Pedro's Whale

Autism and inclusion expert Paula Kluth, with Patrick Schwarz and illustrator Justin Canha bring us an important book for children, Pedro's Whale. Pedro is a little boy on the autism spectrum who has a special interest in whales. I identify with Pedro; I love cetaceans, too. (I was a docent on whale watch boats during several whale watch seasons when we lived on the West Coast.)

Pedro's Whale is a wonderful story that helps children and adults understand the extreme attachment to a special interest that are common in individuals on the autism spectrum. The story helps readers understand ways in which we can all use those interests as a bridge to relationships and learning.

The illustations are really nice. Illustrator Justin Canha is a young man on the autism spectrum, and he does a beautiful job putting pictures to the story.

Pedro's Whale is based on a true story.

I attended a day-long workshop with Paula Kluth a couple of years ago; she mentioned a new book was about to be published, called, Just Give Him The Whale! I haven't read that book, but Kluth gave us some background during the conference. Apparently, at the beginning of a new school year, Pedro's teacher thought he was too big to carry a toy whale all day long and she would not let him have it. His affect and behavior changed drastically, and Kluth was called in to help with the situation. When she learned that his toy had been banned, his safety net, her answer was, simply, "Just Give Him The Whale!" And Kluth and Schwarz wrote a book for teachers (and parents and homeschooling families) about using those fascinations and special interests in education and relationships.

Pedro's Whale is the version for children, complete with a page of suggestions and hints for how to use the book with groups of children. It's a 26 page hardback book with a simple story that 'normalizes' special interests for typical children, a story that gives important insight and perspective taking about autism and special interests to typical peers in group (school, co-op, Sunday School, camp etc) settings. List price is $18.95.

Brookes Publishing sent me a copy of Pedro's Whale for review purposes. I am not paid for this review and am not obligated to provide a positive review.

A Must Read: Education Nation

Most of the time, I know what review items are coming to my mailbox. Occasionally, though, Wiley, and its Imprint, Jossey-Bass, will send me a surprise. Education Nation is one of the surprises.

With education reform in the news this week, Education Nation, is certainly topical in light of current events.

A couple of things grabbed me from the get-go. First, George Lucas wrote the forward of the book. American Graffiti,-Star Wars-Indiana Jones-George Lucas? Yes, that George Lucas. The next thing that caught my attention is Milton Chen's background. "Big Bird Goes To China" - does that ring any bells for you? I must have watched that movie a hundred times with my kids. Chen was a production assistant in that movie. I had to wonder, how did George Lucas and staff from Sesame Street come together and what does this book have to do with it?

Wiley and its Imprint, Jossey-Bass, continue to publish books about education that come from a perspective that differs from the "gotta teach to the test" mentality. Again and again, they send me books that describe and richly illustrate the value, the why-bother, the how-to teach our children in ways that allow the students to be engaged, active participants. This is another of those books - and while other books I've been given had more specific audiences, Education Nation, in my opinion, is a must read for everyone.

Author Milton Chen gives us a big picture view and a zoomed in look at what creates learning. He takes the reader through what works and he provides many anecdotes that illustrate little pockets of success across the nation. As a homeschooler of a child on the autism spectrum, I know that homeschoolers are already using many of the strategies and approaches that Chen suggests, because we chose to homeschool in order to approach learning differently from the public school setting. Chen gives me ideas to use at home with my girl, ideas that are proven to work, ideas that I had not thought of. (Note to self: get the girl an iPod w/ a microphone.)

Some key words and phrases that get me excited: project based learning. social/emotional learning, active participation.

Chen describes guided participation in an education setting and does an incredible job explaining why it's important, how to implement, that it works. He explains new ways to meaningfully asses students once we move way from a "teachers deliver content" and "teach to the test" approach, and toward a "teacher as facilitator of student discoveries" perspective.

Technology and media play a huge role in our society, and Chen thoughtfully describes the benefits of getting more technology and media into the hands of students, sooner, integrating technology and media into learning.

My opinion is that every parent, every teacher, every taxpayer should read this book. Whether you're a homeschooler, a public schooler, a private schooler, you need to read this book. Chen argues that the United States has fallen behind other countries in terms of educating our children, and the current state of education has school staff teaching to the test, which does not translate into the kind of learning and education that keeps the U.S. up to speed with other nations.

Even homeschoolers and taxpayers who aren't parents have a stake in how students in our public schools are taught. These students will be our future leaders. We need to make our voices known to our state and especially our federal lawmakers as federal education policy is being shaped. National standards, teaching to the test of standards, may not be the way to educational success for the United States.

I think that many homeschoolers will read this and think, "WE are already doing a lot of that! That's one of the reasons we chose to homeschool."

You can read the first chapter online, here. The table of contents is here.

The book will likely lead you to the internet to http://www.edutopia.org/. There are almost endless resources there for teachers. Yes, intended for school-building school teachers, but useful for homeschoolers and homeschool co-ops as well. Edutopia has a page about Education Nation, too: http://www.edutopia.org/educationnation.

There are freebies available to anyone. For example, Chen describes using movies in the learning process. He takes us to http://www.edutopia.org/story-movies, which takes us to The Film Foundation and study guides like this one, available (free) to any teacher.

Jossey-Bass sent me a media copy of "Education Nation" at no charge. I am not financially compensated for reviews and am not obligated to provide a positive review.

"You're Going to Love This Kid!" second edition, by Paula Kluth

One of my absolute favorite people in the autism world of professionals is Paula Kluth. I purchased the first edition of "You're Going to Love This Kid! Teaching Students With Autism in the Inclusive Classroom" when my daughter was first included in a kindergarten classroom, loaned the book to the teacher, and never got it back. ;)

Kluth is one of a few angels who can convince me that, yes, I can, teach my daughter who happens to be on the autism spectrum, and Kluth has the creativity and experience to show me many different ways to think about working with a child on the autism spectrum (or other developmental challenge) and she gives me ideas and strategies that don't require an advanced degree, don't require a lot of expensive equipment, and that I am able to accomplish.

I got a surprise in the mail : it's the SECOND edition of "You're Going to Love This Kid!"! ($29.95) This book came from Kluth's intimidting (and ultimately successful) introduction to autism and a student on the autism spectrum early in her teaching career. Of course the only other thing I remember about the first edition that I never got back was that it was smaller. The second edition is bigger in size, which makes it easier to photocopy the charts inside.

