Board name change to include more WTM forum members

[Guest]

From some recent threads and by starting to take a look at some of the other boards (other than SN and K-8 where I usually post), I have come to realize that there are many forum members that have children that learn differently (visual, tactile, kinesthetic, combination, etc.) that do not post here because their kids do not have a label and therefore are not considered special needs. Others do not post here, even when their kids have labels because their kids are not behind and therefore feel uncomfortable sharing what they have figured out about their kids by tweaking various methods. I myself have often felt unwelcome here because we do not have an official diagnosis, but hey, I am a pest so I am still here :lol:.

 

Kids with SN's also have various learning styles so we may be missing out on some valuable input from people that are veteran homeschoolers and have found ways of adapting traditional curricula to suit their special learner. I would love to see for example how people have adapted the WTM for their special learner. We have been homeschooling for 5 years now and PK-2 hardly places me anywhere near veteran status :lol:. Anyway, it is just a thought I would like to share with everyone and I would love to hear your input.

 

The name change I would like to propose is:

 

Parents' Forum Special Learners Board

 

This general name would cover any learner that does not fit the auditory model, basically.

Edited October 5, 2012 by Guest

[FairProspects]

Just FYI, I'm pretty sure this idea caused a major fight the last time it was brought up, including people getting banned. I'm not sure that many people, myself included, want to re-visit it.

[Guest]

Just FYI, I'm pretty sure this idea caused a major fight the last time it was brought up, including people getting banned. I'm not sure that many people, myself included, want to re-visit it.

 

Thank you, I have seen that thread. This idea is different however, than that one was. That was for a sub-forum for a specific group. It was excluding more than including more members to join. This idea is to include more forum members so that we can all benefit from their wisdom. Sadly, this board has very few posters and we are not hearing more ideas :(. I respect your right to not want to participate though :)! I am hoping to hear others' input for or against it. I am hoping we can have a civilized exchange of thoughts for the benefit of our children. I have not suggested this to the moderators. I am openly discussing this idea with everyone here, on the board :).

[PeterPan]

I don't think it's a terrible idea. Have you emailed it to them at their "things are changing, give us suggestions" thread link? That's really the appropriate way to handle it. I agree it's a slight modification that could change that dynamic. On the other hand, SN implies people talking about their *medical* stuff too, not just learning. There's probably no way to win. Yes there are people who don't post. Some of those people have never had their kids eval or did and don't find it to be a direction they want to go, whatever. It's not really a dynamic I understand, but everybody is different.

 

It's at least an interesting suggestion. I like the symmetry of it (accelerated learners, special learners)...

[Guest]

I respect your right to not want to participate though :)!

 

FairProspects, it just hit me! I hope you understood that with the above comment I meant that I respect your right to not want to participate in this discussion!

Edited October 5, 2012 by Guest

[IsabelC]

Don't know about everyone else, but I usually just hit New Posts when I come here, or I use the Search function if I'm after specific information. If I don't post in a thread, it's usually because I don't have anything to say on that topic, not because I didn't think I was allowed to be in that subforum! But it might be different for others.

[Guest]

I don't think it's a terrible idea. Have you emailed it to them at their "things are changing, give us suggestions" thread link? That's really the appropriate way to handle it. I agree it's a slight modification that could change that dynamic. On the other hand, SN implies people talking about their *medical* stuff too, not just learning. There's probably no way to win. Yes there are people who don't post. Some of those people have never had their kids eval or did and don't find it to be a direction they want to go, whatever. It's not really a dynamic I understand, but everybody is different.

 

Honestly, I have never proposed any ideas on here before and had never even noticed the thread you mentioned :tongue_smilie:. I was just thinking that it might be better if I got others opinion first. Since I am one of those that does not feel included because we don't have official evaluations but post anyway, I think I am the biggest oddball on here :lol:. I have also only been on the SN board for a year now and felt that I would be showing more respect to those of you that have been on here for years by first seeing how you feel about it.

 

It's at least an interesting suggestion. I like the symmetry of it (accelerated learners, special learners)...

 

Me too :)! By the way, I can't see why it would exclude the medical stuff. For me all that comes as a package that carries the label "the well-being of my child". But that is my way of thinking and does not necessarily mean that others feel the same way. I would not want a name change to discourage some from posting medical issues/ concerns, either :(. That is definitely not my goal! In any case, this is why I started the thread, to see how people feel about it.

