ADHD Teaching Tip #1
Making Math Workbooks WORK!

Give them work in smaller groups. Place a whole page of math problems in front of these kids and the task before them seems insurmountable. But if they see only one chunk at a time, they don’t get overwhelmed by the BIG PICTURE. One way is to dictate 1 problem at a time. Sometimes I even write 1 problem per sheet of paper if the problem is a bit tedious for him. ( I make each paper 1/4 size of a letter-sized sheet). Another way is to simply cover portions of the workbook with white paper held in place by that sticky stuff used to hold up posters. Big Post-It notes can also be used. Kids aren’t stupid. They know what’s under there. But somehow, just having it out of sight often eases the anxiety that a page full of math problems can elicit.

ADHD Teaching Tip #2
Have Them Do Two Things at Once

I used to assume that when I was speaking to my son, if he turned upside down in his seat or began to grab frantically at imaginary flies, then he MUST not be listening. Wrong. Not only is he listening, if I required that he sit perfectly still and look at me intently while I spoke, he most certainly could not listen. In fact, he might implode. He NEEDS to be moving while listening. But if I allow him to choose the motion, it will almost certainly be very distracting to me, or highly annoying to anyone else within range of us (ie. other children). So I choose the activity. Some of our favorites are:

• playing with silly putty
• making salt dough maps or structures related to the lesson. One of the neatest was a model of an Ancient Egyptian house during one of our history lessons.
• playing with Legos
• screwing screws into wood
• sweeping & mopping the kitchen floor (This has obvious side benefits.)

ADHD Teaching Tip #3
Allow Them to Respond Orally

Writing is sheer torture for many of these kids. There are times, for example in doing math, when my son seems almost stuck when he has to write down what he clearly knows. To jump from the “math calculating” part of his brain to the “put thoughts down in writing” part of his brain, seems an impossible task. It’s as though there is a wall between these two areas that he cannot traverse. He can take a section of writing and recopy it with no problem. He can dictate to me each and every step of a complicated math problem with great ease. But tie the two together, and a 5 minute task turns into 45.

Unless you are doing a writing lesson, consider allowing an oral response. Many days I will insist he plod through it. I want these two portions of the brain to eventually learn to talk to each other. Don’t hesitate to isolate the concept being studied if that’s what works for your student. If you are not willing to do this, you may find yourself in an unfortunate situation where your child is falling behind in a subject in which he is perfectly capable because you insist he do it in tandem with a subject he isn’t capable of handling with ease.

ADHD Teaching Tip #4
Integrate Motion into Everything You Can

We often play Mother-may-I in our house. I ask each child an age appropriate question. If they answer correctly, I say that they may proceed (using of course baby steps, giant steps, scissors walk, frog leap, etc.).

Hop-on-It works with lots of educational objectives. I put cards on the floor with words on them. In one game I put out cards reading, “adjective”, “noun”, “verb”, and “adverb”. The I call out a word and my son has to jump on the correct word type. In another version, the cards read “2”, “3”, “4”, and “5”. Then I call out 16.  He must then jump on a card that is a multiple of this number.

For information that is linear, you can play Toss-It. For very young children the alphabet is a good example. I say “A” and then throw the bean bag to him. He says, “B” and then throws it back. When we’ve completed the alphabet we play again but he must start with “A”. We’ve used this to learn the books of the Old Testament (now I finally know them!), multiplication tables, and Spanish numbers.

ADHD Teaching Tip #5
Put Up Visual and Auditory Blinders

We have other children in our home; our own and others we occasionally care for. The distractions for my son are impossible for me to avoid and impossible for him to ignore. We put up a big tri-fold, cardboard stand-up in front of him and sort of around him. (These are often used for science fair projects and can be purchased at any teaching supplies store). This was a GREAT help. We also found that earphones piping in certain types of music also kept him focused. What works best for my son is “Promise Keepers” and Mozart.

ADHD Teaching Tip #6
Phind the Phun in Phonics! (And lots of other places)

Without question, the most useful and versatile game we have in our teaching repertoire is called “Roadblock”. It can be used for the most basic introduction of the alphabet to more advanced information such as naming human bones. I discovered it in a book called Games for Learning, by Peggy Kaye. This has been the core of our learning-to-read program. The basics of this sound so simple you won’t believe it can carry the results that it does.

You simply create a game board with 20 slots. Ours looks something like a roadway with a gas station near the start area and a little house along the way. If you’re just starting to expose your child to letters, you start by putting 10 or so letters in the spaces, repeating each letter somewhere in the “road” once. Now your child selects a little car (if you don’t have one they’re often 2/$1 at local stores) and gasses it up at the pump, invoking whatever “filling the tank” sounds they deem appropriate. When they’re ready, they start down the road by attempting to name the first letter. If correct, they progress. When they do get stuck, I put up a roadblock. (We have an actual little plastic roadblock that adds a nice touch but you can just as easily drop your hand down in karate-chop fashion after the difficult letter.) We go over the difficult letter several times and in several ways. Then they have to start over at the beginning. When they get to the difficult letter they take great delight in being able to “crash” through the roadblock. I only allow 3 roadblocks so if they don’t make it after that, we put it away until tomorrow. When they complete one game, I make a new roadblock and incorporate some of the letters that gave them trouble in the last game.

This game became so VERY popular in our house, I think partially because I took Peggy Kaye’s above game a step further. I made little plastic credit cards for each child. (White 3×5 card cut to shape of real credit card, sticker put in center, child’s name on top, clear tape on both sides.) After playing Roadblock they had to count up how many spaces they had traversed. Each space equals 1 cent on their card. Now they can take their “money” and spend it in our little Teacher’s Store. I set up a small shelf in my kitchen filled with doodads (mostly garage sale finds), some candy and a few items I knew they’d really work for. The store only opens once a day. You can’t believe what these children will do to shop in this store. If I forget to do the Roadblock game, the 4 year old will loudly object until my memory is seriously jogged.

There are many educational objectives accomplished in this set up. The younger children get experience in counting the squares afterwards. As they grow older, they can add the new points to the accumulated points left from before and then of course, they can subtract them as they spend them. They are also learning the important consumer spending lesson that if you want something “Big” you have to save for it.

