My son is verbally and visually gifted with a processing disorder which is causing some real difficulties at school. I tried to find a school with programs that focus on his type of learning. I couldn't find any - So he attends the local elementary school and at first it seemed things would go good but I was wrong, they've been going steadily downhill.
When I meet with his teachers I hear things like, "he's not working to his potential." "He doesn't do the work, he just sits there." "I need to stand over him and constantly bring him back into focus." "He's not organized." "His knowledge is above grade level but his work is way below grade level." "He won't stop reading in class."
My son is a conceptual learner - tell him something and he's got it right away. He's a project based producer not a worksheet based producer. Give him a project and he'll eagerly bite into it and produce results beyond expectations. Give him worksheets and you'll never see them again.
For example, his class was assigned two book reports, one could be presented in whatever format they choose, the other was to be written on paper with drawings. For the first book my son choose to make a movie trailer of the book. I taped his ramblings about the book, he took some pictures, downloaded others and then edited the whole mess into a cohesive reader response. This seemed to take no time and his teacher was so impressed she gave him a special postcard note to say how impressed she was. The other report took him forever to write down and his drawings were less then stellar. Her response was to tell me, "he could have done better, as it was lacking. He should have spent more time on it." To me this proved that given the right type of learning tools he could excel beyond anyone's expectations.
My son has requested to be home schooled, I'm convinced its because he just wants to watch TV and play video games all day. I'm not sure what else to do though, he needs someone to keep him on task when tasks are boring. Other things like projects I am confident he'll fly through on his own. I know it's a lot of work but my kid is worth it.
This summer will be the test - we're going to give him projects, let him find projects to do and work towards completing a basic curriculum. If that works we'll seriously look at figuring out how to home school, which may not be easily achieved since I am going back to work.
Home Schooling - OK Let's Try it?
Why are Schools Catering to Parents?
What I want to know is why are schools catering to parents whims and fancies so much? It is as if the teachers and administration are so scared to rock the boat and offend a parent nothing ever gets done.
Its hard enough to be a teacher without having to keep parents happy. Instead of constantly complaining that the teacher isn't working out try working with them to find a solution to the problem instead. Concentrate on the teacher's strong traits and discuss what she/ he needs to help their weaker traits.
Not all teachers are good, some really should find something else to do, however, when a teacher is trying and struggling the last thing they need is parents judging them. Communication is the key, that and not flying off the handle over a story your child has told you. Misunderstandings are a result of not diplomatically talking about the issue and coming up with a solution together.
One of my pet peeves are people who complain and don't do anything to help change a situation. You know the type, they complain for the sake of complaining because they have nothing of value to say. It drives me nuts to listen to parents that sit around the school complaining about the teacher, the administration, the policies and have no understanding beyond their own needs and desires. Most policies are made because a parent freaks out over something and the school over compensates.
My hats go off to those that step up and work with teachers to make classrooms a better place. I have respect for those that volunteer their time to make the schools better. I admire those that show leadership and put in the extra effort to make a bad situation good.
Children see what parents do and they will model that behavior. What message and example do you want to show your kids? Do you want your children to grow up to become complainers or leaders? It is in all our power to be more understanding, patient, and compassionate. If we act in such a way then our children will become that way.
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with fear, he learns to be apprehensive.
If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement he learns to be confident.
If a child lives with acceptance, he learns to love.
If a child lives with recognition, he learns it is good to have a goal.
If a child lives with honesty he learns what truth is.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith in himself and those about him.
If a child lives with friendliness, he learns the world is a nice place in which to live to love and be loved.
Who's More Important the Teacher or the Parent?
Tips on Avoiding Parent / Teacher Conflicts
Volunteering my time for my Children
I get myself into moments of manic and I start to over book and over commit myself. I just left the latest PAC meeting for my kids school and I voluntered for 2 committees, I had to leave the room to stop myself from committing to more. I need a project, something to focus on, something to occupy my time and utilize my skills. Keeping it to one is the problem, there is so much need for parents to step up to the plate and make the school a much better place for our kids.
I'd love to say this is a problem resulting from more mothers going to work and not having the time to volunteer but that's not true. I remember my mom always complaining that the same group of parents volunteered while the rest complained and didn't help out. That was 30 some odd years ago and most moms were stay at home moms.
If you are a stay at home mom with the future goal of going back to work volunteering is the perfect way to do something for your kids and keep your skills sharp. It looks great on your resume when you show that you continued to utilize and hone your employable skills while you were home. It also shows that you are a good worker, a valuable asset, and a community oriented employee.
What do you think would be more valuable on a resume when you try to get back into the workforce: 1) a block of time at home 2) a block of time at home where you used marketable skills outside the home.
The skills a mother uses in the home are valuable, but to many employers they don't value them the same as out of the home skills. Volunteering while you are staying at home shows that you are able to manage both taking care of your family and completing other commitments (such as future employment).
So volunteer - help out - show your children what it means to care about more then yourself.
I just finished picking my kids up to have another - will you volunteer - request because I did such a great job volunteering last time. Just how much time do I want to spend in my daughter's class every week????
