Re: Library skills carol

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/8/01 2:49:15 AM Pacific Standard Time,

Csvillars@... writes:

<< Gail,

don't let them try to sell you that bull! That's what the schools have been

telling me for years, is that it was better to work on social skills because

functionally Trisha wasn't ready for any kind of academics and I want you to

know we have proved them wrong this year. >>

I'm so glad things are going better this year for you and Trisha. I'm really

not convinced that Seth is ready for academics yet. Until he shows some sign

of wanting to look at a book or paper, I'm not sure pushing it would do any

good. He's 5, but cognitively about 18 months. I think age appropriate

stuff for him is singing, playing and being interactive with people right

now. The only way he can say he doesn't want to do something is to cry,

throw things or lash out. It scares me to think if we push academics, he

will have major behavior problems, which he doesn't right now because he

isn't forced to do things he doesn't understand. *MY* goals for him are to

play with a toy appropriately, and not choose things just for their dangling

ability. To initiate interaction with others. To look at pictures. To not

throw his cup and bowl when he's done eating. To not strip naked every

chance he gets. To not climb on everyone like they are a tree. I don't know

if he is now going through the terrible twos or what, but getting him to

settle down to do ANYTHING is getting harder. Let alone something he doesn't

like, have interest in or understand. It's hard to push academics with the

girls, and to hold back doing that with Seth, but I really don't feel he's

ready for that yet. BUT...I'm keeping my mind open and will always keep

trying the academics with him. LOL Thanks Carol

Gail :-)

[Guest guest]

Gail,

I understand all those things you are talking about, been there done

that and still doing that. Academics is not just about teaching reading

writing and math, it's also about preparing the kids for such things in the

future. For instance, part of his academics might be to just have books in

the class room where he can watch as other kids play/look/hold the books.

This would be part of the pre-reading skills for him. There are a lot of

pre-reading, writing skills that can be worked on to help prepare the way for

academic learning that is not always considered academics by school yet it is

a strong part of beginning academic learning. For instance if Seth doesn't

like books then maybe just having book around the classroom and home etc

would help to make him more comfortable, he doesn't necessarily have to use

the books himself in the beginning but just be able to see how the books are

used in his enviroment and how others use them, some of our teachings are not

black and white, they don't fit in one category or another. Sharing, playing

in a group or with another child is the beginning of preparing our kids for

more learning experiences. I don't know if I can make this make sense but

one thing I have noticed about Trisha is that even though she didn't seem to

like/understand etc things like having her name put on her desk, chair, coat

hook, bookbag etc she took in more than we realized, sometimes it takes days,

months and even years to see that our children made progress. In our case I

have been working on the sign for hotdog for over 4 years with no response

from Trisha, then just a few weeks ago she came up to me and signed hotdog

with no prompting or asking of any kind. with her name being on everything

for years we thought she paid no attention to it until one day I had printed

out her name in large black letters on white paper for a project I was

working on and she came, looked at the name and said 'sha 'sha which is her

way of saying her name. I don't think you have to push, I'm just a firm

believer in having exposure, you just never know just how much these kids

takes in until one day when you lest expect it, they come up and show that

they did get something from it after all.

Carol

She isn't Typical, She's Trisha!

[Guest guest]

We finally got it where Trisha doesn't strip at school but maybe on rare

occasions and we are down to her just taking her shoes off when we go into

the stores (she used to strip right on down) but at home she still likes to

run around in just an oversized T-shirt she takes everything off just as soon

as she gets home and goes and gets her T-shirt to put on. This child just

seems to hate wearing most clothing. :-) As far as throwing her plates,

bowls etc. we are still working on that, I would say we are making progress

since she doesn't throw the untensils everytime she is finished now only

about 1/2 the time. She is just now getting to where she will participate in

group play just a little bit, she still seems to prefer to stay off by

herself most of the time. But if they are doing something she really likes

(like music) she will join them. To some these may not represent major

progress but for Trisha these are mighty big steps, but it has taken years to

get here and I am so very proud of her progress. Even with all the negative

things with her teachers and schools in the past, I am glad that I insisted

that she at least have exposure because I believe that is what is helping her

to progress so well now since she has a teacher who is taking the time to

work with her.

Carol

She isn't Typical, She's Trisha!

