lovinmomma
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Posts posted by lovinmomma
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Whenever she does math or definitely anything she is struggling with understanding... she gets a headache.
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Thank you very much. I didn't realize that's how Saxon works. Dd would react in much the same way if there were only a few problems before moving on. She needs a decent amount of practice to retain.
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Is this for your artistic child? If so, look up the characteristics of a visual spatial/right brain learner - you just might find that this is where she fits. After reading what you've tried and that they were used for just a couple of months each - that could be where the wires are crossing in her brain. Those programs all teach so differently and some more abstractly (is that a word?) that as a result hasn't made any connections in her mind. If she is VSL/RB you are in the fun and games and long haul. They need mastery-type math taught in units, so to speak. A program will seem like it is working and then she'll get bogged down and say it is too hard/too easy. You'll need a smorgasborg of options to pull from at various types of levels. Don't drill and don't expect a fast result in spouting off math facts - not going to happen. She'll need to make connections in her head, usually with pictures, and then move on. Play games to solidify lessons. Read those books from the library about math stuff and then do some of the activities. She'll need time to take breaks to let this stuff connect in her brain. If she is RB/VSL don't immediately think online content. Nope, they don't necessarily work better with screen time. Now I did find some leapster games worked for practice but I never ever told my ds what I was hoping for - nope, let him just enjoy the games. Perhaps spending some time with the Life of Fred books (start at square one and move at her pace). MathUSee is great but I've found that as we went along we needed to move quicker and change subjects when he gets bogged down-hard to do in MUS. Times Tales worked wonders and now they offer a video. Just watching that a few times and bam, mastered. Now, that doesn't mean my child is rattling the answers off fast because he has to search through the "rolodex" in his head to find the picture to make the connection and then answers it. He's able to do advanced math (algebra) but just finished up on fractions and decimals. I'm coming to the conclusion that teaching a VSL/RB math requires you to make a list of all the concepts and skills that you would like mastered by the end of the year and then work through that list in units.
Yes, this is for my artsy child. She gets extremely frustrated with math very easily and shuts down if she doesn't understand the concept quickly. :( I have to be very careful not to push in any way. Life of Fred would be fun! DD tends to struggle with remembering what step to do, or she'll forget to read whether it's + or - and then do the problem incorrectly due to forgetting to check.
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My dd struggled with her facts for years, despite RightStart, spiral, Abeka drills, Flashmaster, you name it. She only has ADHD, no math disability label. My ds6 has all three SLDs (math, reading, and writing), a number of other issues, and that child can do his math facts like nobody's business.
The difference? Ronit Bird.
Ok, so minor details like last week he couldn't tell me 4 came before 5, lol. But we hadn't DONE that in Ronit Bird. Anything we've done in Ronit Bird so far, he's stellar on. (Or maybe we did sequencing and I didn't do a good job of it? That could be, lol.) The other great secret is that I use the Fast Facts Math app and select the problems that we've done using RB. I have him read the *aloud* as he does them. We're working on doubles right now with RB C-Rods, and man we have been stuck there seemingly FOREVER. But forever is what it takes with him.
And I sneak in living math around the day too. Like today he was upset, and instead of saying count backwards from 10 to 0, I said count backwards from 10 to -2. :D Seriously, this is fair game, kwim?
As far as completeness, I've decided in my soul to take a long-term view. He has a math disability and the words don't actually mean anything to him. I mean we are literally creating meaning for every single word, and he needs to interact with that word enough (18, 2 of something, etc.) till these words MEAN something to him. That's his glitch. He can memorize words, but he can't understand what they MEAN. So I don't see the point in rushing into some algorithm and saying looking, grade level, when the number 18 means nothing to him. He seems pretty adept at using quantities once he understands them.
If I could do everything I dream, I'd be doing 4 short segments of 7-10 minutes each of math stuff each day. So it would be like RB, a living math book, a math game, app drill, etc., bam, bam, bam. But I don't live my ideals, sigh.
