School & Your Child with ADD / ADHD

School & a child with ADD /ADHD is not exactly a match made in heaven – for anyone.  Your child may be inadvertently interrupting other children in the classroom and their parents may be up in arms, the teacher may be struggling to cope with your child day in day out, you may be stressed out dealing with your child everyday and there in the middle of all of this is your wonderful child just being his or herself.

So how can you make school easier for everyone?

Be there for your child: You are the only true advocate for your child.  Be available for the teacher if he/she needs you via phone, email, text, etc.  However, if you have the nagging teacher who calls every day to tell you that Johnny got into a fight  or didn’t listen during PE, ask them (politely) to either keep a written log, email you, or call when there is something you can actually do about the situation.  I have seen situations where the parent is called way too much, and it ends up discouraging the parent instead of helping solve the problem. Remember also that every child will push boundaries and sometimes they are just being bold. There are three sides to every story – just as your child is not ALWAYS causing problems; the teacher is not ALWAYS in the wrong either. Balance is good.

Get really organised:  I know that modern life is busy but the more structured and organised an environment you can create for your child, the more it should help them stay more focused. While I know this isn’t always the case, I have seen the consistent structure and organisation of home/school help students meet goals and succeed in school. Remember that not all teachers are super organised or structured, so do what you can to create that sense of structure at home. Remember, sometimes the really strict teacher may not be your child’s favourite but your child may do better with the structure and organization of the less favourite teacher.

Keep a large calendar in the house (I prefer dry erase) that shows schedules, due dates, and appointments. We have created a Hummingbird Learning Centre family planner, just email me and I will send it to you. It’s really easy to use – just print it out (A4) and pop it into a glass picture frame & write on it with a whiteboard marker. It just wipes off.

Not every teacher wants to help every child: Teachers are human too and just like in every other job, some teachers are miserable, some are overwhelmed and some are under-trained. While the majority are none of these and many absolutely love teaching & are really good at it, chances are you might encounter at least one teacher like that within your child’s school career.  My point is that you need to go into school meetings knowing that no one is perfect, and no matter where you, your child, or the teacher are in life, you need to stay as positive as possible for your child. You cannot control the teacher but you can control your response to the teacher.

This too will pass:  In larger schools, classroom teachers see your child for one year but in smaller schools, you child may have the same teacher for a number of years. That is why it is really important to develop a good relationship with the teacher. There have been situations where I have had to tell teachers that even though a student is struggling or isn’t making as much desired progress, they are still growing and have multiple years to learn and grow. While I’m not saying that we should let lack of progress go and not try to meet goals, development isn’t the same for each child.  Just remember that even if the school year is tough, it’s nine months and you can use the summer to catch up on some content if your child is struggling in the classroom. Our 10 week programs work really well for children & students with ADD/ ADHD.

Talk to other parents: If your school or area has an ADD/ADHD support group, find out which schools / teachers deal best with children who have the same issue. Schedule a meeting with the principal if you have to and express your concerns and ask which teacher you feel will be best for your child. Facebook Groups are an excellent way to find and interact with parents.

Put it in writing: An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a written document which specifies the learning goals that are to be achieved by the student over a set period of time. It should not contain everything to be taught to the student in a period of time, but rather, that which is additional or different to the main class curriculum. The strategies, resources and supports necessary to achieve these goals are also specified in the IEP

While IEPs are not as yet a legal requirement in Irish schools (they will become so when the EPSEN Act is finally fully implemented), some teachers of children with special education needs have been using IEPs or similar individual plans for some time now. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) have issued guidelines on planning an IEP, providing teachers, parents and schools the opportunity to become familiar with the process. The guidelines present a checklist of the essential elements required for an IEP, so even if your school hasn’t using them, create one yourself and bring it to the school.  It will help you focus on what your child needs and create a framework for you and the school to adhere to. It makes life easier for everyone, when everyone is on the same page.

Zip it: If you have a rough year with a particular teacher, make sure not to express too much of that in front of your child.  Children are like sponges (particularly when it suits them!). They will pick up on your negative talk and body language, and you could be inadvertently adding to the situation. You need to work to keep the teacher on your side as much as possible, and even if you get the teacher from the hell, be sure to stay positive in front of your child as much as possible. If they’re old enough to understand that some teachers aren’t always nice, explain to them that that is a reflection of the teacher and not them. (However if the teacher is excessively picking on your child or makes your child feel really bad about themselves or their academic performance, you need to intervene).  If your child is losing self-esteem or really feels that they are being singled out, then would contact the principal. Again, you are your child’s advocate, so only you know the best way to help your child through a tough year.

