Cheryl Swope's Blog, page 12
December 6, 2016
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December 3, 2016
Calling All Aspiring Writers
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Finding help for the uniquely solitary pursuit that, ironically, connects us as human beings…
Yesterday in a quiet recording studio, beloved fiction author Katie Schuermann and I talked about writing.
Look for this podcast coming soon in the Audio section of this website. Until then, here are some of my most dog-eared books on writing. I mentioned the first three but appreciated ALL of these when writing the manuscript of Simply Classical: A Beautiful Education for Any Child (Memoria Press, 2013):
A Writer’s Space: Make Room to Dream, to Work, to Write , by Eric Maisel, Ph.D.
Time to Write: More than 100 Professional Writers Reveal How to Fit Writing into Your Busy Life , by Kelly L. Stone
Writer Mama: How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids , by Christina Katz
Whether you are an avid blogger, published author, FB poster, or magazine columnist, or just have a story to tell… where do YOU prefer to write? How do you find the time? Is “life” a handmaiden ro writing, or a devious interruption?
To dig even more deeply, consider The Forest for the Trees: An Editor’s Advice to Writers , by Betsy Lerner.
For non-fiction writers, read Thinking Like Your Editor: How to Write Great Serious Nonfiction – and Get It Published , by Susan Rabiner & Alfred Fortunato.
And if you need to brush up on writing rules, seek examples, or just want a refresher on stylistic tips, read the timeless writing guide co-written by E.B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web and Trumpet of the Swan, The Elements of Style.
To teach writing to young people, consider these tested resources or, for special needs, this newer series linked to literature or this simple program linked to Bible stories.
Why write? Consider this:
Reading maketh a full man, conversation a ready man, and writing an exact man.
Sir Francis Bacon
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WELCOME
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November 23, 2016
Where to Begin with Older Students — Is It Too Late?
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This intriguing question received over 2,400 views on our Simply Classical forum in two weeks!
“Momof5″ begins … “I am wondering where to start with older children with various learning disabilities (possible dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, slow working memory and slow processing) and diagnoses (one ADHD, other high functioning autism, both in early teens).” She laments that over the years they have spent so much time on remediation and other therapies that they have never really gotten to explore more of the beautiful aspects of a classical education.
“I need ideas of how to start with older students who never had those building blocks. Is this even possible?.”
Keep reading for the responses ….
Here are some general tips for teaching older students who lack the foundation of essential skills and knowledge, yet who can benefit from a classical education:
1. Build on Interests
Discover the older student’s favorites, – such as art, music, physical fitness, or science – and save these until the end of the day. Spend as much time as possible on these. Enrich these areas with field trips to art museums, the symphony, unique hiking trails, or science exhibits. Encourage interests and talents within classical education.
2. Schedule Hard Work First
Utilize morning hours to devour necessary “vegetables” of oral reading fluency, reading comprehension, writing skills, and arithmetic. Then enjoy the afternoon “desserts” by exploring Greek myths, history read-alouds, and Christian studies together.
3. Be Bold in the Challenge
If your student came from boring or babyish studies, embrace the challenge of learning subjects of substance and lasting value, such as Latin, literature, and logic. Challenge your student’s mind, character, and imagination with the riches of real, classical studies.
4. Do Not Settle for Pop Culture: Open Literary Doors
In Simply Classical: A Beautiful Education, we provide long book lists for students between 4th– and 9th-grade reading (or listening) levels. My son gave recommendations especially for boys; my daughter for girls. Explore these! Do not allow your older student to languish in the shallowness of competing pulls on his time.
5. Begin!
The future might seem daunting, but begin immediately anyway. Any step toward redeeming his education is a step in the right direction. We can help: ClassicalNeeds.com for resources, SimplyClassical.com for conversations and community.
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November 12, 2016
Where to Begin in Classical Education? Is it Too Late??
