Are tarantulas dangerous? There are 35,000 known species of spiders in the world. There are some spiders whose bite can result in death, like the black widow or brown recluse. However, no known deaths have been reported from the bite of any tarantula. All tarantulas have fangs but their venom is mild and can be compared to that of a bee sting. Speaking of bees, bees and wasps kill more people a year in the US than spiders and snakes combined kill in ten years! And consider this, dogs and cats are responsible for even more deaths and serious injuries than bees and wasps. Soon the danger scale I'd be more worried about Spot than spider.

Can you hold a tarantula? Yes, but I strongly advise against it. While many species of tarantula are known to be docile, they are nonetheless wild and unpredictable. A nervous tarantula can easily mistake your finger for prey or a predator and bite. Some tarantulas will even "kick" their hairs when frightened. The hairs have tiny barbed tips that can be irritating if they make contact with skin or damaging if they get in an eye. A scared or frisky tarantula can even jump, and a fall to the ground can be fatal. My suggestion is not to hold or handle any tarantula. Like fish, they are to be enjoyed visually and not physically.

Can you train a tarantula? Mine fetches the paper and…no, you cannot train a spider. However, they might learn that when you tap on the side of their enclosure it is feeding time. Remember, these are not higher intelligent animals but rather simple prehistoric creatures.

What kind of setup do I need? Tarantulas do not take up a great amount of space and a simple 2.4 gallon (10"x8"x8") plastic or glass aquarium or "shoe-box" with a tight-fitting secure lid will do the trick. It is important to match your habitat with the closest natural habitat of the species you get. Some tarantulas are desert dwellers and need dry conditions, some are from the rain forest and require humid habitats, and others are arboreal, meaning they live in trees. Arboreal tarantulas need horizontal habitats with bark and branches to climb. Burrowing tarantulas will either need an artificial burrow such as a PVC pipe, or enough substrate to make their own burrow. Keep decorations to a minimum. The setup can be pleasing to the eye but it must be functional for your pet. Every tarantula will need a shallow water dish, a hiding area and breathing holes in the enclosure for fresh air. Some species require greater humidity than others and the temperature will vary as well. Please check with your breeder or pet store as to the proper care and environment for the particular tarantula you get.

Can you keep two or more together? No way. Two tarantulas that meet will usually end with one meal. The only time tarantulas get together is to mate, and even that can be fatal to the male. Now that's tough love!

How long do they live for? Believe it or not tarantulas can live up to 25 years. The average is 6-14 years. Taking on a pet tarantula is a long term commitment and it's not so easy to find someone to adopt your pet arachnid if you cannot care for it.

What do tarantulas eat? Tarantulas eat live crickets, grasshoppers, cockroaches, beetles, earthworms and butterflies. The average pet tarantula owner usually sticks to store-bought crickets (.05 each) and feeds their pet three times a week. Some variety might be good and an occasional roach, worm, or beetle may be appreciated. If you can't stomach feeding live insects to your pet than owning a tarantula is not for you.

What can I expect from my tarantula? Not much. Tarantulas are not particularly active, nor do they do tricks. They are simple creatures with basic needs. The joy of owning a pet tarantula comes from it being a unique, exotic, and beautiful creature. Some species even have pink feet and iridescent hairs. Many people own these pets to get over their fear of spiders and some just love having a fascinating part of nature right in their homes or classrooms. Others just love having a creepy crawly pet alternative.

What species is best for beginners? I would stick to New World Tarantulas. These species have urticating hairs and are from North or South America. Species such as the Brachypelma or Grammestola tend to be better suited for novice keepers, while the Old World Tarantula species, ones from Africa, Asia, Europe, India, do not have the urticating hairs but tend to have a far more defensive and aggressive nature. Their venom is also thought to be more powerful than the New World Tarantulas. Some New World species names include Mexican Black Velvets, Costa Rican Red-legs, Honduran Curly Hairs, Chilean Rose-hairs, or Mexican Blondes. They are relatively non-aggressive, well tempered arachnids…well, as far are arachnids can be. But keep in mind they are still spiders with fangs and venom and even know you may love them, they have no feelings for you. Do your research prior to choosing a pet tarantula.

