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Nurturing Our Spirited Children
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Online Resources for...
Education Information and Resources
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1. Information in "quotes" is quoted directly from the actual web page. It has been included here for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY to give you a better idea of what that site has to offer.
2. Links open a new browser window, they do not change the page in this window. When you're done reading, simply close the new window.
3. Please remember......YOU are the only true "experts" when it comes to knowing your child. Not all the information you read about raising spirited children will "feel right" to you, not all will match with your families values and beliefs. Take what is useful, nurture your own instincts, and FOLLOW YOUR HEART!
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These sites & articles were written for a variety of circumstances, but all contain some elements valuable to any parent advocating for their child.
- Advocating For Your Child "I believe that learning to advocate is a must for any parent, especially those of us who have been blessed with special children. ... One of the most important skills one can have is proper communication. It's one thing to know what needs to be done and what services you need and its another thing to get your wants and wishes across. The last thing you want to do is alienate the very people you need to make your childs school experience a successful and positive one." {Note: While this article is written for an ADHD audience, the ideas apply to any parent advocating for their child."
- How to have a great conference with your child's teacher by Elain M. Gibson. "First rule: You are not being called to the principal's office. Parent/teacher conferences will be coming up soon. These conferences are an important part of our children's education. Unfortunately, many parents feel intimidated by these meetings. If you are nervous about such a conference, remember that you are no longer in school and your are not being called in to the principal's office."
- Q: Could something REALLY be wrong with my difficult child? A: Yes, No, Maybe... by Elaine M. Gibson. "Trust your intuition... If you have a gut feeling that something is not right, trust that feeling. Intuition is real. Find time to be very quiet and listen. Ask for guidance and don't be "attached" to one answer or outcome. Be open to all avenues and suggestions that come in the stillness. This requires courage and faith."
- Brain Gym® International "Brain Gym® is a trademarked program of 26 targeted physical activities that improve learning abilities. Built upon more than 80 years of research, Brain Gym® was originally developed to enable children and adults to overcome so-called "learning disabilities." Today Brain Gym® is used widely by children, adults, and seniors to bring about rapid and often dramatic improvements in concentration, memory, reading skills, writing, organization, athletic skills...".
Includes a listing of Licensed Instructors: USA, Canada, International.
- Center Edge Kathy Brown is a licensed Brain Gym® practitioner and instructor. She's developed a wonderful site that includes extensive Articles and Case Studies and a section on Brain Gym® in Education.
- Ballarat Whole Brain Learning Centre Based in Wendouree, Australia, Claire Hocking is "an extremely gifted educator and Brain Gym® practitioner in Australia who has illumined a vital link in the use of Brain Gym® to support resolution of childhood reflexes that stand in the way of personal and academic performance." (description provided by Center Edge). Check out the Articles section on the Center Edge site for more information on Claire's amazing work. If you live in her area, and have an opportunity to attend one of her workshops, I highly recommend it!
Articles:
- ADD/ADHD and Brain Gym™ by Jon Pederson, M.A.
See Related and Other Parenting Challenges Information Resources
Includes Homeschooling, Eclectic Schooling, Unschooling, etc...
- Home Education Directory "Our Purpose is to provide a comprehensive listing of resources for the Home Educator: International and National Resources, Homeschool Classes, Services, Individual State Homeschool Directories, Homeschool Suppliers, Homeschool Support groups, and Opportunities!"
- Unschooling.com "is bursting with information on how to create a learning environment that nourishes the whole family!" Includes a free monthly newsletter, an extensive Library, Networking - Make Connections Here (for connecting online & off w/ other unschooling families) and Resources Galore!. If you're considering unschooling or even just curious to learn more about it, this is an excellent place to start."
- National Home Education Research Institute's mission is to: "Produce high-quality statistics, research, and technical reports on home education. Serve as a clearinghouse of research for home educators, researchers, and policy makers. Educate the public concerning the findings of all research on home education."
