Journaling for Answers
If you’re looking for resources to help you move past a wall you have run into, try journaling to help you identify the issues and point you in the right direction!
I have kept journals for years to figure out what’s happening with my younger daughter physically. So when she started her kindergarten curriculum and experienced difficulty, it was natural for me to begin taking notes.
Being organized is not a prerequisite for this type of journaling. (I’m not!) Just grab a pen and some paper and:
1. Write everything down. Make notes of your child’s strengths, weaknesses, and the specifics of the struggles. Be sure to document the situations where you see the problem occur. Context can be as important as the mistake itself!
2. Stay with it. Keep notes consistently until you have enough information to work with. It is tedious and time-consuming, but the results are worth the effort.
3. Look for patterns. After you have been journaling for a while, re-read what you’ve written. Make a list of your child’s strengths and a list of errors you noted. What patterns do you see? Do you see the same letters (or sounds), set of math facts, or handwriting issues mentioned again and again?
4. Find answers. When you have identified the patterns, you know what questions to ask and can begin your search for answers. Whether a new curriculum, teaching methods, or professional help is called for, you’re armed with great information!
Do you keep a journal similar to this? Would you like to start one? Click over to the BlogFrog Community to ask questions or share your expertise.
To make it easier to find other Villagers who are homeschooling children with special needs, use the hashtag #HSVSN on Twitter!
Wednesday’s Special Needs Support is written by our Special Needs writer, Jennifer
* photo credit – Jennifer A. Janes
Wednesday’s Special Needs Support is written by our Special Needs writer, Jennifer
* photo credit – Jennifer A. Janes
