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Dyslexia Hero

Every time I am tempted to go and buy phonics teaching material to teach Bern to read, I turn to Ron Davis.  Even today, I almost gave in and spent a couple of hours contemplating which programme to buy, before deciding I couldn’t abide the American accents.  Then I investigated a few British ones and saw the name Davis.  Which kicked my mind back to Ron Davis.  Anyway, below is a link to an interview with him.  It’s well worth a read and really inspiring.  I’m off to make some clay…

http://www.guidancechannel.com/default.aspx?index=1929&cat=2

Here’s the link to his site about dyslesxia.  He also works with autistic kids.

Butterfly Park

When we revisited Lake Garden, we also squeezed in a visit to the Butterfly Park.  Since the 120 species of butterflies and the rambling garden are much described, I will tell you about the less well known ‘attractions’ of the park.

It has a very large (at least by my gues-timation) collection of preserved bugs, beetles, butterflies and moths.  Bern was morbidly fascinated and kept dragging me off to look at ‘that spotted beetle’ and his ‘favourite beetle’ and the ‘coolest ever beetle’, while Katelin spent ages deliberating over which was the most beautiful butterfly.  She decided that the iridescent South American Morpho butterflies were the most attractive.  Cian was delighted to be allowed to hold his very first ‘own’ Ribena.  We figured it would be OK for him to spill the stuff, plus he was already filthy from the playground.

It is here that I admit that I passed many educational opportunities to broaden their knowledge of these fascinating creatures: but I was so creeped out by the bugs and beetles.  And they were dead!  It made me remember the time Jon took me to the Natural History Museum in London.  I almost passed out at all the displays.  I still cannot decide what confused me more, the ‘life-likeness’ of the dead animals or the ‘deadness’ the glass eyes looking back at me.

Once you find the entrance, (which is inadvertantly small and missable) the place is easy to navigate.  However, don’t bother with your pushchair as there are lots and lots of stairs.  There are toilets but I cannot comment on the quality of them as we didn’t need them (to my surprise).  We paid RM24 for two adults and two children, which is pretty fair.  There was an additional fee for the camera but I forget how much.

Plan of Action – Bern

As many of you already know, Bern will stop going to Kindiecare in a few short weeks.  While I admit some trepidation, I know this is the right decision.  Of late, he has shown reluctance to go to school because he finds it frustrating to have to read.  While he is all for practising writing, reading is something he struggles with.  This in turn has resulted in his reluctance to look at books in his free time; something he used to spend hours doing.  While he still wants us to read to him, he doesn’t want to explore them alone.  It’s like a love story gone wrong.

When he stops school, we’ve decided he will start the Yamaha Junior Music Course and gymnastics.  My intention is to hone and develop his gross motors skills and to give him chance to build his confidence in his physical abilities.  I feel that being able to use his body will help settle his energy and hone his concentration.  When he turns six, he wants to take up fencing too.  If he s still keen, 8 months down the line, then Jon and I are all for it.

The intention is to keep him busy with lots of physical, manual and tactile activites while continuing to read stories and poetry to him.  We’re also encourging his artistic impulses.

In case you’re still guessing, we’re taking the delayed approach (created by the late Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore) with him.  The Moore formula states:

1. Study everyday, from a few minutes to hours.
2. Manual work, at least as much as study.
3. Home and/or community service, an hour or so per day.

They also offer the following advise, “Focus on kid’s interests and needs, be an example in consistency, curiousity and patience.  Live with them!  Worry less about tests.” 

Here are some resources that explain the rationale behind it.  Obviously we don’t intend to do this for Katelin, but this is the wonder of homeschool.  You do what is right for each child.

http://members.aol.com/usteach/styles/delayed.html 

http://www.moorefoundation.com/article.php?id=3

child labour

i think children should be encouraged to get physical and sweat.  Kids nowadays are too cosseted and mollycoddled.  They are afraid of getting dirty and sweaty.  And it’s a positive shame!

I hope that our decision to homeschool will provide the children with many opportunities to get mucky.  I hope they learn to love the feel of earth in their fingers, the sensation of walking barefoot on the grass and the indescribable satisfaction of falling asleep physically tired.

There is nothing like using your body to teach you to appreciate it and what it does for you and what it allows you to do.

We love Eric Herman

Go to his website www.erichermanmusic.com and check out the music videos!  They are so fresh and original.  The kids love them.  I think the current favourite is Snow Day.  They keep asking when it’s going to snow in Malaysia, LOL.  I am desperate to buy some of his music.

Love his energy!

Lake Gardens

This tropical paradise is a wonderful place to take your kids.  There are toilets within walking distance from the main play area.  The play area itself it enormous, fairly well maintained and clean.  It can be warm, so remember the sun block.  However, we didn’t have a problem with mozzies, which I found disconcerting as there is a lake there.  Stagnant water = mozzies, or so I assumed.  Also, parking is a little odd.  We had to park some distance away at the parking areas of other attractions and take the shuttle bus over.  However, I attribute this to the fact that the LAMAN festival was taking place.  Will update you once I visit again during a non-event week.

UPDATE: Sept 2008

Jon had a few days off so we took the kids back.  It was great fun as we had our red wagon with us too.  Parking was ridicuously simple, it’s by the main entrance, not 30 feet away.  However, none of the water fountains work, nor are they are any vendors selling water (becuase it is fasting month) so we had to leave due to thirst.  Yes, I was silly not to bring any.  Weikim would’ve!

The School Holidays

We’re on the last day of a two week break. Jon is in Sydney at a exhibition. I am a little sunburnt. The kids are watching Playhouse Disney at the moment. Life is good.

I started with high hopes and secretly savoured a hope that I would teach Bern to read in two weeks. As you can imagine, I didn’t even get started, never mind get close to anything like success. And I don’t have a single regret.

We whiled away the two weeks playing with our friends, Kinwai and Huiyin. We Went to the Lake Gardens twice to visit a plant exhibition. The kids climbed, ran, jumped, slid about and got filthy! An all round great time. We had lots of naps and read lots of stories. The Lego came out and Bern created several fantastic concoctions. Bern and I made a pasta bake-yummy. We’ve bathed the guinea pigs and walked the bunny. We’ve even Skyped with Jon in Sydney. Bern also attended a trial Yamaha JMC class and was totally thrilled by it.

And when I got the workbooks out, I had to beg them to put them away. They wanted to go on and on. I opted to stop while I was ahead. But I think that this break was a great testing period for when we begin in earnest. Yup, Bern is scheduled to finish with Kindiecare after this concert semester.

 

My Purpose

I am starting this blog so I can chronicle  my family’s homeschooling journey.  I have three children, two of whom are in a wonderful kindergarten.  However, I will probably withdraw my eldest by the end of this year and let my second stay on for a while more.  I don’t know if my youngest will ever go to kindie…it’s still open to discussion.

I also hope to compile information relevant to other homeschool families in Malaysia.   I am finding it very difficult to get any information regarding our legal status.  It was also a little difficult to find  other families who homeschool for non-religious reasons.  And finally, doing all that research (which I am still doing) was totally daunting at first.  I really hope to provide a starting point for other families like mine.

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