with everyone and their children by the end of the year (or later, I don't know yet).
I'm also going to be ordering the Adobe Design Suite for him to begin working on graphic arts and design. Because I homeschool I can get MAJOR discounts from Academic Superstore on the set.
Still considering the curriculum
Even though unschooling is my main method of teaching Nick, I still have this nagging feeling I need to teach him the mainstay stuff they teach in public schools: history, science, math, etc. So I use all the free videos and online resources I can find (YouTube, the History Channel, National Geographic Kids) to help out with that. I also sign on to a lot of iTunes Podcasts
Excited for the possibilities
I have a lot of expectations for this school year, but I will let things go as they wish to go. I hope everyone has a great school year. Please share your plans for the year and any ideas you have or triumphs and anything else you'd like to share. I love to hear from other parents on their educational goals and successes with their children.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Dreams of Ivy League for your home schooled child?
I was talking to a friend of mine recently who is already thinking about college possibilities for her 13-year-old son. He's super smart and was giving me lessons on C++, computers and the like. He built his own computer without any classes; he just did the research and figured it out. Yep, he's headed for great things.
My friend was worried about how well he'd do in regular school (she's putting him in a school with accelerated studies). She decided if he didn't feel like he fit in, she'd home school — they were using charter school previously but he was so far ahead of that curriculum too.
Her main worry with homeschooling was whether Ivy League universities or other elite schools, like the one she attended, would consider home-schooled kids. Many colleges are accepting home-schooled kids with excitement, but she feels the Ivy League schools might not give them a second chance.
Many institutions are relaxing their admissions policies
I had read somewhere recently that many schools, Stanford included, are relaxing their admissions policies when it comes to homeschooling. A GED is fine as a certificate to prove an education in most and some don't even require that. All they really want is good SAT or ACT scores. Some request a letter of recommendation and an essay.
But I got to thinking about Ivy League schools and wondered if home-schooled kids are rejected more often or have a harder time with admissions. I did some research and found that is NOT the case. According to the Home School Legal Defense Association's website, many prominent universities are accepting home-schooled kids with glee. Harvard only requires the "results of the SAT and SAT II, an essay, an interview, and a letter of recommendation" from home-schooled teens. Yale, Princeton, Texas A&M, Brown University, and the Carnegie Mellon Institute among many others have flexible transcript criteria, accept parental evaluations or do not require any accreditation.
No worries
So the worrying about a higher education can end. I joked to my friend that by the time our kids get to college-age, the curriculums in most public schools will be so poor, that many colleges and universities would jump at the chance to have a home-schooled kid. Hopefully that won't be the case, but it certainly seems like that how things are going.
• • •
LearnOutLoud.com - Your Audio & Video Learning Resource
My friend was worried about how well he'd do in regular school (she's putting him in a school with accelerated studies). She decided if he didn't feel like he fit in, she'd home school — they were using charter school previously but he was so far ahead of that curriculum too. Her main worry with homeschooling was whether Ivy League universities or other elite schools, like the one she attended, would consider home-schooled kids. Many colleges are accepting home-schooled kids with excitement, but she feels the Ivy League schools might not give them a second chance.
Many institutions are relaxing their admissions policies
I had read somewhere recently that many schools, Stanford included, are relaxing their admissions policies when it comes to homeschooling. A GED is fine as a certificate to prove an education in most and some don't even require that. All they really want is good SAT or ACT scores. Some request a letter of recommendation and an essay.
But I got to thinking about Ivy League schools and wondered if home-schooled kids are rejected more often or have a harder time with admissions. I did some research and found that is NOT the case. According to the Home School Legal Defense Association's website, many prominent universities are accepting home-schooled kids with glee. Harvard only requires the "results of the SAT and SAT II, an essay, an interview, and a letter of recommendation" from home-schooled teens. Yale, Princeton, Texas A&M, Brown University, and the Carnegie Mellon Institute among many others have flexible transcript criteria, accept parental evaluations or do not require any accreditation.
No worries
So the worrying about a higher education can end. I joked to my friend that by the time our kids get to college-age, the curriculums in most public schools will be so poor, that many colleges and universities would jump at the chance to have a home-schooled kid. Hopefully that won't be the case, but it certainly seems like that how things are going.
LearnOutLoud.com - Your Audio & Video Learning Resource
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Video games as part of an education
Nick loves his video games. I know I am not alone in wondering how bad or good they are for his overall mental and physical health.
However, it is important to get kids to learn critical thinking, planning, organizing and other forward thinking skills. These skills allow kids to learn to prepare for future events, to consider many options or possibilities, and to think outside of the box. These are very important skills for artists, engineers, scientists, and inventors as well as anyone who needs to be able to solve problems and find unique solutions to them.
When kids are young we give them board puzzles and games that encourage this kind of thinking. As they get older we find computer games that teach them reading, math, spelling and the like, but we generally consider video games as "just for fun" and not so much educational. Some game creators have tried to make educational video games that teach math or other subjects, but because their main focus is teaching they sometimes use the same tricks over and over again and the games lose their fun value after a while.
Nick really has fun with video games and I thought I'd do some searching to see if there were some that could actually be helpful. He really enjoys building games on the Wii and his DSi and PSP, so I'm encouraged by that. He has to think ahead in order to build structures that won't fall down. With his Sims games he has to find ways to protect his citizens, which also requires some planning ahead.
However, the games for those systems are expensive and add up quickly. Plus, he does become bored with them after he's beat them. That means buying more games and running out of money quickly.
After much research I found that Big Fish Games has a lot of really inexpensive puzzle games that I can feel comfortable buying and they won't break the mom bank.
They have many online games you can play for free and the games you can buy are only $6.99 (and they have $2.99 specials every day). They have quite a bit to choose from for kids of all ages (including the parents). I really enjoy the Match 3 games and Nick really likes the Hidden Objects games. They have games that are suitable for younger kids and Brain Teaser games with Professor Fizzlewizzle among others.
I like Big Fish Games a lot and would suggest them to anyone who tends to buy a lot of games but doesn't want to spend a whole lot every time. They've got a lot of selection and Nick and I have a lot of fun with the games we get. You can always test the games out for an hour before you buy them too, giving you plenty of opportunity to decide if it's a good fit or not.
However, it is important to get kids to learn critical thinking, planning, organizing and other forward thinking skills. These skills allow kids to learn to prepare for future events, to consider many options or possibilities, and to think outside of the box. These are very important skills for artists, engineers, scientists, and inventors as well as anyone who needs to be able to solve problems and find unique solutions to them.
When kids are young we give them board puzzles and games that encourage this kind of thinking. As they get older we find computer games that teach them reading, math, spelling and the like, but we generally consider video games as "just for fun" and not so much educational. Some game creators have tried to make educational video games that teach math or other subjects, but because their main focus is teaching they sometimes use the same tricks over and over again and the games lose their fun value after a while.Nick really has fun with video games and I thought I'd do some searching to see if there were some that could actually be helpful. He really enjoys building games on the Wii and his DSi and PSP, so I'm encouraged by that. He has to think ahead in order to build structures that won't fall down. With his Sims games he has to find ways to protect his citizens, which also requires some planning ahead.
However, the games for those systems are expensive and add up quickly. Plus, he does become bored with them after he's beat them. That means buying more games and running out of money quickly.
After much research I found that Big Fish Games has a lot of really inexpensive puzzle games that I can feel comfortable buying and they won't break the mom bank.
They have many online games you can play for free and the games you can buy are only $6.99 (and they have $2.99 specials every day). They have quite a bit to choose from for kids of all ages (including the parents). I really enjoy the Match 3 games and Nick really likes the Hidden Objects games. They have games that are suitable for younger kids and Brain Teaser games with Professor Fizzlewizzle among others.
I like Big Fish Games a lot and would suggest them to anyone who tends to buy a lot of games but doesn't want to spend a whole lot every time. They've got a lot of selection and Nick and I have a lot of fun with the games we get. You can always test the games out for an hour before you buy them too, giving you plenty of opportunity to decide if it's a good fit or not.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Do homeschooled kids need extracurricular activities?
There's more to life than a solid book-and-facts education. If children do not learn how to work as a team – interact, cooperate and compromise with others — they will have a difficult time succeeding in many situations outside of school.
Recent research of children in public school showed extracurricular activities helped students improve their grades, attitudes and overall well-being. While researchers couldn't be certain why without further studies, the results definitely showed a strong correlation between higher grades and motivation and participation in activities such as sports, performance groups and other outside interests involving other participants. The researchers reasoned that the students learned character-building skills in the activities that they could use in their studies and life in order to succeed.
An introduction to the real world
Learning to accept criticism of their work in art and music classes, to be a part of a group in theatrical performances, or to work as a team in sports is very critical to learning how to cope in most work situations. Remember, once our children leave the protection of our home schools, they will enter into "the real world" where they will need to work with others on a daily, if not hourly, basis.
Public school is not the best way to teach socialization skills. Studies show it actually prevents children from becoming more open and social because they are always stuck with the same group of children, mostly of the same age, and they form cliques where they hang around children with almost exactly the same interests.
Homeschooling families have the option of introducing their children to many kinds of people, of various ages and interests. Having this variety allows children to learn to be more open and better able to cope with people who are not like them when they have to work with them.
Benefits of extracurricular activities
Extracurricular activities gives you the opportunity to introduce your children to the world. In most activities children learn to work with others as a team, to compromise for the good of the final goal, and to understand their position as an important part of the team.
Children also learn how to organize and manage their time more efficiently in order to get their tasks done by deadline. They take these skills home with them as well because they know they need to complete other work at home in order to successfully participate in their activities.
Working together with others for a common goal helps motivate children to complete what they've started. They know they have a team to back them up and they don't want to let that team down. When they understand that the work they do has an impact on the larger group, they tend to work harder to complete their tasks.
Life skills
I've mentioned before that life skills are more important in home studies than the standard public school curriculum (see A financial education and Cooking). Knowing how to live in the modern world is much more important than knowing the exact path Louis and Clark took on their trek across the country (threatening the natives that the country owns them along the way).
Participating in extracurricular activities gives children a tremendous life-skills education. There are so many more benefits than the ones I mentioned above. Not to mention, children may find their calling by participating in these activities. They may learn to become a leader in teaching others the skills they learn. They may chance upon the time of their lives.
Most importantly, however, children participating in extracurricular activities will learn to succeed in life. That's the greatest benefit you could ask for.
Recent research of children in public school showed extracurricular activities helped students improve their grades, attitudes and overall well-being. While researchers couldn't be certain why without further studies, the results definitely showed a strong correlation between higher grades and motivation and participation in activities such as sports, performance groups and other outside interests involving other participants. The researchers reasoned that the students learned character-building skills in the activities that they could use in their studies and life in order to succeed.An introduction to the real world
Learning to accept criticism of their work in art and music classes, to be a part of a group in theatrical performances, or to work as a team in sports is very critical to learning how to cope in most work situations. Remember, once our children leave the protection of our home schools, they will enter into "the real world" where they will need to work with others on a daily, if not hourly, basis.