This game can be used for any age. After letter names we went to letter sounds, then to simple 2-3 letter, phonetically pure words, and so on. My son’s last phonics-related Roadblocks contained the words psychologist, hydrochloric, dodecahedron, echolocation, cumulus, tintinnabulation and atrophy. It was somewhere at this point that I determined that he had a pretty good grasp of phonics. (P.S. This was in the 2nd grade.) So we continued to use the game format and we just shifted to identifying Latin roots, vocabulary definitions, human bones, etc. With my daughter we’ve just started using it for recognizing cursive letters.

ADHD Teaching Tip #7
Don’t Do Everything in Every Book

You don’t have to do every problem in every exercise in every book. STOP! Just because there are seventeen problems on long division in today’s lesson doesn’t mean every child needs exactly that amount to master the concept. Some can do with much less. It certainly feels better to us if absolutely every item has an answer next to it. But you need to constantly ask yourself, “What am I trying to achieve here?” If your child needs to practice this concept 17 times today, then fine. But if he mastered the concept 8 lessons ago, perhaps 5 will suffice as a daily review. We call this “ZIP” math. I go through his lesson and circle the problems he is to do for that lesson. For about 2/3 of the lesson, he does them all. But for about 1/3 of the lesson, I circle just a few in each section for review. I know which ones he’s mastered so I’m comfortable with a lessened review. And he thinks he’s being given a “break” because he doesn’t have to do them all.

ADHD Teaching Tip #8
Give Your Child a Checklist of the Day’s Assignments

Present your child with a checklist of the items to covered for that day.  The first time I did this it was really on a lark. But my son has consistently requested one ever since. One of the benefits for me is it forced accountability upon me. I couldn’t just sort of “wing it” through the day. From my son’s perspective, he likes to know what is coming. Somehow it keeps him on a much more even keel if there are no surprises. Also, of course, he achieves great satisfaction in checking off each assignment as it’s completed.

ADHD Teaching Tip #9
Watch Your Teaching Tempo

This one is very hard for me. My style is very animated and upbeat. While this is very engaging for many students, for an ADHD child it is often overly stimulating. I’ve learned over time to adjust my volume and intensity, sometimes to an almost drone-like quality. If you already have a more low-key teaching style and have found yourself wishing for more exuberance…wish no more. You have just the right gift for dealing with your child.

ADHD Teaching Tip #10
Forget what others think…SEE THE GIFT IN YOUR CHILD

You will undoubtedly come in contact with others who do not see your child as a “gift.”  I know that many other moms watch with horror as I calmly extract my child from the top of the refrigerator upon which he has climbed. They grow weary as he shares with me the 3 millionth thought which just flashed into his head. They even comment that they could never handle a child with the energy level of my son, while I harbor the belief that they also think I should just make him “straighten up!”

Others have responded that I seem to hold the reigns of discipline too tightly. I do indeed keep “a shorter leash” with this child, for I know that there is a line of excitement where, once crossed, he will act on any impulse immediately, without concern for consequences or dangers.   So to these parents of calm, compliant children, I do seem to respond too quickly to what appears to be a very minor infraction.  But I know what comes later, if things aren’t kept in check now.

So I have learned to smile politely when their well meaning comments are sometimes way off base.  I have learned that my child is special.   I really believe that my son is destined for something wonderful…something that would be impossible for those calmer, regular-energy level children.  I can think of several  occupations where boundless energy would be an incredible asset. I delight in the fast pace of his thought.   I am even jealous of his tireless enthusiasm for life and wonder what more I could accomplish if I were so blessed.  And I am most especially delighted that I am able to help him reign in and shape this gift of boundless energy.

If he were in a traditional school setting, he most certainly would have been labeled a “trouble-maker” and he most probably would have believed it himself.  I am so very thankful that his image of himself is of a creative, innovative, intelligent, can-do child. So, this is my story and these are my thoughts.  I hope that in some way they can benefit you and your child.

Used with special permission from Carol Barnier and www.westfieldacademy.org

Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are the four domains necessary for language acquisition. Each domain contributes to a different area of language development beginning at a child’s birth. Throughout his life, exposure to these domains varies from family to family and child to child. Some children have difficulty attaining language skills through one or more of the domains, thus contributing to a deficit in one or more subject area. One way to assist a child in language development is to provide learning experiences that are multi-sensory in nature. Multi-sensory means that more than one of the child’s five senses is actively engaged during the learning process. When this approach is taken, the information has a greater chance of being stored in the right side of the brain. The right side of the brain is the long-term memory storage side. What does this have to do with the Institute for Excellence in Writing methodology and children with special learning needs? The structure and style method of learning systematically and sequentially incorporates listening, speaking, reading and writing into each lesson. This effectively contributes to the power and success of teachers, parents, and special needs students across the globe.

The individual lessons within the Excellence in Writing methodology are inherently multi-sensory in their approach and are brimming with language development potential. Beginning with units one and two, children are read a short paragraph and are then asked to identify the key words within each sentence. Re-reading each sentence one at a time, the child is forced to stop and think about each and every word within the sentence, choose the key words, and write them on paper. What is happening during this process? The child is listening while the passage is read. He is reading one sentence at a time orally. He is hearing himself read aloud. He is thinking about the words that are read one at a time. He is choosing the key words and is writing them down in a sequential and structured manner. This is the ideal time to discuss vocabulary. Vocabulary development is often weak for children with language learning difficulties. Learning vocabulary in context has more impact on the brain’s ability to remember the definition. If the word is discussed within a story, the right side of the brain will store the word into the long term memory. It is then ready for retrieval while writing the outline and the eventual paragraph. The word will then be reinforced three times within one writing assignment: while discussing the content, while constructing the outline, and while writing the paragraph. This is very powerful. Once the paragraph is outlined, the child begins the telling back phase. He will tell the story back by looking at the outline and recreating sentences in his own words. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are all reinforced in this one lesson from the very beginning of this writing process.

