Tip of the Month for Junel, 2011 From: Kara Kelly, Education Director Topic: Putting 'Sum's (and other mathematical computations) back into 'Sum'mer. Experts have been telling us for years to keep working on our children’s math skills during the summer. Here are some ‘Mom-tested’ suggestions to help you get started! Measuring: Cooking is a great way to practice measuring skills for children at many different levels. *Very young: 1) Have children count the number of scoops as you make lemonade or add flour to a recipe. 2) Build number sense by discussing how you know that 8 on the stove is a hotter number than 3 because it is larger or by discussing how to program the oven to 350 degrees. *Elementary: 1) Work with children to know what two minutes on the timer looks like. 2) Have children work with you to find the right type of measurer for your needs. Even at a very young age children can begin learning that a ½ cup measurer can make a cup if used twice, or a ¼ cup used four times makes a cup. *Upper elem: 1) By this age children can begin cooking with minimal supervision. Encourage children to double or halve recipes where possible. Have children make cookies to take to a picnic or sleepover. Have them talk you through how to alter the recipe to suit the needs of the activity. Geometry: There are many activities available in the summer which build spatial awareness. *Very young: Draw shapes in the sandbox or provide opportunity for drawing on blank paper. *Elementary: 1) Play ‘I Spy’ for shapes while at the playground or in one room of the house while cleaning or cooking. 2) Have children help set out plants in desired forms (lines, triangles, circles) in the garden for planting. *Upper elem: 1) Take advantage of local building supply stores’ workshop-for-kids-days (also good for younger children). Discuss shapes and where/how they fit together as you work together. 2) Let children build creations of their own. This can be done with parental support and real building supplies, or independently with things around the home. Forts, Barbie beds and accessories, hunting game supplies, and any other activity children want to play can utilize creations built from supplies found around the home. Computations: Summer travels (whether in town or across the country) provide a wealth of opportunity for computing! *Very young: 1) Help children count the # of days you will be gone on the calendar. This can also build knowledge off names of days of the week. 2) Encourage children to help you pack. Let them know how many of a clothing item they will need (like 6 pair of socks) and have them find them and count them to make sure they have enough. *Elementary: 1) Pose simple math problems to children as you travel. For example; “Our tank holds 20 gallons of gas. I bought 10 gallons to fill it up. How many gallons were already in the tank?”, or, “You have 1 dollar in your pocket. Can you afford a candy bar for .75cents?” 2) Have children help you figure how far to exit # 175 by reading the mile markers at the side of the road. *Upper elem: 1) Pose more advanced problems to your child; perhaps figuring miles per gallon since the last fill up, or how much it will cost to buy 12 gallons of gasoline at the current price. 2) Use your GPS only as a back-up. Hand the map to your children and have them add the miles shown beside the road you are traveling to figure how far it is to your next stop.
Not only can learning be fun, the majority of it should be. If your child is unable to work through a math question you’ve given them, don’t hesitate to talk through the steps out loud with them. Then they are both learning the math and having personal parent/child time. This allows math and problem solving to become a much more positive experience for them and for you!
Tip of the Month for April, 2011 From: Kara Kelly, Education Director Topic: Forget the Pen, Words are the Mightiest of All Many of us are familiar with the saying, “The pen is mightier than the sword”. This phrase, credited to author Edward Bulwer-Lytton, puts forth the concept that communication of ideas is more powerful than aggression. When dealing with our children and their education, I would offer that verbal communication is even more powerful than the pen. Children learn through listening to their family first, and later their teachers. If our children/students hear us complain about a certain subject (let’s say math) and about how we hate it, they are more apt to have a negative attitude towards it. If they hear us complain about how hard writing is, how are they going to feel when they have to sit and write something? I am not suggesting that we pretend to be good at things we are not. I do not enjoy many aspects of math. However, neither my own children nor my students ever heard me say “I hate math.” I did tell them math was challenging for me, but that I could still figure out ways to solve the problems. When students told me they didn’t like math, I told them I could sympathize, but that we could still get through it positively. Naturally, there are subjects at which we may be truly incapable. For me it is art. After 35 years of drawing I have mastered a pretty good stick figure. I stink at art, however I don’t dislike it. I always encouraged my children to draw and color and paint and be creative. I provided artistic opportunities in my classroom. My struggle allowed me to appreciate the abilities of those young people around me even more. As parents and teachers our words have great power. Let’s be excited for a new school day and truly vested in the scholastic endeavors of those in our lives. Let’s consciously adjust our word choices to communicate the ‘do-ability’ of our