Okay, if you are ready for a truly creepy pet, and October is a great month to get one, here is where you begin. Purchase or go to the library and get some books on tarantulas. There are many titles including, "The Guide to Owning Tarantulas" and the "Tarantula Keeper's Guide." Search online and check out the many forums on tarantulas. Some local pet stores carry a nice selection of arachnids but I cannot stress enough to do your research first. Taking care of any animal is a commitment and you owe it to your pet to give it the greatest care whether it has two, four or even eight legs. So while dogs may always be man's best friend, tarantulas are quickly becoming children's favorite pets.

Seth Prezant is the founder and Bugmaster of www.CoolBugStuff.com  His award winning web site was created to help promote fascination and education in science using nature’s most abundant creatures…Bugs! Seth is a true EEE (Education & Entertainment Entrepreneur) providing educational and entertaining nature shows for schools, camps, aftercare programs and home school groups all around South Florida. The Bugmaster can be reached @ seth@coolbugstuff.com

You can find many more easy parent/child projects to do together on Seth's website www.coolbugstuff.com. 

The initiative for National Hispanic Heritage Month is an acknowledgement of the over 45 million Americans of Hispanic origin. The 31 day observation period honors the Independence Day for many Latin American countries including El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Honduras which celebrate September 15 as their Independence Day. September 16th is the Independence Day for Mexico, September 18th for Chile, September 21st for Belize and El Dia de la Raza (Columbus Day) is October 12th.

Celebrating and bringing to life this special time for children who have parents of Hispanic decent is important along with exposing our Anglo children to how other cultures celebrate various occasions.

Cooking is a social time in Latin American families, and making these quesadillas is a fun way to get the party started. Quesadillas are Spanish and Southwest in origin. The ones we experience in restaurants here in the United States are fine but are not true depictions of how the real Mexican quesadillas are made. Quesadillas in Mexico can be found outside movie theaters, stadiums, and special events with the most popular quesadilla being made with potatoes, cheese, chorizo, beans, green peppers (rajas) and other ingredients.

Following is a simple recipe for quesadillas that allows you to easily involve your children in their preparation. Cooking is a social time in most Latin American countries - make it a social time with your family too!

Quesadillas Ingredients:
3 six-inch flour tortillas
Vegetable cooking oil
2 cups shredded Colby/Jack mixed cheese
One half cup finely chopped tomato
Cilantro

Directions:
Lightly fry each tortilla in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until crisp and golden, turning once. Sprinkle with combined cheeses and top with tomato. Put lid on pan and turn heat to low. When cheese is melted, fold tortilla in half. Cut each tortilla into quarters. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve warm with salsa if desired.

We read the statistics on obesity among our young children here in the United States. We realize the many benefits derived from learning a second language during our early years. For this next activity we suggest using a song that is from Latin America or a bilingual song that features both Spanish and English during its play.

This activity appeals to kinesthetic, auditory and visual learners as it encourages following the leader, very similar to Simon Says. Use an older child to be the leader, and have him direct the children on what to do to match the song. Depending upon the song you choose, it could be body part wiggling or chicken movements! Watch the young ones delight in their grasp of a new culture with new music and perhaps a new language.

This next activity is a Language activity, and it comes to life as the children create their own bilingual number book. The children will make a book/un libro that helps them learn the Spanish words for the numbers one/uno to ten/diez. Reinforcement is the key to all learning so find a cool bilingual song for kids that introduces these numbers in both languages if you can.

Depending upon the ages of the children you might offer pre-made blank books out of brightly colored construction paper that measure a finished book size of five by seven(a total of six pages stapled or bound together is needed for this activity). If the children are old enough they can participate in the making of the blank book first. You will also need markers, crayons, magazine pictures or newspaper food ad pictures, age appropriate scissors, and glue sticks.

