Speech/Physical/Occupational Therapies
aldq75
Hello All,
I'm curious if speech/physical/occupational therapies have been discussed on this list in the context of unschooling? I've tried searching the archives, but Yahoo's search function leaves a lot to be desired. I also poked around on Sandra's website and used Google, but wasn't very successful. If anyone has links/articles, please share.
Thank you,
Andrea Q
I'm curious if speech/physical/occupational therapies have been discussed on this list in the context of unschooling? I've tried searching the archives, but Yahoo's search function leaves a lot to be desired. I also poked around on Sandra's website and used Google, but wasn't very successful. If anyone has links/articles, please share.
Thank you,
Andrea Q
Robin Bentley
For speech therapy in particular, search "Speech." There's at least
one thread with that as a subject, including posts from Gail Higgins,
an unschooling mom and speech therapist. Starts February 28, 2010.
Sometimes such topics are included in questions about learning
disabilities or autism. Harder to wade through for specifics, but
there might be something there.
Robin B.
one thread with that as a subject, including posts from Gail Higgins,
an unschooling mom and speech therapist. Starts February 28, 2010.
Sometimes such topics are included in questions about learning
disabilities or autism. Harder to wade through for specifics, but
there might be something there.
Robin B.
On Jun 20, 2010, at 9:25 AM, aldq75 wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> I'm curious if speech/physical/occupational therapies have been
> discussed on this list in the context of unschooling? I've tried
> searching the archives, but Yahoo's search function leaves a lot to
> be desired. I also poked around on Sandra's website and used Google,
> but wasn't very successful. If anyone has links/articles, please
> share.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Andrea Q
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
plaidpanties666
Are you wondering if one of your kids needs help from someone outside the home? Looking for ways to support a child who's frustrated with a specific issue? Trying to find a therapist in your area who doesn't use reward systems? You may have better luck asking a specific question.
---Meredith
---Meredith
aldq75
Thank you very much, Robin! I'll keep looking, specifically for posts from Gail. I didn't want to start a new discussion if this topic has already been discussed at length.
My youngest girl is currently in a private speech therapy program. She enjoys it (and is excited to attend every week), but it feels very much like "school" to me. There's a significant amount of repetitive drill and we have "homework" worksheets.
Read. Think. Wait. :)
Andrea Q
My youngest girl is currently in a private speech therapy program. She enjoys it (and is excited to attend every week), but it feels very much like "school" to me. There's a significant amount of repetitive drill and we have "homework" worksheets.
Read. Think. Wait. :)
Andrea Q
--- In [email protected], Robin Bentley <robin.bentley@...> wrote:
>
> For speech therapy in particular, search "Speech." There's at least
> one thread with that as a subject, including posts from Gail Higgins,
> an unschooling mom and speech therapist. Starts February 28, 2010.
>
> Sometimes such topics are included in questions about learning
> disabilities or autism. Harder to wade through for specifics, but
> there might be something there.
>
> Robin B.
>
> On Jun 20, 2010, at 9:25 AM, aldq75 wrote:
>
> > Hello All,
> >
> > I'm curious if speech/physical/occupational therapies have been
> > discussed on this list in the context of unschooling? I've tried
> > searching the archives, but Yahoo's search function leaves a lot to
> > be desired. I also poked around on Sandra's website and used Google,
> > but wasn't very successful. If anyone has links/articles, please
> > share.