I have no clue how to solve anyone else's problems, mercy. My dd didn't know her facts but the words meant something to her and she could still problem solve. She just needed support on the facts, meaning that a math table or calculator got her over the hump, no problem. Ds, on the other hand, is just completely held back. The words don't even mean anything to him. Three, 18, nothing MEANS anything to him. It's just so totally different to work with. I think a lot of people work around poor subitization backgrounds because they can just memorize. However, with ds and the words not meaning anything, having no -ness for him, there just isn't a way to build with that, kwim? Spiral can help if you just need more repetition, but it's not going to fill other holes.
As for affordability, we've suggested this before to people and they were able to find a way. If you can find someone to *borrow* the use of an ipad from, that would be an option. Like maybe a MIL, a friend at church, someone, anyone. If you could just go over and read the next chapter in the ebook, make your notes, then go teach for the week, you'd be fine. That's all you need. It's under $10 for one of the ebooks and it really is your best way to start. Of course I don't know where she's at. I have the printed books, all three, but I LOVE the ebooks. The printed books are not so sequential and idiotproof, but they do have a higher starting point, helpful for a dc with more experience. On the other hand, if you're filling in really basic things, the ebooks maybe good. RB just released a free games ebook in iTunes.
So beg/borrow, that would be my recommendation. Much better than paying $50 for a printed book and realizing you're not happy. It's just a better starting point. Then you'll know whether it fits and what you actually need.
I don't know if I will find the funds at any point in time soon for the iPad, but you have given me hope that it will make a difference with dd. I'm thinking about doing some of the TOPS books for science. I wonder if they include any math that would help? I remember a base 10 set helping me immensely to understand and really fully grasp math as a child.
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She says that she basically always has a headache. When I press her further she says that her head just feels funny. I guess I need to try to narrow it down better, but she doesn't seem to be able to verbalize or describe what she's feeling.
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If I only bought one, intermediate. My kids LOVED lentils. Dh not so much :-) lentils find there way around the house, EVERY time.
ETA if you have specific questions I'd be glad to try and answer. We have and have used both
Thank you! I guess I'm wondering if it would be best to do both levels or just do 1 level together?
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Quick Question: Would I get both levels if I wanted to do TOPS lentil science with a 2nd and 5th grader or would I just use the primary or intermediate?
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Oh, my. So many helpful responses. Thank you! Does RB work on the iPad MINI?
P.s. Work is busy. I'll be back to respond and ask more questions (I'm sure) soon.
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Ok gonna ask a few more questions so hopefully people can help you out.
When you "try" a program, how long do you stick with something?
Do you give a placement test?
How are her subitization skills?
Where, specifically does she seem to struggle?
We usually try out a curriculum for at least a couple of months. I do give placement tests. How are her subitization skills? I would say shaky. She has trouble remembering the processes, she often gets lost within the problem and won't answer the problem correctly because she's not giving the information that's being asked. Addition and subtraction facts are VERY rough as well as x and /.
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Ronit Bird might help but it is not a complete program. What programs have you tried and what specific areas does she struggle with? How far along in math is she?
I would say that she has 3rd grade math skills. We've tried CLE, Khan, Math Mammoth, and Singapore.
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Short division and a calculator for anything longer. Division by hand is overrated.
My non-professional opinion, obviously. :D I'm just saying it was a losing battle for dd and she doesn't have an SLD math. I don't see why in the fool world it's even important for our kids. Short division is the most they'd ever want to do in their heads or by hand, when you get practical about it. Beyond that they'd use a calculator. It is nice to be able to divide by 10, estimate by 25, and roughly estimate for reasonableness of the answer you get (so you know you got something reasonable from the calculator). Beyond that, I'd move on.
This. :) That's what I decided for my dd10, too. We are also continuing to use games, etc. to solidify multiplication, addition, and subtraction facts which will ultimately help her division facts.
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My dd10 has said for years that her brain "feels funny" or that her head hurts... She's had multiple eye exams. We tried allergy meds. She still says that her brain "feels funny". Anyone else?
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I've tried several math's for DD who is dyslexic. Most recently, we tried CLE. She hated it from day 1. I think it looks boring to her? I'm not sure, but it became torture to get dd to do her math. I've read that Ronit Bird is suggested, but I don't have an ipad and cannot afford one. Would it be best to buy the print books, or to find a different curriculum? I was considering Saxon Math because of it's spiral nature. I just need some ideas.
