Another Dys...

I've said before that I always knew Rebecca was Dyslexic.  When we got the diagnosis of severely Dyslexic, I was not surprised.  They also found that she was moderately Dysgraphic.  This did catch me off guard mostly because I had never heard of Dysgraphia before.  However, after immediately coming home and researching it, I could absolutely see that she was in fact Dysgraphic.  As the years passed, I had this feeling that there was more.  Her perception seems to be off.  She falls while standing still.  She has difficulty judging steps and heights.  And, she is just all around clumsy and messy.  I did some digging and found she has some symptoms of Dyspraxia.  More time went on and all of a sudden we have hit a new brick wall - Math!  Ugh!!!  I have tried everything and it's just not sinking in.  Even the easiest addition problem is a fight.  Rebecca confuses the symbols +-x easily, uses the wrong sign, forgets to carry over, and misplaces digits.  Are we now also dealing with Dyscalculia?  Should we be testing her?  Or hold off as we did with the Dyspraxia?  These are the questions swirling around my head these days.   I understand that many people think it is detrimental to put labels on kids.  I disagree - well at least in our case.  Having Rebecca's labels help her.  Yes, you heard that right - help.  She uses it as a way to lighten her issues.  When she makes a spelling mistake, turns right instead of left, skips small words while reading, or trips on a feather, she giggles and says in a singing voice "Dyslexiaaaaa".  It's almost like it reminds her that there is nothing wrong with her; there is a reason she makes these seemingly silly mistakes.  We can laugh about her quirks.  She is not embarrassed by her learning difference because she knows it is a part of her, but it does not define who she is.  Currently, we are on a downward spiral in math.  Looks like we might need to put a name on what's going on to help her get her self esteem back to where it should be again.

Peaks and Valleys

For me, homeschooling hits a fair share of peaks and valleys and rarely sits in the middle.  At the moment, we are at a peak as things are going very well.  Last week - a valley.  It changes often, probably depending quite a bit on Rebecca's mood as well as my own.  I have a difficult time sticking with one plan day in and day out.  When we hit our valleys, I become frustrated and often times throw in the towel on what we are working on.  Maybe I should give it more time, but it becomes difficult when it becomes a daily battle.  Changing things up every few weeks works for me.  I sometimes come back to the things that failed in the past since I never throw any of it away.  Some of it continues to collect dust on the shelf.  I think it keeps school fresh for Rebecca too. Change can be difficult and scary, but sometimes it is a good thing.

Grading Day

Today is grading day.  The end of the semester is this week, so grades are due.  I have been procrastinating this for weeks!  I find it difficult to grade Rebecca for several reasons.  I am hard on her.  When I first started homeschool,  decided to go through a public charter school, and learned that I would be grading her I thought it was a joke.  Of course she would be getting straight A's!  Well, as it turns out, I am not that kind of parent/teacher.  I know exactly what she knows and what she doesn't know.  The grades I give her reflect it.  But at times I think I look at the criteria too literally.  It's not an easy job to rate someones academic performance!  I stared at her blank report card for a long time before jumping in.  I changed my mind several times.  There are scratched out numbers and notes all over that piece of paper.  But in the end, I think it accurately shows where Rebecca's strengths and weaknesses lay.  I question my decision about homeschooling every now and then.  Report card period is one of those times.  But in my heart, I know that Rebecca would not be getting this kind of education in a site-based program.  I get outside help when she needs it.  I change the curriculum based on how it works (or doesn't work) for her.  I am providing her with an extremely appropriate and integrated education suited to her learning style.  I may not know exactly what I am doing, but I do my best.

Dyslexic Solutions

I sure love Rebecca.  She is a wise soul - almost like an adult in a little 10 year old body.  She is wise beyond her years at times.  Tonight, she and I are sitting on the couch while Bill is helping Drew with her math homework.  They were stuck on a problem where the solution was 12, but Drew kept writing 21.  Bill would erase it and tell her to try again, and again Drew would put down 21.  She knew she was doing it wrong, but just couldn't get the correct answer written down.  Bill was becoming frustrated.  Rebecca and I made eye contact, and she mouthed "Dyslexia".  So, I asked her what the solution for this particular situation is.  If a dyslexic person is struggling to get the correct number or word written down, but it keeps coming out wrong, how should we help them get it right.  She thought about it a long time, then said "Drew says "12", so we know she knows the correct answer. Daddy should write the "12" down on another piece of paper and let Drew copy it".  Is this girl smart or what!?!?  She just amazes me.  Why didn't I think of that?