> >
> > Thank you,
> >
> > Andrea Q
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
>
Sandra Dodd
-=-
My youngest girl is currently in a private speech therapy program. She
enjoys it (and is excited to attend every week), but it feels very
much like "school" to me. There's a significant amount of repetitive
drill and we have "homework" worksheets.-=-
If she's very young, and it's something she will figure out on her
own, then maybe just decide by whether she's having enough fun to
justify the expense and time. Maybe she is! But unless she has a
physical problem and really needs therapy, it might be something that
could make her feel something is wrong with her, and that learning
requires professional intervention.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
My youngest girl is currently in a private speech therapy program. She
enjoys it (and is excited to attend every week), but it feels very
much like "school" to me. There's a significant amount of repetitive
drill and we have "homework" worksheets.-=-
If she's very young, and it's something she will figure out on her
own, then maybe just decide by whether she's having enough fun to
justify the expense and time. Maybe she is! But unless she has a
physical problem and really needs therapy, it might be something that
could make her feel something is wrong with her, and that learning
requires professional intervention.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Jenny Cyphers
***I'm curious if speech/physical/occupational therapies have been discussed on this list in the context of unschooling?***
It has been talked about. In general, I think it really depends on how old the child is and what the issue is. The risk is that the kid ends up feeling like something is wrong with them, when often, speech issues resolve themselves with time. There are things that a therapist could help with, what immediately comes to mind is cleft palette or other abnormality that has been surgically fixed. If it's a 5 yr old that can't pronounce certain letters, or is having a hard time enunciating, there are better ways to help than speech therapy.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
It has been talked about. In general, I think it really depends on how old the child is and what the issue is. The risk is that the kid ends up feeling like something is wrong with them, when often, speech issues resolve themselves with time. There are things that a therapist could help with, what immediately comes to mind is cleft palette or other abnormality that has been surgically fixed. If it's a 5 yr old that can't pronounce certain letters, or is having a hard time enunciating, there are better ways to help than speech therapy.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
aldq75
Thank you, Jenny and Sandra, for your responses.
From what I read in the archives, it does seem that there are instances where different therapies can mesh with unschooling and have positive results, but there are also instances where they can do more harm than good. Ultimately, it comes down to knowing and trusting your child.
Andrea Q
From what I read in the archives, it does seem that there are instances where different therapies can mesh with unschooling and have positive results, but there are also instances where they can do more harm than good. Ultimately, it comes down to knowing and trusting your child.
Andrea Q
--- In [email protected], Jenny Cyphers <jenstarc4@...> wrote:
>
> ***I'm curious if speech/physical/occupational therapies have been discussed on this list in the context of unschooling?***
>
> It has been talked about. In general, I think it really depends on how old the child is and what the issue is. The risk is that the kid ends up feeling like something is wrong with them, when often, speech issues resolve themselves with time. There are things that a therapist could help with, what immediately comes to mind is cleft palette or other abnormality that has been surgically fixed. If it's a 5 yr old that can't pronounce certain letters, or is having a hard time enunciating, there are better ways to help than speech therapy.
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
Sandra Dodd
-=-From what I read in the archives, it does seem that there are
instances where different therapies can mesh with unschooling and have
positive results, but there are also instances where they can do more
harm than good. Ultimately, it comes down to knowing and trusting your
child.-=-
Depends when "ultimately" would be and what "it" is. :-)
I don't want to leave that there in seeming agreement.
"Ultimately, it comes down to knowing and trusting your child" is the
sort of phrase that sounds good but can be used to soothe over a
myriad of sins.
If therapy is to be defended, then yeah, sure.
If unschooling is to be defended and the child doesn't know there are
alternatives to speech therapy, then knowing and trusting a child
isn't a step toward unschooling. If a parent reads here something
that sounds like "six of one and half a dozen of the other," and so
puts a child in early speech therapy, that's not good for unschooling.
No examples were given of physical therapy, or of occupational
therapy. If someone's quadraplegic, I think occupational therapy
would be a damned good deal!!
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
instances where different therapies can mesh with unschooling and have
positive results, but there are also instances where they can do more
harm than good. Ultimately, it comes down to knowing and trusting your
child.-=-
Depends when "ultimately" would be and what "it" is. :-)
I don't want to leave that there in seeming agreement.
"Ultimately, it comes down to knowing and trusting your child" is the
sort of phrase that sounds good but can be used to soothe over a
myriad of sins.
If therapy is to be defended, then yeah, sure.
If unschooling is to be defended and the child doesn't know there are
alternatives to speech therapy, then knowing and trusting a child
isn't a step toward unschooling. If a parent reads here something
that sounds like "six of one and half a dozen of the other," and so
puts a child in early speech therapy, that's not good for unschooling.
No examples were given of physical therapy, or of occupational
therapy. If someone's quadraplegic, I think occupational therapy
would be a damned good deal!!
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
aldq75
>>>>Depends when "ultimately" would be and what "it" is. :-) <<<<"It" = the decision whether or not to use therapy. Your child's specific situation will influence the decision.
>>>>If a parent reads here something that sounds like "six of one and half a dozen of the other,"<<<<I read over a dozen posts related to speech therapy and that is exactly my take on what has been posted on this list to date: sometimes therapy is a good idea, sometimes it isn't. The timing is important, too. I guess I was hoping to find a page on your website, Sandra, discussing it.
