Ds#4 has been having a tough time the last few weeks since we started school. He's been getting in TONS of trouble. He's doing early 2nd grade math and reading on a 3rd grade level. He learned all that from bouncing around the house while I did school with the rest of the kids. Now it's time for him to buckle down and sit and do some "seat work". He has about an hour of "real school" to do -- and he can't do it. He has been bouncing off the walls and I've been dishing out the consequences. ....but...I see in his eyes that he's mystified that he got in trouble again. It's not that he doesn't know the rules -- it's that he's genuinely trying to follow them. In talking to Dave and a friend who was a Montessori teacher before she started homeschooling (she's probably still a Montessori teacher, just in her home) they suggested I try some of the things I used with Dd#2 when we brought her home to school.
So, this morning, I pulled out Dd#2's first grade lesson plans that I wrote with her in mind. Do one 15 minute sitting activity without getting in trouble and you get to pull a piece of paper from a jar that has various physical activities written on them to do for 5 minutes. He did GREAT! This evening I bought and started listening to my friend's suggestion from IEW -- seriously good stuff at just the right time!
My friend told me about the audio called "Teaching Boys and Other Children Who Would Rather Make Forts All Day" that can be downloaded to your computer from the IEW website for $3 at www.excellenceinwriting.com .
The title of the book is "Why Gender Matters" by Leonard Sax. I'll let you know what I think when I'm done with it.
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Great advice & great link. I'll have to download that :) Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi! I have been reading your posts for about a month or so. We also homeschool and I have a son just like yous. He consentrates better at the table if he has a little toy car or batman in his hand. It helps him stay still longer. I would also suggest reading The Way They Learn. It really hlped me see things through his eyes. We all consentrate and learn differently. Its pretty amazing! Hope that helps! Well, maybe you can stop by my blog sometime!
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