Integrated Listening Systems to Curb Sensory Processing with Teens

You are reading Integrated Listening Systems to Curb Sensory Issues with Teens, posted by Heather Mac, originally posted at Joyful Socks Mom blog.
 
Anyone who has followed this blog for any amount of time would certainly know that we are not your typical family.  We even broke the mold as far as "home educating" families are concerned ... and that is saying quite a bit.  What you may not have know is that two of our children have, in the past, struggled with learning.  You can read more about my journey out of the struggling learner wilderness here.

Although most of our major learning struggles are now in our past, we continue to seek out and search to give our kids the best "edge" possible.  Especially since both of our struggling learners are soon-to-be graduated and off to college, finding the best available resources for them and helping them to add tools to their belt is of great importance.

This is exactly the reason that I was thrilled to discover iLS, (Integrated Listening Systems) a new home therapy option to naturally assist with both sensory processing, memory and attention issues.

** This post is a sponsored post for Integrated Listening Systems, as part of my affiliation with iHomeshool Network. In order to review this product, I received this product complimentary, and am compensated for my time.  All opinions in this post are mine, and I was not required to post a positive review. Thank you for your support. You can read my full disclosure policy here.**

What is Integrated Listening Systems (iLS)?

iLS is a unique, natural system that incorporates both movement and sound via listening therapy and music therapy, to assist individuals with various learning differences in-home.  Being that we have a teen with Asperger's/OCD, and another teen with Dyslexia, I knew that this system would be an excellent idea to assist with our current needs and possible future goals.  Integrated Listening Systems is customized to the individual using the system, and more than one individual can utilize this system in your home!  As a matter of fact, my iLS staff member helped instruct me, the long-suffering-exhausted-homeschool-mommy, on using the system to help calm myself. Score!

What is included with iLS system?

The Integrated Listening Systems is a well-organized, fully equipped system that you can rent, ready-to-use and customized to individual learning needs.

Here is a closer look at this unique listening system that has been utilized already by clinics and individuals around the globe to assist individuals with various learning differences:

The kit is available for in-home use and you are assisted by an iLS staff member that helps to individualize the system for use for each person.  We are excited about the potential learning and fun that we will be experiencing using this performance optimizing system.


Why are we using the iLS system? 

• Emotional Regulation

• Sensory Overload

• Better Mental Acuity

• Improved Attention

Look, our resident Doctor Who approves!

I am thrilled to be able to report soon on our progress with this new and innovative system, as I will be utilizing this Integrated Listening Systems with my kids over the next 10 weeks, and possibly longer.

Take a look at the amazing science behind Integrated Listening Systems. You can contact iLS directly to get more information on this amazing system.

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You can now read my FULL REVIEW of Integrated Learning Systems Here
 
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Easily Keep Track of All That High School Reading

** This post is a review for Reading Portfolio, as part of my affiliation with iHomeshool Network. In order to review this product, I received this product complimentary, and am compensated for my time.  All opinions in this post are mine, and I was not required to post a positive review. Thank you for your support. You can read my full disclosure policy here.**

The am thankful and content with home educating each of my children.
I attempt daily to maintain joy in learning alongside my children, and encouraging them to be life-long learners.

Yet amidst the joy the looming outside "academic world" of colleges and universities threaten to distract this home educator.  Homeschooling in high school can be a high anxiety endeavor for many homeschooling mothers & fathers.

I have found the best way for me to combat this constant battle for stress overload is:

• Trust that the Lord knew what He was doing when He gave my children ME as their mother.  As their mom, I am one of their best advocates & I am meant to teach them.  Although I know I mess up, God knows what He's doing.  Trust Him.
•  Take every available resource to help our high school efforts stay organized and well equip my children to stand strong.
• Talk less, listen more. (not my strongest suit still)

Recently I have been faced with the fact that I now have, yes, not one teenager, but two teenagers entering their Junior year of high school!  Two teenagers that could not be MORE DIFFERENT than if they had been assigned to be different.  I am attempting not to panic, of course, but the struggle of helping steer the collegiate course of two different teens, with two sets of goals and two sets of interests was beginning to boggle my mind.