I totally agree that physical and occupational therapies are good things for children/people with disabilities. I would think that it totally depends on the therapist's approach, though.
Thanks again for the responses.
Andrea Q
--- In [email protected], Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...> wrote:
>
> -=-From what I read in the archives, it does seem that there are
> instances where different therapies can mesh with unschooling and have
> positive results, but there are also instances where they can do more
> harm than good. Ultimately, it comes down to knowing and trusting your
> child.-=-
>
> Depends when "ultimately" would be and what "it" is. :-)
>
> I don't want to leave that there in seeming agreement.
>
> "Ultimately, it comes down to knowing and trusting your child" is the
> sort of phrase that sounds good but can be used to soothe over a
> myriad of sins.
>
> If therapy is to be defended, then yeah, sure.
> If unschooling is to be defended and the child doesn't know there are
> alternatives to speech therapy, then knowing and trusting a child
> isn't a step toward unschooling. If a parent reads here something
> that sounds like "six of one and half a dozen of the other," and so
> puts a child in early speech therapy, that's not good for unschooling.
>
> No examples were given of physical therapy, or of occupational
> therapy. If someone's quadraplegic, I think occupational therapy
> would be a damned good deal!!
>
> Sandra
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
Jenny Cyphers
***I guess I was hoping to find a page on your website, Sandra, discussing it.***
I'm not Sandra, nor would I tell her what to put on her website, but if it were me, I wouldn't put it up there. It's not unschooling. It's therapy. Speech therapy is one of those new school "fix the child" issues. It's not that speech therapy can't help kids that need it or that there isn't a useful place for it the world.
It's kind of like unschooling an autistic child. It works the same way whether your child is autistic or not. The details will be different, but the basic ideas will be the same.
If your child really needs speech therapy and your child really likes it, then it seems like a good idea to do it if you have the resources. If your child has been diagnosed at the age of 5 by a kindergarten teacher that can't understand him or her, speech therapy might not really be necessary. If you have a child that really needs speech therapy and they really dislike it, then people here could probably help search out alternatives. Those alternatives may be in the archives. I've read at least one speech therapy thread a year for about 10 yrs now (0n average, that's about how often it comes up).
When Chamille was 4, she's 16 now, speech therapy was starting to be really big in schools as a special needs program that involved some sort of expert to help kids.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I'm not Sandra, nor would I tell her what to put on her website, but if it were me, I wouldn't put it up there. It's not unschooling. It's therapy. Speech therapy is one of those new school "fix the child" issues. It's not that speech therapy can't help kids that need it or that there isn't a useful place for it the world.
It's kind of like unschooling an autistic child. It works the same way whether your child is autistic or not. The details will be different, but the basic ideas will be the same.
If your child really needs speech therapy and your child really likes it, then it seems like a good idea to do it if you have the resources. If your child has been diagnosed at the age of 5 by a kindergarten teacher that can't understand him or her, speech therapy might not really be necessary. If you have a child that really needs speech therapy and they really dislike it, then people here could probably help search out alternatives. Those alternatives may be in the archives. I've read at least one speech therapy thread a year for about 10 yrs now (0n average, that's about how often it comes up).
When Chamille was 4, she's 16 now, speech therapy was starting to be really big in schools as a special needs program that involved some sort of expert to help kids.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
aldq75
I see your point, Jenny. I wasn't trying to imply what should be on Sandra's site and I'm sorry if it came across that way.
--- In [email protected], Jenny Cyphers <jenstarc4@...> wrote:
>
> ***I guess I was hoping to find a page on your website, Sandra, discussing it.***
>
> I'm not Sandra, nor would I tell her what to put on her website, but if it were me, I wouldn't put it up there. It's not unschooling. It's therapy. Speech therapy is one of those new school "fix the child" issues. It's not that speech therapy can't help kids that need it or that there isn't a useful place for it the world.
>
> It's kind of like unschooling an autistic child. It works the same way whether your child is autistic or not. The details will be different, but the basic ideas will be the same.
>
> If your child really needs speech therapy and your child really likes it, then it seems like a good idea to do it if you have the resources. If your child has been diagnosed at the age of 5 by a kindergarten teacher that can't understand him or her, speech therapy might not really be necessary. If you have a child that really needs speech therapy and they really dislike it, then people here could probably help search out alternatives. Those alternatives may be in the archives. I've read at least one speech therapy thread a year for about 10 yrs now (0n average, that's about how often it comes up).
