Well, I think you know what time it is! Sketch time! OK this is a LITTLE early……….but Im sure you won’t mind, right?
I’m marking off what is non-stamp related for those who don’t want to read the random ramblings. I went off deep into thought. I do ask for some advice in the paragraph so if you are a teacher or parent (especially of an older child with special needs=please read) Stamp related is after scored areas 😀
thanks
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I have so much stuff to share its crazy! Both craft and family related. The next few weeks here are going to be filled with some amazing things-I swear!
I want so much to share the fun things we did with the kids this week, but will do that tomorrow. We have been to Canobie lake, apple picking, and the to Fair. I have some great photos. Tomorrow is also Alexa’s birthday party! I cannot even believe my baby is going to be 9- officially on Monday! Seems like yesterday I was pregnant with her, so unsure of what her future would hold. Worrying about so many unforeseen things, and soon learning there is a reason we aren’t meant to see the future, and to take life ONE DAY AT A TIME. Enjoy today and be thankful for it, because who knows what is to come tomorrow.
While its been a rollercoaster (to say the least) I wouldn’t have it any other way. Alexa is truly an amazing person. Her 9 years so far in my life have changed me internally, forever, in ways I think everyone should experience. Ways that can’t be taught, just lived. To see the world through her can be amazing, refreshing, and insanely heartbreaking all in the same breath. You see the good people in the world, and the ugly, all in the same day. You see how simple things can be for others, is the biggest of achievements for her. I wish I did see some of it beforehand. She has done so well. She continues to overcome things that hold her back. She is ever-changing, and always striving to improve. Alexa is amazing.
I was going through the store thinking-what so you buy a 9 year old! Its a hard age. Shes getting older so I don’t want to buy her “baby” things, yet too young to buy older things.
I did find this AWESOME cupcake maker!! “I” am excited over this thing. Not sure if I bought it for HER or ME! LOL! Seriously cool. I hope to get her using it, and get some fun photos. I even got her the apron and chef hat, with lots of cupcake refills/frosting. The cool thing is these cupcakes cook in the microwave in 30 seconds! Then it has this awesome frosting “machine”. Oh yippy skippy, I truly can’t wait. I also bought her this TAG reader pen. I want to encourage her to expand her reading skills.
On another note MATH is KILLING us here. She is having a very hard time with it. Im not sure if people with Down Syndrome have a different technique to learning this skill, but this is proving to be a very tough subject for her to grasp. You have to remember Alexa is my first child. What I like to call the practice kid! LOL! The first one always gets everything the worst. You have NO IDEA what you are doing, and I think you expect more fo them. I tend to be stricter, and had much more will-power for the “no” stuff with the first. Plus they get your undivided attention for X years, till the next one comes along. The bad part is everything she does-is “normal” to me. I often don’t realize some things until I see other kids her age, or one of her siblings can do things she cannot yet master (this is generally the physical stuff, but some is cognitive-like safety awareness). That is also hard to see sometimes too. Something people don’t think you notice, but you do. She didn’t walk till she was 3! That was so hard. I’d see little 7 month old babies starting to pull up. She just didn’t have the stregnth to do that, and was happy as a clam to sit quietly and play. She had no desire to walk, afterall she could get where she needed to go by crawling, or later cruising.
So, to the present-she can count and all that, and is good with learning money and whatnot, but the majority of the math is becoming very hard for her. I don’t ever like making “excuses” for her, but I think this is a true obstacle. That being said, anyone out there (teachers or other parents) if you know a great learning program or have tips PLEASE contact me. I really need Alexa to get this and be able to grasp the addition and subtraction. This is a vital LIFE skill, in order to promote her independence. We are now cutting out parts of the math program that aren’t vital for her to know so she can grasp onto this concept. We aren’t sure how to help teach her this as she truly looks blankly at us, and doesn’t seem to understand exactly what we want when we are asking her to add 3 + 9 etc. So anything helpful and FUN is a plus. Alexa is a visual person and needs LOTS of repetition and anything hands on is a PLUS!! Thanks in adnvance-even if you can’t help, but because you “listened”
OK that went WAY off base! You can tell where my mind is-jeeze! Sorry about that.
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I have to say I was inspired by my own card last week. Not just the sketch, but the colors and stamp set. So I wasn’t going to limit my creativity just because I was inspired by a previous creation, so I went with it!
Besides, circles are HOT!
Keyword -mytimess07 if you decide to upload to a gallery anywhere.
