I'm slow, I have to learn something many, many times before it sinks in. And sometimes more than that. Let me give an example.
When we first started homeschooling I knew my boy thinks better when he moves. I bought him a bouncy ball to sit on while we worked. He loved it. When we started with COVA it didn't seem to fit the way we were working so it got put to the side. He is now really to big for it. I have slowly moved to more sitting still and learning style, it is how I learn and haven't been able to figure out, or tried to figure out really, how to incorporate movement into the boy's learning. We have fought more and more with each passing month.
Friday the Boy announced that he was going to do school while walking on the treadmill. Ok I thought, we would likely have a fight when it came to the spelling test but we'll work on everything else while he walks.
I ended up giving him the spelling test orally and he did great. It was much faster than when he has to write it down.
I'm thinking I need to get him a typing/keyboarding program. That or check out something like Dragon Naturally Speaking for him. The problem with the voice recognition programs is I've heard they are not good at recognizing young voices. We'll see.
So yet again I have forgotten something I knew worked in the past, the boy's brain is connected to his feet/legs, and find life is much easier when I don't ignore that. Sigh.
Anyone have ideas about teaching a kid that needs to move to think? It really does seem to short circuit his brain to have to be still.
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4 comments:
Google for resources for "kinesthetic learners", that's the technical name for learning better while moving. Ask me when I'm not on my way out the door & I can also give you the name of the speaker/author I heard at last year's homeschool convention that helped me figure out that both my girls, and my husband, are kinesthetic. . .
Not specific to kinesthetics, but both of my girls enjoyed Read Write Type to learn typing, and were able to learn it very quickly.
LaRee
I have this image of him doing tai chi in the back of a classroom in college during lecture. Or while reciting vocab words. Pictures of the tv show Kung Fu come to mind. :)
Out of curiosity, why doesn't the ball "fit" what you're doing anymore? One of the third grade classrooms at our school has them and they are they envy of the school. Also, this may not be enough movement for him, but have you considered just allowing him to stand (perhaps at a counter) while he works?
Thank LaRee, I've looked up some resources and they look great. I appreciate the lead.
Gina, Heh yeah I think he is going to have to figure out what school he could go to that would offer this or figure out how to work around it by the time he gets there.
Sarah, he has out grown the ball we have, his legs have gotten so long recently. I just need to find him a bigger bounce ball or else one of those half balls that you can sit on the floor with.
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