JD Sees Her Goals

JD is loving her loft apartment.  It is so bright and airy.   All that sunshine sure does help keep her spirits up too.  Too bad she works two jobs and is not home much.  But if you look around you will see what helps her focus.  There are books everywhere in her apartment.  You can only see a few in this shot.  Bright colors all around her too.  

 Now there is also something else there that most people do not see.  Notes.  Yes, notes. Do you notice them in the bathroom hanging from the cabinets.  It is so she can learn what is placed where.  You see JD is a Visual Learner.  She can see something and it sticks for her.  Her skills for memorizing is amazing when she sees the same thing over and over again.  I first noticed this when she was little and would watch videos.  In no time at all she was able to do a whole show verbatim even telling us the actions as well as the dialog.  That must be why she was such a great Theater major.

Bette Fetter has helped many visual learners.  With JD having ADD it is very noticeable that she depends on visual skills to learn.  Being a right brain thinker guides her to the arts but it also what helps guide future scientists, engineers and mathematicians.  Visual students, however, are struggling in a test-heavy education system that favors left-brain linear thinkers.  I love that Bette Fetter has presented a case for art classes being a must have so that students can use those skills to develop and strengthen visual learners.

Being Visual is a great tool to help your own Young Rembrandt.  Sharing tools so that your child can gain these skills.

• Fine motor skills (handwriting)
• Attention to detail and focus
• Process, order and completion
• Visual discrimination
• Time on task
• Visual-spatial organization skills
• Sequencing
• Expanded image vocabulary
• Persistence and follow through
• Patience, discipline and manners
• Increased self esteem and confidence

JD may not have the best art skills.  But when she draws out her ideas, lays out her plans to see and looks at them daily, she achieves what she sets out to do.  We have been blessed that she has had Theater in college to help her visualize complete ideas.  And that she is such an avid role play writer.  Again it is being able to see, draw, write and create that helps her learn.

Thanks so to Bette Fetter for sharing her book Being Visual with us.  I let JD see it so she could use the ideas within to help her in her next steps of life.  It must be great for she will not even let me borrow it here at home.  She says the book stays at her loft.  Bette that must be equal to two thumbs up!  

Rock'n It Out with Phonics

Do you notice how many of the children's shows are based on music? That they can sing all the words from their favorite show? But that learning how to read is harder when we sit at the table and go over each letter one by one.

Instead if we use the fun of music and color and the ability to mimic, children learn at an incredible speed. Well that is just some of the ideas behind Rock 'N Learn's Phonics DVD's. They use music to help the kid's learn. I mean even I know that my grandbabes can sing almost any song their mom loves. Why? Because they hear it over and over again.

Well use this with the phonics lessons and they can learn to read too. I started College Girl on phonics as a lil toddler. We would sit in her room every night and as we got ready for bed do our phonics lessons. I had big alphabet lines on the walls. There we would learn the letter, sound and words that they made. Now you can do the same but with the fun of music, color and sound on the DVD lessons.

Richard and Brad Caudle (one a school psychologist and the other a musician/composer) teamed to create Rock ‘N Learn. Rock ‘N Learn has earned awards from prestigious organizations such as iParenting, Learning Magazine Teachers’ Choice, Parents’ Choice, Dr. Toy and The National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval – to name a few. I am now using this same set to teach Princess Emma her phonics to help her learn to read. And even though it says ages 6 and up, she is grasping it at 4 years old. She is loving the music of course, since she is an original dancing princess. But with those songs we are also learning sounds and letters too!

Rock ‘N Learn’s Phonics DVDs (volumes 1 and 2) are this weeks giveaway on my blog. On Volume 1 you will get short vowels, consonants, blends, digraphs, word families, silent e, phonemic awareness activities, read-along sentences, read-along stories, and sing-along songs. Volume 2 covers long vowels, vowel combinations, syllables, ending sounds, silent consonants, rule breakers, read-along sentences, read-along stories, and sing-along songs.

So how about your own copies of Rock ‘N Learn’s Phonics DVDs (volumes 1 and 2)? I ask for the mandatory entry that you visit Rock ‘N Learn’s Phonics and tell me what area your children would be best served at. This is your mandatory first entry. Make sure I have your email or contact information in case you win. Extra entries are always the same. Entries are with the normal comments. Another for following me anywhere....here, facebook, twitter...leave a comment for each place you follow me at. Make sure your email is with you profile or on the comment. I will have a winner within two weeks.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of these DVD's to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.

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Texans have thier Boots ON!