Public school is not the best way to teach socialization skills. Studies show it actually prevents children from becoming more open and social because they are always stuck with the same group of children, mostly of the same age, and they form cliques where they hang around children with almost exactly the same interests.
Homeschooling families have the option of introducing their children to many kinds of people, of various ages and interests. Having this variety allows children to learn to be more open and better able to cope with people who are not like them when they have to work with them.
Benefits of extracurricular activities
Extracurricular activities gives you the opportunity to introduce your children to the world. In most activities children learn to work with others as a team, to compromise for the good of the final goal, and to understand their position as an important part of the team.
Children also learn how to organize and manage their time more efficiently in order to get their tasks done by deadline. They take these skills home with them as well because they know they need to complete other work at home in order to successfully participate in their activities.
Working together with others for a common goal helps motivate children to complete what they've started. They know they have a team to back them up and they don't want to let that team down. When they understand that the work they do has an impact on the larger group, they tend to work harder to complete their tasks.
Life skills
I've mentioned before that life skills are more important in home studies than the standard public school curriculum (see A financial education and Cooking). Knowing how to live in the modern world is much more important than knowing the exact path Louis and Clark took on their trek across the country (threatening the natives that the country owns them along the way).
Participating in extracurricular activities gives children a tremendous life-skills education. There are so many more benefits than the ones I mentioned above. Not to mention, children may find their calling by participating in these activities. They may learn to become a leader in teaching others the skills they learn. They may chance upon the time of their lives.
Most importantly, however, children participating in extracurricular activities will learn to succeed in life. That's the greatest benefit you could ask for.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Relaxing the homeschool curriculum
Before I switched to a more relaxed atmosphere in my son's education (using unschooling as our primary homeschooling style), I created lists, plans, and my own curriculum, and tried my best to stick to the "plan."
When you have an extremely inquisitive child, and are yourself just as curious, it is so very hard to stick to the plan. When my son asked a question, we'd look it up and discuss it. I had heard somewhere that Einstein's mom allowed him to be curious and explore as well. You can probably tell by my lengthy blog entries that I can go on a bit so these tangents took some time.
In the back of my head, I knew that his curiosity was a good thing, but I didn't want to get too far behind on the schedule. So I would try to recoup by starting with a lesson we missed the night before. I would try my darnedest to not go off on tangents, but we would just get further and further behind. I would get so stressed thinking Nick was so far behind other kids his age, and not just because of his dyslexia.
So, it went for a long time. Nick was seeing his friends who went to public school get weeks or months off at a time and would ask if he could get more time off too. I went over the whole "so far behind" lecture and also explained that taking so much time off between lessons would cause us to spend more time we didn't have reviewing old information, and blah, blah, blah. That "blah, blah, blah" part was what Nick heard.
Revelation hits
One day the neighbors had friends with kids visiting and they sent their kids over here to see if Nick could play. They played here for a while and then went over to the neighbors' house and played there for a while. Nick was having so much fun. I finally went over there to see if he was ready for lunch and he hadn't even noticed how much time had passed. He asked for a little bit longer and the neighbors said they'd feed him a sandwich, and it was all settled.
So I chatted with the parents of the kids for a little bit and it didn't take long for the conversation to turn to school. Nick had mentioned he was dyslexic to the parents and the mom told me she didn't really know what that meant, but it was clear to her that Nick was intelligent. She was really impressed with his vocabulary and how much he knew about certain topics and how much thought he put into his responses.
After talking to her, I felt truly relieved. I guess I had never thought about it that much, but when we do go off on our tangents, he's still learning. Maybe the fact that we spend the extra time to research something is more important than I realize. It probably explains why he's so eager to do his own research now on the things he wants to learn more about. This usually is video games, but one day it'll be something more.
The three R's
I once talked to someone who said that kids really only need to know how to Read, Research and Reason and they will be fine. I believe that's pretty much true. Nick has a hard time reading sometimes, but he gets around that with video and audiobooks.
And the more I learned about unschooling, the more I adopted it as the plan. I still take the time to focus on his reading, writing and spelling skills but most of the rest is just letting his curiosity run wild. We've done pretty good so far.
When you have an extremely inquisitive child, and are yourself just as curious, it is so very hard to stick to the plan. When my son asked a question, we'd look it up and discuss it. I had heard somewhere that Einstein's mom allowed him to be curious and explore as well. You can probably tell by my lengthy blog entries that I can go on a bit so these tangents took some time.In the back of my head, I knew that his curiosity was a good thing, but I didn't want to get too far behind on the schedule. So I would try to recoup by starting with a lesson we missed the night before. I would try my darnedest to not go off on tangents, but we would just get further and further behind. I would get so stressed thinking Nick was so far behind other kids his age, and not just because of his dyslexia.
So, it went for a long time. Nick was seeing his friends who went to public school get weeks or months off at a time and would ask if he could get more time off too. I went over the whole "so far behind" lecture and also explained that taking so much time off between lessons would cause us to spend more time we didn't have reviewing old information, and blah, blah, blah. That "blah, blah, blah" part was what Nick heard.
Revelation hits
One day the neighbors had friends with kids visiting and they sent their kids over here to see if Nick could play. They played here for a while and then went over to the neighbors' house and played there for a while. Nick was having so much fun. I finally went over there to see if he was ready for lunch and he hadn't even noticed how much time had passed. He asked for a little bit longer and the neighbors said they'd feed him a sandwich, and it was all settled.
So I chatted with the parents of the kids for a little bit and it didn't take long for the conversation to turn to school. Nick had mentioned he was dyslexic to the parents and the mom told me she didn't really know what that meant, but it was clear to her that Nick was intelligent. She was really impressed with his vocabulary and how much he knew about certain topics and how much thought he put into his responses.
After talking to her, I felt truly relieved. I guess I had never thought about it that much, but when we do go off on our tangents, he's still learning. Maybe the fact that we spend the extra time to research something is more important than I realize. It probably explains why he's so eager to do his own research now on the things he wants to learn more about. This usually is video games, but one day it'll be something more.
The three R's
I once talked to someone who said that kids really only need to know how to Read, Research and Reason and they will be fine. I believe that's pretty much true. Nick has a hard time reading sometimes, but he gets around that with video and audiobooks.
And the more I learned about unschooling, the more I adopted it as the plan. I still take the time to focus on his reading, writing and spelling skills but most of the rest is just letting his curiosity run wild. We've done pretty good so far.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Fun at the museum
One of my favorite place to take Nick is the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno. It's a wonderful museum with a lot of variety. They have free days twice a month with guided tours, which I really love because then the "professionals" can teach him.
Technically, I'm an artist at work, but I never studied art. I just know how to work the graphics programs. I don't consider myself an artist in the same way a painter or sketch artist is. I know that I am creative and if I had the time to study art, I could be really good. But I love going to the museum and looking at the works of others, studying them very closely (as close as I'm allowed). I love looking at paint strokes or seeing the imaginations of others.
I'm very moved by the passion artists have. To bare your soul like they do is an amazing and beautiful thing to me. If all people shared even a portion of what some artists do, I think the world would be a little more open and accepting.
Celebrating the Human Touch
On our recent trip we got to experience the "Human Touch" display (if you live in the area it's going on until November 14). It features "artworks devoted to creative interpretations of the human figure."
There are a variety of mediums to showcase the human being; some are emotive photographs, some are abstract comic-book style, and one is made of chocolate syrup (well, it's a picture of one made with chocolate syrup). The tour guide talked about several of the paintings and asked the kids to tell what they saw and what they thought. I think it's important for children to be exposed to a variety of artistic styles like that. They get to learn the why and how of it and may incorporate it into their own imaginations (just like I try to do when I look at others' work).
After the tour we learned to hula hoop. Why? Because, Burning Man, the ultimate show of personal and artistic expression, is coming and the woman teaching us hula hooping goes every year. It wasn't just hula hooping for fun but getting creative with your moves. Dance, after all, is yet another form of artistic expression. Some people thought it was a stretch to connect the Human Touch display with Burning Man, but I don't think so. Burning Man is about making connections, about being human and understanding how we all fit into the world together. I think it was a perfect combination.
Anyway, here's video of Nick free-styling with the hula hoop.
Technically, I'm an artist at work, but I never studied art. I just know how to work the graphics programs. I don't consider myself an artist in the same way a painter or sketch artist is. I know that I am creative and if I had the time to study art, I could be really good. But I love going to the museum and looking at the works of others, studying them very closely (as close as I'm allowed). I love looking at paint strokes or seeing the imaginations of others.
I'm very moved by the passion artists have. To bare your soul like they do is an amazing and beautiful thing to me. If all people shared even a portion of what some artists do, I think the world would be a little more open and accepting.
Celebrating the Human Touch
On our recent trip we got to experience the "Human Touch" display (if you live in the area it's going on until November 14). It features "artworks devoted to creative interpretations of the human figure."
There are a variety of mediums to showcase the human being; some are emotive photographs, some are abstract comic-book style, and one is made of chocolate syrup (well, it's a picture of one made with chocolate syrup). The tour guide talked about several of the paintings and asked the kids to tell what they saw and what they thought. I think it's important for children to be exposed to a variety of artistic styles like that. They get to learn the why and how of it and may incorporate it into their own imaginations (just like I try to do when I look at others' work). After the tour we learned to hula hoop. Why? Because, Burning Man, the ultimate show of personal and artistic expression, is coming and the woman teaching us hula hooping goes every year. It wasn't just hula hooping for fun but getting creative with your moves. Dance, after all, is yet another form of artistic expression. Some people thought it was a stretch to connect the Human Touch display with Burning Man, but I don't think so. Burning Man is about making connections, about being human and understanding how we all fit into the world together. I think it was a perfect combination.
Anyway, here's video of Nick free-styling with the hula hoop.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Creating better learners
I am somehow able to absorb information like a sponge and remember much of it through reading, watching, listening, or whatever method in which it is delivered. I had an easy time of school, but was never motivated to do any more than what I felt was necessary. I got good grades because I realized that was necessary, but I never took part in activities or attempted to learn new skills or talents or anything outside of what was required.Because my son is dyslexic, learning is a much more difficult task for him. I love learning now that I'm older and realize how much I missed when I was younger. Nick loves learning as long as it is delivered in such a way that he can absorb it best. He learns best through hands-on experimentation or through video presentations. It is certainly possible to deliver much of his education through these methods, but sometimes I wonder how much he is missing because he has a hard time reading.