Delving deeper into the learning process and analyzing each task, an even richer learning experience is discovered. When the child is asked to re-read each sentence and choose the key words, he is forced to think about the words he has read. What is the significance of this task? He must stop and think. There are two different reading comprehension difficulties for children. Some children read so quickly that the words zip through their brains and comprehension is lost. Others read so slowly and laboriously that comprehension is lost due to the focus on each and every sound and syllable. Given permission to stop and think, both children have only to focus on one sentence at a time. The quick reader must stop, ask his brain to think about the words he speedily read and then write them down in order. The struggling reader can relax after he has completed one sentence and take a deep breath. He is then free to take his time deciding what the key words are within the sentence. He can now write them down in the order they are given in the sentence. Both children improve reading comprehension skills. Over time, this task alone will engage the child’s brain while reading other materials. The brain begins to read from a key word perspective and while it reads, it thinks about the words, syntactically speaking, in the correct order. Deepening the learning experience, using more than one sense, and touching on all four language domains, the child’s overall learning potential is positively impacted.

A richer learning experience is also discovered during the creation of a structured outline. Creating an outline that is complete and comprehensive from top to bottom is a daunting task for most children. The Excellence in Writing methodology demystifies the process by allowing the child to write the key words in the order they are written in the original sentence, at least initially. Later the key word outline is taken from key ideas and key facts in the order in which they are found. In the process, the child is also developing an outline that is written in the correct order from left to right for the re-creation of sentences and ultimately a paragraph in his own words. Syntax, the formation of sentences by putting words in the correct grammatical order, can be difficult for many children for many reasons. This is especially true for children whose first language is not English, as well as for those children who have learning disabilities in the area of language. The key word outline idea addresses this much needed skill. By choosing the key words that will unlock the meaning of the sentence and writing them in order on the paper, the child has a better chance of creating a sentence that is syntactically correct. The key word outline is the cornerstone for all of the writing experiences throughout the structure and style methodology.

Following the completion of the outline, the important telling back phase begins. The telling back phase is especially vital for students who have difficulty with language because it is during this phase that listening, speaking, and reading, and writing all come together. It is also during the telling back phase that syntax is checked before the child even begins to write the sentence on paper. Listening to himself speak orally, the brain begins to process the words while the ear hears them. The child is then better able to put back into the verbal sentence the words necessary for a complete grammatical sentence. It is at this time that any needed intervention or verbal modeling can take place. The outline can also be changed at this time to better prepare the student for successful sentence construction. If the source text is taken from other academic curricula, the child will be internalizing the information and vocabulary necessary to remember the content. Utilizing all four language domains for proper language acquisition leads to a successful writing and learning experience. Strengthening and solidifying the skills necessary for the key word outline and the telling back phase, the child builds writing and grammar confidence.

The use of proper English grammar is also a much needed skill for the advancement of a child’s writing ability. Without writing, grammar and spelling may seem to serve no purpose. Writing, however, is the direct application of English grammar and spelling. A child with special learning needs will begin to recognize grammar rules and learn to use them effectively when they are presented within the context of “dressing-up” writing. By teaching grammar alongside writing, the child discovers the need for learning such things. One subject enhances the other. A child’s attitude may change regarding the study of grammar when he sees the need for it. In fact, some students have come to the conclusion that by learning to write, English grammar has become easier. This is true because the child is learning to write by immediately using grammar rules and then when they are encountered in the English book, the child emphatically states, “Hey, I know what an adjective is. I use it in my writing!” This realization can change attitudes and thereby move mountains in the learning process. The teacher, parent, and child immediately see the value in learning grammar when it is taught in conjunction with writing style.

The effectiveness of Excellence in Writing for special needs learners hinges on the effective use of the checklist. The checklist defines the stylistic techniques a parent or teacher may want to see in a child’s writing, but more importantly it defines them for the child. How many times does a parent or teacher attempt to coax a child into writing more detail by stating, “Honey, can you add a little more information here? Or can you describe this a little more there?” If the child could do that without guidance, he probably would have done it to begin with. The checklist gives the nebulous act of writing the structure and at the same time the style it needs to add the little details that enliven the final product. By learning and practicing one stylistic item at a time on the checklist, the student with learning challenges gains confidence in his ability to “sound better” and “feel smarter” while at the same time reinforces syntax and grammar.

The child who struggles with writing also appreciates the structural models and checklist because then he knows what the specific assignment is and he knows when he is finished. If he puts all of the items expected of him in his paragraph and structures the sentences, paragraphs, or composition as modeled, he feels a sense of accomplishment as he checks them off and completes the task in an orderly manner. He also knows that his parent or teacher will be satisfied with his attempt to finish his writing assignment as directed. A student who needs to see goals written down in order to remember them is thankful for such a checklist and structural model. He doesn’t need to rely solely on his memory. Some children have short-term memory problems and others have long-term memory problems. The models and checklist address both needs. He does not need to remember everything that was taught in the writing process along with everything that is expected of him for each assignment. The goals are well defined and expectations are clear. The brain is then free to think about the sentence being constructed instead of trying to remember and assimilate all of the instructions along with writing the sentences. The child feels less cluttered and more focused as he organizes his writing assignment and checks things off of his stylistic list.

The Institute for Excellence in Writing provides a comprehensive, multi-sensory approach to writing that incorporates listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Children with learning challenges are encouraged by the systematic method of introducing structure and style into their writing. Beginning with the key word outline, children are taught to think sequentially while building vocabulary and English grammar skills. Telling the story back from the outline, the child cements syntax, vocabulary, and content, thereby enriching his learning experience. The discovery of English grammar rules while writing reinforces the skills taught in the child’s grammar book. Rote grammar rules become concrete and immediately applicable and sometimes they are even taught within the context of writing before they are encountered in the grammar book making the discovery even more profound. Using the nine models provides the structure especially needed for children with learning disabilities without the added burden of remembering what is expected while he is learning to write. The checklist provides a comprehensive reminder of stylistic techniques to be checked off. Together the models and checklist help the child to create a writing assignment to be proud of. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are the keys to language development and the success of the Institute for Excellence in Writing methodology for children with special language learning needs.

Is homeschooling or public school better for a child with learning disabilities?   When a child is struggling in school, his parents know public education isn’t meeting their child’s needs.  When a child is homeschooled and struggling to learn, his parents wonder if they should enroll him in public school to get specialized help.  Parents often believe a public school teacher with training will enable their child to be more successful.