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I have one like that, too. Five minute warnings for thirty minutes and more frequent toward the end. And she still misses the bus.
Haha! I feel your pain. I have one that I always send to the car 5 or so minutes before everyone else in hopes that she'll be buckled in and ready to go at the same time as my other children. Nope. Still have to wait on her. ;)
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I highly suggest a warning alarm (with a different sound) say 5 or 3 minutes before the end alarm, if you aren't using a visual timer. Kids who have difficulty transitioning, or who hyper focus, need both a "heads up" to start disengaging and a "yay, you're almost done!" reminder the finish line is in sight.
This x1000 my kiddos would certainly need a warning timer. Mine would need a 10 min, 3 min, and 1 min. Haha! But really. :)
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My youngest saved up for a Kindle Fire--and then she discovered how to use it to dictate all of her papers (and even add in paragraphing, punctuation etc...) and email them to herself so she can just revise on the computer. It's been a huge time-saver for her.
She whaaaat?! That sounds awesome. How does she do that?
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It's hard to tell whether what you're describing with his morning routine is due to sequencing issues (something a visual schedule could help), dawdling (something a timer on an ipod, ipad mini, or kindle could help), or that he wakes slowly. When is he taking the meds in this and how long are they taking to kick in? My dd doesn't take meds, but I've read of some people rising an hour early, taking their meds, then going back to bed or reading or something for an hour to let the meds kick in before they attempt their routine. I know my dd has always had a shockingly slow rise time. I finally found an answer (the foggy brain waves go even foggier in the night, so she has a hard time coming out). Our compromise has always been to plan on it and stay apart for 1 1/2-2 hours in the morning. Yes, that makes for a late start time. I'm watching to see if the neurofeedback we're doing changes it.
You seem to have a lot of separate subjects which, as Merry already pointed out, is pretty odd considering his transition issues. You might try for 4 subjects a day, clear written expectations (checklist that he can do completely independently), axe everything with his siblings (gifted 6th grader with 2nd grader???), and have check-in points.
Where is his reading?? How much does he read each day? Does he read comfortably or is it crunchy for him? If it's comfortable, I'd be expecting to see 1-2 hours a day of reading. If you have a gifted child and you give them that SPACE to read, then you decrease their other work. I'd chop out half that work (I'm not joking), get it down to 3-4 hours a day MAX, and that leaves him the 1-2 hours a day he needs to read. Reading what intellectually stimulates him will do more for his SAT/ACT scores than anything you're attempting to teach him, and in a few years that's what you'll be caring about, those test scores. Let him read.
Where is his passion? Is he doing anything each day to pursue his passion? He should have 1-2 hours a day to pursue his passion and have ENERGY to do it. If he does 6 hours a day with you formally and does 1-2 hours a day of reading and cello and sports and... there's nothing left for a passion. THIS is the time when you want to let him explore passions! He's just now getting old enough to explore them with vigor and really get into them. You really want to let him do this. It's another reason to get his formal academics down to 3-4 hours a day.
I've tried, for a number of years now, to ballpark my dd's formal assigned school work in the 3-4 hour a day range. I find that it's her balance for getting work done and having energy leftover for her reading and for her passions. I caution you against relying too much on formally assigned work. It's going to be your *least* effective route oftentimes with these kids. The things they do with PASSION will be the things where they are most engaged.
Some kids do not like how they feel on the meds and find they dampen their creativity. I'm not making a judgment, just pointing out that if that is the case you might consider a 4 hour med. That way he could have the tool to do his sit down work (that 3-4 hours we were talking about) and then have the afternoon without meds for his passion and creativity stuff. Just something to consider.