As someone who doesn't have difficulty reading, I often feel sorry for him because I see how much it pains him, physically and emotionally. As his teacher it sometimes frustrates me because both our lives would be easier if reading was easy for him. Then I think about how much I missed because reading was easy for me. I took it for granted. You never really appreciate something that's always there. So maybe his dyslexia is a gift
for a different reason: the easier reading gets for him through the methods we use, the more he appreciates it and the ability to use it when he wants to learn.In the beginning
Nick was 3 when I first started teaching letters and sounds to him. He picked it up easily and was able to sound out three-letter words very quickly. We used those refrigerator magnets and I would slide letters into place. I remember very distinctly him reading "fun", then "sun", then "run". I was just so excited.When kindergarten started, I had prepared him the best way any mom could. I remembered the things I needed to know in kindergarten so I taught him how to count to 100, his ABCs, his colors, shapes and so many other things. He had learned how to work with safety scissors, glue and other craft supplies in preschool as well as at home and already knew how to write his name. He was even working on the computer already.
After several months, all parents were called in to conference with the teacher about testing scores. They had spent three weeks testing all the children to see where they were and explaining all the results to the parents. Nick scored well above the national average as did several other children in the class. One kid got a 4 (the national average was 23).
I was excited that Nick had scored so high and his teacher said he was ready to read. I knew that because we were already reading. So I asked her what her plan was and she said she wasn't going to do anything. Because that one kid got a 4, all the kids in the class had to be brought down to his level so he could catch up. I was livid. I didn't want her holding my son back because some other kid's parents didn't teach him well enough. She said she didn't want the kids forming cliques. At five years old? I knew I couldn't leave my son in this system that purposely dumbed down all the smart kids.
Homeschooling begins
I figured I had already taught my son everything they were planning on teaching him in kindergarten before he even started, so I could teach him everything else. I knew I could do a better job than his teacher. So it began.
At first I was using workbooks for Nick to go through. I didn't really know what else to do and they seemed to be helpful before. Besides, that's what his teacher was doing. That should have been a red flag to me, but I wasn't paying attention.
The workbooks for reading helped Nick identify the letters and their sounds, but it was all the same stuff I had already taught him and I decided to move past that and just start reading simple books. He was doing fine until we got to words that had those weird vowel combinations that seem to never sound the same way twice.
If I knew then what I know now, I would have gone through the workbooks in order like I was supposed to. First of all, repetition is important to learning something thoroughly. Secondly, all those weird vowel combinations were covered later on in the workbooks. However, workbooks alone aren't enough. I could have made life a lot easier for him by using multi-sensory methods to work with the letters, sounds and words. Things like making the letters out of clay or Legos would have solidified their images in his mind better.
My methods simply weren't working. He could identify the letters individually most of the time and write what he saw but when we were reading, it seemed he no longer recognized them. If I could have seen what he saw in his head I would have understood exactly what was going on, but at the time I just assumed he wasn't really paying attention to my instruction or just had a super short memory.
Then I suspected dyslexia
I don't remember when it first hit me, but at some point I finally realized it could be dyslexia. My mom is dyslexic and I knew it was genetic. That's pretty much all I knew. I tried getting help from the public school system, but they didn't know much about the condition either and pretty much blamed me for his inability to read. They seemed much more interested in harming me rather than helping him.
After trying many methods that only helped him read small words, I started doing some serious research into what dyslexia is and what can be done about it.
After much research, I began using the methods described in the book The Gift of Dyslexia.
They help by allowing Nick to use his imagination in order to create a personal connection to the words that cause him trouble. He worked with clay to form the letters in 3-D. He also used the clay to form representations of words that cause trouble, so that when he reads he "sees" what's going on in his mind. We all tend to form a mental picture while we are reading, but there are certain words that don't have a picture. Those of us who are not dyslexic just read the word but the image of the story remains in our heads. For some people who are dyslexic, it is hard to read the word without having a visual connection to it. The book teaches dyslexics to create images out of clay to represent troublesome words so they can use those images in their mental picture when they are reading. This allows them to continue the story without getting stuck on the troublesome words. There were a few other methods in the book that I found helpful (two are described in the video below).
But the methods in The Gift of Dyslexia
only got us so far. Nick's imagination was stuck in video game mode and all of his clay creations were too similar. I wasn't supposed to interfere with his creations, but I knew he wasn't going to remember anything if they were all Mario or Zelda related. I will admit he is a much better reader now because of it, but we still get stuck in ruts. So I added the methods into my collection of methods and we moved on.Many years later
So what do I use now to help him read? Well, a combination of things. Most important is using multi-sensory methods to help him solidify the lessons in his mind. Combining sight, sound, touch, and taste and smell if it's feasible, helps him actually take part in his own instruction and he begins to own the lesson in a sense. By making it his own, he feels more of a connection to it and will remember it more.
Repetition is also important. Going over previously learned words, spellings, rules and tips at the beginning of every session is really helping him form solid spelling, reading and comprehension skills.
I have been using the All About Spelling system for a while now with amazing results in his spelling. The bonus is that his reading has improved tremendously as well. The trick they use which I've been using for other lessons as well, is to review previous lessons at the beginning of each session (the repetition I mentioned) and they use colored flash cards (studies show color enhances retention by about 30 percent). They use multiple senses (hearing, seeing, touching, etc.) and positive reinforcement (a completion chart that shows his progress). Oh, and magnets. I knew the magnets worked when Nick was 3; I should have just stuck with them.The point of it all is that getting him engaged in the activity in more ways than one helps him retain the information better. I use multi-sensory methods to teach him all of his subjects and it makes life easier for us both. He actually enjoys learning, is enjoying reading more and we are making major progress in his education.
I know I didn't exactly start Nick off right when I decided to homeschool. I made the assumption that because we already covered something, he would know it forever. I can't stress enough how important it is to reinforce lessons by reviewing them until they are second nature to your child. Reading is like learning a foreign language. You don't just hear a new word and have it permanently imprinted in your brain. You must go over it again and again until it feels natural to you and you can automatically recall it. Reviewing it is how you reinforce it in your brain.
I started off right by using the letter magnets, and I should have just continued using similar methods (fun and multi-sensory ones) to teach him. When I taught him his colors, numbers and shapes, I used visuals and verbal repetition. I also used computer programs that made the learning fun. These methods are best in teaching all children, because when they become involved in the lesson like this, they connect to it better and retain the information better.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
It's Life in a Day day
The day's not over yet!
Producer Ridley Scott and director Kevin Macdonald are asking the YouTube Community to film their day today (July 24, 2010) and post them for a global experiment to create a user-generated documentary film shot in a single day.
The project is called Life in a Day and is an amazing idea in my opinion. I definitely decided to participate. Kevin Macdonald is asking people to film parts of their day as well as answer questions about themselves like: What do you love the most? What do you fear the most? What makes you laugh? What do you have in your pockets (or pocketbooks)?
Most films are made to allow us to live outside ourselves, live vicariously through a fantasy and live an adventure we may never get to see or feel. But this film allows us to be ourselves and I think that's amazing. Even if our films don't get to be a part of the final cut, the videos submitted will be available for all to see. The ordinary lives of some are extraordinary to others.
I think this is also a wonderful educational opportunity for our children. Taking part in something like this will allow them to express themselves and learn more about living this life. Having them think about those questions, their loves and fears, is really good for them. Even discussing what's in their pockets and allowing them to explore why that would be significant is important.
I have this book I picked up at the book store called Little Big Minds
that is about teaching children philosophy and teaching them to be philosophical. Nick really likes the book and even brought it up today when we were discussing this documentary experiment. He loves considering the big questions and talking about worlds outside of our own. I like the idea of getting children to think and talk about the big questions. We shouldn't be afraid of getting philosophical and shouldn't be afraid of asking children too. You'd be amazed at how much your children think and can express when given the opportunity.
I think this documentary about human life on Earth is a wonderful beginning discussion about our lives and how we choose to live. If we were going to film our lives, what would we consider to be the most important aspect? Do we currently spend a lot of time working on that aspect? Should we be refocusing how we spend our lives? These are good questions to ask ourselves and our children. When we focus on what we consider to be really important, then we can begin to make our lives better lived.
Philosophy aside, the Life in a Day experiment should prove to be an interesting one. I can't wait to see the final product.
...
Here's a glimpse at one of the videos we intend to send in. This mule deer -- we call her Momma though she more of a Grandmomma now -- comes by our house every day, so this really is Life in a Day for us.
Producer Ridley Scott and director Kevin Macdonald are asking the YouTube Community to film their day today (July 24, 2010) and post them for a global experiment to create a user-generated documentary film shot in a single day.
The project is called Life in a Day and is an amazing idea in my opinion. I definitely decided to participate. Kevin Macdonald is asking people to film parts of their day as well as answer questions about themselves like: What do you love the most? What do you fear the most? What makes you laugh? What do you have in your pockets (or pocketbooks)?
Most films are made to allow us to live outside ourselves, live vicariously through a fantasy and live an adventure we may never get to see or feel. But this film allows us to be ourselves and I think that's amazing. Even if our films don't get to be a part of the final cut, the videos submitted will be available for all to see. The ordinary lives of some are extraordinary to others.
I think this is also a wonderful educational opportunity for our children. Taking part in something like this will allow them to express themselves and learn more about living this life. Having them think about those questions, their loves and fears, is really good for them. Even discussing what's in their pockets and allowing them to explore why that would be significant is important.
I have this book I picked up at the book store called Little Big Minds
that is about teaching children philosophy and teaching them to be philosophical. Nick really likes the book and even brought it up today when we were discussing this documentary experiment. He loves considering the big questions and talking about worlds outside of our own. I like the idea of getting children to think and talk about the big questions. We shouldn't be afraid of getting philosophical and shouldn't be afraid of asking children too. You'd be amazed at how much your children think and can express when given the opportunity. I think this documentary about human life on Earth is a wonderful beginning discussion about our lives and how we choose to live. If we were going to film our lives, what would we consider to be the most important aspect? Do we currently spend a lot of time working on that aspect? Should we be refocusing how we spend our lives? These are good questions to ask ourselves and our children. When we focus on what we consider to be really important, then we can begin to make our lives better lived.
Philosophy aside, the Life in a Day experiment should prove to be an interesting one. I can't wait to see the final product.
Here's a glimpse at one of the videos we intend to send in. This mule deer -- we call her Momma though she more of a Grandmomma now -- comes by our house every day, so this really is Life in a Day for us.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Creating a homeschool education plan
Whether you are doing school-at-home or unschooling, having a plan will make your child's education (and each day) go wonderfully.
In Nevada, homeschooling parents are required to attach an education plan to their Notice of Intent to Homeschool form. A plan not only helps you prepare for the school year, but also helps you get organized (maybe help you plan a school supplies shopping trip).