Talk about it: If your school has a resource teacher they can often help your child think through tasks and learn to organise their thoughts, desk, and assignments. Talk with your child about the steps you take to stay organised and complete tasks throughout your day. Ask them what an organised day would look like to them – this way they are finding their own solutions, rather than listening to what suits you. Remember that they are their own person; they need to find their own way. This is a skill that will help them for the rest of their days.

Sleep on it: I know many parents of our Hummingbirds who do ADD have commented that their child has had trouble sleeping.  Having a consistent sleep schedule can really help your child perform better in school.  This means a structured bedtime routine and bed time. Make sure that your child gets the recommended hours of sleep.  There are natural remedies for sleep disturbances but always check with your child’s doctor first, especially if they are taking medication.

The basics: Obviously, habits like eating right and exercising help everyone, so that is a given for children who are struggling with ADD/ADHD. However, I do know that some parents complain that the medications make their child lose weight and not want to eat as much. Make sure to talk to your child’s doctor for tips on how to get your child to maintain a healthy appetite.

Behaviour plans:  Children who do ADD/ADHD may be impulsive, and act before they think.  It may benefit your child to have a behaviour plan at home, school, or both to help provide motivators to stay focused throughout the day. Keep the rewards simple such as time with a pet or extra video game time. Mix up the rewards; you do not want to end up with 3 hours of extra time on the Xbox! Stay award from food & money rewards too.

Develop social cues:  Sometimes students with this condition find social situations very difficult. They can be impulsive, rude, and interrupt. However, they also can get their self-esteem hurt very easily. Develop a signal system to help them know when something is socially wrong and then talk about it in private. This could be tapping your finger on the side of your face, on your nose, etc.

Keep them moving:  All children are built to move! Having to stay still is difficult for all children, but especially so for children with ADD / ADHD. It does seem that these students really do better when they are in movement activities. Some find the martial arts excellent as the exercises are very grounding.

Take care of You: It’s very important that the parents of children who do ADD/ADHD take good care of themselves because it can be exhausting!    Many times these children are highly intelligent, which makes it even more frustrating for parents. They don’t understand how their child can be so intelligent, but can’t remember to do homework, or remember to bring home their school books! This can be very frustrating, so make sure you take care of yourself too! So join a gym or book club, take up cycling or have massage. You are worth it.

I hope this helps you see that you are the best advocate for your child and I hope you find a school and teachers who offer mutual respect and support. If you want to find out more about how our programs can help you and your child, just email me at elaine@hummingbirdlearning.com or call on 087 2996054

Elaine Sparling is the CEO of the award winning Hummingbird Learning Centre®. Based in Adare, Co Limerick and Tralee, Co Kerry, she works with clients on a one to one basis and can be contacted on 087-2996054 or through their website www.hummingbirdlearning.com. They are currently developing a week long Irish Course for summer 2016.The online version of their popular workshop The Secrets to Successful Spelling™ is available through their website and Facebook page and they have launched their Study Success Program™ for second & third level students.

Dealing with a Difficult Teacher

In an ideal world, school would be an amazing, productive, happy place where enthusiastic educators nurtured young minds & taught them to love learning.  Most of the teachers I have met over the years strive towards that ideal, but just like in every workplace, there are difficult people in teaching too.

Parents often ask me for tips on how to deal with difficult teachers.  Their fear is that by tackling the teacher they may in fact make the situation worse for their child.  This is particularly true of small schools where the student may have the same teacher for a number of years.

When dealing with difficult teachers, I suggest the following;

Respect:  Like them or loath them, the teacher deserves to be treated with respect.  Treat them as you would like them to treat your child. You can never directly change a person’s behaviour.  You can however, control your behaviour and when you behave in a respectful manner you will ultimately change that person’s behaviour towards you.

Communication:  Nobody likes to be door stepped so arrange an appointment just as you would with a doctor or dentist.  Have your diary ready – know when you are available.  If the teacher cannot meet you within a few days, give them some alternative times when you are available.  That way you are giving them a choice but not control.  Do not be bullied into a time.  Your time is just as valuable as the teacher’s.  You need to be calm & ready for the meeting, not stressed about it.  Keep a record of how many appointments are proposed, dates, times, phone calls etc

Unemotional:  Talking about our children leaves us very open to being emotional and when emotional sometimes things can be said rashly.  A good way to detach at these times is to imagine yourself observing the meeting.  This helps you to disassociate from what is being said & to remain calm.