children’s scholastic requirements. Tip of the Week for March 7, 2011 From: Dori Madsen, Executive Director Topic: Focus on the Foundation Teachers are being asked to be held more accountable every day. The solution most schools and districts have for school failure is to purchase new curricular materials or new technology. Traditional teacher training revolves around teaching the teacher how to use the new set of materials. Yet often when I talk to teachers, they cannot even tell me the basic rule for why the “k” is in the word “sketch” or why there is a “tch” in that word, not a “ch”. They cannot explain why the “ch” says /k/ in school but /ch/ in children. Are the teachers ignorant? Not at all. Direct, explicit instruction on HOW to teach reading and spelling is not typically taught in most teacher education programs. Background knowledge is assumed. It is not their fault they were not taught how to teach. Here at the Center we have found that assuming a basic level of background knowledge in our students can cause significant struggles. Just because a child is a third grader doesn’t mean he learned all of the first and second grade rules along the way. If we can identify what the student doesn’t know and fill in the gaps, we can fix a weak foundation and make a strong one. So what if a third grader is learning a first grade concept! If that is what the child needs to learn, so be it! Once the foundation is solid, then the house can be built. Who wants to build a house on a weak foundation? What we have found at the Center is that we made the assumption that all credentialed teachers came with background knowledge of how to teach reading and spelling – a solid teaching foundation. It wasn’t long before we realized that we were doing to our teachers what teachers often did to our students – assuming they knew something they didn’t. We were building the house while the foundation was crumbling. We now realize that if teachers have a solid understanding of how English spelling works, they will probably do a better job of teaching spelling and decoding to their students. Dr. Louisa Moats in her LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) book states, ”Teachers- not programs- teach children to read.” If we are to hold the teachers accountable, perhaps we should focus on teaching them better. Let’s put our focus on the foundation before we buy materials for the building.
Tip of the Week for February 28, 2011 From: Dori Madsen, Executive Director Topic: Working on Comprehension Teaching reading without comprehension is like serving a meal without protein. Providing a meal without protein does not give a child sustenance for the day. It might fill the child up for the moment but it does not provide the nourishment to sustain positive energy throughout the day. In the same way, reading words without worrying about comprehension is like eating a starchy meal. It does nothing for the brain! There is a lot of focus on reading fluency. Although fluency is important, teaching reading fluency without comprehension lacks purpose. Fluency is a means to comprehension. Add the protein. Make the reading count!
Tip of the Week for February 14, 2011 From: Carrie Churba, SES Coordinator Topic: The Struggling Reader - How to handle negative feelings towards reading and learning (The following is the final entry in a series of three 'Tips' dealing with negative feelings our children may have towards reading and learning.) #3 – “I hate school”
What your child may be thinking: 1) I’m embarrassed that I need extra help or can’t read. 2) I don’t feel successful at school. 3) I feel different form the other students. How you can respond: 1) Be careful you don’t dismiss your child’s feelings; they are very real. Ask your child questions such as, “are you being treated unfairly” or “is someone picking on you”? Try to find out the specifics of what is bothering your child so you can find the source of these strong emotions and begin to address them. 2) Help your child to put his learning struggles into perspective. Help your child understand that there is no shame in having a learning struggle. Remind him that some kids need eye glasses or hearing aides to help them learn and that he may need help from an educational specialist to help him learn. Let him know that the specialist is like a coach; there to help him learn the skills he needs to be successful. 3) Help your child to understand that everyone has strengths and weaknesses and that every child brings different strengths to the classroom. Your child may feel he is the only one struggling in school. “Point out that while your child may not be the best reader in his class, he has strengths that he can contribute that help make his class a special community in which to learn” (Reading Rockets). Work with your child’s teacher to see where your child’s strengths can be used to help others. If your child is good at art, have the teacher allow him to help another student who may be struggling in art. This will enable your child to see that he is an important member of his classroom community. Opportunities such as these will help your child feel successful and needed, and to see himself as something more than just a struggling learner.
Tip of the Week for February 7, 2011 From: Carrie Churba, SES Coordinator Topic: The Struggling Reader - How to handle negative feelings towards reading and learning (The following is the second in a series of three 'Tips' dealing with negative feelings our children may have towards reading and learning) #2 –“I’ll never learn how to read”
What your child may be thinking: 1) I feel so alone. 2) I work so hard and never make any progress. 3) I feel like giving up.