A very general plan would look like this:
English, reading, writing, composition:
• paragraph writing
• poetry and chapter books
• plot, details, foreshadowing, metaphor
• short report writing
Math:
• measurements
• geometry
• decimals
• fractions
Science:
• volcanoes
• earthquakes
• weathering
• bones
• circulatory system
Social studies:
• American history 1492-1800
• geography to follow history study
• maps
• following the campaigns for government study
• learning to make a budget
• learning about credit cards and banks
This general outline would allow you to be flexible when needed and give you an idea of what kind of books you would need to get from the library or store, or locate websites ahead of time that offer videos, practice, experiments or lesson plans you can use.
If you are unschooling and are fully against creating a curriculum, keep in mind that your child needs to be exposed to as many topics as possible in order to decide what he or she wants to learn. A very minimal plan, like having a collection of books lying around that your child may want to explore, or offering a selection of various videos to watch, will go a long way to helping your child discover his or her own educational path. If you are required to file an education plan with the state you are homeschooling in, like you do in Nevada, find out the minimum requirements needed to do so, so that you are allowed maximum flexibility (and still feel like you are being honest). In Nevada, you only need to list your educational supplies, so a plan could look something like this:
English, reading, writing, composition:
• books of poetry, mythology, biographies and fiction
• dictionary
• online encyclopedia
• newspapers
• journal and other writing supplies
Math:
• learning measurements with cooking
• learning time with clock and datebook
• calculator
• learning money on shopping trips
Science:
• videos on the ocean
• videos on insects
• book on the body systems
• book of science experiments
• Discovery Kids magazine
• Zoobooks
Social studies:
• history museums
• government participation (helping with campaign)
• child's atlas
• maps
• learning budgeting with allowance
This plan allows you to work around your normal life as you would if you are unschooling, but also is a reminder that you are constantly teaching your child and that every opportunity can be used as an educational opportunity.
In Nevada, homeschooling parents are required to attach an education plan to their Notice of Intent to Homeschool form. A plan not only helps you prepare for the school year, but also helps you get organized (maybe help you plan a school supplies shopping trip).
A very general plan would look like this:
English, reading, writing, composition:
• paragraph writing
• poetry and chapter books
• plot, details, foreshadowing, metaphor
• short report writing
Math:
• measurements
• geometry
• decimals
• fractions
Science:
• volcanoes
• earthquakes
• weathering
• bones
• circulatory system
Social studies:
• American history 1492-1800
• geography to follow history study
• maps
• following the campaigns for government study
• learning to make a budget
• learning about credit cards and banks
This general outline would allow you to be flexible when needed and give you an idea of what kind of books you would need to get from the library or store, or locate websites ahead of time that offer videos, practice, experiments or lesson plans you can use.
If you are unschooling and are fully against creating a curriculum, keep in mind that your child needs to be exposed to as many topics as possible in order to decide what he or she wants to learn. A very minimal plan, like having a collection of books lying around that your child may want to explore, or offering a selection of various videos to watch, will go a long way to helping your child discover his or her own educational path. If you are required to file an education plan with the state you are homeschooling in, like you do in Nevada, find out the minimum requirements needed to do so, so that you are allowed maximum flexibility (and still feel like you are being honest). In Nevada, you only need to list your educational supplies, so a plan could look something like this:
English, reading, writing, composition:
• books of poetry, mythology, biographies and fiction
• dictionary
• online encyclopedia
• newspapers
• journal and other writing supplies
Math:
• learning measurements with cooking
• learning time with clock and datebook
• calculator
• learning money on shopping trips
Science:
• videos on the ocean
• videos on insects
• book on the body systems
• book of science experiments
• Discovery Kids magazine
• Zoobooks
Social studies:
• history museums
• government participation (helping with campaign)
• child's atlas
• maps
• learning budgeting with allowance
This plan allows you to work around your normal life as you would if you are unschooling, but also is a reminder that you are constantly teaching your child and that every opportunity can be used as an educational opportunity.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Field trips still rock
I believe most people who went to public school would agree that the best days were the ones on which we took field trips. Field trips were a break from the norm and despite our best efforts to just have fun and forget that we were at school, we still learned something.
Well, why would we home-schooling parents take that excitement away from our students? Field trips are still very cool and our children will learn a lot. Kids do learn best when they are having fun.
On a recent camping trip Nick and I took to Great Basin National Park, I took advantage of every educational opportunity (because I'm that way). We took the Lehman Caves tour (the longer 90-minute one) and had fun. The tour guide, of course, was filled with information about how the caves formed, the different kinds of formations you'll find in the caves, the life inside the caves and the recent human involvement.
The cool thing about Lehman Caves is the very rare shield formations. There are about 300 of them inside the caves. Also because there's minimal life inside the cave (the tour guide said the largest was a small scorpion) we could take lots of flash photography without disturbing any precious ecosystems.
So I came up with a pretty cool slideshow (and learned a lot about Garage Band and iMovie with this one) that I want to share. In a couple of the photos you will see what looks like black writing on the ceiling and some of the stalagmites are broken off. The black writing is actually old graffiti. Decades ago, people were allowed to take a tour all by themselves and they would take candles and burn their names or initials into the ceiling. They were also allowed to take souvenirs, so that's why many of the stalagmites were broken. We were told if we touched anything, we'd disrupt the continuing growth inside the caves because the oils on our hands would prevent water from flowing in that spot. We were also told that if we were caught touching anything, we'd be escorted out and talking to law enforcement agents.
When we were on our way back up, he asked us all to stand in this one area (where the previous tourists had burned their names into the ceiling) and asked us if we were at all nervous about standing 200 feet below the surface in a highly active earthquake area. None of us were until he mentioned that. Luckily, he put our fears to rest by saying when an earthquake hits an empty cavern underground, it doesn't cause everything to come crashing down. The waves just cause a loud echoing noise, which he demonstrated once we got back to the entrance.
If you live in the area or are visiting Eastern Nevada, I highly recommend taking the tour. They don't allow children under 5 to take the longer tour, probably because of the longer walk. Passages sometimes are very narrow and it would be extremely difficult to carry a tired child through the tour. They also recommend you buy tickets at least a day or more in advance in order to make sure you get the tour you want.
Well, why would we home-schooling parents take that excitement away from our students? Field trips are still very cool and our children will learn a lot. Kids do learn best when they are having fun.
On a recent camping trip Nick and I took to Great Basin National Park, I took advantage of every educational opportunity (because I'm that way). We took the Lehman Caves tour (the longer 90-minute one) and had fun. The tour guide, of course, was filled with information about how the caves formed, the different kinds of formations you'll find in the caves, the life inside the caves and the recent human involvement.
The cool thing about Lehman Caves is the very rare shield formations. There are about 300 of them inside the caves. Also because there's minimal life inside the cave (the tour guide said the largest was a small scorpion) we could take lots of flash photography without disturbing any precious ecosystems.
So I came up with a pretty cool slideshow (and learned a lot about Garage Band and iMovie with this one) that I want to share. In a couple of the photos you will see what looks like black writing on the ceiling and some of the stalagmites are broken off. The black writing is actually old graffiti. Decades ago, people were allowed to take a tour all by themselves and they would take candles and burn their names or initials into the ceiling. They were also allowed to take souvenirs, so that's why many of the stalagmites were broken. We were told if we touched anything, we'd disrupt the continuing growth inside the caves because the oils on our hands would prevent water from flowing in that spot. We were also told that if we were caught touching anything, we'd be escorted out and talking to law enforcement agents.
When we were on our way back up, he asked us all to stand in this one area (where the previous tourists had burned their names into the ceiling) and asked us if we were at all nervous about standing 200 feet below the surface in a highly active earthquake area. None of us were until he mentioned that. Luckily, he put our fears to rest by saying when an earthquake hits an empty cavern underground, it doesn't cause everything to come crashing down. The waves just cause a loud echoing noise, which he demonstrated once we got back to the entrance.
If you live in the area or are visiting Eastern Nevada, I highly recommend taking the tour. They don't allow children under 5 to take the longer tour, probably because of the longer walk. Passages sometimes are very narrow and it would be extremely difficult to carry a tired child through the tour. They also recommend you buy tickets at least a day or more in advance in order to make sure you get the tour you want.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Positive attitude goes a long way for dyslexics
Is a really creative mind the cause of dyslexia or is dyslexia the cause of a really creative mind?
Every time I read a book or story written (or directed) by someone who is dyslexic, they either see their condition as a gift or a curse.
I really enjoy the ones who see it as a gift because they have a really positive attitude, a strong spirit, and despite being told they were stupid when they were younger, they persevere like nobody's business.
That is the kind of attitude I want my son to have. He knows that dyslexia causes him trouble, but he also knows that he's intelligent and creative and much better than me at video games. OK, he's much better than me at a lot of things. I think the fight he puts up to conquer his dyslexic symptoms will give him the fight he needs to conquer the successes out there waiting for him.
...
The most passionate books written by a dyslexic person (who struggled for years to write them) are written by Victor Villasenor
. The first book of his I read was Burro Genius: A Memoir
. It is so beautifully written and really helps you understand the life of a dyslexic person who has always been told he was stupid and would never amount to anything. You get to see inside his mind and feel his feelings. This book is not for the weak, but as parents or caregivers of dyslexic children, we should all try to understand what their lives are like. I cried not just for Victor but for my mom and all who grew up and went to school before dyslexia was truly understood. I highly, highly recommend this book and others written by Villasenor. And don't worry, after the sad parts are the really great revelations that make your mind spin and let you know that everything will be OK.
Every time I read a book or story written (or directed) by someone who is dyslexic, they either see their condition as a gift or a curse.
I really enjoy the ones who see it as a gift because they have a really positive attitude, a strong spirit, and despite being told they were stupid when they were younger, they persevere like nobody's business.
That is the kind of attitude I want my son to have. He knows that dyslexia causes him trouble, but he also knows that he's intelligent and creative and much better than me at video games. OK, he's much better than me at a lot of things. I think the fight he puts up to conquer his dyslexic symptoms will give him the fight he needs to conquer the successes out there waiting for him.
The most passionate books written by a dyslexic person (who struggled for years to write them) are written by Victor Villasenor
. The first book of his I read was Burro Genius: A Memoir. It is so beautifully written and really helps you understand the life of a dyslexic person who has always been told he was stupid and would never amount to anything. You get to see inside his mind and feel his feelings. This book is not for the weak, but as parents or caregivers of dyslexic children, we should all try to understand what their lives are like. I cried not just for Victor but for my mom and all who grew up and went to school before dyslexia was truly understood. I highly, highly recommend this book and others written by Villasenor. And don't worry, after the sad parts are the really great revelations that make your mind spin and let you know that everything will be OK.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Beauty in the basin
Nick and I recently took a trip to Great Basin National Park, here in Nevada. It's a geologic wonder, containing the second highest mountain in Nevada (Wheeler Peak at more than 13,000 feet high). It's a very beautiful area and it was a nice, relaxing little vacation for us.
