The Joys of Challenges!

I started this blog to write about homeschooling and Cystic Fibrosis challenges. Little did I realize that CF creates its own set of homeschooling challenges. Handsome is becoming a student with a desire to learn. But, like most of us, does not find every topic appealing nor easily learned. My brain used to be challenged by Science and Math. Handsome's bent is science and math. Mine, obviously, is reading and writing and the creative endeavors. Not to imply that he isn't creative, for he is very much so. Just not in the same genres as I am.

He has struggled to learn to read. I didn't pick up on the struggle as early as I should have because it did not manifest in kindergarten curriculum. Learning the letters and sounds, etc. and small words did not reveal any learning difficulties. However, first grade is another story... I blamed myself for being a poor teacher.

As I accessed the CF info online, I discovered that due to meds and treatment schedules, etc, learning difficulties of one nature or another is very very common in CF kids. Then I realized that I, myself, have difficulty focusing when I am on the totality of meds for extreme allergies. On those days, I feel drained as having to force myself to focus on one task at time takes its toll. Some of my meds are also steroid based...and no fun. I imagine that Handsome has to begin each day with these types of meds, that it is difficult to focus. He must put forth much effort just to stay focused, and it is not his fault. I cannot make this become an excuse, but I certainly can understand the struggle.

There is more to this picture, though, than just the CF. Handsome is creative in his own way...much like some famous inventors and scientist were. For example, in the middle of reading...learning about, say, rules for vowels, etc. Handsome will be triggered by a given word, to lapse into questions regarding science experiments (what would happen if...? AND maybe we could build a ...OR wouldn't it be cool if we exploded some soda in the volcano?...) OR physics...(Do you think if we balanced all those bricks on one end of that board, and put some bags of sand on the other end, that...???) or off into a world of designing garages on the side of his worksheets, etc.

I read where Woodrow Wilson did not master the alphabet until he was nine and was not considered a "reader" until the age of eleven. His parents focused instead on teaching him what he was interested in...politics and ethics.

Einstein, Edison, and Newton all did not fit into the average schooling situations and required homeschooling. Newton could not relate to the math taught in his day...I wonder why? His brain was wired to discover something no one else could master before him. Edison was labeled "addled" (the word of his day for "mentally challenged") and his mother told he could not learn. Guess he fooled them!

I'm not saying that Handsome is a budding genius. And I am not saying that we don't have legitimate struggles to contend with. My sis has helped by sending curruiculum from the California Public schools system from which she retired as a Masters Degreed Special Ed teacher and resource specialist. Now when I get the time to retrain myself...

I am saying that in spite of the challenges, in spite of the meds and the allergies and the distractions and labels...we shall overcome! Handsome will be reading well one day soon...and then a lot more school will seem easier. My sis did say another encouraging thing...that first grade is the hardest because you know basically nothing except the alphabet and numbers. Much of what is learned later is developed in first grade.
And then I wonder---I showed Handsome the first grade reader I learned to read from. Dick, Jane and Baby Sally. See Spot run. Run, Spot, run! He laughed. I told him how lucky he is to have books on monster cars, sports, and animals to learn from. And then I realized how "lame" those Dick, Jane, and Sally books look compared to today's curruiculum. And my generation has a better rating of success than many college grads of this current world. Are we pushing too hard? Are we trying to rush our kids into reading and learning when they would still rather play? I and most of my peers can read WELL. We can use a computer and actually WRITE stories and reports without all kinds of abbreviations...and yes we can also SPELL! And to think, we learned it all from Dick, Jane and Sally!