A teaching question and second class

Cheryl , it might be she has a sight problem , ask her if she had her eyes checked, When we ran the Handcraft instructor classes , i took care to have a specailist tell the instructors, about `minor` sight problems . Since Handcraft teachers/guides are really wotking with each pupil singulary , they are more apt to notice mini sight problems than the regular teacher in the overcrowded classes. mirjam

Hi Cheryl

Is it at ALL possible that the girl is dyslexic? Speaking from experience here....my 8 year old son BEGGED me to teach him how to stitch. Despite all of the WILLpower in the world....his dyslexia makes it so very very difficult.

The only thing I have discovered that works is to find coloured gel pens or highlighters that he likes (and can easily see) and colour alternate squares for him to enable him to count. His "style" is somewhat "alternate" as he now does a "stitch one, miss one and pick it up on the return pass" style but he can at least follow a simple chart with some enjoyment and feels like he is truly stitching along with me when we both sit down to it.

My apologies if I'm off base.

Aussie

Cheryl -- I have TONS of aida that Janet gave me -- and I mean a LOT of 14 ct. aida! There are lots of smaller pieces that would be just perfect for your girls to practice on. Would you like me to send you some of it? Also, what about floss? What are the girls using for floss? I got a bunch of DMC from Janet also that I would be happy to send you -- lots of pinks & greens that would be perfect for flowers :-)! Just let me know, OK? CiaoMeow >^;;^<

x-no-archive:yes

I would think the children in the US, like our children here in Canada, have to come to primary school armed with certificates which show they have been checked out by the doctor, had all the shots they should have and an up-to-date hearing and eyesight test done.

They do, but even an up-to-date sight test can miss stuff that only shows up in actual use. Reading a chart and following a finger around is different than reading small print, or finding holes in canvas. And eyesight can change *very* quickly. I went from 20/20 to 20/300 in 3 months when I was 10.

jenn

-- Jenn Ridley : snipped-for-privacy@chartermi.net WIP: Oriental Butterfly, Insect Sampler, Rose Trio, Carousel (TW) Most recently Finished: TicTacToe Sampler, Snow, Morning Glory Stitching log:

Actually, this state still does vision and hearing checks in school. And my pediatrician's office does them too. DD, DS, DH and I all see the eye doctor yearly.

Cheryl

The best description is that she is sweet, but highly distracted child.

So far, all I've tried to have them all to do is show me that they can stitch out about 10 stitches and do the return course. Most did that by the end of the first half hour, most even followed the chart they made of their first initial.

So far, all I've tried to have them all to do is show me that they can stitch out about 10 stitches and do the return course and then stitch a second row. Most did that by the end of the first half hour, most even followed the chart they made of their first initial by the end of the hour. All had by the time they came back on Friday except her and the other girl that didn't take anything home with them.

I showed them how to do that!

Cheryl

Some never DO take to it - or like it enough to persist! Can`t you find her something to do that she CAN do, before she starts to feel inferior? ;-) Maybe she`s good at drawing, or knitting?

Pat P

Or surface work? Basic backstitch or running stitch can be used to outline lots of stuff and satin is pretty easy to master. Suggestion: Let her make knots and thread like you would a sewing needle,. . . . I've done this with Brownies and Juniors - much less frustrating for them than the way "we" do it.

I was thinking of one more approach and also trying to teach her the running stitch.

Cheryl

Sadly, Lucretia, you'd be rather wrong on that, not meant to be condescending. The testing is nowhere near comprehensive. I know my 6 year old nephew had passed all those compulsory tests but did have an eyesight problem (his eyes didn't track right). Luckily, this is something that we've seen in our family, so we knew what to pay attention to. This was in Canada. It took months of sending him to all the "school-board approved" specialists, who were able to come up with a diagnosis of "learning-disabled, dyslexic-type, non-improvable" and then, finally, we got the teacher to read what our family optometrist (who had diagnosed my brother with the same tracking problem 15+ years ago) recommended. One year later, he's doing great, and reading at grade level. But it *was* a real push to get the school to accept the word of our "lowly" regular optometrist over that of the supposed experts.