Special Words for Special Needs ~ Crafts and Art Provide Needed Depth to Education
11:45 AM, Oct. 16, 2009
This week we are focusing on crafts. I have to confess that I am not terribly crafty. I get good ideas but somewhere between my brain, the craft store, and getting all the kids to produce my masterpiece it never quite works out. In fact here is a picture of a craft day . . .
Yes we usually have bath time soon after craft time.
Are crafts important to learning? Yes! Do they have to be perfect and super cute when we are done. No. It's nice to have something to hand to grandma and grandpa. I have to remind myself that my children have a tough time with the creative side of their personality, most of my children are autistic.
I try to incorporate crafty items into a real subjects like history. This way we can work with a real subject and then the details can be the creative part. Last week I talked about creating an Ode to Fall. We were doing super until the another side of autism kicked in...the obsessive side.
The poor poem was worked over and over and over and over until we had changed pages several times. Part of the project was to decorate the outside edge of the paper. The craft part also fell victim to the obsessive issues. Each leaf was placed and replaced and then ripped off and tried again. It took some time to get it "right enough" to get my son to put it down. Then I laid it up out of sight for a couple of days, until I felt he was able to work with it again without obsessing.
I truly think this was a good thing for him. It showed me where there are some problems we need to address. It also showed him that others really liked his poem and decorations even though he felt there still needed to be changes.
Crafts are a fun way to work on these areas that are sometimes lacking in our special kids. Creativity, abstract thinking, and obsessive problems. Autism isn't the only problem that could use some craft time to increase the depth of our child's learning.
Often those kids with high intelligence can be so focused on their hard subjects that they stop working on soft subjects. Yes you will do quite well with a solid knowledge of science and math. Crafts and art can open a world into the human nature that you also need to succeed. Art can also provide an outlet for stress. Encouraging your child to become well rounded in their education is a important goal.
Enjoy your crafts and art!
Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling.
What a hoot! I should save you some of my Stampin supplies that are out-dated to use for crafts.
How are you feeling?
Pam
Leavin' ya some comment luv :)
12:54 PM, Oct. 16, 2009, posted by Lesley
That is a precious photo. Thanks for the comment on my blog the other day. It is nice to find other WV mamas out there. Keep in touch!
Lesley
http://dragonfliesndaydreams.blogspot.com
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