A Teacher Was Flustered About My Kinesthetic Kid

Last week, we had a guest checked in the hostel. I was thrilled when I talk to her because for one, we both have five-year old kids and second she’s a teacher. It’s always nice to know someone I could easily relate with because of the same things we do.

She is a secondary teacher who confessed that it’s more challenging to teach kids who are way younger than teen-agers. So she was somehow eager when I mentioned I am homeschooling my five-year old son. I shared with her the reason why we opted to homeschool and its benefits. She was flustered though when I mentioned that my son is a kinesthetic learner. Intrigued, she asked how we found out and added if we have my son checked by a doctor. Sensing that she had this notion that a kinesthetic learner is not like any regular kids, I graciously answered her question. (After all, she is our guest. Haha!) Perhaps this person doesn’t really know what a kinesthetic learner is.

So I told her; I researched online on ways how to help my son learn effectively. Realizing that kids have different learning abilities, I figured out that my son is a kinesthetic learner based on how he responds to activities like reading and writing.

That way, I understand my son’s behavior towards learning thus it makes me more compelling in teaching him.

After talking to her, I realized something.

If a teacher considers a kinesthetic learner as;

A. Someone who is not a typical student, chances are the child can be considered with abnormality (just like what it came across when I talked to one)

 B. Someone who is like any other student, then the child may be forced to learn just like everyone else’ phase.

In both cases, the child can be poorly treated. Whereas if a teacher will take time to know the child’s learning ability and help him learn accordingly, the child can maximize his potential and excel in areas where his strengths are.

…Now that’s one of the many benefits of homeschooling.

Recycling Crayons

In the past five years, my son Isaiah has collected pile of crayons from birthdays and other occasions.

So this morning we decided to recycle them.

Materials:

Old crayons cut in small pieces

Silicon cups

Baking tray

Procedure:

Put small pieces of crayons in the silicon cups.

You can be very creative in coming up with different color combination. Put in the preheated oven at 230-degree Celsius. Wait for the crayons to melt then take out of the oven and let cool.

Detach from the silicon cups and see how pretty the colors are. Now you can use it to color or you can just put in a jar and display.

Colors are the smiles of nature. – Leigh Hunt

My Reading Partner

After finishing preschool on summer last year we enrolled Isaiah in Kumon. My husband, Kris and I decided that we preferred Homeschooling and we thought that it’s best to partner with Kumon in terms of Isaiah’s reading skills. I’m glad that we did the right decision.

At the eighth month of the program Isaiah already knew how to read and was advanced in his level.

Today, my five-year old Isaiah is not only reading well but also has good comprehension skills.

 

“There is no friend as loyal as a book.”  – Ernest Hemingway

Hands-On Learning

The kitchen is a big classroom for my homeschooler. And most of the time, it’s the same place where I can incorporate a lot of his lessons too .

For Math, I show him how to measure using cups, spoons and scale. I explain too the step-by-step process in cooking. For Listening Skills, he is taught how to follow instructions. For Safety and Protection, I guide him in using utensils. For Science, he is exposed to senses such as smell, taste and feel.

In all of those times that my son spent with me in the kitchen, the learning never stops. And that’s what I appreciate about Homeschooling. Learning is effortless and always hands-on, which kids enjoy.

 

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“The home is the chief school of human virtues.”
― William Ellery Channing

Our Child Can Always Do Better

I’m so happy that at the age of five my son shows independence in studying. While I think this may be normal for other kids his age, I take pride that being a kinesthetic learner; I can trust that he can always do better.

Now I realized that as a parent, I should never underestimate my son. The test result that shows what kind of learner he is, is not supposed to dictate the rest of my son’s capability. Rather it really serves to help me in determining how I can help him more.

 

Two Most Asked Homeschooling Questions – Answered!

When friends and other acquaintances heard that I am homeschooling, I am often asked the same two questions, which were also the same questions I had before:

First, is homeschooling cheaper compared to regular schooling?