Edited October 5, 2012 by Guest

[teeniebeenie6]

I think your suggestion is a great one, it would include a lot more people!

[Crimson Wife]

I don't know what a "special learner" is. :confused: SN is a term that is in widespread use and I think causes the least confusion.

 

Whether or not a particular child has an "official" diagnosis doesn't mean that his/her parent cannot participate. My oldest has not yet completed testing to see what exactly is going on with her because of the difficulty in getting insurance approval for seeing a neuropsych and also the cost. That doesn't mean I cannot comment on threads related to her suspected disability (CAPD).

 

I don't see the need for a name change that will lead to confusion.

[Guest]

I don't know what a "special learner" is. :confused:

 

Actually, it is a term that is used. I cannot take credit for coming up with it.

 

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1057356930090302

 

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ641069&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ641069

 

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED386014&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED386014

 

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1045988X.1992.9944588

 

http://www.studymode.com/essays/Special-Learners-86112.html

 

I could link many more. It appears to be used interchangeably with special needs and basically means the same thing but for some it can include the gifted, talented...

[Elizabeth in MN]

Personally, I don't like the idea. It will include a whole new group of people and, IMO, dilute this forum. To me learning styles are not special needs.

 

For example - I am something of a kinetic learner. I still learned with my age-peers in public school at the same rate and at the same time.

 

My dd has Asperger's. Because of her issues with body language and social interactions she was considered immature and held back a grade, even though intellectually she was several grades past what was being offered. That imbalance is what lead us back to homeschooling her.

 

So to me the two issues are unrelated and shouldn't be dumped into one forum.

[Guest]

Look at the title and the abstract here as well:

 

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ332101&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ332101

[Guest]

My dd has Asperger's. Because of her issues with body language and social interactions she was considered immature and held back a grade, even though intellectually she was several grades past what was being offered. That imbalance is what lead us back to homeschooling her.

 

So to me the two issues are unrelated and shouldn't be dumped into one forum.

 

This is not school though. This is a forum and your child is not being held back by anyone. We are just discussing approaches on how to better teach our children. A parent with a visual learner that has used certain methods and had to tweak them can have some useful tips for someone with an autistic child who is also a visual learner, and vice versa.

 

I have seen many people say that they don't know how to tweak the WTM for their learner for example. Some would like to use at least parts but are not sure how to go about it. It was just a thought, in the hopes of including more voices.

[eoffg1]

Though I would like to propose an alternative name change?

 

Parents' Forum LD Learning Differences Board.

 

The terms Learning Disability/ Learning Disorder, become redundant when viewed as a Learning Difference?

My child has a Learning Disorder.

My child has a Learning Difference.

I have a Learning Disability.

I have a Learning Difference.

 

But who doesn't have a Learning Difference?

A unique set of abilities, to fully realized.

[SkateLeft]

Personally, I don't like the idea. It will include a whole new group of people and, IMO, dilute this forum. To me learning styles are not special needs.

 

:iagree:

 

I don't care one way or the other if someone has a formal diagnosis. I've never seen anyone imply that folks who don't have diagnoses aren't welcome here.

 

My son doesn't have a learning disability. He has a severe mental illness, which obviously impacts far more than his education, and some medical issues. Changing the name of the board to focus on "learning" issues would dilute the forum, as well as narrow the focus for those of us who are dealing with more than just learning disabilities.

 

People either feel comfortable posting here or they don't. Changing the name to make them more comfortable isn't really necessary, in my opinion.

[RamonaQ]

I think it is tricky. This forum has represented medical needs, neurobiological differences, psychological struggles, what is classified as learning disabilities, which some people classify as learning differences....

 

This board seems to be an amalgamation of whenever people feel that their homeschool circumstances dictate a "special need", and that is often when they are struggling in some way. So yes, this board may not get as much traffic due to this "self selection" process, and how a person may view what a special need is....

 

However, my guess is that if someone is struggling likely they will find the way over here...lurking or otherwise.

[Element]

How about this? Currently, the subheading on this board states:

 

Parents' Forum Special Needs Board If you're doing classical education with a child who has special needs, ask questions and find support here.

