# Solutions for Smart but Struggling Students : The SG Way : Week 1 (19 Sep 2019)

Largely based on this webinar (Free for 36hrs per week)
https://brightandquirky.com/smart-struggling-students-member/

## Week 1: How to Meet Your Child’s Unique Learning Needs
https://hub.brightandquirky.com/sbss-2019/sbss-2019-week-1/

Length of notes indicates how interesting I find the talks....

### Session 1: Should We Fix What’s Wrong or Scale What’s Right?
Jonathan Mooney
Running time: 15:26
* Writer of "Normal Sucks" who is dyslexic & an activist.
* Talks about depression, esteem issues, anxiety, suicidal feelings coming from being different from "Normal"
* 06:50 ".. I do not have a disability.. experienced disability in environments that could not accomodate and embrace my differences. What disabled me was the way that my differences were treated in an environment that was hostile to some bodies and brains and not to others. Abilities, disabilities and abnormalities are not facts in the world but social constructs we create as a society."
* ADD : problem with executive function but strength in problem solving
* Harvard professor wrote a book "Spark" who showed that learning while moving is good for not only ADD children but also for "normal" people.
[Book Summary](https://conscioused.org/books/spark-john-j-ratey-eric-hagerman-review-summary)
[Author John Ratey, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and an internationally recognized expert in Neuropsychiatry](http://www.johnratey.com/)
* people that thrive outside the line don't fix what's wrong with them, but scale what's right with them. And they are given the opportunity

#### Ideas to implement in SG:
* As a caregiver, we need to help our charge find their niche and develop it as far as possible.
* Create opportunities for our children where they can thrive in areas they are strong at.
* Eg: Child not good at writing, but quick witted and can talk a lot. Maybe send them to be trained as Toastmasters?

### Session 2: Magic Happens When Interests and Abilities Intersect
Susan Baum
Running time: 12:11
* 2E kids can begin to think that they are broken, nobody cares about the things they can do. Their whole life is centered around do I remember my spelling words, did i get better marks for maths. Forgetting they can build the best things with lego
* Old medical model : views the child as a list of deficits to be fixed and ignores about the strength of the child.
* Need humanistic model that considers positivity around the strength of the child
* Begins at home. Susan doesn't think parents should spend time on homework with the child.
* When child comes home, it should be their refuge and enable child do more things that makes them feel good about themselves. Not about homework. Eg: watch sports games, play chess etc
* Help our children find their line of thriving. Help them develop what they are good at and what they are interested in.
* They are not going to have only 1 area of expertise and it will evolve.
* Does not mean we do not work on deficits. Kid still get access to therapies. But set aside special time to develop their strength and NOT let their disabilities get in the way.
* Let them know that even if you are never going to get better, you will still going to be alright.

#### Ideas to implement in SG:
* Reply on group sports such as Soccer class to soak up their energies while they learn how to operate in a team (taking turns, sharing responsibilities)
[ActiveSG Football Academy](https://www.myactivesg.com/Programmes/Academy/Football)
[ActiveSG Basketball Academy](https://www.myactivesg.com/Programmes/Academy/Basketball)
[Junior NBA](https://www.myactivesg.com/whats-on/event/2019/5/jr-nba-singapore-2019)
[Real Madrid Football Academy](https://www.frmsingapore.com/soccer-school/)
* Chess to learn focus, patience ([Where to play chess in Singapore](https://forksandpins.blogspot.com/2018/12/where-to-play-chess-in-singapore-2019.html))
*

### Session 3: When to Push, Scaffold, or Hang Back
Debbie Reber
Running time: 8:11
* Try to let the child take the lead in terms of speed
* Explore homeschool support for 2E

#### Ideas to implement in SG:
* look for alternative means to develop strength :
https://ghflearners.org/

### Session 4: Working with Your Child's School to Find Points of Flexibility
Jacqui Byrne
Running time: 12:41
* suggest accomodations to school to make it easier for child

#### Ideas to implement in SG:
* Work with school to give some leeway, allow child to be late for school sometimes without severe punishments in cases of meltdowns
* if sensory overload is an issue, allow child to go direct to class after the messy assembly period

### Session 5: Words of Wisdom on Meeting the Needs of Bright & Quirky Learners
Susan Baum
Running time: 21:56
* Allow content differentiation to fit child's readiness for the content
* Allow process differentiation to change the ways children access content (eg: podcast, book etc)
* Allow product differentiation let child choose how the children choose the ways the children shows their understanding
* Allow environment differentiation eg: choice of where the children like to work that day (desk, bean bag etc)
* Self-Actualisation : Physiological (food, thirst) needs and Safety (physical/psychological), feeling of belonging (someone likes them) met. Children need to feel part of classroom. Children need to feel valued.
* 2E did not know how to give and take compliments

#### Ideas to implement in SG:
* Allow children to doodle, rocking etc and ensure they don't bother anyone else
* Rule : show that work is better, show that behaviour is better, not keeping anyone else from their work
* If children's needs not met, they are not going to be productive
* non judgmental approach to finding a good fit for the student is good for everyone involved.

### Session 6: Looking Beyond 'Drill and Kill'
Rick Olenchak
Running time: 14:47
* Focus on developing the strength of the child. Definitely spend more than 1 hour a week. The analogy given was as a quarterback in football, you mainly develop the skills related to quarterback and care less about other skills

#### Ideas to implement in SG:
* Find enrichment centres focused on the niche area

### Session 7: Bright vs. Gifted: Is There a Difference and Does it Matter?
Susan Baum
Running time: 5:59
* Label the behaviour, not the person => does not matter
* The giftedness can be observed for particular time, specific circumstance, it does not matter
* Try to find a match between child's giftedness, future job and bonus where it pays well
* “If you can’t get paid for your gift, then you do it to feed your soul and you find a job to feed your family.”

#### Ideas to implement in SG:
* Bring child to meet professionals in interest area
* tap on personal network and SG career fairs

### Session 8: Strengths, Challenges and My Journey as My Son’s Advocate
Maria Kennedy
Running time: 25:49
* What do they get interested / passionate about
* 2E are naturally curious, tap into their curiosity and can blow them out of the water
* take them out eg: child interested in architecture and building, bring them out to see buildings and create a project
* children have the attention span of their age : eg, 5 yo = 5min
* talk and do, talk and do, talk and do.... less about parents and teachers' lecturing
* Children do what they see. Eg: teachers will see Bridges Teachers reading

#### Ideas to implement in SG:
* Bring them out every weekend, fill your child's curiousity
* Let children do more
* Eg: for children who can't write, let children write however they can... type out, focus on completing the task, fix it later.
* Parents need to be patient, accept them for who they are, and encourage them to be the best they can be
* The children are not broken

### Session 9: When Kids are Way Ahead and Way Behind at the Same Time
Melanie Hayes
Running time: 19:58
* 2E are big picture thinkers and can be intense about their interests
* Sensory, anxiety or bordom => act out
* allow them to test out areas where they are ahead or behind
* Child can struggle with too easy qns as their minds can't engage, but they actually can deliver way higher level

#### Ideas to implement in SG:
* allow them to test out areas where they are ahead or behind, if pass, ask child what he wants to do
* Go library and do online math?

### Session 10: Making Math Playful (aka Why I Hate Tests and Worksheets) with Ms. Math
Rachel McAnallen
Running time: 48:42

NB: as my child is very strong in Maths, I chose not to listen to the end. I can't assess if this video is good or not.

* start with playing (eg: say age in number equations 9=10-1, 24=23.5+.5, 24=8*3)
* how to fit the child into the cookie cutter education system

#### Ideas to implement in SG: