Help Your Child Make Connections to Improve Learning

Last fall I posted a series of articles about the brain and how it collects and stores information. Today I'd like to revisit a concept that I first posted as Wired to Learn. The learning process involves the addition of new information to what is already known. Each day of our lives, our brain is continually reorganizing, adapting, and restructuring itself to expands its ability to connect information and thereby retain it for future retrieval.

You could envision a child's brain as a large wall, and each concept to which he has been exposed can be represented by a hook on that wall. As further information is added, it is hung on a corresponding hook, and often connected to several hooks on the wall. The more information hung on each hook, the more complex the child's understanding of that concept becomes. These "hooks" could be referred to as schema, defined as an underlying structure, or conceptual framework. When we organize our educational efforts to work in conjunction with our children's existing schema, we can expand their ability to retain the information ... and to learn effectively.

Another way to 'picture' this concept is to consider how a color printer works. The printer requires cartridges of black, yellow, blue, and red ink (yes, the official color names are different, but let's keep it simple). When you tell the printer to produce a color picture, it will use a combination of these four ink colors, and produce a much more intricate picture than if you were to print it in black and white or grayscale settings. Our brains do the same thing with information - the initial concept gives us a black and white framework, and additional related information adds the color variations to create a beautiful picture that excites our senses. You can add "color" to your child's learning process by following some basic steps as you teach.

1. Make connections to things your child already knows. When teaching history, expand your child's connections to the information by utilizing maps and timelines to help your child "see" where and when the events happened or the person lived. If they are already familiar with the time period or another historical person, show them how the new information fits with what they already know. For example, if your child has already been introduced to George Washington, he can connect Thomas Jefferson to several points of reference - both lived in Virginia, both had plantations, both were political leaders and U.S. Presidents, etc. And Justin Morgan developed his Morgan horse breed during their lifetimes - I wonder whether Washington and Jefferson had Morgan horses on their plantations?
2. Use analogies. An analogy is a comparison between two things that are otherwise dissimilar. Enlist your child's help in developing analogies by selecting symbols for different events in time or historical figures. You may want to color code entries on your timeline (see my last blog post), or use symbols to indicate parts of speech that words hold in a sentence. There are a variety of ways you can connect information by attaching symbols or analogy comparisons, and link that information in your child's brain.
3. Provide content with unifying themes. This is already done for you when using Sonlight Curriculum. Sonlight's Core programs are organized around 3 themes - World Cultures, World History and American History. These themes are reviewed 3 times in the span between Kindergarten and High School studies, beginning with introduction of information (setting the hooks on the wall, or creating the black and white framework) and then adding greater detail and complexity to the information as they visit the themes again.

When you are selecting educational materials, look for programs that are designed to help your child build organized schema. If you are creating your own materials, keep in mind how you can add to information your child already knows. By doing so, you will help him build long-term memory with a lot of interconnected information, and your teaching will be more effective.

Kelly

The Timeline Tool



A Sample of My Book of Time

Have you ever wondered why we should use a timeline? If you are a Sonlight user, you have timeline figures in your program - at least for Cores A through H - and a Book of Time that is a required resource. But you may have asked yourself (or others) why we need it.

Think back to your years in school. If you are like me, you studied history primarily from textbooks which may have bounced around in time periods. I don't recall having history texts that covered the whole world chronologically, so we may have studied one area's history and then moved to another continental area, but we did not necessarily connect the people we read about in order to be able to identify which were contemporaries. It wasn't until I was using Sonlight Curriculum that I discovered that Archimedes was studying mathmatical equations at the same time that Hannibal was crossing the Alps with his elephants, and the Chinese were building the Great Wall to keep out invaders. I don't think I would have even connected these facts if it were not for the timeline that we kept as we studied different people in history.

You see, putting events, places, and people on our timeline, enables us to "see" what was happening at the same time, even if our books don't point this out in the narrative. As you add timeline figures, the whole world converges in one place and you are able to make connections - actually form additional brain synapses that tie information gleaned on separate occasions together and hang it on a hook. That hook will actually aid your retention of the information. So pull out that Book of Time that you may have ignored until now and set aside some time to assemble your timeline.

As you do, let me share an idea that a friend of mine gave me years ago. When you place the timeline figures on the pages in the A.D. portion of the Book of Time they tend to blend in to the paper. We found it beneficial to trim the figures with a small border (perhaps 1/8") around the picture and then place it on the page. Then, depending on the color associated with your Core program, use a marker to draw around the edge of the figure. If you are using Core B, the associated color is red, so you would use a red marker to draw a line around the figure. This not only helps to see the figure on the page, but also identifies what Core level you studied that particular person, place or event. If you encounter that same person, place or event in another Core, you can add another line around the figure in that Core's color. If you don't know the color associated with your Core program, search for "book labels" in the sonlight.com search engine and you will find a full list with the colors.

As your Book of Time is assembled, use it for weekly review. You can simply flip through the pages and point to a figure, asking your child(ren) to tell you what they remember about it. The more you review, and talk about the events and people in the same time period, the more you will help your child remember what you have studied.

Enjoy the adventure!

Kelly

What Kind of a Teacher Does Your Child Want?

My school days were a very long time ago, yet I can still remember some of my teachers. There was my first grade teacher, Mrs. Clark, who I remember as a kindly, white-haired lady who employed creative methods for encouraging our participation and learning. Then there was my fourth grade teacher, whose name I can't remember, perhaps because she couldn't remember how to spell my name all year long. Not too encouraging, eh?

What about your school memories? What do you remember about the teacher you would have considered your favorite? You may not have considered why that teacher was your favorite, but those reasons can be important. A student's relationship with his teacher is a powerful component of his educational experience.

If we were to survey a group of children concerning the characteristics that they appreciate in a teacher, we would likely hear reasons such as:

• Friendly toward me
• Listens to me
• Doesn't yell at me
• Understands that learning can sometimes be hard
• Notices my efforts
• Cares about me
• Encourages me when I'm having trouble
• Understands that I'm not like everyone else
• Makes learning exciting

When you look at the situation from a child's perspective, this list makes sense. These are essentially the same qualities that you would want in a teacher if you were learning something new. Now if you consider your own child's perspective - coupled with the fact that he must live with the teacher (you!) - then the importance of a positive student-teacher relationship gains even greater significance.

If the feedback you are getting from your student leads you to think your teaching style may be more like your least favorite teacher, you can take steps to improve the situation. Consider the imfluence of your words and remarks, and endeavor to be more positive and empathetic. Listen to your child's frustrations, offer suggestions, and look for new ways to present the material that is causing your child difficulty. Pay attention and respond positively when your child tries hard, and gently encourage him to keep trying if he seems distracted.

What draws out your best effort? Encouragement draws out my best effort. What draws you alongside another person? Empathy does that for me. Tune in to your interaction with your child. Listen to your words, watch what your body language is conveying. Start with one area to improve and observe the changes in your child as you make improvements. I suspect you will enjoy the change in your relationship.

Kelly

Checklist for Reading Readiness

Learning to read is a significant milestone in a child's education. After all, it's the gateway to the worlds of books and print media. Some parents feel that they need to press their children to begin reading early - there are even programs to "teach" your baby to read (ask me about that later) - but I'd like to offer a checklist of sorts to help you evaluate your child's readiness to read. This is adapted from an article from All About Learning Press.

Print Awareness
__ Your child knows the proper way to hold a book.
__ Your child understands that books are read from front cover to back.
__ Your child understands that words and sentences are read from left to right.
__ Your child knows that words on the page can be read.