You mentioned ADHD kids being slower to mature, but the question is whether you're talking EF (executive function), socially, or what. The social delay is present in some kids and not others. The EF delay is part of what defines the ADHD. EF issues respond well to structure. You said you don't want to have to check on him, but to get the self-monitoring you're wanting you have to create structure. For instance, the karate class my ds just started sends everyone home with a checklist they fill out each night asking questions like did you make your bed, did you show respect to your family, did you do your homework, etc. etc. This self-evaluation and self-monitoring and the process of having them hold a thought from one day to the next is all EF. Karate is one giant EF program, hehe, very impressive.
You'll get what you instruct him in and you'll get what you inspect. What *can* bump EF is metronome work and cognitive therapy, anything that works on the EF portion of the brain. So, for instance, you could drop meds, do Cogmed, and you might get an EF bump that carries over into real life. (I'm suggesting you drop the meds while doing the Cogmed because I'm seeing stories where they didn't and didn't get excellent results on the Cogmed, where people usually do.) So sometimes cognitive therapies can help bring those skills in and get the bump. Sometimes the issue, and I'm being honest here, is lack of motivation. You put a GIFTED ADHD dc in a situation where he's bored, doing lots of spiral stuff, waiting around for mom, doing classes with his siblings, spending all day, has no hope to get to do anything with passion, and no he's not going to do the mature thing and show up psyched to work, lol. And maybe that's not your situation. I'm just saying how MY dd is. My dd's mind is like that, just very emotional and given to de-motivation. I don't think having a passion solves EVERYTHING, because they're still inefficient, etc. etc. I'm just saying you could be seeing part of it. ADHD is statistically connected to depression, and we need to be cognizant of this. We don't want them in a constant state of de-motivation. :( We need to be brave enough to make radical changes that break the de-motivation cycle.
Ok, now I'll ask, not meaning to be impolite. Your sig says you pulled him out of school mid-year. What was going on and is that issue resolved? I'm just thinking stuff at school will happen at home if the underlying issue wasn't changed.
You mentioned math issues. How big was the discrepancy between IQ and achievement? You can get to an SLD diagnosis via discrepancy. My dd's math facts were crunchy for a long time and her low processing speed compounded it. With ds I'm using Ronit Bird materials and the Fast Facts Math app.
Wow. This post is going to help me SO much with my DS, and my DDs, too. Thank you!
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Awesome! I knew you all would know. ;) Thank you!
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I saw this online video based science advertised on Facebook. Are there any other video based science curricula out there? It would be awesome if there was one that used youtube videos or Discovery Education videos. :)
http://www.scienceshepherd.com/introscience/
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Jenn, you never cease to amaze me. Very well done!
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**This post is from February***
Just bumping to see if there is anyone else out there that cares to share their experiences.
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Has anyone tried these or something similar?http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002BNKO7S/ref=mp_s_a_1_32?qid=1424791562&sr=8-32&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=pot+holders&dpPl=1&dpID=51IFWECK4iL&ref=plSrch
What about the triangular ones that are silicone?
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Thank you! She struggles with the normal size. She's 10 and I always supervise/help.
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I've been having DD10 choose, plan, shop for, and make one recipe per week as part of her homeschool day. I then help her compile a binder with all of her recipes. I need recommendations for hot pads/oven mits for children. Typical oven mitts are too big. I was thinking maybe something silicone? What does your family like?
Questions for those with children "on the spectrum"...
in The Learning Challenges Board
Posted
Specifically, I'm interested in hearing from parents of GIRLS who are on the spectrum. We're dealing with some very serious issues with dd7. I've been told that autism can look different for girls vs. boys. I'm not sure if dsd7 is severely dyslexic, has a processing disorder, or possibly low IQ? We're really struggling with understanding what is going on with her. I have a 2e child, dyslexic child, a child that is either severely ADD or who has some sort of OCD issue, and then this child that I just can't figure out where to begin with. The things that we're experiencing with her I've never seen before. She's in PS and has a one on one tutor because she's struggling so severely. But they're just labeling her as ADD.I've never seen ADD present itself in this way. Dd still struggles with turning door knobs, has very little understanding of reading or math. She doesn't seem to understand WHAT is being asked of her. Not that she doesn't know how to figure out the answer. She doesn't understand what is being asked. I don't even know how to explain it. Lol I thought I would start here trying to rule some things out. :)