I never imagined when I started this thread that it would end up probably the hottest SN's thread ever. Cindy, I didn't intend to throw you into a fire! I am so sorry for starting this thread! It's gone in so many different directions and I'm still left wanting to discuss the purpose of sharing it, which was your questions in the article. :confused: A few final words in response the last few replies. - I am pro following my internal guide, observing my child’s cues, inspiring their talents, involving them in their educational decisions, encouraging their natural development, blending learning with life, nurturing the whole child, and customizing their education to embrace that child’s strengths and goals. I don’t care what others call it. I look for validation in my children. There are WTM’ers who attack us personally when they join those types of conversations. There was a post in this thread that was edited before I got to my computer and had a chance to quote. However, I read it from my phone and it implied my 8.5 y/o is not reading because he hasn’t been taught, exposed to print, and audiobooks. Anyone who knows me here on this board knows the lengths I have gone to in order to reach him, I have been very transparent. We checked 1300 items from the library in the past year. Trust me, I do not lug that amount of books back and forth just for a form of working out. So, yes I did take offense to that! Was it pointed out or noticed by anyone else, no! I also feel OhE's comments to me crossed the line. We’ve moved so far beyond the original question which was would the student who struggles when learning in a left-brained fashion be able to learn if given the opportunity to take a different developmental path to the same destination? When we simply tweak or accommodate left-brained ways, what price are we paying for doing so? We have asked before about changing the heading of the board or having a sub-group as I agree “special needs” does not fit. These kids are special, but they simply learn differently. Children do not fit in boxes, in fact we are saying quite the opposite. Children who learn differently are not a lump of clay to be molded into a left-brain ideal. ALL children have a right to be educated in a way that enables them to learn and to be respected. It’s the PM’s, the replies in threads, the emails, and the wonderful friendships I’ve developed because of this board that keeps me advocating for the different learner. I bring a unique perspective to the board as I not only have three children who learn quite differently, but the traditional educational system failed me as a child. I want different for my sons. I have experienced how a change in mindset and approach, as I listed in the beginning of this reply, has not only enabled my children to learn, but has made our lives so much richer. Our relationships are deeper now that we are a team, my children are more eager to learn and it has blurred with life, we have more fun as a family now that we aren’t just “doing school”, and we don’t have the educational battles I read about so often - and it’s not just because I have boys. ;) There have been many threads on the boards about pre-teen hormonal boys. It’s hard to explain, but it’s been simply magical and fulfilling beyond words. I will not be revisiting this thread.

Many children with Aspergers, ADHD, Dyslexia, etc. also have a parent with similar traits. So you are going to see those missing the forest for the trees and taking things literally, feeling like if they aren't doing it to a the letter they aren't doing in classically at all. It's also what some die hard WTM'ers imply. Susan, Do you have articles specifically on how you would recommend tweaking a classical education for those with right-brained learners or those on a different developmental timeline altogether?

I'll bite . . . I initially came to the WTM forums 8 years ago because I wanted to learn more about homeschooling and it was the largest and most active group. I have owned two editions of the WTM, FLL 1 & 2, FLL 3, WWE 1, 2, 3 & 4, SOTW 1 in hardback and the activity guide, SOTW audio versions of 1 & 2, and Writing Without Fear. I became puzzled and frustrated because they didn't fit my children as written. I tried to tweak them and it still didn't go very well. That doesn't mean that the WTM doesn't work for many and even some with special needs. It simply didn't work for my family. I have recommended products here that seem like they may fit someone else's situation, even though they didn't fit here. When others have slammed a program for it not working, I have suggested that just maybe it could have been the timing, not a good fit for that child's learning style, the wrong level, or just not a good mesh with the instructor. That doesn't make it garbage. When I read about other children struggling with classical educational methods, I remember how it felt to want it to be the magical answer, but it just not fitting my kid. This is the reason I hang out on the SN's board, to encourage others with whom the WTM is not working, that there are other options and it's okay to have a different path. Sometimes what our children have is not just a matter of a different learning style that can easily be accommodated by adding more visuals, more audiobooks, more projects, and altering the assignments. There are times when the student is developmentally in a completely different sequence than the WTM suggests. So why do I come to the SN's board you have provided? Because it is the most active and diverse board. SN's parents need to brainstorm with others what options are out there and find one that reaches their child. For these students, it's not just a classical method being tossed out completely, but a traditional mindset. It's nothing against you personally, it's just the way it is and we have to do what we have to do to help our kids be the best them they can be. Michele

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In this article http://www.therightsideofnormal.com/2012/03/12/is-aspergers-left-or-right-brained/ Cindy discusses how one can be right-brained yet struggle with right-brained areas. The same would be true for those who are left-brained dominant. This is the situation with my oldest and youngest, although my oldest is ADHD and my youngest PDD-NOS with Aspergers traits. I don't think that any non-typical learner is a RB learner. I do feel the WTM and traditional schools are set up for the LB learner. I also think sometimes you have a kid in the middle who can function with accommodations to LB methods and having one or two subjects tweaked or an art/craft/project added. I also know from experience that some buck at all aspects of left brained approaches, but taking school outside the box enables them to learn. They may take a different route, but reach the same destination. Perhaps those are the right-brained learners. Not directed to you Lizzy, but an overall comment - We each need to be in tune with our children and trust our own instincts. Parenting is hard, our children do not come with instruction manuals, we each want are kids to be safe, happy, healthy, and educated. The best approach is the one that fits that child's situation. I know emotions run high when you've invested a lot of time, money, and research in things. Just because something isn't your experience, doesn't mean it wasn't that of someone else's. It is challenging enough raising a non traditional learner, let alone not having a support system. This board is a place to support each other, not judge. I keep coming back to this forum because I love reading about others out of the box approaches to dovetailing traditional subjects with their child's interests and strengths. I would love to see more members share how they are helping their child pull together studies on a topic of interest and further develop their strengths beyond traditional subjects and sequences.