Kluth's books are the ones we parents buy in bulk to hand out to Sunday School teachers, community ed teachers, co-op leaders, school-building-school staff members, and anyone involved in teaching or coaching our children who happen to be on the autism spectrum.

The subtitle bugs me - like so many wonderful books about teaching children with learning challenges, the title suggests the information is for school-building classrooms. Nothing could be further from the truth. I tend to find that a lot of homeschoolers of special needs learners don't even know about Paula Kluth. What a shame, because Kluth's wisdom works for the homeschool setting, too. I hope the subtitle doesn't discourage homeschoolers from checking out this book.

"You're Going to Love This Kid!" is packed to overflowing with tested and proven wisdom, insight, perspective, tips, hints, how-to; it is a must-have for every parent, teacher, Sunday School teacher, homeschool co-op leader. If you've ever interacted with child with autism in a learning environment, you'll relate to Kluth's experience, and you'll put some new tools and strategies in your toolbox.

Brookes Publishing sent me a review copy of "You're Going To Love This Kid" at no charge. I received no monetary compensation for this review and am not obligated to provide a positive review.

"From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks" (review)

I have a problem with the subtitle of the latest book I received to review. The "100 Ways to Differentiate Instruction in K-12 Inclusive Classrooms" that follows the title, "From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks", is misleading. "From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks" ($34.95 list price; $23.07 at Amazon right now) is a book of 100 *FANTASTIC* ways to differentiate instruction for *ANY* student, and is not limited to "inclusive classrooms". Homeschoolers will find this book helpful. Staff members in school-building-schools who teach students in pull-out "specials" or contained special-ed classrooms will find this book helpful. If you are the parent and/or teacher to a child with unique learning needs in any educational setting, this is a *must have* book.

First of all, every idea in the book has been tested and has been proven to be successful. Each of the 100 ways to differentiate instruction is pictured and described. The reader doesn't have to guess what the finished product looks like. "How to" directions are provided in great detail. Kluth and Danaher provide examples, a "Keep in Mind" section to spotlight other uses or aspects of some of the ideas. Readers are given a References/Recommended Reading section with *each* idea (no need to flip to the back and try to sort through a long list of references because the related references are right on the page with the idea), with quite a few new-to-me references (and I've read a lot over the past 10 years). Many ideas are low-cost or are made with supplies you already have at home or school; Kluth calls 'em "dollar store differentiation" ideas. The authors provide a Vendor section with each idea so that users know where to purchase materials needed to complete each idea. And finally, Kluth and Danaher give the reader a list of related web sites at the end of each idea. Kluth and Danaher thought of everything and have organized it in a way that maximizes my time. I've not seen a book like it (and I've seen a lot of books about adapting material and differentiating instruction for students with unique learning needs).

The book is heavy and lies open, flat, without my having to weight it down. (I like that.) So many of the ideas have me thinking, "I should have thought of that." They're simple, when I think about them, and make sense. I need a pad of sticky notes to bookmark pages. I need a notebook or electronic notepad to keep a list of the ideas I want to try.

Most of the ideas are simple to implement, yet, I'm so glad I got this book now. NOW (June) is the time to BUY this book. As a homeschooler, I have a little bit of time before we gear up with school again at my house, time to gather materials, order a few items, so that I can implement some of the ideas in late summer or fall. For those of you starting school in August or September, summer is a great time for planning, and this is a wonderful resource to help parents/teachers be better facilitators of all things academic and some things social, including relationship w/ self and aspects of executive functioning.

I don't know anything about co-author Sheila Danahan beyond what is written in the "About the Authors" page. She's an administrator and educator in Chicago Public Schools.

I do know a lot about co-author Paula Kluth. (When my daughter was in public school, I purchased Kluth's books for my daughter's teachers.)

Paula Kluth is well-known among special ed parents and professionals in public schools. Kluth was a public school teacher who has a natural instinct, natural gift for grasping the importance of inclusion, particularly of children with autism, an the necessity to adapt materials and differentiate instruction so that all students learn. She writes and markets her wisdom to school-building schools with inclusion as a focus.

She's amazing. Her creativity never ends. If you have an opportunity to attend one of her presentations in person, GO.

She's an amazing speaker (I've seen her three times). She has me believing that I can do this stuff, too, for my daughter, and when my daughter was still in public school, had me believing that if only I could get my daughter's teachers there to hear her, Kluth's enthusiasm and creativity would rub off on them, too.

As I chat with parents from the homeschooling world, particularly those homeschooling children with unique learning needs, I tend to discover that homeschoolers don't know about the wisdom and creativity of Paula Kluth.

Paula Kluth's web site, which is a super resource, is HERE.

Paula Kluth's facebook page is HERE; the 1000th fan will get a copy of this book and two more (and so will the person who referred them, so if you're the 1000th fan, tell 'em I sent you, please).

There is a facebook page for the book HERE, where Kluth has been posting pages/ideas from the book.

From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks, 100 Ways to Differentiate Instruction in K-12 Inclusive Classrooms by Paula Kluth and Sheila Danaher
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Paul H Brookes Pub Co; 1 edition (March 30, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1598570803
ISBN-13: 978-1598570809

Brookes Publishing sent me a review copy of From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks, 100 Ways to Differentiate Instruction in K-12 Inclusive Classrooms by Paula Kluth and Sheila Danaher. I am not financially compensated for reviews and am not obligated to provide a positive review.

Three New Titles from Jossey-Bass Teacher

I am an "accidental homeschooler". I didn't start out to homeschool my child. And when I finally made the move to bring a child home from public school, I was absolutely and completely wowed by the resources available to homeschoolers, resources I'd never sought prior to withdrawing a child from school.

As a homeschooler, I am finding the opposite is true, too. Families who have been homeschooling forever don't know about a lot of the resources marketed to school-building teachers, especially the resources written for and by the special people who teach children with unique learning styles and needs.

Jossey-Bass Teacher, an Imprint of Wiley, sent me three brand new books at no charge so that I may tell you about them her on my blog. All three new books are aimed at school-building school staff, and yet, the titles are deceiving, because there is an incredible amount of information for homeschooling parents *and* for parents of those children in school buildings who have the unique learning styles and needs.

