Book Recommendations

Books Are So Much Fun To Read!

Once a week I head to the local library by myself to pick up our weekly readers. Any unit study books we might need. Level reader books for each day of the week for Junior. Books based on our science topic of the week. Picture books for the kids to enjoy. And because I do enjoy some afternoon "down-time" reading maybe a book for me too, usually mine takes me a few weeks to read.

THUS,

Junior has not, I do not kid, put this books down since I brought it home from the library. What a great way to spur on imagination then to look through a book solely based on Legos (this is one of Junior's favorite hobbies right now). Call me old fashioned but I miss the days of just plain old Lego blocksto play and to create an entire story. Now everything comes in sets and since we simply cannot afford to buy every set, except maybe just one for a birthday or Christmas present, this is a great alternative. He can stare at the pictures, then use what we've got to create his own story. AND I tell you what the pretend conversations that go on while he's playing are priceless. So go on check out the book for your little one and let their imaginations soar.
 

FOR THE MOMS AND DADS,

The NDD Book by Dr. William Sears is really revealing! He discusses the idea that our children are so unhealthy that it contributes to nearly ALL aspects, yes, ALL of our child's learning, behavior, and health problems. Instead of kids being diagnosed with ADD, ADHD, depression, anxiety, and a large gamut of other disorders they should instead be diagnosed with NDD- Nutrition Deficit Disorder. I can speak from personal experience because I have a child that has never been Vaccinated and yet suffers from a few disorders associated with autism spectrum disorder. So for those who claim that vaccines are the key to unlocking the secrets of autism I'm here to tell you, ITS NOT THE ONLY FACTOR!!! Because this is a highly debated topic Sears does a great job of gently introducing the idea to parents of what a real healthy diet looks like for your child. For example, here's a list from chapter 11.

Here's a list of seven ways you can prevent NDD:

1. Feed your family grow foods.
2. Reshape your tastes.
3. Begin the day with a brainy breakfast.
4. Raise a grazer.
5. Encourage healthy eating while out and at school.
6. Raise a supermarket savvy shopper.
7. Supplement, if necessary.

The book is full of great tips, information, and encouraging advice! Check it out.

 

Grace to You, Jenna

Parents hold the Key!

A child diagnosed with Oral Apraxia, does not mean they're autistic. A child diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder does not mean they're autistic. A child diagnosed with Tactile Defense Disorder does not necessarily mean they are autistic. I think you see where I am going. An autistic child may be diagnosed with multiple disorders but a child diagnosed with multiple disorders may not be autistic. The problem is this: the brain is an incredible machine in our bodies and we, as parents, specialists, teachers, doctors, barely know how the brain functions. Its true that our knowledge of the brain in conjuncture with the body has jumped leaps and bounds in the last century but yet we're still trying to understand these 'disorders.'

Many people, including your child's pediatrician, believe that they are one in the same and that a child who acts 'differently' is autistic or on the autistic spectrum. This may be true, but not in all cases. Quite frankly, I believe testing a child in this gray area before age 7 is pointless because some tests conclude with unclear evidence either way. There is a possibility that your child, and you know your child better than anyone, just has a speech disorder along with other disorders, and that you see how it affects every aspect of your child's' life including their behavior. 

When your child at 24-36 months is diagnosed with Oral Apraxia (speech delay or speech disorder) its usually recommended by whomever tested the child that they begin speech therapy with a Speech Language Pathologist AND occupation therapy with an Occupational Therapist. Your job as a parent is to be PRO-active in researching what this means. I suggest first reading this book: The Late Talker because its written by first experienced parents who went/are going through it already and secondly they are also people who are also specialists in some arena of child development.

What does a typical speech therapy session look like? If private, the parent usually sits in a small room watching their child through a one-way mirror go through various activities. If integrated in a pre-k classroom then the child is usually pulled out for a short 20-30 minutes to work with a SLP that works for the city public schools. If the first, then the parent can see first-hand exactly how their child is handled. If the second, then the parent is left wondering what's going on. Unfortunately, and all to often, the second is more common because most people cannot afford private therapy, or their insurance only covers minimal sessions. Either way, I have three major tips for the parents of kids who are receiving speech therapy.

1.Find out the 5 W's/H of your SLP, meaning:

• Who is the person and what's there phone number?
• What technique will they be using on your child, and what training have they received?
• When can you talk to your child's SLP for regular updates on their progress? ie. once a week
• Where does your SLP see your child's weaknesses and strengths?
• Why? Too many questions go along with this one so let's just stick to, "Because God said so"
• How should your child be receiving speech therapy at home and school and is that enough?

2. Set up personal goals for your child (at home, and at school with your child's SLP and OT)

• What I mean by this is to write out goals for your child that you believe are the most important. Start small with something like your child being able to say his/her name. Some goals may take an entire academic year to achieve, others might come easier to your child. Track their progress by writing it down. Be realistic!

