Special Needs

Meet our Mentor of the Month | Amanda

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

Hi! My name is Amanda, and I am Mentor of the Month for October. It is fitting that I get October since “Spooky Season” is my family’s favorite time of year!

My husband Christopher, our son Jacob, and I live with our two cats and three dogs in my hometown in beautiful NW Montana. 

We are a neurodivergent and chronic illness family. Christopher has ADHD & Cystic Fibrosis. Jacob, who will be 14 this Winter, has ADHD and Dysgraphia. I have ADHD, Dyscalculia & an autoimmune disease that leaves me with chronic pain and fatigue.

Before we adopted Jacob, I had thought I would prefer to Unschool but my husband wasn’t 100% on board. Especially since he (and I to a certain extent) are products of the public school system. Then, when Jacob was school age, Christopher’s health took a sharp decline and the decision was made for us. We spent months on end living in the hospital (often in cities hundreds of miles away from our home) and I became my husband’s full time caregiver basically overnight. Unschooling fit our needs perfectly at the time and “schooling” happened naturally through life and play just as it had when Jacob was little. Leaving me able to focus on both of my guy’s needs.

But when Jacob was about 8 years old, Christopher started the process of being listed for a double lung transplant and was dealing with a hole in his heart and uncontrolled Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes, leaving him hospitalized more than he was home. That’s when we noticed that the constant uncertainty that comes along with a dying parent and never knowing where you might be from one day to the next had taken its toll on Jacob’s mental health. It quickly became evident that he needed some structure, routine, and normalcy somewhere in his life. The only solution I could come up with was that we needed to add a curriculum.

The problem was that I don’t believe in boxed curriculum. I had already seen with Jacob what I knew in my heart to be true since I was a child myself, and that is that we devour and retain what we are interested in. And that’s when a simple Google search, “is there an Unschooling curriculum”, led me to Fun-Schooling!

Our transition wasn’t as smooth as I wish it had been. We started with one Core Journal, Monkey Doodle because it was on sale on Amazon. Jacob could read well above grade level but writing was a huge struggle. I was overwhelmed with my husband’s failing health and while Jacob desired to be able to use the journal we purchased, I just couldn’t figure out how to make it work if he couldn’t write and didn’t like to draw or color. Thankfully, the mothers and Mentors in the Fun-Schooling with The Thinking Tree Facebook group came to the rescue and recommended having him tested for Dysgraphia and suggested I scribe for him and utilize technology such as speak-to-text to get him started, they also suggested using stickers, magazines and pictures for the art pages. And most importantly they suggested we add Dyslexia Games.

We took all of their suggestions to heart and it made all the difference. That first journal saved Jacob in the beginning when we were all on the verge of breaking and now we can’t imagine any other way except Fun-Schooling. Dyslexia Games gave him the ability to write. He is never going to hand write a book and will likely never have beautiful handwriting, but he can hand write a handful of paragraphs at one time when he needs to. He uses the Internet, podcasts, videos, audiobooks, and digital books as resources more than physical ones because we always have a mobile device with us. And the journals guide him and give him structure while still letting him be a Delight Directed Learner, and somewhere along the way he started enjoying drawing and coloring some too.

In November of 2019, Christopher received the life changing drug, Trikafta, and our lives completely changed again. He has almost 50% lung function (which is amazing since he was down to 20% before) and we haven’t spent even one night in the hospital since. He still gets depressed that he is unable to work, and has to be extra careful around people and germs, but he is so so grateful to be alive! Jacob is thriving thanks to Fun-Schooling and therapy. And I’m happy because I’m back to being a wife and provider for my family.

Jacob is old enough to work mostly independently now. He gets most of his “book work” done while I’m at work. In the evenings that he doesn’t have an extracurricular activity happening we look over his discoveries together, or we turn on a podcast and do chores or pull out our favorite journals and take notes. At night when I’m winding down or on my days off I take the time to do some Mom-School. I’m currently working on Brain Games: Morning Light, Animal Lovers Journal, & the All About Dogs Journal. And of course I purposefully practice self care and have a creative outlet. Because the one thing I have learned above all others over these past few years is that everyone suffers when I drain my cup completely dry.

