Tuesday, July 30, 2013

What Are Some Common Signs of Dyslexia?

Let's face it - we all learn differently! I am part of  a large family and noticed early on that I was not (and never will be) an auditory learner. No matter how hard I tried, I could not memorize the words to my favorite songs like my little sister can. Lucky girl belted out tunes before she was two years old.

With this fact in mind, it is common knowledge that some of the best and brightest in the world are dyslexic. How do some people realize that they have this gift? Here are a few signs that suggest that one may have dyslexia:

  • The individual has problems learning to speak
  • Difficulty with organizing written and spoken language
  • Challenged with learning letters and their sounds
  • Problems with memorizing number facts
  • Spelling Issues
  • Reading Delays
  • Issues with learning a foreign language
  • Cannot correctly do math operations

For more information on dyslexia, go to:
http://www.interdys.org/SignsofDyslexiaCombined.htm

If you would like more information on how you could receive Specialized Support in Reading Remediation, please contact Learning Ridge at 404-964-8533.

Monday, July 15, 2013

How Can You Model Great Behavior To Your Child?

As the middle child, the best gift that my parents gave me was the gift of "maybe". When I would ask them about certain things that I wanted to have such as "Will I ever be a great speaker?" - my mom's response would be, "Maybe, if you work really hard at it." It was at that point at time that my mind was set on those "maybe's" turning into a "definitely".

Working with students now and days, I see that students may not have the same drive or initiative that their parents have. Perhaps it is just an observation that I am making - but I hope that somehow the lightbulb will go off and they will surpass the achievements that their parents and grandparents had accomplished before them.

Here is what I would recommend for any parent who wants their child to be High Performing:

1. Engage Actively

Yes, video games are great, but come with several consequences. When your child is doing something, engage in the activity with them and talk to them about it. It's important to talk to your kids about the music they like and then communicate about the music that you liked when you were their age. This will help them to understand you and not feel that they need to "ostracize" you when they are in their teens.

2. Experience - Experience - Experience

When you spend quality time together, whether it is going to the park or enjoying the 4th of July, focus on the experience of what you are in and not what you think is important. Playing frisbee is great when you are at the park but your child will love the fact that you were able to help them make new friends while you are there. It's all about finding those...

3. Teachable Moments

Model great behaviors and coping strategies with your child. Be (as my mom always said) a good citizen by saying hello and showing him what the steps are in making new friends. It's easier to be shown this - than told this!


Wednesday, July 10, 2013

My Thought For the Day..

When we love our work, when we believe in what we do, we should never be satisfied. There is always so far to go, and only by losing ourselves in the passion for our work, and the discipline that it demands, do we have the chance of approaching mastery.

Things that your child remembers..

Up until I was in my second year of college, I was blessed to have both of my wonderful parents. My (late) father was a very honorable man who never had an enemy. He had a large circle of friends from around the world who loved and adored him beyond our comprehension.  He made us believe that he would always be there no matter what happened and showed us the strength that it takes in order to not only have a happy life, but one that would make an impact on the world that you live in.

My wonderful mother is a healthy and very strong-willed woman who never takes no for an answer (I think I know where I inherited my stubbornness from). She always looked at the big picture and gave more of herself than anyone I ever knew and would be content with receiving nothing but a simple thank you for her efforts. She is courageous in her own respects and I admire her for raising the six of us.

When I think of my parents, rarely do I reflect upon things that they gave me. It's actually the most simplest of memories that I have of my loving mom and dad doing something that makes me the luckiest individual in the world. One strong memory of my late father was when the "old man" would initiate his work ritual. He took the late (very late) shift  so that he could be home to watch all of us. Before dad would leave for work, he would make his nightly rounds to make sure that all of children were all in their respective beds (including myself). The final thing that I remember my dad doing before I went to sleep was him turning my bedroom light off so that I can sleep peacefully at night. I took all of that for granted when we were growing up but I see the type of man my father was by making sure everyone was okay before he went off to work.

In thinking of my mom, I always remember the time when I was a little girl and she took me out to the city and we walked by foot to go sight seeing. She and I spent the entire day together and I recall looking at photographs of her and told her that I wanted my hair to be just like hers when we went somewhere. I love my mom but what I love the most about my mom is the fact that she always underlines her commitment to being the mom that she is. Whenever I hear a voicemail or talk to my mom, she always tells me, "No matter what, I am always proud of you and mommy loves you." I save all of the voicemails that my mom sends me to make sure that even during the worst of days, I can count on the person who believes in me the most.