 

Why not just add something like "diagnosed or undiagnosed" before special needs? I would prefer to keep the title the same, but I know I personally would have been less hesitant to post here if the subheading had included those words.

 

Parents' Forum Special Needs Board If you're doing classical education with a child who has diagnosed or undiagnosed special needs, ask questions and find support here.

 

My kids are pretty standard learners, but both have mild to moderate physical issues which really affect their output. I know that for many, the "diagnosed or undiagnosed" goes without saying, but I was a little hesitant to post here at first.

[jeninok]

I feel like discussions regarding learning styles, teaching strategies, and the like easily fall into a completely separate category, either under general, or a sub forum like the writing workshop.

 

I don't post in the special needs forum often, or the gifted, and frankly lately I am torn whether I should be in Logic or k-8. But when I do post something in the special needs area, I really prefer it be with the full understanding that that is the place I am coming from. I feel like my DS issues are fairly mild, until they aren't, and that is when I really am glad to have a clear cut place to talk them through.

 

 

I don't know if that even makes sense or not. :confused:

[RamonaQ]

How about this? Currently, the subheading on this board states:

 

Parents' Forum Special Needs Board If you're doing classical education with a child who has special needs, ask questions and find support here.

 

Why not just add something like "diagnosed or undiagnosed" before special needs? I would prefer to keep the title the same, but I know I personally would have been less hesitant to post here if the subheading had included those words.

 

Parents' Forum Special Needs Board If you're doing classical education with a child who has diagnosed or undiagnosed special needs, ask questions and find support here.

 

My kids are pretty standard learners, but both have mild to moderate physical issues which really affect their output. I know that for many, the "diagnosed or undiagnosed" goes without saying, but I was a little hesitant to post here at first.

 

I like this idea!

[Guest]

I like Element's idea also.

 

In regards to special needs vs. special learner, I think my previous posts showed that they are pretty much the same thing but special learner includes more. The focus on education besides medical, isn't that what this forum is essentially about? Our kids education?

 

The comments about classical being removed :confused:! This is a forum for a "classical education". Removing that would make this board not belong in my opinion :001_huh::confused:!

Edited October 5, 2012 by Guest

[Guest]

I feel like discussions regarding learning styles, teaching strategies, and the like easily fall into a completely separate category, either under general, or a sub forum like the writing workshop.

 

I don't post in the special needs forum often, or the gifted, and frankly lately I am torn whether I should be in Logic or k-8. But when I do post something in the special needs area, I really prefer it be with the full understanding that that is the place I am coming from. I feel like my DS issues are fairly mild, until they aren't, and that is when I really am glad to have a clear cut place to talk them through.

 

 

I don't know if that even makes sense or not. :confused:

 

Actually, I can respect this! Your post makes a lot of sense to me :)!

[Guest]

The comments about classical being removed :confused:! This is a forum for a "classical education". Removing that would make this board not belong in my opinion :001_huh::confused:!

 

I wanted to further comment on what I said here. I did not want to sound rude and I hope it did not come out that way. What I was trying to say is, a classical education, as it has been said on this forum before, is more of an idea. A philosophy of education. There are ways of doing it in a more general sense and a more specific sense with our kids and their own special needs. At least this is how I feel. The point is finding out those ways of adapting it to our own needs rather than trying to make our kids adapt to it. You see what I mean?

 

I am not saying that anyone should have to follow a classical education but since this is what the forum is about, we should be able to have such discussions also, without being made to feel that we are nuts for entertaining such a thought with a SN kid.

[Guest]

OK, I have a few minutes and just wanted to say that I see the point made by some about people posting whose kids just have different learning styles but do not have a special need. I do see your point and agree with it! Those classified as quirky kids though are often kids that may be gifted but still have SN's. Whether their sn's are milder than others should not be an issue on this board. This is not a specialized board that says, only moderate to severe sn's are allowed. It should include all of us. I have no problem having to go over a bunch of special needs that my child may not have. It is a way of supporting each other by giving one another a hug no matter what the need. Everyone says that they come here for support. Shouldn't we extend that support whether our family has the same sn or not :confused:? No one has to but it is nice! And even if we don't have the time, we shouldn't expect those that do not have severe special needs be excluded simply because we don't want to have to sift through a bunch of threads in order to find what pertains to the specific needs of our child. This is how forums work. The K-8 has children in grades K-8. You really need to go over those pages upon pages each day in order to find what interests you but just scrolling down the titles does not take that long ;).