This last weekend College Girl could not make it to the Grandbabes birthday parties. Why? Well her best friend was walking across the stage to get two degrees from his college career. We are all so proud of him. College Girl will be making that walk soon enough herself. But in the mean time she was able to head over and congratulate several of her friends instead.

She took a book (of course from the amount of books we always go through) as a present to her friend. It was Bootstrap Leadership by Steve Arneson. We felt this was a great gift to help with the new changes that will be facing this young man as he moves into the workforce. He has a desire to help create a community theater in his town and that will take quite a bit of leadership there. Steve Arneson gives us 50 ways to take charge and move up in Bootstrap Leadership. What I liked was that each chapter was fully contained. So you can flip from one to another in any order you would like to read. The other great thing was that the ideas cost next to nothing to get started. Just right for a broke college student to be able to go from. Personally I feel we all can learn from the line of leadership books. There are always ways we can grow stronger in our own lives. And also implement the ideas with our families, church lives and community organizations. I do wish to thank Katie and Zoe for sending me this one. It was great to read and even a better gift.

Project Potential

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Lunchables. All opinions are 100% mine.

I want you to look at this video.....Honestly. I know many of us do post for reviews and such. But this is one that made me laugh and smile and just feel wonderful. And it can do the same for you. Besides that there is a cool chance to make a difference for a special class too.

Project Potential is a new program that Lunchables has launched. What it will do is empower children to reach their full potential. The first thing is the Field Trips For All. This is a great contest for 50 classrooms. One will be selected to go on an inspiring, educational experience. Like the one we see in the following video.



Isn't that the coolest thing! Think of the interesting field trips your kids would get to do. Weather it be to NASA or hiking trails or a museum or ... or ... or .... well there are so many places to go and see and learn from. Anyone 6 years of age or older can nominate a deserving classroom by going to http://www.lunchables.com/potential/ and submitting a nomination. What classroom would you nominate? Why would you nominate them? And where would you think they would go?

Techniques for Learning Skills

Since I am on the topic of education let me continue if you don't mind. We learned College Girl has ADD in her first year of College. I learned of my own issue with dyslexia as a senior in High School. So I was wondering why did it take so long to learn of these issues. Could it have been noticed sooner. I think so.

My friend and neighbor, Nessa, has two very smart children. But they are also noticing some issues while in middle school. We have looked closely at grades, behavior and routines to see if there was ways to help them out. One of the things we have found that has helped in this endeavor is the book "The Shut-Down Learner" by Richard Selznick, Phd. We loved finding someone who could mirror our thoughts, get it you know, and also not label the children. But instead was able to give insight on what may be the issues and how to help. In reading examples of others peoples experiences we saw some of our own.

I borrowed the following from his web site, www.shutdownlearner.com:

SHUT-DOWN LEARNER SIGNS
The following typically start to emerge in the upper elementary grades, becoming much more pronounced by high school:

• A sense that the child is increasingly disconnected, discouraged, and unmotivated (shut down)
• Fundamental skill weaknesses with reading, writing, and spelling, leading to lowered self-esteem
• Increased avoidance of school tasks such as homework
• Dislike of reading
• Hatred of writing
• Little to no gratification from school
• Increasing anger toward school

You can also download the first chapter for free at his web site. You may find that you see your own child, or yourself, or a friend. But it is great to know that in simple language there is ways to help so learning is not a chore but a gift. I do wish to thank Paul J. Krupin for sending me Dr. Selznick's book. It is written with direct language while being full of techniques that can be used my most parents.

To Teach or Not To Teach

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am worried about College Girl's ability to take classes next year. There are so many changes happening with grants and loans. We are doing all we can now to just barely pull it out of our hats (so to speak) currently. If funding gets cut anymore than I am not sure if there will be enough to pay for her school. So what do we do?

Several of the ones she went to high school with are doing their courses online. I was wondering how they like it. Are they getting a full education? Is there something lost by not having that campus experience? I spoke with a couple and it is working for them. They are able to do their class work and still do what is needed to get on with life. Some are working, starting their own business, parents and not racking up as much debt.

USC Rossier School of Education’s MAT@USC program information is guided toward teaching degrees. Now I know College Girl wishes to work in the theater. I think she would be a gifted teacher. This is one of our constant back n' forth discussions. I was checking out this school online. In case she can not do next year at her current college. Here she would be able to get her degree in as little as 12 months. Yeah one year! There is also tuition reimbursement programs and scholarship abilities. I am wondering if College Girl would be willing to look at this as a alternative if she has to lay out a year on campus? Hummmm? It is worth telling her about.

