Book Review: Blazing New Homeschool Trails
Are you more of a trailblazer or a trail follower when it comes to raising and educating kids? No matter how you answer this question, this BRAND NEW book, Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and Launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities, could be for you! My friend, Natalie Vecchione, did not set out to be a trailblazer. She set out to be a wife and mama and along the way, realized that the path was no longer clear for her as a mama of a child with FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a brain based disorder). She unexpectedly became a trailblazer and is now leading others down the path though FASD Hope. I had the privilege of tutoring Natalie’s son, so I got to walk a little bit along their path. So many hindrances to their path could have broken their family, instead, it made them stronger. When Natalie said she was co-authoring a book, I couldn’t wait to read it. In fact, I happily volunteered to be on the launch team so I could read it early! I also looked forward to reading the story of Cindy LaJoy and the business, Buckaroos Slices and Scoops, that her kids launched.…
Trust and Obey
Who is it harder to obey – teachers or bosses? Trust and obey. It is a lot harder to obey someone you do not trust. As a teacher, it’s important to establish a culture of trust in your classroom as soon as the year starts. I explained my classroom rules and set high expectations that my students would follow them. I had clear consequences for not following the rules or for disrespect of others. What I didn’t expect was perfection. We all make mistakes and need safe places to learn and grow. My students could trust that I had their best interests in mind and that I would listen to their thoughts and opinions. I often told my students that as long as they obeyed the rules of my classroom, I’d have their backs. As long as they spoke respectfully to whoever was correcting them, I’d listen to their side of the story if there was an issue. We all know that rules vary from classroom to classroom or house to house so sometimes a little conflict resolution is necessary. I wanted my students to trust and obey at school. I wanted them to have a sense of belonging and…
The Magic of Bug Stick
What’s your placebo method of dealing with little boo boo’s or mosquito bites? We have a magic placebo called “the bug stick.” It’s been in our family for years, possibly the same few green containers have been around until they literally dried out from years of sitting in the glove box, bathroom bags, or first aid kits. This waxy tube, slightly larger than chapstick, with its mild ingredients, allows for repeated self-application. The smell reminds me of a citronella candle, so I’m pretty sure it not only calms the minor itch of a bug bite but also wards off the cousins of that bug from returning to the site. While some moms liberally dole out band-aids, I uncapped the bug stick. The camphor, tea tree oil, menthol, and lavender provide pain relief and reduce discomfort. After years of using this homeopathic remedy, we moved on to a roll-on herbal blemish stick that provided similar treatment for pimples, skin bumps, and teenage angst. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and skin care solution. The magic of bug stick and blemish stick was as real as we believed it to be! Isn’t that what magic is all about? As a mom, I…
Smooth Transitions from College to Home
What was your experience living at home after high school or college? Today’s blog post is a guest post from my youngest daughter, Jill Donaldson, with tips for smooth transitions from college to home. Having just graduated from college and returning home for her last summer before grad school, I asked Jill to give tips for parents and students for coming home from college and transitioning back to family life for the summer or winter break. The biggest way to create a smooth transition from college to home for the whole family is through clear communication of expectations. As a parent, what way do you expect your child to help around the house or what meals do you expect them to participate in? As a student, what freedoms do you expect to have? Having those conversations will greatly improve the transition, especially if the student has work or school obligations on top of family expectations. Parents: One of the things that parents can do to adapt to their child’s level of college independence is to set clear expectations of their time. It is reasonable to ask your child to let you know what days they will be home for dinner…
Summer Education Ideas
What do you look forward to doing in the summer when school is out? What are some ways to bridge the gap between the school years or the Bible study you attend that doesn’t meet in the summer? Private tutoring, summer classes, day trips, book clubs, or Bible studies are great summer education ideas to bridge the summer gap. A quick google search is sure to pop up a few fun things to do in your area this summer. While it’s nice to take a break, it’s also the perfect time for learning because you do not have other expectations and homework on your plate. Gather a few friends at your house, in your car, or virtually. Life’s more fun with a friend! This is true for you OR for your kids. When was the last time you and a friend signed up for a class together? This is the time to hone those writing skills, brush up on math facts, learn how to make cheese or arrange a cheese plate. Have you ever taken a sketchbook to a museum? Take a car load of kids and sketch books to a museum. Let them pick any piece of art in…
Math Conversations with Preschoolers
