Love in Any Language

Before reading this post, start the above video so that you can listen to the music.

As you are listening, scroll down for the Photostory.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

I walked into the cafeteria to be inundated with the sounds of many voices.

120 1st and 2nd grade students were singing. And not just belting out the words, but also signing in American Sign Language.

Of the singers, approximately 50 spoke a different language at home, 12 were my speech students, and 5 were my "loves" from self-contained classrooms. One student rocked back and forth, out of sync with the music. One turned around with her back to the audience and watched her peers. Another flapped in excitement. One tried to imitate as many signs as he could, although he was silent. And another sang with all her little malformed heart.

My "loves" were not sequestered to the back rows or the sides of the pews. They were in the front, the side, the back. Wherever was the most appropriate place to stand with their peers. Their friends.

It was a beautiful illustration of childhood crossing over language, cognitive, and ability differences. And I welled up with tears at the sight and sound of this true beauty.

Love in any language
Straight from the heart
Pulls us all together
Never apart
And once we learn to speak it
All the world will hear
Love in any language
Fluently spoken here

It's my Blogiversary, I can take a break if I want to...

In honor of my one year blogiversary, Supermommy graciously agreed to guest post and give me the day off. If you've never seen her blog, go there now. She deserves to be in the blogging hall of fame (like the "Hall of Justice" for us Super Bloggers!).

MIA: On a Super Mission

I feel like I've been gone forever, even though it's only been a day.

See how much this blog has become a part of my life?

Besides celebrating Lunar New Year all week, I've been hanging out at the Bloggy Giveaways. You know trying to win some gifts for friends and family (and me!) since "gifts" is not a part of our envelope budget.

Tomorrow is my Blogiversary. One year since blogging-took-over-my-life.

Since that time I've:

• Written 441 posts (some are not yet published)
• Spent 2354 hours trying to think of clever things to say
• Read 9030 hours worth of other people's blogs
• Won a few super-awesome giveaways
• Given myself a new self-image (seriously, my kids see my little super logo and say "Look! It's mommy!")
• Saved the world a few times
• Gained 75 loyal followers
• Blogged just a wee-little bit at work
• Created great and fun ideas that I've used at home and at work with students
• Learned a LOT about writing, people, and life around the world!

In lieu of gifts to celebrate tomorrow's wonderful occasion (although gifts are cool too), I would be more than thrilled if my lurkers and regular commenters came out of the cyber-woodwork and started following me.

That way, I can follow you too! And repeat the cycle of ignoring my kids and work... ;)



Tomorrow, one of my favorite Supermommy bloggers ever will be guest posting. Stay tuned!

Marvelous Children's Book Monday: D is for Dragon Dance

D is for Dragon Dance


Gong Hay Fat Choy!

In celebration of this holiday, read through D is for Dragon Dance, a Chinese New Year's Alphabet.

Speech Therapy Ideas:

1. Use this book as a way to learn some great new vocabulary. My children and I found things around the home that related to Chinese culture.

We learned the following words:

Jade



Calligraphy


Zodiac


Red Envelopes (We were at a wedding this weekend, and the kids scored big time with the red envelopes!)


2. Compare and Contrast Chinese Dragons to European Dragons. I love this activity and have developed an entire month-long speech curriculum on this topic.


3. Make Chinese lanterns. Work on following multi-step directions and retelling directions to another person.



In Asia, Lunar New Year is celebrated all week long (which was very hard for us when we were waiting for our children to come home from Korea, since all paperwork was put on hold that much longer).

Be on the look out for more New Year's Posts this week, especially after our annual celebration on Friday.



Want more literacy ideas? Check out Literacy Thursday!

Oh where, oh where, is Marvel Girl's hair?

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

This was Marvel Girl on Monday morning.




This was Marvel Girl's pony-tail.




This is who will be receiving her pony-tail.



This is Marvel Girl now.




Along with her gorgeous hair, do you think they'd be willing to take her new, atrocious, tantruming attitude???