Independent Work

For the last year, Rebecca and I have sit side by side for ALL of her work.  She requires the individual attention to keep her focused.  Without it, she can easily become distracted and forget her objective.  However, independent work is an essential skill for her to learn.  So this week, we are re-introducing homework.  I'm not sure how it will fly, but it's something she must do.  I will still be sitting with her for daily school work, but at the end of the day she will be given additional tasks she will need to complete on her own.  What I am going to try first is giving her a packet of stuff that she can work on all week.  I am sure there are days she will be more focused than others, so hopefully this will alleviate added stress if she knows she can put it down and start again the next day - as long as it's done by Friday.  Fingers crossed we are successful.  I know she is ready for this.  I hope she knows it...

Back to School

Winter break is over and school is back in full swing. I love coming back from a long break. I find myself more motivated to teach again and Rebecca more willing to learn. The other thing I love is starting new curriculum. I tend to purchase a new workbook or 2 (or7 in the case of this break) during our breaks. They excite and re-motivate me. The books arrive days before the break ends, so it's like starting fresh. I have several books I'm still waiting on, but did receive all the new math I wanted to try.

Rebecca struggles in math. She has very weak working memory and rapid recall therefore learning math facts is difficult, not to mention frustrating. Imagine being in 5th grade and still learning addition and subtraction. We've had success with Times Tales for multiplication, but division is like another language. So, for the rest of this year, I've decided to give Rebecca a rest from the facts. I've given her a calculator and we are moving on.

Math Mammoth is what we are working out of and even though we have the general 5th grade workbook, I've decided to break things down a bit. We will be working on decimals, fractions, measuring and geometry. I really like Math Mammoth! It really breaks down each area and offers lots of practice before moving on. Now comes the hard part - deciding which book to start with...

My Dyslexic Daughter(s???)

I think I always knew Rebecca was Dyslexic.  When we got the results from her diagnostic testing four years ago, I cried for days - not because she was severely dyslexic and moderately dysgraphic, but because I felt some kind of relief that I wasn't crazy.  It was easy to accept her diagnosis because I already knew what I needed to do.  I could handle advocating for one dyslexic child.  But two?  I think my youngest  is Dyslexic.  I've had my suspicions for awhile now, but not the same way I knew about Rebecca.  Drew shows many signs of being dyslexic.  She is in the second grade and is struggling to read.  She is below grade level by at least one full grade.  Spelling is a challenge, she reverses and transverses letters often.  She doesn't seem to hear some sounds in words and adds random letters to a word when sounding it out (she adds the letter 'Y' to the end of nearly every word).  But unlike Rebecca, she is very good at math, has a strong working memory, and fantastic coordination and balance.  

So, here is the thing.  I am in a daily argument with myself about what to do.  I am dragging my feet with Drew and I am not sure why.  I'm not sure what direction to take with her.  Do I get her tested?  It is very expensive and the test itself didn't do anything for Rebecca.  The school basically threw it aside and refused to do their own testing for years as she wasn't far enough behind.  Dyslexia isn't considered a specific learning disability in California, so the test is just a piece of paper and peace of mind for me.  Maybe a private assessment isn't the way to go this time around.  But then, how do I know I am doing the right thing for her if I am not sure what the "problem" is. (**By the way, I do NOT see dyslexia as a problem - I just couldn't think of another way to word that.  After working with Rebecca for a year at home, I sometimes wish I had a little dyslexia in me :)**)  Do I just move forward under the assumption that Drew is dyslexic?  Do I keep her in public school longer to see if she improves?  She has an amazing teacher.  But Rebecca had the same amazing teacher and I regret not pulling her sooner than the fourth grade.  Here is my chance to get an earlier start with Drew.  So what's stopping me?   I am not sure she will like being at home.  Rebecca is the one who asked to learn at home.  Drew is very social and head strong.  But she also has a strong desire to learn - maybe even more so than Rebecca.  Is keeping her in public school a selfish decision on my part?  Home schooling one child is challenge enough.  I am just getting into a routine that works for Rebecca and me.  Adding another child into the mix would change everything - like starting from scratch.  I just don't know what to do...