When my child was in public school, I liked to know what the staff members were learning. As a parent, I often went to workshops for teachers. The workshops usually set me up to be angry and upset, because I rarely saw the school staff pushing to accomplish the wonderful strategies I learned about in the workshops. Change was too slow to happen, and ultimately, became one of the reasons I withdrew my child from school. But if parents are going to hold school staff accountable, parents need to know what options are out there, what successes other schools are having and why. And those who choose to homeschool need proven strategies and techniques, to, to use at home. Jossey-Bass gives administrators, teachers, and parents three new books covering different topics that do just that.

# # #

Available this month, Sylvia L. DeRuvo brings us "Strategies for Teaching Adolescents with ADHD, Effective Classroom Techniques Across the Content Areas" ($29.95, paperback). Written for professional who works with students in the 6th-12th grades, this one is packed with information. DeRuvo gives the reader insight into the perspective of the student w/ADHD.

As a parent, I want professionals who work with my child to understand her, to be able to see through her eyes. Autism, ADD and ADHD share many "symptoms" and characteristics. What is ADHD? And what is it not? "Behaviors" are often neurodevelopmental. What does that mean? I know that, but a lot of gen ed teachers do not (even some speech therapists, OT's, Sunday School teachers do not). And what does a parent and/or teacher do about it? DeRuvo provides chapter after chapter of understanding and practical ideas and how-to strategies regarding not only behavior, but academics, specifically ELA, math, science, and social studies.

The pull quotes are fabulous. Here's one from page 40 in a chapter about using research based teaching strategies: "The classroom teacher moves from being a teacher of content to being a teacher of students." (YES!!!)

DeRuvo guides teachers (and parents) in scaffolding within the student's "zone of proximal development" (a Vygotsky term -- where have I heard that before?!) of new information for the student, using what she describes as "we do" (p. 96), where students work with the teacher and the teacher gently hands more and more responsibility to the student in notetaking. In other words, she takes a relationship approach, and not just teacher-student relationship, but student-student.

I am not a school-building-teacher. And my child is not an adolescent. I am a homeschool teacher of an elementary school aged child, and I find the book useful. The strategies are helpful whether you're the parent of a school-building student, a homeschooling parent, or staff at a school. If you are a pro-active parent who looks for helpful books to give to the teachers of your children, put this one on your shopping list and prepare to buy it in bulk.

# # #

The next two books light a fire inside me, make me want to return to college to get another degree, this time in education, so that I can be part of the change our kids need. They are inspiring and I was nodding along in agreement as I read.

# # #

Also available this month, "SMALL SCHOOLS BIG IDEAS, The Essential Guide to Successful School Transformation" by Mara Benietz, Jill Davidson and Laura Flaxman ($30.00, paperback)

I. love. the. ideas. in. this. book!

Who (in my opinion) is this book for? It's for any parent who is questioning the education their child is getting at a school-building school. It is for a homeschool co-ops. It's for any teacher or school administrator, school board or board of education member.

The authors take the time to explain the "why bother" of transforming a school. One question the authors examine is what are the "twenty-first-century skills" that are considered necessary for today's workplace? (An aside: Our autism intervention of choice, RDI®, considers these lists of characteristics important to employers, too, as part of a remediation approach.)

Once you know what "survival skills" are considered valuable, you have to ask the question, how do we grow those characteristics in young people?

The answer is not in teaching to tests or in rote memorization and regurgitation of material.

The answer is in teaching students how to THINK instead of teaching for memorization to standardized tests. Small Schools Big Ideas explains why and how to accomplish teaching children, teens and young adults how to think, collaborate, and, as John Dewey describes, to "use their minds well". (p. 6)

We haven't been involved in a homeschool co-op, with the exception of a couple of art classes, but from listening to parents and reading their posts on internet groups for homeschoolers involved in co-ops, I suspect that homeschool co-ops are super examples of the kind of teaching and learning that is going on in co-ops for homeschoolers. In fact, I think homeschool co-op organizers and participants might find the information in this book quite useful.

Divided into four sections, Small Schools Big Ideas is thorough for the reader who is serious about how to make transformation work. Part One describes the change that needs to happen, including obstacles and options. Part Two focuses on active participation of both staff and students. Part Three "delves into the inner workings of Essential schools.". (p xxix). Part Four is called "Embedding Successful Change".

This book excites me and depresses me all at the same time. I used to dream of schools like the proactive schools in this book. If we'd had this kind of school, I'd have never begun to homeschool. If we had the option to move my public-schooled children to a transformed school, I'd do it without hesitation. Problem is, (here's the part that depresses me) I don't see the hearts and attitudes in statewide training program administrators, district administrators, special ed administrators, building administrators and teaching staff that we need in order for this kind of transformation to happen.

This is a book that every parent, educator and school administrator should consider reading as we decide what is best for our students and take steps to make that happen.

# # #

Wayne Sailor brings us an October, 2009, release "Making RTI Work, How Smart Schools are Reforming Education through Schoolwide Response-to-Intervention" ($29.95, paperback, 336 pages).
Response to Intervention is more than a buzz word today. RTI is a federal mandate in our government schools. I have learned more about Response to Intervention than I ever thought possible from this book. Sailor is inspirational and I must have a pen or pencil in my hand as I read this book so that I can underline concepts that stand out to me and write notes in the margins. (I think this book has more acronyms than any other book that I have ever read.)

Parents who hang out on internet chat groups for parent of children w/ special learning needs will tell you that the issue of PBS (positive behavior supports) is HUGE. It's an often neglected and ignored concept, sometimes poorly attempted for the very students who need it the most.

I tend to think about RTI in terms of special education, but RTI is mandated for all students. I associate it with special ed because it's a term tossed around at IEP's and on internet lists for parents of children in special ed. In fact, "Making RTI Work" gives credit to special ed for introducing RTI to schools (page 5). Schools, it seems as I interact with other parents (and sometimes some professionals), don't understand RTI or even evidence based practices in a way that translates into meaningful programming and progress for students in special education settings.

If you've ever had a question (as a parent or a teacher) about your school's understanding of all things RTI, from FBA's to PBS's to evidence based practices, here's the book to explain it all. Check out the table of contents, here.

Sailor acknowledges the problems that schools face and offers solutions. He shows readers what RTI looks like close up in the classroom level, and he zooms out and shows readers what it looks like at a district level. Sailor admits "RTI is not a magic bullet that will fix broken schools," but "it does," he tells us, "create a framework for introducing scientific educational practices into the school." (p 265). That's what this book does -- introduces the reader to the framework, the implementation, the troubleshooting, the long-term plan of RTI.