Twice Exceptional
Being a parent is full of stresses, just when you think you have it all figured out you get a phone call. My son's schools have tested and labelled him twice exceptional. Labels, I had hoped my son would be average, even when it was very apparent that he wasn't, I didn't want him to be labelled. He hates being different and wants to be the same as everyone else. I can't blame him, isn't that what anyone wants, to be just like their friends.
When I got the call from my son's resource teacher with the latest test results I was filled with both extreme pride and foreboding. My grade 4 son, my baby, has completed grade 10 for reading ability and grade 8 for comprehension. Any parent would be thrilled to get such a call but it fills me with a feeling I can't explain. Of course I'm proud, but there is this worry, fear, and stress that won't leave the pit of my stomach.
I'm not a neurotic parent, far from it. I don't visit doctor's offices at the sign of a sniffle or the emergency room for every scrap or fall. I'm a firm believer in natural consequence, responsibility for choices, and figuring things out for themselves. I don't get rattled easily, I pride myself on handling any issue that comes my way - but every time I talk to his school I worry that he will not meet his potential and its my fault.
Working full time again has taken my focus away from my kids. Mothers always feel guilty, I mean isn't that a measuring stick of how good a mother you are? Working mothers have the added guilt of not being there all the time. This is probably the source of this feeling in the pit of my stomach the nagging voice saying I'm not good enough, I'm failing my son.
My Son Won't Focus Resulting in Forgetfulness
He is a really bright kid, problem is he is so forgetful because he doesn't focus or pay attention to anything. It is getting to be a bigger problem and it's driving my husband nuts. My son will write that he has tests in his agenda but won't bring home the study material or he'll forget the homework assignments at school.
Bedtime routines and morning routines are a constant remind remind remind to the point of stressing everyone out. So I finally made large lists of what they need before they leave the house, lunch, homework, backpack, coat, boots, mitts, (even coat and boots will be forgotten as he leaves the house.) While I was at it I made lists for what to do when he gets home, goes to bed, gets up in the morning and a very large one for my daughter reminding her to wash her hands in the bathroom.
I am going to leave them up for 8 weeks and see if that will help him create habits that will last a lifetime. I'm hoping by having the checklist in front of his face we won't be constantly at him reminding him of basic things.
Any other ideas would be appreciated.
Kids Lunches Made Easy for the Working Mom!!
Now that I'm back at work I find I'm too tired in the evening and too busy in the morning to get a decent lunch put together for the kids, let alone myself. Saturday has become a get life organized kind of day, including making lunches for the entire week. Now with traveling for work, this makes it even harder because I'm not there.
Stealing the lunchables idea without the high price tag I decided to make my own lunchables for the week. It worked out great!!!! There is a variety of different lunches already packaged ready to go, all my husband has to do is put them into the lunch boxes and away they go to school. The kids can build their own sandwiches at school making lunch a bit more fun!
Here are some items I used to put the lunches together:
Zyploc snack sized baggies
Zyploc plastic containers large and small round
Plastic Wrap
Food items:
Mini Bagels from Sobey's compliments balance selection
Tortilla wraps
Ritz Crackers
Ukrainian Sausage
Ham
Pepperoni
Cheddar Cheese
Grapes
Carrot Sticks
Celery Sticks
Processed Cheese and Cracker snacks
Halloween Candy
Cookies
I'd put all the different ingredients into the zyploc containers making 10 different lunch combinations. The kids had fun putting the food into the containers and deciding which Halloween treat went in.
I would wrap each ingredient separately and use the zyploc snack baggies for the grapes, carrot sticks and celery sticks. The kids will put the baggies back into the plastic zyploc containers to be used again next week.
Any extra meat I had was wrapped and frozen in individual packets to make it quicker for next weeks lunch making session.
The key is to stay organized, cut up the meat, cheese, carrots, celery and wrap them in portions then have the kids help put the different items in the different containers. Store in fridge until needed.
I also filled the small round zyploc plastic containers with yogurt and pudding to add into the lunch bags with a plastic spoon. My son will also get an extra piece of fruit because we can't fill him up fast enough he's growing so fast.
I hope this idea will help you make lunches easier and keep your mornings a little less hectic.
Do you have any other ideas or other items you love to put in lunches?
Finding a School for a Verbally, Visually Gifted boy with a Processing Disability
When your child has special educational needs, you'll fight to make sure he gets the best education possible. When I was in school, too many years to count, schools were starting to address learning disabilities and special needs. Schools were still a one size fits all method with an emphasis on written analysis of a child's knowledge. Today there are so many options and various programs for children with a vast array of learning disorders.
In Alberta there are so many schools to choose from that I found it a little overwhelming. French Immersion, German Immersion, Spanish Immersion, International French, Science focused, Math focused, traditional, for gifted students, for sports students, and what we finally choose - Fine Arts based.
I wanted to make sure my son got the best education for his special needs and I finally found it. Since birth he was always ahead when it came to developmental milestones by months. In kindergarten and grade one his teachers were amazed by his reading and verbal abilities and mentioned that he may be gifted. In grade 2 his teacher noticed that although he was very skilled verbally and read at a grade 4 level, his writing was below his age level and he was having problems staying focused in class.