Has It Really Been a Year?

I can't believe it's been nearly a year since my last post.  I am sitting here on the couch, listening to the kids play and considering my New Year's resolutions.  It is December 31, so whatever I come up with needs to start tomorrow. Maybe by listing them here I will be more apt to follow through...

1. Complete Project 365 - Take a photo a day for an entire year
2. Update this blog more regularly - NOT once a year :)
3. Take a photography class to learn how to use ALL the settings on my camera
4. Go on an individual date with each my kids each month
5. Go on a kid-less date with my hubby at least once a month

More to come, but I think it's a pretty good start.

Rebecca and I had the MOST wonderful meeting yesterday with her school!  Since Rebecca qualifies for Special Ed and has an active IEP (Individual Education Plan), the charter school Rebecca is signed up through is required to follow that IEP.  Therefore, they set up a meeting for yesterday.  We met with her Independent Study (IS) teacher, the principal of the school, the head of the resource department, and Rebecca's new resource teacher.  One word to describe this meeting was WOW!!!

First let me tell you about Rebecca's IEP meeting at her previous school.  I met with her teacher, principal, school counselor, resource lead, and in some cases reading specialist.  THEY discussed Rebecca's weaknesses and ways to help her.  As a parent, I am considered a part of the IEP team, but basically my job was to agree with and sign THEIR plan.  Any ideas I came up with were usually shot down due to budget restraints or lack of resources.  I was told to try my ideas at home.  For example, I felt Rebecca would benefit from OT (occupational therapy).  They did not so it was never put down in the plan.  I thought Rebecca should have her tests read to her.  They said that reading was all part of the evaluation process.  I thought she should have her text books on tape.  They said they didn't have them.  THEY were the experts on what Rebecca needed, and I didn't know any better because I had never been involved in an IEP meeting before.  I thought they were doing their best to accommodate to Rebecca's needs.  The end result was that Rebecca would be pulled from class 3 times a week and be put in resource with other kids with special needs.  Those kids were all boys from other grades and most spent a lot of time misbehaving which took time away from learning.  Her IEP also listed that her classroom teacher could make appropriate accommodations in class.  Her teachers were ALWAYS great and they did their best to follow accommodations we came up with together, but with a class of 30 something students, I totally understand how the accommodations were not met all of the time.

The minute our meeting started yesterday, my jaw dropped to the floor.  The first thing they did was turn to Rebecca and ask her to tell them about herself.  They wanted to know her strengths and weaknesses as she knew them.  Then, they asked me my opinion.  I am now the expert on Rebecca, not them!  At that point, they told me that they would be meeting with Rebecca once a week for 1:1 instruction.  They all looked at me and said "what do you want?".  I was speechless!  Rebecca will now be getting OT as well as help in reading, spelling and writing.  They are even going to work on math with her even though she has never been tested for math disabilities (even though she struggles). They accepted her diagnosis of dyslexia and dysgraphia and those who didn't know much about it were open to hearing about it and plan to learn more rather than give me excuses.  

I left the meeting with a big lump in my throat.  The hour I had just spent with them was THE most productive school meeting we have had for Rebecca in 5 years!!!  I should have done this years ago.  I've been thinking about it since 2nd grade, but always wanted to give the school that one more chance.  Our system works fine with the average students.  But not for the struggling students.  It's really sad that public schools can't do more.  I really think home school is the BEST thing for Rebecca.  We made the right decision for sure.

Success!!!

Rebecca took her first spelling test at home this morning. Before starting, we took a few minutes to talk about the spelling rule we were working on and I told her to take her time - feel free to tap out the vowels and finger spell the words she might be confused on.  She did not review the words as I wanted to make sure she understood the rule - not memorized the word.  She got 100%!!!!!!  This is the FIRST time she has EVER gotten 100% on a spelling test!  The look on her face was priceless and it validated my reasons to home school her.  It is a good day!!!