My favorite part, our favorite part, of Fun-Schooling we have been able to utilize it to fit our families needs every step along the way! From the scariest moments of our lives to the thriving ones Fun-Schooling has been there. 

Top Journals for Dyslexic Homeschoolers

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / 1 Comment

Selecting materials for homeschooling a child with Dyslexia doesn’t have to be hard. We have over 300 journals written with a Dyslexia-friendly font. Your student can study all the required subjects and anything else they’re interested in.

While all of our journals are Dyslexia-friendly, we’ve found a few that are especially popular for Dyslexic kids- and adults.

Dyslexia Games

This is our most popular option for Dyslexia. It’s even used in schools and therapy centers. Not only does it help with symptoms of Dyslexia, it also helps with math, spelling, handwriting, logic, creative thinking skills, and more. Students may sometimes need to repeat a series, this is ok!

We offer three series-

Dyslexia Games Series A

Designed for use by new and struggling readers. Ages 5-8 is the most common age this series is used.
Is Series A for my child?
Can your child consistently read three letter words?  If not, Series A is the place to start, otherwise go for Series B to start.

Dyslexia Games Series B

For students who have foundational reading skills and struggle with grade-level reading/writing/spelling.

Is Series B for my child?

Can your child consistently read three letter words?  If so, Series B is where to start, otherwise, begin with Series A.
*After completing Series B, the student should no longer have reading confusion and will be ready for any normal curriculum or Series C.
*Students over 9 years old with serious spelling problems, should complete both Series B & C, but will not need Series A.

Dyslexia Games Series C

Students, and adults, who have problems with spelling, reading, writing, or math.

Is Series C best for my child?

Most dyslexic students over twelve years old can start with Series C and do not need to use Series A or B first. Some profoundly dyslexic 12+ year olds, may need to start at series C.

Dyslexia-Friendly Homeschool Curriculum Bundles

We have worked hard to carefully cultivate nine different curriculum bundles for homeschooled Dyslexic students. These contain everything your student needs for an entire year, including Dyslexia Games and suggested lesson plans.

While these each have a suggested grade, students can go up or down a couple of grades with no problems. If they see a bundle that delights their interest more and it’s not their “grade,” that’s fine. Make sure they’re getting the correct level of Dyslexia Games.

All of the journals in these bundles are also available individually via Amazon and most are available a PDFs on our website.

Peek Inside These Journals-

Check out our peek-inside video of a few of these journals from our private Facebook group.

Make sure to check out part 1-Homeschooling A Child With Dyslexia- Tips to Keep it Fun

COUPON CODES

Buy One Get one FREE Dyslexia Games
until October 12th with code
B1G1MC&DG2023
OR 25% off with code DyslexiaMonth2023 until October 31st
at https://www.funschooling.com/dyslexia-games

Buy One Get one FREE on all PDFs
until October 12th with code
B1G1funschoolingPDFs
at https://www.funschooling.com/bookstore-all-pdfs

More About Fun-Schooling With Dyslexia

Disclaimer- The content of this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition or disease. Please seek advice from your healthcare provider for your personal health concerns prior to making any changes for yourself or your child.

About the Author- Amanda Osenga is a Fun-Schooling mom in Columbus Ohio. She is also the social media manager and Virtual Assistant for Thinking Tree. Her family combines Thinking Tree books with the Charlotte Mason method using books from Ambleside Online and Wildwood Curriculum. In her free time, Amanda is an avid reader and loves to be outdoors.

Homeschooling a Child with Dyslexia | Tips to Keep it Fun

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / 1 Comment

Homeschooling has grown by leaps and bounds the last few years. In fact, some areas have seen an increase of more than 400% since 2019. Students with learning challenges, disabilities, and special needs make up a significant portion of this growth. Families realizing during the pandemic how much better their kids did at home, and decided to keep them there. Homeschooling a child with Dyslexia is by far the top learning disability we help families with. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources available to help Dyslexic students.

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning disability impacting the ability to read. Students struggle to process letters and the sounds associated with letters. The most well-known manifestation is the inability to distinguish the difference between d/p/b/q. Children with Dyslexia may also describe letters on the page as “wiggly” or “moving.” Struggles with spelling, rhyming, letter names, phonics, and letter position are also common.