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Advice for College Girl

Y'all know about my College Girl and that she is in her 3rd year as a Theater major. Well it is time for us to work on next years course load and financial aid packages. Oh how I hate this!

But more so is the struggle that we are having on her choice of careers, or what she thinks is her choice. I know that I see things from a different perspective than my College Girl does. As I am looking back at life as she is looking forward. So thus we have such different goals for her. And yes as her mom I do have goals for her no matter her age. I am sure all moms have felt this way for centuries.

I wish for her to go into teaching as I see it as something she will have a natural talent for. Also I see it as a steady base for a career. Of course College Girl has different plans. She wishes to work in the theater and is still looking for that right niche for herself. Thus the back and forth struggle begins. What is worst is the strain it puts on a really really good relationship we do have. I have been given so much advice and of course the #1 is to leave her be and let her make her own choices and maybe her own errors.

Well I am thrilled to be able to share with College Girl J. R. Parrish's book "You Don't Have to Learn the Hard Way-Making it in the Real World: A guide for Graduates". This is just the book I wanted for her. Here she can get great road worthy advice and it is not coming from her Parental Units (as she calls us). J.R. has sound and heartfelt advice on how to develop invaluable people skills and setting priorities for life and career. Here he shares how to understand the long-term benefits of self-discipline and recognizing the consequences of your choices. Also sharing how to avoid romantic involvement that can derail your goals and how to reap the rewarding payback for kindness and generosity. It really is a great book for study on how to make it that next step.

There is also the You Don't Have to Learn the Hard Way Mentor Appreciation Scholarship competition to celebrate the adult heroes who have nurture the potential in others. Entrants answered the question "How was your life changed by a mentor or by mentoring someone else?" And this year Meril Smith was awarded a $10,000 college scholarship to give to a high school senior or college undergraduate of his choice. What a wonderful legacy that J. R. Parrish has created. Also I wish to thank BenBella Books for sending me this book to review. It is going to come in so handy for me and College Girl.

Whale Done Winners

Here is our 5 winners for the Whale Done Parenting. Congrats to all the winners!

jenjo3d of Rants and Raves said...

Ok, I have to have one! I love the way they redirect negative attention and replace it with a good suggestion simply replacing bad behavior with good! Also, I will link to my blog. People will enjoy reading it even if they don't have kids. Jen and Poo

nchokkan said...

WOW, I read the first book in this series and simply loved it .. now can't wait for this second one!

From the sample chapters, what I liked most was, the 'supposed-to-be-complex-management-concept' is broken down into a useful theory for the real life, So that any parent could read, enjoy and benefit it!- Naga

Josie

In honor of their brand new baby that is growing in her tummy right now!

-

The poor college students guide to raising a baby

Kitten

-

Things About Things -
To help with her lil lady as they both learn something new each day.

Lauren

A new mom and how I kick ass at it. I pretend to be domestic and would rather get a tattoo than don an apron. I am neither funny nor profound. What I am is medicated.

-

MOMMYISROCKNROLL.COM

Because She Was Alone

I know that I have touched on my disability a little here and there. And that I do not mention it very often. Why? Well, mostly because I am embarrassed because of it. Most people think that a disability is something that can be seen. You know a limp, having to use a wheel chair or physical in sight. But mine is hidden from view. And I work so hard at not letting others know that when I do show it they are so surprised.

But even more so than that is my College Girl. She had to grow up with my disability and bear a great burden. I wish I had had this book for her as a preteen and teen. I'm Not Alone: A Teen's Guide to Living with a Parent Who Has a Mental Illness by Michelle D. Sherman and DeAnne M. Sherman would have been a great asset for her. It was awared ForeWord Magazines Book of the Year Award Finalist. And I can see why. To have an interactive book to help a teen:

• understand the causes, symptoms and treatments of mental illness
• learn coping skills
• sort through complex feelings
• deal with friends
• identify resources and find hope

I can say this book would be a wonderful asset to families who have to deal with mental illness, trauma and those who have to face their families in military deployment. How hard it is to feel so confused inside when your family is being torn apart by unseen forces. As a matter of fact there is also Finding My Way: A Teen's Guide to Living with a Parent Who Has Experienced Trauma. This book is part of the education curriculum with the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC). And is part of the National Guard's Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program. I applaud that resource.

I know in talking to my College Girl, that she has tried to work her way through my illness. And the strongest part was when we opened up about it at her high school. She was in a health education class. When it came time to study mental illness we allowed a question/answer period from her teacher for the class to witness. It was hard for me to sit and try not to feel shame for my ill brain. But was great for my then School Girl to be able to allow her questions be answered for all around. And she lost shame that day.