How you can respond: 1) Show empathy that your child struggles. Share one of your own struggles with your child. Research famous people who have struggled to read and have gone on to do amazing things with their lives. Make sure to reassure your child that he can learn to read through hard work, patience, and determination. 2) Assure your child that it takes lots of practice to learn any new skill. Remind your child how much practice it took to learn to walk, talk, tie his shoes, and ride his bike. Let your child know that lots of practice eventually leads to mastery of any skill; even reading. 3) Help your child to see that progress he has made. Pull out old school work and compare it to current work. Reread books that were once challenging, but that he can now read. It can be very disheartening for your child to know that he is struggling with something that so often seems to come easy to everyone else but him. It is important to acknowledge that everyone has challenges in their life and that learning to read is one area that is a challenge for him.
Tip of the Week for January 31, 2011 From: Carrie Churba, SES Coordinator Topic: The Struggling Reader - How to handle negative feelings towards reading and learning (The following is the first in a series of three 'Tips' dealing with negative feelings our children may have towards reading and learning) If your child is having difficulty with reading he may feel very alone in his struggle. It is important that you let him know you are there to support him and ask how you can help. The following putdowns and comebacks may assist you in turning a negative attitude into a positive one! #1 – “Reading is dumb” What child may be thinking? 1) Your child may be trying to tell you that she is angry that she struggles so much with reading. 2) She doesn’t see the point in having to work so hard to learn to read. 3) She is not interested in what she is given or made to read. How you can respond: 1) Acknowledge that your child has to work hard to learn to read. Acknowledge that it is OK to feel angry and frustrated at times. However, be careful not to allow that anger to be a crutch for not reading. 2) Point out the power and practicability of reading in everyday life. Let your child know that learning to read will enhance her everyday experiences. Model to your child; let her see how important reading is in your life. 3) Provide, or help your child find, reading materials that are at her reading level (not necessarily grade level) and that are interesting to her. If finding such books is challenging for you, enlist the help of your child’s teacher, the librarian, or the reading specialist at your child’s school. Provide your child with other types of reading materials such as magazines or computer learning games. If your child is interested in a book that is at too difficult of a reading level – read it to her and discuss what is happening.
Tip of the Week for January 17, 2011 From: Lori Hinton, Teacher Topic: Reading with Your Child
My earliest memories of someone reading to me were of my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Richie. I don’t remember each story, but to this day, I can remember the feeling that I had as I sat there listening to her voice and looking at the pictures. I know that many of those stories were brought to life out on the playground and I knew that I too would be reading books just like Mrs. Richie. As it turns out, my reading skills came very slowly for me and I dreaded having to read because it always seemed impossible. Then I met Mrs. Hull in second grade (The Boxcar Children), Mr. Landee in fourth grade (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) and Mrs. Newman in fifth grade (Little House on the Prairie). Those four teachers did something for me that allowed me to gradually begin to figure out how to read. Each teacher made sure that there was time to read with me, they would make sure that I looked at the pictures or that I used the words to build a picture in my mind as they read. They would throw words out there for me to grasp, asking me what I knew about the words, could I read any chunks in the word or if the words looked like another word that I did know, like bed and red. Sometimes they would model how to read around the ‘tricky words’ as a way to help me see that I could figure out the tricky word by understanding the context of the story. Lastly, they always asked questions about the story, about how I felt about the story and they listened to my answers. They made me want to read because they spent time making sure that I could see myself as a reader.
The things that those teachers did for me stayed with me and as a parent and a teacher, I recreate those people in myself each time I read with a child. As a parent you too can help your child, who may be a bit like I was a child, see themselves as a reader.