It is estimated 10-20% of people have Dyslexia. Other learning disabilities or challenges such as ADD/AHD are often present as well. Genetics also plays a part as it seems to run strongly in families. Proper diagnosis and identification has been increasing in the last decade. Most children are diagnosed between 2nd-3rd grade unless they are profoundly dyslexic.

Adaptations and tips for Homeschooling a Child With Dyslexia

While it cannot be “cured,” homeschooling a child with Dyslexia gives you a unique opportunity to teach your child how to learn in spite of their challenges. In many cases, students no longer have symptoms of Dyslexia after they have homeschooled for a while- especially when they complete Dyslexia Games.

Dyslexia Games is always our recommended “first stop.” This is the Dyslexia therapy program that started our company! You can read more about the creation of Dyslexia Games here. We have had thousands of students and adults complete this program and either reduce or eliminate their symptoms. The Dyslexic brain is strongly right-brained. When we can tap into that art-based mind, students are able to learn more efficiently. You’ll find art incorporated in everything we make because it has so many benefits for all kids!

Provide plenty of breaks, processing time, and rest. Your student has to work extra hard to process the words on the page in front of them. This can lead to fatigue and overwhelm. Families have found it to be helpful to give students a break in between reading/writing tasks and to vary activities.

Audiobooks can be a lifesaver- both for Mom and kids. They can serve a couple purposes. One, to help your child take in information without needing to look at words on a page. Two, to give your student a chance to listen while they follow along in a book. Families homeschooling a child with Dyslexia usually utilize audiobooks for both purposes depending on age, severity of dyslexia, and season of life. Librivox is a popular option for free audiobooks, as well as your local library.

Utilize a “cut out.” This involves taking a piece of paper- heavier cardstock works best- and cutting a “window” in it. Providing this “window” helps reduce the amount of visual stimulation on the page. Start out with a smaller window. They will move this along as they read/complete their work. You can gradually increase the size of the window over time until they no longer need it.

View it as a gift! Can it be frustrating? Yes. And your child sees the world unlike other children- this is a gift. Most dyslexic children are extremely creative, artistic, and passionate. If you help them to view it as a gift rather than a hindrance, you’ll open up the world for them.

Building a Learning Plan/ Curriculum for Dyslexia

If your student was in public or private school for a while, you may want to start with a period of de-schooling. Children with learning disabilities and special needs often have trauma and/or bad experiences in school. The de-schooling period allows them to reset their nervous systems a bit and recognize things will be different.

We suggest letting Dyslexic students do a deep dive into their interests while completing Dyslexia Games. As mentioned above, these are extremely creative kids with big ideas. If they are allowed to study their interests, they’ll blow you away! Plus, they’re more motivated to learn when they are studying something they’re interested in. You can use one of our core journals to cover all the required academic subjects while diving into their interests.

It’s often best to start out slow and build from there. Some Dyslexic students thrive with variety in their materials, while others shut down. Start out with one or two journals and 4-6 books to use alongside them. At least one of the books could be an audiobook they just get to listen to. Another book could be an audiobook they follow-along with. Only add more as your child expresses interest/desire for more.

Make good use of Dyslexia-Friendly fonts in your homeschool materials. All of our journals use the Dyslexie font for easier reading. You can also find books and e-readers with this, or a similar font, available.

Don’t forget to stagger activities throughout your homeschool day. For example, squeeze in a 5-minute movement break in between language arts and history. Many families like to start with Dyslexia Games and then listen to an audiobook. Try to avoid having reading or writing tasks back-to-back, let them color a picture or do math or science in between.

Homeschooling a child with Dyslexia will open your child up to a whole new world. There is lots of support out there for you and your child. Check out our private Facebook group, Homeschooling Kids with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and ADHD to connect with other families and get more tips.