Who is this book for? Anyone, teacher, administrator, therapist, parent -- with an investment in students who would like to know more about RTI. It opened my eyes, lifted my hopes for those still in school-building settings, broadened my understanding of Response to Intervention. I suspect it will do the same for you.

# # #

How Can My Kid SUCCEED in SCHOOL? (a Wiley review)

"She's just lazy!"

"He keeps making stupid mistakes in his math homework."

"She is impulsive and rushes through assignments and makes careless mistakes."

"I know he's smart, but he doesn't apply himself."

"She doesn't listen to the instructions."

"He's so disorganized!"

If you are the parent or teacher who has ever thought or said one of these sentences about a student, here is the book for you:

"How Can My Kid SUCCEED in SCHOOL? What Parents and Teachers Can Do to CONQUER LEARNING PROBLEMS" by Craig Pohlman, Ph.D. ($19.95 from Jossey-Bass Teacher, a division of Wiley) is an incredibly helpful resource for parents and teachers who have a struggling student.

Pohlman approaches student struggles from a neurodevelopmental perspective, and he teaches readers about development as he teaches us how to become observers and detectives as we help our struggling learners.

"Profiles, not labels and diagnostic categories, are what we all should be using to describe learners." Pohlman tells readers in the introduction of the book.

I agree with him.

Pohlman uses words that a laymom can understand, defining and describing terms from psychology and education in ways that are useful. Many of us as parents have had to sit through meetings and IEP's where we heard staff members describe in great detail our child's weaknesses and problems. Pohlman does us a huge favor: He teases apart the functions that contribute to student success (or lack of it) including attention, organization, memory for the reader in a way that illuminates a student's strengths, too.

I am seeing all of my children in new ways because of Pohlman. I even see *ME* in the pages.

He uses case studies and examples to illustrate terms and concepts, allowing me to see how one part of a student's memory or attention might be working well and another part of memory or attention may be faulty or developmentally delayed. And in the following chapter, he gives us ideas on how to help the child based upon the profile that we see through our observations and detective work. He does the same for teachers at school in two more chapters, cautioning us to avoid jumping to conclusions, and instead gather lots of information before trying to interpret it.

I love the fact that Pohlman does not consider struggling students "lazy" or "careless" or "manipulative" or "behavior problems"!

He describes challenges in a way that readers can recognize strengths and weaknesses and in following chapters, he describes ways we can go about helping the child with intervention and accommodations. He's big on modeling for a child, and he suggests creative games to grow weak functions.

I like this book! (!!!!!) I have underlined passages and written notes in the margins, and there are sections that I've revisited to digest the material again. It's a really practical guide to helping a student who is struggling, beginning with how to recognize what's what and following through with how to use strengths and accommodations to strengthen the weaknesses over time. I did not know how critical long-term memory is for math, and I certainly have a new focus for one of my children in that area.

In Chapter 4, Picking Strategies for the Classroom, the first of several starting pointers is so important to both parents and educators: "View these strategies as course corrections, not add-ons." It's a philosophy I've come to embrace, and yet I still need to be reminded of this point.

Since my child qualified for special education services more than eight years ago, I've never seen information that describes for me how to go about "smart shopping" for educational assessments. Pohlman gives us an entire chapter on choosing the right expert plus chapters on "Getting the Most Out of the Assessment Process" and "Using What You've Learned from the Assessment". Pohlman walks a parent through what to say to a clinician who is intent on labeling a child as opposed to providing a "thorough description of ... strengths and weaknesses". The entire table of contents is here.

Pohlman provides a profile worksheet and a handy reference section at the back of the book. If you're like me, you'll be flipping back and forth, referencing and cross referencing sections and writing in the margins. Maybe you'll read it with a highlighter in one hand.

Sometimes, books are not worth the money and shelf space at home, and I think I'm better off borrowing the book from the library for a short term read. This one's a KEEPER -- one for the shelves at home, one to refer to again and again.

PS: I received this book free of charge from WILEY so that I could review this book for you, here.

Grapevine Studies: A TOS Homeschool Crew Review

I am homeschooling a child who does not learn like the "norm" on the bell curve of learners. My learning style is different from my child. Teaching a child whose learning style is different from my own is a learning experience for me. I find myself slipping back into the mode where I am trying to present information in *my* learning style, and when I forget my daughter's style, I set us both up for frustration and failure. We are learning how to learn together, and I am very much a work in progress.

I have known for years that movement is importing in learning, particularly for a wiggly child on the autism spectrum. Finding resources that incorporate movement are a special kind of prize for me, and Grapevine Studies is one of those prizes.

The company web site explains that "Grapevine Studies provides an easy to teach and effective Bible study curriculum to disciple students ages five to adult." There's a drawing component that brings the movement piece to the learning piece that makes this study a prize in my eyes. The company slogan is "Stick Figuring Through The Bible".

Yes, you read that right. "Stick Figuring Through The Bible." I didn't know what to think when I read that the first time. Stick figuring? In a BIBLE study? Yes indeedie. And it is fun and it works.

Sign up for the Grapevine Studies e-newsletter to see for yourself -- Dianne Wiebe sends free eLessons to newsletter subscribers.

The first lesson of every study is an overview that uses a timeline, providing a "big picture". Lessons go in chronological order through that timeline. Most lessons are short enough to not be overwhelming while delivering just enough information, and the lessons are easy to split up over more than one day if you need to do that for a student. Story parts are meant to be drawn during the lesson, stick figure style. The teacher's guide contains drawings to go by if you need some hints.

My first impression was "adorable" and I quickly realized that "adorable" is not a good word choice. Adorable implies, at some level, "fluff" or "cute", and these studies are not "fluff". They are solid.

When my children saw me looking at the Grapevine Studies web site, each one mentioned a different study they'd like. So, we received in e-book format, the student guides and teacher books for Biblical Feasts and Holy Days, Esther, and The Birth of Jesus.

The Esther student e-book (30 pages) and teacher e-book (66 pages) are sold individually and both are priced at $9.95. The study contains nine lessons and is a multilevel study designed for students age seven and up.