 

Another concern I have had after having been on here for a year. People come here asking questions. They may or may not be after an evaluation. They may just want to see if there is something wrong with their child. They may need time to process something like that, by taking gradual steps. I am concerned this board has become more about the medical and less about supporting each other and finding solutions, educational or otherwise, for our kids. I am seeing threads with people asking a simple question, only to hear, you need to have an evaluation. Then you never see them post in the thread again. We remember how we were when our kids were born, right? A concerned parent will always ask about the development of another child in order to decide whether he/ she should be concerned. I think many people are just asking for that but are possibly being scared off because they are just not ready for that evaluation. I know I am not but I still stick around because I like learning things and anyone on here may have a piece of information that might interest me. If we encouraged others to process first, perhaps most people would stick around longer.

 

The last concern is that while being on this board, I have only ever seen one thread (that I can remember) concerning following the WTM or a classical model of education with our SN kids. Yes, I do see my kids as sn, in case anyone was wondering, regardless of not having an evaluation. The name change idea had nothing to do with my having an issue with the sn title. I just wanted to make that clear. Others that are just processing may though and while we can say, well, that's their problem, I was thinking that we can gain more people if we each allowed the other more time to process things. Anyway, coming back to the educational side of things, it would be great to bring at least some of the focus of the forum back to what it was intended for.

 

Just some random thoughts anyway...

Edited October 6, 2012 by Guest

[Guest]

How about this?

 

Parents' Forum Special Learners (more general here) Board If you're doing classical education with a child who has special needs (but clear here that it IS for special needs), ask questions and find support here.

 

As I mentioned before, special learners are essentially special needs kids but in this case since it sounds more general it could attract those that do not have evaluations and also include those that are gifted/ talented but with special needs.

 

Thoughts?

[sbgrace]

Well, I like special needs myself. I would be concerned that even making that designator a subtitle might make parents with kids with special needs miss the board altogether. I don't know of another homeschooling forum that hosts a special needs board at all. I'd hate to lose the one that specifically does.

 

I would think things that are mainly about learning styles are actually better served on the broader boards. Then you would get the views of many more people who might have ideas even though they themselves have typically developing children.

 

My big concerns for my child are much, much bigger than educating him and, instead, are about his special needs. I post those concerns here. When I have a learning question about him (often math approaches) I've found it more helpful to post on the larger forums where I can gain insight from all kinds of parents. I guess I see the strength of this board in the focus on special needs and resources of parents who know that world--diagnosed or not.

[Mukmuk]

I have to say, reading through the links, I like the term "special learners". I have a 2E child and often wonder how one side hampers/aids the other. Writing about it helps me reflect on how we do things so I can improve, and I'd love to hear from others.

 

It takes more than a name change to effect a reframing however. The name change does help, but it takes continued efforts from the moderators/participants to set the tone. It's worth a try though (in my view).

[Guest]

Well, I like special needs myself. I would be concerned that even making that designator a subtitle might make parents with kids with special needs miss the board altogether. I don't know of another homeschooling forum that hosts a special needs board at all. I'd hate to lose the one that specifically does.

 

I am not sure why the board would be missed if it was renamed special learner. If you take a look at my links you will notice that they mean the same thing, with special learner including gifted children with sn's also. Kids with Asperger's, for example, tend to have average to above average intelligence. As Temple Grandin says, this is usually in one area but they have deficits in others. They are gifted but with sn's. Special Learner could serve to include all these kids.

 

I would think things that are mainly about learning styles are actually better served on the broader boards. Then you would get the views of many more people who might have ideas even though they themselves have typically developing children.

 

Many people on this board only post on this board so it is very likely that they would not ask in the curriculum boards, but anyway, I did agree that it might not work adding families that do not have sn kids. Many would probably not post here anyway.

 

My big concerns for my child are much, much bigger than educating him and, instead, are about his special needs. I post those concerns here. When I have a learning question about him (often math approaches) I've found it more helpful to post on the larger forums where I can gain insight from all kinds of parents. I guess I see the strength of this board in the focus on special needs and resources of parents who know that world--diagnosed or not.

