Homeschooling in the Aftermath of Harvey

Posted on September 8, 2017January 7, 2019 by Peggy Ployhar

Texas is one of the top homeschooling states, with an estimated 175,040 homeschooled students. If your children are among this statistic, and Hurricane Harvey impacted your family, you will have to get creative with homeschooling this year. But, despite this very stressful situation, your love and innovative spirit, can ensure your family the continued benefits of homeschooling.

On the other hand, if your children attend a public or private school in affected areas, your family can temporally homeschool while schools remain closed. The state of Texas is giving evacuated students a reasonable period of time to decide where they want to enroll, without subjecting students to truancy laws. And Houston ISD won’t even open until September 11. Thus, during this time, your students can benefit from homeschooling as a continuous source of education.

As horrible as this disaster is, as a homeschool mom I have realized Harvey presents a lot of hands-on and life-experience learning. In this article, I will share ideas on how to teach science, language arts, and history using Harvey as a backdrop for your lessons.

Science

Ask Discovery Questions

Besides wind, what is the greatest source of damage associated with hurricanes?
Other than a hurricane, what are other ways flooding can occur?
What are other ways families can stock up on water for a hurricane, other than buying bottled water?

Do Experiments

Determining drinking water suitability by using the experiment at this link, which uses supplies you probably already have in and around your home.
Teach how hurricanes form, using this simple experiment at Weird Science Kids.

Discuss, Compare and Contrast

Discuss how hurricanes are categorized. Remind your children Harvey began as a tropical storm, then changed to a category 2 hurricane, increased to category 3, and finally reached category 4.
Use Google to access information on how hurricane categories are determined.
If your children are old enough to remember Hurricane Ike, you can bring that storm into the discussion and make contrasts and comparisons between the two storms.

Introduce Upper Level Science Concepts

Hurricane Harvey provides a great physics lesson. Newton’s Second Law and the Thermodynamics of Moist Air explain many features of hurricanes.

Simplified, here is the physics behind a hurricane: Huge amounts of wind rush towards a center, then move counterclockwise. If there’s a lot of wind, the storm can break up before it gets strong. But, if the column of air rising in the center can operate, then the storm will grow powerful. At high altitude, cool air is pumped outwards away from the storm’s center, so hotter, moist air is sucked towards the center at sea level. The moisture in this air condenses, which heats the air further, and accelerates the process. Eventually, the center becomes the eye of the hurricane.

Some top online sources to explore these concepts are Physics Central, Smithsonian Ocean Portal, and MIT.

Combining Language Arts and Science

Ask your child to write a paper on “How To Survive A Hurricane”, no research needed, they have firsthand knowledge.
Have older children pretend they are the mayor of Houston, Rockport, or whatever city you live in. Have them write a press release delivering safety tips and instructions to their citizens as the hurricane approaches.

Language Arts

Spelling

Create a hurricane related spelling list.
Examples of words you can use are: hurricane, typhoon, cyclone, rain, flood, evacuation, emergency, etc.

Vocabulary

Have your children define hurricane related words. You can use the spelling list above to get started, or create your own list based on your child’s cognitive abilities.

To get you started, here are Webster’s definitions for the first three words above:

hurricane – a tropical cyclone with winds of 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour or greater that occurs especially in the western Atlantic, that is usually accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning, and that sometimes moves into temperate latitudes
cyclone – a storm or system of winds that rotates about a center of low atmospheric pressure, advances at a speed of 20 to 30 miles (about 30 to 50 kilometers) an hour, and often brings heavy rain
typhoon – a hurricane occurring especially in the region of the Philippines or the China sea

Greek Mythology

KidzSearch tells the simplified version of the story of Typhon, a gigantic half-snake monster with 100 dragon heads. This scary beast, the youngest son of Tartarus (the underworld) and Gaea (Earth), fought Zeus because Zeus had imprisoned the Titans. The story goes, Zeus hurled his lightening bolt at Typhon and cast Typhon under Mount Etna.

History – Hurricane Names

Facts

Hurricanes are named in alphabetical order. The World Meteorological Organization names them by using different sets of names depending which part of the world the storm is in. In the U.S., only women’s names were used until 1979. After 1979, the list started to alternate with both men’s and women’s names.