The Birth of Jesus student e-book (44 pages) and teacher e-book (64 pages) are sold individually and both are priced at $7.95. The study is five lessons long and is designed for multiple age/developmental levels.

Biblical Feasts and Holy Days is priced at $14.95 (each) for the student e-book (50 pages) and $14.95 for the teacher e-book (82 pages). It is a teen through adult study with 13 lessons.

The teacher's book contains stick figure drawings (as suggestions, not as absolutes) and an answer key to the review questions. There is a review at the end of each lesson and a final review at the end of the study. (In Biblical Feasts and Holy Days, there are short reviews at the end of each lesson, plus two lessons inserted between lessons about feasts that are reviews, plus the final review.)

A page at the back of the multi-level studies outlines how to customize the study for different ages and developmental stages.

I took the Esther and Birth of Jesus studies to an office supply store and had them printed in black and white and the two student books bound for approximately $25. Binding adds a lot to the cost of printing. (Note to self: Stock up on inexpensive 3-ring binders during back-to-school sales in August.)

There are other expenses involved. You'll need pencils or markers and paper for drawing. If you choose the e-book format, there are costs associated with printing and binding, although there are ways to minimize them. Get a discount or club card at your local office supply store and watch the ads for sales or coupons. If you want to save money, you can print fewer pages or none at all, we discovered, and use paper for drawing while using the e-book at the computer. (Note to self: watch for those printing sales and coupons!)

Some Grapevine Studies studies are multi-level, meaning you can use them with a kindergartner and a high schooler, which saves the family money. Teaching one subject to everyone at once is a time saver.

I was glad my children were interested in different topics. Summer is a great time to do a study with each of them, one-on-one. As we got into the lessons, I changed my mind. Having them on the same study would have been less work for me. As the teacher, I need to familiarize myself with the lesson, the scripture passage it comes from, and look over the vignettes to draw.

Sitting down with the daughter on the autism spectrum for this study was intimidating for me. I should not have started with this child, because I wasn't familiar w/ the layout of the lessons by beginning with with her. And she had been moody that entire week, which adds to the challenge. I guess I wanted to get the beginning out of the way. It worked, actually, but looking back, I wouldn't have begun with her.

She chose Esther. We began the first lesson, the timeline, sitting on the floor in front of our white board. I gave her several choices. She could draw with me on the big white board, or she could draw on a small white board (8 x 10 from a dept store), or she could draw in her student book, or she could draw on the back of paper from our recycle bin, or she could sit and watch and choose not to draw. I had pens and markers and colored pencils and crayons within reach.

Her anxiety grows with anything that looks like "school" to her. Her anxiety grows with anything that looks like it has only one "right" way. And it grows when she senses I'm trying to force her to do something. So, I gave her a whoooooole bunch of choices. I did not care WHAT she DID, really, so long as she stayed with me and engaged.

And she did stay with me. I did not know if she understood the concept of a timeline. So, I began not with Esther's timeline, but with HER timeline, the year she was born through 2009, and we put some big events on her timeline between then and now, with little girl stick figures to represent my daughter. Then, we began Esther's timeline and began stick figuring, with me drawing on the white board and she drawing in her student book. At first, she drew ghosts instead of people, and then turtles instead of people, which are symptoms of anxiety. She wanted to test me, to feel me out and see how much I wanted to "get" from her. Unknown expectations can send her anxiety soaring. So, I ignored the ghost king with a crown on top of his head, and the turtle with a crown, and soon, she was drawing stick figure PEOPLE with me, and occasionally writing a key word. I let her do what she wanted. I didn't want pretty pictures. I wanted her to join me (engagement) and I wanted some of the material to stick.

She stayed engaged, listening, and asking and answering questions.

This is the child whose reading comprehension is delayed. She has auditory processing problems that can make an auditory lesson seem like a foreign language. She's got performance anxiety -- what will her mother expect of her? Sitting to learn using my way of teaching and learning is a challenge for this kid -- and I'll say it again -- we are learning how to learn together. Seems like the material was made for a parent/daughter team like us.

Fast forward several nights, she and I went to get hair cuts, and I told our magician at the salon, Jeri, about stick figuring through the Bible, and Jeri asked my daughter about Esther. And yes, my girl had indeed been engaged -- she told Miss Jeri that Esther was beautiful and she was a queen. (she's very literal, too, can you tell?)

I was SO proud of her! :)

My biggest challenge for the child with autism is staying within the zone where she is able to feel competent with both the interaction with ME and with the details of the story. With her, I try to avoid quizzing her, because the anxiety of answering questions is aversive. I have to remember that for her, less is more.

HINTS: If you have a child with fine motor or visual challenges, you can draw the stick figures ahead of time and have your child finger trace them. You can outline the figures in school glue, let the glue dry, and your child will have a raised surface to trace with his/her finger or to use for a rubbing. For a gross motor component, you could make the figures ahead of time on butcher paper and hang the paper on the wall or on an easel, for finger tracing or as a model for air writing.

MORE HINTS: I would suggest inserting a colored page (perhaps a piece of construction paper) after the last page in the current lesson as a visual end point for your student. They can see that this lesson is not going to go on and on and on -- it has an end point and it is only a few pages long. I also wish I had chosen pale blue paper for her study. When we use colored overlays for reading, my daughter (on the autism spectrum) always leans toward a pale blue. The e-book format allows parents to print the studies on any color paper they can find, which is a plus for children with visual processing problems.

My eldest child had gone to visit grandparents 600+ miles away, for several weeks, so I sent her the Biblical Feasts and Holy Days study via e-mail. Nice advantage of the e-book, for sure! :) She began the study by working independently at my mom and dad's house, stick figuring on paper while doing the study at their computer. Not exactly how the study is intended, but for the short term, it worked. She excitedly told me all about Purim over the phone. Since she's been home, (which has not been long, because she went to fine arts camp right after going to her grandparents'), she has told me about Passover, First Fruits, Sabbath, the Feast of Unleavened Bread. She told me the review lessons are really helpful, too. When we quit traveling, I want to do some lessons with her at the white board. Now that I understand the framework of the lessons, I can use the teacher's guide on the laptop and print the current student lesson for my daughter to use. Do I recommend a self guided study for a middle schooler? No. But it can work in a situation like we've had this summer with the happy summertime interruptions of vacation time, grandparent time, and fine arts camp.

