working with older adult

Today, I worked with an adult who is struggling with balance because of Parkinson.  I showed him  some ideas about patterning with tossing a ball and helped him think of things he could do to help slow the disease and keep his balance better.  As we were working he could see his balance and ability to catch the ball improve.

Blockus

This is a favorite game with the teens.  I played it Saturday with 3 sisters I am working with.  It is better taught on a one on one basis to begin with to avoid hurt feelings.  On learner earlier said this could really make enemies while playing.  There are enough pieces for 4 players. It helps with patterning in a fun way which helps with reading.

Dominos

Too many people do not know how to use dominos to teach math.  This is an easy way to encourage math without teaching math.  The dominos are played and then the end dominos are added up on the ends to keep score.  Here 6 plus 6 are 12 and they are added to 4 plus 4 are 8 for a score of 20.  Only numbers ending in 5 or 10 groups are counted as score. I do not have the learners add the scores but simply add then aloud for them until they are able to do this for themselves and then they add without being told.

Block Buddies

This is an enjoyable patterning activity for younger children and helps with learning to read.

Game Shelf

This is just a picture of some of the games on the game shelf in the tutoring building.  This building is 16 by 24 to allow room to bounce the balls and for the balancing equipment.

Head Full of Numbers

I do not like this game.  Either a student will like it or they will strongly dislike it.  When they like it, I use it and when they dislike it, I agree with them and explain I do not like it either and we will chose another way to learn this information.

Fraction Dominoes

This is a wonderful game to help learners understand how one fraction has the same value as another one.  For example 1/3 equals 2/6.  Therefore, they can be played next to each other as they have the same value. It also helps they see how the picture 1/3 equals the symbol 1/3. Usually I use this for 4 to 6th grade.

Balametrices Hanging Ball and Control Stick

This is a control stick from balametrics used to hit the ball hanging on a string from the ceiling.  Almost every learner wants to use it like a bat.  This helps with hand eye activities and balance.

Counting by Number

I have the learner stand on the balance board and hit the ball hanging from the ceiling while saying the numbers while counting by 2's, 3's, 4's, and etc.  We alternate hands while doing this. We also pattern by bouncing the balls to each other while saying the number pattern. The pattern is my right hand to their left hand, ball to their right hand and then the ball bounced to my left hand. Once the pattern is learned and the number set said aloud, we switch tossing the balls to the other direction.  We start with one ball and work up to four balls so each hand is doing something all the time.  This is a lot of fun while learning remedial math counting. Sometimes, I need to change where I am standing to the right or left instead of directly in front of the student to help a different part of the brain to focus on the number sequence.

Ball on Circle

I start this activity while standing on the floor and as the learner learns I have them work on the balance board.  The toy moves and the ball often hits the floor to begin with.  It is just a fun balancing activity. I found this at kiddlestiks in Tulsa.  They have a lot educational toys. 

Balance Beam Ball Toss

An individual balancing and bouncing the ball across the body.

Math U See Fractions

I use these to show how 1/2 times 1/3 equals 1/6 in my example.  Too many students struggle with this concept and it is so easy when they are shown with the Math U See Fraction pieces.  The math u see is clear plastic pieces divided into different fraction parts.  The other fraction piece is placed over the first one to show how it is multiplied to make a smaller piece. Many times a learners face lights up with understanding.  I ordered these from the math u see program.

More Fraction Tiles

These fraction tiles are square and some learners seem to need to see more than one kind of fraction shape tiles to understand fraction pieces.

R Word Bingo

This game just helps with the letter r in words.  Younger children also like to take their turn reading the clues.  This helps them learn without the pressure of a grade.

Balancing externally instead of internally

Saturday, I tutored a young lady and am reminded to share about balance.  Often when learners struggle they need to spend their time and energy working to balance.  This is done when care and energy is taken to balance when it should be done automatically.  She was on the balance board and throwing a ball at the number board.  I noticed she was working to hold her arm behind her to help with balance.  This takes away some of her concentration energy to learn. I explained that she needed to relax her arm at her side to learn to balance internally instead of using her learning energy to balance, This is a big part of what I teach.

Balance Beam Walk

This is a balance beam board.  Actually it is two boards lined up together.  This individual walks the first beam, which is stationary.  The second balance beam is on rockers from Balametrics. The rockers are like the ones on the balance board. The learner walks the beams forward with their eyes open and then backwards. Touching the wall is acceptable as they learn to do this because the goal is to keep from falling while learning to balance. I warn when they are close to stepping off the board backwards.  When this is mastered the learner tries this with their eyes closed.  Peeking to see where they are is acceptable as they are learning to do this with their eyes closed.  Again, touching the wall is also acceptable as the goal is to keep from falling while learning balance.
Another activity is bouncing a high bounce ball across the center of the body while walking the balance beam. Often it is necessary to walk beside the learner on the floor to teach this.  The learner holds the ball in the right hand and puts the left foot forward.  Next the ball is bounced across the body to the floor.  Then caught in the left hand.  Now move the right foot forward on the balance beam and cross the body with the left hand and bounce it on the right side of the beam and catch it with the right hand.  I watch to see that the learner does not bounce the ball on the same side as the leading foot.  This is more difficult than it appears to be.  This is a fun activity if taught gently.

Learning to follow directions, Teaching to follow directions, David Titus the String Man

Many children and adults struggle to follow directions.  In my opinion, this is especially true of struggling learners of all ages.  One " hands on" way of teaching and learning to following directions
is watching and using the videos of David Titus.  The learner hears and sees the directions as they are using their hands and the string that comes with the video to follow the directions.
An added benefit is being able to show others how to use the string and share the success the learner has.  Too often a struggling learner has too few successes.

I have been in 9th grade 3 times and cannot pass

I talked to a mom last week.  She has a son who has been in the 9th grade three times.  His sister, who is grown, thinks he may have dyslexia.  Mom says the school told her he will not pass if she puts him in school this year.  Will mom bring him to see if my tutoring will help him?  Has the son given up on schooling and will he even come see if my tutoring will help him?  I do not know.