I always look out for wildflowers, new birds and cool rock formations when I go on a trip. Here's a few of the wildflowers we saw on the trip. Soon, I'll post a slideshow of the tour we took in Lehman Caves which is a geologic wonder on its own. Enjoy!
I always look out for wildflowers, new birds and cool rock formations when I go on a trip. Here's a few of the wildflowers we saw on the trip. Soon, I'll post a slideshow of the tour we took in Lehman Caves which is a geologic wonder on its own. Enjoy!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Recognizing personal victories
We had two personal victories yesterday that I just have to share.
The first involves Nick's pet mouse Jessica. I always feed our rodents fresh fruit and vegetables because it helps extend their short little lives. But Jessica didn't seem interested in them. I worry because mice are omnivorous and it's important for them to have their vegetables. She wouldn't touch carrots, leafy greens, or even some fruits. You can get children to eat a lot of different kinds of fruit but not this mouse. (It was so much easier to get Nick to eat his vegetables than this mouse!)
After much experimenting I found she'd at least eat blueberries, blackberries and watermelon, but that was pretty much it. So I continue to put different kinds of fruits and vegetables in her food dish in the hopes that we will find something she'll eat. (Don't worry, she eats her nuts and seeds.)
So yesterday when I put a small bit of zucchini in her bowl, I assumed it would stay there and dry up. You can imagine my surprise and delight when I saw it mostly eaten a few hours later!
Yea! Now I am filled with hope that I can get this mouse to eat her vegetables. I have a lot of squash options I think. Maybe I can try cucumber, but I think I may have tried that before. In any case, I'm just so excited.
Want some educational value in this? Well, Nick and I learned mice have individual tastes too. We had one mouse that would eat cilantro of all things, and one that preferred carrots and pumpkin seeds. My rat isn't that picky but he won't eat the celery stalk, just the leaves. It's crazy I tell you.
• • •
The second victory is probably more exciting than the first for any mom.
Every time I start to load the dishwasher I have to wander the house looking for stray dishes that somehow didn't make it to the sink. I allow Nick to take his drinks and snacks to his room (he has a table to put them on) with the warning that he needs to bring his dishes back to the sink when he is done. I never really expect that he'll do it without constant reminders, so I frequently go back to his room to give him those reminders. Still, the dishes seem to multiply while on his table in his room.
So in the morning, I went to his room to gather dishes to put in the dishwasher and there were four cups, a bowl and a plate sitting on his table. They all appeared overnight apparently. In my calmest, mom-like pleading, I again mentioned that he needed to remember to bring his dishes to the sink when he was done. He apologized AGAIN and we went on with our day.
At night, he took a hotdog and apple juice to his room. I knew full well that plate and cup would remain in there if I didn't go back and gently remind him to take them to the sink. About 20 minutes after he went into his room, I went back. I looked at the table and they were gone. I wasn't sure what happened. I asked him where they were and he said he took them to the sink (with that "duh, mom" tone like he did this all the time). I was shocked and I think I just stood there with my mouth hanging open, not sure what to say next.
THEN, to top it all off, he had his retainers on! He had already brushed his teeth without me asking him to do so. I was floored. That's two in a row where I didn't have to remind him to do something.
So, like any mom wishing to have this happen more often, I feverishly praised and thanked him. Yippee! I'm so happy!
Now I'm going to go check his computer desk to see if the chocolate milk cup is still there.
The first involves Nick's pet mouse Jessica. I always feed our rodents fresh fruit and vegetables because it helps extend their short little lives. But Jessica didn't seem interested in them. I worry because mice are omnivorous and it's important for them to have their vegetables. She wouldn't touch carrots, leafy greens, or even some fruits. You can get children to eat a lot of different kinds of fruit but not this mouse. (It was so much easier to get Nick to eat his vegetables than this mouse!)
After much experimenting I found she'd at least eat blueberries, blackberries and watermelon, but that was pretty much it. So I continue to put different kinds of fruits and vegetables in her food dish in the hopes that we will find something she'll eat. (Don't worry, she eats her nuts and seeds.)So yesterday when I put a small bit of zucchini in her bowl, I assumed it would stay there and dry up. You can imagine my surprise and delight when I saw it mostly eaten a few hours later!
Yea! Now I am filled with hope that I can get this mouse to eat her vegetables. I have a lot of squash options I think. Maybe I can try cucumber, but I think I may have tried that before. In any case, I'm just so excited.
Want some educational value in this? Well, Nick and I learned mice have individual tastes too. We had one mouse that would eat cilantro of all things, and one that preferred carrots and pumpkin seeds. My rat isn't that picky but he won't eat the celery stalk, just the leaves. It's crazy I tell you.
The second victory is probably more exciting than the first for any mom.
Every time I start to load the dishwasher I have to wander the house looking for stray dishes that somehow didn't make it to the sink. I allow Nick to take his drinks and snacks to his room (he has a table to put them on) with the warning that he needs to bring his dishes back to the sink when he is done. I never really expect that he'll do it without constant reminders, so I frequently go back to his room to give him those reminders. Still, the dishes seem to multiply while on his table in his room.
So in the morning, I went to his room to gather dishes to put in the dishwasher and there were four cups, a bowl and a plate sitting on his table. They all appeared overnight apparently. In my calmest, mom-like pleading, I again mentioned that he needed to remember to bring his dishes to the sink when he was done. He apologized AGAIN and we went on with our day.
At night, he took a hotdog and apple juice to his room. I knew full well that plate and cup would remain in there if I didn't go back and gently remind him to take them to the sink. About 20 minutes after he went into his room, I went back. I looked at the table and they were gone. I wasn't sure what happened. I asked him where they were and he said he took them to the sink (with that "duh, mom" tone like he did this all the time). I was shocked and I think I just stood there with my mouth hanging open, not sure what to say next.
THEN, to top it all off, he had his retainers on! He had already brushed his teeth without me asking him to do so. I was floored. That's two in a row where I didn't have to remind him to do something.
So, like any mom wishing to have this happen more often, I feverishly praised and thanked him. Yippee! I'm so happy!
Now I'm going to go check his computer desk to see if the chocolate milk cup is still there.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
The Last Airbender movie disappointing
My son, Nick, and I have been following the "Avatar: The Last Airbender" show on Nickelodeon since it first started showing. I love the show. It is beautiful and moving, funny and suspenseful, and all over wonderful. I love the message it sends of finding peace through non-killing ways. I wouldn't say nonviolent because Aang, the Avatar, must still fight in order to stay alive and save people from the Fire Nation, but he has a rule that he lives by and that is not to kill.
So when we heard about the live action movie coming out (probably due in part to their awards and nominations for the cartoon), Nick and I were so very excited. We wondered how they would throw three seasons worth of material into a couple of hours and pondered the idea that they may break it up into separate movies so they would be able to truly tell the story (which is what they did).
We had been counting the days until it came out. Finally July 1 arrived and we all (our whole adopted family) decided to go this weekend. We were so excited to finally be able to see it on the big screen.
Horrible. That's all I can say.
What a huge disappointment! I can't imagine the writers for the TV show were involved at all in the movie because it had none of the personality that made the show so wonderful. I highly doubt the writers or director of this movie ever saw the series. The characters were not well developed. They didn't even pronounce the characters names the same way they did in the show. The plot and scenes were all out of order. Some of the very important characters were not in it at all and some of the most important parts (like the ending scene of the movie) were completely fabricated (and very badly at that).
There were parts of the movie where, if you had not followed the series like Nick and I did, you would not have known what was going on. There were other parts where, if you did follow the series, you would have said, "What the ...? Where did that come from?" Even as a follower of the show, I was lost in some parts.
And the pace was just gut wrenching. It was so dull and slow at the beginning. I felt for sure it was going to pick up and we'd have our wonderful story, but it never did. It just kept going on and on and on.
And the humor from the show was just tossed out. The thing that made the show so wonderful was its full range of emotion. Aang, the main character, is just a goofy kid and Sokka, the Southern Water Tribe warrior, was comic relief throughout the show. But in the movie, everything was serious and there was no fun at all. I recall about three humorous parts in the whole movie. That's it.
I'm not difficult to entertain
I'm no movie critic. I'm not that picky when it comes to movies, so it is really bad when I decide about 20 or so minutes into it that I want to leave. I had this huge hope that it would get better, but it didn't. The final scene (the totally fabricated one) had some decent special effects, but still wasn't worth the money I paid to see it.
We were all very disappointed. Those of us who followed the show felt it could have been so much better. Everything was already written for a screen, so it wasn't like they had to make it all up. The scenery and everything was already laid out for them, but they clearly paid no attention to the actual show when producing this film. I understand some embellishment here and there, but they took a beautiful idea and destroyed it.
And for those of our group who did not follow the series, they were a bit confused and bored. They were more impressed by the special effects because they didn't realize it wasn't supposed to be that way.
Don't go
I know the temptation to go see something even when everyone else it saying it's horrible. You have to see for yourself. Maybe your tastes are different. Well, I will remind you that bad movies like this come out on DVD quickly so they can recoup their losses as quickly as possible. If you must see it, wait until then and rent it. Otherwise, save yourself the money and heartache. I was so saddened that they ruined the beauty of the show like they did. If you are a follower of the show, don't see it. It will disgust you too.
So when we heard about the live action movie coming out (probably due in part to their awards and nominations for the cartoon), Nick and I were so very excited. We wondered how they would throw three seasons worth of material into a couple of hours and pondered the idea that they may break it up into separate movies so they would be able to truly tell the story (which is what they did).
We had been counting the days until it came out. Finally July 1 arrived and we all (our whole adopted family) decided to go this weekend. We were so excited to finally be able to see it on the big screen.
Horrible. That's all I can say.
What a huge disappointment! I can't imagine the writers for the TV show were involved at all in the movie because it had none of the personality that made the show so wonderful. I highly doubt the writers or director of this movie ever saw the series. The characters were not well developed. They didn't even pronounce the characters names the same way they did in the show. The plot and scenes were all out of order. Some of the very important characters were not in it at all and some of the most important parts (like the ending scene of the movie) were completely fabricated (and very badly at that).
There were parts of the movie where, if you had not followed the series like Nick and I did, you would not have known what was going on. There were other parts where, if you did follow the series, you would have said, "What the ...? Where did that come from?" Even as a follower of the show, I was lost in some parts.
And the pace was just gut wrenching. It was so dull and slow at the beginning. I felt for sure it was going to pick up and we'd have our wonderful story, but it never did. It just kept going on and on and on.