Remember these key elements when reading with your child:
Tip of the Week for January 3, 2011 From: Kara Kelly, Education Director Topic: Goal Setting with Children Goal setting, both long term and short term, is a skill that adults do year long...sometimes without even realizing that that is what we are doing. Things like, "I am not going to be late this week.", "I am going to get this project finished before the deadline.", and "I will mail out all my Christmas cards by Dec. 10th." are all examples of the types of goals we, as adults, find ourselves making throughout the year. Achieving goals builds a sense of accomplishment and boosts our self-esteem. At this time of year many people set large and/or long term goals. These are meant to modify our actions and guide our lives. Setting goals, long or short term ones, is a skill that must be practiced. Helping our children learn to set goals is a great way to help them build this skill for themselves. Short term vs. long term isn't as important as the act of setting the goal. Keep in mind that for children long term goals are not necessarily year long. Depending on the age of your child, a long term goal may run a week, a month, or until Valentine's Day or Spring Break, for example. There are many helpful ideas for helping your child to learn to set goals. The following were found on kidsgoals.com . Ask your child to: 1. Think about and then write or draw in detail what his goal will look like when he's achieved it. Or, instead of writing or drawing it, you could give him old magazines that he can search for pictures that relate to his goal, and cut them out. 2. Make sure that your child has whatever represents his goal in a visible place - somewhere he will see it every day, like on a corkboard in his room for instance. 3. Encourage your child to write out the steps - actions - that he will take towards his goal. Suggest that he should do SOMETHING, no matter how small, to help carry him towards his goal each day. It could be something as big as signing up for a club or class, it could be a phone call to ask someone for help, or something as little as choosing a relevant book from the library or simply spending a little time thinking about his goal. 4. Find out how to help your child. A good place to start is by understanding how he feels about his goal and what it is that excites him. Refrain from criticizing. A child's passion, when first ignited, can be a delicate and fragile thing. Be sure to encourage him first, and only point out downsides as things to overcome rather than things that make his idea or goal silly or unachievable. The process of setting a goal, taking action and then achieving success is critical for the development of a healthy self-esteem in children. It's not the size of the goal that matters, but the realization, developed over time and many repetitions, that "I Can Do This!"
Tip of the Week for December 20, 2010 From: Kara Kelly, Education Director Topic: Working together to serve students SILC has finished a progress filled fall session. Students made measurable gains and we are excited about the skills they are now able to take with them to use in school and on their homework. As teachers and parents relax during winter break, we need to remember that there are still children out there who are struggling; children who are frustrated by school and what it asks of them. Let's reach out to them. Let's find them and encourage them to contact SILC so that we can intervene as early as possilbe. Dr. Torgesen, in an article entitled "Reading Rockets: Catch Them Before They Fall", states that "The efficiency of the entire process will be improved if procedures are available to accurately target the right children very early in the process of reading instruction." How do we know who the 'right children' are? We screen them and analyze their individual results to discover where their challenges (if any) lie. We can't screen them if they don't come in. Let's find them and help them while they are in their early years at school. Do you know someone who has commented that their child is struggling? Maybe you have heard a young relative read and realize they are challenged by the material. Talk to them. Encourage them to call SILC. If we all focus together, just think of how many students we can help; how many children we can help.
Tip of the Week for December 13, 2010 From: Kara Kelly, Education Director Topic: Keeping Routines During the Holidays Routines are used by many families, and recommended to all families, as a way to help structure their child's world, create predictable patterns for their child, and help keep things running smoothly. As a matter of fact, even though the predictability may seem boring to an adult, schedules and routines help a child's world to maintain order. Dr. Peter Gorski, assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, Massachusetts states, "Knowing what to expect from relationships and activities helps children become more confident." Whether it is due to the holiday activities or simply being out of school for the winter vacation, routines seem harder to maintain at this time of year. Families are getting together, friends are having parties, there are many more sweets and fun types of food around, and children are wanting to stay up later. While it is very unlikely that any of us will keep to our exact 'school-week' schedules, it is still important to work within our families to keep routines in check. Bedtimes: One example of routine modification could be if bedtime for children during the regular school-week is 9:00 pm, then allow only 30 or 60 minutes of extra awake time (depending on the age of the children). When traveling home late, consider pre-packing pajamas, toothbrushes and a blanket. This allows your children to complete regular bedtime routines before getting in the car for the trip home. Eating: Eating routines take a huge hit in December. This time of year provides everyone in a family with opportunities to eat many foods that we may not usually indulge in. There's almost no way to stay away from all treats during the holiday/winter season. However, moderation and planning are key in this area as well. When allowing treats, limit general intake amounts (1 cookie vs. 3 cookies; a small bowl of pudding vs. a heaping bowl of pudding). If children are in places with sodas and treats in the evening, limit the amount of sugar and caffeine intake. Children who are 'sugared up' are much harder to calm down and prepare for bed. Drastic changes in our diets are hard on all of our systems. Make sure that you provide times to eat meals that you normally eat, in the portions you normally provide. Tip of the Week for November 29, 2010
From: Kara Kelly, Education Director
Topic: Opportunities All Around Us
We have been told for years that our children need to practice math, reading and writing at home. The holiday season provides a wealth of fun opportunities to do so. Writing letters to Santa has been a long standing tradition for many families. If your child can write independently this is a great time to practice cursive, or neat letter formation in printing. If your child needs help in spelling, make sure to walk them through the process rather than spell every word for them. For example; if they ask how to spell 'doll' ask them how it starts. Then ask them what comes next. When you get to the last sound, then remind them of the two 'l's' at the end. If they are at a pre-writing stage, you can write it for them, but still have them sound out words, you writing it down as they do. Holiday baking provides families both reading and math opportunities. Children can read the recipies, working on learning/remembering the different measuring symbols and abbreviations. Many children love to help measure and stir, providing opportunities for practice with accurate measuring and learning about what '1/2 cup' or '1 Tbsp' means and looks like. Building concrete skills in measuring helps students visualize measuring problems they may see in school. Students with practice in basic skills, can use the opportunity to expand their skills by figuring out how to double a measurement or cut it in half, or even come up with alternate ways to measure. For example; if the recipe calls for 1 cup of flour ask the 'helper' for three ways to measure a cup ( 1 cup, 2 halves, or 3 thirds, etc.) The wonderful thing about these types of math, reading and writing practice opportunities is that they are fun, involve multiple family members, and help children to see how what they are learning in school is used in real life.