Send us a link if you decide to give the sketch a try. I do my very best to visit each persons creation done with the sketch. Which is great because it gets me hopping around blog to blog, gallery to gallery, which I otherwise don’t get to do much of-sadly. AND there are SOOOOOO many blogs! WOW! Its hard to keep up. By doing this I am able to find new talent, I never knew about. You are all quite amazing 😀
Now for my sample
Remembering to thank you-
I need to make like a 100 of those! I have a huge list I still need to send out. HUGE! The sentiment is one of my favorites too.
These colors are the same as last week- Vintage Cream, Kraft, spring moss, and dark chocolate and used the inks to match . If you haven’t noticed, Remember is one of my favorite sets! I think I used it for like 4 Saturday Sketches! That doesn’t include random stuff.
As you can see my “circles” weren’t literal. I just used my flowers as my circles. Use the sketch in a way that YOU see it. Don’t limit yourself!
I love the overlapping look. I also LOVE my main focal point. This was one of those cards that I just adored when done. I used my circle nestabilties for this, as well as the tag nestabilities. Some of my favorite things. I think nestabilities are the best thing they have ever invented for stampers-next to the ATG Gun, Scor-Pal, and my Copic Makers!
Well that is it for today. I cannot wait to see what YOU do with it. In the meantime why don’t you check and see what my sketch team has envisioned using the sketch : (note their posts won’t go live till Satuday)
Till tomorrow!
44 Responses for "My time + Saturday = Sketch time!"
Beautiful card!!! It’s not just kids with Down’s Syndrome. My DD sturggles with math too! She’s 9 & in 4th grade.. Hang in there!!
I hope that someone out there can help you with Alexa’s math problems. I was a school secretary for many years and saw our teachers do amazing things. I know that there is someone who knows a special trick that will help her. By the way, the card is beautiful.
Lauren, I’m not sure if this is just a Canadian thing or not but here we have a extra curicular program called Kumon. I believe it is for reading and math. My neice started it for math years ago and it really paid off for her. I believe there is class room instruction but they also have short daily homework sheets. It is based on repeat math problems. The kids move ahead at their own pase. So I just did a google and the website is http://www.kumon.com. Have a look as it just might be the extra push that works. No I am not a teacher I’m try to help out where I can. Good luck. Oh yeah. Always love the cards and blog. I check daily. Keep smiling Cheryl
I worked with young and older adults with challenges for 17 years and I found that visually seeing numbers like blocks or what ever made sums easier to understand. Some of our folks were quite competent in some areas but math and money were a block. Children these days have an advantage in that they are integrated into the mainstream at school and have the opportunity to develope to their full potential. A lot of the folks I worked with had older parents who felt responsible for their childs handicap and over compensated by doing everything for them and others were put into institutions where over worked staff had little time for anything more than basic needs. I think that making what ever she is learning fun will achieve the best results because if she gets frustrated and upset she won’t be able to concentrate. One of the courses I took the mantra was try a different way. Good luck Ann
I would use some kind of manipulative to help Alexa learn adding and subtracting. The manipulative can be anything-beans, marshmallows, blocks, little toys. Give her 3 candies and then give her 9 more and have her count how many she has. You might have to do this over and over, but that is true for many many kids.
We use touch points with one of our girls at school. (I teach in a resource room, but mainly with students with learning disabilities). It involves adding dots in certain locations then counting them up to add and subtract. It is a program that has its pros and cons. It has worked to a certain point with the girl I know, but she is still at a very adult directed stage. It might be something to look at.
My son is a high school math teacher, it’s his fist year teaching, and he is SO motivated. And I just know there is a very motivated special teacher out there that will inspire your Alexa. Hang in there! Now then – I lo-ha-ha-have this card! You are right, is there a more better (is that a word?!) set than Remember?!
I homeschooled my three boys and always used math programs that taught with manipulatives. A very inexpensive program is Miquon. It has workbooks and teacher’s books along with colored blocks. http://www.homeschoolmath.net/curriculum_reviews/miquon.php
Another one that I really loved is Math-U-See. http://www.mathusee.com/
I’d be happy to talk to you further if you have any questions!
Thanks for your inspiration – not just with your creativity but as a wonderful, caring Mom!
I have a 23 year old daughter with Down Syndrome. Today is a very self-sufficient young woman who attends the community college, works in an office, and has a boyfriend. Since she was born 23 years ago I have spent a great deal of my life working to get people to give her a chance. She has one older, and two younger sisters. She love fashion and makeup growing up with all those sisters!
She can read and write fairly well, but math has always been difficult. She can add and subtract, but applying those skills to the real world takes time and practice. I think manipulatives work well. She also liked the computer and she had a program called Money Math she really liked. As she got older we introduced her to the calulator. She carries it with her when she shops.