In one study, children who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder were studied in public school and homeschool settings.  Study results showed the “homeschool students were academically engaged about two times as often as public school students and experienced more reading and math gains.” ¹ The authors also state, “The low student-teacher ratio in homeschools, and not specialized training, enabled parents to create effective instructional environments.”¹ In other words, it is not teacher training that allows a child to be successful; it is engaged, one-on-one teaching that is the key to academic progress.

My child’s story is a prime example of how time spent in “academic engagement” and a low student-teacher ratio can mean substantial progress, and conversely—how a lack of these factors can mean little educational progress.

When my son was in public school, he went to a special education classroom 50 minutes per day for specialized reading instruction.  There were nine children in his resource class.  When the teacher’s time was divided between the students in his class, it equaled (at most) six minutes of one-on-one instruction per day (50 minutes ÷ 9 students = 5.55 minutes).  In five years of attending public school, my son didn’t achieve a first grade reading level even with “specialized instruction”.

Conversely, when we began homeschooling, we spent two hours per day working on reading skills.  I was homeschooling two children, which meant each of them received about one hour of individualized reading instruction per day. After two years of homeschooling, my son was reading at a tenth grade equivalent.  Instruction at home brought about meaningful education progress, even though I did not hold a degree in special education or any related field.  The key to our success was primarily the amount of time our son spent “academically engaged” in one-on-one instruction.

My son’s reading teacher in public school was a certified reading specialist with a Master’s Degree.  When we began homeschooling, I held a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and attended a two-week course to learn about teaching reading to children with dyslexia.  While my son’s teacher was better trained, her training alone was not sufficient for providing meaningful progress in reading.

In another study called “Defying the Stereotypes of Special Education: Home School Students,” ² Jacque Ensign conducted a 9-year study of 100 homeschooled students with learning disabilities and giftedness.  Ensign’s study showed the students with learning disabilities made more progress than students with similar classifications in public school.  Many studies show ‘typical’ homeschooled students outperform publicly schooled students—Ensign’s study shows the same applies to children with learning differences.  Ensign notes the key differences between the homeschool environment and the traditional classroom environment are “a focus on the whole child rather than primarily on the child’s disability; individualized attention; and care, patience, and respect for the child.”

The study surmises public schools focus on what a child can’t do, rather than on what he can do.  Public schools operate with a ‘disabled’ focus.  Parents tend to operate with an ‘enabled’ focus by concentrating on what a child can do and moving forward from there. If you homeschool your child, you are likely to focus on your whole child, on his abilities, not primarily on his area of disability.  You will give your child individualized attention when you are teaching him, and can use creative, hands-on ways for instructing your child.  You will not be required to proceed through instruction to meet an arbitrary schedule, as they do in public school, so you can let your child’s level of learning guide your teaching.  With any reasonable degree of patience, you will help your child make meaningful progress each day.

Take comfort in the study data, which shows homeschooling is very effective for students with learning disabilities, just as it is with almost any student.  One-on-one attention from you, with an added measure of faith, can help your child exceed all expectations.  Homeschooling is a great educational choice for children with learning differences.

References

¹Delquadri, J., Duval, S., & Ward,D., (2004). A preliminary  investigation of the effectiveness of homeschool instructional environments for students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. School Psychology Review, Volume 33, Number 1, 140-158

²Ensign, J., (2000). Defying the stereotypes of special education: Home school students.  Peabody Journal of Education. Volume 75, Number 1 & 2, 147-158.

Used with special permission by Sandy Cook and www.learningabledkids.com

Good Writing. What is it? Everyone has an opinion, but opinions differ widely. While one language arts curriculum infers that simply adding in more adjectives will “improve” sentences, other experts—quoting Mark Twain—suggest that adjectives and adverbs should be hunted down and killed. Although most people would agree that clear and to-the-point writing is best, few are able to balance the problem of how to teach conciseness while helping children develop more complete ideas and sophisticated expression. Over the past year, a few well known journalists and teachers have weighed in on the subject,¹ even going so far as to quote some popular teaching materials (ours among them), stressing the need for parents and teachers to help children write clearly and not be sucked into the dreadful habit of “overwriting.”

While journalists, English teachers, historians, technical writers, children’s book authors, poets, parents, and college students all have a right to their idea of what makes “good” writing, they must avoid making assumptions about the best way to develop linguistic ability in children based on the skills required for their own vocation. It is erroneous to assume that elementary age children should receive the same sort of writing instruction as high school essayists or university journalism students. Children differ not only in what they need to learn, but in how they best learn it. Therefore, how writing is taught must be adjusted to the developmental level of the child and the appropriate goals for each stage.

According to one interpretation of the “classical” model, children pass through three preparatory stages (the “trivium”) before embarking upon more advanced study (the “quadrivium”). These stages are often referred to as Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. Whole books have been written to define these words, but for now a brief description is appropriate.

Grammar: A time when the child is primarily concerned with collecting facts—the grammar of life—about a wide range of subjects. Theory and reasons are not as necessary as the facts themselves. This is a corollary to Montessori’s “absorbent mind” period—a time when memorization, repetition, and recitation are of huge educational importance. Although all children are different, this is the primary stage of children six to ten years old.

Logic: A time when children feel compelled to test the facts they have learned. They love to argue, debate, challenge, validate, or repudiate the reality they’ve been given. Reasons, causes, theories, and relationships are of greater interest during this stage, which is typical of pre-teens and adolescents.

Rhetoric: After facts have been learned and tested, they can be used. This is a time when creativity, artistry, and ingenuity can be stressed in all areas. Original thinking is the result of the combination and permutation of previously learned facts and relationships. Analytical thinking is possible because of its foundation of grammar and logic.