And the humor from the show was just tossed out. The thing that made the show so wonderful was its full range of emotion. Aang, the main character, is just a goofy kid and Sokka, the Southern Water Tribe warrior, was comic relief throughout the show. But in the movie, everything was serious and there was no fun at all. I recall about three humorous parts in the whole movie. That's it.
I'm not difficult to entertain
I'm no movie critic. I'm not that picky when it comes to movies, so it is really bad when I decide about 20 or so minutes into it that I want to leave. I had this huge hope that it would get better, but it didn't. The final scene (the totally fabricated one) had some decent special effects, but still wasn't worth the money I paid to see it.
We were all very disappointed. Those of us who followed the show felt it could have been so much better. Everything was already written for a screen, so it wasn't like they had to make it all up. The scenery and everything was already laid out for them, but they clearly paid no attention to the actual show when producing this film. I understand some embellishment here and there, but they took a beautiful idea and destroyed it.
And for those of our group who did not follow the series, they were a bit confused and bored. They were more impressed by the special effects because they didn't realize it wasn't supposed to be that way.
Don't go
I know the temptation to go see something even when everyone else it saying it's horrible. You have to see for yourself. Maybe your tastes are different. Well, I will remind you that bad movies like this come out on DVD quickly so they can recoup their losses as quickly as possible. If you must see it, wait until then and rent it. Otherwise, save yourself the money and heartache. I was so saddened that they ruined the beauty of the show like they did. If you are a follower of the show, don't see it. It will disgust you too.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Thankful for my baby
I just heard from a friend who had lost her baby. She and her husband were so excited, but that all came crashing down a week and a half ago.
I feel thankful that I had no complications when I was pregnant and everything went as planned. Nick, so named when I was 4 months along in pregnancy, was bouncy on the inside and still bouncy now 12 years later.
No matter what kind of complications we have now with his education, personality and just growing up, I thank God every day I have him.
We should all be thankful for what we have.
I feel thankful that I had no complications when I was pregnant and everything went as planned. Nick, so named when I was 4 months along in pregnancy, was bouncy on the inside and still bouncy now 12 years later.
No matter what kind of complications we have now with his education, personality and just growing up, I thank God every day I have him.
We should all be thankful for what we have.
Teaching him to be the best he can be
When I had my son tested for dyslexia, they did several tests on him to gain an idea of his overall intelligence and abilities.
After all the testing, we discovered that my suspicions of dyslexia were true. But we also discovered that his IQ is really high, but only because it was skewed by one score in particular. All the other areas he was tested in, he scored in the average range, but in an area called perceptual reasoning he scored off the charts (literally).
I asked what "perceptual reasoning" meant and I was told it probably meant he was good at LEGOs and would probably do well in engineering in the future.
Flashback
When I was in high school all the kids had to take an assessment that was going to let us know what career would suit us. I was a good student and I learned easily, so I did well on the test on all parts. It was decided I'd be good in the engineering field.
No one really explained what that meant to me and I decided it must have something to do with math and I despise math. So, I got a degree in Literature and work in graphic arts. I decided being creative appealed to me a lot more than math.
If someone had taken the time to explain exactly what engineering really meant, especially the part where you get to be incredibly creative AND you get paid more, then my life would have taken a drastically different turn.
I do appreciate my education in art and literature, but maybe the grass is greener on the other side? Oh well, c'est la vie.
In the here and now
So, back to the situation at hand. I still don't know exactly what the high score in "perceptual reasoning" means to my son.
I started thinking: How do I use this information to his advantage? How do I turn him into the best engineer he could be? How do I find out what he would be really good at AND enjoy? Most importantly, how do I go about teaching him?
He was already fascinated by architecture and I had already gotten him a book on famous buildings in the world. He really does love his Legos. He loves building, and has shown an incredible interest in video games that have build levels.
Well, I think I just answered many of my questions. The thing I really needed to do was just let him discover on his own what he'd like to do. However, while letting him explore on his own, I watched and shared in his fascinations. That helped me steer him along his path.
No schedule for us
I couldn't have done that though with a regular school schedule. (Yes, this is another shameless plug for unschooling.)
In public school they spend the first month or so of every new school year reteaching the things they feel certain the children must have forgotten over the summer. Then instead of going on to new areas of study, they just "enhance" upon the same old information taught the year before.
In the two years I had put my son back in public school (after having him out for a few years), they taught him all the same math skills, all the same literary skills, all the same history information, etc. In his second year of math it was addition again for the first six weeks. They increased the number of digits he had to add, but really once you teach a kid to carry over the excess really good, it doesn't matter how many digits you have.
I put him back in public school thinking I could get help with his dyslexia. Boy was I wrong. I knew we were going to be better off going back to home schooling.
Off on tangents
When I first started homeschooling, I created a curriculum and tried my best to stick to it. But as I was working with my son, we would go off on tangents. He really likes to talk about what he's learning and really likes to express himself and his ideas. I'm NOT about to put a stop to that. NO WAY! So I started letting him explore.
I didn't realize I was unschooling at the time (I didn't know the term for it). But I know it's right for us now.
I would suggest unschooling to anyone who doesn't like to squeeze into a schedule. First of all, you don't feel any pressure to get a certain worksheet done or get a certain writing project out of the way.
Secondly, when your children do want to explore something, you can let them. Why in the world would you put a limit on a child's desire to learn something? That's why I love unschooling. I love, love, love to learn new things, but I only learned to love learning when I got into college and got to choose what I wanted to learn.
So I decided to let my son learn the college lifestyle now and learn what he wants to learn. He's still gets a healthy dose of math, writing, literature, history, science, art and more. It's all included; it's just a part of everyday life. And the whole goal of an education is to gets kids ready for living life, right?
•••
I don't know if it was the LEGOs that made my son smarter, or if it was because he was smart that he was so good with them. Every year for birthdays and Christmas, he begs for more LEGOs. I figure if they are helping him learn more about being an engineer, then why not! One of the co-founders of Google made a printer out of LEGOs when he was in college. Must be great toys!
After all the testing, we discovered that my suspicions of dyslexia were true. But we also discovered that his IQ is really high, but only because it was skewed by one score in particular. All the other areas he was tested in, he scored in the average range, but in an area called perceptual reasoning he scored off the charts (literally).
I asked what "perceptual reasoning" meant and I was told it probably meant he was good at LEGOs and would probably do well in engineering in the future.Flashback
When I was in high school all the kids had to take an assessment that was going to let us know what career would suit us. I was a good student and I learned easily, so I did well on the test on all parts. It was decided I'd be good in the engineering field.
No one really explained what that meant to me and I decided it must have something to do with math and I despise math. So, I got a degree in Literature and work in graphic arts. I decided being creative appealed to me a lot more than math.
If someone had taken the time to explain exactly what engineering really meant, especially the part where you get to be incredibly creative AND you get paid more, then my life would have taken a drastically different turn.
I do appreciate my education in art and literature, but maybe the grass is greener on the other side? Oh well, c'est la vie.
In the here and now
So, back to the situation at hand. I still don't know exactly what the high score in "perceptual reasoning" means to my son.
I started thinking: How do I use this information to his advantage? How do I turn him into the best engineer he could be? How do I find out what he would be really good at AND enjoy? Most importantly, how do I go about teaching him?
He was already fascinated by architecture and I had already gotten him a book on famous buildings in the world. He really does love his Legos. He loves building, and has shown an incredible interest in video games that have build levels.
Well, I think I just answered many of my questions. The thing I really needed to do was just let him discover on his own what he'd like to do. However, while letting him explore on his own, I watched and shared in his fascinations. That helped me steer him along his path.
No schedule for us
I couldn't have done that though with a regular school schedule. (Yes, this is another shameless plug for unschooling.)
In public school they spend the first month or so of every new school year reteaching the things they feel certain the children must have forgotten over the summer. Then instead of going on to new areas of study, they just "enhance" upon the same old information taught the year before.
In the two years I had put my son back in public school (after having him out for a few years), they taught him all the same math skills, all the same literary skills, all the same history information, etc. In his second year of math it was addition again for the first six weeks. They increased the number of digits he had to add, but really once you teach a kid to carry over the excess really good, it doesn't matter how many digits you have.
I put him back in public school thinking I could get help with his dyslexia. Boy was I wrong. I knew we were going to be better off going back to home schooling.
Off on tangents
When I first started homeschooling, I created a curriculum and tried my best to stick to it. But as I was working with my son, we would go off on tangents. He really likes to talk about what he's learning and really likes to express himself and his ideas. I'm NOT about to put a stop to that. NO WAY! So I started letting him explore.
I didn't realize I was unschooling at the time (I didn't know the term for it). But I know it's right for us now.
I would suggest unschooling to anyone who doesn't like to squeeze into a schedule. First of all, you don't feel any pressure to get a certain worksheet done or get a certain writing project out of the way.
Secondly, when your children do want to explore something, you can let them. Why in the world would you put a limit on a child's desire to learn something? That's why I love unschooling. I love, love, love to learn new things, but I only learned to love learning when I got into college and got to choose what I wanted to learn.
So I decided to let my son learn the college lifestyle now and learn what he wants to learn. He's still gets a healthy dose of math, writing, literature, history, science, art and more. It's all included; it's just a part of everyday life. And the whole goal of an education is to gets kids ready for living life, right?
I don't know if it was the LEGOs that made my son smarter, or if it was because he was smart that he was so good with them. Every year for birthdays and Christmas, he begs for more LEGOs. I figure if they are helping him learn more about being an engineer, then why not! One of the co-founders of Google made a printer out of LEGOs when he was in college. Must be great toys!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Learning about unschooling
In my quest to make homeschooling easier and more efficient for both me and my son, I have been learning more and more about unschooling. The more I learn, the more I realize it really fits my lifestyle. Frankly, it's the style of homeschooling I've been using, but just haven't been able to put a name to it until now.
What is unschooling?
To try to define unschooling and put rules and labels on it undermines what unschooling is all about.
At it's most basic, unschooling is child-directed learning. That's the only "rule".
But the concept of "child-directed learning" is left up to interpretation by the families who are practicing it. If you asked 20 unschooling families what unschooling is, you would get 20 different answers, though they would all be focused around letting the children decide their education.
The many definitions of unschooling
Listed below are a few ideas of what unschooling is. They are quite philosophical, but all part and parcel of what it means to live the unschooling lifestyle.
• Unschooling is taking away the brick walls that public schools force on our children, allowing them not to be tethered to other people's assumptions of what they should know.
• Unschooling is allowing the children to free their thinking so they may learn more and more rapidly without the restrictions of a conventional education holding them back.
• Unschooling is not about content, plans or a curriculum. It is about the process of learning. Learning happens whether it's part of a plan or not.
• Unschooling is letting a child's natural curiosity lead him or her on a path of learning. Bring as much of the world as we can into their lives, then get out of the way.
Is unschooling right for you?
If a public-school type of education is ingrained in your mind, getting the hang of unschooling might be difficult for you. You would need to let go of conventions and trust that your child will want to explore and learn on his or her own. You can make a plan to ensure your child gets the most out of unschooling by constantly introducing him or her to new subjects, but in the end the idea is to let your child take the lead.
If you feel you absolutely need structure and lesson plans, then unschooling would not work for you. However, if you like the idea of letting your children explore their own paths and learn according to their own terms and in their own ways, unschooling is definitely a fit for you.
Unschooling is a very good fit for parents teaching children with learning disabilities using multi-sensory methods. Because multi-sensory teaching uses visual, auditory and hands-on elements in the lessons, children are more engaged in their education and more open to learning new subjects and topics. Allowing children to choose their own multi-sensory lessons is just the next step needed to practice unschooling. This could mean signing up for a service like BrainPOP and allowing children to choose which videos they want to watch. Or it could mean going outside and allowing your children to observe nature very closely by picking up rocks, leaves or bugs and discussing where they come from and what they do.
Mixing unschooling in with a schedule
If you like the idea of unschooling but would still prefer to stick to a loose curriculum or teach certain basics, then you can set a schedule to allow you to teach according to a curriculum for part of the day and allow your kids to explore freely for the rest of the day. This is the eclectic homeschooling style where you take ideas from a variety of teaching methods and mix them to create your own. You may find that something you are teaching your kids really interests them and you might consider letting them go off on that tangent rather than stick to your schedule.
Because unschooling has no rigid structure or rules, you can make it what you want (or need) it to be. If your children simply want to play video games all day, then adding a little more restrictions to the school day (like no TV between certain hours) may be in order. If you are having a hard time getting them to want to explore new subjects, you may consider building more structure into their school day (before you do though, check out Developing an Unschooling Plan). However, the more restrictions you place on your children and their education, the less you are unschooling and the more you are boxing them in, metaphorically.
Offer plenty of opportunity to explore
The idea of unschooling is to provide your children with plenty of opportunity to explore and hopefully they will lead their own education in a positive way. If they are getting bored or acting like they don't want to learn, then you simply need to fill their lives with more to explore, rather than trying to place more restrictions on them. This can be remedied by going on a field trip, watching the National Geographic channel, going to the library, doing an art project, cooking together, or simply studying the bugs you find in the backyard. Be sure to ask your child what he or she would like to learn. If they say they really just want to play video games, maybe you can research how video games work on the Internet together. It might actually interest them to know what's behind the games they play. Be creative and together you and your children will have fun and learn a lot along the way.
Benefits of unschooling
Children learn best when they are allowed to ask questions and explore. That is why unschooling is so appealing to many home-schoolers. You are not sticking to a rigid schedule set by state and federal standards which may or may not apply to what your child needs and wants to know.
And imagine not having to deal with the constant arguments and struggles associated with the typical school setting. Because unschooling allows your children to determine their own education, they will be having fun and will be very interested in what they are learning because it is what they want to learn. Also spending more time on hands-on learning rather than filling out workbook pages or tests will increase retention of what is studied. When you consider the ultimate goal of an education, that is to make sure your child actually learns something useful, then unschooling will get you there with the proper plan.
What is unschooling?
To try to define unschooling and put rules and labels on it undermines what unschooling is all about.
At it's most basic, unschooling is child-directed learning. That's the only "rule".
But the concept of "child-directed learning" is left up to interpretation by the families who are practicing it. If you asked 20 unschooling families what unschooling is, you would get 20 different answers, though they would all be focused around letting the children decide their education.
The many definitions of unschooling
Listed below are a few ideas of what unschooling is. They are quite philosophical, but all part and parcel of what it means to live the unschooling lifestyle.
• Unschooling is taking away the brick walls that public schools force on our children, allowing them not to be tethered to other people's assumptions of what they should know.• Unschooling is allowing the children to free their thinking so they may learn more and more rapidly without the restrictions of a conventional education holding them back.
• Unschooling is not about content, plans or a curriculum. It is about the process of learning. Learning happens whether it's part of a plan or not.
• Unschooling is letting a child's natural curiosity lead him or her on a path of learning. Bring as much of the world as we can into their lives, then get out of the way.
Is unschooling right for you?
If a public-school type of education is ingrained in your mind, getting the hang of unschooling might be difficult for you. You would need to let go of conventions and trust that your child will want to explore and learn on his or her own. You can make a plan to ensure your child gets the most out of unschooling by constantly introducing him or her to new subjects, but in the end the idea is to let your child take the lead.
If you feel you absolutely need structure and lesson plans, then unschooling would not work for you. However, if you like the idea of letting your children explore their own paths and learn according to their own terms and in their own ways, unschooling is definitely a fit for you.
Unschooling is a very good fit for parents teaching children with learning disabilities using multi-sensory methods. Because multi-sensory teaching uses visual, auditory and hands-on elements in the lessons, children are more engaged in their education and more open to learning new subjects and topics. Allowing children to choose their own multi-sensory lessons is just the next step needed to practice unschooling. This could mean signing up for a service like BrainPOP and allowing children to choose which videos they want to watch. Or it could mean going outside and allowing your children to observe nature very closely by picking up rocks, leaves or bugs and discussing where they come from and what they do.
Mixing unschooling in with a schedule
If you like the idea of unschooling but would still prefer to stick to a loose curriculum or teach certain basics, then you can set a schedule to allow you to teach according to a curriculum for part of the day and allow your kids to explore freely for the rest of the day. This is the eclectic homeschooling style where you take ideas from a variety of teaching methods and mix them to create your own. You may find that something you are teaching your kids really interests them and you might consider letting them go off on that tangent rather than stick to your schedule. Because unschooling has no rigid structure or rules, you can make it what you want (or need) it to be. If your children simply want to play video games all day, then adding a little more restrictions to the school day (like no TV between certain hours) may be in order. If you are having a hard time getting them to want to explore new subjects, you may consider building more structure into their school day (before you do though, check out Developing an Unschooling Plan). However, the more restrictions you place on your children and their education, the less you are unschooling and the more you are boxing them in, metaphorically.
Offer plenty of opportunity to explore
The idea of unschooling is to provide your children with plenty of opportunity to explore and hopefully they will lead their own education in a positive way. If they are getting bored or acting like they don't want to learn, then you simply need to fill their lives with more to explore, rather than trying to place more restrictions on them. This can be remedied by going on a field trip, watching the National Geographic channel, going to the library, doing an art project, cooking together, or simply studying the bugs you find in the backyard. Be sure to ask your child what he or she would like to learn. If they say they really just want to play video games, maybe you can research how video games work on the Internet together. It might actually interest them to know what's behind the games they play. Be creative and together you and your children will have fun and learn a lot along the way.
Benefits of unschooling
Children learn best when they are allowed to ask questions and explore. That is why unschooling is so appealing to many home-schoolers. You are not sticking to a rigid schedule set by state and federal standards which may or may not apply to what your child needs and wants to know.
And imagine not having to deal with the constant arguments and struggles associated with the typical school setting. Because unschooling allows your children to determine their own education, they will be having fun and will be very interested in what they are learning because it is what they want to learn. Also spending more time on hands-on learning rather than filling out workbook pages or tests will increase retention of what is studied. When you consider the ultimate goal of an education, that is to make sure your child actually learns something useful, then unschooling will get you there with the proper plan.
Monday, June 28, 2010
How to make your teaching style multi-sensory
Studies have shown that children who are taught using multi-sensory methods learn better and retain the information for longer. This teaching style applies to all children, not just those with learning disabilities.
But what does it mean to use multi-sensory methods and how can you incorporate it into your teaching style?
What is multi-sensory teaching?
We learn about the world through our senses. We use sight, sound, taste, touch and smell to make our discoveries.
Consider trying to learn karate through reading alone. Could you do it without someone showing you how to move your arms and legs; how to move your feet; how high to hold your hand and which direction to hold it? Even having a few pictures of poses and moves would help significantly. But with just words, it simply can't be done.
The same is true of all learning. Multi-sensory teaching is more than adding pictures to books. We need visuals as well as sounds and other elements to make us truly understand what we are trying to learn. And while a picture speaks 1,000 words, imagine what adding sound, touch, taste and smell can do. By allowing children to use multiple senses to learn, you open up the world to them.
How beneficial is multi-sensory teaching?
If all people learned the same way, public school would be much more successful and there would be no such thing as learning disabilities. The only reason learning disabilities are called disabilities is because the learning style doesn't match the teaching style used and the student has a harder time learning.
You may have heard of the visual learner or the kinesthetic (hands-on) learner. These are different learning styles. For example, a visual learner retains more of the information taught through visuals such as pictures in books or videos. When you match the teaching style to the learning style of the child, he or she gets more out of the lesson.
However studies have shown that using multiple teaching styles help children learn even more than if they were taught with just their strongest learning style. For example, a visual learner would learn better if taught visually, but would learn even more if taught through visuals, sounds and touch.*
Examples of multi-sensory teaching
Physically planting a seed and watching it send out roots and shoots teaches children so much more than reading about how a plant grows in a book (especially for children who have dyslexia and have a hard time reading).
Poetry is much more meaningful when read with full emotion. The inflections in your voice when reading sad parts or joyful parts are heard and understood by children.
Science is much better understood through experimenting with it. Floating raisins in soda water and watching the bubbles lift and drop them or putting salt in water to see if it will light up a bulb -- these are all things kids can do with their hands, see with their eyes and remember forever because they took part in it.
How do you incorporate multi-sensory lessons in all subjects?
Let's face it, some subjects make it easy to use multiple senses. Art and science are obvious. But what about history or government? For those subjects, you need to get creative.
In the book A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative
, author Roger Von Oech was making a point for one of his methods to learn to be more creative. He said imagine what school would be like if Walt Disney (who had dyslexia) were in charge. Kids might act out historical scenes and characters or learn physics and engineering by building the playground rides.
It gave me an idea: Famous battles or historical figures really come to life in a play. You can have your children come up with the script or just do an impromptu act. Go outside if the scene warrants it. The scenes and plays don't have to be exactly accurate as long as the main facts are established. If you don't have time to put on a play, you can always ask your child to imagine what the scenery of an event might be like or how people would feel at the time (for example, at the Gettysburg address people may have felt humbled, proud and invigorated all at the same time). You could have your child draw out the scene to make it come to life. Recite a small section of a famous speech with some vigor in your voice. These are all wonderful ways to turn static history lessons into fun, memorable ones.
Depending on the topic, there are many other ways to make a history lesson multi-sensory. There's always maps that can be incorporated into the lesson (these are great for geography lessons too). If you have blackline maps, kids can color them in, add routes, forts or geographical features.
