Monthly Archives: May 2012

Build Brain Fitness and Accelerate Learning for Your Child

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The Learning Curve January 23, 2012  Dr Martha Burns

Build Brain Fitness and Accelerate Learning for Your Child

This works for children and adults!

Just as exercise promotes physical fitness, exercising our brain improves brain fitness in four critical areas.

  • Memory
  • Attention
  • Processing
  • Sequencing

Today’s guest is Dr. Martha S. Burns who has been a practicing speech language pathologist for 45 years. Dr. Burns is on the Faculty of Northwestern University, Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders and who also works with Scientific Learning Corp.

Hear Dr. Burns discuss how one of Scientific Learning’s programs, Fast Forward®, helps learners achieve up to a two year reading gain in as little as three months.

Hear Dr. Burns discuss (in layman’s terms) the architecture of the brain, its “plasticity,” and how it can be knowingly addressed and developed.

In this show we’ll be discussing the types of fun games and exercises you can use with your child (or use yourself) to build and strengthen brain fitness and learning capacity and speed. These are the types of exercises that can be done anywhere: at home, in the car, on walks, at school; anywhere you or your child can interact with the environment or another person.

We’ll also discuss the distinction between video games that only entertain versus those that both entertain and develop brain “muscle.”

Dr. Burns has a wonderful blog listeners should also go to.

And go to Scientific Learning’s website for further information.

 

Click here to listen January 23, 2012 Dr Martha Burns

Roger and Virginia at The Learning Curve

 

 

What Are the Three Types/Stages/Areas of Child Development?

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The Learning Curve January 16, 2012 Anne Maxwell 2

What Are the Three Types/Stages/Areas of Child Development?

Learn to Work with the Child’s Chronological, Cognitive and Emotional Developmental Stages.

Today’s guest is Anne Maxwell, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and founder of The Child and Family Therapy Play Center.  She also founded the childfamilyplaytherapy.com website.

Anne has had extensive experienced dealing with “troubled,” “disabled” or “disadvantaged” children in her clinical career — but something was discovered by her: many of these disturbed or troubled children were, in actuality, highly gifted children who’d been misdiagnosed with one of the many fashionable designations used nowadays to try and fit the too sharp kids into the very dull system that is the US educational assembly-line.

Many of these kids, mislabeled with any one of the acronyms ending with “D” for disorder, were actually very bright youngsters driven into displaying symptoms of boredom, rebellion, disinterest or distraction due to them not fitting into a system that isn’t geared to deal with exceptional talent and doesn’t know how to correctly cater to them.

These gifted kids get stressed-out because they end up feeling they are not being heard or understood . . . but who doesn’t suffer when that occurs to them!

Out of this experience Anne has developed a system of tools and game playing routines that enable all children: gifted, normal or “different” to have the best brought out in them.

This is the second half of our interview with Anne, and in this show Anne discusses how you can “get it right” with your child.  The things you can do, the tools you can use, to help your child develop its full potential and reap the rewards in life it is due.

Learn the characteristics of a gifted child.

Learn the Three Stages and Types of Childhood Development.

Learn how to find out what is “in your child’s universe/mind” . . . this instead of blaming or incorrectly assuming what’s going on.

Hear Anne address The 10 Keys to Joyful Parenting.

Anne gives you an exercise of how to help your child realize its infinite possibilities.

Did you know children are often so perceptively sensitive they take on others’ emotions?

Learn how to honor your child’s uniqueness and not mold it into society’s expectations.

Did you know that “behavior” is often a form of communication.

Get Anne’s list of tools for happy parenting that will benefit your child.

 

Click here to listen January 16, 2012 Anne Maxwell 2

Roger and Virginia at The Learning Curve

 

 

 

What Goes on in a Child’s Mind? What are the Keys to Childhood Successful Performance at Home and at School?

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The Learning Curve January 9, 2012 Anne Maxwell  #1

What Goes on in a Child’s Mind?  What are the Keys to Childhood Successful Performance at Home and at School?

Today’s guest is Anne Maxwell, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and founder of The Child and Family Therapy Play Center.  She also founded the childfamilyplaytherapy.com website.

Anne has had extensive experienced dealing with “troubled,” “disabled” or “disadvantaged” children in her clinical career — but something was discovered by her: many of these disturbed or troubled children were, in actuality, highly gifted children who’d been misdiagnosed with one of the many fashionable designations used nowadays to try and fit the too sharp kids into the very dull system that is the US educational assembly-line.