Thinking Exercise

Ask your children to come up with a list of both girl and boy names from A to Z which they think would be good hurricane names.

Decision Making

Explain that if a hurricane does significant damage, its name is retired and replaced with a different name. You can access a list of retired names here to share with your kids. Ask your children if they think Harvey’s name will be retired? If so, what “H” name they think should take Harvey’s place?

These are just some ideas to help you continue your children’s education while also make the lessons meaningful to their life experiences with Hurricane Harvey.

Recovery Options for Moving Forward

School Supplies

If you lost school supplies due to flood damage, or because of evacuation, you can call the three-digit, 24-hour United Way referral and information helpline – 211. They will help connect you either with agencies giving out donated school supplies or local city government offices or churches they have been informed are helping Harvey victims in this manner.

Data Recovery

If you lost computer files due to water damage, DriveSavers is offering free data recovery services.

Internet Replacement for Lost Curriculum

A multitude of free homeschooling resources on the web can take the place of destroyed curriculum. Even if you have very little, you can still make meaningful lessons for your children that teach them about the world around them that they experience each day.

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Your contributions keep our ministry running!

Donate today on PayPal

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Stepping Stones to Super Social Success

Posted on September 6, 2017January 7, 2019 by Peggy Ployhar

By Sherry Martin

Many of our special-needs children have a difficult time with social skills and require precise and intentional instructions to succeed in this area. Many have a hard time recognizing social cues and can not respond appropriately to people and events. They need additional coaching.

In Cathi Cohen’s book, Raise Your Child’s Social IQ, she suggests setting goals for your child and keeping track of their progress by writing the goals down and personalizing them for your child is an important step. She emphasizes that you are your child’s social coach and you must keep this effort more like a playground, not a battlefield!

Stepping Stone Goals

Talk to your child about the importance of good social skills and give your assurance that the goals will be introduced one at a time. Introducing a new skill once a week might be a good pace. For example, here are stepping stones you might use in helping your child’s goal of learning positive play date behavior:

Discuss the expected behavior of your child. like sharing, joining in, not bossing the other child or any other issues your child might not have mastered in the past.
Rehearse the steps necessary to master a skill. For example, teach your child to say, “would you like to play with my doll?”
Model the skill for your child. Show your child exactly what to do.
Role play with your child the skill that you desire.
Give positive feedback and praise. Remember to praise effort, not necessarily outcome.

Other Possible Goals

Here is a list of other skills you might want to use as goals for your child:

Make eye contact with others
Develop active listening skills
Ask appropriate questions
Express interest in others
Learn to experience a comfortable give and take in conversation
Learn to maintain a conversation
Respect personal body space
Use a pleasant tone of voice

Remember, not everyone naturally knows how to connect and get along with others. I wish you many happy times sharing with your child. Your willingness and enthusiasm in helping your child learn the stepping stones needed for super social skills is an important part of their education.

Did you know SPED Homeschool is 100% donor funded?

Your contributions keep our ministry running!

Donate today on PayPal

(all donations are tax-deductible)

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Programmed for Success in Special Education Homeschooling

Posted on September 2, 2017April 23, 2020 by Peggy Ployhar

By Peggy Ployhar

Years ago, I pre-programmed a customized workout on my treadmill. The program I set was extreme. But, because of the way I modulated the settings and learned to keep my mind off the fluctuating program and instead on a book or movie, I can endure the workout, and burn more calories, than if I had just used one of the pre-set programs.

By varying the speeds and incline, to almost my breaking point, but then quickly having the program alternate the speed and incline to the opposite extreme, the program tricks my body into thinking it’s getting rest at each change. Additionally, with my mind focused elsewhere than the switch’s timing, the workout can be rather enjoyable as well as rewarding.

Circumstances, the Treadmill of Life

God tends to work the same way through my life circumstances. He pushes me hard enough to reach a peak, and then changes my circumstances to press on me at a different speed and towards a different obstacle. At the same time, He gives me a completely different focus to set my mind on, a promised eternal life with Him (the best story out there if you ask me).