 

Their educational issues are often tied to their special needs though, so I can't see how asking about an issue that your child has with math (to use your example), you could get an answer from someone that can relate to your child's particular issue with math, when they don't know about sn's in the first place, much less about your child's specific sn's. Also, the forums current subtitle says something, doesn't it? It does to me, anyway!

 

Oh, and to my knowledge, yes, this forum is probably the only FREE forum that offers a sn's board. SL does also but you have to be an SLer to access it.

[KathyBC]

Words are important. I agree that this sub-forum could use a new name. It has been invaluable, yet I think I avoided it for a long time because the term Special Needs can have negative connotations. For instance, all those insulting jokes have been recycled, replacing the word 'retarded' with 'special'.

 

When I think of the way kids learn, the image I get is of music terminology. Some pieces would suffer if not played Allegro; but others must be played Adagio.

 

I think the Accelerated Learners board is well-named. I would love to see this board named in a similar way. I don't mind Delayed Learners. Actually, when I was thumbing through the thesaurus, I smiled at the term 'unhurried'.

[Guest]

It takes more than a name change to effect a reframing however. The name change does help, but it takes continued efforts from the moderators/participants to set the tone. It's worth a try though (in my view).

 

:iagree:It has been my hope from the start that perhaps a name change might help us all to view things a bit differently and work together, regardless of the level of special needs our kids have. I would love to see families that have sn kids but have not felt the need for an official diagnosis, post here. Not because I am one of them but because we would add another perspective. Perhaps they are doing something, tweaking something, that is working for them that some of us can benefit from. Some of them don't post here though because they seem to feel that this board has become just about the medical side of sn. I thought we were all talking about our kids unique abilities this summer. I fear we may be starting to just look at the deficits now.

[Guest]

Words are important. I agree that this sub-forum could use a new name. It has been invaluable, yet I think I avoided it for a long time because the term Special Needs can have negative connotations. For instance, all those insulting jokes have been recycled, replacing the word 'retarded' with 'special'.

 

:iagree: Accepting that my children might be special needs took a while to process. We each have our own timeline! Special learner could serve for all of us to see our kids in a different light also. To see the special way they can learn rather than only focusing on the deficits.

 

When I think of the way kids learn, the image I get is of music terminology. Some pieces would suffer if not played Allegro; but others must be played Adagio.

 

Love this :)! This is the kind of music we play every day, moving from Allegro to Adagio and back, but always trying to ensure we are climbing up, even when there are setbacks.

 

I think the Accelerated Learners board is well-named. I would love to see this board named in a similar way. I don't mind Delayed Learners. Actually, when I was thumbing through the thesaurus, I smiled at the term 'unhurried'.

 

I still like Special Learners better though :D!

[chiguirre]

I really need a place where I can get support and suggestions for raising my autistic and intellectually disabled sons. Their needs go so far beyond learning style differences that it's really a completely different conversation.

 

Although, I doubt it makes any difference what we call the board. When people click here and see the threads about kids with diagnosed and profound special needs, a lot of them will click right back out because of the social stigma attached no matter what we do.

[TechWife]

I would think things that are mainly about learning styles are actually better served on the broader boards. Then you would get the views of many more people who might have ideas even though they themselves have typically developing children.

 

My big concerns for my child are much, much bigger than educating him and, instead, are about his special needs. I post those concerns here. When I have a learning question about him (often math approaches) I've found it more helpful to post on the larger forums where I can gain insight from all kinds of parents. I guess I see the strength of this board in the focus on special needs and resources of parents who know that world--diagnosed or not.

 

:iagree:

[merry gardens]

...

Another concern I have had after having been on here for a year. People come here asking questions. They may or may not be after an evaluation. They may just want to see if there is something wrong with their child. They may need time to process something like that, by taking gradual steps. I am concerned this board has become more about the medical and less about supporting each other and finding solutions, educational or otherwise, for our kids. I am seeing threads with people asking a simple question, only to hear, you need to have an evaluation. Then you never see them post in the thread again. We remember how we were when our kids were born, right? A concerned parent will always ask about the development of another child in order to decide whether he/ she should be concerned. I think many people are just asking for that but are possibly being scared off because they are just not ready for that evaluation. I know I am not but I still stick around because I like learning things and anyone on here may have a piece of information that might interest me. If we encouraged others to process first, perhaps most people would stick around longer.