Many of these kids mislabeled with any one of the acronyms ending with “D” for disorder were actually very bright youngsters driven into displaying symptoms of boredom, rebellion, disinterest or distraction due them not fitting into a system that isn’t geared to deal with exceptional talent and doesn’t know how to correctly cater to them.

These gifted kids get stressed-out because they end up feeling they are not being heard or understood . . . but who doesn’t suffer when that occurs to them!

Out of this experience Anne has developed a system of tools and game playing routines that enable all children: gifted, normal or “different” to have the best brought out in them.

In this show Anne discusses how you can “get it right” with your child.  The things you can do, the tools you can use, to help your child develop its full potential and reap the rewards in life it is due.

Learn the characteristics of a gifted child.

Learn the Three Stages of Student Decline that affect all kids, but particularly affect the gifted child in the current system.

The Federal Education Act requires that every child’s needs are to be met.  Much has been done to concentrate of the “disabled” . . . it’s time to demand the needs of the gifted child be met.

 

Click here to listen January 9, 2012 Anne Maxwell #1

Roger and Virginia at The Learning Curve

 

 

How to Handle Bullies and Being Bullied at School

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The Learning Curve January 2, 2012   Vicki Abadesco

How to Handle Bullies and Being Bullied at School

The issue of the effects of bullying at school has recently received nationwide prominence and it is a serious problem.

Bullying and being bullied not only interferes with a child’s success at school, academically, socially and health wise, but it can have life-long lasting ill affects on a person.

Today’s guest on The Learning Curve with Roger & Virginia is Vicki Abadesco, the director of Soul Shoppe, an organization devoted to helping students, teachers and parents eliminate bullying in our schools by giving students, teachers and parents the communication tools and techniques proven to be successful in handling bullies, student conflicts and the effects of being bullied.

Soul Shoppe last year alone served 75,000 elementary students nationwide through its school-wide workshops and assemblies.

Vicki Abadesco has some wonderful resources at her soulshoppe.com website.

Hear Vicki explain how Soul Shoppe’s program achieves:

  • Optimal Learning Environments based on a Foundation of Respect
  • Personal Empowerment based on awareness of choices we make
  • Skill Building to navigate life powerfully
  • Community Enhancement promoting empathy and a high level of functioning for all
  • Joyful Living—encouraging a sense of freedom on all we do

We see this as an important program for, as we state in the Professional Edition of our book, How to Learn-How to Teach: Overcoming the Seven Barriers to Comprehension, an “Area of Fear” is one of the vital fundamentals that must be handled if a student (or adult) is going to be able to actually correctly apply their attention to studying and learning anything.

Vicki points out that in the presence of fear a person’s brain and ability to learn actually shuts down.

 

Clock here to listen January 2, 2012 Vicki Abedesco

Roger and Virginia at The Learning Curve


Learn What Exercises and Drills You Can Use to Help Your Child Read Easily and Well.

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The Learning Curve December 26, 2011 Jeffrey Pflaum 2

Learn What Exercises and Drills You Can Use to Help Your Child Read Easily and Well.

Today, with Roger & Virginia on The Learning Curve, we have the return of Jeffrey Pflaum, the author of Motivating Teen and Preteen Readers: How Teachers and Parents and Teachers Can Lead the Way.

Jeffrey is a 34 year veteran of teaching in the New York City School System where he achieved spectacular results in the classroom. He and his work have been widely cited in publications dealing with education and is featured on the Education Resource Information Centerat Teachers’ College, Columbia University and Indiana University. Also at the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning, Illinois University.

Jeffrey is also a BAM! Street Journal Blogger at the BAM Radio Network serving the education community.

Jeffrey reveals the simple exercises and drills he used in his classroom to help kids become better readers.

Hear how Jeffrey taught his students that words can excite and incite young readers to create three-dimensional concepts and images; and that reading is like a 3D virtual reality created by the reader.

Jeffrey’s book is available at your local bookstore, Amazon.com and B&N.

Jeffrey can be contacted at jeffreyppflaum@gmail.com

 

Click here to listen December 26, 2011 Jeffrey Pflaum #2

Roger and Virginia at The Learning Curve

 

What Are the Mind Processes You Can Help Your Child With So They Read Easily and Well?