Tip of the Week for November 29, 2010
From: Dr. Luke Bossard, PsyD
Topic: Dealing with the Winter Blues
Growing up in Nebraska, winter was one of my favorite seasons. In fact, throughout the fall, I looked forward to snowball fights, sledding, and Christmas gifts. While my excitement for the snow and holidays is shared by some, for many people, winter spells depression. This condition has been clearly evidenced by a teenage patient of mine. This very bright 15-year-old male starts off the school year exceptionally well and then suffers a predictable and significant drop-off in performance and mood in mid to late September…every year. He begins to sleep more, lacks the energy to complete homework, struggles with maintenance of his agenda book and other organizational tools, begins to feel as though he cannot accomplish tasks asked of him, and quickly spirals into suicidal thoughts. Given the increase in patients suffering from this condition on my caseload over the past few weeks, I thought it would be beneficial to address it in this forum. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a cyclic, seasonal depression typically beginning in the fall and continuing into the winter months. Winter-onset seasonal affective symptoms include: · Depression · Hopelessness · Anxiety · Loss of Energy · Social Withdrawal · Oversleeping · Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed · Appetite changes (typically craving foods high in carbs) · Weight gain · Difficulty concentrating and processing information Research has still not pinned down an exact cause for the condition, but most research suggests the problem is related to the reduced amount of sunlight which disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm. Melatonin and Serotonin levels are disrupted and reduced, which can significantly impact sleep patterns and mood. Treatment for SAD includes light therapy (phototherapy), psychotherapy (to address negative thinking patterns) and medication management. Light therapy involves the use of a light therapy box that mimics outdoor light. It is suggested that utilization of the box can cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood. Medication is also used to treat SAD. One article indicated Buproption (Wellbutrin XL) is helpful in preventing and treating mood symptoms, but other anti-depressant medications are used as well. Psychotherapy can address the negative thinking patterns that can contribute to mood problems. SAD sufferers are also strongly encouraged to make their environment as sunny and bright as possible, such as keeping blinds open. They are encouraged to take long walks in the sunlight or soak up the sun on a bench, particularly to start off the day. Physical exercise has also been found to be very helpful to SAD sufferers. Additionally, there are alternative medicines and therapies that can be helpful. So it turns out the activities I looked forward to as a child were perfect for addressing SAD symptoms because I was outside, in the sun, exercising. So grab a sled and a snowball and fight SAD! Tip of the Week for October 25, 2010
From: Dori Madsen, Executive Director
Topic: The Best Tool for the Job
A few
weeks ago I was working on projects and I needed a wrench. For the life
of me, I could not find the wrench in the shed. I found every other
tool, but what I needed was the wrench. As I was seaching, the phrase,
"He's not the sharpest tool in the shed" popped in my head. It got me
thinking about that expression. Who wants a shed filled with sharp
tools? I know I don't. What is so great about a sharp tool when you
don't need one? We want useful tools, right? The right tool for the
right job.
Some children
may not be the "sharpest tool in the shed." But those children deserve
to know that their skills are just as valuable as any other child's. In
the same way a shed is best filled with a variety of top-quality,
well-made, sturdy tools, our workforce needs to be filled with a variety
of top-quality, well-trained, hard-working individuals. We should
value each child for his or her strengths and encourage the child to
maximize his or her potential. After all, what good is a knife when you
need a hammer? What good is a hammer when you need a saw? What good
is a professor when you need an electrician? What good is a welder when
you need a neurosurgeon?
At the Center
we are thrilled to have a shed filled with a variety of "tools". We
encourage each child to figure out his or her strengths and build on
those strengths, enabling them to become the strongest, most capable
tool in the workforce. We are thankful that the shed is not filled with
just sharp tools. After all, sometimes a sturdy wrench is the exact
tool you need for the job.