3. Pray daily. Lay hands on your child before they leave for school or start their school-work at home. Pray that God would give you the wisdom to know how to connect with your child and help them unlock their voice. Lay hands on their head (or wherever they can handle being touched) and ask God for endurance and patience that surpasses what you know you cannot handle. Ask God to do the work in bonding you with your child in an unspoken language. And lastly, ask God to help you have compassion for your children so when you get frustrated it becomes just another bump in the road-along the path of a speech delayed child. 

Finally, I firmly believe that if you are the parent of a special needs child it is because God knows and put something in the dynamic make-up of you that he can use to to make the life of that child unbelievably special. I believe that you (parents) are the key between your child's beautiful mind and the world to know them. Jeremiah 29:11 takes on a whole new meaning once you realize the task ahead of you because your life isn't about you, its about how God will use you in the life of that special little boy or girl.

Grace To You, Jenna

Health K: Alike and Different

 Unit 1: Knowing About Me and My Body
Lesson 2: Alike and Different

To begin pull out your Bible (and if your children have them, their study Bibles) and look at Psalm 139: 13-15 paraphrase. Explain and refresh how God gave us life and knew us before we were born.

Go over the definition of unique again.

Preparation/Materials

• Two puppets, flannel-graph figures, or other manipulative. Suggestion: make two sock puppets. Choose socks of different colors and add facial features.
• Plan a practice a puppet dialogue about similarities and differences.

Objectives

• Students will be able to recognize ways in which people are alike and ways in which each individual is different.
• Students will recognize that God wants all people to serve, thank, and praise Him.

Lesson
1. Review the vocabulary word unique. Then introduce the idea of alike/different with the puppets (names of your choice). Present a short dialogue in which the puppets discuss their similarities and differences.

Begin by telling your students, "we have 2 new puppet friends. Let's find out who they are." Have students ask questions of the puppets, their names, where they live, etc.

Next have the puppets carry on a conversation:
     Giraffe: You know, Froggy, the boys and girls want to know who we are and that we're like. I've been thinking...Did you ever notice how much we're alike?
     Froggy: Alike! We're not alike!
    Giraffe: Sure we are. Take a good look at me. See?
    Froggy: No way.

Interrupt the class dialogue and have the Giraffe ask the class to identify ways the puppets are the same. After that sum up the similarities and add any they may have missed.

Continue dialogue:

Froggy: Well okay, you were right. We are alike in some ways.
Giraffe: That's what I told you.
Froggy: In some ways I said. We aren't exactly alike.

Break off dialogue and have Froggy ask the class to identify differences. Then finish the dialogue with Giraffe admitting that Froggy wasn't totally wrong. "So Giraffe and Froggy are the same and different."

Circle Talk: Tell students that God has made us different from each other in specific ways. Recall that God loves each of us the way we are. Note that all poeple are alike in many ways too. Name a few similarities. Lead students to identify one basic similarity ie we all have eyes. God has made us all and wants all of us to thank and love him.

Sing song there's no one exactly like me.

Activity: Making Paper Mache Masks

Materials

• pictures of masks (and actual masks if available)
• craft masks from a teacher supply store
• Paint/brushes/trays
• elastic bands

1)Warm-Up
Show children pictures of masks or sample if you have them. Try to show a wide variety such as African tribal masks and those worn for masquerade parties, Chinese New Year parties etc. Encourage children to talk about masks their similarities and differences.
  
2) Activity
Let children paint masks using different colors of paints. Ask them their favorite part of the activity and why they chose the colors, design, etc.

Observations
How do children describe their masks? What emotions or fantasies do they express.

Books:
The Big Book of Animal Masks by Angela Holroyd (Simon &Schuster)
The Big Book of Monster Masks by David Antsey (Simon & Schuster)
Masks by Danielle Sensier and Amanda Earl (Thomsom Learning)
     

Twice Exceptional!

Twice Exceptional Children Overlooked

Please read entire article. It should only take a few minutes and its totally worth it. Whether an educator of any kind, a parent of a special needs child, or just a parent of 'normal' kids- YOU will at some point come in contact with kids like this. Rather then ignoring them because of discomfort, fear, or lack of information on the subject, you will come into contact with them- Whether at a restaurant, the park, the mall, or maybe they're a boy or girl in your kids' class. A seed of awareness is all it takes to make known what it barely known to most people but it will make a world of difference.

http://rochestersage.org/2012/03/13/twice-exceptional-children-overlooked/ 

Homeschooling for Kids with LD from Smart Kids With LD

This is not a job for the fainthearted, easily discouraged, perfectionist, or disorganized. 
Homeschooling for Kids with LD « Smart Kids With LD
Could it work for you? A great article and some helpful tips if you're considering homeschooling your child with a learning disability. From the website www.smartkidswithld.org under the Guide to Action are some helpful articles and tips on homeschooling a child with LD. 
The website it also good for learning ways to track your child's progress.