Procedure:
Guide the child in making a cute front and back cover for this bilingual number book. Use examples from books from the library or ones you have purchased over the years. Each page should have the numeral (1), the English word (one), and the Spanish word (uno) for the number you are working on. Assist the child in finding a picture that depicts the number of a
certain item (one banana, two dogs, three pencils and so on). Glue the picture onto the page that corresponds to that number.

The English-language number words in sequence order are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten while the Spanish language number words in order are uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, and diez.

And this last activity is about appreciating the culture of Spanish speaking countries. Children learn about maracas, an instrument from our Hispanic friends. In this activity the children make their own maracas and celebrate to music.

Maracas help celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and the culture and music of Spanish-speaking countries. Using old cardboard tubes, jelly jars, plastic soda bottles (anything that you can put a lid on and shake!) makes this project inexpensive and fun. Find different materials and different sized containers to create a wide range of musical sounds that will allow the
children to create their own band.

This activity is suitable for toddlers, preschoolers and elementary aged children (with adult supervision). As you make these together put on some upbeat bilingual music or Latin American tunes and party!

Materials needed:
Containers with tops/lids to hold dried beans or rice in. (jelly jars, plastic soda bottles, cardboard tubes with paper glued on as lid)
Dried beans, rice, small shell pasta
Construction paper or white computer paper
Paints, markers, glitter, glue, Spanish/Mexican theme stickers

Procedure:
Allow each child to choose their own maraca container and filler. For soda bottles you can insert a cardboard tube that has been cut and wound tightly to fit into the top of the bottle in order to create a handle. Secure the top to the handle with quality masking tape. Pour approximately twenty dried beans, grains of rice or pasta shells into the container (amount based on size of container and filler chosen). Secure the lid back onto the container. If no lid is available, make one with paper and secure tightly with quality masking tape or transparent packing tape. Wrap paper around the container as desired for decorating purposes.

Some children may simply want to decorate the container with stickers. Encourage the children to customize their maraca with markers, glitter, stickers and imagination. Once complete, have fun singing, dancing and playing with the children to various songs that represent the Hispanic culture and bilingual songs that will introduce the Spanish and English languages to these young children.

Being bilingual is no longer an option, it is a necessity. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with your family or your class allows you to show the children in your life that you value other languages and cultures. Set a good example for an open mind and open heart as we bridge children together from all walks of life.

1. If you appreciate art, you can teach art basics. Remember the first step to effective teaching is sharing your interest in a subject with your students. The whole of art is its ability to transcend cultural and socio-economic barriers, so regardless of your background or education; you will be able to find types of art or artists that pique your interest. Approach your art program with same questions and passions that made you choose home schooling.

2. Create a supportive environment in which to learn and pursue art. Just like other subjects, it is important to have a strategy for success: long range planning, written objectives, and weekly or monthly course schedules. Art history, art critique, and visual art foundation skills require the same dedication and planning that other subjects demand.

3. Take advantage of free resources. Remember the basics-take a trip to your city's museum, arrange for a docent tour or visit a regional art show. Your local library has a wealth of art books available for you and your child to explore. Even on the worst winter day, you can visit many of the world's great museums online. (Links to museums are provided below.)

4. Teaching art is different than being an artist. Art education is about allowing your student to explore their own experience, whether creating his or her masterpiece or learning about how the American War of Independence influenced British artists; your role is to guide the student through the process.

5. Understand the important difference between teaching art history and art appreciation vs. teaching drawing or painting. As a home educator you are often faced with the task of deciding what to teach yourself and when to outsource the subject to another. It may be easier to incorporate art history and appreciation into your school year while having students attend a drawing course for foundational proficiency. Allowing yourself this distinction may relieve some of the anxiety of teaching a skill for which you yourself may have had little or no training.