Tip of the Week for October 4, 2010
From: Dr. Luke Bossard, PsyD
Topic: Sleep in Children, Part 3
The following are some tips for parents to improve the sleep habits of your children (adapted from Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation in Children by Saralyn Lawn)
So when you are
asking yourself if you should allow your child to stay up late,
remember, the consequence is not worth it. Go to bed!
Tip of the Week for September 27, 2010
From: Dr. Luke Bossard, PsyD
Topic: Sleep in Children, Part 2
What may be
more important than attempting to tease out the exact number of hours
your child needs is to recognize the signs of sleep disorders and
deprivation. These include:
While these are
possible symptoms of sleep deprivation and disorders, it is also
important to remember that they can also be symptoms of other problems
that may require evaluation by a medical professional.
"Sleep is an
underappreciated health habit. We all know that junk food is unhealthy
for our children, but so is junk sleep. Healthy sleep is to the brain
what healthy food is to the body." (Marc Weissbluth, MD)
Tip of the Week for September 20, 2010
From: Dr. Luke Bossard, PsyD
Sleep in Children, Part 1
Adequate sleep is vitally important to your child's health, development, and well-being. In his book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child,
Marc Weissbluth, MD, sums up what you may find in children who
routinely do not get the sleep they need. "School achievement
difficulties were found more often among poor sleepers compared to good
sleepers... Young children who have difficulty sleeping become older
children with more academic problems." So, how does sleep impact
learning? Research suggests sleep allows us to process, consolidate and
retain new memories and skills. Depriving students of a good night's
sleep significantly cuts back on their capactiy for "complex procedural"
memories, like the ability to synthesize new information with old and
develop new ideas.
While there is
no hard and fast rule regarding sleep necessary for optimal performance,
some research suggests chidlren 7-12 years old get 10-11 hours per day
and adolescents 12-18 yours old get 8 1/4 -9 1/2 hours per day. Many
children and teens are not getting nearly the sleep they need due to
readily available distractions that keep them up, such as Internet,
gaming systems, or otherwise communicating with friends late into the
night via texting or cell phones. One study of US high school students
found that 13% were chronically sleep-deprived. Sleep deprivation is
associated with mood changes and behavioral problems, including conduct
disorders and inattention.
Stay tuned next week how to recognize the signs of sleep disorders.
Tip of the Week for September 13, 2010
From: Dori Madsen, Executive Director
Topic: Helping a Stumbling Reader
The students
are back in school and now they are getting in the groove. The teacher
has told little Nora that she needs to read more every day. Nora
struggles with reading, so her reaction is to read faster, which results
in many careless errors. What can her parents do? To ensure that Nora
reads every letter of every word (yes, that IS what good readers
do...), encourage her to slow down and have her read to you. It is
better for her to read aloud and stumble on words than to read quickly
and skip or guess through words she doesn't know. When she stumbles on a
word resist asking, "What word makes sense here?" Instead say, "Look
carefully at all the letters. Sound it out. Does that make sense?"
If Nora reads
below grade level and the teacher is putting "grade level reading"
pressure on the child, talk with the teacher. Stress the importance of
her practicing text at her skill level to build confidence and fluency
before moving on to reading that will encourage guessing. Slow and
steady does win the race. Yes, fluency is important. But fluency
without accuracy can lead to misunderstanding.
For more information read Module 1 of LETRS - The Challenge of Learning to Read - Second Edition by Louisa C. Moats. Ed.D. and Carol Tolman Ed.D.