Prepare:  No doubt the difficult teacher will have prepared themselves for the meeting, so you need to be prepared too.  If you are unprepared it will be very difficult for you to refute anything the teacher says.   Check out the school policy, read the latest Whole School Evaluation on the Department of Education website. Have a look at the NCCA website and the teacher union websites.  They all hold lots of valuable information – not forgetting the National Parent Councils websites.

When preparing, make sure that you have lots of items to celebrate about your child.  Remember that they are very successful human beings and are learning in their own way.  You may have a lot of negativity coming from the difficult teacher & you need to be able to focus on what is going well & how to turn around what is not going well yet.

Language:  When I say watch your language, I don’t mean bad language (that goes without saying).  What I mean is listen carefully to every word as  the teacher may  use absolute words such as never, always, all, only, everyone, e.g. everyone else sits quietly all the time.  The only way to challenge this type of language is to calmly repeat the absolute word and make it into a question – everyone? All the time?  Never?  Always?   It undermines the absolute and allows the conversation to move forward.

Track:  Track everything!  I know it sounds a bit over the top but if a teacher is proving to be difficult you need a record and a timeline.  If you asked to be rung and no calls were made, record it. Appointment rescheduled – record it.   In the event that you need to bring the matter further you will need to show that you have been the reasonable party.

Meeting:  When at the meeting ask that the teacher sit beside you away from a school desk – this is a meeting of equals, you are not student. If you know the teacher’s first name use it, if you don’t ask them and introduce yourself with your first name.  It is the 21^st century & hiding behind Mr or Mrs is an attempt to assert their dominance.  Be friendly, you are here to help both the teacher and your child.  Be open to what the teacher has to say.  Ask how together you can solve the issue.  Agree a time & date for the follow-up meeting, say in 2 weeks time, to evaluate progress.

After the meeting:  Follow up with a handwritten thank you card and a written copy of what was agreed at the meeting and confirm the date & time of the follow-up meeting. Be at that follow-up meeting! Move heaven & earth to be there!

Escalate: If after your meeting(s), you are not getting a favourable outcome then you must escalate the issue to the next level.  This is where your tracking will be invaluable.  Yes it may mean more hassle for you but you are your child’s advocate and they need you.

Like all bad situations, ignoring the problem won’t make it go away.  Sometimes difficult decisions may have to be made, but those decisions can be come to easier when approached correctly.  The majority of teachers have their pupils’ welfare at heart and want them to do well.  Most teachers are reasonable and welcome parental involvement, particularly if any issue arises that is causing difficulty in the class.  Thankfully, these open-minded, caring teachers are the teachers your children will meet, most of the time.

If you need some help here are some useful websites:

Hummingbird Learning centre                                    www.hummingbirdlearning.com

National Council for Curriculum and Development:          www.ncca.ie

Gifted Children                                                                                 www.giftedkids.ie

Department of Education & Skills                                              www.education.ie

Appropriate Reading for Kids

We always like to take books with us on our holidays.  I love nothing better than sitting in the sunshine reading my book.  It’s one of my favourite ways to unwind on holiday – assuming there is sunshine!

I’m also a great fan of libraries. Everything about them appeals to me: the rows of books, the orderliness, the calmness, the potential hidden between the covers.  We used to go to the library every Friday when we were children & I brought my kids there too.

So armed with his library card, I sent my son into the library the morning before we were going on our holidays.  His mission was to find a book for his dad, who likes to read biographies. As he is a keen cyclist, my son thought that dad would like a book about Lance Armstrong & chose the book by the Irish whistleblower, Emma O’Reilly (always good to have an Irish perspective).  However, the librarian wouldn’t allow him to take it out because it was an adult book!

When I queried it, (I assumed it might have been because of drug taking in the book), I was told that my 13yr old couldn’t take out books from the adult section.  Now I’m absolutely fine with that rule if he was taking out 50 Shades of Grey, but a sports biography? Don’t we want to encourage reading?

Most of the children I work with dislike reading when they first come to us. In school, books are banded according to various criteria and matched to perceptions of pupils’ ability. This means that some pupils never get access to the books that they would most like to read and share with others, as they are always constrained by the level they have reached. Some pupils never progress through all the levels and they end up reading what they call ‘baby’ books, which only serve to undermine their confidence further.

