Category Archives: Testimonies

First Things that a Mama Lioness Does

Last Time: Engage as  Mama Bear

Last time we talked a little bit about being a mama bear – holding other people accountable. Today, I am going to talk about my perspective that arises from 2 generations of failure, even with prodigious ability, to get government school officials to follow the law. I also recognize the work of Katy Marshall (Texas Scorecard) and her Exposed podcast, that discusses the dark side of Texas public schools. Trouble is, Texas is not somehow different than any other state. Maybe it is much better! They may have larger school districts — or not. They may have more conservative politicians – or not. They may have citizen who are more willing to speak out because they think the system is more conservative — probably.

Rabbit Trail: Isn’t it Odd?

Isn’t it odd, actually, how all our local school districts, in whatever state seem to be facing the same very strange problem of porn in school at the same time. Isn’t strange how, after FBI fingerprints being put in as a precaution back in 2007, and public outing of sex offenders’ locations online, that we still have so much sexual abuse of children? Isn’t it passing strange that when parents come to school board meetings, that across the country, they are treated as if they were criminal offender? And not just in one location or another.   Okay, but moving on.

Exposed : Dark Side of What is Going on in Government Schools

It happens that recent episodes  of Exposed have focused on alleged abuse in Prosper ISD. What needs to be understood in context is that Prosper is an reasonably affluent part of Dallas Fort Worth metroplex, fast growing, and not unusual. Some small towns might suffer less, but they are under the same ultimate management. Similarly, one thinks of Texas as a “red” state — but we have already discussed the false dichotomy of thinking that that means that governance is more conservative or just. Go back about 3 episodes for that.

Season 6 Episode 2 – The Other Cheek

Season 6 Episode 3 – The Spreading Rot

THIS TIME: MY THOUGHTS ON MOST IMPORTANT TO DO

This time on Overcoming Learning Problems, I will share with you my maybe surprising conclusions about what is more important for a mother to do today. More conservative and more radically change oriented. Think Susanna Wesley! Change the world. And you will find it jolly well matches your personality, too, I imagine. You will be, should be surprised that I think so, but I do. My reflections today, after more fights with school officials than I wish to recall.

DEEPER APPRECIATION, MORE PURCHASING, MORE SHARING

Knowing this, I expect you will find a deeper appreciation of what we are doing here at GSB: Overcoming Learning Problems. Our perspective will save your child from the abuse and academic degradation that you WILL find in government schools. Our perspective might save you the $87,000 one of our interviewees say that they charge families. It should save most home-schoolers a lot of grief, anxiety, and bewilderment. What I put out here, for free, is very valuable. Please make use of it, get more, and tell your friends.

A Child Raises Someone From the Dead – Eye witness account

This is a rerun of our interview with Simon Okwayo in summer 2009. If you heard last week’s episode, you know what he is up to today! This says a lot about what children can do. This should dramatically increase your faith. Especially for your children.

Dr. Apostle Simon Okwayo, Healing Evangelistic Ministries Foundation, pastorokwayo@yahoo.com

Children were held to a much higher standard in the past. When people graduated from the 8th grade,they knew a lot. Then, they went to work or college. This was true in the Revolutionary War period. John Quincy Adams was given an Congressional appointment to be the interpreter for the ambassadorial mission to the court of Catherine the Great at 14 years old. Why? Because he had mastered several languages and already had experience of being the secretary to his father as an ambassador to France during the war for Independence. Look forward to what young people are doing these days to prepare to serve their community and country.

 

Labeling is Real : Identify it and Overcome it

Thomas Scheff and David Rosenhans, among other sociologists and psychologists, have explained to us how labeling hurts people. People tend to live down to the labels they are given. Nowhere is this more true than among children who are labeled “stupid” or “bad” in school when they are young.

I explain the science just a little, give you some stories of children that I have seen, and give you a great technique that overcomes labeling.

Learning Disabilities at the Most Prestigious Schools?

Yes, there are students at the most prestigious schools who have learning disabilities. After all, that is what a “learning disability” is: a discrepancy between potential and performance. So, yes, genius are over-represented in the diagnosed learning disabilities. Up until recently, however, exclusive schools might not admit a student who had a learning disability. Now, however, they add staff to help those students overcome their academic weakness. YAY!

I am so thankful to have gotten an interview from Susan Maher at Regents Academy of Austin. She is on staff there, helping the students overcome their issue(s) so they can perform at their potential. She preaches ; “accomodations, not modification.” Accommodations might include test taking in a quiet room or with a little extra time. Then, she gives them help in what I would call “study skills.” In this way, she sets them free to achieve, on their own.

I want you to hear her, in her own voice, so you can be inspired. This busts so many myths. This will help so many students, teachers, families, and I do hope also some private school administrators.

www.RegentsAustin.org

REGENTS ACADEMY OF AUSTIN

Regent is a classical Christian school,  now well established as one of the most prestigious schools in the Austin, Texas metro area. Both exclusive schools and many small private schools feel that they may not be able to help students with “disabilities”. This is normally because they don’t know how. It may be that the school is so far behind that they have confused “learning disabilites” with “mental retardation.” In fact, given the definition of “learning disabilities” only brighter than average students can get that designation. Proper help need not be the sort of monstrous modifications, let alone cheating, that so many educators fear — or is possibly, sadly, done in government schools.

MODIFICATIONS VERSUS ACCOMMODATIONS

Modifications mean a change in the curricular or production requirements. An exclusive school would not want to offer modifications because that cheapens their product and hence reputation. So often, though, this is exactly what a government school will do. For instance, in a 4th grade history test, only 4 questions will be given the student instead of 20. This puts the students ever farther behind.

Accomodations, include making slight changes to the environment in order to permit the student to be successful in the necessary learning. For instance, why not permit the student a quiet room rather than a crowded classroom? Why not permit time and a half for a test? What is being tested is knowledge of the material, not rapidity. The class period is set arbitrarily, not as a function or measure of learning.  In the real world, a person might allot more time to read, or use paper instead of doing math in their head, and so forth. Adults manage the world for their own productivity.  In the world of work, such accommodations are required by law.

What Susan Maher is not saying, but doing, is remediation. She helps her students learn how to take notes or write papers or read a book or study math. They may need a more specific method, but once they learn it, they are capable of competing. I like to push remediation: teach how to use strengths in order to overcome weaknesses. Isn’t this part of the human condition?

This is not cruel blame. This is not drill and and kill. This is not “head in the sand.” Instead, this is bright students enabled to shine.