>
> When Chamille was 4, she's 16 now, speech therapy was starting to be really big in schools as a special needs program that involved some sort of expert to help kids.
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
Sandra Dodd
-=-I see your point, Jenny. I wasn't trying to imply what should be on
Sandra's site and I'm sorry if it came across that way. -=-
Hey, I understood. I pretty much seem to have a page on
everything. :-)
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra's site and I'm sorry if it came across that way. -=-
Hey, I understood. I pretty much seem to have a page on
everything. :-)
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
alexandriapalonia
It's so nice to have just one site to go to that answers all the questions.
Andrea
Andrea
--- In [email protected], Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...> wrote:
>
> -=-I see your point, Jenny. I wasn't trying to imply what should be on
> Sandra's site and I'm sorry if it came across that way. -=-
>
> Hey, I understood. I pretty much seem to have a page on
> everything. :-)
>
> Sandra
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
Jenny Cyphers
***I see your point, Jenny. I wasn't trying to imply what should be on Sandra's site and I'm sorry if it came across that way.***
That actually wasn't my point. My point was more that *I* wouldn't want to see it on Sandra's site and I gave my reasons... Sandra, is of course free to do what she wants with her site. Helping kids get along with more traditional therapies and other things might be an interesting thing to put up there on her site and if she did do that, I'm sure she'd find the best of the best of all that has been written about such things to put in there.
All the things written about speech therapy in previous threads tends to piggy back on special needs
there's this page already there... http://sandradodd.com/specialunschooling
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
That actually wasn't my point. My point was more that *I* wouldn't want to see it on Sandra's site and I gave my reasons... Sandra, is of course free to do what she wants with her site. Helping kids get along with more traditional therapies and other things might be an interesting thing to put up there on her site and if she did do that, I'm sure she'd find the best of the best of all that has been written about such things to put in there.
All the things written about speech therapy in previous threads tends to piggy back on special needs
there's this page already there... http://sandradodd.com/specialunschooling
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Heather
My son has what is diagnosed as a mild to moderate stutter. When he was
younger, maybe age 7/8, his dad wanted him to be in speech therapy,
which we did through the school district we lived in, and then at the
clinic at the college near us, with grad students. Neither made a huge
difference, and he hated it. He quit at around age 13/14 when we gave
him that choice, when my husband had become comfortable with allowing
that choice.
This year he has chosen to go back- he is 17. He felt the speech issue
was getting in his way, preventing him from meeting new people and doing
what he wants to do- which is playing in bands which involves a lot of
communication. He has said that part of it is as important as being able
to play an instrument. Now he feels he is getting something from it -
and is engaged in the therapy. All the reports from the therapist
emphasis how motivated he is. The therapy involves a lot of practice in
varied situations- and his confidence is increasing. He still has
"disfluencies" as they call them, but he is confident that this will not
prevent him from being understood when he wants to communicate. His
wanting to do it has made the therapy useful to him.
I get a newsletter from the Stuttering Foundation - and read things in
there often that getting kids into therapy early is the only solution.
So I wonder - if only we had gotten him to therapy much earlier- we
could have prevented the issue all together. I guess we will never know.
What it important is that my son is a confident person who is pursuing
his dreams and seems to have as many friends as he wants to have.
Heather
younger, maybe age 7/8, his dad wanted him to be in speech therapy,
which we did through the school district we lived in, and then at the
clinic at the college near us, with grad students. Neither made a huge
difference, and he hated it. He quit at around age 13/14 when we gave
him that choice, when my husband had become comfortable with allowing
that choice.
This year he has chosen to go back- he is 17. He felt the speech issue
was getting in his way, preventing him from meeting new people and doing
what he wants to do- which is playing in bands which involves a lot of
communication. He has said that part of it is as important as being able
to play an instrument. Now he feels he is getting something from it -
and is engaged in the therapy. All the reports from the therapist
emphasis how motivated he is. The therapy involves a lot of practice in
varied situations- and his confidence is increasing. He still has
"disfluencies" as they call them, but he is confident that this will not
prevent him from being understood when he wants to communicate. His
wanting to do it has made the therapy useful to him.
I get a newsletter from the Stuttering Foundation - and read things in
there often that getting kids into therapy early is the only solution.