Although art education may seem overwhelming, once you understand how to approach the subject, incorporating this curriculum will be an immense asset to your child. Unlike many other subjects, it affords both of you the chance to explore together. No other curriculum offers greater cultural context, historical perspective or personal expression. Happy teaching!

A small sample of museums to visit online:
Louvre Paris at www.louvre.fr
Orsay Museum Paris www.musee-orsay.fr
National Gallery London www.nationalgallery.org.uk
The Art Institute of Chicago www.artic.edu
Minneapolis Institute of Art www.artsmia.org
Guggenheim New York www.guggenheim.org

The SAT (Standardized Assessment Test) is a test that most colleges use for entrance exam. Students must have a minimum score just to get in the school of their choice. (These scores will vary depending on the college.) The SAT score can also determine eligibility for scholarships. The higher the scores-the bigger the scholarship money!

The SAT is also offered seven times a year. The first one is in October and the last one is in June. Students will need to schedule the test ahead of time because there are deadlines and late fees to contend with. Signing up for the test can be done through the mail or at www.collegeboard.com There are no penalties for taking the SAT many times. (Colleges usually just want the student's highest score and many schools will even take the highest scores from different sections of different tests to give the student their best combined score.)

The PSAT/NMSQT is a “preliminary” SAT test that is used only for determining the students who qualify for the “National Merit Scholarship” program. It is only offered once a year in the third week of October. This test only counts in a student's junior year of high school but should be taken in their freshman and sophomore year for practice. The National Merit Corporation will take the top one percent of the nation to be entered in the contest. Scores that qualify for scholarships will vary year to year and depending on where a student lives. The scores are based on state population as well as student performance. For example, qualifying scores in Texas have been around a 216 out of a 240 the last few years; in Arkansas, the students only need about a 201 to reach semi-finalist level. Scholarships could include: full tuition, free room and board, honors dorms, study-abroad stipends, graduate money, etc.

Both tests contain the same three sections: Critical Reading, Math and Writing. The difference in content between the two tests is that there is no essay or Algebra 2 on the PSAT. The SAT is about three hours and forty-five minutes (not including breaks) and the PSAT is about two hours and ten minutes long.

The SAT has ten sections: Three Critical Reading sections that total seventy minutes; Three Math sections that also total seventy minutes; Three Writing sections that total sixty minutes (this includes a twenty-five minute essay). The tenth section is called the Equating section- an experimental section that doesn't count. The College Board uses it to determine questions that they may use on future tests. This section can be found in the math, critical reading or writing section but students will not know which one it is.

The PSAT has five sections: Two Critical Reading sections that total fifty minutes; Two Math sections that also total fifty minutes; One Writing section that totals thirty minutes.

Since these tests are standardized, it means the recurring patterns that they use can be figured out. Students should start preparing for these tests at least in ninth grade. Time will be on their side and they will have plenty of it to work on the question types by getting familiar with them. Learning strategies and shortcuts on these tests and then practice taking tests is the key to doing well and receiving the high test scores.

Both tests play a significant role in a student's life when it comes to college preparation. The PSAT can yield incredible scholarship offers when a student is a junior and the SAT is the first step to get a student into college as well as it can be the springboard for scholarships from the college. Students should not pick one test over the other -make both tests a priority!

For more information visit www.collegeprepgenius.com or contact Jean Burk at info@collegeprepgenius.com   Also sign-up for our free No Brainer Scholarship Newsletter.

If you ask your child, “How much does a car cost which is a general math-money concept, they may reply $200,000. If you ask them how much does the house cost they may reply $2,000. This may surprise you. Try to start with the basic concept that houses cost more than cars. Money is not the same as math. Math is not the same as money. We all know people who have a high income and are deeply in debt or lost some possessions. They know math but are eluded when it comes to applying the math towards a budget. Then there are adults with low incomes that can manage their money quite well.
Once the general concept of money is understood, then the math facts take on a more important meaning. You can do this by giving your child an allowance. Then when they ask for a new computer game, Game Cube, Game Boy, cell phone, etc. ask them to go over how much allowance they have saved, and how many weeks it will take them to make their purchase. In this way they learn to apply the rules of addition, subtraction, and time. (their time not yours!) You might get lucky enough to leave your wallet at home.