Wondering about the top journals for kids with Dyslexia? Check out this post to find out
& learn more about Dyslexia Games

COUPON CODE

Buy One Get one FREE Dyslexia Games
until October 12th with code
B1G1MC&DG2023
OR 25% off with code DyslexiaMonth2023 until October 31st
at https://www.funschooling.com/dyslexia-games

Learn more about Homeschooling a child with Dyslexia

Dyslexia Games FAQs
The Gift of Dyslexia
Dyslexia Games- The “Brass Tacks”

Remember– This series is based on the average child with this learning challenge. We recognize most of these have a huge range of expression. This is intended to be a supportive overview.  The bell curve is extremely important to remember throughout this series. Some children will fall outside of this average. We’ve chosen to homeschool for a reason- so we can customize our children’s education to their unique academic level and needs This is especially important for children with special needs, medical concerns, and learning disabilities.

Disclaimer- The content of this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition or disease. Please seek advice from your healthcare provider for your personal health concerns prior to making any changes for yourself or your child.

About the Author- Amanda Osenga is a Fun-Schooling mom in Columbus, Ohio. She is also the social media manager and Virtual Assistant for Thinking Tree. Her family combines Thinking Tree books with the Charlotte Mason method using books from Ambleside Online and Wildwood Curriculum. In her free time, Amanda is an avid reader and loves to be outdoors.

Rodrigo Gains the Childhood He Was Missing Thanks to Dyslexia Games

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

Case Study by Heather Vaught

Name(s): Ten-year-old Rodrigo Astor – parents, Yessenia and Andy, and sister, Ciara

Location: Dundee, FL

Challenge(s): Rodrigo struggled in school due to dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, ADHD, and unspecified anxiety disorder.

How they discovered Thinking Tree Books: Yessenia searched “dyslexia curriculum” online.

Favorite Thinking Tree workbooks: Dyslexia Games, Series A, Book 2 (where Rodrigo experienced his first big breakthrough) and Book 6 (where Rodrigo is becoming a more independent reader).

“I’m really happy,” Rodrigo says. “I think Fun-Schooling is fun. One day we met Sarah Janisse Brown at a Barnes and Noble. She was so nice to me. She saw the work I was doing and said I was doing a good job. Sarah told me I was going to start reading in 3 months and I started reading. The first book I read all by myself, I told my mom, ‘I’ll do the easy words, you do the hard ones.’ I READ IT ALL BY MYSELF! My mom says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, and I believe.”

“This says ‘ap-ple t-r-ee,’” sounded Rodrigo Astor.

“What?!” asked his mother, Yessenia.

“It says ‘apple tree,’” he repeated.

“Rod, you’re reading!” Yessenia exclaimed, and the tears began to flow.

Rodrigo gasped. He had read without mom’s help. “I can read!” he cried. “Sarah said I would be able to read!”

Most parents cheer the first time their child reads without help, but for Yessenia, this moment was a long time coming, and for Rodrigo, it was a major win.

A Rough Start

Rodrigo spent his first month of life in and out of the hospital. He experienced complications at birth, and at 20 days old, doctors gave him only 48 hours to live. 

Fortunately, Rodrigo beat those odds, but he was diagnosed with Hirschprung’s disease, a congenital disability in which nerves are missing from the intestine. Rodrigo underwent several biopsies, and at 30 days old, had a colostomy. 

Later, his appendix ruptured, requiring more hospital time. 

As a result of Rodrigo’s rough start, he suffered many developmental delays, including digestion and elimination issues and speech and language problems.

Choppy Waters Ahead

The early years  were filled with doctors’ appointments. Yet Rodrigo was able to start preschool in a mainstream classroom with an IEP (individualized education plan). However, the teachers were not able to give him the time and attention he needed, and he started to backslide. 

Kindergarten and first grade brought similar challenges. Rodrigo and his mom spent several hours daily on homework. Yessenia was concerned Rodrigo might have dyslexia. Teachers reassured her that many children struggle at his age and he’d hit his stride.

Rodrigo is STRONG, but he was reaching his breaking point.

“Mom, I’m frustrated! I can’t do this,” he cried. “My friends read. My friends are fast. I can’t. I don’t have time to play. I don’t have time to watch TV. I don’t have time to do anything.” 

Yessenia’s heart broke for her hard-working son. She hugged him and assured him that he didn’t need to compare himself to his friends. 

Then she had the idea to ask him what he saw while he was trying to read.

“The words are jumping. They just keep moving,” he replied. 

She reached out to school psychologist Gretchen Cabranes, who had been involved in Rodrigo’s IEP, to help navigate a new path. They researched homeschooling and how to transition in a way that would best support his needs.