 

The last concern is that while being on this board, I have only ever seen one thread (that I can remember) concerning following the WTM or a classical model of education with our SN kids. Yes, I do see my kids as sn, in case anyone was wondering, regardless of not having an evaluation. ...

Points noted.

As to the proposed name change...that just makes me think, "A rose by any other name...." I don't think a name change would bring more people here. I like your goals, but not neccesarily the proposed change to meet them. I wonder? Maybe a sticky on the k-8 forum that directs reading, language or other difficulties over here to this board might spread the word.

 

I note your concern about people feeling left out here if they don't have an official diagnosis as many here direct them for evaluations often. For the record, I was here for a couple of years before ds had an official diagnosis. Some of my early attempts at getting professional help were not very helpful. I direct people for evaluations now more now than I used to do. I can speculate why people recommend evaluations often here, but that would be better as a different thread topic. I'd be happy to participate in a thread about that. I hope I never scared away anyone by recommending evaluations or made you feel unwelcome for not having an official diagnosis.

 

As to focussing on classical education with special needs kiddos, I'd love to read and participate in a thread like that too.

 

Basically, I don't see how a name change would accomplish your goals or address your concerns, but I'd love to talk about other ideas that might. :)

[TechWife]

People come here asking questions. They may or may not be after an evaluation. They may just want to see if there is something wrong with their child. They may need time to process something like that, by taking gradual steps. I am concerned this board has become more about the medical and less about supporting each other and finding solutions, educational or otherwise, for our kids. I am seeing threads with people asking a simple question, only to hear, you need to have an evaluation. Then you never see them post in the thread again...

Honestly, when I recommend that someone get an evaluation, it is because I think the person has a legitimate concern for their child. In other words, after reading what they have written, I think "If this were my child, I'd be concerned, too." Based on my experience w/my son, I also know that uninformed advice can be very confusing & sometimes damaging to the diagnostic process. In my view it is best that someone get a professional evaluation from a qualified evaluator who will be able to see the broad picture.

A concerned parent will always ask about the development of another child in order to decide whether he/ she should be concerned. I think many people are just asking for that but are possibly being scared off because they are just not ready for that evaluation.

Not everyone is ready to get an evaluation, but that doesn't mean they don't need to be told it's best if they do so. Those of us who have done this also realize how a valuable a good evaluation can be & want others to have that same information about their child available to them. Coming to grips with having a special needs child is a long process. Simply because the person doesn't post here again doesn't mean we've necessarily done anything wrong, it just might mean that they aren't ready to come to the same place of acceptance of a special need.

 

If we encouraged others to process first, perhaps most people would stick around longer.

I think that people need accurate information to process, which is why I think many should have a professional evaluation done.

 

The last concern is that while being on this board, I have only ever seen one thread (that I can remember) concerning following the WTM or a classical model of education with our SN kids.

I've been reading on this board for a few years, and I have seen many of these posts. Perhaps you just aren't recognizing them?

 

First & foremost, the classical model is based on the stages of development. Many of our children will not progress through those stages of development. If they do, some will do it at a drastically slower rate. Out of necessity, educating these kids looks different, sounds different and feels different.

 

In looking at the overall composition of the sub-forums on this board, you will realize that there are many people who don't educate "by the book." It's ok - the board host has made room for us all.

 

Others that are just processing may though and while we can say, well, that's their problem, I was thinking that we can gain more people if we each allowed the other more time to process things.

We do allow people to process things. To my knowledge, no one has been "run off" because of where they are in their parenting. I've never thought that the goal of this board was to get a lot of people to be here, but to support the people who are here.

 

Anyway, coming back to the educational side of things, it would be great to bring at least some of the focus of the forum back to what it was intended for.

I think it does focus on the educational side of things. It is very difficult to educate a child with special needs, no matter what they are. Some never make it past potty training, and that is education. Some are wondering how kids with dyslexia learn to read & write - that is education. Some are here wondering how to deal with kids who have behavioral issues as a parent and then also how to teach their kids to manage their behavioral issues on their own - that is education. Education isn't always about a four year history cycle or when to teach particular subjects.

