The Memorygirl Matrix

Memory_Girl

spud30 wrote: »

I could have written this too unfortunately.

My lad struggles to keep up, he cant write or copy things down quickly enough so often falls behind. This has led to him becoming quite a sad lad in the just over a year since he's been at high school. He comes home quite withdrawn and depressed really, and often has to hang back after school to clarify something with a teacher. i think he panics so much about getting things written down, he doesnt hear what's being said. It really does break my heart to see him struggle.

One thing that seems to be making matters much worse is having to study an additional language. For a dyslexic child who struggles to write and spell his home language, to suddenly have to learn French is just too much. He now confuses the spelling rules between the 2 languages, for example, he now spells geography as geographie.

MG, is the language course writing or speech based? If it's written, would it be possible to do the 100 high frequency English words for children like mine that struggle so much?

You know this could have been WRITTEN about me when was at school.

I lost my third year of school after contracting Glandular fever - and then every other thing going around the following year. I was shattered (post viral) and would even fall asleep in class.

Being dyslexic - and having missed essentially a year of schooling they kind of wrote me off. No point helping me catch up as I wasn't going to be sitting any exams worth speaking about was I?

The crunch point came when they wanted to keep me back a year - can you imagine the horror as a teenager of that happening and having to be in a class with the little kids????:eek:

I broke down in my Art Teachers room (Art I was good at) and he gave me a pretty stiff talking to. He first of all told me I was brilliant, I was erudite (I looked it up later:D) I was a creative thinker, but I didn't fit in school - but if I liked, he would work with me to make it possible to stay in my year group. I had to learn the rules that would keep the teachers off my back though.

First was his mantra "Learning is not negotiable" - he explained that "The teaching isn't your problem - it's theirs. But the learning is entirely your problem - You have to figure out how to do it for yourself" and he handed me a dog-eared copy of "Use Your Head" by Tony Buzan.

It took me 6 weeks - six weeks of secret slog before I burst into the classroom one Monday morning equippped to Mind Map in real time (taking my own notes instead of relying on the linear hand-outs from the teachers)

I learned using Mind Maps and a very simple memory technique taught to me by an actor friend - but learn I did. I went back to first priciples in all my classes and pestered the teachers until they helped me catch up.

By mid-term EVERYONE had noticed that something had changed - I even aced the mid-term tests (well of course I did - now had a better memory than anyone else in my classes and thats all the tests did was measure how much you remembered)

In fact I did so well that I was summoned to the Rectors office and accused of cheating :rotfl::rotfl:

Long story short - ended up with 10 O grades, 5 Highers and 3 Six-Year-studies - all with Grade A's...............


.............. and then I ran away to join the theatre

I even sat some exams typing up my answers on an old BBC Micro B computer - the one with the huge floppy disc becaue I was TOO QUICK for the scribe at dictating from my Mind Maps.

Now - I write books for godness sakes:D

We have technology on our sides now - you guys can tell my spelling can still be pretty ropey (but you kindly don't point it out) - but I think whoever invented "Spell checkers" should be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize ...........

............... or maybe the guys who came up with lycra, because you don't have to iron lycra do you:rotfl::rotfl:

Hope you can find someone in his school to advocate for him - but if I can be of any help - please PM me.


Memorygirl

scottishlass

clairewop wrote: »

yes I do have couscous 1 box.

what add the chicken? I will investigate the book later

I can't quite remember the recicpie but it was something like

Make the coucous as usual but use stock rather than just hot water and add in some frozen peas (I defrosted mine slightly)

Then after five minutes add your chicken (this is assuming its already cooked otherwise fry it first) and 4 tomoatoes chopped up and then a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and hey presto dinner is servered (I think there was a bit of lemon juice as well)

se999

cazmcf wrote: »

She loves to make cards and pictures and I'm trying to introduce her to cross stitching. Surprisingly she's really good at teaching:D She loves teaching DD2 (who is 6) simple sums and the alphabet, it's their favourite game and it's actually paying off as DD2 is excelling in maths!

