A Snapshot of Kinesthetic Learning

I’ve been writing a lot lately about how to meet your kinesthetic learner’s needs. I thought it would be worth  giving an example of what teaching to these needs looks like. Here is a snapshot of what kinesthetic learning looks like in my home school.

Recently, we went on a hike with our adventure bag to the Garden in the Woods to see the art installation of big bugs. The bug sculptures can be found along the one mile hike, and the signs next to them have information about the bugs. We took some time to read the information in between running and enjoying the scenery along the way. One of the signs gave us a comparison of damsel flies and dragon flies, and in order to explain the comparison better, I had the children act it out. Apparently, damsel flies hold their wings behind their backs while dragon flies hold their wings along their sides. So we pretended to be a dragon fly and a damsel fly by positioning our arms as if they were the wings.

We also spent time using or magnifying glasses to make observations of the bugs on the ground, the plants, and around the pond. We tried to find the bugs that were in the sculptures in the art installation. They were especially interested in finding damsel flies and dragon flies and were proud that they were able to identify them. The kids drew their bug observations in their journals.

At the end of the hike we reviewed a few of the things that we learned, and surprisingly, the kids remembered that particular fact about dragon flies and damsel flies. They were even able to correctly identify a damsel fly sculpture that was for sale at the gift shop and proudly demonstrated the difference between the two bugs to a naturalist there.

So why did this work? The hike itself gave the children the opportunity to run, walk, climb, and touch things in a productive way. Using their bodies to explain what the two bugs looked like allowed them to get a clearer picture in their minds of the description of difference between them. The big sculptures also gave them the chance to really see what the bugs look like. After all of the movement, the kids were able to focus enough to use magnifying glasses and write in their journals, an activity that requires a fair amount of concentration.

I hope that this example helps you as you plan your school work.

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“Moving” a Homeschooled Kinesthetic Learner

If you are homeschooling an active child who finds it difficult to sit still, I have a few tips to help you out. Hopefully, these ideas will help you and your child feel a little less frustrated with learning.

Kinesthetic children sometimes need to move before they start doing fine motor work like writing and cutting. If you have a project planned that will include a lot of concentration and that may require an extended period of sitting, try some movement activities before starting. Here are a couple of things you can try out:

• Use an exercise ball. Your child can roll on it, sit on it, bounce on it, or even roll up and down the wall with it.
• Do calisthenics, like jumping jacks, together.
• Go for a jog together first thing in the morning.
• Try out a few yoga poses like “downward dog” and “proud warrior”.
• Play a game of tag in the back yard.
• Play balloon volleyball in the living room.

Sometimes being able to fidget while doing an activity or listening helps a child to focus better. Have you ever seen Akeela and the Bee? She used movement, jumping rope, to help her remember how to spell words. There a few things similar to what Akeela did that you can do to incorporate movement during a learning activity.

• Let your child squeeze a “koosh ball”, a “hacky sac”, or a stress ball.
• Let your child chew gum like “Bazooka” because it offers a lot of resistance.
• Have your child sit in a rocking chair or on an exercise ball while doing work or listening, or let your child stand up while doing work.
• Let your child doodle while you read aloud.
• Try to incorporate some kind of movement task into the work. For example,

1. Toss a ball back and forth while reciting math facts or something that needs to be memorized.
2. Make cookies in the shape of the different states and construct a map of the United States with them.
3. Have your child act out a story or use puppets before trying to write it down.
4. Have a scavenger hunt to find examples of things that are the same color, shape, length, start with the same sound, etc.

Sometimes, even though you have tried these other strategies, a kid still needs to move. This child needs the work to be broken into smaller chunks of time. Work for a short period and reward your child with a movement break. Your child could go check the mail, go get a snack, or maybe let the dog out. Then get back on track with your project.

I hope you and your kinesthetic child can learn together more harmoniously with these tips. Happy learning!

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Being Intentional

The other day I heard a few moms talking about needing to be intentional about spending time with the second child, and it got me thinking. We do need to be intentional, but with all of our children. It’s important to be one step ahead of the kids, even in a home school where there is so much flexibility.  Do you find that there are times during the day that you and the children are struggling in some way? These are times that you can be intentional. That will make you proactive instead of reactive. Let me explain with a couple of examples.

If the routine is causing the problem, you can create a visual agenda so everyone knows what is expected. You would then preview and review the agenda to keep everyone on task. Perhaps you need to change the schedule around because it isn’t working the children’s energy level.

Do you feel like you are not spending enough time with each of your children? You can be intentional about creating time for your individual children. It doesn’t have to be something that takes long periods of time or even something expensive. Perhaps you can set aside a time to read alone with each child. Maybe you can play a game with each individual. Also make it clear that you have designated this time to be with that particular child.