[Crimson Wife]

Well, I like special needs myself. I would be concerned that even making that designator a subtitle might make parents with kids with special needs miss the board altogether. I don't know of another homeschooling forum that hosts a special needs board at all. I'd hate to lose the one that specifically does.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

I glanced over the links provided by the OP, and I *STILL* don't know what a "special learner" is. It sounds like it's being used as a PC euphemism for SN, which is in itself a euphemism for "disabled". I can see the point of using SN rather than disabled because it shifts the focus away from what the child cannot do and I think that is probably better for kids' self-esteem. But I don't see why saying "special learner" is any preferable to saying "special needs" :confused:

[Crimson Wife]

I don't mind Delayed Learners.

 

Not all SN kids are delayed learners. There are plenty of "twice exceptional" kids who have LD's but are still working at or even above-grade level. I really, really, REALLY wouldn't want a board name change to include the word "delayed" because that would exclude many parents dealing with SN's.

[EKS]

I agree with Crimson Wife, that calling the subforum "Delayed Learners" leaves out the many people with 2E kids. Also, there are folks who post here whose kids have special needs but those needs aren't necessarily affecting their kids' learning.

 

I'd prefer to keep it the Special Needs Board while removing the term "classical" and adding (as someone else suggested) the diagnosed or undiagnosed qualifier.

 

Special Needs Board If you're educating a child who has diagnosed or undiagnosed special needs, ask questions and find support here.

Edited October 6, 2012 by EKS

[Barbara H]

My 2 cents: I like the idea of adding "diagnosed or undiagnosed" but I think special needs should remain special needs. Autism, physical disabilities, mental illness, intellectual disabilities, chronic illness, etc. bring up a set of issues that aren't easily summed up just as a difference in learning style. They may include differences in learning style, but there are so many other concerns to discuss as well.

[KathyBC]

Why aren't parents of 2E kids participating both here and on the Accelerated Learning forum? I thought twice exceptional meant accelerated in some areas, struggling in others.

[EKS]

Why aren't parents of 2E kids participating both here and on the Accelerated Learning forum? I thought twice exceptional meant accelerated in some areas, struggling in others.

 

We do participate on both forums.

 

But 2E can also mean testing at the 99th percentile in a particular area, but still struggling in that area. It's counter intuitive, I know, but it happens quite a bit.

[Crimson Wife]

Why aren't parents of 2E kids participating both here and on the Accelerated Learning forum? I thought twice exceptional meant accelerated in some areas, struggling in others.

 

I do mostly post on other forums for my older 2E kids because they are better able to compensate for their LD's (suspected CAPD and diagnosed ADHD & anxiety) than my little one is for her autism.

 

I was just saying that I am very much opposed to changing this board's name from SN to "delayed" because only my little one is delayed at this point (and even she may wind up at or above grade-level when she's older).

[TippyCanoe]

Why aren't parents of 2E kids participating both here and on the Accelerated Learning forum? I thought twice exceptional meant accelerated in some areas, struggling in others.

 

Yes, but those areas are not always easily differentiated and separable; they can be completely interwoven.

 

It's my understanding, from onelmichele who used to post here, that the previous request about this board was to sub-divide it, to provide a space for posters with 2e kids who can sometimes feel that their kids' issues and strengths don't fit tidily into either SN or accelerated, and that the kinds of answers they get on either one board or the other are often not able to address the way the two aspects are inextricable from one another in many kids.

 

The issue of "different learners" also seems problematic. Some people on these boards definitely see visual, kinesthetic, or "right-brained" learners as having LDs; others see them as perfectly typical in their own way, with a different but completely legitimate and academically rigorous scope and sequence of their own.

 

It's a mixed bag. Sometimes a group of posters will dominate a particular board for a while and slant the content of a lot of threads one way or another; it happens on the other boards too, often with certain curricular bandwagons or definitions of what is adequately rigorous.

 

I think a bigger issue is that there can be a lot of harsh and sometimes unfair or inaccurate criticism leveled at those who present a different point of view. Perhaps more people would feel free to post here not with a name change but with an overall environment of acceptance that people differ: in how they see an LD affecting their kids, what is an LD and what is not, whether or not classical education is a good fit for their child at any given time, whether or not they choose to seek evaluations, what their long-term goals are for their children, whether or not "different learners" need to conform to a traditional scope and sequence, how others have seen their kids develop and change in a particular pattern that makes them question common educational practices, what treatments or therapies they seek and why, etc.

[KathyBC]

Okay, what about Struggling Learners? Learning Challenges? Learning Difficulties?

[RamonaQ]

Why aren't parents of 2E kids participating both here and on the Accelerated Learning forum? I thought twice exceptional meant accelerated in some areas, struggling in others.

 

My ds is classified as 2e...I tend not participate in Accelerated Learning. Maybe because "accelerated" is not the goal? Maybe because it is easy for me to see/ understand where his gifts are so I don't feel that need for support, but it is trickier to understand the dyslexia?

[Crimson Wife]

Okay, what about Struggling Learners? Learning Challenges? Learning Difficulties?

 

But virtually all kids struggle from time to time. Only a subset of those have some sort of disability causing those struggles.

[Heathermomster]

Why aren't parents of 2E kids participating both here and on the Accelerated Learning forum? I thought twice exceptional meant accelerated in some areas, struggling in others.

 

I don't need help with instructing my 2E son for his strengths. I simply don't perceive high cognitive ability as a problematic issue. Simply put, if I needed help over there, I'd go.

 

Mothers have intuition about the needs of their children. I trust the moxie of resourceful mothers to get the helps they need. The title of the SN board is fine by me.

[rafiki]

This has been discussed before. Last year I had emailed the moderators while SWB was on vacation requesting a renaming or restructuring of the board and never got a response other than they had some ideas but needed to run them by her.

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?t=302061&highlight=subforum

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?t=301322&highlight=exceptional

 

The fact that this topic continues to come up, reflects a need for change.

 

 

My thoughts are two separate places.

 

special needs - where those with medical issues, struggling to learn basic life skills, needing transitional support, therapies, have questions about seeking a diagnosis, nutrition, etc.

 

“non-neurotypical learner†or “bright but struggling†or “different abilities†- for discussions regarding learning styles, teaching strategies, resources, the “now what†board on moving beyond the seeing the “dysâ€

[Guest]

I'll be honest, I was not too enthused about delayed either. Not all kids are delayed and even if they are delayed in one area they may not be in others. Some people view delayed to mean intellectually challenged (I haven't read all the posts yet so I am not sure if anyone has mentioned it already).

 

I don't post on the accelerated forum. To me accelerated vs. advanced makes the whole difference. I can tell you my kids are 2E but we are not accelerating here, so this is the only forum that I feel that we fit. I do post in the K-8 though, since we are not behind either.

[Guest]

As much as I appreciate your feedback One l Michele and Doodler, I would rather this thread not have anything to do with the older threads. If it goes there I am walking away now and withdrawing this suggestion altogether, from my part.

Edited October 6, 2012 by Guest

[Guest]

Points noted.

As to the proposed name change...that just makes me think, "A rose by any other name...." I don't think a name change would bring more people here. I like your goals, but not neccesarily the proposed change to meet them. I wonder? Maybe a sticky on the k-8 forum that directs reading, language or other difficulties over here to this board might spread the word.

 

I note your concern about people feeling left out here if they don't have an official diagnosis as many here direct them for evaluations often. For the record, I was here for a couple of years before ds had an official diagnosis. Some of my early attempts at getting professional help were not very helpful. I direct people for evaluations now more now than I used to do. I can speculate why people recommend evaluations often here, but that would be better as a different thread topic. I'd be happy to participate in a thread about that. I hope I never scared away anyone by recommending evaluations or made you feel unwelcome for not having an official diagnosis.

 

As to focussing on classical education with special needs kiddos, I'd love to read and participate in a thread like that too.

 

Basically, I don't see how a name change would accomplish your goals or address your concerns, but I'd love to talk about other ideas that might. :)

 

I really appreciate your comments merry gardens and your balanced point of view :). I would be up for that also, and no, you have not made me feel unwelcome here :).

 

I do agree that a name change would not necessarily address the concerns I have stated here. I was hoping it might make all of us hopefully see things at least partly with a new mentality, though.