Geologic field trips teach students how to perform research and how to prepare field reports that well document their experiences, data, and hypotheses and let them fully share their findings with instructors and peers. Field trips allow students to see the important connections between observations, gathering data, and making interpretations and help them gain an appreciation for the scientific procedure of backing up one's claims with supporting evidence.

How to Conduct a Self-Directed Geology Field Trip: So how does one conduct a self-directed geology field trip? It's not as difficult as it seems. Begin this project by first looking for and considering potential field trip sites. Contact local geology or gem and mineral clubs, talk with friends and neighbors, and review potential field sites with teachers or local geology experts.

This should not be a “virtual” field trip. You have to actually get outdoors and physically examine the rocks you find. Even if you live in the middle of an urban area, there are ample geology field opportunities. You can examine natural stone buildings, observe a pattern of transportation and deposition of sediment by rain water along a city street, or study rock outcrops within parks and along trails. Your field trip can be slanted toward economic geology, mineralogy, hydrology, or any major aspect of geology covered in your geology textbook. With a little creativity and forethought, you can certainly find an interesting site and have the chance to enjoy and demonstrate your geology knowledge.

Conduct your initial research on the Internet. Gather historical geologic information on the state or region of the world where you live and then specific information on the locality of the site you will visit, plus on the site itself, if available. Parks often have a wealth of information about their natural history. In the U.S., there are excellent Roadside Geology© books available at most bookstores and park visitor centers for almost all of the states; these are a great source for selecting sites as well as beginning your research.
Record pertinent data from the websites, journal articles, pamphlets, books, etc. from which you gather information to include in the references section of your report. A good field report will include at least three references that do not include your course textbook. Think of the information provided by your references as a starting point of currently accepted knowledge. Your own field work may corroborate or refute those findings, but you must provide evidence for your assertions. That's why field work is so important. In geology, rocks are data, and while the interpretation of the data may be wrong, the actual data can't be wrong. The more rocks you look at and the more data you gather, the greater will be the likelihood that your interpretation based on those rocks is correct.

The field report must include a road log with specific directions to the site presented in such a way that another person could easily find it. Make note of highway mile markers and identifying landmarks during your trip to include in your directions. Mapping sites can be useful for accurately conveying the exact directions to your geologic field sites.

Try to find, use, and include geologic and topographic maps in your research and report. They will be very helpful in identifying and describing sites as well as in helping others to find and identify them too, especially if some hiking is involved. Geologic maps typically reflect an area's different rock types with different colors, and they show unique geologic structures through the use of different symbols; refer to the map's key to help you identify these things. Topographic maps depict the elevation and general layout of the land. The contour lines on topographic maps show differences in elevation such as hills and valleys; the closer spaced the lines, the steeper the slope. Topographic maps by the United States Geologic Survey are available online at http://store.usgs.gov and are often found in sporting goods stores where fishing and hunting licenses are sold.

Most importantly, you should bring a field notebook to record the geology observed during your trip. Your field notebook should be sturdy and ideally, hardbound and waterproof; if you use a softbound notebook remember to bring a clipboard. Hardbound field books can be found at supply stores that cater to surveyors and engineers. Start by recording your route to the site, the date, who accompanies you, and the weather conditions. Record all of your observations as they occur; don't rely on memory to fill in the gaps later as you may forget a lot of things! If you later find you incorrectly identified a rock or landform in your field notes, simply cross it out with a single line, writing in the correction neatly in a margin. Recording this decision process in a transparent matter - meaning that you can still read everything you did - makes revisions easier and is also the way professional geologists record their notes. You might find that you wind up with several revisions as your interpretation develops.

