Miracles Abounding in our Homeschool

Honestly, I did not want to homeschool again this year.  I have already clocked in 10 years of home schooling.  The been there, done that tee shirt is tattered and torn.  Though given the variables I knew what was my duty, the best interest of Jacob and Nathaniel and my mother’s heart calling.  Refreshingly I always drink in the break of summer holidays and use some moments of the time to do research, for better curriculum choices and activities.  Also this summer we spent time having evaluations done by a Doctor in Psychology/Education.  The end result was dyslexia.  I was terrified at the fact that I would be fully responsible for educating my children with a special need.  I’m not a teacher.  When I questioned the Doctor if she thought I was crazy to return to Papua in our given circumstance, she assured me that there was no better place then for my children at home with me and that there was no guarantee that any given city in America would have the qualified people to teach correctly (especially in the public school systems).  One of my dear friends who is a public elementary teacher in Georgia shared with me that Georgia gives no special funding for dyslexic kids in the public school system, or even recognize it as a diagnosis.  She knows that many children are sitting in her classrooms, floundering.

 

So armed with more knowledge then I ever desired to know about dyslexia we flew thousands of miles from private tutors and zippy internet and a oodles of resources to an ISLAND.

Here are a few of the WOW facts that I have learned about dyslexic children:

1 in 5 children have dyslexia.

They are usually extremely intelligent children.

They are often very gifted children.

One of the best approaches to teaching dyslexic kids is the Orton/Gillingham system.

 

I ended up purchasing (for no small price) The Barton System.  Which is a private tutor version of the Orton/ Gillingham approach.  All I needed to do was watch hours of DVD’s and ta dah I would be qualified to teach.  In the meantime,  before I even knew what was needed, God had been preparing a special education teacher to want to dedicate the next 3 years of her life to our international school.  I had no idea if she would even be willing to meet with me, being that my younger children do not attend the international school.  I had no reason to fear or doubt…..this teacher is very passionate about home schooling kids and has spent the last x years working with a homeschool group of over 900 children (I believe that was the number), heading up the DYSLEXIC PROGRAM.  AND not only does she have her masters in Special Education, but went on to get specific training in the Orton/Gillingham approach.  When I learned that, I could not hold back the tears of complete gratitude and simply knowing that NO, I did not have to carry this alone.

 

Here we are…..in a very remote location and God has ABUNDANTLY supplied our needs.  5 days a week, the special education teacher is meeting with us.  The cost is a fraction of what I would be paying in the States. 

 

Unbelievable.  So like my God.

 

I just want to encourage you, that if you have a challenge right now that seems overwhelming or almost impossible……take courage.  Believe.  Move forward.  God is already at work on helping YOU.  If He can provide the exact teacher that my children need in Papua, I have no doubt that He can and will help you too.  As always thanks for reading and praying.  By the way, I am loving home school this year.  We are learning so much and having fun too.  Maybe I’ll sign up for a few more years and get a new tee shirt while I’m at it!

 

At art class it was all about “inventions”.  Nathaniel made a machine that gives you tissues. : )  Now it is making an interesting room decoration.

Jacob invented a machine that sucks up his toys.  If only it was more then imaginary.  : )

 

Taking a break from studying hard……to loving on a puppy.  Puppies are now 2 weeks old.