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The Learning Curve December 19, 2011 Jeffrey Pflaum 1

What Are the Mind Processes You Can Help Your Child With So They Read Easily and Well?

Today’s guest with Roger & Virginia on The Learning Curve is Jeffrey Pflaum, the author of Motivating Teen and Preteen Readers: How Teachers and Parents and Teachers Can Lead the Way.

Jeffrey is a 34 year veteran of teaching in the New York City School System where he achieved spectacular results in the classroom.  He and his work have been widely cited in publications dealing with education and is featured on the Education Resource Information Centerat Teachers’ College, Columbia University and Indiana University.  Also at the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning,Illinois University.

Jeffrey is also a BAM! Street Journal Blogger at the BAM Radio Network serving the education community.

Hear Jeffrey revel how reading is all about “an internal life” and that there is a “reading process” that you can help your children learn.

Hear how Jeffrey taught his students that words can excite and incite young readers to create three-dimensional concepts and images; and that reading is like a 3D virtual reality created by the reader.

Jeffrey’s book is available at your local bookstore, Amazon.com and B&N.

Jeffrey can be contacted at  jeffreyppflaum@gmail.com

 

Click here to listen December 19, 2011 Jeffrey Pflaum 1

Roger and Virginia at The Learning Curve

 

Student Failure is Caused Before Grade School and Continues on to High School Drop-out—How Can You Prevent This for Your Child?

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The Learning Curve December 12, 2011 –Murray Bass Part 2

Student Failure is Caused Before Grade School and Continues on to High School Drop-out—How Can You Prevent This for Your Child?

How Can You Start Your Child on the Path to Successful Learning and Literacy? What are the Successful Sequential Steps?

Today’s guest with Roger & Virginia on The Learning Curve is Murray Bass, the founder and president of Tools of Learning for Children. This is part 2 of our interview with Murray.

Murray is an 83 year-old retiree who has some children enjoying reading books as early as 3 years-old! His “wards” are routinely doing it at age 4! What a remarkable story this is.

The Mission Statement of Murray’s registered Section 501c(3) non-profit, Tools of Learning for Children organization is:

“The Founders of this Nation envisioned a country populated and governed by literate, patriotic people. To fulfill their vision, Tools of Learning for Children commits to this mission.

“We will raise funds and provide materials for two purposes: to facilitate children being able to read — the foundation of all learning — and to help them understand that they are blessed to be citizens of the United States of America.”

This is important because:

  • The 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress (published October 21, 2008) showed the following achievement levels for Californian public schools:
  • 4th Grade reading — only 18% were proficient and 30% reading at a basic level.  47% are reading below the basic level.
  • 8th Grade reading — only 20% were proficient and 41% reading at a basic level. 38% are reading below the basic level.

What a disaster!

Compare this example of what Murray’s organization is accomplishing with 3 and 4 year-olds at a cost of around $15 per child.

A letter from Judy Ingersoll,VacavilleChristianSchools,Vacaville,CAdated June 18, 2008.

“Murray,

“Out of 102 report cards for Early Kindergarten students (children who have not yet entered kindergarten)

102 children (all of them) know all of their phonics sounds

92 children can easily blend consonants and vowels

87 children can read one vowel words

56 can read two vowel words*

“* We have not stressed two vowel words in the past as our kindergarten teachers have asked us to focus on phonics and blending, but with front line phonics the children are more prepared to read so we have tested the children this year to see how they are doing.

“Please remember we still have 4 year-olds in EK, and some of these children started school very late in the year, even during the last couple of months so they did not have a full year with Front Line Phonics. Still, the fact that 100% of the children know their phonics sounds and 90% are blending consonants and vowels the first week of June tells us by the end of summer these children will be even more prepared than they are now.

“Thank you for all you do for VCS.

“Judy Ingersoll”

You can reach Murray at (707) 427-0744 or by email at mbass25@sbcglobal.net.

Give him a hand . . . he could also use an extra dollar or two.

 

Click here to listen December 12, 2011 Murray Bass Part 2

Roger and Virginia

 

 

LINKS:

Roger and Virginia links to http://www.howtolearneasily.com

Tools of Learning for Children links to http://www.tools4preschool.org

 

 

How Young Can You Start Your Child on the Path to Successful Learning and Literacy?