Therapy Thursday: Book Vocabulary Bingo

I felt that the vocabulary Bingo game I created for the Inauguration went extremely well. The Flash (aged 5) had to carefully listen for high-level words during Obama's speeches. These words included: nation, economy, peace, conflict, compromise, responsibility. Although he does not understand all of their meanings, he will hopefully tune into them more in conversation and learn them faster than his peers, due to increased exposure.

I tweaked the bingo game this week at work so that I could use it with speech groups. Here's how it worked:

1. My students and I chose some difficult (and some easy) words from the book Snowmen at Night.

2. We wrote the vocabulary words onto different squares on our blank bingo boards using this template.

3. I read the book aloud. Every time one of our words was read, the students yelled out the word, and covered it with a Bingo chip.




Try this activity with the book of your choice to improve vocabulary and have some fun!

Teaching Tuesday: MLK and the Inauguration

Yesterday we celebrated two great men.

We had a holiday yesterday in recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. So, as a family we watched his I Have a Dream speech. Then we combined our learning about Dr. King with another great African-American. We learned about Barack Obama and the inauguration (a day early).

After being thoroughly inspired by The Crafty Crow, we decorated our home in patriotic streamers, attempted to listen to patriotic music, and created flag pinwheels.



I baked oatmeal-chocolate-chip muffins, added red and blue sprinkles, and adorned with flags.



We made patriotic sticks and jammed out to the drums from Grant Park.


Finally, the speech/language therapy highlight of the evening...

We are unable to time travel to the next's day Inauguration Speech, so instead, we watched Obama's victory speech. We filled in the blank bingo chart from The Crafty Crow. As we listened to the 11/4/08 speech, we put gummy candies on the vocabulary words. Every time a row was completed, everyone got to eat a candy. The Flash has never been so interested in vocabulary before. This activity was so successful, in fact, that I may adapt it to vocabulary within book activities at school.



Today is a momentous occasion. I hope one day my children will recall, "I remember when Obama became president. He led the way for everyone. Maybe even me..."


For more great educational resources, check out these links (hat tip to Treasure Seekers):

• Edhelper.com: short readers for readers grades 5th-7th, and Reader's Theater
• Scholastic.com: printables for students grades 1st-8th
• Educationworld.com: compare and contrast activities, letters to the president, poetry
• Enchantedlearning.com: a huge slew of printables for grades K-5th (I highly recommend subscribing to this educational site if you homeschool or teach. Well worth the money).

Marvelous Children's Book Monday: Yoko

I wish I had a fabulous book about Martin Luther King Jr. in my home collection to share today. Unfortunately, I do not. I do, however, have a book that celebrates diversity and culture. Appropriately, this story is also timely for Lunar New Year (this year celebrated 1/26).



Yoko (by Rosemary Wells) is a story about an adorable school-aged cat who is teased by her classmates when she brings her favorite lunch into school. The children make disgusted comments about sea weed, sushi, and raw fish. They hurt poor Yoko's feelings and she goes home crushed. In an attempt to remedy the teasing, Yoko's teacher invites the class to participate in "International Food Day", with the proviso that the students must try a bite of each food. Yoko's sushi, however, remains untouched throughout the lunch period.

One hungry student, however, tries Yoko's dish when it is all that remains in the classroom. He finds it delightful and gobbles up all of the crab cakes. She, in turn, tries one of his coconut crisps. Yoko and her new friend develop a special bond, and join together to form a private restaurant the next day.

Speech Therapy Ideas:
1. Why do the children tease Yoko? Have you ever been teased before? Talk about the event and including a beginning, middle, and end to your story.

2. Categorize foods that you have tried before. What are some Italian foods, Mexican foods, Chinese foods, Japanese foods, American foods, etc.

3. Yoko's mother calls her "Cherry Blossom" as a nickname. What is a nickname? What are some other kind nicknames that people have?

4. Practice medial /k/ sounds in "Yoko". Use the back of your tongue to make a good sound. If it is easy for the child to make good medial /k/ in this word, try using the sound in sentences.

