How to enhance your child's best possibilities

What kind of parent wouldn't want to give her child the best possibilities in life? Wouldn't want to catch her child’s critical window of time for proper brain development? Continuing our discussion from the last blog:

 

        Did you know that the key years for developing IQ are birth to 5 years old? Give your child the chance early to reach his/her best potential (zenith). There may be children who could have had so much greater capabilities, but were not exposed to the right stimuli at the right time to map the necessary brain neurons properly. Don’t let that happen to your child.

 

        There is plenty of scientific proof why parents should not wait to start teaching reading-readiness to their toddlers and preschoolers. Quoting from Dr. Michael Merzenich in the book, The Brain that Changes Itself, by Dr. Norman Doidge, it is obvious that parents must not delay teaching their children to read until school age. They should never leave it up to the teachers. Purposeful parenting requires parents to get involved much earlier. Here's why:

 

        “They [scientists] discovered that there was a ‘critical period’... when the brain had to receive visual stimulation in order to develop [vision] normally. The discovery of the critical period became one of the most famous in biology in the second half of the Twentieth Century. Scientists soon showed that other brain systems required environmental stimuli to develop, too.”

 

        “It also seemed that each neural system had a different critical period, or window of time, during which it was especially plastic [changeable] and sensitive to the environment, and during which it had rapid, formative growth. After this critical period closes, a person's ability to learn... is limited. In fact, second languages learned after the critical period for language (birth to 8 years) are not processed in the same part of the brain as is the native tongue.”

 

        Some experts mistakenly believe that problems with a genetic root are incurable. This is not necessarily true. A child's brain can be re-wired with phonics to cure dyslexia and speech problems, to name a couple. Doctor Glenn Doman's methods have cured many kinds of brain 'damage', including autism. However, the most healing (or prevention) occurs the earlier you start.

 

        The brain's ‘real estate’ for mapping neurons is under constant competition. The old adage, "Use it or lose it," is especially true for brain development and critical periods for learning specific things.

 

        Other neural systems will take over the brain space that isn't stimulated properly during its formative window of time. So, a child's best time to learn reading-readiness and reading (by phonics, of course) is between infancy and 5 years old.

 

        If you missed this window, don't lose heart. Start now! The brain is somewhat changeable, and late is better than never. Besides - with TGM phonics - you may be able to reverse the problems caused by many schools' teaching methods. Start now!

 

        Phonics - the right way - can even reverse trauma-induced learning disabilities in children. Some learning disabilities have emotional roots and missed windows of opportunity. The good news is, these can be helped! All foster parents should use TGM.

       Some teachers don't like bright and gifted children. So what? If early-readers give teachers a problem because they're bored, good! The teachers need to adjust their methods to accommodate bright and gifted children better. Do NOT hold your child back to convenience the school system, yourself, or anyone else.

 

        It is absolutely mortifying that many parenting magazines have jumped on the "delay-reading" band wagon with the public educational system, as I found out at the National Publicity Summit in April 2009.

 

        And remember to expose your toddlers and preschoolers to phonics, never to sight-reading. The Godfrey Method is the best out there. It's simple and very effective.

 

        A mother's heart yearns for the best for her children. Knowledge is power, so now you are empowered to give your child the self-confidence and accomplishment s/he needs to navigate through this world well - early reading the right way.

 

        Without these preventatives, the cracks in your child may be dyslexia, speech problems, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, low self-esteem, insecurity, childhood depression, low self-confidence, lack of imagination, lower IQ, slower learning capacity, poor decision-making skills, low self-confidence, math incompetency and/or caught in the downward educational trend. They all may be preventable or curable when caught early. You, mom and dad, are the key. It’s not rocket surgery!

 

 

http://thegodfreymethod.com/blog/head-start-how-enhance-your-childs-best-possibilities

10 things you may not know about early reading the right way

Being the Early Bird – A Head Start

Ten things you may not know about early reading that could change your child’s future.

(taken from Vol. 2 of It's Not Rocket Surgery! by Shannah B Godfrey)

      Did you know Americans tend to believe that their child’s intelligence is either genetic or comes from what they learn in school? But guess what, that isn’t really true. IQ is only about 50% nature (genes) and the other half is nurture (parenting environment).

[Actually, there is a third factor in the mix, the child’s inner motivation, but more on that later.]

      My years as a foster mom showed me the effects of the home environment and the difference when parents ignore their child’s peak learning-years, from ages birth to five. Many of those children’s learning problems could have been avoided.

      Trauma can produce learning disabilities that aren’t genetic. Also, abuse and neglect can re-wire the brain. Nurture has a strong influence on intelligence.

      For example, once I received three little sisters in my foster home, whom I later adopted. The oldest girl was ten years old, struggled with reading comprehension, and had already failed a grade. The middle girl was eight years old and struggled with ADHD. The youngest was only four years old, and should have had the worst learning disability, because her biological mother’s alcoholism had become increasingly worse over the years with each pregnancy.

