Smart kids that learn differently -- need a process that works for them.

I can hardly wait for the day when smart kids who learn differently will be seen for how SMART and GIFTED they are. 

Oh, that day will come.  In many ways it's already here...we just haven't tapped into it fully. 

Resistant to learning in a way that can go against the traditional approaches leaves us waiting -- when we don't need to.

Beliefs that:

You can't really read a word until you can blend all the sounds.  Who says so? 

You aren't really writing when you using your voice to scribe words and spell check?  Who says so? 

You can't have information given to you before the class begins to fully understand the new vocabulary. Who says so? 

You can't use a calculator for math functions?  Who says so? 

Are we stuck believing that learning only moves in one direction -- from A to B to C. That this is the only way we learn.

So "A" would be, first, learn the letter sound, "B" would be to then blend the sounds to read a word and next "C", read the words in the sentence. And on and on. And if you don't move in that order you will have to return to A....sorry. Even if you understand words and sentences. 

Hmmmm...why? 

What if a child needs to jump from G then to E and finally to A. 

Let's consider this.

A child is not learning letter sounds very well ...or at all.  This is not their strength so you decide it's time to take another approach so you decide to focus on something that interests them and they have a connection with right now. (Point G)

Your child is interested in their name - their name means a LOT to them. So you focus on their name and the letters in their name.  

From there, you focus on which way the letters are positioned and how to create their name while working on what the letters are. (point E) 

Then you move onto letter sounds so they can hear the sounds of each letter in their name.  (Point A.)  

I know you might be thinking, "You have to know the sounds and the foundation of the words". (or however you word this process that makes you force the order of learning -- systems) 

And for some children this is true.  They can understand the components of language and the sounds -- it's how they are wired. Which is wonderful.

But this is where we get stuck. 

It's not the process for everyone and it doesn't mean a child will not eventually learn A -- it's just not the first step.  

And if we insist on this, the child continues to fail and make limited progress...when they can learn and learn well. 

The answer: Allow kids to learn in the way that works for them. 

Focus on the process (G to E to A) and less on the systems (A to B to C). 

I love this quote "processes address effectiveness, whereas systems address efficiency. There is no longer the need for systems but processes". --  Josephine Fannin

What process works for your child?  This is the question you want the answer to.

And how can we get all kids to Z -- with their abilities shining through and having a true acceptance for how they learn. 

It's time.  

To change. 

It's time to focus on effective learning (processes) instead of systems (use only this method to learn). 

Susan