Covid’s Silver Lining

Then Covid hit and suddenly everyone was homeschooling, including the Astors. Yessenia worked with Rodrigo throughout the day, and at last they had their evenings back.

When local schools reopened for in-person instruction, they were given a virtual option, which Yessenia gladly embraced. But school took all their time, and Rodrigo didn’t have time for a childhood.

Neurologist Dr. Avi Domintz-Gebet referred him for a neuropsychological evaluation at Bay Area Neuropsychology in Tampa. Rodrigo was diagnosed with ADHD-combined type, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and unspecified anxiety disorder. Finally, they had diagnoses to work with.

Yessenia and Gretchen Cabranes found many homeschooling resources they liked. They zeroed in on Dyslexia Games from Thinking Tree Books, created by Sarah Janisse Brown for her dyslexic daughter.

The Final Straw

Meanwhile, virtual school included daily meetings with Rodrigo’s teacher and classmates. When the teacher called on Rodrigo and he didn’t answer right away, she called on another student to help. He motioned to his mom to come turn the camera off, and then he burst into tears.

“I knew the answer!” he cried. “I just needed more time.”

Yessenia comforted Rodrigo, but in her heart, she was done. “That’s it,” she said to herself, “it’s time.” She began withdrawing Rodrigo from school and purchased Dyslexia Games to start their homeschooling journey.

“It was scary,” she says, “but deep down, I had confidence it would work. It worked for Sarah’s daughter, and I knew it would work for Rodrigo too.”

Her husband wasn’t so sure. He was born and raised in Puerto Rico and hadn’t heard of homeschooling. “Kids need to be in school,” he said. “They need socialization.”

Smooth Sailing at Last

Yessenia reassured her husband and plowed ahead. She loved the feeling she no longer had to rush, and Rodrigo loved Dyslexia Games. Peace filled their hearts and home.

When Sarah Janisse Brown was in Florida, she met with the Astors. Rodrigo was so excited to meet Sarah and tell her what he loved about her books. There was only one thing . . .

“I can’t read,” he confessed.

“Well, Rodrigo,” she replied, “I give you three months, and you will be able to read this note that I’m going to write for you.” She also gifted him the next level of Dyslexia Games.

Buoyed by Sarah’s encouragement and generosity, he continued to work hard. He surprised himself when he read without help for the first time. And then he remembered Sarah’s note. He was able to read that too!

Encouragement left in the back of Rodrigo’s Dyslexia Games journal for when he could read it himself one day!

A Day in the Life

These days, Rod does a few pages each day in his various Thinking Tree Books – Dyslexia Games, Brain Games, Math Craft, and a couple of Fun-Schooling journals. He also watches educational videos, and he loves to go to the library and get books.

Rodrigo is 5’3” at ten years old, “But, he feels even bigger,” Yessenia chuckles. “He’s so proud to tell everyone he meets that he can read.”

Big sister Ciara is happy to see that both her mom and Rodrigo are less stressed. “I see a difference in him, I mean he even read over me once,” she says. “He read my text messages. I couldn’t believe him. I was like ROD, OH NO!” 

He’s good with numbers too. Recently, he offered to help Ciara with her calculus homework. “I’m slow, but I’m good!” he says.

Rodrigo’s dad Andy doesn’t worry as much as he used to. He’s seen Rodrigo is less stressed and has improved in his expressions and focus. He was impressed when Rodrigo helped him fix something he was working on. He sees many families homeschooling nowadays. “I say to myself, ‘this is good,’” he smiles.

Finally, Rodrigo has time to do fun things–like horseback riding, participating on a swim team with his sister, playing baseball, playing drums, connecting with other kids in his Funschooling Co-op, and taking lots of field trips. He gets more socialization now than when he was in public school.

Yessenia’s Tips for Parents

  • “Believe in yourself and your child. My faith is huge. God gave us the abilities and tools we need to teach our children.”
  • “Do the research. Dig in and don’t be afraid. Find something that works for you. For us,  it was Dyslexia Games.”
  • “Ask for help. There was someone in your place before, and if not, you will be that person for someone else.”