For a detailed discussion of these stages and how to teach to them more effectively, study Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning by Doug Wilson.² Glen Doman,³ as a result of his work with brain-injured children (many of whom are stuck in the first stage for a long time), concisely stated the essence of grammar-ness: If you teach a child the Facts, he will intuit the Laws, but if you teach a child the Laws, he cannot intuit the Facts. This explains in great part the failure of newer elementary math curricula with their emphasis on understanding operations rather than mastery of the facts themselves. Dr. Arthur Robinson recently noted that even the GRE exam primarily tests speed and accuracy in arithmetic and mastery of vocabulary—the two foundations upon which all learning rests.⁴

What we must do, applying these truths to teaching writing, is to focus on building linguistic aptitude during the grammar stage and refining it during the logic stage so it can be useful during the rhetoric stage. What the writing experts have suggested, it seems, is that we should give rhetoric-level instruction to grammar-level students; but what master teachers know is that this would be folly.

The work of a child is to play—not “play” in the frivolous sense—but to collect, manipulate, practice, and experiment with the stuff of life. Most often, their play is based on imitation. The Montessori approach capitalizes on this innate need magnificently. First, the lesson is modeled, usually silently and very precisely, for the child, who is then invited to try it—as often as they wish. If the lesson is not understood, the teacher simply presents it again, usually silently, as often as needed. Direct correction is minimal or non-existent. The child “plays” (experiments, practices) with the lesson until mastered. Play is the natural inclination of a healthy child and a highly effective learning and teaching tool.

Dorothy Sayers notes in her landmark essay, The Lost Tools of Learning, that even a carpenter will “play” with a new tool to get a sense of it before putting it to serious use.⁵ Therefore, if older students are lacking factual information and logical connections in any given area, they must first acquire that knowledge and practice using it before being expected to put it to creative use. One cannot successfully bypass the Grammar and Logic stage.

How does this relate to teaching English composition? Well, first we must set the linguistic foundation of the young child by saturating him with language through constant high-quality auditory input and large amounts of language memorization.⁶ Additionally, we must provide for the presentation of the facts, along with the opportunity to practice using them. In writing, the “grammar” or facts include vocabulary, usage, sentence patterns, organizational tools (paragraph, story, report, essay), decorations and special devices. These can be presented gradually or rapidly, according to the maturity of the student, but immediate mastery should be expected of no one.

The student must then “play with” these facts. In using adjectives, adverbs, strong verbs, clauses, prepositions, participles, very short sentences, and the like, the student gains a sense of confidence and gradually a sense of appropriateness in their usage. As in a Montessori classroom, re-presentation should be maximized; direct correction should be minimized. Certainly, we must gently lead the student toward better usage, but not at the expense of developing confidence and enthusiasm for trying new words. If teachers and coaches—in the name of following someone’s idea of what “good” writing is—begin to try to cut and prune the student’s language too early during the Grammar stage, they will find that their student’s linguistic ability becomes far less than it might have been had they postponed such advanced criticism. Later, during the Logic stage, and certainly during the Rhetoric stage, technique and artistry can be taught more successfully when built on a solid Grammar stage foundation.

Additionally we must consider the reluctant writer who has struggled all along. If he tries to stretch his vocabulary and usage but is then made to feel that his word experiments have failed to produce “good” writing, future attempts to use adjectives and adverbs, or anything at all “risky” will now be much less likely to occur. His interest in words will dwindle, he will “play it safe” in order to avoid being “wrong.” Aptitude will shrivel.

Let us encourage children to experiment and play with words, remembering that what they do and how they learn is vastly more important than what they produce. Children who are free to play with words will fall in love with words; time, maturity, and life will help them balance creativity, eloquence, and conciseness. It is okay, in fact good, for children to be bold with words—even to an extreme. We don’t know what they will be called to do in life. One may become a technical writer or a playwright while another may become a novelist or journalist. Our job is not to decide what is “good” or “right” and chisel too early, but to feed, nurture, encourage and build up the child with the “stuff” of language and the joy of using it. Our work is to help form the linguistic marble from which they will create their profession or vocation; and others will help carve it away. For a sculptor, more marble is better than less.

It is okay—even beneficial—for children to exaggerate with words. This is how hey build their linguistic foundations. Children’s book authors know this well.  Take, for example, Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. This book has a five-star rating everywhere it is sold and ranks in sales as number 439 on Amazon.com!⁷ Few journalists could stomach even the title, but for children it’s a classic. Why? It builds their linguistic marble. They need the repetition, the categorization, the play of the words in that book. And besides, if everyone believed and followed the writing advice of journalism professors and writing experts, Dr. Seuss wouldn’t exist, and Judith Viorst could never have written about Alexander’s day in such an engaging way.

During the Grammar stage, what goes into the child’s brain is much more significant than what comes out. Children’s experience while learning is infinitely more important than what they can produce. Certainly output is part of experience, and much is learned by producing a product. However, we must remember to place the value on the process—not the product. This is hard, as we live in a very product-based, materialistic society, which always looks for results, proof, evidence, and profit—often at the wrong time and in the wrong place.

But keep all of this in perspective. Certainly we do agree with Twain, Barzun, Zinsser, and Olasky; good writing is simple, free of clutter, clear and specific. We must agree with Lewis, Hemingway, and Marks; it is important to avoid overwriting and to concentrate on ideas and information. However, to practice the discipline of writing as an adult at the post-Rhetoric level and to teach writing to children at the Grammar and Logic levels are very different activities. Let us understand who we are teaching, and not become confused.

_______________________

1. Marvin Olasky. “The Write Stuff.” World Magazine May 10, 2003: page 60.
Dave Marks. “Creative Writing.” Practical Homeschooling May/June 2003: page 28.

2. Good News Publications (April 1991)

3. Institutes for Achievement of Human Potential, Philadelphia, PA (www.iahp.org)

4. “How to Raise a Thinker.” Practical Homeschooling Sept./Oct. 2003: page 19.

5. Currently available at: http://vertiasacademy.com.losttools.htm

6. Andrew Pudewa, “One Myth and Two Truths.” http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/articles

7. As of January 26, 2004.

© 2008 Institute for Excellence in Writing

The above article is available at www.excellenceinwriting.com/articles for your personal use or for distribution. Permission given to duplicate complete & unaltered.

Like in times past, our country is at a crossroads. We can continue heading in the same direction, we can choose new roads, or we can try to backpedal. If we, the kids of America, do not voice our opinion, that road will be chosen for us. That is why it is imperative that we make our feelings known. Three things are needed to make this happen. We need to become interested in politics, learn more about our history and government, and join together with other kids to make a difference. The road which we choose at this time will affect our future.