Helping them both to meet collegiate reading expectations and requirements was beginning to unsettle even my ultra organized mind.  Juggling is not my strong suit, so I was thrilled to find a new service that would help alleviate much of my planning, organizing and implementing the teen reading that I now need to oversee.

I was excited to discover Reading Portfolio, an economical online service that I am now using to un-boggle my mind, and help me organize the juggling of extracurricular teen reading that I have now been charged with.

What exactly is Reading Portfolio anyhow???

Reading Portfolio is a new online service that will help junior high & high school students, as well as educators, track and credit extracurricular reading in order to better construct a reading portfolio to present to potential colleges, universities and centers for higher education.  As economy is continually at the forefront of many of my homeschool mom thoughts, Reading Portfolio is an affordable tool and resource for many homeschool families at $15.95 for a one year subscription, and $24.95 for a ten year subscription.  Not too shabby for some extra peace-of-mind in preparing teens for college-level education!

What I am enjoying most about the Reading Portfolio service for our Extracurricular Reading:

• Easy to organize all of my high school student's extracurricular reading.
• Better ensures that my high school student's understanding & comprehend what they have been reading.
• Help for planning reading lists for my high school student's that will appeal to possible colleges that they wish to attend ... sooner than I may like to admit.
• Point system that encourages my students to reach their collegiate reading goals on their free time. 
• Easy verifiable accountability with the honor system & web-cam based quiz administration.
• The book lists are full of great ideas for extracurricular reading, and I have been excited to see that many books that we have been planning to read in the next two years of high school are on the book list provided by Reading Portfolio's service.

As a Charlotte Mason-styled educator, I was hoping that more living books we have read, or will read, would be on the Reading Portfolio book list. Many were not listed that I thought would be there (Tale of Two Cities, Silas Marner, and Frankenstein to name a few).  However; I am hopeful that as this service continues to grow and expand that I will see more living books on the book list.

Teens and Independent Reading

I believe that Reading Portfolio will be an excellent tool in promoting independent reading in my high school students, providing good accountability for them, and peace-of-mind for me as I ready to launch them out in the world.  If you have teens, homeschool and need some reassurance that your reading plan is moving in the right direction, Reading Portfolio would be an excellent tool for your homeschool plan.

How about a chance to win a Reading Portfolio Subscription for your family?

Free one year subscriptions to 25 entrants. Widget closes 8/27/2015 11:00 
pm EST.  
(terms & conditions in the Giveaway widget, see below)

Entry-Form

Be sure to check out Reading Portfolio on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube

Joyfully Learning with You,

The Joyful Socks Mom 

Be sure to keep up with Joyful Socks on Pinterest, Twitter, & Instagram and our IG SHOP

Teaching French When Your Student Is More Motivated Than You

The Geek Bug, back in 2012 at age 8 years old,
with Terry Snow with YWAM Haiti

Some years ago our family attended an international night to support missionaries.  I expected an evening that would allow my children to learn, to explore, to find a great cause to support.  Please note the word, support ... Not dive in, head first.

I did not expect that it would create a lifetime vision for one of my children. That meeting one particular missionary, from one particular place would change all the plans she had for her life.  

The Geek Bug was then only 7 years old, and already possessed a ardent want to support missions and humanitarian aid to Haiti.  She had already organized a little penny drive & "adopted" a little doll that she said was a Haitian orphan. She named him David. 

But, that night after meeting the YWAM Haiti director, her fervor for the people of Haiti was ignited all the more.

We challenged the Geek Bug to utilize her new found passion into motivation.

We helped her to plan ways to support her vision. Like the photo below, where she made yarn dolls to support her missionary. 

We encouraged her to learn French, instead of Creole, as she would easily be able to adjust when she was older.  I began gathering resources and taught French to her, megerly, but consistently.  In two short years, she has surpassed her instructor & longs for more.

