Homework

This is the plan I intend to keep with. It is very simple but puts most of the work on me. As it should be. I find that drills tend to be necessary to keep up skills and build strength in an area, however, I feel that with physical illness and distress my boys are not equipped to slide smoothly through those sorts of sessions without compromising their immediate well-being, or the work we are doing on self-regulation and self-awareness.

Monday - Math

Tuesday - Writing

Wednesday - Reading

Thursday - Science

Friday - Arts

On these days alone, will there be time spent on tangible demonstration of skill and practice. Until they are more comfortable with the idea, this is where we are starting. No more than an hour, but no less than half an hour. The focus is on a demonstration of knowledge and skill that requires fine motor and adult-supervision. So either on the ipad, with an app that will record results, on paper, or video.

Saturday and Sunday are family and friend days.

I've had plenty of opportunity to see which boy is comfortable with what form of learning and what communication styles they will use to express what they are learning. 'A' is actually the one more comfortable with developing his pre-writing abilities. He is also very hard to catch on camera. However 'D' is still quite seemingly traumatized by the mess that school has left on him, however really enjoys verbal learning and play-style learning. So I suppose, I've taken a step back in teaching approach for him, and a step ahead for his brother. I'm sure in time we will meet in the middle.

At this moment I have reverted back gradually into the preschool TEACCH strategies I am regaining comfort in, of course it was self-taught as well, and needing to be adapted to an older child. All of this makes for a new learning experience for myself as well. I am still unsure what exactly causes him to wish to demonstrate his skills, but as soon as I do any action that reminds him of school, I'm stopped in my tracks, he becomes very distressed.

'A' however, only went to school for a very brief time, and the effects have long gone. He is starting to use the doodle pad previously mentioned and likes using stickers! I have a few disney themed activity books like the ones his brother used to spend countless hours working on and then rearranging. I remember picking up every one there was except for princesses.