Tip of the Week for September 6, 2010
From: Mary Michener, Speech Language Pathologist Topic: The Educational Value of Singing Singing is a brilliant way to support reading. One way or another, children are exposed to and involved with singing from their earliest years. Whether it be a parent singing them to sleep, or the opening theme song from their favorite TV program, singing plays an important part in a child's development. Singing encourages a child to express their emotions and sharpens their ability to communicate while exercising lip and tongue movement. But one of the biggest benefits of singing is the repeated use of the "memory muscle." Learning a piece of information attached to a tune embeds that information more rapidly in a child's mind. The majority of children learn the alphabet not by simply saying the letters but singing them. As children get older the power of singing in their lives can still be very beneficial. Matthew Freeman, development manager of 'Sing Up', a national singing project to help enhance music in children's education, has found that singing can be a great teaching tool for children and can be used as a creative and fun way to increase enjoyment and achievement in subject areas where children normally struggle. He says, "Many children do not think of singing as 'work' and willingly participate in sessions. Singing can be used as a tool to increase enjoyment and participation in a number of different subjects. A skilled singing tutor can cover subjects as diverse as English, numeracy, science, languages, and culture to name but a few." Singing is, of course, not something that has to be done alone. In fact taking each individual voice and putting them together can create a whole different sound and a whole different experience for children. Learning to work together in a group or choir can give children a sense of collectiveness and can help children make friends and develop more positive attitudes towards each other in general. With a new surge in musical shows like High School Musical, Camp Rock and Hannah Montana, which all combine teenage drama with wonderfully catchy tunes and delightfully cheesy rhymes, there is no doubt that singing more now than ever has a big part in children's lives. It is something they can use to bond and express their own feelings. Tips to get your child singing:
Tip of the Week for August 30, 2010 From: Carrie Churba, Special Education Teacher Topic: Parent–Teacher Partnerships – Showing Your Child You Value Education As a parent, or an adult who plays an important role in the life of a child, your involvement in your child's education at school and at home shows your child that you value education. You can provide teachers with the most reliable source of information about your child. The partnership between you and your child's teacher is powerful. Here are some ways you can be involved in your child's education each year at school:
Remember, it takes all of us working together to help your child be successful. Helping Your Child Learn - Parent tips from the Utah Education Association http://www.utea.org/parentsCommunity/parentTips/index.htm# Tip of the Week for August 23rd, 2010
From: Lori Hinton, Master Reading Teacher
Topic: What to feed your child so that they get maximum brain power!
As summer comes to a close, many of us have school on the ‘brain’.
The transition from the carefree days of summer, to the structure of a
typical school day can take a toll on kids as they adjust back to a
familiar routine. One of the things that I notice the most in my
students is that as the excitement wears off, they sometimes have a hard
time adjusting to the schedule and I begin to hear tummies growl and
energy levels drop. In order to keep hunger at bay and their energy
level up, consider the following details taken from the book, Brain Food for Kids written by Nicola Graimes.
So as the beginning of school draws nearer, consider the foods that
can help your child maximize their brain power. Help your child get
the most out of their school day by feeding them the foods that fuel
their brain power!
Lastly – the human brain is only 2% of our total body weight, yet
it needs approximately 20% of the total calorie intake to function
correctly. What we feed our children really does matter!!
Tip of the Week for August 16th, 2010
From: Dr. Jack Trotter, Consulting Behavioral Health Pediatrician, St. Luke's Magic Valley
Topic: Autism and MMR Immunizations
A few months ago, the Lancet (one of 2 important British medical
journals) retracted an article for the late 1990's saying that they had
learned the author, Dr. Wakefield, had falsified his data regarding
correlation between MMR immunizations and autism. This is very unusual
in the medical journal world. Many of us in the medical profession let
out a sigh of relief for this article started the controversy over
whether (or not) there was a relationship between the MMR immunization
and Autism. Many studies were done after Wakefield's article, and, to my
knowledge, none of the resulting studies could verify Wakefield's
claim. The Lancet, and others, felt that Wakefield and family/friends
had benefited financially from the aftermath of the article. The
American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Family Practice
Association, the CDC and the NIH all have rejected Wakefield's
conclusions and now the article has been retracted by the publisher. We
feel that there is no causal relationship between Autism and ANY
vaccine, and that the MMR should be initiated as soon as possible after a
child's first birthday.
Tip of the Weed for August 9th, 2010
From: Ammy Waters, Special Education Teacher
Topic: The Benefit of Routines
Summertime can prove to be challenging for kids and parents alike
due to having less structure in the day than is present during the
school year. Research shows that routines involve repetition.
Repetition involves predictability. Predictability involves stability.
Stability involves security. Kids crave routines because routines make
kids feel safe and secure. On a very basic level (keeping in mind that
is how young children function) routines reassure children that their
needs will be met. Routines also provide opportunities for children to
experience success in what they are doing, which then promotes
self-control and self-esteem.
Dr. Laura Markham, on her website yourparentingsolutions.com
outlines the following "benefits for using routines with your kids:"
1. Routines eliminate power struggles because you aren't bossing
them around. This activity (brushing teeth, napping, turning off the TV
to come to dinner) is just what we do at this time of day. The parent
stops being the bad guy, and nagging is greatly reduced.
2. Routines help kids cooperate by reducing stress and anxiety for
everyone. We all know what comes next, we get fair warning for
transitions, and no one feels pushed around.