5. Make sushi or dessert sushi together. Talk about the ingredients, steps, measurements. Then have the child recall the directions to someone else for extra practice.


Photo by oskay

For our Lunar New Year's Celebration last year, we made this Rice Crispy "sushi". It was a hit and I expect that I'll be making it again next week!

Living out my dream?

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

As a teenager, my dream career was to be a Marine Biologist.

I chose my college with this major in mind.

I had pre-selected my graduate school at age 17.

And then my course load forced me to choose between a teacher's certification in Biology and a Marine Biology degree. And a handsome young man enamored me and I no longer wanted to travel across the country to graduate school.

Life happened. And I do not regret the career path that ensued--for I love my career in speech.

But maybe, just maybe, our Mini-Me will live out my once-dream.




Or maybe not.

This morning he said he wanted to be a dentist. Just like Super-Grandma.

Therapy Thursday: How to remember speech homework

One of my biggest frustrations that I have with articulation students is their lack of daily practice. But articulation students are trying to relearn a motor patterns with their lips, tongue, and palate. It takes thousands of repetitions to make these new sounds automatic. It takes daily practice.

I've sent home notebooks. I've created stickers and stamps. I've pleaded, reasoned, and bribed. Yet the rate of returned homework is less than 10%.

Yesterday I tried something new. I peeled the free advertising stickers from the front of 10 telephone books. Then I glued yellow Speech Homework assignments onto these magnets:



I do not know if these magnets will increase home practice. But as a parent currently working with her own son's articulation, I hope that increased visibility (on the fridge) will increase practice time.

If you have speech assignments to work on with your own children, give this idea a try and let me know if it helps.

Mini-me

"I can certainly tell who his daddy is...."

"He looks just like you!"

"Wow. The resemblance is amazing."



Any father-son might hear comments such as these from time to time.

But what if that child's parents did not share the same cultural heritage, history, or genealogy. What if 7x removed, there was still no genetic connection?

Then clearly, there must be a God connection.

From the first moment we laid eyes on our 3 day old son's 1x1 inch picture, we saw a similarity. And the resemblance was confirmed with every. single. picture.

He is his father's son in looks, and his mother's son in emotions. His athletic prowess--well, he clearly didn't inherit those from us!

I know the remarkable similarities will change as we age, and that nature will alter nurture. But you can never convince me that he was not meant, since the beginning of time, to be our son. He was brought to us through the lives, tears, joys, and pain of others, so that we can never claim him as "our creation". He is our gift, our charge, our blessing.

Miracle after miracle made him our mini-me.





Go to Seven Clown Circus, to see many more Wordful Wednesday posts!

So. You want to eat some cookie dough.

Do I have the recipe for you!

I have a confession.

I deny my kids cookie dough, telling them facts about Salmonella, and other nasty illnesses.

Then, when they turn their back... I devour as much as I can.

But with this recipe, there is no need for hypocritical mothering. Because these wonderful cookies have NO eggs.

And they are sooooooo good (as dough or cooked). The red cranberries makes them great for holiday treats, but the coconut makes them feel like a summer snack.

Coconut-Cranberry Chews

3/4 cups butter at room temp
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs. grated orange peel
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cups dried cranberries
3/4 cups sweetened flaked dried coconut

1. In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla until smooth.

2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture, stir to mix, then beat on low speed until dough comes together, about 5 minutes. Will be very crumbly. Mix in cranberries and coconut.



3. Eat some dough. Then eat some more.

4. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on buttered baking sheets.

5. Bake at 350 8-11 minutes or until just slightly browned.

6. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before devouring baked cookies.




See more kitchen tips here.

Marvelous Children's Book Monday: Polar Bear Night

Polar Bear Night


I first encountered this book when Professor X brought it home from the library. He declared that it was one of the most beautifully illustrated books he had ever seen.

So of course I had to check it out.

