Jump to content

Menu
Giving You and Your Child a Road Map to the Best Possible Education
The Well-Trained Mind Community

Heathermomster

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    5,261

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Heathermomster

    Parent Removal of Student from College?

    in The College Board

    Posted · Edited by Heathermomster

    If your DS is struggling with time management, maybe hire a CBT near your son that specializes in EF and help him, help himself.  If you suspect any attention issues, he may require meds and academic accommodations.  He may also need to go down to 12 hrs a semester and graduate on a 4.5-5 year plan.  If there is a uni nearby, maybe allow him to come home for a semester, take part-time classes, use a local cbt, and send him back to his uni in the fall.

    Over the summer, my son took on-line time management classes with Marydee Sklar, and they were very helpful.

    • Like 1

    Dyspraxia - Handwriting Without Tears?

    in The Learning Challenges Board

    Posted · Edited by Heathermomster

    Pencil grip is hard to fix, so maybe teach him a new one such as the adapted tripod grasp.  You could also play with pencil grips and try the PenAgain.  Some links follow:

    https://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/correct-pencil-grasp.html

    https://www.amazon.com/PenAgain-Pencil-Learning-Writing-Assorted/dp/B01E90Z8UI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544190610&sr=8-1&keywords=penagain+twist+n+write+pencil

    Your child will need to work with either an OT or specifically trained ped PT to address reflexes, bilateral coordination, pincer/core strength, visual perception, and/or any vestibular issues. Don’t allow him to form any cursive letters alone and insist upon correct letter formation when you teach him.

    • Like 1

    Following instructions

    in The Learning Challenges Board

    Posted · Edited by Heathermomster

    Dysgraphia sucks!

     If your son is unable to properly enter the math problems into the app from the start, I’m not surprised he is half-heartedly attempting the math.  Maybe take turns entering problems (you enter two problems and he enter one) or use a whiteboard.  I write out my DD’s math problems until she masters the algorithm/method.  Once I’m convinced she can manage on her own, I step away and periodically check her work. My DS, who was identified 2e with dyslexia/reading/handwriting SLDs, used a white board and 1/2” grid paper for years.

    Time of day mattered for us when approaching especially difficult subjects.  I’m shot by afternoon, so math is our first subject of the day.  My kids like hot tea and graham crackers, so I often busted up subjects with a tea break.  I use a timer to ensure we get back to our tasks.  We use a cube timer...https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00889AVDG/ref=sxr_rr_xsim_1_a_it?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=9ddc66f6-9fc0-49ff-b2fa-06a39d9859e6&pd_rd_wg=5GShf&pf_rd_r=57E8DNRT3DMQN3Z93NTH&pf_rd_s=desktop-rhs-carousels&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B00889AVDG&pd_rd_w=xxx9R&pf_rd_i=cube%2Btimer&pd_rd_r=8870ac64-f3da-4628-a883-32c328de7454&ie=UTF8&qid=1543670710&sr=1&th=1

    If handwriting on a whiteboard is too much, maybe use math mats with number tiles.  You could print those up and laminate them for easy reuse.  If I knew what math you were working on, we could examine solutions.  Think in therapeutic terms.

    My son didn’t type fully until the 7th grade.  Transitioning to full typing and tech was a process for us.  DS is at university now and told me that he is tired of the hassle of typing everything. He’s 19 and knows full well he needs to type to survive in an academic setting.  

    About 2 years ago, DS was working with a CBT for EF issues.  I was really frustrated with my son, and the CBT stopped and reminded me that my DS does not process information in the same way that I do.  I tend to forget that because son is very intelligent.  Kids also know when their parents are frustrated, and they want to please us.  

    I’m a firm believer in using qualified OG tutors where necessary to supplement and support teaching at home.

     

    • Like 3

    IEW, someone reassure me...or not

    in The Learning Challenges Board

    Posted · Edited by Heathermomster

    I was just looking over previous posts about writing, and I remembered Dr. Haynes of the Landmark Foundation.  He recommends the first writing assignment be a first-person sequential event type of assignment.  Haynes also emphasizes well-written sentences first and then paragraphs.  

    Depending upon the individual dyslexic and their exposure to written and oral language through story, they may not be ready for much writing beyond sequential event type paragraphs because of their maturity level and limited language exposure.  My son made the mighty, multi-year reading comprehension leap when he was 11 yo.  That leap came after about 3.5 years of Wilson tutoring with an awesome certified OG instructor.  

    IEW pushes the paragraph structure with the KWOs and the sentence complexity, but I'm not sure it's appropriate immediately for a newish reader without major accommodations.  Depending upon how it is taught, IEW can absolutely suck the air out of a room.  ETA:  Might I add, there are other ways to work on sentence complexity that are just as effective without following the IEW methodology.

    EKS and 8fill are better candidates for answering these questions.  I'm a science person, not a writer, and I'm not 100% satisfied with the way I taught DS.

     

    • Like 1

    Is it possible to reach a 2 year college with a struggling learner / low IQ

    in The Learning Challenges Board

    Posted · Edited by Heathermomster

    8 hours ago, kbutton said:

    That psych is peddling chicken excrement. Sorry, but that's just not right. Are those life skill delays in tying his shoes caused by the social isolation of homeschooling? Insert a not-so-lovely snort right here. Good grief. The psych is reaching way past what is okay. You are saying right here that your son is in a youth group and spends time with other people. That is not isolation or sheltering.

