I need any ideas or encouragement please! Catherine gives up and gets frustrated very easily. She doesn't know her letters or numbers. She can recite the alphabet and count but cannot recognize or print them. She is the only one in her class that can't print her name. I try to work with her at home and she gives up after less than a minute! "I no know" is her battle cry and then the tears. I buy her those workbook things and she'll do a page or two and then refuse to try anymore. I've tried flashcards and made up matching games. I have even resorted to bribery-no avail! Any ideas I'm quite concerned! Emilee was reading and could print most small words by this time in kindergarten. I know they aren't the same but at least printing her name would be great! I'm stumped! Help! going to go look on the internet for ideas! Have a good day all! Barb:o)
I am definitely not an expert on children. My one suggestion is you may have her tested for a learning disability. Just to see if maybe she has dislexia (sp?) etc. My Mom is a special ed teacher and there are so many tools to help children with learning disabilities. Her teacher should be able to recommend new teaching approaches too! I have a few friends who teach kindergarten I will ask them for suggestions also.
My son had problems and working with his father and I seemed to just make matters worse. At his school there was a volunteer Grandma that would work with the kids. She worked with Erik at school for 30 minutes everyday for 3 weeks. It was the boost he needed. His reading and writing just took off. This was in first grade.
Tammy had a great idea of getting her tested. I had Erik tested too. It was done at school no charge here. Maybe you could look into just having someone else work with her too. A grandma, aunt, uncle, friendly high schooler... just someone that maybe she'd have more fun with. I know as parents we want to do it, but sometimes we have to get help.
I agree with Lynne. When my son was younger he refused to study and I didn't think he would ever learn to read. I hired a high school boy who my son looked up to and he did a 180. Funny thing is I had him tested and was told that he had a learning problem and they wanted me to send him to special classes and to an outside after school program that was going to cost me an extra $5000 a year. The teens mother suggested her son to me and said give it 2 to 3 weeks and see what happens and if it doesn't work then send him to that school. Not only did it work my son made the honor roll every marking period after that, well until he got in 7th grade and decided for a year or so that school was uncool.
Frustrating as it is for all, I'm glad you mentioned that not all kids are the same. While trying some of the other great suggestions here, I have one to add: also focus on things she's good at & work on boosting her self esteem. This must be very frustrating for her & she needs to see that everyone is good at different things & sometimes, just at different times in their lives. Don't let her learn to believe that she's a "failure" because she isn't as good at reading/writing at the moment as her classmates.
Where does she fall in the age range for the class? Is she one of the younger students who were old enough to make the class?
Sounds like she may not be a verbal or visual learner, but maybe a kinesthetic learner (hands on).
Some ideas I used when I was teaching (Montessori based projects, you may be able to find other ideas online). These worked great with
4th/5th/6th graders even! Hope it helps:
Cut out the letters for her name out of sandpaper or textured patterned scrapbooking paper, and have her trace the letters with her fingers, mix up the letters, let her put them back in the right order. Later you can add other letters and make up words from around your house, i.e. "Mom", "Dad", "Pet's name", etc.
Get out the shaving cream or pudding, and go 'fingerpainting'on your tabletop, or when she is in the bathtub, use a large plastic tray as a 'desk'--you write a letter or number, then have her copy what you did. Eventually you can build up to her writing her name by herself.
Get an old deep rectangular baking pan and fill it with sand. Let her practice writing letters in the sand with her fingers or a short dowel stick/chopstick (free from chinese restaurants). If she messes up all she has to do is swipe the sand with her hand gently! for a new 'page' to practice on.
Be sure to have a positive reward system in place if you will have her practice daily--a sticker chart or whatever, in public view so you can casually mention it to other people how good she is doing (while she's there)--"Hey, did you see Catherine's chart? She's working soooo hard on her letters and numbers!! I'm so proud of the progress she's making!" Really build her up, without actually talking *to* her, just to your husband or whoever. You will be tickled to see her swell up with pride at your praise! :-)
Hope these ideas will help! These were some of the most popular with my kids when I was teaching, maybe Catherine will enjoy them too, and learn a thing or two while she's 'playing'!
Thanks for the suggestions everyone I will be trying some of them! I did talk to her teacher and was told she is slowly getting better and is holding her own so that is encouraging. I don't expect a miracle I just want her to enjoy school and not struggle all the time! Barb:o)
Barb oh i feel for you on this one cause my son and grandson both did this..i couldnt for the life of me keep their attention focused on the work..so after long tries at all that i could think of i gave up on the typical learning like the other children..i started teaching him numbers and colors through the way of everyday life..for example i had him pick the colors of the clothes he wore and i had him count each item so we knew how many for the day...at first he was bored but then when he realized that he had to get dressed and eat and clean up his room and etc it all became a learning process..it was differnt than sitting with him with books and ordering him to work..this way he t hought he was not learning and just doing and soon he learned his colors and numbers and then after constant keeping up with this it worked..some kids dont take to the regular learning ways but that don t mean they cant learn..just have to find the one for your child.. when it came to writing his name we made it a game and i brought in all the help i could find through the way of my pets and his favorite toys that had his letters of his name...we used them as his tools...dont give up he will learn cause he has you to care that he does..good luck.. both my kids have ADHD and learning disabilities but my grandson is very smart and surprises his teachers all the time..he has written now 3 books for the library and is now part of the collections..and he is only 8 so see if mine can do it so can yours...
Carolyne, That's exactly what I was going to suggest. My son refused to learn his letters or write his name with pencil and paper or flash cards. We got out the shaving creme every day and he learned to write his name on the table top. I also had a beautiful shine on the table every day. He struggled until second grade and I finally gave in and had him tested. He had told me since the Finding Nemo movie came out that he was just like Dora on the movie and had short term memory loss (yes, he got that from the movie). When he was tested and I went in to the conference they told me he had short term memory loss. I was floored and upset that I did not listen to him in the first place. He needs hands-on learning and lots of repetition, but is holding his own in the 5th grade now. At the daycare we use special privileges as we learn. When you can read your own name you no longer have to ask for your water bottle from the frig, but can go get it any time you want it. When you can write your own name you get to use the 'special' marker to write your name on your papers and art projects yourself instead of having an adult do it for you.
Barb, Don't push the papers and cards so much especially if that seems to shut her down, but try some of the things Carolyne suggested and make it fun rather than work.
Some kids just take a bit longer - I know that my sisters little girl took forever to start talking, but now we cant get her quiet - lol! Maybe shes just a bit frustrated and bored with it at the moment. I would relax with it and give it a rest for a week or two and then if she still does not show any improvement, have here professionally tested. That will give you ease of mind aswell. Good luck Barb! *hugz*
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