Well, Back to School !

For many students this is an exciting time.
Time to get new supplies, clothes, etc. and head back to meet up with friends scattered since the summer holiday.
Some students are even eager to get back to learning!

For others, however, it isn't such a great thought.  They aren't looking forward to time in classrooms, teachers' expectations, and ........."work."

For them and for parents (equally inclined), I suggest trying to turn thought patterns into something more positive.  Don't think of it as "work" but more of an opportunity - a chance to expand your knowledge and your understanding not just of history, geography, math, English, etc., but of the whole network of knowledge and how it connects you to the world.
The more you know - the more you can know, and the more opportunities will open up for you time after time.
Turn your thoughts to the idea that school is for you - a tool you use to help yourself.
Once you are in more control, the challenges are acceptable, and you may look forward to proving yourself up to the task.

Being engaged is more than half the battle!

So give it a try.   Turn negative thoughts into positive ones, "work" into challenges, "tests" into games to be conquered.

You can do it !

Fantasy books for Teens

Click on the link below for a list of some fantasy books that might keep your teen reading.  Many of these kinds of stories are in series form which will encourage them to keep reading as well. 

Fantasy | Booklists for Teens | Books & Authors | AdLit.org

Back-to-School Tips for Parents of Children with Special Needs | Reading Topics A-Z | Reading Rockets

There are some excellent tips here - particularly keeping up with your child's IEP.

Also, I'm a big fan of setting a schedule (not only for children/adults with learning challenges) because this ensures a consistent approach to learning.

Above all - stay POSITIVE !!  Learning is not intended to be torture or a punishment. 

Back-to-School Tips for Parents of Children with Special Needs | Reading Topics A-Z | Reading Rockets

Summer schedule

Well, we have just about everybody sorted for the summer schedule ! The first week went very well, with lots of bright-eyed students eager to learn. Of course, it takes a little adjustment to be here in the morning for those that switched to morning hours, but they seemed to handle it quite well.

I always think that if the expectation is they will handle it well - they do!

-Perhaps surprising even to themselves.

A lot of behaviour is somewhat dictated by others' expectations.

(Student: "If I eat this piece of candy, I will be bouncing off the walls." My response, "We won't do candy next time. It isn't essential." Suddenly, there is no bouncing off the walls!)

I hope everyone is enjoying the heat - HOT HOT HOT !!

Visitors to the back yard!

Just a few visitors to our back yard recently. We've had skunks, opossum, raccoons, cats, squirrels, and now a rabbit. A few more creatures, and I think we'll be able to charge admission!

Motorcycles & Sweetgrass

Just finished reading "Motorcycles & Sweetgrass" by Drew Hayden Taylor.

It is really a fun book that has a modern take on some native myths, especially the trickster character - Nanabush.

The conversation between Jesus and Nanabush is hilarious.

The novel was a finalist for the Governor General's award.  
It is relatively safe reading for older children, too. 

Math Facts Game !

Here is a fun game to help build addition/subtraction, multiplication, and/or division facts.  The free version works fine and covers all the basic facts.
What is exceptional is that the game builds on the player's current skills and reviews weaker areas to help him/her become stronger!

Despite the ubiquitous calculator, one is always better off having some basic math facts in the best computer of all - the BRAIN!

http://www.bigbrainz.com/indexs.php