Happy New Year

With this new year comes new ideas, new lessons, new topics, new outings, and new goals.  I can't wait to get started.  Sure, we officially started home school in December, but we took those three weeks to ease into a routine that works for both of us.  Now that I know the direction we need to go, we are ready to get to the books.  All of my curriculum has been ordered.  I'm a bit disappointed, however, that it hasn't arrived before the first official day of school in January but we will make do with what we have until it does.  I need to make everything Rebecca learns multi-sensory.  She learns best by not only using one of her senses, but by using several.  In all honesty, I think I would have learned better this way as well.  It will take a lot of work, but it will make each and every lesson more fun!  For the remaining six months of fourth grade, we will be studying California History which is a fourth grade standard.  What makes learning this unit different in our home as compared to learning in school is that every core subject will be based around California History.  They will all be tied together in one way or another rather than jumping all over the place.  The first thing we will do is make a timeline.  From that, Rebecca will pick the areas she is more interested in learning about.  We'll do reports, experiments, outings, etc on each topic she chooses.  It's going to be a blast!!!  Let the learning begin!

We've Done It!

I am happy to report that the home schooling has begun.  Rebecca was pulled from Timber Point last Wednesday so we have been hard at work for a week now.  I am a bit overwhelmed, but it's getting easier each day.  Rebecca LOVES learning at home.  She is ready for each new task and I hear very few complaints.  However, the excitement has gotten the best of her and she has been early to rise each morning which means we are seeing lots of yawns throughout the day. I will be finalizing our curriculum plan next Monday in hopes that all of the materials will arrive during the winter break so that we can start a regular routine in January.  In the meantime we have been trying a variety of things - some we like and some we don't.  I suppose there will be a lot of trial and error as we go.

It's Almost Official

Our school change is becoming more real by the day!  I informed the principal today who was very supportive and shared ideas of his own to help make the process more successful.   I will be informing Rebecca's teacher this afternoon at her parent teacher conference, and then will send the letter below to our friends.  We are on the road to a new beginning...


Hi friends,

I wanted to let you all know of a big change in the Morganstein family.  After much thought, we have decided to pull Rebecca from Timber Point and have her do Independent Study (AKA home school).  As you are some of the important people in her life (and mine :)), it was important to us that we fill you in on what we are doing.  Our hope is that some of you can help your children understand what Rebecca's going through so that this transition will be easier for her.  Her biggest concern with this change is not loosing touch with her friends.

A little history on Rebecca (for those of you that don't know):  Rebecca was diagnosed as severely dyslexic and moderately dysgraphic (difficulty with handwriting) 3 years ago.  What this means is that Rebecca is a very typical, smart 9 year old little girl that has some learning differences.  Reading, writing, and spelling are difficult for her.   We've been working closely with the school and her teachers to find the appropriate accommodations to help her with her learning difference.  ALL of her teachers have been wonderful!  Unfortunately, though, Rebecca continues to struggle and is falling farther and farther behind.  Her brain works differently than the average student and she can not easily learn using traditional teaching methods.  She requires a multi sensory approach to learning in a more individualized setting of which our school can not provide.  We are sad to leave, but we need to do what is best for her so that she can be a successful student.  There is no doubt in my mind that she WILL succeed!  

Our goal is to try a new approach and teach Rebecca the skills she needs so that she can be re-enrolled in public school - hopefully in middle school.  We have enrolled in an Independent Study program through FAME Charter School.  They are based in Fremont, but have recently opened a learning center in Brentwood.  We will have a credentialed teacher visit us monthly to make sure we are staying on track.  Rebecca will be working on her studies at home with me, but will have an opportunity to take classes such as art, writing, science, etc. through the learning center starting in the spring.  Rebecca is VERY excited to start our new adventure.  We have spoken at great length about it.  Rebecca and I have weighed the pros and cons of home school and we agree that this is the best option for her right now.  As I said before, her biggest concern is her friends.  She is already asking about setting up regular play dates :).

Our new adventure will start soon, though we don't have a firm date yet.  Once enrollment process is done with FAME, Rebecca will be pulled from Timber Point.  It sounds like this may happen in the next 2 weeks.  Rebecca is very open to discussing her learning difference and home school.  In fact, she's been having a hard time keeping it to herself over the last few weeks that we've been discussing it.  We both believe that dyslexia not something that should be kept a secret or that she should be ashamed of.  Her dyslexia doesn't make her any less of a FANTASTIC kid, but it is a part of who she is - a part that will be with her forever.  Thanks for being there to support her (and I) in this journey.