      When the girls arrived in my home, the four-year-old had a speech problem, which can be an indication of future dyslexia. Using phonics, I was able to help her re-learn the hard g and k sounds properly, as well as begin reading before kindergarten. She became an excellent speller in school, too.

      In fact, as an adult she took a college course to become certified as a phlebotomist and received straight A’s, graduating at the head of the class.

      I had also brought her older sisters up to grade level by their middle school years, but the youngest improved the most. I know it was because I was able to start at a younger age with her, during those peak learning-years.

                I am so grateful for all my daughters and what they've taught me over the years. The phlebotomist is now a foster - and adoptive - mom herself!

                In his book, Maximizing Intelligence, Professor David J. Armor from George Mason University shows that intelligence is plastic or changeable. He writes,

      “Children’s intelligence levels can change in response to some types of environmental influences… In other words, one arrives in the world not with a fixed IQ but with intelligence that can be damaged or enhanced, primarily by one’s parents and mainly during the pre-school years.”

                Only about half of IQ may be genetically determined, which means that half or more can be improved by the environment in which a child is raised. This is great news! Any child’s abilities can be more than maximized by positive parental involvement.

There will be more of the ten things you may not know about early reading the right way in my next blog from Vol.2 of It's Not Rocket Surgery!

See you then!

http://thegodfreymethod.com/blog/head-start-10-things-you-may-not-know-about-early-reading

13 ways to build emotional intelligence in your child

How to build your child's emotional intelligence

      Is being smart the only area of the child worth developing? What about compassion? Social awareness? Gratitude? Humility? Heart?

      Service projects help build emotional intelligence in children. They learn by watching and helping with your service. Create opportunities for them to serve and help others.

      The mental, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual health of children are all important. Learning to serve in a greater cause than self is important in developing emotional intelligence to be a well-rounded person.

      With a little guidance, children can discover how to use their intelligence and creativity to do good in this world and make it a better place, even if just in their little corner.

      There are several character-traits that most parents would like to teach their children: self-esteem, love & kindness, cleanliness, honesty, obedience, forgiveness, dependability, courage, inner happiness, work ethic, gratitude, service, and humility.

      “True humility is intelligent self-respect which keeps us from thinking too highly or too meanly of ourselves. It makes us modest by reminding us how far we have come short of what we can be.” ~ Ralph W Sockman.

      Since children remember things better when they are put to music, a good way to facilitate your child’s character development is with *Brite Music® CDs and follow-along books, especially the Standing Tall® series and Safety Kids® series. http://www.britemusic.com

                So to summarize, the steps to helping your babies develop their best minds are:

1. Purge yourself of substances before pregnancy if possible, and
2. During pregnancy no matter what.
3. Eat nutritional meals and get enough iron.
4. Once he’s born, breast feed your baby.
5. Hold her and rock her often.
6. Keep him away from very much radio, video games, and TV until he’s at least over two years old.
7. Stimulate her mind with picture books and shared reading.
8. Expose him to good classical music.
9. Teach her phonics early the right way with The Godfrey Method picture-letters and guides.
10. Play games with him and buy him puzzles.
11. Sing to her.
12. Take him on outings.
13. Smile and give her direct eye contact.

(None of these are gender-based, I just refuse to use the incorrect pronoun "they" above, so I alternated "him" and "her".)

                As an author of children's books, scientist, mother of 14, mother of 16 other foster children, and grandmother of 17 so far, I have found that children take things apart to see how they work, to test the limits of natural physics properties, to exercise their muscles, to stimulate their minds, and to satisfy their insatiable curiosity for learning.

      The best way to raise bright children is to:

1. Provide a stimulating learning environment. (Stimulating does not mean flashy nor noisy).
2. Teach them to read before kindergarten. The Godfrey Method works well.
3. Home school them, if desired. Definitely supplement preschool and public school!
4. Give them the freedom to make a mess while exploring science, art, etc. (And teach them to clean up).
5. Put them in an accelerated class for gifted students (more challenging).
6. Understand that some ADHD is really just gifted children being bored.
7. Keep them busy with learning activities.
8. Play the classical music of Brahms, Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart (helps mental abilities).
9. Allow them to solve problems on their own, without correcting or rescuing them, unless absolutely necessary.
10. Never do for them what they can do for themselves, within reason. (I do not mean to drive them to the point of frustrated tears, nor to forget common courtesy).
11. Give them opportunities to serve their community, including family chores.
12. Teach them the value of work and of doing their part.
13. Provide positive spiritual opportunities and activities for them.

      Sure, everyone has an anecdote of the ‘exception to the rule’. But they’re not the rule. Progressive, caring parents will give their child’s genes every advantage to be their best and brightest.