COUPON CODE

Buy One Get one FREE Dyslexia Games
until October 12th with code
B1G1MC&DG2023
OR 25% off with code DyslexiaMonth2023 until October 31st
at https://www.funschooling.com/dyslexia-games

Buy One Get one FREE on all PDFs
until October 12th with code
B1G1funschoolingPDFs
at https://www.funschooling.com/bookstore-all-pdfs

Learn more about the program that helped Rodrigo
How Dyslexia Games came to exist
Learn more about Dyslexia Games
Dyslexia Games FAQs
After Dyslexia Games, What Next?!?

Fun-Schooling Learning Challenges | Tips for Homeschooling Learning Disabilities and Special Needs

/ Amanda Osenga / Leave a comment

Last week we told you about our series on Fun-Schooling each grade/age. Grateful parents have been telling us all week how excited they are. We’ve had several questions asking about learning disabilities, special needs, and medical struggles.  We know homeschooling learning disabilities and special needs can feel overwhelming.

Today I’m glad to tell you we will also discuss these topics this school year. We hope this series will not only help parents better support their children but will help you learn about different learning challenges.

First, we’ll introduce the challenge and how it typically expresses itself.
Next, we’ll share common learning adaptations and tips to optimize learning.
Then, we’ll talk about building a learning plan/curriculum.
Last, we’ll share the most popular journals for children with this learning challenge. 

Remember– This series will be based on the average child with this learning challenge. We recognize most of these have a huge range of expression. This is intended to be a supportive overview.  The bell curve is extremely important to remember throughout this series. Some children will fall outside of this average. We’ve chosen to homeschool for a reason- so we can customize our children’s education to their unique academic level and needs This is especially important for children with special needs, medical concerns, and learning disabilities.

Sounds great, what’s the plan?

February ‘24- Reluctant/ Struggling Writers
March ‘24- Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities/Disorder
April ‘24- Autism
May ‘24- Anxiety & Depression
June ‘24- PANS/PANDAS
July ‘24- ADHD
August ‘24- Chronic Health Problems & Cancer
September ‘24- Trauma and Transition 
October ’24- Dyscalculia
November ’24- Dysgraphia
Dec ‘24- Executive Functioning Weaknesses 

Please let us know what specific questions and struggles you’d like to see addressed in this series. We hope it will be helpful for your family. 

Disclaimer- The content of this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition or disease. Please seek advice from your healthcare provider for your personal health concerns prior to making any changes for yourself or your child.

About the Author- Amanda Osenga is a Fun-Schooling mom in Columbus, Ohio. She is also the social media manager and Virtual Assistant for Thinking Tree. Her family combines Thinking Tree books with the Charlotte Mason method using books from Ambleside Online and Wildwood Curriculum. In her free time, Amanda is an avid reader and loves to be outdoors.

ADHD Kids: What is Their Passion?

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

Children with symptoms of ADHD often need less sugar, more time climbing trees, digging, running, and playing with Legos. They often need more B vitamins, more fish oil, more compassion, more dancing or jumping, more citrus, less screen time and less time in a seat or desk. These solutions usually help a lot!

It’s hard to parent a Hyper-Active child! I could have NEVER sent Anna to school–she got our family “kicked” out of two churches. But I trusted that she should be free to be who she was, and not try to force change.

Now that she is older she is funneling all that amazing acrobatic energy into bold, productive and amazing efforts. I am so glad I never tried to make her adapt or be someone I could manage better. She was very very very hard to handle as a 2 – 10 year old. Now that she is grown and I see who she is becoming I am so thankful for the wisdom that was shared with me by a few wise women, who encouraged me to trust my heart, and let Anna be Anna. If it weren’t for Anna there would be no Dyslexia Games or Thinking Tree – All my books and methods are the result of never giving up when faced with the challenges of raising and homeschooling a Hyper-Active Dyslexic.

I talk about Anna a lot. She is the one who has created many of your favorite Fun-Schooling Books!

One thing to pay attention to is what your child loves. Kids who seem to have attention disorders can often focus for long periods of time on the things that fascinate them or tap into their talents. Our Fun-Schooling Journals are a good match for your child’s talents and interests. The Journals are organized to keep kids from having to sit still for long periods of time. Children should move around with their Journals – taking them to different parts of the house and outside for nature study everyday.

