Ability to learn vs Ability to be taught using current methods - discuss?

[lougle]

DD2's teacher said to me yesterday that DD2 'can't count money'. I acknowledged this, mentioned 'abstract concept', etc.

Today, I had this conversation:
'By the way, DD2 really isn't secure in her number bonds to ten, or counting in tens to 100. She might appear to be, because she can chant them fluently in and out of order, but she can't use them to answer questions. When asked what 20+10 was, she said '35', etc.'
Teacher: I know.
Me: 'Great. I thought you would know, but felt I should let you know that I know, and that it concerns me.'
Teacher: 'I asked her to explain how she got to her answer the other day and it was....pheww....couldn't understand her at all.'
Me: 'Yes, she isn't even grasping the concepts. I'm very worried. Year 3 is going to be a disaster for her....'
Teacher: 'I know, me too.'

Teacher: 'Oh well there will be a group of children with her who have a similar ability. [my emphasis]

Now, the issue I have is that I don't believe that DD2 is of low ability. At all. I believe that standard teaching methods are unsuitable for her and she needs explicit, direct teaching of each concept and explicit, direct teaching of how each concept links to the next.

So it's no good teaching her number bonds. She needs to be taught that this helps us add two numbers which total 10.

Then, she needs to be taught that we can use the number bonds to make sums easier.

Then, she needs to be taught explicitly that 2p is the same as 2 x 1p. Then, that 5p is the same as 5 x 1p, etc.

They don't seem to understand that DD2 is not going to learn by osmosis.

I've been warning her year 1 teacher of this since this time last year, and her current teacher since September.

I don't know how to start to fix this, because so far she's not even on an IEP and they shuffle if I mention SEN/SN.

I know that a girl in Y6 has really struggled and the SENCO hasn't even been involved, so I'm streets ahead just by having SENCO on the radar

considering DS's favourite song is Hank William Junior's "country boy can survive" I'll check that out

I see myself blasting out AC/DC (Back in Black) and necking beer, while opining on the lamentable state of the world.
Hang on, I do that regularly here in Blighty......

'My point is you must make that web of understanding if it isn't coming spontaneously. Once it starts it spreads, because you are teaching the skill of "what is this like " not the individual time or whatever. I have yet to meet any professional that even attempts that.'

Yes!!
And I do not speak from the lofty confiners of an ivory tower, whilst poring over research papers.
This is how I have taught my own child.
Hours and hours and hours of putting all of these things together and building the web, one fragile strand at a time, because she could not make those connections without explicit instruction and multiple exemplars.

Without the blessing that is ABA, she would, quite simply, be stuffed and I would be desperate and frustrated, knowing something was not right, and knowing I COULDN'T HELP AND NEITHER COULD OTHERS.
My 20 years in the field of SN did not help me with this.
It took a term of a qualification in ABA.
It came to me in a flash of light.
A Damascene moment.
This could help my child!

We got more achieved in six weeks than had been achieved in three years with the usual dismal retinue of 'professionals'.
Professional time wasters.

The woo woo crew do have their place, (though our local Queen Bee macramé weaver is scared of DS) but Michael Maloney relates to what I do on a day to day basis with DS far more closely than anything I've seen in a LONG time.

Thanks for that link - I feel less isolated and weird now! I was starting to feel a little bit like lil' Britain's "only gay in the village".

Michael is great-and the kind of guy who answers his own phone.
I have used a lot of his stuff and am trialling a lot more at present with a lot of kids.

And I agree.
I love woo woo stuff.
I'd just rather do that after we've focussed on the fundamentals.

So for me, yes, let's go and make sourdough starter and mobiles out of driftwood and dance naked in the moonlight.
AFTER we've done the reading and writing and sums.

Any info you can pass my way on trials for KS2 much appreciated.

Well I was at a felting workshop last w/end with a group of possibility the most right on folk in the land, wearing filthy old clothes with mad woman hair, before coming home to bugger about with seaweed so I reckon I am surging ahead in woo stakes.

moondog you'll have to come to the August welsh home ed camp

solar showers, humanure toilets, the guitarist from hawk wind leading the evening's entertainment. It's got the lot!
walesenvironmentalhomeeducationcamp.com/

(p.s I'll bring along some home made wine in return for some tips on maths tuition!)

Boc, that sounds fantastic!
I'll let you know.
Direct Instruction is my big focus this year, which is cost efficient too.
Working with groups of kids which is more fun for everyone than 1:1.

While I'm on a role (must be the wind, whipping me into a frenzy) these are my other top to folk who have helped so many people in so many ways.
People of impeccable pedigree and enormous integrity.
Here

roll
Gah!!!

I've started another thread here to gauge interest in a Moondog Masterclass of some sort.