What ever the case, make some observations about what is going wrong, create a plan, and put it into action. Do you have an example of how you have been intentional and it has made a difference for you? Please post your idea!

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Motivating Your Children to Learn

How do you motivate your kids in your homeschool? I know that it can be really difficult to get everyone on board when you need them to do some school work. As I was pondering this idea, I remembered a time when I was student teaching. My cooperating teacher asked me to observe how she motivated the children during a particular lesson. It is an interesting thing to observe. It made me think about why someone would make certain decisions on the spot (which is really how teachers and moms make most of their decisions).

I thought that I would share a few things I have learned about motivating children. Motivating your child really boils down to the answer to one simple question: Why is the child unmotivated? Once you know that, you can figure out what to do about the situation.

1. The frustrated child: This is a child who won’t do the work because the work is too hard. In order to motivate this child, you need to change the assignment. Maybe the book is too challenging right now, or the math concept is beyond his/her comprehension. It is time to end the lesson and move on to something familiar. Try something that your child has had success with in the past. You can always come back to difficult work at a later date.
2. The child who is bored: This child already knows the information you are presenting, or the presentation does not speak to his/her learning style. Switch gears. Add an extra level of difficulty for kids who have mastered what is presented in the lesson. If learning style is the problem, try a different method like using a game.
3. The child who is distracted: This child is paying attention to everything except what you are doing. Try taking a movement break. Sometimes getting the blood moving helps kids focus a little better. You can also break the assignment into smaller chunks of work and offer a small reward such as a sticker or a high five for completing each task. Try using a silly voice, sing about the work you are doing, wait quietly, or do something off the wall to get your child’s attention, too.
4. The child who wants to test the boundaries: This child is the one who tries to make you mad or is sneaking around. This is a good time to set up a reward system. Catch this child making a good choice and offer praise, a sticker, a candy, or time on the computer as a reward. Set goals with this child in order to earn rewards.

These are just a few reasons that children are unmotivated to learn. Hopefully, some of these ideas will help you to motivate your children.

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Star Gazing with Daddy

Have you ever thought of star gazing with your children? Since it has to be done in the dark when a dad is usually home from work, it is a fun way to get a homeschool dad involved in the children’s education. It is also an opportunity for him to make some memories with the kids.

Tonight Daddy took our telescope out! The kids were so excited about it. All summer long the kids went to bed when it was still light out, and we couldn’t use it. Now that the sun is going down earlier we will be able to take advantage of this fun

tool. I also enjoyed watching Daddy doing something he enjoys with our children. I think they all learned a few things tonight, and I hope that this turns out to be something that Daddy does with the children on a regular basis.

Here are a couple of tips if you are interested in starting to star gaze with your family.

1. Let the children play around with the telescope before you plan to actually look at the stars. If they are familiar with it as a tool, they will be able to focus on your objectives.
2. Make sure you know how to use your telescope. The kids are not going to wait for you to figure it out. They will get wiggly and lose interest.
3. Be willing to let go of your plans and follow the kids’ interests. Their ideas are really worth it!
4. Wait until it is really dark out before you start. The kids won’t wait until the stars are visible.
5. Have fun star gazing with your family. It is so amazing. Our God is such an artist!

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Lessons from the Economy

Recently our economy has really taken a hit. Everyone is feeling the crunch these days, and I have to wonder how the economy has affected your experience as a homeschooler. Are you doing anything differently these days as a result of the economic downturn? Are you concerned that the economy will affect the way that you home educate? Are you talking about the economy with your children?

The place that we feel the most crunch with our finances is with grocery shopping. It has been a family project to find ways to save money on food. We have gone back to cutting coupons. We are looking closely at the prices of similar products. Now we write a shopping list these days, too. We are also shopping mostly at a wholesale club because it is so much less expensive. We have found that shopping together as a family helps us all be vigilant about the cost of certain items, and the children learn how to be careful shoppers.

You can use the high price of food to your advantage in your homeschool. Little ones can cut coupons out and categorize them. You can create a visual grocery shopping list with pictures from the sale paper, too, so that kids who are not reading yet can help load the cart. Older kids can read the sale paper to find the best bargains and create a shopping list that stays within the budget.

Teach your children to be savvy about marketing in the grocery store. For example, foods that the store wants children to beg their parents to buy are right at a child’s eye level. Kids appreciate being in on the “secrets” that adults know, which might increase your chances of ending the whining and constant complaining that you do not buy certain foods.