Q from a parent: I am wondering where to start with older children with various learning disabilities (possible dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, slow working memory and slow processing) and diagnoses (one ADHD, other high functioning autism, both in early teens). It seems over the years we have spent so much time on remediation and other therapies that we have never really gotten to explore more of what classical education offers or at least some of the beautiful aspects of that type of education. Is this even possible?
A. If you have not yet read Simply Classical, I would recommend starting there. We include an especially thorough list of good books for special-needs teens with a reading level (or read-aloud level) between 4th-8th. The book addresses the heart of your comment expressed here:
“It seems over the years we have spent so much time on remediation and other therapies that we have never really gotten to explore more of what classical education offers or at least some of the beautiful aspects of that type of education.”
Exactly. In special education, we often focus so intently on “special” that we neglect “education!” We want richness, beauty, and inspiration for our struggling students. We want more than mere remediation!
As you read Simply Classical, begin both children in lower levels of Latin (Prima, LC 1 or First Form) and in introductory levels of Classical Studies. Do not worry about typical grade levels assigned to these. Just begin at the beginning, and progress from there. Read full responses on our free forum here.
October 31, 2016
With an Eternal Gospel to Proclaim
You Are Not Alone: Important Video on Caring for Someone with Mental Illness
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Both of our adopted twins struggle with schizophrenia, as did their biological mother long before she gave birth to them.
When my children were much younger, I suspected symptoms and fought back tears when I finally attended a “You Are Not Alone” conference. During the conference, Linda Preus spoke words I’ll never forget: “My daughter needs me to verify reality for her.” So does mine.
That afternoon, her husband shared a 30-minute message, You Are Not Alone. This message is now available online for free.
The conference was hosted that year by Concordia Seminary through NAMI. My tears formed early that day, as the sun rose while I drove slowly onto the campus past the sign with the reassuring message, “You Are Not Alone.”
Cheryl
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Top 5 Ways to Improve Behavior Now … and for Your Child’s Future
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by Cheryl Swope, M.Ed.
#1 Teach and encourage the reading of good literature!
Use these free Printable Charts for Reading Encouragement
Find good read-aloud sets here and more good literature here. Read these books with or without lesson plans and literature guides for moral, literary, and character development. Commit to 15-30 minutes daily over meals, after dinner, at naptime or bedtime. This takes time (years), but these deeply planted seeds will eventually thrive when watered steadily with good books. Limit or eliminate all violent, intense, dark, rude, and crude “entertainment.” Live with good books, good music, and good art. We also offer Christian studies programs. All programs come with 34-week daily, simple lesson plans, for anyone interested.
#2 Learn and practice good parenting tools.
Find free articles on many topics here EmpoweringParents.com. Read my 20 reminders for encouraging greater self-control.
#3 Avoid overgeneralizating problems as “always” or “never.” Work on specifics instead. Find free Charts to Target Specific Behaviors
(I Stayed in My Bed During Naptime, I Wore My Glasses). See more free Effective Behavior Charts.
#4 Be inspired. Read Simply Classical with a focus on my son and the chapter on behavior. With clinically Oppositional Defiant Disorder, ADD, and Bipolar Subtype of Schizophrenia, Michael faced many internal struggles. We detail strategies such as teaching Logic for improved thinking, studies of great men for improved character, and thankfulness journals for mindful gratitude. This set is dedicated to my son who continues to write nightly, and who now faithfully serves our family, our church, and our community every day. Soli deo gratia.
#5 Focus on service. Start small. Start in the home. Find free Chore Charts to help your child organize tasks. Notice his favorite chores. Focus on these, especially for children with sensory needs. My sensory-seeking daughter likes to sweep leaves from our driveway with the large pushroom in the fall, and she likes to shovel snow from the same long driveway in the winter. The “heavy work” proprioceptive feedback seems more satisfying to her than, say, folding socks!
Curricular Help is On the Way
Look for the Simply Classical Social/Emotional/Behavior & Manners Program in 2017, if all goes as planned. We need a good name for this program. Email cherylswope@memoriapress.com if you can think of a good title. Suggestions are welcome!