3. Routines help kids learn to take charge of their own
activities. Over time, kids learn to brush their teeth, pack their
backpacks, etc., without constant reminders. Kids love being in charge
of themselves. This feeling increases their sense of mastery and
competence. Kids who feel more independent and in charge of themselves
have less need to rebel and be oppositional.
4. Kids learn the concept of "looking forward" to things they
enjoy, which is an important part of making a happy accommodation with
the demands of a schedule. He may want to go to the playground now, but
he can learn that we always go to the playground in the afternoon, and
he can look forward to it then.
5. Regular routines help kids get on a schedule, so that they fall asleep more easily at night.
6. Schedules help parents maintain consistency in expectations. If
everything is a fight, parents end up settling: more TV, skip brushing
teeth for tonight, etc. With a routine, parents are more likely to
stick to healthy expectations for everyone in the family, because that's
just the way we do things in our household. The result: a family with
healthy habits, where everything runs more smoothly.
Having a nice routine in the summer helps keep your kids content
and out of trouble. It prevents "Mom, I'm bored!" and it gives you the
opportunity to fit in activities that you just can't get to during the
busy school year. It gives you a dependable pattern to follow to get
meals and snacks on the table, and gives you the chance to teach chores
and responsibility to your children. Consider a gentle routine to get
the most of your child's summer.
Sources:
The Benefits of a Summer Routine For Kids by Kristen Burgess
The Importance of Routines in Children's Lives by Maci Elkins, MSW
Dr. Laura Markham, website yourparentingsolutions.com Tip of the Week for August 2nd, 2010
From Dori Madsen, Executive Director
Topic: Accommodations for Struggling Learners
In Jonathan Mooney's and David Cole's coauthored book, Learning Outside the Lines, the
authors talk openly about their struggles in school in spite of being
bright. Jonathan was diagnosed with dyslexia and David has ADHD. They
suggest that their initial failure in school could have been prevented
if simple accommodations had been put in place. Whether or not a child
has a diagnosis (or and IEP or 504 plan), parents and teachers should
consider some following adaptations:
The bottom line with any struggling learner is to increase
learning, improve product, while at the same time encourage
self-concept. Jonathan and David struggled through their lower academic
years, "found themselves" and ended up graduating from Brown
University. What a testimony to success "in spite" of struggles.
Tip of the Week for July 26th, 2010:
From Dori Madsen, Executive Director
Topic: Reading Readiness
A child must know a few basic things before he or she is ready to
read. The following three things are critical: 1) an awareness about
print and how a book is read 2) knowledge of the names of the letters,
and 3) awareness of the speech sounds in words (phonemic awareness).
These can be achieved by modeling reading on a regular basis and by
playing with letters and sounds. For instance, reading a Dr. Seuss book
and creating additional rhyming words can build that phonemic
awareness. So when your toddler is pretending to read a book (even if
the child is holding the book upside-down), remember that the child is
building skills for the future. Keep it up!
For specific tips, games and ideas on how to build reading readiness, read Straight Talk About Reading by Susan L. Hall and Louisa C. Moats, Ed.D.
Tip for the Week of July 19th, 2010:
From: Dori Madsen, Executive Director
Topic: Processing Speed Deficits
Some kids have all this information in their heads but they
struggle to get it out in a timely fashion. This is sometimes called
"retrieval fluency." A child might have a ton of ideas in his head, but
then when he is asked a question, he takes a long time to answer.
Another child might be able to give an answer verbally, but when it
comes to writing it down, he gets stuck and nothing comes out. This is
called a "processing speed" deficit. We live in a fast-paced world.
Kids with these struggles often feel overwhelmed with today's demands.
There are some things parents and teachers can do:
1 - Give a child "think time." Let the child know what question
you are going to ask and tell him you'll be back in a few minutes for an
answer.
2 - Allow children with processing speed deficits to take frequent breaks when doing their homework.
3 - Realize that the child may have missed information being taught
because it came at him "too quickly." Repeat and review information
without blame.
4 - Visual diagrams and "tricks" can help the child "hook" into information that is stored but not easily retrieved.
5 - Practice makes perfect. Children can be taught techniques and
given strategies that will improve retrieval and processing.
6 - Teach the child cues. A finger in the air lets the listener
know that he is "searching" for his word, so the listener should just
wait.
7 - Finally, PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE! Take a breath, take a break,
and give the child a moment to think. Let him know that his slow speed
does not mean he is a slow learner. Many bright people are "deep
thinkers."
Check out Educational Care by Dr. Mel Levine for more information on processing disorders and other learning challenges.
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