You also need to bring a camera and reference your notes to pictures of the area and any samples you collect. Numbering rock samples is the easiest way to keep them organized. With a permanent marker write a number on the sample; then refer to that sample number when recording your notes. Draw simple color sketches of the interesting rocks and/or landform that you take pictures of and annotate them with a note to “see photo #__”. Relating what you observe with pictures you took is a great way to get organized for writing your formal field trip report. Your report can be based on more than a single outing; you may go on as many geology field trips as you wish and then select the best ones for your project or include them all and relate various observations from the different trips to each other.

The field trip should include at least three stops, and your report will need to well document the trip with a minimum of eight pictures from the different sites you visit. Take overview pictures of the site stops plus specific pictures of unique geologic features and areas from which you pick up rock specimens for examination. Try to identify interesting rocks you find while you are still in the field by using common mineral identification tools such as a nail, weak acid such as vinegar, rock hammer, and magnifying lens.
A formal field trip report should approximate the length of a five to ten page report, be word processed, utilize appropriate grammar and organization, and professionally present the results of your activities and observations. Since the report will include photos and graphics, be sure to save it in an appropriate format if you wish to publish it to the web. It's helpful if you compress photos so that they do not use up too much file space. You might want to create and/or upload your report to a website or blog. It's easy to create a personal blog at online sites.

There is no specific required format for your formal field report, although most professional field reports start by summarizing the report in a short paragraph summary called an “Abstract”. Following the abstract is an introduction that is then followed by the “Field Data” section which provides the directions to each site and the data found at each site. A distinction should be made between data and interpretation. Think of it like detective work; facts are irrefutable, but interpretations of those facts can vary. Interpretation is typically discussed after the field data section under the heading “Discussion” or “Interpretation”. Be sure to carefully separate what you determine are facts and what you interpret those facts to mean geologically. Provide evidence to back up your interpretations; refer back to the data or outside sources. Wrap up the report with a short conclusion section, and remember to cite your references both within the body of the report, and as a list of cited references at the end of the report.

Your field report should include descriptions of the geology at each stop and any geological points of interest between your stops. The report should address objectives of the trip in sufficient detail to leave a demanding geologist satisfied and to demonstrate your working knowledge of geology and proper use of geologic terms. One good way to approach your report is to pretend you are writing it for someone you know who is interested in but completely unfamiliar with geology. Then try to explain and define all the geologic concepts and terms you use in such a way that that person will fully understand everything you say. This approach makes your report understandable to a general audience while at the same time satisfying a geology instructor that you are in command of the concepts and terms you learned in your geology course.

Supply List for The Self-Directed Field Trip:
* Field Notebook * Mineral Identification Kit Containing:
* Pens & Colored Pencils Magnet
* Geologic & Topographic Maps Penny
* Reference Books/Papers/Pamphlets Nail
* Camera Geologic Hand Lens (or similar magnifier)
* Rock Hammer (or a claw hammer) Hydrochloric Acid (or substitute vinegar)
* Rock Specimen Collection Bag Streak Plate (or an unglazed tile or tile back)

Trina Riegel, M.S. has been a geology professor for over 13 years and is the author of the geologic lab manuals around which the GK-1 and GK-2 Geology LabPaqs are produced by Hands-On Labs, Inc. (www.LabPaq.com). She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Morris, and she obtained her graduate degree from Michigan State University.
As an expert in teaching geology at a distance, Trina teaches Physical Geology and Historical Geology courses fully online for the University of Maryland, Laramie County Community College, and for Colorado Community Colleges-OnLine which presented her with a Gold Medal Faculty award.
In 2005 and 2006 Trina put some real distance into distance education by teaching her courses from northern Italy where she visited and researched numerous fascinating geologic sites. You can read about Trina's geologic adventures in Italy at http://www.geologyteacher.blogspot.com . To learn more about Trina and about the Geologic LabPaqs Trina helped create, visit: http://www.athomescience.com/o-geology.htm 

 

Kinesthetic learners learn through movement. When you hug them what have you done to their movement? You have totally stopped their movement. At the same time you are giving them all this touch. In essence you have thrown at them 20 pounds of input - you have touched their arms, you have touched their front, and you have touched their back - with no way to process it! It is like saying to them, "Would you please turn off your mind for the next ... however long I feel like hugging you, until I release your mind back to you." They can't process it; they are being overwhelmed.