The importance of learning French has not been a fly-by-night fancy for the Geek Bug.  It is as important to her now as it was after that night exploring Haiti missions.

Mommy's enthusiasm, however; is wavering. 

Enter Middlebury Interactive Languages. 

She was thrilled to begin utilizing this online class to help extend herself beyond her instructor's current state of understanding & lack of enthusiasm. (I am hanging my head, with a little shame) 

We have been enjoying Middlebury Interactive Languages: French, level 6.  Obviously, we needed a French course that was well-suited to our family's learning needs, and Middlebury has met them all.  

• Versatile 

• User Friendly

• Conversational Instruction

• Enjoyable 

In addition to her formal courses, the Geek Bug has enjoyed utilizing the Middlebury app.  The app provides her with a variety of enrichment activities that she enjoys using in between her lessons online.

• The Middlebury app includes an interactive French dictionary that includes audio pronunciation.

• Discover famous landmarks of France with some lovely photography.

• The app also has a lovely video on French Castles.

Now is an excellent time to be thinking about teaching foreign language and choosing something that suits your students needs.  Middlebury is affordable and has an offer for home educators with a 10% discount, use code: HomeschoolFirst10.

Middlebury is also hosting a giveaway for homeschoolers right now!  Enter to win an online course for learning a foreign language from Middlebury.  You will have an opportunity to select the langauge and level of your choosing, a value of $119. 

Enter here ---> Using this Entry-Form

• Come and join the iHomeschool Bloggers as Middlebury is featured in a Twitter party on Oct. 9, 2014 

• Middlebury Interactive Languages will also be featured at the iHomeschool Hangout on October 16th, with panelists discussing teaching foreign language in home education.

Be sure to follow along with Middlebury Interactive Languages. Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Joyfully Learning with You,

The Joyful Socks Mom 

Be sure to keep up with Joyful Socks on Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

** This post may contain affiliate links.  I received a complimentary course for the purpose of reviewing this service.  I have received compensation for my time, however; all opinions are mine.   Thank you for your support. You can read my full disclosure policy here.**

Geography Rocks: Notebooking With North Star Geography

Implementing our newest homeschool book, North Star Geography, while maintaining our "Charlotte Mason-styled" mold has been an almost seamless transition.  Many of the methods we employ in our daily routine have been easy to maintain while beginning to use our new geography book, and the many resources that come with the printable CD-Rom.  If you missed my previous Geography Rocks post, you can go back & take a look.

Notebooking is one means of documenting our journey in learning.  

This method has continually been employed in our home education experience.  When we notebook we are more organized, more creative, remember more, have better tools for review, express ourselves better, and apply ourselves to learning in a more self-educated fashion.

My students tend to take their time in producing their work in notebooking.  They respond well to the creation-based work that is employed in producing a notebooking page.  

So, while the North Star Geography printable CD-Rom comes loaded with wonderful worksheets; maps, quizzes, note-taking sheets, activities, memory work and more; I opted to continue using the notebooking method that works well for us.  This was no problem since North Star Geography is a versital book.

We began by using the schedules and activities suggested in the  North Star Geography printable CD-Rom.  Here is how I am making North Star Geography work with our notebooking method.

I print only what I need: 

• Schedule
• Activities (the activities are pick & choose . . . there is NO WAY to do them all!)
• Maps for current lesson

The rest of the resources I have tucked away for utilizing with our notebooking assignments and ideas.  This has worked wonderfully. 

I simply review the North Star Geography CD-ROM, provided with the book, and assign notebooking assignments using the worksheet suggestions for quizzes & note taking.

This still allows my student the ability to "tell me what they know" without trying to extract specific information, whilst allowing some creative reign over their own work.  This is still important in our home schooling method.

As you can see, creativity is important to each of us, and  North Star Geography has helped us not just maintain this, but to build upon it. 