If you are studying colonial times, you could have your children draw pictures of the kinds of clothes people of the time and area might wear or what their town might look like. Are there chickens running around in the road or horses and buggies? For the Age of Invention, you could have your child come up with a new invention, draw it up and explain what it does and how it is helpful.
With some creative thinking, any subject can be multi-sensory and fun. Math comes to life when your child has real objects to hold and use like a base ten kit, a spinner, dice, buttons, measuring spoons, a clock, or whatever helps teach the lesson at hand. Literature is more fun if you act out scenes or dress up like the characters. Government can be understood better if you set up your own home government and start writing up bills you'd like to have passed.
A little thinking and preparation ahead of time can lead to a wonderful learning experience for you and your children.
• • •
* This information is taken from the All About Spelling program. I use All About Spelling with my son not only to help him with his spelling but to help him conquer reading as well. The program uses multi-sensory methods to teach the rules and practices in spelling. Each lesson is given in an orderly fashion and helps make sense of the sometimes senseless rules in spelling. The lessons build on each other so that he never forgets a previous lesson because he's continuing to use it. The program makes learning fun and helps my son read and write better. He's constantly telling me how much better his spelling is getting and he's really proud of himself. He also has more confidence now to try to write more. The letter tiles help make reading easier for him because letters and letter combinations are separated out and put together like a puzzle. When his dyslexic mind sees the letters as puzzle pieces, they stay put when he places the pieces together. To learn more about the All About Spelling program, click here.
But what does it mean to use multi-sensory methods and how can you incorporate it into your teaching style?
What is multi-sensory teaching?
We learn about the world through our senses. We use sight, sound, taste, touch and smell to make our discoveries.
Consider trying to learn karate through reading alone. Could you do it without someone showing you how to move your arms and legs; how to move your feet; how high to hold your hand and which direction to hold it? Even having a few pictures of poses and moves would help significantly. But with just words, it simply can't be done.
The same is true of all learning. Multi-sensory teaching is more than adding pictures to books. We need visuals as well as sounds and other elements to make us truly understand what we are trying to learn. And while a picture speaks 1,000 words, imagine what adding sound, touch, taste and smell can do. By allowing children to use multiple senses to learn, you open up the world to them.
How beneficial is multi-sensory teaching?
If all people learned the same way, public school would be much more successful and there would be no such thing as learning disabilities. The only reason learning disabilities are called disabilities is because the learning style doesn't match the teaching style used and the student has a harder time learning.
You may have heard of the visual learner or the kinesthetic (hands-on) learner. These are different learning styles. For example, a visual learner retains more of the information taught through visuals such as pictures in books or videos. When you match the teaching style to the learning style of the child, he or she gets more out of the lesson.
However studies have shown that using multiple teaching styles help children learn even more than if they were taught with just their strongest learning style. For example, a visual learner would learn better if taught visually, but would learn even more if taught through visuals, sounds and touch.*
Examples of multi-sensory teaching
Physically planting a seed and watching it send out roots and shoots teaches children so much more than reading about how a plant grows in a book (especially for children who have dyslexia and have a hard time reading). Poetry is much more meaningful when read with full emotion. The inflections in your voice when reading sad parts or joyful parts are heard and understood by children.
Science is much better understood through experimenting with it. Floating raisins in soda water and watching the bubbles lift and drop them or putting salt in water to see if it will light up a bulb -- these are all things kids can do with their hands, see with their eyes and remember forever because they took part in it.
How do you incorporate multi-sensory lessons in all subjects?
Let's face it, some subjects make it easy to use multiple senses. Art and science are obvious. But what about history or government? For those subjects, you need to get creative.
In the book A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative
, author Roger Von Oech was making a point for one of his methods to learn to be more creative. He said imagine what school would be like if Walt Disney (who had dyslexia) were in charge. Kids might act out historical scenes and characters or learn physics and engineering by building the playground rides.It gave me an idea: Famous battles or historical figures really come to life in a play. You can have your children come up with the script or just do an impromptu act. Go outside if the scene warrants it. The scenes and plays don't have to be exactly accurate as long as the main facts are established. If you don't have time to put on a play, you can always ask your child to imagine what the scenery of an event might be like or how people would feel at the time (for example, at the Gettysburg address people may have felt humbled, proud and invigorated all at the same time). You could have your child draw out the scene to make it come to life. Recite a small section of a famous speech with some vigor in your voice. These are all wonderful ways to turn static history lessons into fun, memorable ones.
Depending on the topic, there are many other ways to make a history lesson multi-sensory. There's always maps that can be incorporated into the lesson (these are great for geography lessons too). If you have blackline maps, kids can color them in, add routes, forts or geographical features.
If you are studying colonial times, you could have your children draw pictures of the kinds of clothes people of the time and area might wear or what their town might look like. Are there chickens running around in the road or horses and buggies? For the Age of Invention, you could have your child come up with a new invention, draw it up and explain what it does and how it is helpful.
With some creative thinking, any subject can be multi-sensory and fun. Math comes to life when your child has real objects to hold and use like a base ten kit, a spinner, dice, buttons, measuring spoons, a clock, or whatever helps teach the lesson at hand. Literature is more fun if you act out scenes or dress up like the characters. Government can be understood better if you set up your own home government and start writing up bills you'd like to have passed.
A little thinking and preparation ahead of time can lead to a wonderful learning experience for you and your children.
* This information is taken from the All About Spelling program. I use All About Spelling with my son not only to help him with his spelling but to help him conquer reading as well. The program uses multi-sensory methods to teach the rules and practices in spelling. Each lesson is given in an orderly fashion and helps make sense of the sometimes senseless rules in spelling. The lessons build on each other so that he never forgets a previous lesson because he's continuing to use it. The program makes learning fun and helps my son read and write better. He's constantly telling me how much better his spelling is getting and he's really proud of himself. He also has more confidence now to try to write more. The letter tiles help make reading easier for him because letters and letter combinations are separated out and put together like a puzzle. When his dyslexic mind sees the letters as puzzle pieces, they stay put when he places the pieces together. To learn more about the All About Spelling program, click here.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Christmas in June
My son Nick loves his video games and I don't mind them either as long as I know he's getting everything else he needs in life (food, outdoor time, sleep, etc.).
The one thing I do like about his love of video games is all the research he puts into finding good ones, or getting through certain sections of some. For a boy who absolutely hates reading, nothing can stop him when he's on the trail of a good game. He's signed onto several YouTube sites, blogs, forums and other sites that help him learn more about the games he plays, the games he wants, and new titles he may be interested in.
A game he's recently decided is a must-have is only available for the PlayStation and PSP (the portable version). We only have Nintendo products in our house (the Wii and DSi). But once Nick latches onto something, he will NOT give it up. His stubborn nature can only be matched by mine.
Nick really loves building games, games where he can create his own levels, characters, and more. It seems a natural extension of his love of LEGOs and other building toys.
Shocking
So this new infatuation with the Little Big Planet game didn't surprise me much. The fact that he kept talking about it despite the fact that we don't have any PlayStation devices didn't surprise me much either. When he started pricing the PSP and requesting one for Christmas, I felt that was pretty much on target too.
What did shock the living daylights out of me was how Nick decided he couldn't wait until Christmas and actually did something about getting the system and game he so dearly wanted.
There's a gaming store down the road a bit that will give cash or store credit for old games and systems. Nick had asked them how much they were selling a PSP for. Then when we got home, he gathered up a bunch of his old games and his GameBoy and we took them down to the store. He decided he'd get at least $100 or more for all of it. The whole way to the store I kept telling him not to get his hopes up because I really didn't want him to be disappointed when it all didn't add up to much. That happens sometimes and I just wanted him to be prepared. But he based his estimate on how much he got previously for games he had turned in and it turned out to be a pretty accurate (if not low) estimate. We walked out of the store with a new PSP system, the Little Big Planet game and various accessories AND still had $18 store credit left.
That's my boy!
What about Christmas?
Now I have to find something else to get Nick for Christmas. He told me there's plenty of games he'll want. He's always planning ahead.
• • •
I saw the new Toy Story 3 movie with Nick this week and loved it! I cried at least three times, laughed about 100 or more times and had a lot of fun. The 3-D effects weren't overpowering but could have been used a bit more I think. I guess there's a fine line between gratuitous 3-D and not enough, so it's hard for me to say. But still, it was a great movie. My son immediately came home and located his old Toy Story toys from the first two movies to create elaborate scenes for them to act out. I think he actually felt guilty for having stuffed them away.
The one thing I do like about his love of video games is all the research he puts into finding good ones, or getting through certain sections of some. For a boy who absolutely hates reading, nothing can stop him when he's on the trail of a good game. He's signed onto several YouTube sites, blogs, forums and other sites that help him learn more about the games he plays, the games he wants, and new titles he may be interested in.
A game he's recently decided is a must-have is only available for the PlayStation and PSP (the portable version). We only have Nintendo products in our house (the Wii and DSi). But once Nick latches onto something, he will NOT give it up. His stubborn nature can only be matched by mine.
Nick really loves building games, games where he can create his own levels, characters, and more. It seems a natural extension of his love of LEGOs and other building toys.
Shocking
So this new infatuation with the Little Big Planet game didn't surprise me much. The fact that he kept talking about it despite the fact that we don't have any PlayStation devices didn't surprise me much either. When he started pricing the PSP and requesting one for Christmas, I felt that was pretty much on target too.
What did shock the living daylights out of me was how Nick decided he couldn't wait until Christmas and actually did something about getting the system and game he so dearly wanted.
There's a gaming store down the road a bit that will give cash or store credit for old games and systems. Nick had asked them how much they were selling a PSP for. Then when we got home, he gathered up a bunch of his old games and his GameBoy and we took them down to the store. He decided he'd get at least $100 or more for all of it. The whole way to the store I kept telling him not to get his hopes up because I really didn't want him to be disappointed when it all didn't add up to much. That happens sometimes and I just wanted him to be prepared. But he based his estimate on how much he got previously for games he had turned in and it turned out to be a pretty accurate (if not low) estimate. We walked out of the store with a new PSP system, the Little Big Planet game and various accessories AND still had $18 store credit left.
That's my boy!
What about Christmas?
Now I have to find something else to get Nick for Christmas. He told me there's plenty of games he'll want. He's always planning ahead.
I saw the new Toy Story 3 movie with Nick this week and loved it! I cried at least three times, laughed about 100 or more times and had a lot of fun. The 3-D effects weren't overpowering but could have been used a bit more I think. I guess there's a fine line between gratuitous 3-D and not enough, so it's hard for me to say. But still, it was a great movie. My son immediately came home and located his old Toy Story toys from the first two movies to create elaborate scenes for them to act out. I think he actually felt guilty for having stuffed them away.
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