Category Archives: how to

7 Tips for Listening and Evaluating What People are Saying to You

How to tell what is true. How to sort truth from falsehood. How to not get snookered. How to no get your thinking hijacked. That is what we have been talking about. Clearly these are the most important lessons to give your child and yourself in these days. Today 7 clear tips for listening to what comes to you, for evaluating what people say to you, and thus to figure out was is true. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t be tricked. Don’t be snookered.

Are you glued to the news?  Why? Because someone is lying. And getting away with it.

Today, we have 7 specific, practical, definite, tips to listening to what people are saying to you. Do you evaluate their claims in real time? Can you spot immediately when someone is “taking you for a ride” emotionally or intellectually? Most do not. Most can not. And young people with learning “disabilities” are the most vulnerable.

To catch up on our series, you might want to start with : How to Tell What is True. This is something you want to teach your children.

Then, you might want to go to the one where I talk about using math, or statistics.

More on What are Learning “Disabilities?”

Following our discussion of “learning disabilities” are — and are not , I continue giving you my read on what happens with “learning disabilities” in private schools and in homeschooling. I try to give you a peek into what it is like in the student’s mind. For this, see an old film called “How Difficult Can it Be?’ from F.A.T. City — widely available, link below. Then I also give you my best tips.

LABELING

Diagnoses, because of the dynamics of labeling can be really deadly.  They are often resisted because parents see them as death knells. They should be used as guidance to the educators. We have given you some idea of the process in public schools. Private purchases can get higher quality, but still there is often a gap of understanding. The best tests come out in reports that need to be translated into educational plans, and then those plans need to be followed. Perhaps refined.

Private schooling can avoid labels, give hope & motivation — and sometimes give individualized help. Homeschooling has the superior advantage of truly individualized programming. A child can be taught in the way she or he best learns. These students can be advanced dramatically in their areas of strength and still have time to catch up skills in another area. Stigma, labeling, and time pressure is eliminated. Often it is ideal, IF the mother/father/ or hired tutor has the vision, creativity and motivation to help the student excel.

PLAN OF ACTION

Use strengths to overcome weaknesses. Notice, what are called “disabilities” often are only weaknesses. These children CAN learn. Remediate weaknesses, but not to the point of failing to build up strengths. And be sure the child has a decent life!. Do not accept negative prophecies, but realize that not all students must be scholars. They do, however all need to be literate, get through school, and be able to choose a career.

This can be done. Faith for this is the first step. Then, there needs to be practical, innovative ideas. It is all of a piece. This broadcast is the only one that brings those two vital components together. And even as innocuous as this is, I have been suppressed. Therefore, please share with those who are interested!

RESOURCES

How Difficult can it be by F.A.T. City   https://vimeo.com/134226914?gclid=EAIaIQobChMImZCr0Luy-AIVVnZvBB17rgCyEAAYAiAAEgJklvD_BwE

outline of “How Difficult…” http://tedcec.zolkoski.com/assets/fat-city-dvd-notes.pdf

books related  http://www.ricklavoie.com/videos.html

HSLDA Home School Legal Defense Association  https://hslda.org/

THSC Texaas Home School Coalition  https://thsc.org/about/

For individual advice, homeschool coaching, or translation of Doctor’s/Psychologist’s findings, see  :  www.orgstrat.net

What ARE “Learning Disabilities” Anyway?

What are “learning disabilities”? In practical life? In the Law? In Public School?

What does it mean for a student to find that she or he has a “learning disability”?  Are these true disabilities? Is this labeling? Is labeling necessary? Are there any such thing at all?

So, a child has problems in school. What kind of problems fit in this category? What can be done?

We will answer those questions today, and more like them next time what happens in private schools, in homeschooling, and what are the most important tips on  how to proceed so that your child can experience a successful life.

Here are the links I promised:

  1. IDEA Act  Government promulgated fact sheet website  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/  LDs are not mental retardation, now Down’s Syndrome, and not remediated by SEL Social and Emotional Learning. These are entirely separate discussions, but you might be misled by a single glance at this website!

Statute and Regulations

  1. Statute language as far as I can tell http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title20/chapter33&edition=prelim  This is USC Chap 33.I remember IDEA being PS 92-142.
  2. Section 504https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/ocr/civilrights/resources/factsheets/504.pdfhttps://www.wrightslaw.com/info/sec504.index.htm
  3. Wright’s Law website, explanation of the law  https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/sec504.index.htm
  4.  Home School Legal Defense Fund  https://hslda.org/
  5. How Difficult Can it Be?  F>A>T> City   Recommended video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9NfoGiLKdA  Available on Vimeo and for sale many places

https://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/fat-city-workshop-transcript.pdf

How Hard Can This Be? By Richard Lavoie. In the author’s workshops, participants wind up frustrated, angry, and in tears — and finally understand …

https://www.kanopy.com/product/how-difficult-can-be-fat-city

This unique program lets viewers experience the frustration, anxiety, and tension faced by children with learning disabilities. Workshop facilitator Richard …

https://www.proquest.com/docview/2376743723

This unique program lets viewers experience the frustration, anxiety, and tension faced by children with learning disabilities. Workshop facilitator Richard …

This is “How Difficult Can This be? The F.A.T. City Workshop” by Reading Partners on Vimeo,and is for sale many places.

Learning Disabilities Association of Texas https://ldatx.org/  Notice, the most important thing they think you need to know is that you may at any time, by law, request an evaluation for your student. Check out what they say. Remember, I said, to do it in writing, certified/return receipt requested. Then, you will get a response.

 

Summer Activities for Your Family

This week: summer activity ideas for your family. Every year I do one of these posts, it is very popular. Gosh, I saw a post on Twitter from a father lamenting summer. How can this be? Right. Lack of ideas. Really, it is a great time; a time to be together; a time to teach and pass along so much — and time to fix the problems.

Children with learning problems just need some fun! With so much hard work on academics, and often exactly the wrong handling of their problems at school, summer break is a welcome time of relaxation — and learning — without the stress of the academic format.

I’ve given you some new ideas in the episode, and some background on how I came up with those. Predictably, those ideas are rooted in current events and the discussions from those. Is it time to do a “how to tell what is true” series? Want more on homeschooling? Looking for more specifics on the ailment your family is struggling with? Let me know at info@greatshalom.org

Coming soon: rerun of ideas to make businesses with children, Richard Eberiga

In the mean time, post your ideas, complete with pictures. It is helpful if those pictures are .gif or .jpg   and reduced to fewer bytes.  Thanks a million!