What a great opportunity you now have to talk about nutrition and meal planning! The more you plan ahead, the less likely you are to make impulse buys. It will increase the chance that the family will eat healthier, too. Have everyone help create the menu for the week. The little ones can help out with the menu, too, and they might even be more likely to eat those foods that have been rejected in the past. Mom can get a break from food preparation duties by working out a rotation for the chef or the sous chef of the day. I also love cooking with my kids because it is such a wonderful opportunity to make memories and teach them math, science, reading, and culture.

Use the economy as a means to improve your family’s health, teach your family about meal planning, and get everyone involved in cooking! Working as a team will make the task less daunting!

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Encouraging Our Friends Considering Homeschooling

I have been talking with a good friend of mine about homeschooling. She and her husband both feel that God is calling them to home educate their children. He is completely on board with the idea. She is not so sure. She has been dabbling in it for the last few months and has had quite a bit of success. She has a couple of concerns about it, though. I wonder if you have had these same concerns at one time or another. Perhaps you can provide some encouragement.

“I don’t want the kids to be weird.” I think that many people feel that homeschooled children are a little different from children who are educated in private or public schools, and people do not view these differences very positively. Lots of people view homeschooled kids as lacking social skills. They think that these children dress out of the ordinary and are awkward. My take on this concern is that we as parents need to equip our children to live in this world, but to not be of this world (1 John 2:15-171 John 2:15-17
English: World English Bible - WEB
15 Don’t love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s. ¹⁷ The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever.

) because we are strangers in a strange land. We need to give our children the tools to navigate our culture, but also instill in them our values. That may mean that in your family it is acceptable for your children to wear fashionable clothing that falls under certain parameters. It may mean that your children are allowed to watch particular popular television shows and read certain books that their friends read. However, that may also mean that your children miss out on events or other opportunities that their peers who attend public or private school are allowed to participate in. That could happen if your children were not homeschooled, though. Your rules may be different than other parents’ rules, but it may have nothing to do with where your children are educated. Honestly, I think home educated children have better social skills from the kinds of experiences they have in the world and by how they are coached by their parents since their parents spend that much more time with them.

“I don’t want to be judged by people who disagree with home education.” This is a difficult one, especially if you feel like you are being judged by other Christians. There are plenty of people who have misconceptions about why families choose to homeschool their children. No matter what you do, people will judge you, though. People have opinions, and they feel very strongly about those opinions. However, for most people, those opinions are based on very limited experiences. It is difficult to judge whether one family’s choice is better than another’s based on your own family’s needs. How could you do that? All children are unique and created by God to be that way. The fact is that we are all sinners, and many of us fall prey to the sin of judging others. If you have prayed about what God wants you to educate your children and you feel called to homeschooling them, then you need to be confident in that choice. All we can do is pray for those who are judging us. A sense of humor helps, too, along with a witty come back.

Are you considering home education? What are your concerns? What have people said to you about homeschooling?

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Homeschool Lessons: Watching Economic History Unfold

If your children are a little older, watching the current state of the economy unfold could be fodder for a series of lessons about business. This could be achieved by reading the paper, listening to pod casts and learning about what is the sub prime lending market.

For example creating a diagram following the money from home owner to lender, to investment banks, to insurance agencies to the federal government.  By looking at each of these steps on the financial ladder, you and your children will gain some level of respect for how the financial systems have spiraled into a state where a 700 billion dollar loan from the federal government is being proposed.  To put this into perspective, if you consider there are roughly 100 million people who pay taxes (children, elderly and poor make up the rest), this loan amounts to a $7000 loan from every taxpayer in America. That is something you and your children can think about! Have your child write an op-ed article giving an opinion about this financial crisis once you’ve done the research.

I would recommend a few resources for your research
- Wall Street Journal
- New York Times
- NPR (Marketplace)
Just by taking a few minutes a day to learn about these events will bring a lifetime of knowledge about being financially responsible.  Good luck and have fun as we watch history unfold.

Greenspan , “let’s recognize that this is a once-in-a-half-century, probably once-in-a-century type of event.”

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Are Home Educated Children at a Disadvantage?

Are homeschooled kids at a disadvantage? That is an interesting question that I have been pondering a reasonably good answer to for a while, and the idea just resurfaced when I received an e-mail from the editor from Opposing Views. It has forced me to think about that idea again. This post does not cover all of the reasons that I believe that home educated children are not disadvantaged but actually at an advantage; this post is just the tip of the iceberg.

Families choose to homeschool their children for many reasons. Some want to provide a safe learning environment, or parents homeschool because they feel they can meet their children’s needs better than a public or even a private school. There are families who suppliment home education with services from public school. Other families choose to homeschool for religious reasons. Whatever the reason is, families are equipping their children for the real world through home education. They are doing it successfully, too, and there is research to back that statement.