Phonological Awareness
__ Your child can rhyme words. If you say bat, your child can find a rhyming word like hat.
__ Your child can identify the separate words in a sentence.
__ Your child can clap syllables. If you say dog, your child knows to clap once. If you say umbrella, your child knows to clap three times.
__ Your child can identify the beginning sound in a word.
__ Your child can identify the ending sound in a word.

Letter Knowledge
__ Your child can recite the alphabet.
__ Your child recognizes the letters in their capital form.
__ Your child recognizes the letters in their lowercase form.
__ Your child points out familiar letters on signs, in stores, or on packages.

Listening Comprehension
__ Your child is able to retell a familiar story in his own words.
__ Your child can answer simple questions about a story.
__ Your child asks questions during read-alouds, such as Why did the elephant laugh?


Motivation to Read
While it can be difficult to determine whether a child is motivated to do something, your knowledge and observations of your child should help you. Motivation is a key factor in success with reading - some children are ready early, while others need more time to build the desire. Early exposure to reading aloud should help build this motivation. The following are all signs that your child is likely motivated to read and has achieved the understanding that reading is fun.
__ Does your child enjoy being read to, at least for short periods of time?
__ Does your child pretend to read or write?
__ Does your child frequently request read-aloud time and show enthusiasm for books?
__ Does your child often ask you what a word says that he sees on a sign or in a book?

Scoring the Checklist
If all or most of the boxes are checked, then I believe it is safe to say that your child is ready to learn to read. If there are some missing checkmarks, you have identified the areas that you should work on with your child.

Be a student of your child - tune in to his readiness rather than setting a schedule that satisfies the cultural "norm" or peer pressure of other parents you know. Working with your child's developmental readiness will lay the groundwork for much less stress in your educational endeavors.

Kelly

It's All About Spelling

We all have memories of spelling lessons - for some of us, spelling was easy, for some it was a chronic challenge.  I don't know why it worked that way, but I do know that spelling is important to our ability to communicate clearly.  Sure spell check is a helpful feature of word processors, but not everything we do will be electronic ... you have to write some things by hand, at least occasionally.
I've talked about learning styles and how we need to select our educational programs based on our children's learning styles.  So many of the spelling programs developed by curriculum companies seem to be directed to visual learners, but a few are designed to work with all learning styles.  All About Spelling is one of these, incorporating sight, sound and touch in multisensory lessons that involve the students physically.

All About Spelling is laid out in logical sequence, with each lesson building on the previous lesson.  Progression is based on mastery, to ensure that a solid foundation is established for success as the spelling words get harder.  Continual practice keeps that foundation firm and the concepts fresh.

The Basic Interactive Pack includes letter tiles, magnets, phonogram CD-ROM, and index divider cards - essential materials for using the program.  Each program level includes teacher's manual and student packets.

Don't choose the program level based on your child's grade level.  This program is designed to work from the foundation up, so you need to ensure you have that firm foundation.  It is recommended that those new to All About Spelling begin with Level 1.  However, you can start with Level 2 if your child

• has mastered the phonograms from a to z, plus ch, th, sh, ng, and ck - able to pronounce and spell them from dictation
• can segment words into their individual sounds
• can spell most 3-letter words, and
• can easily write simple sentences

Whether you have older students for whom you haven't found the right tool for spelling success, or you have younger students and are just getting started with spelling, All About Spelling may just be the answer you seek. If I were still teaching elementary students, I would be using this program.  How 'bout you?

Kelly

Had Your "Box Day" Yet?

Box Day? What's a "Box Day," you ask?

Well, I suppose this term is better known in Sonlighter circles - among those who use Sonlight Curriculum. It refers to the day that your Sonlight order is delivered and you discover a big box (or two) at your front door. If your timing is good, you might catch the FedEx man when he brings it, and you can ask him to bring it inside for you. That can save you some significant weightlifting.