If I can ever help with anything let me know.
Melody
Lauren use the cooking to try and improve her Maths – it will be fun and learning together! Games on the PC may also work but bringing adding up into everyday situations will probably help the most.
Hey Lauren,
I have just found your beautiful website, and have spent a few hours soaking in all your beautiful work, and reading Alexa’s story. WOW you have certainly had your hardships of the past couple of years, but I totally am in awe of your strength and ability to be personal, and yet honest to the pain that is been for you all.
Whilst I would love to give you the perfect advice about this Math’s challenge, I don’t have it to give. I have a 7 year old son who struggles not only academically but socially at school,….and his life is a whole other story. But I have just found that the only thing works is lots of one-on-one time is the key. All about repetition, for them to finally grasp it. TIme is the hardest part of it all I think……finding that bit extra to give when we are all so busy!
I do have to say I LOVE this card, and the sketch is very different. I can’t wait to have a little play with it, and will be back to show you what I managed to do with it.
All the best with Alexa, and I wish you God’s continual care and strength to “take one day at a time!”
Love Makeesha x
Ps Enjoy the birthday tommorrow! 🙂
I am a teacher (but not of special needs kids) and we use something called “move it math” and it is similar to what Amber up above said she uses. If you would like I could snail mail you some copies of the pages with the touch points. Just email me at zephan3.17 at juno.com or scs pm at tamijo and I’ll get them out!
oh, and this card is GORGEOUS!
Hey I have to think Math is a tough subject for many. I think it’s going to be harder when the kids are in school but I stink at math.
Great card. You do love your circles. I made mine halloweeny and of course I didn’t use a “real” tag. LOLOL. I don’t like to follow directions 🙂 HE HE HEE.
Lauren,
Great sketch.
And I wish I had a great piece of advice for you with the math. I wonder if her teacher or one of the aides could tutor her once a week or something.
Good luck girl.
My prayers are with you guys.
em
Fab sketch Lauren! Your card is beautiful!
Hope that you can find something that will help Alexa with math. I think a good teacher is important. Up until last year, Chloe struggled too. Then she had a wonderful teacher who actually teaches HOW to teach math to other teachers. Whatever she did worked. She simplifed things somehow.
Hope the party goes good too! Yummy cupcakes…great now I want one and it’s not even 8 AM here…haha!
Have a FABULOUS weekend!
What a great sketch and your card is gorgeous!
You have a great resource out here and I’m sure someone will guide you towards something that will help Alexa.
The only advice I can share (and you probably do this already…) but make math fun in the early years. Play with M&M’s or cereal (or whatever). Divide the candy. Play the, “If Alexa has 11 M&M’s and gives Mommy 5, how many does Alexa have left?” That’s probably too basic but you get the idea.
You’re such a great mom. (And friend.) Hope you have a wonderful day!
Hugs,
Renee
Love the card Lauren as you know I have a child that is autistic, When he does math on the #’s they have dots and circles around the dots thta he counts. For instance 5 would have 3 dots and two circles around the dots. So he would count 5 and then the next # two would have 2 dots and he would count 2 and then he would write the answer of 7. It has worked because he is great in math. For 5 years we have had our daily struggles also. Watching him and other children especially when it came to soccer, he would be always stay away from the other children and it would always hurt because at the time I did not know what was wrong. He did not start talking till he 5 1/2 years old which was very hard. His teacher would call me everyday and sy he is not like the other kids and I finally told them to test him and the dx was autism. I look at all the other children in his class room and see all that they do and what he can do and there are days that I just want to cry, he is still developing his fine moter skills so he can master writing. By the way he hates writing. Besides all the struggles he has daily he is truely an amazing kid. He brings joy to my life. I love him unconditionally. Susan
Lauren, love the card, but that is no surprise as I love all or your work. When my daughter was in elementary school I help tutor kids in reading. One little boy also had problems with math. One day he told me he he was doing a lot better in math. When I asked him why, he told me he thought of the numbers as nickles. He told me he envisioned nickles in his mind and it help him solve the problems. You said Alexa is good with money, so maybe if you use pennies or nickles so she can visually see and also feel what is like to add or subtract one amount from the other pehaps the concept will be a little easier for her.
I am so touched by your story. I am a 4th grade teacher and I have had many special needs students in my class over the years. The touch point math system has been successful with many of them. Especially if Alexa is a visual learner.
