Barron's Painless Reading Comprehension, Reading a book I am not interested in

I am working with this book to help with reading comprehension.  I am reading the book to my homeschool student and it looks successful.
There is a book, I have no desire to read.  It is the Hunger Games.  We are reading it in school when the assigned work is finished.  The student thought I would read it to him.  We are reading it every other sentence.  I take one sentence and he reads the next one.  Why should I do all the work, when he wants to read the book.  This way he has to read if he wants to hear the book.  Also, he is encouraged to read for pleasure.

Round Fraction Tiles

This is one of my favorite tools.  These can be found at WalMart as well as many other stores.  I have several sets and they make a great hands on toy for age 4 and up.  Any child struggling with fractions should play with these. I keep them in an easily opened container.  They also need supervision so they do not get lost. I have them use these on a table that is their size.  Make up story problems for them.  Example.  You have a pie and you are going to share half of it with your friend. Before you cut the pie two more friends come over so you need to cut the pie into how many pieces.  Continue the story as the child helps you make the story.

Shapes Up

This is another patterning game.  It is fun and helps with math and reading.  I do not use each tool or game each time or with each student.  Do not think you need to get them all.

school has started

The student I home school is back in school.  This year should be a successful year.  His challenges have been worked on and hopefully overcome.  Now we will work on filling in the holes in his learning.
We have had two successful days.  When he wants to slid back into compensation mode, I remind him that he is in middle school and we have corrected the learning challenge.  We are doing the balance board daily also.  Last year, it was a challenge to get math and English done on a daily basis.
This year, we are doing history, math, English, Science, Bible and Khan Academy.  Today, he wanted me to grade his work. He needs to learn to wait for his grade, so he will get it on Monday. Khan Academy is fun because I sit by him and help him figure out the problem and then he gets instant feedback on his answer.  It is a fun way to practice without me pushing him.

Qwirkle

This is a fun game to teach patterning.  I use it for most ages but change the difficulty for the younger children. I change the difficulty by having everyone put their tiles face up. It is a popular tool.

Small Motor Control using clothes pins

Unfortunately, today children do not see clothes pins.  Moms seldom hang clothes so many homes do not even have clothes pins in them.  I start out letting children play with these and them have them do them with different fingers and their thumbs.  This helps with holding a pencil for writing as well as hand eye control.

100's Number Board

This helps a child with counting by 2, 3, and etc.  I let them chose blue or red pieces because the color they chose will help them remember the counting pattern.  I found this at Bibliomania, which is the used book store many homeschoolers use.  It is on 129 at 21 street in Tulsa.

Follow the Leader, following directions, patterning

I use this board to teach patterning.  This game has rules but they are not what I need this for.  I place a piece and then have the learner place the same pattern piece in the same place on their board.  Then we trade places and they place a piece and I have to place a piece like they did.  This also helps with following directions. This helps with reading and math.

Telling Time puzzle clocks

I am using this with a little girl and she really likes it. I push the piece she needs in her direction.  It helps them tell time and is also found at educational stores.

The Touch

This helps children follow directions.  I do not like this activity as much but the children really like and benefit from it.  I found it at the Apple Tree.  They try to find the items on the card.  I look at where the item is and try to tell them how close they are.   Then it is their turn to try to tell me how to find the items on my card.

Pattern Tool

I have several of this type activity.  This also helps with reading and are often found at places like Mardels, Apple Tree, The Learning Shop and sometimes Wal-Mart and Dollar Stores. Look for them.

Pattern Ball

This is a fun toy that also teaches patterning.  The ball starts at one and proceeds up one number at a time.  I do not remember where I found this.  I use many different activities to avoid boredom. The children usually succeed better at this than I do.

Brain Blocks

These are round pieces of wood that I ordered from Balamatrics.  I use them to teach patterning to help with reading.  The blank pieces are put in a pattern and the numbered pieces are placed on top of the blank pieces.  There is one less numbered piece so that the learner can move the numbered pieces to the blank spot.  There are different activities to do with these blocks.

8th grade reading test

How many 8th graders do not want to drive?  In my experience, not many.  I am writing about this because in Oklahoma an effort is made to keep kids in school and force them to learn by requiring them to pass an 8th grade reading test.  If someone cannot read well enough to take the written part of the driving test, it can be read to them once they are 18.  Therefore reading test should not be required for young drivers in my opinion. There are too many people that succeed very well once they are allowed out of school.  Everything in life should not be hinged on how well you do in formal schooling unless changes are made to help children learn the way they learn best.  This includes those who need to move to learn.

Globe

When a child is struggling with history, it is important to show them a globe and have them find the area they are learning.  They also need to compare the area being taught to the area where they live.

When my child struggles to read

If your child is struggling to read test to see if they can pattern by touching the thumb to the fingers.  Start with pointer finger, then tall finger, ring finger and then pinkie finger.  Reverse the order from pinkie to pointer finger.  If they struggle with this practice with them with each individual hand and then see if they can do this with both hands.
Hand a ball from the ceiling and have the child lay under the ball and watch their eyes as they follow the ball with their eyes.  Have them keep their head still.  If the eyes jump or jerk they need to practice this activity.  Also put  4 pictures on the wall in a square and have them practice moving their eyes from one picture to the other.
I think I have posted all or part of this before.  Today, I again showed another mom this information and it is still too important to ignore.

Apples to Apples, reading comprehension, and vocabulary

This is a wonderful game to help students that need to learn new words.  The real rules have a I win, you lose goal.  My rules are for everyone to get 5 cards and place them face up.  You can play any card you can give a reasonable explanation for matching the meaning of the green card turned over.  The same goes for a card that is opposite in meaning.  We help each other find words that match and then put the cards in a pile and get new red cards to match the green card the next person turns over for their turn.  This is also very popular with the learners.

What are math families; Math Families Do Not Allow Adoption

What are math families anyway?  There is a child that I have seen a few times this summer that I wish I could see 4 or 5 times a week.  He struggles with the concept of math families.  Some of the parents also do not understand this.  Once the terms are explained they understand them.  Often the person doing the teaching forgets that the terms they are using have not been explained to the one learning.
This child learns when he can relate the concept to a story.  That is why I decided to tell him that Math Families do not allow adoption.  He looked puzzled so I asked him if I could come live with him.  He looked at me but did not answer.  Then I asked him if I was part of his family.  He slowly said no in a questioning voice.  I laughed and told him that I was not part of his family so I needed to live at my own house.  I also told him that sometimes in people's lives they can adopt other people.  Math families do not allow this as math families have only so many members and cannot have anymore and still be correct.
I used the addition family of  2 plus 3 equals 5. This means that 3 plus 2 also equals 5 because they are in the same family or use the same numbers to be correct.  Then we used the math balance toy to check if the facts were correct.  Then we used 5 minus 3 equals 2 and 5 minus 2 equals 3.  We also did these with the balance toy.  I asked him if any other numbers are correct in this math family.  We tried other numbers on the balance toy and they would not balance.
This is the type of child that I enjoy tutoring because he is so smart and wants to learn. He will learn and then fly.  Of course then he will quit coming.