If you have spent any time on the Sonlight Forums, you have probably seen posts where Sonlighters have shared their Box Day experiences and pictures. Though the environment may look different, the general features of the pictures are quite similar - stacks of books, smiling children either sitting among the stacks or draped on a couch with a selected book, jumping ahead of the reading schedule. In our early days with Sonlight, there was also a dusting of packing pellets which had to be gathered from the various places to which they clung. Nowadays, since Sonlight switched to using crushed paper to protect the books, there isn't as much involved in cleaning up after unpacking. Some families actually take the paper, smooth it out flat, fold it accordion-style, and set it aside for art projects. What a great way to recycle! I am going to start doing this to save paper for my grandchildren's artwork.

As I've spoken to several customers in recent weeks, I've begun to hear their stories ...

"I was floored by the Sonlight material [at the convention]. Flipping through the IG, it hit me that this is what I needed. Looking through the content, I realized that this is what my 6-year-old son needed!! My husband and I love the focus on world history and the people of the world that have not yet beenr eached with the Gospel ....We came home and ordered .... The box came. I was beside myself excited! Our 6 year old wasn't all that interested in the big white box. Until...I opened it. I am an 'inventory the box' kind of person. He came over to the rug where I was neatly piling the box. He pulled out one on Ancient Egypt and another and another. I watched his eyes get wide and excited. You know you've picked the right curriculum when this question immediately follows. 'WHEN can we start?! Do we HAVE to wait for August?' I haven't started our school year yet, but we are both very excited about what is in store." Elizabeth P, TN

"We have almost finished our first week of school and are really enjoying the program!" Jena H, FL

I'd love to hear your Box Day stories. Share them as a comment, or e-mail me at klutman@sonlight.com. Until then, I pray that your school year is a blessed one ....

Kelly

Turn a Road Trip into Geography Lesson

Summer often means family vacations. If your vacation involves a road trip, you may be wondering how you are going to survive the hours in the car.  Granted, today's technology offers DVD players, iPods, and assorted other means of entertainment for the children in the back seat, but there's another approach that might engage their minds more effectively.

When my boys were in elementary school, we incorporated geography and travel logs with our road trips, and found that it helped them be more involved in the trip and learn road navigation.  Now I realize that we have access to GPS technology today, so what I'm suggesting falls in the category of "old school"; but doesn't homeschooling in general fall in that same category?  After all, we won't always have the benefit of GPS at our fingertips, and map-reading skills are beneficial in a variety of ways.

So what did this involve?  A folder for each of the children who will participate, maps of the areas in which you will travel, and notebook paper.  At that time, I photocopied the appropriate pages of our road atlas and included that in the boys' folders.  As we started on our trip, we them locate the main towns through which we would travel.  Then we asked them to identify and mark the route that we would be following and the rest areas along the route.  On occasion during the trip, we would ask them to figure out where we were along the route, showing them how to identify the mile markers and exits so that they could find our location.  If someone in the family needed a "pit stop" we asked them to locate the nearest opportunity and direct us. 

When we stopped to see sites of interest along the way, we encouraged the boys to collect brochures from those sites, as well as admission tickets or other memorabilia and stash them in the pockets of their folders.  Each day the boys would write a journal entry concerning the day - noting the highlight(s) of the day, or new things they learned, or what they were looking forward to in the remainder of the trip.

At the end of the trip, while I was catching up on laundry and putting things away, the boys worked on completing their journals. They completed the marking of our routes on their maps, put the brochures on pages with captions, and finished their journal entries.  The result provided an individualized journal/photo album for them to enjoy, along with navigation skills that kept them "in tune" with our progress ... and helped us to hear less of "are we there yet?"

Oh, and we never went on a road trip without a Sonlight book (or two) to read along the way.  By reading one chapter per hour, we broke up the activity in the car to allow individual and group activities ... at least until we got to the point of "oh, Mom, don't stop reading yet" and passed the book around for others to take turns reading chapters aloud. 

Try it, you might find road trips more enjoyable!

Kelly