A New One

"Why wish for the Privilege of living your past life again? You begin a New One every morning."

Robert Quillen

You begin anew every morning.  I really was taken aback when I first read this and then this smile came across my face.  Wow - the thought of starting over everyday has never crossed my mind before.  I could easily keep up the same thing from day-to-day; or even review things from last week.  Or. . . 

what a concept! Start fresh everyday!!  

I guess it's all a matter of how you approach the day and the things that need to get done.

One of the things I need to get done, new lessons and approaches for the children I have in my therapy sessions.  I love the activities I teach and there are those lessons I wouldn't trade for any new activity with all the 'bells and whistles'.  I have activities I know will get the child's attention and keep it all through the session. . . .well, most of the time. . . then there is the child in which no activity engages them.  Start anew!  Think of something!  I can't always think of something - my mind does not always work as fast as some kiddos!

New lessons every morning? Well, no - but how about new apps after the activities have not worked and you're looking around to decide what to try next.  Sometimes I forget that I, being the dinosaur in a generation of constantly changing technology, have the answers at my fingertips.   Recently, I learned the art of apps for students to learn, and I'm learning the art of apps for listening and spoken language.

My strategy for all lessons is auditory first, visual if needed, and then return to auditory to build memory for the student/client.  The second strategy for all lessons is Observe, Wait, Listen and find out what the student/client needs or seeks.  If my activities are not working for the student then I use the apps that build off of my activity, and they all involve listening - yea!!!  I just had to take the time to start anew and think about today's new life.  On top of that - sessions move smoothly and clients are interested.

Starting anew everyday for me is moving outside the box-that is for me- the dinosaur box, and begin using what is fresh and new for the times.  There are educational apps for speech, language and listening to develop the auditory means and language gains that go with auditory learning.  Some of those for children are free and easy to find - use your Internet and go surfing.  I love . . . 'Moo Box', 'Little Farm' and 'Where's Mommy?' for toddlers and Pre-k kiddos.  Parents can find the apps under the name; Approved4Kids for their elementary child and there are so many stories and language games for Kindle and/or The Nook.  Even adults can use audio books and music memory tunes to keep their auditory memory, discrimination, and perception keen and fresh.  

So. . . . 'why want the past over again, when you have the opportunity to begin new every morning'

Observe and Wait and Listen

My favorite thing to do - observing and listening.  We should do more of it whenever possible.  Sometimes I think people are so interested in what they, personally have to say, not much listening is going on.  Sometimes children have a difficult time with this aspect of language.  So how, as a parent, do we help do this with our child?  It is one of the components to social interaction and one of the many facets of language - learn turn-taking in conversation; which means we wait our turn and listen to the other part of the conversation.

There is nothing more natural to a child than their parents voice; and of course, that natural environment of listening; especially as parents have conversation within the home setting.  There is nothing more natural than a parent reading to their child and the child is listening to all parts of speech, language, and behavior that make the story stand out! Of course, there is nothing  more inviting than home and being with mommy and daddy listening and hopefully then in turn, speaking - with parent guidance.  Notice I said listening first - because as I stated before; observe and listen.  In practice; the parent is creating an auditory learning environment and in return spoken language develops and continues to grow throughout the years.  I haven't strayed from anything besides a natural listening and speaking environment.  Parents just have to take hold of that opportunity and make it work for them - encouraging the child to participate, encouraging the child to imitate, encouraging the child to speak out on their own and upon their turn of conversation.

Reading and any activity that stimulates the child and their attention has the attention span growing and then; creativity and imagination takes hold.  Activities also support social, emotional growth.  But by far the biggest part of interaction in reading and activities, is from all this observing and waiting and listening - the child starts to talk!

OWL for Everyone

OWL - An animal in a tree or a barn and the kids love 'em.  They say Hoo Hoo!!  Uhhhh, yea but no. . . this is not the topic of this conversation.  OWL is an acronym that I try to remember for every encounter with a child that I have.  Observe - Wait - Listen
In a very visualized world, how do you get someones' attention quickly - you give them a visual and begin to talk about it.  Well, children need to develop those auditory skills faster than they do those visual skills.  A newborn does not focus well and or see color distinctions right away in their new world.  If all goes well, they do learn quickly that their new world is very noisy.  In fact, newborns know the OWL acronym perfectly - as much as possible.  The newborn is in the crib or in someones' arms, a noise enters the environment - baby attempts to observe; waits for noise again; listens intently and perhaps attempts to communicate with that noise.  How baby communicates is dependent on how noise entered their environment.
That being said, what happens if baby's hearing is compromised?  What happens if baby/child has had their auditory input compromised?  In other words, what happens when hearing is impaired?
Parents take over as the person that helps baby or child to learn to communicate with that noise, and they do this by OWL.  A noise; 'Hi there! How are you?!'  No response and parent and/or caregiver Observes; here comes the noise again 'Hi there!  (Name), how are you?!' (this time they add a sing-songy voice) No response and parent and/or caregiver Waits; then responds - 'Did you hear that?  Listen, I heard that - what did you say?!'
Well that is either a caregiver helping the child to respond because they were not listening or helping a child to respond because they could not listen and they needed help.  Either way is correct and the caregiver is using a teachable moment.  Auditory training takes place everyday no matter if your child has hearing and listening skills or a hearing impairment that is being developed with listening strategies.
My point will be expanded the next time I write - a lesson to propose using OWL for caregiver and child.
Either way - OWL can receive a 'HOO HOO' because your child got it or a 'HOO HOO' was that? = )