"God has so many answers for the questions we have concerning how to teach a struggling learner and special needs child at home. With all the advancing brain research and exciting new resources He has given us, this teaching job gets easier and more successful each day."

Dianne Craft
HSLDA Special Needs Coordinator

You know what? I was riveted to her presentation. I didn't want to miss a single word! The funny thing is that I probably needed to hear what she had to say for me, more than for the kids although it did apply there too---I wonder if she realizes how many moms she has the potential to reach personally with her message?

I am definitely a right-brained mom and although much of our homeschooling has tended to be of the unschooling variety, I have found that I get frustrated when I must teach in a more sequential way (left brained.) I have left a lot of that up to Daddy! My oldest child really seems to be a whole brained learner, although Mrs. Craft didn't mention that kind, if you knew my daughter you would understand what I mean. My second is right-brained like me. Third, not sure :) and then the youngest is a bundle of energy and smart as a whip. I haven't figured out all their styles or needs yet, but I guess that is ok because it will come. Homeschooling for us has been an ebb and flow of new ideas and our method and vehicle has changed according to age, need, family circumstance and interest.

While I listened to Dianne I realized that even though I tend to have that creative personality, I really could use a secretary to help me get organized. Unfortunately, that person couldn't get into my brain and work where that was the most needed. But I think I figured out this: All I have to do is tell the kids what they need to do FOR me, and let them have at it. For instance: I have some real creative spellers in my family. Well, just one actually. Dianne has a method of teaching spelling---certain words the child is having trouble with---by making it into a very colorful picture. Even though I tend to be on the creative/artsy side, I was having trouble with doing this. So with her advice, the child had to come up with the colorful word-picture. Then they look at it, look up (which amazingly has been proven to "light up the brain" and cause the information to get into the long term memory.) Part of my son's ( the creative speller) "assignment" was to pick a word he knew he was having trouble spelling, then turn it into a picture. Dianne recommends doing a spelling list and then doing this sort of thing with the missed words. Then the child gets it into his head through the looking up process.

Being an unschooling sort caused me some angst about some of these methods. I've been raising these kids for many years now, my oldest being 15. I have been a firm believer that the child will "get the concept" when they are ready to. That doesn't mean I don't teach them anything, but I have always been of the opinion that if there is a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth then we need to revisit the subject at a later date!

So my dilemma?

 How do I know if they need help of this sort? How do I switch gears in my teaching style (or lack thereof) to do these methods with my children, if they do need them? Although I have studied learning styles and know that certain kids do well with lots of color and flash---is it necessary? I personally have a dislike for a lot of bells and whistles in material geared towards children. Why do they have to have Hollywood's methods in order to learn a concept?

Well, hubby and I had a good talk about this and have come to a conclusion that the Lord himself taught in this very same manner. He used a lot of visual clues and yes, bells and whistles if you will. In Creation, He spoke with such vivid word pictures that His words came to life! After the flood, He put the most brilliant rainbow in the sky so we would never forget his promise to us. He was constantly telling his children to build a monument after something great happened, so that the children would see it and inquire, then the fathers would tell them the story.  The monument was a visual aid so that they would remember it! He put great festivals and feasts into the hearts and minds of his people and had them participate and perform them over and over.....so they would remember.

 God, the Master Teacher, the creator of our wonderful brain, knew what we would need and has taught us how to teach our own children in this manner.

Something that Dianne also said was a bit *gulp* convicting to me. She said that she talks to moms who are saying that they don't have time to do the "school" things because there is laundry to do, dishes, cooking, etc. I have always tried to integrate home maintenance into my homeschooling because it is necessary.

But she said something like we moms need to get more "school" into the "homeschooling."

Now, if you have known me for very long or read any of my previous articles, you know that I am a very life-directed homeschooling mom. But to be honest, its been a little wearying around here and I have felt a bit like we have come to a standstill with specific children. I won't go as far as saying there has been a mutiny brewing....but that gangplank has looked pretty tempting at times...

Hearing Dianne caused me a bit of a "jump start" with some new ideas to implement!

I'm not changing my ways completely, but my ebb and flow has had a bit of a squall blowing in lately.  Could that be why I went to the meeting?  There have been a few storms on board here , and I was getting a little weary of the ebb and flow....actually downright sea-sick! With a little help from a very informative consultant who has a heart for kids, and from the Master himself I think we are on the way to smoother sailing.

 Sometimes we look down and get lost in this mighty sea of information. But we need to look up! There is someone right there in the boat with you on this wonderful homeschooling adventure and right now He is saying "Peace, Be Still!"

Thanks for stopping by the porch!

Please come by my regular blog for some more chat about unschooling later and for an announcement too!

Blessings,

Nancy

Related Tags: Unschooling, HSLDA, Dianne Craft, Struggling Learners, Homeschool Burnout, Home Education,