- K12 - Education For Lifetime. "Dr. William J. Bennett and our team of experienced educators have developed comprehensive programs with everything you need to give your child a world-class education at home. We merge our unique curriculum with easy-to-use teaching tools and support. The result is a program that helps you maximize your child's learning potential and your time spent teaching. We currently offer programs for Kindergarten through Second Grade, and we'll provide subsequent grades next fall (2002). Find out about our approach to education, what's in our programs and lessons, and more..."
- The Homeschool Zone "We welcome not only homeschoolers, but educators, parents and kids in public & private schools around the world--- We have many FREE newsletters & services and great ways to connect with people and more." Includes extensive sections on ADD, Asperger's, Autism, Bipolar, Dyslexia, Explosive Children, Gifted, ODD, Speech Disorders & a variety of teaching/learning styles.
- Education Otherwise is a UK-based membership organisation which provides support and information for families whose children are being educated outside school, and for those who wish to uphold the freedom of families to take proper responsibility for the education of their children."
- Home School World The Official Web Site of Practical Homeschooling Magazine. This site is like 'one-stop-shopping' for home schooling families. International in scope, it has a tremendous variety of articles, announcements, events announcements, etc... One of the most extensive and frequently visited sites for home schooling families!
- Jon's Homeschool Resource Page "Thank you for visiting this page. It's now over six years old, which makes it one of the oldest homeschooling sites on the Web. With over two hundred component pages, it's one of the largest homeschooling sites on the Web. But what I find most gratifying is that it remains one of the most popular homeschooling sites on the Web, with over a thousand incoming links and hundreds of visitors a day. You'll find answers to the most common questions in the Quick Tips box to the right. If you'd prefer to explore this site methodically, the Contents page will give you a good overview. Or, you can always click on any of the links in the gray bar on the top of each page to go to any of the eight major sections of this site; each consists of an overview page and several subpages."
- Mind Ware "is an award-winning creator and distributor of thinking products for school-age kids through adults. Many of the products are developed by and only available through MindWare. We guarantee teacher and classroom tested high-quality products. All you school-age kids, parents and teachers, and big kids who wish to keep your minds motivated, ENJOY!" Note: This is one of the best catalog/online resources I've found. Building systems, mazes & puzzles & mysteries & strategy, art projects, multiple intelligences enrichment resources, great group activities, science & nature, geography........all wrapped up in an amazing variety of games, toys & projects. Take a few minutes to check out this great resource!
- A to Z Home's Cool Homeschooling Web Site is "A complete homeschooling community and portal site: lots of articles, chat, boards, events, kids' sites, links to learning materials, support groups and laws worldwide. 'A to Z' is an easy to navigate homeschool resource consisting of well over 900 pages of essays by myself and others, links, and useful files. There is a large section for kids which includes links to multimedia sites and sites that encourage projects kids can do offline easily at home. It won the USA Today Education Site of the Week Award, was written up in Yahoo Internet Life in February 2002, and received its 3 millionth visitor April 2002. Come see what the excitement is about!"
- Homeschool.com "Everyday over 2 million homeschooling children wake up ready to explore their world. Now there is a place where their parents can help them receive a 21st century home education using the vast resources of the Internet, online classes, advice from America's leading homeschooling experts and the support of fellow Homeschoolers from across the street or across the country: Homeschool.com -- your virtual homeschool."
Shop online or request a catalog. This resource rich "store" enables parents and educators : multiple intelligences resources (enhance any curriculum or project), toys to build everything from 3D geometric shapes to 3D buildings,
- Discover Your Child's Learning Style - an Interview with authors Victoria Kindle Hodson and Mariaemma Pelullo-Willis.
- An Online Self-Portrait™ Learning Style Profiles by the authors of "Discover Your Child's Learning Style", Victoria Kindle Hodson and Mariaemma Pelullo-Willis. "We are excited to be able to offer you, online, our learning style profile that we began developing in 1988. Since then, A Self-Portrait™ Learning Style Profile has been used by tens of thousands of students, parents, teachers, and adults seeking to enhance the way they learn, work, teach and / or communicate." You can also read about it in their interview.