The teacher suspected ADD - don't they all! Thankfully the school administration is very proactive in assessing children's needs and didn't just arbitrarily label him ADD because the psychologist was able to discover that he was bored and had a hard time processing what he wanted in written format. Granted he does have a huge imagination and spends a lot of time in it, but he doesn't have ADD.
I am very thankful that there are so many options out there for families who want to offer their children an education that is different from the one size fits all type. Although my son's former school did everything they could to meet his needs and provide him with help, it was limited because of the number of children with different needs. Last year he was different, the only one in a class of over 20 that needed a scribe and had special computer privileges. Now there are 10 kids in his class who receive a photocopy of the class notes to help them follow along and he's not the only one who can't get his written journal done. This has improved his self esteem because he doesn't feel alone or special anymore. This school is amazing and I am grateful that it is available for children like my son.
Getting Organized for Healthy Lunches.
When it comes to making the kids lunches everyday it can be a challenge to keep it healthy, quick, easy and affordable. I've spent the day grocery shopping, baking and making snacky food for lunches. I am always looking for new ideas to make lunches fun. What is your fun lunch ideas?
I always have granola bars (bought and homemade), cereal squares (homemade), fruit, crackers, cheese, and a treat in easy reach. It takes all day to grocery shop, bake, and organize the snack box. Packing all the food into snack sized baggies and making jello, pudding, canned fruit and yogurt in small ziploc containers. Keeping fruit washed and in snack baggies in the fridge to make it easy to put lunches together quickly. Organizing everything for lunches in the pantry and fridge so they are grouped together and make it easy to throw a lunch together.
My favorite thing to make is mix. I use the last little bit of cereal in the boxes, junk cereal like fruit loops, raisons, craisons, and chocolate chips. I fill snack baggies for lunches.
Recipes:
Rice Squares: over low heat 3-4 on the stove melt butter 1/2C butter and 40 large marshmellows. Stir while melting and as soon as the marshmellows are melted then remove from heat and add rice crisp cereal.
Options: add chocolate chips to the melted mixture just before adding the rice cereal.
Options: add multi colored marshmellows just before adding rice cereal for extra chewy squares.
Puff wheat squares:
1/2 C Corn Syrup
1 C Sugar
2 tbsp butter
1/2 C chocolate chips
Melt the ingredients together on mid low heat and just as it bubbles remove the pot from heat and stir in puffed rice cereal stir to coat.
Always cut up into individual servings and wrap keep on hand for lunches.
Do you have a favorite receipe for lunches?
Kids Go Green - Cute T-Shirt for the Go Green back to school Kids
I was looking for stationary when I came across this cool online magazine - KidsLA Magazine. The cover is what caught my eye - Kid's Go Green and a little girl wearing a cute green recycle symbol t-shirt.
Kids are getting ready to go back to school and want to wear something different that will also say something about their values. At cafepress.com there are so many different designs that your child will find something that they will love to wear to school.
I can't believe school is right around the corner. The kids are coming back this weekend and I have to get them back on a proper sleep schedule and shop for clothes and supplies. Then figure out bus schedules and how to get my son to school the mornings I have an appointment and am out of town. Life is going to get more complicated with both of us working and two different schools and two different school systems. Time to get the mom's schedule calender, I'm looking forward to a regular daily routine.
Searching for the Best School for my Son, Which is Best?
My son is special and I want the best for him, but trying to find the best school for him is stressful. I went to an orientation this evening and although it sounds wonderful I am having a hard time making a decision.
St. John's Fine Arts school has a great reputation and a wonderful program, but will it work best for my son's needs? Presently he is in grade 3 at our local neighbourhood school along with my daughter, she's in Kindergarten. The neighbourhood school has a fine arts based curriculum (but is not a fine arts school) and it has provided my son with the resources he needs. He has only one more year at this school before he will be shipped out to a middle school that is not fine arts based for two years. Next year would be the last year that both my kids will be in the same school if my son stays where he is.
If he goes to St. John's then he'll be there for the next three years and then will go on to a fine arts jr. high. It is set up like a jr high where teachers teach based on subjects and the kids have more than one teacher and this makes it easier for them when they go into jr. high.
They enable the children to express themselves in many different ways, drama, music, dance, and art. Everything is project based and all the classes work together to build on each other. For example socials curriculum influences art classes and visa versa.
The school is downtown about 30 minutes without rush hour and it's Catholic and we're not. Although I love the idea of religion and prayer in the school, I've never gone to Catholic school and don't know what to expect.
My son is gifted visually and extremely gifted verbally, he has a processing learning disability. What this means is that he gets the lessons quick, he has these amazing thoughts processes but he cannot write them on paper very well. Trying to find a school where he will flourish and expand his potential is stressful because I don't know where he will fit best.
The city has schools for gifted kids, but I'm not sure if my son would fit because he's not an academic kid and has a learning disability. There are also science based, math based, French and Spanish immersion, hockey based, and a variety of other options out there. All these options make it hard to know which is the best and it becomes stressful, every mother wants their child to excel and worrys about their education.
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