The Dyslexia Association of Ireland (DAI) held its 7th European Conference in the Newman Building, UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4, on April 25th 2015. The conference brought together experts from Ireland, the UK and Europe to share current research on dyslexia, with a focus on Innovation in Assessment and Teaching.

One of the Keynote speakers, Jonathan Solity in his presentation “Are Synthetic Phonics Programmes and the Phonics Screen Major Causes of Dyslexia?” stated “There is no sound evidence base on which books can be banded or levelled. Schools need to move away from thinking about matching books to pupils’ ability, be clear about the skills that pupils have mastered, and the extent to which they will be able to read any books that they share with more experienced readers.”

In other words, allow the children read books that interest them.  Encourage them to expand their vocabulary. Buy a really good thesaurus dictionary, keep it beside them and help them to find out the meanings themselves.  Use the internet to get the meaning of new words.

Focus on the purpose of reading, which not to read to at a predetermined level, but to share ideas and knowledge.

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month.

Elaine Sparling is the creator of the Hummingbird Learning Method® and is launching the online version of their popular workshop The Secrets to Successful Spelling™ on October 31, 2015. Based in Adare, Co Limerick and Tralee Co Kerry, she works with clients on a one to one basis and can be contacted on 087-2996054 or through their website www.hummingbirdlearning.com

Homework – A Thorny Issue

“Homework is one of the thorniest issues at primary level”. Not my words but those of Peter Mullen of the Irish National Teachers Organisation, in an article in the Irish Examiner in November 2013.

The Department of Education in Ireland has no formal policy on the length of time homework should take. I’m going to repeat that – there is no national policy on the length of time that homework should take or how much homework is given.  Each school is free to make its own policy.  In many ways, the lack of a formal policy is a good thing. Nobody wants a situation where home work is done with a stopwatch – not a second more, not a second less.

Homework is a contentious issue.  Some parents rate teachers based on how much homework they give – too much & the teacher mustn’t be teaching them in class at all, too little and the teacher is way too laid back.  Other parents decide that a school is more or less academic than other schools based on the amount of homework given. The consensus being that the longer the students spend on homework the more academic (and therefore better) the school.

I know of one parent, who decided that the teacher, who was also the principal, wasn’t giving enough homework to the class. That parent went to town on the teacher, who gave in and increased the homework from 30 – 40 min to 2.5 hours per night!  The pupils were in 4^th class and no other parents were consulted before the massive increase in workload.  The fact that there isn’t a formal national policy gave the other parents little comeback when this happened.  The school set the policy.

There is a lot more to doing homework than the time it takes to do it but giving a time frame is at least an easy guideline for parents.  However, when I checked the homework policies of various national schools on time to be spent on homework in sixth class, some schools recommend up to 50% more time than others.

An article in The Irish Teachers’ Journal in November 2014 entitled ‘An Evaluation of the Utility of Homework in Irish Primary School Classrooms’ by Joanne Jackson and Lorraine Harbison, concluded that,  based on their research  it is not the giving of homework per se that is of value but that the type of homework that is administered is more important.

They go on to say:  Homework remains a central part of the primary school curriculum that affects teachers and teaching, children and learning, families and home-school communication. Despite this reality, there is limited evidence on the utility of homework. As with the findings of Van Voorhis (2004), too little attention has been given to the purposes of homework and communication between home and school about homework policies. Communication should work both ways, but all the literature refers to home-school communication in relation to homework rather than what could really be deemed the more appropriate term, school-home!

A number of key themes arose during the questionnaire, namely the lack of knowledge of the expectations of parents, partially due to the homework policy being poorly communicated to parents and the juxtaposition of positive and negative views of homework amongst parents. Even more disappointing, is the absence of the voice of the child in the debate although the curriculum advocates that children should be active agents in their own learning rather than submissive partakers. What is apparent is that radical overhaul of homework needs to take place and it is vital that all involved are given opportunities to voice opinions in order to develop the most effective strategies possible which will maximise children’s learning potential.

In March 2015 the UK newspaper The Telegraph ran a story called ‘Homework around the world: how much is too much?’ In it they claim that there is little data on how much time primary school students spend working on homework, but studies have failed to find any relationship between time spent of homework during primary school and academic achievement.

The debate continues in secondary school. The amount of time secondary school children spend on homework varies hugely around the world, depending on the pressures and expectations of each country.