There are times when you think that your child may want you to give them something. In the end, it's really the gift of yourself that they are looking for. I am not a person who believes that material things are what makes an individual happy, but having a loving and caring family will compensate for anything material that you may not have at this point in time.

Monday, July 8, 2013

The Example That You Set Is the Standard That They Live By...

When I observe parents, I typically look to see how they communicate with each other, how they deal with stress, and most importantly, how they deal with conflict. Since most of what children inherit from their parents is genetic, it should not surprise you that their behavior and mannerisms would be an extension of what you give to them as well.

Take for example my paternal grandfather. A man who was very humble yet educated beyond the realms of most standards. He did nothing but pursue a great education and raise his children with the same values. He put his family first, loved his wife, and upheld a code of conduct that was passed through generations after him. He was quick to uphold discipline but slow in criticizing and giving not only his children but his great grandchildren the advice they needed to be successful in life. He is one of my heroes and has taught generations after him the importance of "saving face", something that many individuals nowadays do not even have an inkling of knowing.

In my everyday life, I have seen many parents behave in the opposite respect. Sometimes their quick tempers flare up and effects their children - even when they are not aware that they are there. Their body language showing that they are upset or feeling let down also  has a negative effect on their child as they mimic the same behaviors. I remember one of the stories that I heard from a child that told me that his mom was mad at him. It broke my heart to think that anybody can be "mad" at a four year old who wants nothing more than to be loved and praised for being who he is. When he told me the story that "my mom always gives me a hug and a kiss goodnight and when she is upset, she doesn't" made me want to cry. It's hard enough making sense of the world around you outside of your home but the least that this parent could have done is have a conversation with the child about what may have been concerning her, rather than withholding the love that all children need and deserve.

I am not saying that you need to constantly coddle your child. It's impossible - with all the demands that are put on a parent it would be inherently difficult to do that. What I am saying is that giving your child the gift of communication is very intimate. If you are upset you can say something along the lines of "Sweetheart, sometimes mommy has a bad day and I know that I forgot to give you your hug/kiss last night. It's not because I don't love you - it's just because I forget. Don't ever think that you are not the most important little man in my life because you are, no matter where I am or what I am feeling." It's simple conversations like these that make the biggest impact to your children. They are the ones who love you and need you the most and regardless of what may be troubling you, they do make things easier for you!

Thursday, July 4, 2013

It's a Grill! (No - it's a Girl!).....The Politics of Bad Teaching

As a child, I never questioned authority. It was implored in me to never say that something was wrong or out of place,  even when it was.

When I started working a little more closely with people, I found that this could no longer be the case. Living where we I live now, I have noticed that many people around me will do anything to show that they are right - even if it means that that it causes irreparable harm or create a chaotic situation that only an intelligent, logical person would know how to unravel. So here is my vent...

For years and years, I have learned a certain methodology called Orton-Gillingham, that has been used by a certain population here in Atlanta. When I  work with students, I have developed a key sense of awareness of certain problems that have resulted from students not receiving the type of instruction and resources that they need in order to make gains in their reading. Given the fact that I have worked with hundreds of individuals in a private 1:1 setting, I have accumulated enough experience and know how to understand what the pitfalls are before even working with the student. It's the result of understanding what the process is - and working backwards that has helped me (and others like me) help students.

So when a parent decided to question me about a certain topic that she thought I was teaching incorrectly, I was baffled. I normally respond to criticism and challenges pretty well but when I showed her the examples/explanations/ and research behind what she thought was "incorrect", it became a battle of "Phonics Tug of War" between myself and an entire school that was teaching their group of 1,000 students incorrectly. This was not the only school that has done this in the great city that I live in - this is one of many schools that teaches their children to improperly identify a group of phonemes in this way.

The next day I decided to do my research. Fortunately, one of the individuals on my team just received training from a Learning Specialist who has used this approach for over 30 years and was able to give me feedback on the issue. Another great resource was the Director of Training for the Orton Gillingham Institute who personally called me and was able to answer my very troubling question. "Did I teach this concept incorrectly? If not, why is an entire school not abiding by the principles by which this methodology was founded on?"

After 1 1/2 hours on the phone and case studies and examples, I was indeed correct. There are situations where schools may be and will be wrong and there is absolutely nothing implausable with questioning why certain practices, (however "difficult" it may be on the ego of the school to admit) need to be changed. It's not a question of "well it's the school, they have to be right.." Certain institutions have a profound impact on silencing the benevolent efforts of one individual. In my case, I stand before you vindicated!