The data cannot unequivocally prove that the positive results seen in home educated children are directly caused by their experiences in their home schools. I have to wonder, though, what else could be the cause of such positive results? Home education happens in the context of real life with people who are committed to their children. Who knows your children better than you do? The curriculum is tailored to meet a particular child’s needs. Children are offered learning opportunities that are delivered in ways that address their individual learning styles. Homeschools offer a tutoring situation. Imagine if you had a personal tutor all throughout your schooling!

Many people are concerned about the quality of the education provided in home schools. Unlike public and private schools, home schools offer flexibility so families can take advantage of learning opportunities that the children might otherwise miss out on. A family can go on field trips that offer real experiences that cannot be replicated in the classroom. Parents can also decide what their children learn, how long to study something, and what time of day works best for the children to complete assignments. If a child gets engrossed in a lesson, s/he can continue that work for as long as is necessary since there aren’t the same time constraints in the home school as in the classroom. Lesson plans can also be abandoned more easily if a child has already mastered a particular skill, if s/he is not ready for that work, or even if the lesson just is not working.

Socialization is one other thing that people bring up when I talk about home education, which I find interesting. Today many of our children spend the majority of their time with child care workers, teachers, coaches, and their peers instead of time with their families. Bullying, violence, and teen pregnancy are just a few of the issues that are causing problems for our children in public and private schools. Children’s interactions with each other are being shaped by their peers or other adults who do not necessarily share the family’s morals and values. However, the center of a home school is the family with siblings learning together and families spending exponentially more time together than children who are educated outside the home. Parents have more time to shape their children’s social experiences and have more opportunities to impart their values on their children. Homeschoolers provide all kinds of social situations for their children just not exactly the same ones that public and private school children have. Home educated children have time outside of the family while they participate in church activities, service opportunities, and co-ops.

I ask you, what are the disadvantages?

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Getting Well Part 2

In a previous post I told the story of my journey to being healed from postpartum depression after my first baby. When I read a post on TheCoolMomGuide about postpartum depression, I thought I should tell the rest of the story about my road to health, the one that starts with the birth of my second baby.

I gave birth naturally to my second baby with a midwife. The labor was easier and shorter, and the midwife was wonderful and encouraging. I nursed the baby in the delivery room to encourage bonding. I was confident this time around. I was full of energy, too. The first night that I was in the hospital I sent the baby with the nurses so I could rest knowing that I had a two year old to take care of at home. That night I could not sleep at all. I should have known that something was not right, but I figured that it was just excitement.

After spending two days in the hospital and feeling great while I was there, I brought home this sweet baby, my second child, to find out that I was just not prepared for what I had in store for me. I had trouble nursing this baby, which wasn’t a problem with my first. It took an hour to nurse and change the baby. By the time I was finished with everything, it was time to start all over again. This baby just did not sleep. The colic was horrible, too, and after the colic was resolved, the baby’s separation anxiety kicked in. I had a two year old who was completely out of control because there was nothing left in me to do anything for this poor kid. I simply couldn’t get a break from the children at all.

My postpartum depression came back, and it was awful. I was angry all of the time. I yelled at my husband, and I wanted control over something, so I started obsessively washing my hands. Thoughts about the baby’s safety raced through my head constantly, so I was hyper-vigilant about everything. My anger got worse, and the fights between me and my husband got more frequent. I felt like the worst mother ever because I could not nurse my baby properly without support from a lactation consultant, my baby would not sleep, and the crying was constant. I didn’t have time for my two year old, my husband, or me. I was sad and weepy. I needed rest and a break from everything.

When the baby was 6 months old, I finally decided that I could not do it on my own anymore. It took all the courage that I could muster to call my midwife to ask for a recommendation for a therapist. I am so glad that I made that call, though. I began with three therapy sessions a week. It took a couple of months for me to break down and talk to a psychiatric nurse about taking medication (because my therapist is not a psychiatrist). It took some time to find the right medication and the right dose, but once that was worked out, I was finally on the right path. I noticed a really big difference in my attitude and the everyday happenings. The first change was with my ability to make it through the day better; I wasn’t calling my husband to come home at 4:00. I was sleeping better, too. My therapist even helped me to make some life changes that made life work better. She also gave me some perspective on the things that I was obsessing over.

Now I feel better than I ever have before. I know that each day holds different challenges, but now that I take my medication, my mind is clear. I can make good decisions for me and my family. I know that I am a better wife and mother now. Now I am the woman my family deserves.

If you are experiencing anything like what I have described in this post, please seek help from a professional. Here is a link that may help you.

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