I would greatly encourage anyone living with mental illness or with someone who has mental illness to share this book with their families. You can only find at SeedsofHopeBooks.com. or by calling 1-800-901-3480. I would like to thank Synergy Group for sending me a review copy.

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Feathering the Nest

My Dear Hubby and I are in our late 40's and also both from previous marriages. So sad to say, we did not walk into our relationship with a good game plan for retirement. Since I was placed on disability in my mid 30's and Dear Hubby with his gaggle of health problems we need to really look at how we are going to make it in the later years.

So I was thrilled when I received "Your Nest Egg Game Plan" in the mail from Newman Communications, Inc. I have been reading to see is it just too late for us. Thankfully I see it is not too late. Close, but we can still do some different things to help us out. I am able to follow the easy framework and simple language to help find flexibility that we need as pre-retirees.

"Your Nest Egg Game Plan" was written by Phil Fragasso and Craig L Israelsen. These two men come with over 20 years of financial business and education. They understand that knowledge is the key to understanding how to plan ahead and save. All while sharing in easy to understand terms and communication. Two thumbs up gentlemen for helping me out!

Math Woes

That is just how my College Girl feels. She has a hard time understanding math. And she needs Help with Math
I was told by another mother of a Theater student that she felt they needed a college course of Theater math. It seems many of the students seem to have trouble grasping their college math courses. Well I found free college algebra help.
I am not sure what you have done to help your student? I know that I can sit here and wring my hands or start looking for answers. And when it comes to College Girl she has to have help to solve math problems.

Ms. Pier--An Icon

I remember that she was shorter than most of my teachers. And she came across like a female Napoleon Bonaparte. But she became my favorite teacher.
Ms. Pier was our 6th grade history teacher. And I think maybe our class impressed her because she was also our 7th grade history teacher. You see as our class changed years so she did. On into our 8th grade year. The end of junior high was easy for us. We all wanted to go on and be the big shots in high school. And our class mentor wanted us to continue to grow too.
She had taught us all the history we needed so far, so what else was there to do?

We started 9th grade in our brand new big school and guess who was there. Yeah, your right. Ms. Pier front and center. And we enjoyed her bringing history to life again. Next was 10th, 11th and 12th grades. Carol Pier stood by our sides for 7 years. She told us at graduation she just could not bear to let us go before. Now she knew we were all ready to continue on.

Image via CrunchBase

I started looking for Ms. Pier on MyLife this last week. I have tried to find her through our alumni association to no avail. I am not sure at this point if she is even alive anymore. Morbid thought? No?

Ms. Pier had a strong sense of duty and even greater a love for her students. You see she never had any children, so we were hers. And she was ill, quite ill. Every summer and each holiday period Ms. Pier would be checked back into the hospital for treatments. They told her to prepare for this to be her last year teaching. She would not hear of it. There was a duty to help us finish school. And she saw us through.

I hope that using MyLife I have the ability to find her. Or at least others who remember her as fondly as I do.

Can You Solve the Cube?

Twist, turn, twirl.....oh my gosh!
I can not do this!
Pant, huff, puff..........again, twist, turn, twirl!
I give up.

No this is not the way I sound with my latest exercise program.

Image by Toni Blay via Flickr

It is me trying to make a Rubik cube work.
Yeah, you remember the colors are all suppose to be the same on each side.

Well, growing up my bother could work magic with the Rubik cube. But I could only pull the lil stickers off and reattach them in a somewhat skewed fashion.
But now I can finally one up my brother!

Yeah, I have a secret weapon and plan on pulling out all the stops at the holidays.
He will see his lil sis can do the mind bending Rubik cube.

How?
TA-DA!

Image via Wikipedia

I have the solution guide and the CD.
Pop over to you can do the cube and learn for yourself.
Leaning how to do this elusive cube has made me feel so much better about myself already.
And I did not know it also is a math tool. Figures that is why I have issues.
You can download the solution guide for free on the solution kit page.
But on top of that there are links for math teachers (home schoolers can use this too!) and for youth groups. Many youth groups are using the cube to help foster life lessons in following directions, problem-solving, negotiation and teamwork. Having members teach others how to solve the cube. The Rubik's cube also teaches math concepts. And parents we too can use this lil ol cube to bond with our children. Who do you think can solve it faster? Only you know the solution....or do you?

For fun watch Will Smith solve the cube in 2 minutes! Amazing to me.