If she like cards and pictures, why not get some children's craft books from the library, look for ones with measuring in, some children learn maths better practically.

Children's cookbooks are good for that too.

Both help with numeracy & literacy.

With the cooking she'd probably love showing her little sister how to weigh and measure things for making fairy cakes etc.. OK you do need to supervise sharp knives and cookers, but they can do the rest.

If the recipes enough for 4 people, you extend the maths by getting her to work out how much for 8 or 12 people. Or reduce it for less people. The same with cards, how big would a card twice as big need to be etc. etc.

Making the shopping lists for making the cards and cooking the recipes too. Also checking the shopping list against what's in the cupboards at home to show what she needs to actually buy with you at the shop.

Memory_Girl

For all of you concerned for your kids education:


http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/sugata_mitra_the_child_driven_education.html

Have a look at this guy - what he says is that "you can't stop kids learning" - but pay attention when he talks about the "Grandma" method of education. Made me hoot.

Just noticed that the TED site is down till after 6 - but please have a look.

I want to be part of his Grandma Cloud

MG

cazmcf

se999 wrote: »

If she like cards and pictures, why not get some children's craft books from the library, look for ones with measuring in, some children learn maths better practically.

.

We are off to the library tonight. And then probably a run to tescos to pick up some crafty bits:D.

On the bright side we found a website http://www.multiplication.com/index.htm and in one evening dd has learned the 6 times tables. And she's really enjoying it because it uses pictures, stories and games to learn.

How did we cope without the internet in the olden days:rotfl: :rotfl:

clairewop

well lasagne not too bad even If I do say so myself. Nathy said it is nice too

clairewop

mad about cards is a good site too, some stuff are 50p

birdlady

Afternoon all

I have spent a very productive day working on one of my 50 day challenges (to finish the bathroom that had a new suite 3 years ago :eek:) I must say it is a relief to be getting on with it instead of lying in the bath wondering why it is still in the same state after so long!

I still have to get and fit a washer on one tap, pull up the old flooring and sort out some wobbly floorboards then get new flooring laid, and buy a chrome framed mirror and a chrome towel rail.

I think it would've stayed as it was for a long time to come without the lovely people on here who inspire me

Cath x

teapot2

Memory_Girl wrote: »

For all of you concerned for your kids education:


http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/sugata_mitra_the_child_driven_education.html

Have a look at this guy - what he says is that "you can't stop kids learning" - but pay attention when he talks about the "Grandma" method of education. Made me hoot.

Just noticed that the TED site is down till after 6 - but please have a look.

I want to be part of his Grandma Cloud

MG

There is some good stuff out there re learning but it does get a bit swamped. Have you ever come across 'Freedom to Learn' by Carl Rogers? Its a bit elderly now but still current IYSWIM.

I'd love to learn Gaelic re 100 words postings from earlier - my mum and her family were native speakers but she wouldn't teach us . Its quite hard to learn especially as an adult - how do you get the pronounciation of the 100 words across when you are teaching or do the students already have to have a basic understanding in the language concerned?

greenbee

Memory_Girl wrote: »

The Head of Modern Languages is keeping the stats - obviously he is looking at strategies to let his department storm ahead.

He was pretty shocked at the results though..... but he did point out that he thought a lot of the "power was in the presenter" - which makes sense I suppose, which set me down the route of thinking of filming them instead.

Webinars would be good... people can pay to attend, and you can record them for paid download/online watching later. You can include video and slides (of your mind maps) in webinars too. And people can ask questions either verbally or by using the questions pane during the webinar. We use these a lot at work, and although presenting them takes some getting used to, they are very popular.

I need to refresh both my French and Italian which are currently abysmal (I can read and listen, but not talk or write) and could do with learning German and Spanish as a minimum as well, and this sounds a great alternative to total immersion classes.

Suppose I should do some work... one presentation to get through the final editorial hoops and then off to a school finance meeting (and I don't even have kids!)