Decoding Learning Differences with Kimberlynn Lavelle

What Too Many People Misunderstand about Education

video version of this episode at http://www.YourParentHelp.com/podcast_0102

notes download to accompany this video (and make it easier to follow along!): https://www.yourparenthelp.com/notes0102

Some Myths:

#1: there is a right way

#2: 1 person/entity is responsible

#3: Children need a "reason" to learn.

#4: You need to know your child's particular learning style.

#5: Children will naturally learn everything.

Introduction

This episode covers:

- Who I am

- The goal and purpose of this podcast

- Some of my core beliefs

- The topics of this podcast

Reading Comprehension: Act It Out!

View original video at: www.YourParentHelp.com/videos

 

Okay, so I’ve repeated those statistics and I’m going to repeat them again:

We learn (can recall after 2 weeks) about 10% of what we read.  20% of what we hear.  50% of what we hear and see. 70% of what we say. And 90% of what we do!

 

Acting out what our child has read helps them to process what they have read, to learn it better, to understand it more deeply, and to feel it in their whole body.  So much synaptic action happening in this strategy!

Reading Comprehension: Video Reviewer

View original video at: www.YourParentHelp.com/videos

 

Almost every child I’ve met over about 7 years old has some dream or desire to be a You-Tube star.

 

Using our children’s interests helps them to be invested in their own learning.  So if your child is like so many others and YouTube is an interest, make them a YouTube channel (or pretend).

 

They can create a video review of the book they have read, telling the viewer all of the most important bits, except maybe the surprise ending!

 

Again, we remember about 70% of what we say, so this is really solidifying that book into their memory.

Reading Comprehension: Teacher Time

View original video at: www.YourParentHelp.com/videos

 

We learn (can recall after 2 weeks) about 10% of what we read.  20% of what we hear.  50% of what we hear and see. And 70% of what we say!

 

Mind-blown?

 

Having your child teach you (or the dog, or the sibling, or the dolls…) what they are supposed to be learning actually makes them learn it FAR better!

Reading Comprehension: Connect

View original video at: www.YourParentHelp.com/videos

 

Our brains are amazing!

 

Did you know that 2 year olds have more neural synapses than we do as adults?  Check out this diagram showing synapse formation and then pruning:

The reason our brain does this is that it needs to solidify the neural pathways/synapses that get used the most to make us most able to learn and recall information.  The more we build and practice those connections, the more we remember and understand something.

 

This week’s strategy is a quick explanation that explains how to help connect new information your child is reading to content that they already know- helping them to understand it better and remember it!

Reading Comprehension: Child-Led Choices

View original video at: www.YourParentHelp.com/videos

 

Our brains are amazing!

 

When we read or learn something of interest to us, we build on last week’s strategy: connection.  We already have some information about this topic of interest. PLUS- we care enough to want to learn it.

 

The more we are interested, the more likely we are to understand and remember what we are reading.

 

The more we can let our child choose what they want to read, the more they will want to read.  This will lead them to understanding more of what they read AND getting better at actually reading.

 

The more our children understand and the more easily they are able to read, the more confidence they gain in their reading.  So much WIN!!!

Reading Comprehension: Art!

View original video at: www.YourParentHelp.com/videos

 

We’ve talked before about visualization.  This strategy forces that visualization to happen and to be put into action.  Remember last week’s statistics?  

 

We learn (can recall after 2 weeks) about 10% of what we read.  20% of what we hear.  50% of what we hear and see. And 70% of what we say!

 

Well, we learn 90% of what we do!  So anytime we can get our child to DO what they are trying to learn, we KNOW they are learning it so much more!

Reading Comprehension: Visualization

View original video at: www.YourParentHelp.com/videos

Did you know that Michael Phelps uses imagery within his mind before a race?

Oprah Winfrey also visualizes what she wants before going after it (and getting it!).

Our minds are amazingly powerful!

Although the kind of visualization that they are partaking in is a bit different from what we are talking about with reading, the concept of creating an image in your mind is consistent and powerful for winning races, succeeding in business, and understanding what you’re reading!

In this video, I explain that when we read, it is critically important that we create an image or a “movie” in our minds of what we are reading in order to understand it.

Have you ever thought about the need for some kids to be taught visualization? Did you notice that you were doing it?

Homeschool Advantages and Mistakes

View the original video at: www.YourParentHelp.com/videos

This episodes dives right in to how to make the most of your homeschooling experience!

(If you aren’t officially homeschooling, maybe you’re still teaching at home some days and this will apply. Or maybe you’ll be able to use these techniques during the summer. Or maybe you’ll decide you want to homeschool after watching this video!)

So many new homeschoolers decide they want to teach their child at home and then go about trying to make home as much like school as possible.

Now, I’m all for a specific work space and a schedule, but homeschooling has advantages over school that are wasted if you don’t notice them and use them!This week’s video goes deeply into some of these advantages:

• Flexible scheduling
• Short learning sessions
• Cyclical review all day every day
• Child’s interests!
• Movement
• Diet
• Exercise