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October 28, 2016
5 Tips for Simply Classical Teacher Training within Classical Schools
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1. We offer Simply Classical at a bulk rate for teacher training. This book helps everyone be “on the same page” in an accessible, enjoyable way. Schools in Kentucky, Texas, Colorado, and Montana, have used Simply Classical as successful Book Club faculty training.
2. If you want to create your own Simply Classical Classroom, let us know! We now have full-year curriculum for skill levels at age 2 and up. You can plan a tutorial classroom for special-needs students within your school. We will help! Provide Special Needs Early Childhood, K-1, and 2-3 with the new Simply Classical Curriculum. This allows students with special needs to remain in the school with friends, brothers, and sisters while receiving an excellent classical education at the students’ own pace.
3. Visit websites of other classical schools successfully serving special-needs students. See especially the “School Within a School” program at Veritas Christian Academy and the Inclusive Education model at Immaculata Classical Academy.
4. Use the Simply Classical vimeo set for six hours of inexpensive teacher training: Part One and Part Two.
5. Bring your entire staff to the Louisville Memoria Press conference in 2016. The staff can attend plenary classical sessions, breakout teacher-training sessions by grade, pre- or post-conference certification training, or special-needs sessions.
Contact me privately, cherylswope@memoriapress.com, if you need assistance with any of these options.
Thanks-
Cheryl
Simply Classical: A Beautiful Education for Any Child
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Training the Memory with a Classical Education
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Training the Memory with a Classical Education
A classical education strengthens a child’s memory. Consider this, written in the 1500s when Christian Humanists reclaimed classical education for all time.
Students must daily be given something which trains both understanding and memory. Indeed, … as much must be offered as the powers of their memory and the nature of the subject matter can accommodate. Even material which they have already learned once must be repeated at brief intervals.
Five Steps
Try these five steps for any child, especially the child who needs to strengthen his “working memory,” a new term for the old construct of holding material in one’s mind for good use.
1. Introduce memory work in small “bites.”
2. Have the students echo each new portion — “Repeat after me….” Example — “The Lord…” (The Lord) “is my Shepherd….” (is my Shepherd.) “I shall…” (I shall) “not want…” (not want).
3. Work on the memory passage each day. Then say the entire verse “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”
4. Add new bites of the passage each day until fully memorized.
5. Establish a schedule for ongoing review.
When my children were small, we learned Psalm 23 in this way. The Golden Book The Lord is My Shepherd served as review in bedtime-story form. By 8th grade, their capacity for memory work had so expanded, they memorized Ephesians 1:1-2:10. This occurred despite significant processing and memory dysfunction in both children, and despite my own inconsistencies in application. Imagine the possibilities for your own students!
Understanding through Questioning
Contrary to misconceptions, classical educators always emphasized understanding, not mere memory work, but at the proper time for the child’s mind. We teach with Socratic questioning, and we employ question/answer learning in a catechism format. Example: “Who is the Lord?” (“The Lord is God.”) Consider this program for teaching English grammar in an unusually efficient, effective manner through oral question and answer.
Memory & Music
Students learn text set to music. Place your memory work to music. Create your own music and add movements, if this assists your child. For common learning such as nursery rhymes, math facts, and the Presidents of the United States, see resources available through audiomemory.com.
Find reverent music for memorizing Holy Scripture. The Lord is My Shepherd referenced above includes a beautiful song in the back of the book. Your hymnal provides rich text, psalms, and liturgical elements set to sacred music.
Copybook
We utilize the ancient practice of Copybook to assist Scripture memory, memorization of poetry, and even the days of the week. View samples of the Memoria Press Copybook sets or Simply Classical Copybook series. Lesson plans are available, or simply teach one verse weekly.
Recitations
Classical educators make use of efficient, memory-strengthening oral recitations. Recitations instill poise, confidence, and a vast fund of knowledge in brief periods each day. Read this article on How to Conduct a Recitation and Why by Prima Latina author Leigh Lowe.
Memoria, -ae
The hallmark of a classical education is the use of memory work. For this reason, Memoria Press founder Cheryl Lowe named her publishing house after the Latin word for memory, memoria.