School Teachers (and in our case Sunday School Teachers) can’t deal with the kind of energy and talent bottled up in these active children. They take up so much of the teachers efforts just to try to get them to sit still and be quiet. Hyper-Active kids can not be part of a group of 30 children their own age, managed by one poor woman. Kids labeled with ADHD are more than most teachers can handle because they can’t fit in. Medication is often the only way to keep the teacher sane – so either the teacher will go on anti-depressants or the children will be medicated to keep the class under control.

When Anna was 8 or 9 I watched this a Ted Talk by Sir Ken Robinson – I realized that Anna was an artist – and I needed to set her free to be who she was meant to be… so I did! Enjoy these videos for some inspiration…

Animal School (My Favorite YouTube Video!)

I Think I Did Something Right…

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

This is from a post dated May 9, 2018.

I’m on the train with 7 of my older children, going to a conference in Kiev. Joe, age 8, is sitting beside me reading “his really special Bible”. I took a look. It looked like the precious Bible of a 75 year old missionary. Joe told me that his sister, Anna, gave him her old Bible.

I flipped through the pages of the New Testament. Notes, prayers, poems, quotes, doodles, highlights, stickers, and underlines decorated every page.

Flash back to 9 years ago when Anna was almost 9 years old. She told me she would never be able to read and write. Her dyslexia was so serious, that every reading lesson ended in despair. She said she was going to be a mommy and artist and wouldn’t need to read to do that.

I decided to let her major in the arts and home economics, starting that day. But I prayed…

“God, You gave us the Bible, I know it must be your will for Anna to be able to read it. Show me how to use her strengths, and use art to teach her how to read.” I knew God would answer in time.

A few weeks later I had an idea. I started drawing logic puzzles and art games for Anna. She loved completing the designs & figuring out the patterns. I began to add letters and words into the designs. I even snuck in games with the d,b,p & q.

I created dozens of these Dyslexia Games, starting out simple and becoming more complicated. The activities were fun for her. As Anna worked through them the reading confusion disappeared.

After a few days she could read three and four letter words. This had never happened before. She had always been stumped by any word with confusing letters. In three months she was reading chapter books.

As I flip through her old Bible I can see that my prayer was answered. That she would be able to read the Bible. Not only is she immersing herself in the precious words of God, she is pouring out beautiful prayers, songs and poems, inspired by her love for His Story.

I pray for the thousands of children who are now using the Dyslexia Games that I made for Anna, that they would also discover the treasures of God’s Word.

After Dyslexia Games…What Next?

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

After using DyslexiaGames.com, what’s NEXT? Still struggling? Let’s talk about a program called Learn Reading from LearnReading.com:

1. Some kids are ready to jump right into a typical grade level curriculum after using one set of Dyslexia Games.

2. Some kids were so far behind that they need to move right on to Dyslexia Games Series B or C to get on grade level.

3. Some kids transition beautifully to a Core Curriculum Journal and Fun-Schooling Spelling Journal.

4. Some kids, because of a unique combination of challenges, need to continue serious therapy, but can’t afford an tutor or an expensive intensive therapy. And that’s what I want to talk about…

You have tried everything. Dyslexia Games helped your child make a lot of progress, but they still don’t grasp reading because they seem unable to comprehend phonics, and it isn’t coming naturally.

I’ve discovered a wonderful resource I’d like to share with you. I love it so much I partnered with the author to help her reach more kids!

I’d like to introduce you to an affordable AND enjoyable program called “Learn Reading” it’s a perfect next step after Dyslexia Games for kids with serious reading disorders who need extra help.

Learn More: https://thinkingtree–learnreading.thrivecart.com/learn-reading-membership-trial/

How to Inspire Your Children to Read

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

I don’t worry much about reading before age 9. The longer they play the better! When my children start asking me “Mom, how do you spell…?” That’s when I know they are ready for reading. When a child is ready to learn to read it’s so easy to help them.

When it comes to learning to read there shouldn’t be a struggle. Dyslexic children and creative kids struggle because we are trying to teach them too soon. Dyslexia Games helps prepare the mind for reading and writing without stress, and helps to teach reading in a self directed way that works for creative kids.