I contribute this to the author, and his uncany ability to communicate a love and passion for his subject ... Geography!  When we love what we do, our enthusiasm can help to motivate others.  That is why we are sticking with North Star Geography. 

Joyfully Learning with You,

The Joyful Socks Mom 

Be sure to keep up with Joyful Socks on Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

** This post may contain affiliate links.  Thank you for your support. You can read my full disclosure policy here.**

Be on the look out for our journey as we complete a new resource from Bright Ideas Press, North Star Geography.

Geography Rocks: Multi-Levels In One Book

Geography does not top the list of great importance for most people.  It is altogether one of the most neglected subjects in education at large.  Frankly, that thought would  usually not bother people on a day-to-day basis.

Oh, how wrong people can be.  

Recently my horizons have been broadened and my eyes have been opened to the far reaching, and ever-changing subject of geography.  A subject that I have paid some attention to, as a historian geography generally gets a nod from me, but most likely not enough time has been spent on this subject in our home.  Now, I am beginning to think this subject deserves far more than a nod.

North Star Geography is a new curriculum from Bright Ideas Press, and more specifically written by Tyler Hogan, a homeschool graduate, father and inspired geographer.

Now wait a few seconds before you start on the, "Hey, I thought you were a Charlotte Mason 'I-spit-in-the-general-direction-of-textbooks' type educator" retort.  True, I will still take a living book written by one author passionate about their subject, over that of a dry textbook any day!  Sense we are on the subject, let me take this moment to say that Tyler Hogan gives a narrative "living book" flare to his writing in North Star Geography.  He is apparently ecstatic about sharing his knowledge of geography, and is an expert in his field. From the beginning lesson, it is made perfectly clear this author writes because he cares, and because he has passion to share!

Let me set the record straight here and now, North Star Geography is the exception to the rule, much as its predecessor, Mystery of History.

North Star Geography is written for High School students and can be adapted to suit the needs of Middle School students. I have just those type of students on-hand in my home, so we were good to go.

We have been utilizing North Star Geography in our studies for about 2 months.  The book includes a wonderful CD-ROM with printable resources including: Mapwork, Quizzes, Note-Taking, Activities, Maps, and suggested Schedules. I opted for the 2 year schedule, that will allow us ample time to cover the material.  This is the best for us considering geography is a broad subject, and I want to take our time digging deeper.

Aside from watching the kids begin to understand and enjoy a typically elusive subject, there are a few points about this book I am particularly enjoying:

• Motivated storytelling by a passionate author makes for a great read aloud.

• Variety of options for hands-on learning, and project-based learning.  Having these options are important to my kinesthetic learner. We will also spotlight a few of these projects during October, so you can see North Star Geography in action.

• Easy to adapt "Note-Taking" activities that I can turn into an excellent opportunity for self-lead Notebooking time for my students.  I will be discussing this more in-depth next week.

• Quizzes that are provided are helpful in creating "CM-styled" exams for exam week.

• Ease in adapting activities and assignments to cater to both my High School learners and my Middle School students.

• A name that I trust for biblical worldview curriculum, and a company that shares my family's values, in Bright Ideas Press, and the Hogan family.

Geography needs more than just a nod in any home education journey.  Our increasingly expanding global society grows daily leaving us reeling to make sense of our place in the world. You can be assured North Star Geography will deliver geography centered in God's purpose, and on a biblical worldview.

Geography does, in fact, rock!  How do I know?  Check out the top photo in this post.  This is what I found on our spelling board after just a lesson, left anonymously by one of my kids.  Take it from the kid's unprompted response, they enjoy learning geography, North Star Geography way!

Stay tuned each Saturday this month for more GEOGRAPHY ROCKS.  We will be looking at North Star Geography, up close, and discuss notebooking, examinations and more.

Joyfully Learning with You,

The Joyful Socks Mom 

Be sure to keep up with Joyful Socks on Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

** This post may contain affiliate links.  Thank you for your support. You can read my full disclosure policy here.**

Be on the look out for our journey as we complete a new resource from Bright Ideas Press, North Star Geography.