Instead of starting and stopping the work-out when the fatigue is too great, God makes calculated changes to continue building my strength and endurance. This is how we as humans learn best and increase our endurance. The work-out of life is just that, a work-out. Our job is to stay on the treadmill no matter what the next change in the program brings and to focus on the reality of a beautiful life yet to come.

“…be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 15:58

Endurance is the Goal

As followers of Christ, we are called to endure, to be steadfast, to keep on walking and to not get discouraged. In doing what we are called, just putting one foot in front of the other and keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, we grow stronger and learn how to be more like Him while showing people around us God is greater than our circumstances.

In looking back, the things I felt were such tough obstacles now look like mole hills in comparison to what I am facing today. But, I am prepared, because God supplied the training I needed to tackle these mountains, through the workouts of my yesterdays.

The Special Education Homeschooling Workout

Some days the task of special education homeschooling seems like an unbearable workout. The program set for your treadmill of life is daunting to even think about. And, many days it takes all the energy you have to stay on your feet and keep walking.

We at SPED Homeschool understand your struggle. We have lived through those experiences and still are increasing our stamina and endurance with new struggles we experience on our own homeschooling journeys. This is why we are here for you, not because we have all the answers, but because we have learned some lessons we can share which hopefully will give you encouragement and resources to make your workout just a little bit easier.

Together We’ll Endure

Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or podcast channel, join in our live events or get connected with our SPED Strong Tribes.

We have new content coming out all the time to help you endure.

Together we can do this. God has set the program, now let us be obedient and show the world how His plan can work as we lean into Him for the strength we need and endure the workout ahead of our children and helping them achieve their own version of success!

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Looking Into the Face of Childhood Depression

Posted on September 1, 2017September 3, 2020 by Peggy Ployhar

Peggy Ployhar

“It’s like God is a bird and He laid an egg, and that is me, and a snake has come and swallowed me up.”

This was the response given by my 6-year-old son, when I’d asked him what it was like to be him. The words he uttered cut straight to my heart. Even almost two decades later, that moment is seared in my memory.

It was tough enough realizing my son was struggling with depression at such a young age. But, what made the road ahead seem even more bleak, was since I had been his age I’d silently battled the same enemy.

My Own Struggle with Childhood Depression

My way of coping with my depression growing up was to mask it, try to fit in, and deal internally with the guilt and shame of always wishing my life would end. Growing up, my family was strict in their religious practices, and although it was never verbalized perfection was idolized.

The fact I didn’t measure up was always before me. No matter how hard I tried, my social inadequacies because of my autistic tendencies, constant anxiety and sensory issues were glaring evidence. In the face of my academic success, I was far from achieving sainthood.

Climbing Out of the Pit

I carried this guilt, shame, and striving for perfection into my young adulthood and early parenting years. My thinking had been off center so long, I didn’t even realize I had begun healing 6 years prior to my son’s admission.

My climb, out of the pit of depression towards recovery, had begun when I had accepted Jesus Christ into my life, allowing Him to heal my broken past. But, 6 years into this climb, I had only ascended far enough into the light to reveal how deep I still was in the pit.

My view was far from encouraging. And then, without warning, I found my son in the pit at my side. Hopelessness overwhelmed me. I did not understand how I was going to get my own self out. And now, I was tasked with helping my son to make the climb with me.

Series Highlighting Childhood Depression

There many lessons God taught me and my children as we battled against this silent enemy called depression. Depression is a subject few Christians want to publicly address, especially childhood depression. But, even though we tend to not talk about depression in children, the statistics are more alarming every year.

.For these reasons, we have posted a series about childhood depression, regarding the warning LIGHTS to be aware of and the guiding LIGHTS which lead to healing, joy, and the defeat of darkness

Links to All the Blogs in this Series

Looking Into the Face of Childhood Depression

The “L” Factors of Childhood Depression

The “I” Factors of Childhood Depression
The “G” Factors of Childhood Depression
The “H” Factors of Childhood Depression
The “T” Factors of Childhood Depression
The “S” Factors of Childhood Depression