Why should kids care about politics? For one thing, it is incredibly interesting. It directly affects every aspect of our lives. Legislation that is passed creates laws we must follow and taxes collected will impact how much money we have to spend. So maybe the question should be: why shouldn’t kids care about politics?

Political interest for me began during the 2008 elections. The presidential debates turned out to be more fascinating than I thought. Listening to both sides and trying to understand their viewpoints really helped shape my conservative beliefs. Later when I found out that the children of America were already millions of dollars in debt, I was shocked, dismayed, and even angered. I wanted to shout, “That’s not fair. You can’t do that!” But since this didn’t usually work with my mom, I decided it probably wouldn’t work with the government. The 2008 election results taught me that I needed to care about politics.

As future voters, we need to learn more about our history and government. How can we become involved in something when we don’t know anything about it? Families should learn together, because strengthening families will strengthen America. Reading books together and researching online can be a start. Parents can relate exciting tales of the American Revolution while at the same time integrating the story of our Constitution and branches of government. There is so much richness in the way our government was set up. Gaining more knowledge about it should be not only interesting, but enjoyable.

In my study of the founding of America, I have come to appreciate the importance of the people speaking out for their liberty. If I was upset about the debt put upon me, would other kids know and feel the same way? What could I do to make a difference? Adults write letters, send emails and make calls to elected officials and we should too. This was when the first idea of a kid’s letter campaign came to my mind. Thomas Jefferson once said, “When the people fear their government, there is tyranny, but when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”

We need to join together with other kids to make a difference. One person alone, child or adult, is not sufficient to change America, but there is strength in numbers. If we will band together as Conservative Youth to bring about reform in our nation, we can make a huge difference.

How can we band together? I have created a website to help us. It is called Conservative Youth: We Have a Voice: www.kidzhaveavoice.com On the site kids can find information on a letter campaign, hot issues that need to be addressed, and other great information. You can also learn about Conservative Youth clubs that you can start in your city or town. It’s a great way to align yourself with like-minded kids and make a difference.

American Youth, this is a wake-up call. We should no longer leave politics to our parents. If all the conservative kids rose up with adults, our numbers would at least double. Let us imitate the Founding Fathers in their unity of purpose and action. “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortune, and our Sacred Honor.” (Declaration of Independence).

She tested just fine. “Nothing wrong with this little girl’s hearing,” the doctor said. But she suspected something developmentally wrong. Chelsea didn’t crawl on time, didn’t walk on time and didn’t talk on time—at least, according to most social standards of “time.”  At four years she still made strange vocalizations and used hand gestures to get what she wanted. Her vocabulary was almost non-existent. So, further testing was called for. Chelsea was shown a series of pictures that contained subtle differences. For example, in four separate images a man was pictured camping in the woods; in one such image the man held his axe over a chopping block, in another he sat by the tent and the axe laid on the ground next to him, in the third the man sat by a chopping-stump where the ax was embedded, and the fourth was some additional variation thereof. The doctor then asked Chelsea a series of questions to determine her ability to discern differences.  Chelsea looked a question at mom and dad in response to each of the doctor’s statements.

“Show me the picture where the man is sitting beside his axe.” Chelsea heard “picture,” “man” and “axe.” Well, all four images contained those things. In advance of the exercise the doctor had ensured that Chelsea knew which item was a man, which was a tent, which was an axe, which was a tree, and so forth. She knew what her eyes gathered, but she didn’t know that the portion of her brain responsible for processing auditory information was malfunctioning. Chelsea was diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder.

At first we were devastated. Oh God, why our little girl? Will she always be different?  What will this label mean in her life? What can we do for her? Well, in searching we found a computer-based program called “Fast ForWord®.” This program was developed by two auditory specialists using a computer game environment to captivate the child’s attention, along with a series of auditory techniques to break down sounds into individual phonemes so the brain is trained how to “hear” and how to make sound/letter correlations. Students wear a headset so that all external auditory stimulation is controlled and to focus their phonemic and phonological awareness. Chelsea used this program for about one year from age six to seven. In that time frame she learned to read and her communication skills were dramatically enhanced.

Beginning with kindergarten, Chelsea attended a private Montessori school. We believed she would benefit from a multi-sensory, experiential, “hands-on” approach to learning.  And she did! Fourth and fifth grade she attended a private Christian school. Sixth grade was the “show stopper.” This is when conceptual learning really kicks in.  Chelsea could get by with the foundational stuff, but with concepts like the water cycle, photosynthesis, and literary analysis, Chelsea was lost. Her learning had always followed a sort of step-function format. You couldn’t track Chelsea on a “learning curve.” She either got it or she didn’t (apparently) until suddenly, one day, with seemingly miraculous speed she would tell you exactly what you wanted to know. Not good for test taking.  She might know the information, but she couldn’t recall it upon demand. Then, at a later date, out of the blue she could suddenly tell you all about rain clouds—just when you thought she wasn’t getting the concept. We held several meetings with her sixth grade teachers and the school principal. All nice people, but they didn’t know what to do with Chelsea’s differences. Also, we sensed that Chelsea was being teased by her peers. It was time for us to homeschool.

Mom has been her primary teacher beginning with mid-term sixth grade. Chelsea is taking her high school exit exams right now—for the third time. She’ll get it. We have no doubt.  She will do it—in her time. Chelsea still has retrieval problems, but we know how to test her, how to challenge her and how to love her. The Christian school principal warned, “What about socialization? If you take her home, you will isolate her.” Well, we have a wonderful daughter who has escaped all of the torture of the high school socialization process. Have you ever been in a high school girls’ locker room? Chelsea has taken tennis, pottery, dance, and she will soon earn her black-belt in Tae Kwon Do. We have come to find that sight/sound learning in combination with movement is particularly beneficial for Chelsea. The routine kata movements of Tae Kwon Do and the tactile memory of those movements have greatly enhanced her ability to process, retain, and recall information. Reading aloud as a family has also been extremely beneficial—in more ways than one…

®Fast ForWord is a registered trademark of Scientific Learning Corporation, Oakland, CA.

