Learning Style-Sense Dress For Success Fitting at Starlight Workshop August Tea

Zenobia will tell you - she's never worn a fashion that didn't have to be nipped, cut, tucked, or taken out with a pattern alteration to make a perfect fit!

Zenobia was our front of the class model DRESS FORM illustrating our Starlight Workshop Tea theme this month:  Learning Style-Sense:  Curriculum Fashion Fitting - Because One Size Doesn't Fit All!

Constellation Academy director, Kathryn Ross, was thrilled at the opportunity to display some of her vintage sewing notions, thread spools, and patterns - dating back to the 1940's - as part of the theme decor. 

Promptly, by 12:30pm, attendees were gathered - Guiding Star Notebooks in hand to collect the anticipated session handouts with plenty of useful information - and welcomes extended to some new faces.  Perfect time for our ice breaker game which serves a duel purpose:  To encourage interaction with new friends and further illustrate the theme for the day.

Miss Kathy split attendees into two teams and delivered to each identical "curriculum" with which they were to create a fashion statement outfit.  One person in each group was to be the "model" while the others were the fashion designer - using identical materials, yet, altering the pattern to fit the unique body shape of the model.

Here was a visual representation of what every homeschool mom needs to do when choosing and using prepared curriculum - alter the curriculum pattern to the unique learning style of the child.

The timed event was great fun and creativity flowed from team to team. 

The final countdown to the finish line of completed alterations and the big reveal of each creation pushed teamwork into high gear to complete skirts and tops and even accessorized adornments with the simple tools of toilet paper, tissue paper, masking tape, and scissors.

Our living dress forms posed before the dance mirrors at our monthly meeting place - Magnolia Hill Studios in Vineland - gleefully showing off their fashions, each dramatically different from the other.

So, too, are our children.  Hence, the need to be sure that, as teachers, we are carefully observing HOW our children receive and process learning best.  The conventional school experience lacks the level of personalization in curriculum pattern alterations with so many mandate requirements and the sheer number of students funneled through the school year.  Homeschool families have the privilege of creating a unique learning environment where each child receives according to his God-given design.

This, of course, may often run contrary to the parent's God-given design, as our monthly Mapping Your  Way Prayer  Journal segment speaker, Adrienne Richardson, shared from her own experience.  Stumbling upon a learning style test, she was able to determine that she was employing VISUAL teaching techniques - the way she was most comfortable learning - with her KINESTHETIC six year old son.  Major pattern alterations needed to be made - starting with herself!

"So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

Hebrews 4:14-16

How can we apply this verse to our lives when we struggle with the frustration of realizing that our children learn differently than we do?  How can we come to understand their weakness and exercise grace to help them learn in the way they need it most?

Attendees added another Prayer Journal page to their notebook to consider, ponder, and pray about - and record same.

The Spoonfuls of Sugar Segment featured Nikkole Hollenweger with a creative way to encourage critical thinking and reasoning about important subjects when children are forced to make choices in their behavior.  She employed all three learning styles:  Visual, Auditory, and Tactile/Kinestheic.  Simple instructions in the use of making a traffic light out of simple materials around the house, with game cards to initiate discussion, help youngsters to know how to determine if an action choice is a Green for GO, Yellow for CAUTION, or Red for STOP.

This month, our Sewing Club Teacher, Cindy Mann, debuted with her new segment, HANDY CRAFTS.  Again, in keeping with our theme, she chose a project that required a "pattern" - a small cake slice box - that was prepared printed on varied design pattern scrapbooking paper.  With detailed instructions as to proper folding and gluing, everyone made a box from the paper design that bust suited their taste.  Individually, the box might be further embellished with stickers or paper flowers or other mixed media pretties.  Collectively, we gathered all our boxes to the center of the table, fitting together as one. 

Unity with Diversity - One pattern with various ways it can be altered.  Adrienne and Cindy thought it looked good enough to eat!!

Jumping into the meat and potatoes of the teaching, Miss Kathy presented the case for the AUDITORY LEARNER, Adrienne for the VISUAL LEARNER, and Nikkole for the KINESTHETIC LEARNER.  One of the most interesting points brought up in relation to the Kinesthetic Learner by Nikkole, is the use of essential oils to holistically help this busy "shaker and mover" of a learner to relax and focus.  As an adult diagnosed with ADD, Nikkole also teaches her middle child with ADD and has bypassed using prescribed medications for natural methods of controlling the symptoms in diet and oils.  She brought an essential oils diffuser to demonstrate the aromatherapy approach and testified to her own homeschool success with it. 

For more information about essential oils you can contact Nikkole via her new website launched at the workshop - MOM-ENOMICS! 

Click HERE to visit and see all the great new time and money saving home-making tips and coupon clips promoting "Savvy Stewardship for the Modern Mom"!  More to come on this as the site is still under construction.

Door PRIZES all around - two school supply baskets were awarded plus one bag of groceries bought for only $2 after coupons applied!  Plus - consolation prizes for one and all - cushy socks for the homeschool mom's tired feet at the end of the day!

Our Starlight Workshop Teas are designed to be a RETREAT, RENEWAL, and RETOOLING for the homeschool mom each month.  Don't miss our next workshop coming up on Saturday, September 8, from 12:30pm-4:00pm at Magnolia Hill Studios in Vineland. 

Next month we'll be moderating homeschool mom  "Show & Tell" at our CREATIVE HOMESCHOOLING ROUNDTABLE with interactive discussion, Q&A, and - of course - teatime treats!  RSVP ASAP!