When we give our children strong memories, we give them stronger minds.
Sturm, Johann in Johann Sturm on Education: The Reformation and Humanist Learning, 91. Specifically, in 1538 Sturm recommended memory training for anyone opening an “Elementary School of Letters.” ↑
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The Visual-Spatial Learner
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On our Simply Classical Discussion Forum, a mother asks how to bring a classical education to her creative, artistic daughter on the autism spectrum, even though she is “wiggly,” struggles with writing, and is a visual-spatial learner, without stifling her creativity? For the complete answer to the mother’s question, visit our forum.
Here is an adapted excerpt:
You describe your daughter as a child who has visual-spatial strengths. The visual-spatial learner (VSL), thinks in pictures. The brilliant, renowned animal researcher and also a person with autism, Dr. Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in Pictures, describes her own need to adapt her learning:
“Growing up, I learned to convert abstract ideas into pictures as a way to understand them. I visualized concepts such as peace or honesty with symbolic images. I thought of peace as a dove … or newsreel footage of the signing of a peace agreement. Honesty was represented by an image of placing one’s hand on the Bible in court. A news report describing a person returning a wallet with all the money in it provided a picture of honest behavior. The Lord’s Prayer was incomprehensible until I broke it down into specific visual images.”
You will want to cultivate in your daughter the wonderfully unique gifts she possesses. You describe your daughter as artistic and creative. As you know, homeschooling’s efficiency with one-on-one learning, offers extra time to nurture these abilities. Watch for and encourage possible hobbies and interests in any area of design (fashion design, interior decorating, photography, graphic design). As she grows older, she may enjoy visual mathematics (geometry, trigonometry) more than algebra.
The difference in a classical approach to your daughter’s education is that even while fostering her strengths, you will not neglect the other elements essential to a complete education. As I observed in Simply Classical, sometimes we focus so much on “’special’ that we forget ‘education!’” Our task is to give the child a complete (i.e., classical) education in spite of the child’s challenges. Indeed, “that which is beyond the range of a man’s education he finds hard to carry out in action, and still harder adequately to represent in language.”
Have you ever noticed that some visual, creative, imaginative people struggle with details, perseverance, or planning? Some visual-spatial learners find auditory sequencing – or step-by-step sequencing in any form – exceedingly difficult. If you teach your daughter with a well-constructed classical approach and curriculum such as Memoria Press provides, you will not harm her; instead, you will assist her in developing the very skills she lacks! You will give her many opportunities for necessary practice in the thinking, writing, and communication skills she will need for any calling in life.
You may want to vary the order of presentation to assist her motivation. For example, begin the day with an easily visualized subject. Move next to Latin which requires more effort for her in the necessary writing components and word-based content. (As you teach, remember Dr. Grandin’s “tricks” for visualizing abstract ideas. Nouns are easiest to visualize. Keep toys available for teaching prepositions. Place the dog “on” or “in” or “near” a box. Use visual tools such as flash cards and charts during recitations.)
After Latin, give her a “break” by studying something very visual. She may enjoy the Memoria Timeline program with a visual timeline. Include maps of countries and events throughout history. Many visual thinkers on the autism spectrum love maps. (My son is such a child.) Then teach a more challenging subject for her. Continue this rotation throughout the day. If the amount of writing is too much overall, consider saving a subject or two for Saturday mornings. We find this helpful in our own homeschool, so the weekdays are not too long.
As for “wiggly,” I have one of those too. Consider movement during drills. We bounce-passed a ball, balanced on a balance board, jumped on a mini-trampoline, or recited while jumping rope. Bonus – some children on the autism spectrum have coordination delays or sensory issues, so the gross-motor, proprioceptive involvement can incorporate OT and PT therapy goals as well.
You can do this! Just remember your daughter’s very real strengths, so these can be fostered throughout her educational program and in other areas of her life. This will help keep her satisfied and motivated, all while giving her the essential knowledge, wisdom, and skills in every area of her education.
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