I’m convinced On Cloud Nine Math is just the ticket for my 9 yr old son who’s now reading above grade level but is behind in math. I am a teacher (Spec.Ed., English). Here’s my dilemma. I’ve drafted a letter to his school principal (cc to superintendent) requesting purchase of this pgm. for use in my son’s SLD classroom. However, last time I did this, despite being successful with my request, I was not altogether satisfied with the results. LiPs was purchased, but the teacher of that time really had her shirt in knots over it. (“It’s like my first yr. linguistics course,” she complained.) She’s now gone (stress leave for all this year followed by retirement). This year’s teacher is out on strike, probably until the end of the year (not that starting a new pgm. is viable now anyway.) She is pretty old school though she is more open to “new” pgms. than teacher #1. However, she likely won’t be back in the Fall. (She eliminated LiPs after a fairly short period of time, concluding that he “doesn’t need it.” She’s probably right, given his success in this area, but I would hate for someone to make a similar conclusion prematurely in Math.) Though this may be overly pessimistic, I guess I don’t have a lot of faith that the pgm. will be implemented properly, though part of me wants to fire off the letter anyway, just to keep people current and on their toes. There aren’t a whole lot of proactive parents around here, and other kids would benefit.As for me doing it, I’m just finishing FFWD with my son, plan to return to work full-time in the Fall and, well, am courting end of the year burn-out! We need a break after FFWD and plan to do nothing but read and play math bingo for fun this summer. If I get energetic, I’ll test his code knowledge in PG and do the multisyllable stuff in the Fall. There are no clinics or Lindamood Bell trained people here. And Cloud is a very expensive pgm. in Cdn. dollars if you buy the whole kit. (Is the whole kit a good idea?) Any suggestions? For ex. is it a pgm. a parent could do with a child—or one a hired tutor could pick up quickly, should I be lucky enough to find one willing to take it on? Thanks. Jan
Re: Trust the school or do it myself?
Why not hedge your bets? Get the program yourself anyway and then you can do it at home as well as what he is doing in school, and try to get the school to use it. The other kids may benefit and yours will have the best chance you can arrrange.
Have I spoken to you before? Where in Canada are you? I’ve returned to the Montreal area.
Re: Trust the school or do it myself?
You may have, Victoria; I recognize your name too. Am I right in thinking you are a math teacher with a private tutoring practice? I am 25 mins. west of Ottawa, in Arnprior, ON. I think you’re right; I’ll buy the kit as well as pester the school. I’d have to say this district (Renfrew) is pretty good; they frequently top up and exceed their spec. ed. budget by practicing frugality in other areas, though we’ve all been hit by funding cuts. My son says he wants to do the pgm. with me. He’s kind of a concept guy—has to get the concept; asks me frequently at bed-time to explain math concepts (stalling tactic?). I think he needs the manipulatives, along with Lindamood’s visualization strategies; he isn’t solid on his math facts, especially subtraction. I’m afraid the school will feel manipulatives aren’t necessary. (They have unifix in the spec. ed. classroom but don’t use them with my son.) I think he fools them to some extent since his reading comprehension is high, and he is superior in background knowledge. Ditto for verbal reasoning, but math problem-solving (as well as computation) is weak. They are using an old series called Spectrum which is well-paced and laid out but not designed for LD I don’t think. I too have a math LD (though I did very well one year in a smallish all-girl , gr. 10 class with a woman teacher who used direct instruction—as opposed to the discovery method then in vogue!) Thanks for your feedback. Jan.
Re: Trust the school or do it myself?
Have you looked at Connecting Math from SRA? This program really connects concepts and goes step by step and very systematically connects each concept together. My LD kids made great progress with this program. I have not used Cloud Nine but I do know that most schools will willingly purchase SRA direct instruction material.
Nan
Re: Trust the school or do it myself?
how could I get a hold of Lindamoods visualization strategies? My daughter is a visual/manipulative learner, and I am going to start with multiplication this summer now that she has mastered add/sub. Any ideas how or where to begin? Victoria, did you get a car yet?? lol
Re: Trust the school or do it myself?
Jan,
I am also one of those parents who is learning the material myself and also trying to get the school people trained. I am also a spec. ed. teacher, so I can use everything I learn with my students as well as my child. I have already gone to a PG workshop and I am hoping to view the LiPS and V/V tapes this summer.
I think our SLP will be going to Lindamood-Bell training this summer, and I took the LD teacher with me to PG training, so we’ll have a pretty well equipped school eventually!
The OCN kit materials can be sold separately. Why don’t you call the LB people and discuss your child’s particular weaknesses and see if you can eliminate parts of the kit you will not need. The manual is only $39 and maybe you can just mange with a few of the kit items. I’m sure you could make some of the things yourself. Or, buy the kit, use it awhile and then donate it to the school and get a tax deduction (if they have that in Canada).
Janis
Re: Trust the school or do it myself?
Thanks, I’ll see what bits of the pgm. I need; I’ll also check out Connecting Math as Nan suggests. Too bad we can only claim donations to registered charities here; I’m rapidly acquiring a basement full of stuff, not all of which I can use in teaching H.S. English!
I think you are between a rock and a hard place. First of all, wow, all that you have done already without the school. Aren’t you just plain fed up with the fact that the school is not doing what is appropriate for your son, you have to do it instead?
From what I have recently learned about Lindamood and Orton programs, they are only successful if done by a trained and EXPERIENCED facilitator. For you to just jump in and try it might put you right in the same boat you were in with the unexperienced, unqualified teachers.
My suggestion would be that since you were successful in the past with getting the school to purchase a different program, try it again. But this time make sure that they supply the QUALIFIED instructor as well. Let it be their problem to find the instructor. It is their job to educate your child appropriately so demand that they do it and do it the right way.
Make sure you state the facts of how and why the previous program failed. It is probably imperitive that you back up with research facts that these programs are ONLY successful WHEN done properly, not half (you know what). All of the back up is available online including where the school can call to find qualified instructors.
Someone in the parenting threads made a great statement: Smart people don’t have to know how to do EVERYTHING, they just need to know where to get the answers and help.
Best wishes, I would love to hear a success story!