So I wonder - if only we had gotten him to therapy much earlier- we
could have prevented the issue all together. I guess we will never know.
What it important is that my son is a confident person who is pursuing
his dreams and seems to have as many friends as he wants to have.
Heather
Pam Sorooshian
On 6/21/2010 8:43 PM, alexandriapalonia wrote:
across as odd for an unschooler. Sandra's site is awesome, but it isn't
the only great site. So is Joyce's site, for example,
"www.joyfullyrejoycing.com" and it is structured differently and might
appeal more to some people.
-pam
> It's so nice to have just one site to go to that answers all theI'm not sure what the thinking was behind that sentence but it comes
> questions.
across as odd for an unschooler. Sandra's site is awesome, but it isn't
the only great site. So is Joyce's site, for example,
"www.joyfullyrejoycing.com" and it is structured differently and might
appeal more to some people.
-pam
plaidpanties666
Pam Sorooshian <pamsoroosh@...> wrote:
http://enjoylifeunschooling.com/
> Sandra's site is awesome, but it isn'tThere's also a newer site, structured differently than either, with an article about unschooling with "atypical" kids:
> the only great site. So is Joyce's site, for example,
> "www.joyfullyrejoycing.com" and it is structured differently and might
> appeal more to some people.
http://enjoylifeunschooling.com/
Sandra Dodd
-=-> It's so nice to have just one site to go to that answers all the
I'm not sure what the thinking was behind that sentence but it comes
across as odd for an unschooler. Sandra's site is awesome, -=-
Hey, hey Pam, you could have stopped right there.
:-)
My site leads to Joyce's from LOTs of pages. Lots of other sites too.
I don't feel bad about people coming to my site for lots of answers
because I haven't built one of those sites that traps people like a
wasp bottle.
Also, there's a cool multi-site unschooling search tool I made that's
here:
http://unschoolinginfo.com
and
http://unschooling.blogspot.com/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> questions.-=-
I'm not sure what the thinking was behind that sentence but it comes
across as odd for an unschooler. Sandra's site is awesome, -=-
Hey, hey Pam, you could have stopped right there.
:-)
My site leads to Joyce's from LOTs of pages. Lots of other sites too.
I don't feel bad about people coming to my site for lots of answers
because I haven't built one of those sites that traps people like a
wasp bottle.
Also, there's a cool multi-site unschooling search tool I made that's
here:
http://unschoolinginfo.com
and
http://unschooling.blogspot.com/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
k
The Unschooling Info link is here: http://www.unschooling.info/
instead of here: http://unschoolinginfo.com
~Katherine
instead of here: http://unschoolinginfo.com
~Katherine
On 6/22/10, Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...> wrote:
> -=-> It's so nice to have just one site to go to that answers all the
> > questions.
> -=-
> I'm not sure what the thinking was behind that sentence but it comes
> across as odd for an unschooler. Sandra's site is awesome, -=-
>
> Hey, hey Pam, you could have stopped right there.
> :-)
>
>
> My site leads to Joyce's from LOTs of pages. Lots of other sites too.
> I don't feel bad about people coming to my site for lots of answers
> because I haven't built one of those sites that traps people like a
> wasp bottle.
>
> Also, there's a cool multi-site unschooling search tool I made that's
> here:
> http://unschoolinginfo.com
> and
> http://unschooling.blogspot.com/
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
Sandra Dodd
-=-The Unschooling Info link is here: http://www.unschooling.info/
instead of here: http://unschoolinginfo . com-=-
Oh right! Thank you. :-)
http://unschooling.info
Five-site search box of the wonders of unschooling.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
instead of here: http://unschoolinginfo . com-=-
Oh right! Thank you. :-)
http://unschooling.info
Five-site search box of the wonders of unschooling.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
RobynC
> Are you wondering if one of your kids needs help from someone outside the home? Looking for ways to support a child who's frustrated with a specific issue? Trying to find a therapist in your area who doesn't use reward systems? You may have better luck asking a specific question. >>>>Was this series of questions ever answered?
I'm reading this online and the topic doesn't appear to branch off, but maybe it does.
Why are you considering speech therapy?
That's the crucial question.
Robyn L. Coburn
www.robyncoburn.blogspot.com
www.iggyjingles.blogspot.com
www.allthingsdoll.blogspot.com