Still, sometimes the brain just isn’t ready for the job of reading before age 9 (for some it may be age 11, kids who learn to read late tend to be very artistic and creative.)

The 1st key to inspiring a child to read is to find out what the child wants to learn about and be attentive to what he is passionate about. Provide books on ALL levels about those topics. Look at the books together, and use books with a Fun-Schooling Journal. Allow the child to do a lot of drawing in the Fun-Schooling Journal if they can’t write, and please do some of the writing for him or her while the child watches and dictates (writing for your child once a week is enough).

The 2nd key is to model a love for reading real books and writing on real paper – in front of your child – that’s what Mom-School books are for. When a child sees a parent reading and writing (not on a computer) they automatically desire to do it too. The brain is wired to give children a drive to do what adults do. (One big problem with classrooms is that all the kids are the same age, and kids are not getting an example of how people learn at a higher level.)

Curiosity will drive the desire to read, and the brain will begin to wire itself to read, write and spell. When a child is curious about reading they are going to learn quickly and efficiently. When a child feels the need to read, they WANT to learn.

When you try to force kids to read. write and spell before they desire to do it naturally you are going to face a constant struggle. If the child desires to learn, they are going to be active in the learning, and actually teach themselves – it’s beautiful and joyful.

So, precious homeschooling mom, if your eight year old can’t read, don’t worry, just remember the two keys!

Fun-Schooling Family Stories: Britt Stilwell

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

Today we welcome Fun-Schooling mam Brittany Stilwell for a guest post!!

Hi, I’m Britt! I am a homeschooling mother to 7 children ages 12, 11, 9, 7, 5, 2, and 3 months. Together we live in sunny South Florida, right on the coast. We are very familiar with neurodiversities as 3 of my children are autistic, as well as myself. We also have one child gifted with dyslexia.

Finding curricula for my children was quite the challenge considering their different needs and abilities. I never wanted them to feel frustrated or like they were “less than” for not being able to properly fill out worksheets with information they may never remember. Instead, I desired something more for them. I wanted to provide them with an education that would help them learn more about themselves while focusing on their gifts and talents. When we found The Thinking Tree, I was intrigued. Could my children really excel using these beautiful books? We tried several of the Minecraft journals as a family–a favorite theme of ours. Our homeschool was forever changed. We haven’t looked back yet!

I wanted to share a little of what I’ve learned over the years that we have been using Fun-Schooling journals and what things look like for us now that we have found our groove. 💕

  1. Keep it simple! Don’t overcomplicate things. Don’t overthink things. Go in with a clear head and an open mind. Be ready to say yes more often than no. ✔️
  2. It’s okay to buy all the journals. 💸 (Yes! I just said that! lol) It’s okay if your child wants to use all of the journals at once. It’s okay if your child wants to use just one at a time. As long as they are learning and getting work done, roll with it. 🤓
  3. Let your kids pick out their journal(s)! 📚 This is so important to my kids. They really feel in charge of their education when they have the freedom to study exactly what they want and how they want. 🌎 🦋 🔬
  4. It’s okay if all of your child’s books are relevant to their journals, or none are relevant at all. Maybe they liked the pretty horse cover but they want to study George Washington. 🤷🏽‍♀️ It’s their journal after all. Let them really own it and create something that reflects themselves. 🪞
  5. Let them loose! Maybe they only do a few really good pages a day or maybe they get excited for the next page and hurry through. ✏️ Don’t discourage their learning by telling them how you’d rather it be done. I have done this plenty and it has always hurt their spirit. 😞
  6. Believe they are capable, because they really are! 🥰
  7. There is no wrong way to use Fun-Schooling journals, but there is a right way. The right way is to always be sure there is FUN in each day! 🎲

And lastly…

8. Lead. By. Example. 👯‍♀️

I can’t stress this one enough. Emulate the behaviors and habits you wish to see in your children. Yes, personalities are different. I have 7 children and no two are alike, but they are all watching ME. The best things we can teach our kids will not come from library books or curricula, but from within our own hearts and what we do with our hands. 💗

With all that said, below are 5 of the journal and book choices of my kiddos. I love the variety!

Want your story to be featured on the blog? Reply in the comments with your ideas!