Generally, yes, but the amount of savings depends. There are schools that offer free tuition and we were fortunate enough to sign up with Victory Christian International School (VCIS) Study Program in 2013. They gave us free tuition for three years and we just paid for all the materials that we needed to get started .  There were various programs being offered like music, arts, sports, robotics and others. Each of these programs cost around five to twenty-five thousand more and enlisting your child to one or more of these activities will make it a bit heavier on your budget already. Again these are supplemental learning that you can do away with especially if you know of other establishments like say, Kumon that provides learning avenues in different areas.

Second, how’s my son’s social skills?

I had some reservations putting my son in a solitary-like environment that homeschooling provides — or so I thought — but because such programs are not confined in the four corners of our home, my son gets to meet a lot of people. One time, we took up the lesson about community helpers. We literally went out to meet few of these neighborhood helpers, which he enjoyed so much. Also he was enrolled in sports and reading programs so he gets to have different sets of friends.

Overall, homeschooling is more inexpensive than regular school, however, it can be exorbitant if you take additional classes than what was offered. But the value far outweighs the cost. Getting to know my child more as I bond with him in ways I never thought I could are priceless moments. Homeschooling is worth a try if you’re considering doing this. You will feel more accomplished being part of his learning journey and that’s value that money can’t buy.

What is Your Child’s Learning Style

My perspective about kids going to school is very general. And all I knew is that my son has to learn what most kids his age are supposed to be learning. Now, that change when I enter into homeschooling.

To effectively teach my son I need to know what ticks him. Thus I discovered that different kids have different learning styles. If you don’t know which way is best for your child to take in information then learning is going to be so hard for both the teaching parent and the child. And I guess that’s one of the biggest secret I discovered in homeschooling my son.

Photo Credit: http://www.speak-simple.com

 

So what are the basic learning styles?

1. Kinesthetic Learner

• Likes hands-on approach
• Enjoys combining work and play
• Prefers group work more than working solo
• Excel in athletics, dance and acting
• Needs to be involved in their learning environment

2. Visual Learner

• Learns better by seeing images, maps, diagrams
• Memorizes different information
• Studies effectively in a quiet surrounding

3. Auditory Learner

• Effective in sounds
• Loves music playing while learning
• Reads to themselves
• Good in abstract and concepts

4. Tactile Learner

• Learns best through their hands
• Likes writing, taking down notes and drawing
• Involves feelings and emotions while learning

Knowing which of these learning styles applies to our children will guide us in helping them reach their full potential. If you want to know more about your child’s learning abilities, you can go to https://www.kidzmet.com/ and take their free assessment test for your child.

 

 

 

Resources: 

http://blc.uc.iupui.edu/AcademicEnrichment/StudySkills/LearningStyles/3LearningStyles.aspx

https://www.kidzmet.com/

 

Homeschooling Is…

Thank God, I survived my first year of homeschooling my five-year old son. Like any other first time things in life, homeschooling didn’t come easy. The adjustment period took a little longer for me than my son who loved homeschooling as much as he enjoys regular schooling.

All the lessons we learned together in this journey taught me a lot as well but nothing brings more joy when I discovered a great deal about my son’s learning abilities. Which also explains why his teacher (back in Montessori) would often tell us that:

1. He keeps running around
2. He doesn’t listen
3. He always like to play with his classmates etc. etc.

Such reports made my husband, Kris and I feel like there is something not right with him when in fact he was acting much like any other boys his age.

Later on, I realized that kids have different learning abilities and that it takes a huge amount of effort to really invest on getting to know a child.

If there are fifteen kids in a class with one teacher and an assistant teacher, it’s a serious task to make sure each child takes in what they need to learn along with everybody else and that’s where I appreciate homeschooling.

As a parent, investing knowledge to our children is a very important task and teaching is a huge fraction of that investment. I am glad that I have the opportunity to invest and teach at the same time.

 

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