Chickens are unique animals. They not only lay eggs but have an unexpected fun side to them. You can actually play with them. Putting the chickens on the trampoline is fun to watch because they bounce and fly around. Aggressively the rooster will attack the dog but the dog thinks it’s a game so he will playfully strike back. This game, which the rooster and dog play, can go on for several minutes. When baptizing the chickens we use a sunflower that is as strong as a small tree and hang the flower over the chickens head and say, “You are now baptized.” Watching these chicken games, we see that they are fun and curious animals to play with.

Chickens are very fine animals because they produce fresh eggs and their droppings can be used to fertilize soil. Using the manure from the chicken coop, which is rich in minerals, helps the garden consistently grow tasty plants. In the winter we collect fewer eggs than in the spring, summer, and fall. Usually each chicken lays one egg a day when it is warm enough. When it is cold outside each chicken lays eggs less often. Chickens are very extraordinary animals.

Robert J. Oppenheimer was a genius who had accomplished many great things. Teaching at California Tech, he had an amazing job and intellect. After he left teaching, he helped create the first atom bomb.  He witnessed its detonation.   Because of Oppenheimer’s intelligence, President Roosevelt proudly appointed him director of the Manhattan Project. He accomplished many great things.

Robert J. Oppenheimer was one of the most amazing scientists and teachers of his time. Teaching a physics at California Tech, Oppenheimer was able to easily share his knowledge with young students.  Across America, he was known as one of the greatest authorities in physics. While it was a gamble for Oppenheimer to teach at California Tech because he could have taught at Harvard, he enjoyed it immensely. He had an amazing intellect. He befriended his students. Oppenheimer enjoyed teaching.

Oppenheimer was one of the very few men to witness the first explosion of an atomic bomb. Luckily, German scientists brought news to America that the Nazis had split the atom, which releases amazing amounts of atomic energy. Hitler threatened to make bombs. Because of Hitler’s threats, President Roosevelt put together the Manhattan Project. While on July 16, 1945, the first atomic explosion happened, two atomic bombs were unfortunately dropped on Japan, ending World War II.  Oppenheimer was in charge of constructing the world’s first atom bomb.

Oppenheimer was involved in the Manhattan Project, which was one of the most top-secret government projects in America. Being the director of the project put huge responsibility on Oppenheimer. He had to create an atom bomb before Germany did. He had to effectively persuade many other scientists to help him.   After much hard work, they made three. When Germany heard about this they surrendered, retreating quickly like bullies always do. The Manhattan project was finished.

Oppenheimer was an extraordinary person. He had a good teaching job, which he enjoyed. Directing the Manhattan Project, he created the first atom bomb. There was much responsibility for him because he was the director of the Manhattan Project. Because the devastation that the atomic bomb unfortunately caused, he became against the creation of any stronger ones. Throughout his life, Oppenheimer has done many amazing things.

The bomb was ingenious, but it was too destructive.

Bibliography

“J. Robert Oppenheimer” Oct.2007.Mar.2009 www.thocp.net/biographies/oppenheimer_robert.htm

Larsen, Rebecca. Oppenheimer and the atomic bomb. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc.

“Oppenheimer, J. Robert.” North American Biographies.

3 months earlier

I must say, I hate gloomy weather. It’s so . . . oppressive. Or maybe repressive is the word I’m looking for. Whatever.

I jam my hands into my pockets and trudge through the snow to the coffee house down the block. I’m meeting my “friend” Adam for reasons I can’t fathom. I mean, he likes to say that we’re friends, but we’re not. I don’t have any friends. Whenever I think of someone as a friend I form hopes and expectations and I start to care about what they think of me, which always leads to dashed hopes, failed expectations, and hurt feelings. In other words, friendship is vastly overrated and not worth the effort.

Unfortunately, though, I have a hard time convincing Adam of this. In fact, I have a hard time convincing Adam of anything. No matter what I say, he is determined to view the world as a happy place filled with love and warmth. How delusional.

I reach the coffee house and pause outside the door. I’m seriously considering turning right back around and going home. It doesn’t make sense for me to be here, because I don’t like Adam. I can’t even respect him – he’s too optimistic for that. Optimistic and delusional.

So why am I here?

After vacillating for a few minutes, the cold forces me inside. Adam must have been watching the door, because as soon as I enter he stands and calls me over to a table in the middle of the room. I take off my coat and slump into a chair across from him.

He smiles and passes me a cup of coffee. “I was starting to wonder if you were going to show up.”

I shrug. “So was I.”

He laughs once, then stops. “Wait. Are you serious?”

I just look at him.

“Yeah,” he agrees. “That was a stupid question. You’re always serious.”

And cynical and pessimistic and disillusioned . . .

“So why did you come today?” he asks, curious. “I mean, you’ve made it clear that you don’t like me.”

“Well,” I return, “why did you invite me when you know I don’t like you?”

Adam smiles slightly and looks down at his hands. “Because, against all reason, I like you.”

I frown. “Why?”

He looks up, startled. “There has to be a reason?”

“Yes.”

He blinks. “Well, I like you because you are honest and blunt and, well, your pessimism amuses me.”

I narrow my eyes. “Everything amuses you.”

“And nothing amuses you.”

I shrug and stare out a window, but after seeing my reflection, I gaze down at the floor instead.

“You know what I think?” Adam says, leaning forward. “I think you do like me – that’s why you always agree to meet me. You can’t help yourself and that bothers you.”

I glare at him, annoyed. “What are you, a shrink? Shut up and drink your cocoa.”

He smiles and shakes his head. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

I grit my teeth and concentrate on not hitting him, though it would be immensely satisfying to do so.

“What are you thinking?” he asks softly.

I shake my head and concentrate harder. Then, without warning, Adam leans across the table and kisses my cheek.

I stare at him in shock. “What did you do that for?”

He laughs. “Why does anyone ever kiss anyone else?”

I don’t respond – there’s no need to. He holds my gaze and I see in his eyes a question, a choice. Can I let go? Can I stop being so hard and unfeeling and actually allow myself to be friends with him? Or more than friends if it comes to that? Am I willing to open up?

I bite my lip and lower my gaze. “I’m sorry Adam.”