The illustration style is actually quite unique and ideal for focusing the reader on the central images of each page. There is no extensive detail, but there is simplicity and clarity.

In this story, the little polar bear awakes, leaves his den, and takes a mid-night walk. He sees sleeping animals, the northern lights, and the moon. Then he returns home peacefully and goes to bed.

Just thinking about the book makes me sleepy. Although that could be due to the fact that I am writing this on a Monday morning...

Speech Therapy Ideas:
1. Practice simple sentences in the singular form: "The seal is sleeping. The whale is sleeping. The mother is sleeping." and plural forms: "The seals are sleeping. The whales are sleeping."

2. Practice vocabulary: keen, den, beckons, creeps, wonder, stir, snug.

3. This story makes for a simple retell for younger children. Have your child tell you what happened in the story and where the story takes place.

4. Make a Polar Bear craft. Here are a variety of craft ideas. Work on following directions and retelling directions. Use the idea "hear it, do it, teach it".

5. Learn more about Polar Bears. Learn about them here and here. Use these facts to make complete sentences and tell these new facts to others.

Overlooking all faults

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Gosh, I hope Super Grandma isn't reading this...

When my mother paved the way for Monstrosi-trees in the family, my husband and I said, "WHAT?!"

A fake tree? And it doesn't even pretend to look real?

And it costs how much?

But this year, I finally learned to appreciate Super Grandma's tree. Even with the top section of lights out.

Because when you have a well-lit tree, and a gorgeous West Coast sunset, all faults can be over-looked.



(I am ecstatic to report that I actually took this picture and did not manipulate the colors, exposure, contrast, etc with photo software. This is the actual photo. Go me!)

Therapy Thursday: Self-Awareness to develop Speech

Sometimes all you need to help a child's speech sounds is a little self-awareness.

Turn up your volume and listen carefully to my THREE year old tell you how we make different sounds in English.



Okay, I admit that she can't correctly make the sounds all the time. But she knows HOW.

Do you? ;)





As a side note, this video was indeed taken in front of the Monstrosi-tree before Christmas. But, it could have been taken yesterday as we haven't cleaned up from Christmas yet. Or vacation. Or 2007.....

Teaching Tuesday: My childhood favorite can still teach me things!

Perhaps it's my whacked sense of humor.

Perhaps it was that fall when I was younger.

I don't remember when my love obsession with the Animaniacs began, but it has never ended.

To my horror, it was not a show that was recently resurrected along with Strawberry Shortcake and Rainbow Brite.I mean, come on. Even as a child, I knew these were ridiculous.


But all good things must come to an end. And off-the-air my favorite cartoon did go.

Professor X and I sometimes sit by our electric-fake-fireplace and recount the good ol' days when Pinky and the Brain were there to amuse us. Then we sing the theme song a few times.

But lo! What light in yonder youtube window breaks?

Could it be my friends? And (gasp) could they be trying to teach me something?

Hallelujah. The internet rocks.

Met the new (awesome) way to learn the States and Capitals.


Don't know all the US Presidents? No problem. Learn them (up through the Clintons) here:


I like to think globally as well. So, learn the countries of the world! You can even learn the German names for all the countries if you search around!


Thanks little.birdy, I almost forgot the parts of the brain!


As always, glad to be of service to all my internet fans out there. For now... I'm off to take over the world!

Super Woman vs the Snow Beast

Aka: Our Vacation. Super Woman Style.


There has been a cast change because the actress who had formerly played Super Woman is MIA.


With more fury than seen for over 40 years,




It got pretty ugly on the street and sidewalk. We were stuck in the house for almost a week.



So...




Alas, sledding would not get her to vacation location. After 2 canceled flights and missing Christmas with the family, Super Woman got desperate.




While on vacation,



see my review of this book here. But save your money and don't bother with the movie.


But....



No. We have no plans to get a dog anytime soon. We can't even keep our fish alive.

Luckily,



Which goes with her New Year's Resolution:



However, the resolution does not go well with the overall theme of our journey...