If you are an auditory learner: It would be like you walking into a room with 60 radio stations blaring, each on a different channel. That would not necessarily bother me. It's just noise, so they're talking, who cares. But for an auditory learner, it would be like, "Let me out of this room!" That's how your child feels when you are hugging him. When he hugs you, it's a different story. Whose arms are out? His. And he can choose how long to hug. So, if you want to hug your child, let his arms be out, and hug him underneath. It's much better if you hug him from behind because his front is where he is going. That's his focus.
 
You can decrease this tension around hugging in three steps: First, give the child control. Try asking something like, "Mommy wants a hug this morning, so when can I have one?" Second, give a warning, i.e. "Johnny, Mommy needs a hug, soon." (Don't surprise him with a hug.) Third, hug from behind with your arms under his, so his arms are free to move. By the way, if your child is kinesthetic and you are not, your spouse probably is, so these tips may help your whole family!

Note: Although kinesthetic learners do not easily handle being hugged, you may be able to use a firm, encompassing hug to calm an out-of-control child: If your child's behavior is spinning out of control and you can hug and hold him without anger, after the intense fight to get free he or she will eventually calm down.

Ethan H., age 14

Ethan used to have uncontrollable fits. It seemed as if he had no control of his body. If he didn't have success in something (didn't win an award, for example), he would hit his parents, his younger brother, objects, and walls-anything. Then his mom and dad discovered they could lie over Ethan, supporting their own weight on knees and elbows so they wouldn't harm him, or they could lie beside him, and hug him tight so he couldn't move.

They held him for minutes, until his wild movements ended. This hugging gave Ethan the support he needed to get his own body under control.

Among kinesthetic learners movement increases thinking, and thinking increases movement. Sometimes we spiral out uncontrolled. With our arms trapped, hugging rapidly shuts down our brain's ability to process. It feels as if we are drowning, completely smothered and unable to breathe.

Once we get over the panic, we are much more calm and able to focus and listen.
Beginning with his entry into school, Ethan's parents experienced tremendous pressure to medicate him - and agonized over what to do, but they never did put him on medication. They are now happy and relieved about their choice.
Eventually, like Ethan, we learn to settle down before we spin out of control. Ethan stopped his outbursts at about age ten. As of this writing, he is a happy teenager who cheerfully does his chores. He loves to play computer games and skateboard. If he ever forgets a chore, his parents take away a day of computer or skateboarding.

As a sixth grader, Ethan attended a traditional public middle school. But after his mom noticed he was angry every day, and he started becoming depressed, they pulled him out of the school. He now attends a school where he has two days of classes, a day of labs and two days at home. He is doing very well in school, especially history, which he loves, although he struggles in math.
What works with Ethan is structure. His parents use a timer for his computer time, and his homeschool schedule, including lunch.
(I have changed his name in order to protect his privacy.)

Note: Dr. Guffanti has spoken at WHO's annual convention the past two years on the topic of ADHD and learning styles, with attendees responding, “This is a life- changing class,” and “The best and most helpful of all.”

A medical doctor, tutor, teacher, author, and homeschool parent, Dr. Guffanti was born with a passion for education. Dyslexic and a kinesthetic learner, he has served as the medical director of a clinic specializing in learning disorders, and has focused on creating education that meets the needs of all children. He is the author of Rocket Phonics and Is It Really ADHD?
Stephen Guffanti, MD
CEO of Children's U.com
Home of Rocket Phonics
www.rocketphonics.com

In teaching very young children start with single-step goals; if you set the table, you can skip washing dishes; if you clean house for 30 minutes you can play with friends for an hour. Easily understood payback will focus a child on the task.