Change is in the Air

I was feeling pretty good about school...in the beginning.  Things have changed.  Rebecca brought home a story she had written a couple weeks ago.  It was a FANTASTIC story.  Rebecca's creativity oozed from the page.  She was so proud; jumping all around the room in anticipation of me reading it.  Her first question was "What is my grade?"  I looked at the page and saw 1.5 out of 4.  I couldn't squash her excitement, so I told her she had received a good mark.  Before we started reading the 2 page story, I glanced at the grading rubric in which the teacher had highlighted areas that needed improvement.  Neatness and spelling/punctuation errors were noted.  Yes, we struggle with that.  Then I saw that the grading teacher couldn't find a clear beginning, middle, and end of the story.  It also apparently lacked creative details. This is what caused the 1.5 mark.  I then had Rebecca read me the story.  She had some difficulty recognizing some of her writing, but the smile on her face never faded.  It was by far the most creative, unique story she had ever written and was filled with amazing details.  It did indeed have a very clear beginning, middle and end.  The only thing I can think of is that the teacher couldn't read Rebecca's handwriting.  How else could she have gotten such a low mark on this very good story?  At that moment, I realized Rebecca couldn't be in this school any longer.  


Timber Point Elementary is no longer  the correct placement for my special child, not that it ever was.  They do not have the funding nor the training to meet Rebecca's needs.  I came to the realization that she will never be successful in this setting.  She is floundering and I can not... WILL NOT sit back and watch her fail.  Therefore, change is in the air.  The only way Rebecca will be successful in school is if she is taught the appropriate learning strategies to her special learning style.  I've spent the last week searching for a better placement, but there is none.  Our only option is Independent Study, otherwise known as Homeschool.  I found a charter school in Newark that is opening a site in Brentwood that will support our new adventure.  They send a teacher liaison to our home each month to check our progress.  They also pay for our curriculum and offer some extra curricular classes on site such as art, writing, and science.  


Rebecca and I have talked at great length about homeschool.  She was a on the fence in the beginning, but has sense become excited about the idea.  A few days ago, I knew I was on the right track.  We were driving to tutoring when Rebecca said to me "Mommy, I want to be homeschooled because I want to learn.  I am not learning in school.  I want to learn more."  There is something wrong with the public school system if a 9 year old doesn't feel as if she is learning in school.  There is no doubt in my mind that Rebecca will be incredibly successful in homeschool and in life.  Let the adventure begin!

Finally seeing progress

It's been a long road, but we are starting to see improvements in Rebecca's writing.  I believe writing to be Rebecca's biggest struggle.  She can read.  She is almost at grade level with reading.  Her reading doesn't flow as much as it should, but she can read.  Writing however...  Phew!  Letter reversals, spelling, letter transposing, spacing, punctuation, and handwriting make it challenging.  She has SO much in that cute little head of hers.  She spends hours in her room writing stories and even chapter books.  She'll run down stairs with excitement oozing.  But, she can't read back what she has written.  It is frustrating for her; frustrating for me that I can't "fix" her.

Our wonderful friend has taken Rebecca under her wing and is tutoring her using the Barton Method twice a week.  This started about 4 - 5 months ago  Great news!!!  Rebecca's letter reversals are getting better!  In fact, last night she didn't make one mistake.  Now, there are a few things to take into consideration...  Last night, she was well rested and did not have the stresses of school from earlier in the day since we are on fall break.  Both of those things contributed to this break through.  However, this shows her (and I) that she CAN do this!!  We are BOTH thrilled with her progress!!!

One Lucky Girl

School has started with a BANG - the bang of fantastic fireworks!  I met with Rebecca's 4th grade teacher the second week of school.  According to Rebecca's IEP, her teacher can modify her work in the classroom and at home as she sees fit.  Unfortunately, all the teachers I've spoken to so far have very little if any knowledge of how to teach a dyslexic child.  But as luck would have it, Mrs. Chavez was completely open to learning about how she can help our Rebecca.  She listened to all of my suggestions with her pencil and paper ready and as a team we planned all the arrangements we needed to make this a successful year for Rebecca.  Rebecca will have her own set of spelling words that use the spelling rule she is currently learning in after school tutoring.  She will also get extended time on work as needed, have handouts printed on blue paper, tests read to her when she struggles, and she can use the dragon computer software program at home that listens to her speech and puts it on paper.  In addition, she will sit in the front of the class and not be required to read allowed.  Rebecca is feeling motivated and excited by these accommodations. Rebecca is one lucky girl!!

