LEARNING STYLES

Learning styles are different ways that we as individuals perceive and process information. There are three basic modalities: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Visual learners tend to learn by watching and looking at pictures; auditory learners by hearing and listening; and kinesthetic learners through moving, doing, and touching.

Try not to assume you know your child’s learning style. Do your research. In Talkers, Watchers, and Doers, Cheri Fuller begins by helping you to identify your child's learning style (auditory, visual or kinesthetic) then moves on to helping you discover your own. Fuller's practical suggestions and creative tips will help you create a tailor-made learning environment for your child, equipping him with specialized study skills to match his unique needs. Talkers, Watchers, and Doers is a great beginner's book on learning styles.

If you want a more in-depth approach on learning styles, Cynthia Tobias’ The Way They Learn offers fascinating insight into how we learn and how we can use that information to profitably understand our children better. In The Way They Learn, you will learn the ways we perceive information, the seven intelligences and how to identify them, and the difference between learning styles and learning disabilities. If you have ever been frustrated with your child because you can't seem to communicate or if you have ever questioned the crazy way your child says he prefers to study, then this book is for you.

I recommend trying to incorporate all learning styles in your lessons, especially if you are teaching more than one child. If your child is learning something new or begins to struggle with a concept, teach primarily using his dominant learning style to help him grasp the concept easier.

Here are some websites that give FREE learning style tests and teaching tips:

www.pesdirect.com/learning-styles.html

www.chaminade.org/inspire/learnstl.htm

www.homeworktips.about.com/od/homeworkhelp/a/visual.htm

Teaching

with

TLC

LOVE LANGUAGES

Did you know your child has a primary language of love? This is the way he understands your love best. The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell will introduce you to all of these love languages: quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch.

This book will help you determine the primary language in which your child hears your love, and it will teach you how you can effectively meet his deepest emotional needs. Your child will reach his highest motivation and success levels in learning when you understand his love language.

     Visit the site below for FREE love language tests, profiles, and additional information:

www.fivelovelanguages.com

These are references that Tamara has used repeatedly in her parenting journey. They definitely belong on every parent's bookshelf!

DISCIPLINE

Many parents often feel like they cannot teach their own child. They feel pressured to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars per year for tutoring services or schooling because they falsely assume their child will not listen to them. If this is your situation, you may discover the issue is in discipline.

We must have our children obey us as parents whether we homeschool our children or send them to school. The foundation of respect and obedience is essential for any home. Submission to parental authority prepares our children to submit to God. As a mother, I make it a priority to read books, attend seminars and workshops, and seek advice from friends and family on discipline. It is something we must continually work on as parents.

My favorite discipline books that I refer to often are The New Dare to Discipline by Dr. James Dobson and Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel. I recommend purchasing a book on children’s discipline because your child is constantly growing and entering new phases, and you may need to refer to it many times for fresh ideas and advice.

BIRTH ORDER

Did you know that your child's birth order can powerfully influence his personality? The New Birth Order Book by Dr. Kevin Leman presents personal anecdotes, testimonials, and descriptions of individuals to illustrate the impact of birth order. Topics discussed include the following:

(1) birth order variables, such as spacing, parental relationships, adoptions, deaths, parents' birth order, and blended families

(2) strengths and weaknesses related to the typical traits of first-borns, only children, middle-born children, and last-born children

(3) problems related to perfectionism, including moving from perfectionism toward excellence

(4) meeting the special parenting needs of children with different birth orders

(5) using reality discipline with any birth order child

This book is so interesting! Not only did I learn about my children, I learned so much about myself and my four siblings. I could not believe how accurate it was.

GENDER LEARNING

DIFFERENCES

I grew up as the eldest of four girls, and now I am the mother of four boys. Without a doubt, I can clearly state that boys and girls learn differently. I even observed this significant difference during my first year as a teacher. I was so intrigued by gender learning differences that this topic was my second choice for my thesis in graduate school.

If you have a son, please take time to read the following books. Our boys will face quite a battle-ground in their lives. Here are some astounding facts about boys to prove it:

•Eighty percent of classroom discipline problems are caused by boys.

•Over three-fourths of schoolchildren on Ritalin or similar drugs are boys.

•Eighty percent of learning disabled students are boys, and ninety percent of children labeled with behavioral problems are boys.

•According to the U.S. Department of Education, boys are an average of 12 to 18 months behind girls in reading and writing skills.

•Eighty percent of all high school dropouts are boys.

Dr. Dobson’s Bringing Up Boys gives practical advice for parents who are shaping the next generation of men. Boys are different, but with society's pressure to be gender neutral, many try to mold children into a one-size-fits-all model.   Dr. Dobson explains why boys are the way they are, how to understand their emotional and physical development, and the best way to motivate them to become godly men.

The Minds of Boys by Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens explores the research on the differences between the male and the female brain that account for their differences in conforming to current teaching methods. It shows parents and teachers how to help boys overcome their current classroom obstacles by creating the proper learning environment and using their unique natural gifts, which enables them to succeed in school.

Tamara's niece-

Princess Vivian

Tamara's little man

rides on to learning!

PARENT TOOLBOX

Please help share this website

with others.

Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. EST

on Christian Television

Network in Southwest Florida.

CLICK HERE to view LIVE on-line for tutoring, homeschooling, and parenting tips.

COMING SOON!