    I would get some significant language testing--Test of Narrative Language and the Test of Problem Solving, both for adolescent age range (they have young versions of the test also, and not all professionals that have the younger version have the older version). I would do some adaptive behavior testing--things like the Vineland. Both the Test of Problem Solving and the Vineland (and other similar tests) often show difficulties with problem solving, critical thinking, and common sense as well as life skills like handling money, tying shoes, etc. The narrative language testing and problem solving testing have an open-ended style of questioning, which means that kids with decent test-taking skills or those who can "recognize" a correct answer will test more according to what you see in real life. I love, love, love the test of problem solving. 

    The stuff I put in bold is highly suggestive of something identifiable (including the guesses about what he'd be able to do or not do!!!--those opinions don't form out of thin air), such as autism and anxiety, both of which are responsive to intervention and which can potentially qualify him for services with the board of DD or other local agencies, many of whom will give JOB COACHING and CAREER ASSISTANCE. Not yelling at you--yelling at the psych. 

    With an IEP and/or board of DD help, he could delay graduation and take advantage of school-based technical training/services/career exploration until he's 21 (often even as a homeschooler). In our area, people who get a DD waiver can often go through more than one technical program because of this...have an aptitude for one area but find out the social demands are too much? Okay, delay your diploma and try this other program now. We have a friend whose son is doing this right now.  

    I love this response.  Like, I could frame it and hang it on a wall...

     

    • Like 1

    IEW, someone reassure me...or not

    in The Learning Challenges Board

    Posted · Edited by Heathermomster

    Yes, it will get better.  Scribe for her.  I know that getting words to paper is a challenge; however, she is really young and has years of maturing ahead of her.  You need to separate the thinking from the actual act of typing/penmanship/STT...

    I don't believe that most 10-year-olds like to type.  My DS has dysgraphia and dyslexia and learned to keyboard when he was 11 years old.  I think he maxed at 30 wpm with 95% accuracy.  He was totally typing everything except math by 7th grade.  We also used the mindmapping software called Inspiration on the iPad.  I currently use the Inspiration app with my writing phobic 5th grader, and we use it to outline across subjects.  My iPad has the speech to text option built in which is a huge plus.

    At aged 10 years old, my DS was writing 2-3 sentence BMEs (beginning middle ends) of book chapters and completing poster board style book reports.  BMEs basically identify the central narrative of a chapter.  You could practice that using WWE3 or use MP's writing program.  

    We used IEW in the 7th and 8th grades.  It was OK, but it doesn't really teach the topics of invention.  I certainly wouldn't use IEW for more than a couple of years.  

    ETA:  I need to add that starting in 7th grade when DS came home from the classroom, we kept a WTM styled history notebook.  DS wrote narrations, definitions, and summaries via history.  He typed the info in a word document and then appended more info later to the document.  We periodically printed his work and placed it in the notebook.  Your DD could practice answering questions across subjects now using complete sentences.  When DS was younger, he craved independence with his school work, so I didn't super correct his writing.  I usually read aloud his sentences, and he would hear a mistake.  I had him go back and correct but did it in a non-confrontational way.  He also practiced his vocabulary daily for 5-10 minutes using the website freerice.com .

     

     

    • Like 2

    Exploding Dots

    in The Learning Challenges Board

    Posted · Edited by Heathermomster

    post-41744-0-28989400-1509118355_thumb.jpg

    19 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

    @Heathermomster.....tell me all of the things that I need to know about James Tanton and getting a dyscaluculiac son through high school. We've just moved out of the 4 basic math operations and I am completely lost as to how to proceed.  

    James Tanton teaches the Galley Method for factoring polynomials.  The Galley Method is simply an extension of the area model.  DS used it whenever possible and learned to derive the quadratic equation.  My son cannot handle multiple ways to solve a problem.  He typically stuck to one method and that was it.  

    When teaching certain math problems, I used symbolic logic, manipulatives, and drew many pictures.  We used dry erase boards and solved problems together, independently, and then compared answers.  He checked his own fraction work using a TI-15 calculator.  Ronit Bird methodology filled our day as well.

    MLA Works CIted Question

    in High School and Self-Education Board

    Posted

    Here's the item that I want to cite...

    https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/pericles-funeralspeech.asp

    Does the following info look correct for the most recent MLA?

     

    Halsall, Paul. “Ancient History Sourcebook: Thucydides (C.460/455-C.399 BCE): Pericles'

         Funeral Oration from the Peloponnesian War (Book 2.34-46).” Internet History Sourcebooks,

         Fordham University, Aug. 2000, sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/pericles-funeralspeech.asp.

     

    I used an online citation generator, but this feels wrong.  Would someone please check my work?

    Thank-you,

    Heather

    Exploding Dots

    in The Learning Challenges Board

    Posted

    James Tanton is the BEST. I used his materials to get my dyscalculiac son through high school.  I emailed Tanton once with questions, and he responded by sending me a ton of info in a Drop Box account.   I purchased a book from his Thinking Math series, and it’s very good. 

    I used the RB materials to get through the 4 basic math functions.

    • Like 2

    foreign languages and dyslexia

    in The Learning Challenges Board

    Posted · Edited by Heathermomster

    Vocab is my son’s superpower, so he took Abeka HS Spanish with a native speaker in 10th grade.  It sucked.  He spent 2 hours per day outside of the class completing the homework.  He earned an A in the class but retained none of it.  We should have gone the total conversational route.  Spanish is one of my greater high school regrets.  

    In my state, the tech diploma route replaces foreign language with two successive technical classes, so DS completed 2 years of Autocad (Drafting 1 and Drafting 2).  I should have just skipped it all together and pursued more writing and rhetoric.  

×
×
  • Create New...