My son chose Birth of Jesus and his reaction to the first lesson left me with a smile. He thought it was going to be dry and boring. And it wasn't. His comments and questions made this lesson much longer than I think it was supposed to be, and we actually went more in depth on that timeline than was intended (because he had so many questions), and he was hooked. He loves to draw, too. I gave him the same paper/whiteboard/crayon/marker/pencil options I gave his sister -- he doesn't need all of those options, but I wanted to see what he'd choose. We studied the map together and I was able to introduce a Bible dictionary and a concordance (mostly the dictionary for vocabulary words) to him during our time, and he got to practice finding books of the Bible as he looked up verses.

I suspect that the studies would be a really good option for churches who are working to be inclusive for children with special needs, because the format of each lesson stays the same and provides a structure, the stick figuring adds a kinesthetic piece, and the lessons can be tailored to different attention and learning levels. For churches who find success in separating special learners from the regular classes, Grapevine Studies would be an option, also. Some of the studies are longer than others, and a church could choose a longer study and stay with it an entire year.

Grapevine Studies id offering you a 30% discount on all our books from April 19th to September 15th, 2009. To take advantage of this offer, use the coupon code crews.

A little bird told me that Grapevine Studies will have a study of the book of Ruth available in the fall of 2009. I'm looking forward to that one!

For reviews of this product by my Crewmates, click here.

"The Big WHAT NOW Book of Learning Styles"

I want to pass along a resource to you:

THE BIG WHAT NOW BOOK OF LEARNING STYLES by Carol Barnier

I bought this book at a convention after hearing several presentations there by author Carol Barnier. Two back-to-back Barnier presentations focused on strategies and activities Barnier uses at home. She described one idea after another, rapid fire, and I wrote furiously during those two sessions, trying to capture her ideas into my notebook. When she mentioned that more ideas are in this book, her newest, only very recently available for purchase, I knew I wanted my own copy. As soon as that second session was over, I headed straight to her vendor booth and bought the book, which she autographed for me.

http://www.ywampublishing.com/p-1180-the-big-what-now-book-of-learning-styles.aspx

I have taken it with me to my daughter's music and occupational therapy sessions so that I could study it while I was waiting.

I think it's a little bit like the story about what happens if you give a mouse a cookie. If you buy this book, you're going to need some 3x5 index cards to go with it. And when you're making your 3x5 cards, you're going to want some envelopes to go with them. After you prepare the envelopes to go with the 3x5 cards, you're going to want some paper clips, some magnets, some string and a pole.

*grin*

Barnier homeschooled a child who needs to move in order to learn, in order to process information. And she used some creative, yet simple, strategies and activities as "keys" to unlock the door to learning for that child. There's nothing in the book that costs a lot of money. You don't have to be an artist or crafty. They're all quite do-able. And fun!

Her ditties sold me on the book. They're fabulous. They have me wondering if I can write some ditties, too. (If I do, I'll post them, here.)

I think you'll like the book because you'll find lots of ideas, especially when you feel stuck.

Barnier "gets" kids like mine. She has one of her own. And she shared her "tricks" with all of us in this book. Gotta love a mom like that! ;)

Penny

PS: I found a package of 1000 3x5 index cards at a warehouse club for about five bucks.

Bonnie Terry Learning: A TOS Homeschool Crew Review

After attending a workshop last year on the topic of guided reading for lower elementary school levels, I am aware that there are approaches to work on reading, comprehension, fluency. The workshop I attended was aimed at public school teachers. I am a homeschooling parent, and did not have access to the resources the schools have. What was I going to use at home? I had nooooooooooooooooooo idea.

Enter Bonnie Terry, M.Ed., a special education teacher and a Board Certified Educational Therapist in private practice. To use and review at home, our family received products that address reading skills and study skills.

"Ten Minutes to Better Study Skills, A Fast, Fun Approach to Improve Writing and Study Skills," ($37.00) is packed with information and tools for students working in the 3rd-12th grades. It reminds me of the journalism stylebook I learned to use in college. We are not working at a 3rd grade level in some areas, so we have not been able to use the entire book, and I am looking forward to utilizing it. Terry "gets" the fact that adding the visual component between teachers and students is important, and she's created an incredibly useful tool in adding the visual component to studying and writing.

Terry includes a "read this first" information sheet to help the teacher begin, spotlighting which pages to photocopy, offering some tips that I'd define as "quick-start". The book is divided into four parts. In Part I, Terry dedicates a few pages to helping a student get started by discussing how to choose a place, what supplies to have on hand for 3rd-6th graders and for 7th-12th graders, and by providing calendar templates for scheduling your study times. Purchasers have a limited reproduction permission, up to 50 copies per year of any part of the book for use with his or her students only.

In Part II, Terry provides visual "organizational forms that can be used from third grade through high school level. The forms start with basic story organizers and end with essay organizers and business letter writing."

Part III gives readers study and writing tips and Part IV is an easy reference section that students will reach for again and again. The easy reference section includes common spelling patterns in the English language, rules for capitalization and punctuation, parts of speech, helping verbs, how to sections on bibliographies and works cited.

In "Five Minutes to Better Reading Skills, A Fast, Fun, Phonic Approach to Improve Reading Skills," Terry provides a student book ($32.00) and a teachers manual ($37.00) that can be purchased individually or together as a package for $60.00. She also included a write and wipe plastic sheet protector and a marking pen to go with the teacher's book. The drills are intended for students 1st grade and up. And again, Terry provides "READ THIS FIRST" set of "quick start" tips that were very useful to me.

I know that shorter lessons are better for my daughter, and still, I have trouble knowing how much is enough, how much is too much, how much is too little. I LOVE resources that are already divided into SHORT lessons that have "enough" defined for me. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE! :)

Five Minutes to Better Reading Skills contains 45 drills. Terry recommends a minimum of two lessons a week, although you may use them daily.

The teacher's book contains all of the "how-to" information, the progress charts, and the drills are numbered here. The student book contains just the drills, and the drills have no numbers along the sides of the pages, and Terry explains in the teacher's book that the "numbering tends to stress" students out.

The program is simple: start at the beginning with the first drill, work for mastery, and move on to the next lesson. The book is arranged so that there is one drill per page, one page per day, and the student reads aloud the words in rows from left to right, with an oral pre-read followed by an oral timed read. (I am not sure how to modify this for non-speaking children.)