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The Learning Curve December 5, 2011    Murray Bass

How Young Can You Start Your Child on the Path to Successful Learning and Literacy?

Today’s guest with Roger & Virginia on The Learning Curve is Murray Bass, the founder and president of Tools of Learning for Children.

Murray is an 83 year-old retiree who has some children enjoying reading books as early as 3 years-old!  His “wards” are routinely doing it at age 4!  What a remarkable story this is.

The Mission Statement of Murray’s Tools of Learning for Children organization is:

“The Founders of this Nation envisioned a country populated and governed by literate, patriotic people.  To fulfill their vision, Tools of Learning for Children commits to this mission.

“We will raise funds and provide materials for two purposes: to facilitate children being able to read — the foundation of all learning — and to help them understand that they are blessed to be citizens of the United States of America.”

This is important because:

  • The 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress (published October 21, 2008) showed the following achievement levels for Californian public schools:
  • 4th Grade reading — only 18% were proficient and 30% reading at a basic level.
  • 8th Grade reading — only 20% were proficient and 41% reading at a basic level.

What a disaster!

Compare this example of what Murray’s organization is accomplishing with 3 and 4 year-olds at a cost of around $15 per child.

A letter from Judy Ingersoll, Vacaville Christian Schools,Vacaville, CA dated June 18, 2008.

“Murray,

“Out of 102 report cards for Early Kindergarten students (children who have not yet entered kindergarten)

102 children (all of them) know all of their phonics sounds

92 children can easily blend consonants and vowels

87 children can read one vowel words

56 can read two vowel words*

“* We have not stressed two vowel words in the past as our kindergarten teachers have asked us to focus on phonics and blending, but with front line phonics the children are more prepared to read so we have tested the children this year to see how they are doing.

“Please remember we still have 4 year-olds in EK, and some of these children started school very late in the year, even during the last couple of months so they did not have a full year with Front Line Phonics. Still, the fact that 100% of the children know their phonics sounds and 90% are blending consonants and vowels the first week of June tells us by the end of summer these children will be even more prepared than they are now.

“Thank you for all you do for VCS.

“Judy Ingersoll”

 

Click here to listen December 5, 2011 Murray Bass Part 1

Roger and Virginia

 

Parental Choice in Education Allows Needs to Start with the Child and be Customized Around the Child.

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The Learning Curve November 28. 2011 Linda Dobson–part 3

Parental Choice in Education Allows Needs to Start with the Child and be Customized Around the Child.

Into whose hands goes the decision of what will be learned and by when?

Currently, the system’s standards make the system more important than the children it is supposed to serve, hence:

A Declaration of Educational Independence.

Parental choice in education is needed rather than the new laws being foisted upon us.

We need to change the core common standards that perpetuate the current system along with its belief that all children can be cookie-cutters and all the same.  This is a system that has not served our children well; and has only served itself.

Become your child’s best learning coach.

More freedom in education.

Today on The Learning Curve with Roger and Virginia we have the return of Linda Dobson, author of The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child, and eight other books on helping your child’s education.

Linda has a treasure trove of information on her website: http://www.parentatthehelm.com

Linda has been a columnist with Home Education Magazine “forever,” and was the first “Early Years” adviser for http://www.homeschool.com.  She also participated with Barnes and Noble University on these issues.

Click here to listen November 28, 2011 Linda Dobson 3

Roger and Virginia at The Learning Curve.

 

Learning is a Process—The Passive High School Method is NOT Good Enough to Succeed at University: An active Method of Learning is Needed.

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The Learning Curve November 21, 2011 Robert Neuman–part 2

Learning is a Process—The Passive High School Method is NOT Good Enough to Succeed at University: An active Method of Learning is Needed.

Parents have a critical part to play in getting their kids ready for college.

This week we have the return of Dr. Robert Neuman, the retired Dean of Academic Development at Marquette University and author of Are You Really Ready for College?

Dr Neuman reveals there are too many conversations about what the schools are not doing, but not enough conversations about what parents are not doing!

What you and your child can do to prepare for college and then what to do when in college so we win.

Click here to listen November 21, 2011 Robert Neuman part 2

Roger & Virginia at The Learning Curve — Overcoming the Seven Barriers to Comprehension