      Will your child be ready for the technology jobs of the future?

      Without these preventatives, the cracks in your child may be false pride, childhood depression, low self-confidence, lack of social skills, lack of compassion/empathy for others, and/or poor decision-making skills. You are the key. It’s not rocket surgery!

http://thegodfreymethod.com/blog/good-foundation-13-ways-build-emotional-intelligence-your-child

11 ideas for early math the right way

A Good Foundation - Early math the right way

      An early math skills foundation is almost as important as early reading. It’s definitely the runner-up in priority. The maths and sciences increase our ability to think of various possibilities to solve problems in all areas of life. And the foundation of maths and sciences is good reading ability.

      The best way to develop a mathematical mind is with patterning. Helping a child see patterns in the world around her is the first step in understanding spatial and time relationships, very important to math reasoning. 

      And the best way to ensure that your child can develop to his/her full potential is to start early to provide fun learning experiences. Here are some ideas for creating a child’s stimulating environment.

1.       An easy way to do this is to have your preschooler sort the silverware from the dishwasher, as discussed below.
2.       Making repeating patterns with building blocks or colored paper, paint, or crayons are also good ways to develop patterning ability.  
3.       As a parent, you can limit the mess without limiting your child's need to explore by providing bottom drawers in the kitchen full of accessible stuff to play with. Clear, plastic tubs can work, too. Children usually prefer real-life things over toys, and can tell the difference.
4.       Let your child help you sort silverware from the dishwasher, which is also good for her math and reading brain development. Place clean silverware onto a clean table, and have your child sort piles of forks, spoons, and butter knives (no sharp knives), as well as small and large spoons, etc. Then he can help put them into the proper slots in the drawer.
5.       Have play-crawling time, even with older children. Those who crawl more often do better in math and reading, as the Montessori schools found out years ago. Having play time to chase each other while crawling around the house is a great way to link the physical body's spatial and timing relationships with the brain through hand-eye-leg coordination, thus increasing learning capability.
6.       It's a good idea for parents to allow these kinds of play time at least once a week, if not every day. Children who learn spatial relations and patterns in the world around them usually do much better with the academics of reading, math, and science, as well as the artistic talents. Spatial and time relationships are intricately linked with our brain's ability to understand the patterns of numbers, phonics, and words.
7.       Besides patterning, a child needs to learn what numbers mean, such as the proper amount of dots next to each number. Playing non-gambling games with dice is a good way to start.
8.       With youngsters, I also play ‘Go Fish’ with playing cards, which have the number and its amount of hearts (spades, diamonds, or clubs) on each card. Rook cards and Uno cards don’t do this.
9.       When learning addition and subtraction, I also show my kids a number line that goes into infinity in the positive direction (shown with an arrow), and into infinity in the negative direction (shown with an arrow in the opposite direction), starting in the middle at zero, going both ways, to the right and to the left. It starts to prepare their minds for the idea of negative numbers, like being in debt. Or like digging holes versus building mounds.
10.       Playing with money and money values are also great games for math development.
11.       Calendars are another way to teach math skills, believe it or not. Besides learning the months, children learn the repeating patterns of days, weeks, months, and years. I always make my year-long, learning-calendars in a circle for maximum patterning. See the example below.

              A circle calendar looks like a pie, and it’s easier to show a half-year, quarter-year, and the continuous nature going from December to January of the next year. It also shows which months are exactly six months apart, which is handy and very visual. In this way, my calendar is introducing simple geometry ideas, too.

      Pictures taken from http://www.abcteach.com/directory/teaching_extras/calendars

 

                       Months of the Year Calendar

It’s also possible to show the continuity of days in a week shaped as a circle. See figure below.       

      Pictures taken from TGM books: "A Funny Boy Was Prince River", "A Sunny Kid Was Prince River", and "A Pretty Girl Was Alpha Bette".

 

                        Days of the Week Calendar

(Just for fun:)

Monday's child is fair of face,

Tuesday's child is full of grace,

Wednesday's child is full of woe,

Thursday's child has far to go,

Friday's child is loving and giving,

Saturday's child works hard for a living,

But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day

Is bonny, blithe, good, and happy.†

†[I. Opie and P. Opie, The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1951, 2nd edn., 1997), pp. 309-10.]

      Give your children every possible advantage to be their very best selves by exposing them to many wholesome experiences and, without excessive pressure, motivating them to achieve. There are many different types of intelligence that deserve recognition and expression.

More about learning math the right way is discussed in Volume 10 of It's Not Rocket Surgery!      

      Without these preventatives, the cracks in your child may be math incompetency, low self-esteem, caught in the downward educational trend, lower IQ, slower learning capacity, and/or poor decision-making skills. You are the key. It’s not rocket surgery!

http://thegodfreymethod.com/blog/good-foundation-11-ideas-early-math-right-way