Present Day

That was the last time I saw Adam. I’ve missed him every day since. Not that I’ve admitted that until now. And since I’m being so honest, I might as well come clean about everything. I was lying when I said I couldn’t respect Adam because of his optimism. It was his optimism that made me want to keep meeting him. The fact that he could see all the darkness in the world and still believe in love and happiness intrigued me as much as it irked me. He is the closest I’ve ever come to having a real friend, which, of course, is why I stopped seeing him.

I am such a stupid, stupid fool. But I’m not supposed to say that, am I? I’m supposed to forgive myself for being so stubborn and hard. But how do I do that? I guess I can start by not beating myself up over it anymore and just letting go.

I take a deep breath and exhale slowly, expelling all my anger and regret and remorse with the carbon dioxide. Almost immediately, I feel a huge weight rise off my chest, which surprises me because I didn’t expect to feel so relieved. And yet I feel more than relieved, I feel . . . almost happy. Almost.

Feeling much more cheery than usual, I walk outside and head down the block to the coffee house. In my opinion, there’s no better way to prove that I’ve completely forgiven myself than to return to the scene of the crime without feeling guilty.

I walk on the sunny side of the road.

The coffee house is half empty when I enter. Before I order my drink I do a quick scan around the room to see if I recognize anyone and whether or not I want to avoid them. I’m about halfway through my survey when someone on the opposite side of the room calls my name.

“April?”

I whirl around. “Adam!”

He crosses over to me, his expression joyous, surprised, and a little apprehensive. He stops a few feet away.

“How are you?” I ask, shy for the first time in my life.

“Uh, I’m good. You?” he says awkwardly.

I smile. “Better.”

He cocks his head to the side, not understanding the meaning behind my response.

“Do you remember the last time we met?” I ask.

“Yes,” he answers slowly, clearly mystified.

I hesitate before continuing. “Well, I’m . . . different from how I was before. I’m not afraid now.”

“Afraid of what?”

He is not going to make this easy for me. “Afraid of . . . well, you know.”

He continues to look perplexed. Whether his confusion is mock or genuine, I’m not sure.

A flicker of irritation shoots through me – I was really hoping to avoid this, but it doesn’t look like I can. Words aren’t working.

Hardly suppressing a sigh, I stretch up on my toes and kiss his cheek.

He blinks and stares at me in surprise. “Oh.”

Apparently, he didn’t know what I was getting at.

I raise an eyebrow and say “Is that all you’ve got?” in an attempt to hide my embarrassment.

Adam looks flustered and begins to stutter a reply. “Uh, no. I just – um, well . . . uh ”

I hold up a finger. “Not to sound cliché, but can we just forget all of this and start over?”

He exhales. “Yes. That would be good.” A short pause. “So, do you want to . . .” He motions to an empty table.

“Sure, but first I’m buying an espresso.”

He grins. “Still a caffeine addict?”

I shrug. “I guess I’m not that different.”

His smile softens. “I’m glad.”

“Okay, Mom, but why me and not the girls?”

“Because Sunny said the other girls do not like adventures. She was going to have Flopsy show her around until she heard about you and Mr. McGregor’s garden. You know never to go in there again, right?”

“Mom, please, I think you can trust me. I had a good fright the last time, and, boy, does word travel fast!”

“Okay, just make sure you’re home before dinnertime.”

Peter cleaned himself up and was ready for Sunny’s arrival.  Knock!  Knock! Sunny was finally here.

“I’ll get it!” yelled Cottontail. “Hi, Sunny!”

“Hi, Cottontail! Is Peter home?”

“Yeah. Peter! Sunny’s here!”

“I’m coming!” yelled Peter.

Sunny led the way out the door and past Peter’s house until it was out of their sight.  “Okay. We’re clear. Now, show me Mr. McGregor’s garden!”

“What?! Oh, no, I’m not going back in there. No way. No how! I promised my mother.”

“Oh, I think I found it!” Sunny said as she was searching her surroundings. “Is that it?” said Sunny, pointing at the garden.

“You’re not going in there, are you?” Peter asked nervously.

“Sure, I am! Come on, Peter!  It’ll be fun!  I won’t get you in trouble. I’ll simply say that I wanted to go in, and you were just trying to stop me.”

“I don’t know.”

“Oh, come on!  You’re a scardy mouse,” teased Sunny as she shuffled under the fence into Mr. McGregor’s garden.

“All right… I’ll go in. I made it out safely the first time, and my mom won’t suspect a thing.  If we are home in time for dinner.”

“Okay then, let’s go!” yelled Sunny.

Peter shuffled under the fence leaving his clothes outside so he would not lose another pair. As they stepped in the garden, Sunny’s eyes opened wide. She had never seen anything so beautiful! Peter was watching Sunny, studying her every move so he could stop her in case she tried to do something stupid. Sure enough, Mr. McGregor was weeding and he noticed them both. Sunny was chowing down on the vegetables, not realizing that they were in danger.

“Come on, Sunny, we’ve got to get out of here!” warned Peter as Mr. McGregor was approaching.

“Why?” asked Sunny, whose cheeks were filled with food. “Everything is fine.”

“Sunny! Look!” Sunny turned around, but it was too late. Mr. McGregor had already captured them!

“Well, what do we have here? I’ll bet you two think that I’m going to give you to my wife, and that she will put you in a pie, correct? Well, I’m not. That woman’s cooking is terrible, especially her rabbit pie.”

Peter and Sunny let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m going to shave you!”

Peter and Sunny took back their relief as they headed for the barn. Thrash! Eek! Cut! Tear! Before they knew it they were furless! When Mr. McGregor put them down for a view of his art work, they immediately darted out of the garden and slid under the fence (it was easier now that their fur was gone). Peter put on his clothes, hoping that no one would notice his bare skin. Then they calmly walked back to Peter’s house. The moment they entered everyone was laughing and pointing at them. Peter’s mom was very ashamed for she knew exactly where they had been.

“I have only one thing to say, and that is that I am very disappointed in you two. You disobeyed me and now you must suffer your punishment!” The two bunnies knew right away that the punishment was the embarrassment they had to face until their fur grew back.

“Well, at least we’re back,” Sunny reassured Peter.

“Yeah, back from the garden of …DEATH!”