According to the international Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and various education research partners, 15-year-olds in Shanghai spend the most amount of time on homework, at an average of 13.8 hours per week. Students in Finland spend just 2.8 hours on homework per week, but manage to still perform well on academic tests, despite the correlation between time spent on homework and success. British 15-year-olds spend an average of 4.9 hours per week on homework, which is exactly the same as the overall OECD average.

Ireland was not included in the list of 62 countries.

Elaine Sparling is the creator of the Hummingbird Learning Method® and is about to launch an online version of their the popular workshop The Secrets to Successful Spelling™. Based in Adare, Co Limerick and now also in Tralee Co Kerry, she works with clients on a one to one basis and can be contacted on 087-2996054 or through their website www.hummingbirdlearning.com

An Education System that Doesn’t Teach Subjects.

Imagine a world where your school day was no longer dominated by subjects, such as maths or history or geography, but instead everything was jumbled up and you were taught by topic instead.

Crazy huh?  It would never work.  How could a teacher possibly teach a topic instead of a subject?  What’s the difference anyway?

Well in Helsinki in Finland they are doing just that – teaching by topic rather than by subject.  Finland has always taken a radical approach to education and its one that works!  Up to very recently, when they were taken over by Asian countries such as Singapore, Finland consistently topped the PISA international literacy league tables published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Every teacher in Finland, must have a minimum of a Master’s degree. Being a teacher in Finland is afforded the same social standing as being a doctor. So why are they changing what seems to be a very good system already?

Marjo Kyllonen, Helsinki’s education manager explains: “It is not only Helsinki but the whole of Finland who will be embracing change. We really need a rethinking of education and a redesigning of our system, so it prepares our children for the future with the skills that are needed for today and tomorrow. There are schools that are teaching in the old fashioned way which was of benefit in the beginnings of the 1900s – but the needs are not the same and we need something fit for the 21st century.”

Pasi Silander, the Helsinki City Council’s development manager, shared the council’s view: “What we need now is a different kind of education to prepare people for working life. Young people use quite advanced computers. In the past the banks had lots of bank clerks totting up figures but now that has totally changed. We therefore have to make the changes in education that are necessary for industry and modern society.”

Subject-specific lessons – an hour of history in the morning, an hour of geography in the afternoon – are already being phased out for 16-year-olds in the city’s upper schools. They are being replaced by what the Finns call “phenomenon” teaching – or teaching by topic. For instance, a teenager studying a vocational course might take “cafeteria services” lessons, which would include elements of maths, languages (to help serve foreign customers), writing skills and communication skills.

More academic pupils would be taught cross-subject topics such as the European Union – which would merge elements of economics, history (of the countries involved), languages and geography.

There are other changes too, not least to the traditional format that sees rows of pupils sitting passively in front of their teacher, listening to lessons or waiting to be questioned. Instead there will be a more collaborative approach, with pupils working in smaller groups to solve problems while improving their communication skills – mirroring what happens in the business world.

Given the resistance to the introduction of the New Junior Cert, I suspect that there would be little appetite in Ireland, currently, for going as far as ditching traditional subjects. Even in Finland, the reforms have met objections from teachers and principals – many of whom have spent their lives focusing on a particular subject only to be told to change their approach.

Helsinki’s education manager Ms Kyllonen has been advocating a “co-teaching” approach to lesson planning, with input from more than one subject specialist. Teachers, in Finland, who embrace this new system can receive a small top-up in salary.

About 70 per cent of Helsinki’s high school teachers have now been trained in adopting the new approach. “We have really changed the mind-set,” said Mr. Silander from Helsinki City Council. “It is quite difficult to get teachers to start and take the first step… but teachers who have taken to the new approach say they can’t go back.”

And it appears that students are benefiting too. In the two years since the new teaching methods were introduced, pupil “outcomes” – they prefer that word to standards – have improved.

All Finnish schools are obliged to introduce a period of “phenomenon-based teaching” (teaching by topic) at least once a year. These projects can last several weeks. In Helsinki, they are pushing the reforms at a faster pace with schools encouraged to set aside two periods during the year for adopting the new approach. Ms Kyllonen’s blueprint, to be published later this month, envisages the reforms will be in place across all Finnish schools by 2020.

The eyes of the education world will be upon Finland as it opts for change: will it be able to retain or improve its showing in the PISA league tables and if it does, how will the rest of the education world react? If Finland succeeds, would we ever adopt a similar approach here, in the ‘Land of Saints & Scholars’?