How do you begin a conversation about math with a preschooler beyond singing the Ants Go Marching Two by Two? Introducing young children to math at home does not have to be complicated, but math conversations with preschoolers can go beyond simple counting songs or fingerplays. Young children are naturally curious about math. Numbers, geometry, and patterns are easy to incorporate into a preschool life, and so are math conversations with preschoolers. Even a walk around the neighborhood can be an opportunity to talk about math. Count dogs. Talk about how one dog counts as one no matter the size. Later you can categorize the dogs or count several categories of animals. Ask open ended questions. No dogs? Talk about cars, buildings, or nature. Geometry and patterns are also easy to incorporate. Name shapes as you walk or read books. Talk about how shape names do not change even if a shape is a different direction. Cut a few shapes out of paper and let your child arrange them to make pictures or create patterns. Tangrams are also a fun way to play with shapes and patterns at any age! I have been known to set out Tangrams and other…
Sensory Strategies for Learning
How can you squeeze a little learning into playtime? As a teacher and tutor, I have had to think creatively and quickly to come up with out-of-the-box sensory strategies for learning to help students learn in a way that makes sense to them. This happens usually when their frustration becomes evident. The student begins to act out or shut down. For some reason, they are unwilling or unable to focus on the learning. That brings out my creative side! I WANT every kid to find joy in learning! And if they are not, I want to know why and what I can do to make it better. Getting creative with sensory learning is a good starting spot. It’s not the only way to teach and learn, but there can be fun activities connected to our senses and our study time. Learning styles are basically just how your child learns best – by hearing, by watching, or by doing. These are not the only way your child learns, so do not discount all the other ways we can learn, but understand that sometimes it helps your child to focus on the content when we present it in a way they enjoy. …
Put On Put Off Chart
What area of disobedience do you find yourself nagging a child about? Have you seen a put on put off obedience chart? It’s common to tell children to “stop doing that” but less common to take the time to tell them what to do instead or to probe into the heart issue behind the problem. Even with our own faults, it’s common to focus on the fault not on the flip side of what we could do to change it. When my kids were little, I happened upon an obedience chart that gave suggestions for replacing bad actions with good ones. It gave Biblical principles and verses of what to “put off” and what to “put on” in an easy to read chart. I used this idea over a few years, making similar lists according to the top few problem areas for my kids. This obedience chart is still available on the internet as Wise Words for Moms. It also gave heart probing questions to ask, which are useful in the moment of discipline or as table talk conversations in general. Many types of “if-then” consequence lists are available, but this one is great for the younger years and will…
Waiting Games
What waiting game can you easily play while waiting in line? Waiting games are invaluable resources for every parent and teacher! Waiting is part of everyday life. We wait in lines at amusement parks, at appointments, and in traffic jams. We wait for events like ball games, symphonies, and movies to start. My list was curated when I was a 4th grade teacher and we went every year to the North Carolina Symphony. Our students had to dress up, ride the bus, and sit quietly waiting on the performance to start. Kids get restless! And unless you give them resources, restlessness can easily turn into ruckus! I created a list of ideas my students could quietly use with their seatmates. Soon, other teachers wanted to know my secret! Why were my students pleasantly occupied without me having to fuss at them? High expectations and tools they could use. This also became helpful when I took high school students on service trips around the world. They could entertain themselves in airports and vans. They could also entertain younger children waiting for Vacation Bible School to begin or parents to pick them up at the end. Most of the games require little…
PreK Play Makes Learning Fun
What is your favorite activity for creative learning at home with preschoolers? Need some ideas to make prek play fun and educational? I’m often asked for tips for homeschooling preschoolers, from a teacher’s perspective. While most people are looking for workbooks and curriculum advice, I’m giving hands-on fun ways to incorporate learning into everyday life. Play and adventures are two great ways to experience learning opportunities and have fun at the same time. Look below for five fresh ideas for educational activities for preschooler play. Read Aloud. Read silently together. Read books. Read kids magazines. Go to the library. Designate a colorful blanket as a reading spot but occasionally move it around the house, yard, and city. Let your child read to a row of stuffed animals, retelling a favorite story, with or without the book. Go to the library regularly. Read new books and old favorites. (Tip: Put kids magazines on the birthday wishlist when grandparents ask for ideas.) Act out a Favorite Bible Story. You can do hand motions, use stuffed animals, or dress up. You can let your child take the lead on how you can act out the story. Have the Bible or story book open…