School has Begun

We have the trendy haircut, the cute new book bag, the chic lunch box, and the environmentally friendly water bottle.  Ready or not, school has begun.  Rebecca is very positive about this year.  She has lots of friends in class and really likes her teacher.  I, on the other hand, am not so confident. Rebecca's writing has started out rough.  She has more backwards letters than normal - some are letters she has never reversed before.  She is also changing letter order which she doesn't do often.  I learned that fourth grade is a heavy writing grade.  Rebecca has many challenges ahead.  I have no doubt she will try her hardest. She is such a trooper!

Public School vs. Home School

To home school or not to home school?  That is the question...  I have been playing ping pong with this decision for the last year.  With fourth grade here in only days, the question consumes me.  I constantly wonder if throwing my sweet Rebecca into the public school system is the best thing for her.  They are not trained to work with her learning difference.  In fact, most of the teachers know very little about Dyslexia.  In addition, the administrators don't even accept the term Dyslexia.  It's like beating my head against a brick wall.  Rebecca started going to resource the end of last year.  I called and emailed several times to find out what methodology the resource room is using.  I never heard back from them.  Being that the school doesn't know about Dyslexia, I can only assume they aren't using a method that will help Rebecca.  She feels stressed at school.  She sees other kids finish their work before her.  She knows she is behind the other students.  Am I making a mistake having her go to school everyday?

So then I start to think about homeschooling.  Rebecca loves to learn.  As much as she and I butt heads at times, she is a dream when one on one.  If she had individual attention working in the style that works for her, would she make better progress?  Most likely, yes!  Home school is a perfect fit for her.  BUT...  What about socially? Sure, I could plan play dates with her friends.  But is that enough?  Rebecca is the type of 9 year old that socializes better with adults and younger children.  She struggles to fit in with kids her own age.  She needs that social interaction that a school provides - drama and all.  

There needs to be a happy medium.  But I can't find it.  I don't have a clue what to do.  So, my plan is to sit in on resource early in the year.  I want to see first hand how they are helping her.  I don't want that time to be solely catch up from the classroom.  Adjustments can be made within the classroom for that. I want to see some individual work with her on reading, spelling, and writing.  I also plan to meet with her teacher and see if we can come up with some kind of plan that will work for Rebecca.  We need to keep her self esteem up.  I want her to like school again.  At the same time I will be researching home school curriculum.  I will be talking to some friends who do home school and see how they deal with the socialization with their children.  I will then re-evaluate.  This year will work for Rebecca - one way or another.

School Starts in 4 Days

I can't believe the school bell will ring in only 4 days.  My oldest will start middle school. I'm not worried about him.  He is a good kid and is very smart.  The adjustment will be a little rough for both of us, but he'll be okay.  I am sure of that.  My youngest will be starting the first grade.  She got the very best teacher and I have no doubt she will have a successful year.  Rebecca will be starting the fourth grade.  I am scared to death!  I remember the fourth grade from a few years ago.  My son had the same teacher Rebecca has.  She is great!  But, it's a tough year.  Lots of homework.  Lots of reports.  Lots of projects.  Lots of reading.  Rebecca is bright and loves to learn.  I hope this year won't squash that.  I worry about her.  She already doesn't like school much.  She doesn't think she is smart.  She doesn't have many friends.  I can only hope we start this year strong.  I have new organizational ideas to help keep her on track.  And I have considered requesting little or no homework to help her through.  We'll see how it goes.  I know I need to take a step back and just see how it goes...  At least for a few days.

Fantastic Article

I saw a link to this article the other day and I just loved it.  I have read the third paragraph more times that I can count.  It just makes Dyslexia feel more normal.  So, I decided to add the link here so I can pull it up and read it whenever my little heart desires...

link  http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/office-diaries/201007/new-kind-literacy-lines-links