Being right-brained does not = a visual spatial learning style. I have three right-brained children, only one of is a VSL learner.

I specifically did not respond because some of us are talking different languages. I'm really speechless at this point. You completely don't understand me and are assuming quite a bit. I need to return my energy to my family. I've grown away from this board so much. :seeya:

Many are missing that there is a range of the presentation of left-brainers and right-brainers, just like their is a spectrum of profiles in those with ASD, ADHD, etc. Its not black and white. Children continue to struggle with learning after getting an alphabet soup of labels, interventions, and therapies. Could it be because they are returned to left-brained approaches which are simply accommodated or tweaked and expected to produce on a left brained time line? Would using right-brained approaches with that child enable them to learn? Cindy, I am thankful you are increasing awareness and advocating for the right-brained learner. My children have had evaluations, each resulting in different labels, therapies, and interventions, yet they still struggled when required to follow the traditional ideals. I didn’t discover your blog until 2-3 months ago. Your article on The Natural Learning Development for Right-Brained children validated what I was seeing in my own kids. http://www.therightsideofnormal.com/2012/04/16/the-natural-learning-development-for-right-brained-children/ The timetable fit my 12 y/o, 10 y/o, and 8 y/o to a T. I wish I had read that seven years ago. Many of the things you talk about on your website, blog, and yahoo group are where following my instinct has led me. It is very difficult to go against the grain, trust yourself, and look for validation in your children’s eyes. Each year that we have moved in a more right-brained direction, our home atmosphere, relationships, and memories have just gotten better. I am blessed to be able to share this journey with my sons. We simply do not have the schoolwork battles you read about here. Learning has blurred with life and it is not something we check off each day or confine to certain hours. - Michele

I think the big thing is learning more about how right brainers learn, their time table, what types of things to do with them before the age of 5, and what types of learning and materials fit them best. Their interests, strengths, and passions is the easy part.

If they are medical problems, why did insurance not cover speech therapy, occupational therapy, or vision therapy? Cindy isn't saying not to do therapies or interventions, but questioning if as many kids would "need" these things if right brained learners were accepted and better understood. A lot of money is being made from Therapies, Interventions, and Special Needs products!

An 8.5 y/o or 11 y/o not reading does not equate to bad parenting or not being taught. Some children have been read to daily since infancy. They have listened to audiobooks regularly. The tv is used wisely. Parents have attempted to pull them in through dovetailing with their interests. They have played card games, board games, computer games, and used iPad apps. Some have tried multiple left brained programs, methods, and approaches. A few parents may have gone so far as to jump in a clown suit and stand on their head while teaching in attempt to engage them or pulled a rabbit out of their hat. The right brained child still will not read until they are developmentally ready.

My youngest has had PT and ST through early intervention. He's had vision therapy. He had a full neuropsychological evaluation. He's had a full speech language workup and at 8.5, he's still not reading. Both of my older to children did not read until they were in that age 8-10 transition stage. I have had those therapies and evaluation and each and every person has worked with ds and came flat out and said, "He progresses, just in his own time, and on his own timeline." Formal therapies and interventions have not "sped him up". As for ADHD labels, with my oldest, when he's in his element, you can not see the ADHD hiccups. For example, he takes karate 4-5 days a week. No one there knows he has ADHD. He shines there. He has done demos, he takes every special class he can. He is doing some amazing stuff and able to remember the moves, get the timing down, choreograph things, and perform in front of crowds while appearing completely "normal". Yet, if given a traditional writing assignment would start the paragraph with a capital letter have no spacing, ramble on, then end the whole paragraph with a period. However if given a writing assignment where he makes a home video or demonstrates something, it's high quality. Just this past week, he was complimented by the head instructor on his vocabulary and verbal abilities. He doesn't talk like those his age at all. There is also the mental health aspect to things to consider. It's equally as important as the medical side of things.

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It's not easy as a parent to trust our instincts and de-traditionalize ourselves. Especially when that means going against what mainstream says is "the only acceptable" way to go. People define each other on what they have or produce. Often the right brained parents have a full heart, but the results do not show up until much later. The right brained population is increasing. Right brained children are being told what they find meaningful doesn't count academically and that they are less than or defective because they are unable to learn in a left brain manner. I thank you for giving these children a voice and promoting a better understanding of the need for right brainer's approach to fit them so they are able to learn. I also love your title as there can be more than one way to do something. It's not that left brainers are normal and right brainers are learning disabled, they are simply different, not less.

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I know everyone here loves their children and is trying to do the best with their current understanding and the resources they have available. What price does society pay and what are the emotional costs that come into play when right brained children are forced to conform to left brained standards? I will not sacrifice who my children were meant to be nor my relationship with them in order to conform. Do you think many of the "troubled youth", may actually be right brained? How would things be different if they were valued and treated with respect for who they are from an early age? No answer needed, just things to ponder.

We do live in a left brain world, but why the expectation to be something they are not instead of being themselves? There is a difference between doing therapies and interventions in order for them to fit into traditional approaches and using educational timelines and environments that fit right brained learners first to see if that enables them to learn. Just because one learns differently, does not mean they are learning disabled. There are many interpretations of “customizing and individualizing our kid’s studies”, many of which are not right brained approaches. Children need to spend more time developing their strengths and passions than they do in therapy, intervention, and working on weaknesses. It’s the child’s strengths and passions that make them whole and are the keys to their future. Children are born being quite comfortable in their own skin. That fades away because instead of being inspired to be themselves, they are asked to conform to left brain mindsets.

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http://www.therightsideofnormal.com/2012/08/21/therapies-and-interventions-are-they-useful/

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