3/18/09 UPDATE: I know many families who have non-speaking children on the autism spectrum, and some read my blog, so I contacted Bonnie Terry via e-mail and asked her how to use this product w/ a non-speaking child. She devoted a blog entry to the answer: http://www.bonnieterry.com/blog/?p=284

As I use this with my daughter (she has an autism diagnosis), I realize what issues challenge her. The drills have been good practice for us as I look for ways to give her experience and practice watching ending consonants. I like the developmental progression that Terry utilizes, working on a single middle vowel sound (same), but changing the consonants around them (different); then she introduces a new middle vowel sound; and the next lesson, she reviews both of those vowel sounds. The student must pay attention to work through the rows of words with accuracy and increasing speed.

We use a piece of paper or a plastic "reader" to block out all but the one line of words that we are reading.

When we get to the end of the page, we are done for the day! "Enough" is very clear for both of us! :)

Extra expenses are minimal, including the legal photocopies you make from either book (calendars, charts, forms) and the cost of a timer if you don't have a stopwatch or timer.

If you're looking for a study tool and reference guide all-in-one, I recommend this one. And for those of you working with struggling readers, consider Terry's products.

A great resource is the Bonnie Terry blog.

My Crewmates' reviews of these and other Bonnie Terry products (including the areas of math, spelling, and a sentence game) are located here.

UPDATE: VIDEO OF A FIVE MINUTE TO BETTER READING SESSION HERE: http://www.bonnieterry.com/blog/?p=461

Heads Up! A TOS Homeschool Crew Review

I love doing this particular review (I have loved them all, but this one is different because I relate to it so much.)! I "get" Melinda Boring, because I have a lot in common with her. Boring homeschooled three children, two with ADHD and sensory issues. Her family business, Heads Up! is the place to get many of the gadgets, doo-dads, fidgets, supports and resources for children with special learning challenges that I've seen teachers and therapists using over the past eight years.

If you are the parent of "NT" children (NT = "neurotypically developing", and it's a kind of "code" for "not autistic" among families with a child w/ autism), you may not know about a lot of these products, and yet, Heads Up! may have an item or two that could be a big help for you at home, for a wiggly child or a struggling reader or one who hates to write anything out in longhand, to name a few examples.

I first learned about Melinda Boring on the internet several years ago. She had been a featured speaker at a state homeschool convention that I'd missed because I did not know about the convention at that time. I was intrigued by what I read about her on the convention web site, and ordered her book: "Heads Up Helping!! Teaching Tips and Techniques for Working with ADD, ADHD, and Other Children with Challenges." [If you're the parent of a child with ADD, ADHD, or is on the autism spectrum, I think you'll like this book (although that is not what I am here to review today).]

I was delighted to learn that Heads Up! would be participating with the Homeschool Crew this year, and that they would include those of us on the alternates list of reviewers!

If you are the parent of a child with ADD, ADHD, an autism spectrum disorder or other learning challenge, you probably already know that there are many products and resources available to assist with the issues that we see frequently in children who fit those labels. You, like me, may have seen some wonderful products in school or therapy settings, and you've probably spent some time reading about how to support and assist students who have such challenges. Well, Melinda Boring of Heads Up! is one of US parents, and Heads Up! carries a nice selection of products and resources that support families like ours as we work with our children.

Heads Up! sent the crew a huge selection of frames
and readers


for us to try at home.

"Heads Up! Helping", Melinda Boring's book, contains a chapter called "Visual Distractibility" where Boring offers many helpful tips, including a section called "Using Color", where she discusses in depth the use of colored overlays and readers.

I have known about scotopic sensitivity for many years; I own "Reading by the Colors," a book by Helen Irlen, and happen to know individuals on the autism spectrum in real life who wear Irlen lenses. There is a color-keyed self test included in "Reading by the Colors," but the text is for advanced readers, and I had not introduced those colored pages to my daughter. We have not been able to get our daughter to wear glasses (she won't keep them on), so we have not pursued Irlen lenses for her. Additionally, I know that many individuals with autism cannot see words on the paper under certain lighting, and they relate how they are able to read more clearly when text is printed on colored paper. I knew about colored overlays, but did not know where to buy them, and so we'd never given them a try. I like the fact that I can choose appropriate text with the colored overlays so that we can experiment and find our best fit together.

Having a variety of frames and readers allows families to use them for different purposes. One shape is better for isolating a section or single problem on a page of math problems. Another shape is better for isolating one line of text. The full page overlay allows the reader to view (obviously) the entire page through the color of choice.

Heads Up! sent us information about the frames and how to use them, and I went about the task of experimenting with them to see which one or ones my daughter was drawn to. She likes the shades of blue and she rejects the others. And so, the blue frames and readers have become yet another piece of the puzzle for us at home. :)

If you have a reader who struggles some or all of the time, consider trying some of the colored overlays. They are priced at $1 each, inexpensive enough to order one of each color for some experimentation at home.

Heads Up! also sent us a product catalog -- I had NO IDEA that this little company is a one-stop web site for all sorts of unique products for students with attention and other learning challenges! A lot of the products are those that Melinda Boring, a speech therapist by education and training, used to support her children in their home school. Parent recommendations are in my top two of reliable resources as I continue to figure out what works with my daughter. (Individuals on the autism spectrum are the other part of my top two list.)

Heads Up!'s product catalog is filled with other gems, too, in the form of inspiration quotes that are scattered among the pages.

A few minutes on the web site shows me that the products in the catalog are all listed by category on the web site, and clicking through the different categories is pretty straightforward. The Borings have a nice selection of resources and products, from weighted stuffed animals to provide proprioceptive input to a wiggly student, to visual timers, to books, audio cds and videos by experts in the areas of ADD, ADHD, autism, and other challenges. Heads Up! has chewy products for kids who need that oral motor input of chewing on something; they sell cushions for sensory input while sitting; there are handwriting helps, too. Spend a few minutes on the web site! Shoppers can find Melinda Boring's blog and helpful articles via the web site, too.

I like new tools to help my learner at home, and the colored frames and readers have been a fun addition to our toolbox at home. I'm bookmarking the Heads Up! web site, and am eyeing one of the visual timers with some serious interest! ;) If you're looking for a new tool in your homeschooling toolbox, check out Heads Up!, because they probably have just the thing!

For reviews by my crew-mates about Heads Up! and other products, click here.

IF your kids fall off their chairs ... for no reason at all ...