- Creative Learning Company
- New Dimensions of Learning exploring multiple intelligencees. Includes an overview, resources, links & training.
- Dr. Thomas Armstrong "My work as an educator and psychologist in the fields of multiple intelligences, the myth of ADD/ADHD, and the natural genius of kids, has been guided by a belief that all children are gifted children. Each child comes into the world with unique potentials that, if properly nourished, can contribute to the betterment of our world. The biggest challenge for parents and teachers is to remove the roadblocks that keep those gifts from being recognized, celebrated, and nurtured."
- New Horizons For Learning "Since 1980, New Horizons for Learning has served as a leading-edge resource for educational change. Our role has always been to give visibility to effective teaching and learning practices and explore and to help implement ideas that have not yet reached the mainstream, and to work in coordination with other reputable networks and learning communities. - Includes: Teaching and Learning Strategies, Special Needs (including ADD & Gifted), Neurosciences News.
- Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO) "AERO, a non-profit organization sponsored by the School of Living, which was founded in 1934. Director, Jerry Mintz has worked with hundreds of alternative schools and homeschool programs, and is an expert on educational alternatives. AERO helps people who want to change education to a more empowering and holistic form. It helps individuals and groups of people who want to start new community schools, public and private, or change existing schools. It also provides information to people interested in homeschooling their children, or finding private or public alternative schools."
- U.S. Department of Education "Publications For Parents, Including the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education."
- Project Approach In Early Childhood & Elementary Education. This Home Page, maintained by Dr. Sylvia Chard at the University of Alberta, presents information on projects and the project approach, and provides examples of projects.
- The Hunter School "is a private day and boarding school for children with Attention Deficit Disorder and/or related conditions.
We view children with Attention Deficit Disorder not as disabled or disadvantaged, but as possessing a powerful talent to learn and succeed. Children with ADD think faster and can perceive a wider range of stimuli than other children. ADD children are the "hunters" who are able to take in continuous stimuli and react quickly to changing circumstances.
Non-ADD children are the "farmers" who are patient, methodical, and focused over long periods of time.
The concept of the hunter in the farmer's world was outlined in Thom Hartmann's numerous books on ADD, including the ground-breaking, Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perception."
- The DaVinchy Series - Written for kids aged 6 - 9 years old. DaVinchy Series. Action/adventure that your SPIRITED KIDS LOVE! Exciting color pictures perfectly correspond to text- make reading seem easy/fun! Guaranteed to fuel your child's reading explosion! Faith theme teaches kids to listen to still voice within.
- Montessori International"This official international Montessori website, has been created and is supported by Montessorians of all schools of thought. It contains information for parents and teachers, practical suggestions for using Montessori philosophy in homes and classrooms, links to Montessori schools, conference lectures, teacher training courses, organizations, educational materials, and other valuable sites."
- North American Montessori Teachers' Association "(NAMTA) is a membership organization open to parents, teachers, and anyone else interested in Montessori education. NAMTA provides a medium of study, interpretation, and improvement of Montessori education through its publications, audio-visual collection, electronic communications, conferences, and research and service projects throughout North America and the world. NAMTA endeavors to provide real services in response to the needs of teachers, schools, and parents."
- Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA). "The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) is an association of independent schools working out of the pedagogical indications of Rudolf Steiner." Includes articles describing Waldorf education, a database of affiliated schools, information for people interested in becoming Waldorf teachers, and more.
- Waldorf Education An extensive listing of frequently asked question that will provide you with a solid background of understanding.
- Rudolf Steiner College"Rudolf Steiner College is one of America's leading Waldorf teacher education colleges. It is also a center for anthroposophical studies. Programs at the College arise out of the work of Austrian philosopher, scientist and educator Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) whose innovative ideas and discoveries have inspired a wide spectrum of practical activities worldwide—in the arts, banking, architecture, medicine, agriculture, and care of the handicapped, as well as education."
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