Dads, Careers, & Learning

Fathers are very important in connecting students with careers. Dads teach their children the skills they have in their own careers whether it be golf, networking, financing, mechanics, electronics or sales.* One example of this is my friend’s dad who was principal of a school. Through him, she played basketball and golfed, learning strategies and resilience in many situations.

My dad believed that I could do whatever I put my mind to, whether it be playing the piano, college soccer, or a career. He taught me how to tune up a lawn mower, some construction, and the value and enjoyment of work itself. Once he let me help paint an apartment. Painting has been a way for me to make money on the side ever since.

I will never forget the times Dad helped me with my homework – reading and memorizing multiplication facts. Because it was so special, I still remember those exact time’s-tables and books he helped me with.

Thanks Dad! I still believe I can do anything I put my mind to.

*For her master's thesis in social work, my mother studied the influence of fathers on their daughter's careers. At the time there was not much research on this topic. Also, I learned many things from my mother. For example, it was my mother who took me with her to teach a special education class. 

When You Have Tried Everything

What do you do?

Your young student is just not getting it. With at least one subject, you have reached the point of thinking and saying things like:

“In spelling we have tried everything! We sign the words. We write the words. We say them out loud. He can spell the words at home, but he cannot spell them at school.” For both you and your student: FRUSTRATION!!!

1st – Remember the number one thing – you, as the parent, are the most important factor in this child’s life. Not the spelling. Not the math. Not the skill for any academics. You.

2nd – Admit to yourself that learning is not, as Western educational theory held for years, a linear process. One does not have to learn A and B in order to do D. I think of learning as connecting the dots in 3D. A person can learn task D, E and F, or even M, before learning  A, B and C. Sometimes, his learning other tasks and skills yields coping strategies that assist in working around a disability. Examples:

• A student with a math disability can learn to use a calculator, and be allowed to use it in class. If your student does not have a disability, he may use one at home as an investigative tool.
• A student with a writing disability learns to ask a teacher or teacher’s aide for help with writing. Or this student uses a computer keyboard, a voice recognition program, or learns to write in text on a hand-held device.  
• Always be aware that there are options. Keep searching for ways to help your child that might work better for the time being.

3rd - How do you connect the dots?

• - exercise – including different kinds of movements like tumbling
• - sleep – A weary mind does not learn or remember, and mental connections form while sleeping  
• - art, music, social interaction, puzzles, and anything but television. 
• - work on skills using the 5 senses 

 
4th – Celebrate your achievements: When you meet a goal, whether it is educational success or simply reaching the time goal for your study period, then celebrate. Be happy! That was a lot of work for both you and your student, so you should both feel good about it.

5th – Your student may have high aptitude and interest in some areas, but have less in others. Remember that schools thought Albert Einstein was retarded because he was interested  only in mathematics and science. Read this interesting blog note: http://apieceofmymind-sarv.blogspot.com/2007/03/albert-einstein-failure.html

6th – Always remember that, just because your student didn’t get it right today, it doesn’t mean he or she won’t do it tomorrow. You may often have to remind your student of this too. Thomas Edison failed over 6000 times before he invented the light bulb. He said “I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.”

Math and Money

Money is a great way to teach young people math concepts like adding, subtracting, multiplying, decimals and then dividing and fractions. Everyone needs to learn how to use money. Children are naturally interested in money so that learning does not seem like work.

The first step is teaching kids what money stands for.
- Rewards: With my kids, we’ll be riding in the car or in the middle of our routine. I will hold up a nickel and say, “What is this?” They answer. Then I say, “How much is it worth?” If they answer correctly, then they can keep the nickel, dime or quarter.
- If the kids find a pile of change somewhere, they might be able to keep it or some of it if they can count it correctly. If this is too frustrating, then they can count it with an adult.

Change game for learning: One can play games by rolling a die and earning pennies. Then as the pennies add up, trade for a nickel or a dime. When players get 10 dimes, they trade for a dollar.

o This is the base for our primary number system (Base 10).

After children learn what money stands for, they can start learning how to write money (decimals) and later move towards learning fractions (one tenth, one quarter of 100 = .25 or a quarter).

Note about online games: There are many free games online for math, like http://www.apples4theteacher.com/java/counting/money.html. However, children learn better when they can actually move coins around and have personal interaction. Online games can be one reward for learning concepts or working for 10 minutes, counting money.

More online game ideas:
- http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/games/mad_money_flash.html
- http://www.netrover.com/~kingskid/Math/math.htm
- http://www.moneyinstructor.com/games.asp

Have fun!