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/9/01 6:48:52 AM Pacific Standard Time,

Csvillars@... writes:

<< Gail,

I understand all those things you are talking about, been there done

that and still doing that. Academics is not just about teaching reading

writing and math, it's also about preparing the kids for such things in the

future. >>

I totally agree Carol! Sometimes I just assume EVERYONE does that kind of

stuff...it's just a natural way of teaching and learning...well for me

anyway. LOL On all of Seth's orange video tapes I have written the name of

them in black magic marker. Some right side up, some up side down. He goes

through them all, turning them so the words are right side up and studies

them until he chooses the one he wants. He DOES know them, because I have

kept some in the cabinet and sometimes that's the one he's looking for and he

leads me to the cabinet to get it out. I know he can't read...but he is

associating those titles with what is on the tape. Just for an experiment, I

used just the words for pecs, with no pictures. He still chose his favorite

foods every time. I use the pecs symbols with the written word under the

pic....cause like you said, you never know what is being absorbed. I just

assume everyone does this kind of stuff because I do it. LOL When Seth

eats, I always sound out the alphabet for him and make noises to each letter.

Or name animals and make their sounds. Have done that since he was old

enough to sit in a high chair. He hasn't shown me that any of that has been

absorbed, but he studies my mouth and face the whole time, so I assume he is

getting something out of it. I just think of academics as the type of

schooling I do with the girls. You are right and I will have to expand my

perception of academics to include all the *pre* stuff too. Thanks

Gail :-)

[Guest guest]

Seth sounds a lot like Trisha! lol

Trisha knows her videos and she will bring them to us and say see and if we

tell her the wrong name of the video she will yell at us Noooooooo! She also

lines them up in what appears to be the order she is going to watch them in.

I'm not for sure but that is what it looks like. I made the mistake of

picking them up because to me they looked just scattered on the floor, she

got very upset and began putting them back just they way she had them and

then pointed to the door which is her way of telling me to get out. lol

Carol

She isn't Typical, She's Trisha!

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/9/01 9:49:18 AM Eastern Standard Time,

Csvillars@... writes:

> I don't think you have to push, I'm just a firm

> believer in having exposure, you just never know just how much these kids

> takes in until one day when you lest expect it, they come up and show that

> they did get something from it after all.

>

> Carol

> She isn't Typical, She's Trisha!

>

>

>

Right on Carol! I feel the same way. Just wish the teachers would see it that

way sometimes.

Diane

[Guest guest]

This was too funny when I read this, because I can totally relate .

Yes , I will never hear the end of when I too , disturb his

videos . also could tell which is what, when a video has been

recorded off a TV show . Sometimes I wonder if could read

because there are no pictures , just hand written title of the

video . That was too cuet of Trisha pointing the videos towards the

door , though .

Irma, 13,DS/ASD.

> Seth sounds a lot like Trisha! lol

> Trisha knows her videos and she will bring them to us and say see

and if we

> tell her the wrong name of the video she will yell at us

Noooooooo! She also

> lines them up in what appears to be the order she is going to watch

them in.

> I'm not for sure but that is what it looks like. I made the

mistake of

> picking them up because to me they looked just scattered on the

floor, she

> got very upset and began putting them back just they way she had

them and

> then pointed to the door which is her way of telling me to get

out. lol

>

> Carol

> She isn't Typical, She's Trisha!

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

with her name being on everything for years we thought she paid no

attention to it until one day I had printed out her name in large

black letters on white paper for a project I was working on and she

came, looked at the name and said 'sha 'sha which is her way of

saying her name.

Carol ,

I'm so proud of Trisha doing this , this is wonderful news and she

knows how to say her name , even its " SHA SHA " .

> I don't think you have to push, I'm just a firm believer in having

exposure, you just never know just how much these kids takes in until

one day when you lest expect it, they come up and show that they did

get something from it after all.

>

This is so true , even 's teacher will tell me the same thing .

I thought I was wasting my time, because would not look or

try to turn his face towards whatever object or me but he has been

listening or catching a glimpse and he has shock me . Its so good to

read how well Trisha is doing . Even if she strips because

will also come home from school . Strip to his underwear , sometimes

wears a t-shirt , I don't mind for now as he is on a toilet

schedule .

Irma