Elaine Sparling is the creator of the Hummingbird Learning Method® and is about to launch an online version of their the popular workshop The Secrets to Successful Spelling™ . Based in Adare, Co Limerick and now also in Tralee Co Kerry, she works with clients on a one to one basis and can be contacted on 087-2996054 or through their website http://www.hummingbirdlearning.com

Great Questions to ask your Children when they get Home from School

When my children started school they had a wonderful childminder Oliviea.  They absolutely adored her and told her everything and I mean EVERY thing.  As soon as they climbed into her car, they regaled her with the stories of their day.  The thing is, that by the time I collected them, their news was now old news and I was dependent on hearing it from Oliviea.

As a parent, we want to share our children’s lives and know what goes on during their day.  We need to know that they are happy and safe at school and that they can talk to us if they need to.  It is important to have open dialog between you and one of the best ways to do that is to intermingle open and closed questions, here are some ideas;

• Which story did your teacher read to the class today?
• What was your favourite part of the story? Why?
• What was (insert another child’s name) favourite part of the story?
• What does your teacher have planned this week?
• What are you looking forward to at school tomorrow? Why?
• What has been your most favourite activity this year (ask this at various points throughout the year)?
• What was your favourite part of your day?
• Did you get frustrated with anything at school today?
• How did you get through it?
• Were you able to finish all of your work today?
• Do you have any questions that maybe your teacher couldn’t answer?
• Who did you sit by during lunch? What did you all talk about?
• How was the weather during lunchtime?
• Who did you play with today?
• What are your friends doing this weekend?

Ultimately, if you ask your child three specific questions after school, you can gain some valuable insight.By being specific you can avoid the dreaded one word answer – my personal pet hate is the word ‘fine’!! Aim to ask one academic question, one social question, and one open-ended question such as “What was your favourite part of your day?”, that way you get to learn more about the different parts of their day.  It is a really good way of helping your child to recall information – a valuable skill to have.

Elaine Sparling is the creator of the Hummingbird Learning Method® and CEO of the Hummingbird Learning Centre who help adults and children with their literacy needs. Based in Adare, Co Limerick, she can be contacted on 087-2996054 or through their website http://www.hummingbirdlearning.com

Help with Homework?

One of the very first things I teach my Hummingbirds is juggling.  There are lots of reasons for this, there is the fun factor of course but perhaps the main reason is to help them with mistakes. Learning to juggle is tricky and mistakes are made – a lot. I love the quote; “the man who never made a mistake, never made anything”.   Mistakes can be a good thing and learning how to deal with mistakes is a really important life skill to have.  The way I see it, there are no mistakes or failures, only feedback.  If a mistake is made, you look at it, take the feedback from it and adapt that knowledge to move on.

 That is why it is so important to allow your children to make mistakes with their homework. Homework is a method that teachers use to get feedback from their students.  It helps them to gauge whether or not some additional time or adjustments need to be made to their classwork. With a class of twenty or more students, teachers need that constant feedback.

 As parents, our natural instinct is to protect our child and for the most part we don’t want them to go into school with work that is going to end up scored with red biro and Xs.  So we help them with their homework.  I know parents who sit down with their children for every moment of homework, to the point where they use the phrases, ‘we do’ or ‘we start’ or ‘we are doing’, when talking about the homework as if the teacher had assigned it to both of them.

 I know that it is done to take the struggle and fear out of homework.  I know it is done out of love.  I know that the last thing those parents want to do is to make things harder for their children.  The thing is, without that valuable feedback, the teacher will assume that the child understands and underlying issues can go undetected for longer than necessary.  Then there is disappointment and surprise when the exam come around and the results don’t live up to expectations.

 So with the New Year, start a new routine with your child. Supervise homework by all means but allow mistakes.  Watch for patterns.  If the same mistake continues, intervene by drawing the child’s attention to it.  Awareness is the first step to making change – if you aren’t aware of something, how can you change it?  If the issue persists then bring it to the teacher’s attention. Most teachers I know want parents to do this.  Write them a note, sent them an email, schedule a meeting.  Don’t leave it until the annual Parent / Teacher meeting. Be your child’s advocate but give your child the freedom to make and learn from mistakes.

 The basketball superstar Michael Jordan (who also does dyslexia) sums it up beautifully:

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Elaine Sparling is the creator of the Hummingbird Learning Method® and will be holding The Secrets to Successful Spelling in Adare, Tralee and Charleville in January & February.  Places are limited.  To book email elaine@hummingbirdlearning.com or phone 087-2996054.