One of the blessings of being a part of the TOS Homeschool Crew has been the relationships established among crew members. This group of parents is one of the most generous groups I've encountered, offering encouragement, advice, hints, sharing from their hearts, sometimes from very personal places. The cyber-fellowship has been so sweet! ;)

I have spent (probably) too much time the past eight years researching anything and everything autism related. Ask anyone who knows me in real life, and they'll tell you that one of my skills is being able to point folks to research and resources quickly, because I have read so much and retain what are sometimes odd and obsure pieces of information.

Being on the Crew has shown me that I still have a lot to uncover, and being connected to this wonderful group of parents has given me information and resources that I don't know if I would have found on my own. I have discovered that I am NOT the only mom on the planet who struggles with a child who is active, full of movement and energy, distractible. There are a lot more of us that I realized!

One of those moms is April, who shared some resources that are new to me, and I want to bless you with them, too (with April's permission). Here's part of what she shared with me:

"IF your kids fall off their chairs ... for no reason at all ...

...and they're those active, kinesthetic, distractible, creative types ... "

says April, "you should check out Carol Barnier's books and websites. She blessed me so much when I heard her at a homeschool conference. Until I heard her speak, I had no idea WHY my kids would just fall off their chairs during supper and school. I'd say, 'What were you doing?' They'd say, 'Nothing. Just sitting.'

At the conference when she talked about that, I just laughed and laughed because I could so relate to it. I didn't know it was because they were active or kinesthetic. I had no idea. I just thought I had the clumsiest kids on earth.

Through the rest of her sessions (I attended every single one) ... I cried. I cried because I was relieved, and she restored my hope, and helped me learn to be positive and see the good in the personality traits that go along with those ADHD and ADD type kids. The dreamers ... the kids who are just "more" ... to combine a few different book topics.

Here are the web sites:

http://www.sizzlebop.com/
http://www.opengifts.org/
http://www.westfieldacademy.org/adhd/"

As I began to look over the web sites, one title caught my eye and made me laugh out loud: How to Get your Child off the Refrigerator and on to Learning: Homeschooling Highly Distractible, ADHD, or Just Plain Fidgety Kids. I may have to order that one!

Thanks, April, for allowing me to share with others what you shared with me!

Y'all check out Aprils' blog, located here, that includes posts on teaching the distractible child. Here's one.

Write Shop Story Builders, a TOS Homeschool Crew Review

Children with autism often have challenges with comprehension of meaning, both spoken and unspoken, and related to that, challenges with imagination and creation of novel storylines. My child with autism is no exception, and I am always looking for ways to help us practice and grow in those areas. And I am always looking for resources that allow me to build competence and confidence as teacher and guide with my daughter, and Story Builders are products that meet all of those criteria!! (I have really enjoyed these cards!)

I was introduced to Write Shop's Story Builders when I was given a story builder last spring as one of many free gifts that came with a new subscription to TOS magazine. I signed up for their e-newsletter at that time. I got so many free gifts w/ the magazine subscription that I downloaded a bunch of them and forgot about them as summer arrived and we took a break from homeschooling. In downloading them and forgetting about them, I missed some wonderful opportunities to work on story creation, story telling, and imagination throughout the summer and fall.

Write Shop returned to my radar screen again in December, when the company sent a freebie, a holiday mini-story builder, inside their e-newsletter. I promptly downloaded and printed that one onto plain copy paper and my daughter and I plopped ourselves on the floor and created several stories. I was hooked, which sent me looking for the free story builder I'd been given in the spring w/ that subscription. Ironically, Write Shop signed on with the TOS Homeschool Crew, and I was offered story builders to use and review, World of People and World of Animals. There is a sports-themed story builder available as well.

Story Builders are e-books that you print at home. Each page contains eight cards and each card holds a different word or phrase. Words and phrases fall into one of four categories that "provide students with the basic elements of a story—character, character trait, setting, and plot". Each set of cards is offered TWO ways, one in black and white, for printing on colored paper or card stock, and another version where the text is different colors by category (character, character trait, setting, plot) for printing on white paper or card stock. The "animals" and "people" story builders come with some blank cards so that you can add new words and phrases, as well. Because they look like a game, they don't immediately send off "SCHOOLWORK" signals to my daughter.

The full-size story builders contain 192 cards formatted two ways (b&w or color) and cost $7.95 each. (You print just one of the two sets, either the color set or the b&w set.) There are enough words and phrases, story pieces to build many stories, and you could combine the sets if you choose.

Obviously, there are other costs involved, whether you print them at home or take them to an office supply store to have printed. I printed the first set (the holiday mini) on plain paper, and immediately added card stock to my shopping list. Copy paper is too thin in my opinion, and the card stock is sturdier and easier to handle. I found a better deal on card stock at a warehouse club than at a craft store, although the warehouse club offered only white card stock, while the craft store offered a variety of colors. There is also a little bit of "assembly" time involved, as someone must cut out all of those cards! (I've done a lot of cutting this school year between the spelling program and Story Builders! I'm considering the purchase of a cutter at this point.)

I chose to sit on the floor with my daughter to "play" with the cards--it looks less like "school" that way. We've experimented with them a lot, using some of the ideas that Write Shop includes with each Story Builder, and using some of our own. We've spread them out around us by category and built the story that we wanted, carefully choosing the right cards. We've chosen cards blindly and built crazy stories, too.

I was pleasantly surprised when my daughter brought a notebook and marker to our story building time in order to write down some of the story. She typically resists handwriting and copywork, and yet, she enjoyed our story so much that she wanted to write down some of the words! ;)

I applied to beta test one of Write Shop's products after spending some time on their web site. I am impressed with everything I've seen. They prepare their products with both development and guided participation in mind. Spend some time on the "support" section of their web site--there are helpful articles there and links to discussion groups, also. If you look along the side of my blog, you'll see a list of blogs that I follow. Write Shop's blog, "In Our Write Minds", is one of them. Be sure to check out the links on the side of THEIR blog -- they introduced me to some wonderful resources!

Go to the TOS freebie page, where you'll find a link to free samples from Write Shop, including a sample of a Story Builder.

Story Builders have become another of my favorites, because the products are simple to use and they scaffold the teaching process for me so that I can scaffold the learning and discovery process for my daughter. I hope you like them, too!

Check out other TOS Homeschool Crew reviews here.