A five-year old cannot change the oil in the car, but he can certainly bring Dad the new filter or a wrench. The reward for helping Dad meet his goal is the time they will have to play ball afterward. Children learn that responsibility and privilege go hand in hand, and the next step is having them state the goal.

When children pick up all their toys to earn a bedtime story, or help set the dinner table to have private visiting time with Mom, they are actively completing a goal and earning a reward.

As we grow of course the jobs we can do become more complicated, and our goals also expand in size and cost. Most of us can look back on babysitting, lawn mowing, washing cars, or other chores such as these to earn spending money. When children work for money, they will appreciate having a piggy bank; it is fun counting coins and currency. The money will be more real if it is paid out in cash, and when the bank is empty it is easy to see that more work is needed to fill it up again.

Older children can learn a great deal by having their own checking account. Many college freshmen have not a single clue how to balance a checkbook, write a check, or manage money. This is a great goal for parents; teach your children while they are home to handle money, and you will have given them a skill they will need all their lives. The accounting skills are the same whether done on paper or on-line.

So how best can you teach your child to complete school projects, pass important exams, or train to make the flag team?
When your child starts out on a task which is overwhelming, it will help to remind her how one eats an elephant, i.e. one bite at a time. A local fourth-grade class has to build a medieval castle, which many children, and parents, consider daunting. When faced with such a medieval elephant, it is necessary to have a plan.

How to Eat Your Elephant

Firstly, get a calendar. Mark the due date, then mark the start date, then the half-way date, and the quarter-dates.
Secondly, look at the project; the start and finish are obvious, but you must decide and write down on the calendar date exactly what items constitute the halfway point. Write the tasks on a sticky note, and slap them up there on the calendar.
Thirdly, determine which tasks make up the first- and third-quarter work. Put these two sticky notes on the calendar on their corresponding quarter-dates.

Your large project is now broken into four smaller chunks, and you know the dates on which each of those quarter chunks must be completed. If the work still resembles a baby elephant, break the quarters in half, writing in the dates, then deciding which parts of the work must be completed on each date.

Do keep in mind, if this is your child's work, that it is really theirs! You may check the calendar, but they must check it and know it is their responsibility, not yours. I hear parents saying that school is so hard; the tests are so hard; the math is so hard. How are you encouraging your child to succeed when all they hear is how hard it all is? Tell them it is easy, then teach them how easy it is by helping them make their calendar (later to be called a list of goals) and keep to the tasks.

Yes, it works; and it keeps you and your children from panicking, running overtime, or quitting altogether.
Remember if possible to leave a day once a week where you do not work on this project; but when the work becomes engrossing and you don't want to stop, then keep on going; that is the true joy of learning!

Teach the children to set goals so they can attain their dreams. Most children will want to be firemen, nurses, doctors, policemen; their list will grow all the time they are growing. The first task can be to research a profession, by role-playing, reading, inventing games, whatever is age-appropriate. If Tommy never becomes a fireman, he will still have learned about the career, and appreciate the firemen he meets.

Later, when Tommy seriously considers his future, he'll know the first step is research, and the next step is education, then training. He won't flounder around and quit because he has no clue as to how to proceed.

There will be many people predicting your failure. Don't listen to them. Listen to your own heart. You know what you can do, no one else knows your inner strength and determination. Time is not relevant to the goal, if one's desire is strong. If you give up you fail. If you persevere you will eventually succeed. This is a guarantee.

Goals build strength and character in a person, teaching them to have faith in their abilities. If one does not become a concert pianist, at least one can play the piano and lead sing-alongs with the family. The woods would be very quiet if only the nightingale sang.

Website: www.hwarangdofl.com
Email:   hrdjax@bellsouth.net

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