Lauren, I have stumbled on to your website and i am hooked. I visit almost everyday! I am in awe of your talent and your strength. Raising a family with a special needs child requires so much patience and love, and you have been blessed with both. I have been a paraprofessional for special ed children for 11 years. Math is hard for most of them. What we do in the classroom is use alot of manipulatives. I think using M&M’s, marshmellows, tiny toys, or her favorite candy helps. Also you can try to use a number line. We have those on each childs desk, they really help. Our number line is from 1 to 20, but you can make yours however you like. Good luck and God bless, Kep making all the beautiful card and boxes that inspire all of your faithful readers.
Lauren,
First let me say I love your blog!
I am a teacher and also have a child with down syndrome. I agree with a lot of other posters on using manipulatives as well as viual cues/objects and a number line. Have you thought about going to your local college and getting a tutor from there?
Many students would be more than willing to tutor. I would check with the education dept. that certifies teachers and make sure you ask for someone who is getting a license in special eduacation. Many of these students are enthusiastic and willing to help. Not to mention it is great experience for them!
Another thing I would try is to add and subract things Alexa likes to play with…for example certain toys or even clothing she likes to wear. Count the number of shirts, add 3 more and then you have…how many?
I am going to also check with my son’s teacher to see if she has any other ideas and I can send them your way. Good luck and keep on trying!
Here is my attempt at the sketch..
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1069485?cat=500&ppuser=147236
Hi Lauren,
I thought I’d give your card sketch a whirl today. Here’s my take on it. Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
http://mutchtostamp.blogspot.com/2008/09/laurens-mytimess07-sketch-challenge.html
Hugs,
Julie
Hey Lauren! What great advice you’ve gotten. You are so right to put the other math aside for right now – adding and subtracting are the basics and until she masters that, it won’t do any good to add the others. Don’t give up – with time and work she’ll improve. I was also going to suggest everyday activities need to have math added and it needs to be visual. “We have 3 pumpkins so far on the vine and here’s another bud – how many do we have now?” “There are 6 bottles of water in the fridge but I’m gonna drink one and you’re gonna drink one so how many will be left.” And I’m guessing that she can count in order and gets that real good so have her count it, count it, count it. “1,2,3,4,5,6 bottles of water. We took 2. How many left? 1,2,3,4 bottles of water left.” Kids love hands-on activities and it makes it seem like it’s not “school” which will probably help at home b/c honestly, who wants to do “school” all day!?! And I’m a teacher (on leave raising a kid)!!!
I also think that you’ll find something that will work. I was reading the one post about the 5 and the dots and circles around it. Made absolutely no sense to me —- but how amazing that someone figured out a completely different way to explain math —- and for those kids – it works!!! I just think that’s cool since when I was growing up there was only ONE way to do math. She’s lucky to have such attention that her needs can be addressed NOW instead of letting them get worse and worse!!
I wish I could tell you there was some magic program or technique that would help with Alexa’s math dilemna. If there is I haven’t found it yet for my daughter either. My daughter is hearing impaired and cognitively impaired. She is now 19 so I have been around the block a bit, so to speak. Math is so abstract that she may never really get a good grasp on it. My daughter has learned how to use a calculator in school and that is a godsend. She struggles with money and phonics, too. All of the words in her vocabulary are memorized since phonics is too abstract, too. Repetition is my best advice for you with Alexa. Also try several different methods because what works for one child doesn’t always work for another. My daughter is visual and tactile. We use manipulatives for the hands on part and also a number line. Now that she is older the focus is more on functional math and reading – the stuff she needs to know to be as independent as possible. Hang in there and feel free to e-mail me anytime. [email protected]
Hi Lauren! First of all, I love reading your blog! Secondly, I see you have already received some great ideas for helping Alexa with Math. I am a third grade teacher and have some students who struggle in that subject area, too. While I often use manipulatives to help them, I have also found that tally marks help. For example: 5+3, she would make 5, then 3 tally marks and count them up. For subtraction, make the larger number, cross out the smaller number and count the remaining. The trick is to make them all in a row, rather than doing the groups of 5 like we normally do, as that is hard to cross out when subtracting. It does take a little more time, but it helps until they master the basic facts. I hope this makes sense. Also, http://www.mathfactcafe.com is great for making your own practice worksheets! Hope this helps! Hang in there. Sometimes it takes some time before everything “clicks.”
Hi, Lauren! I was going to suggest lots of manipulatives for Alexa and her math, but I see that many already did. Hopefully one of those methods mentioned here will work. It might take a lot of over and over and over until it just clicks for her. Maybe she and Amber would like to play store? Do you have a play cash register & stuff? Make sure it’s an easy one! My girls got a “talking Barbie Cash register” and I have NEVER figured out how that thing works! I think I would need serious training as a cashier to figure that one out! Good luck with it! At least she knows how to count – that is a tough concept to get sometimes, too. I taught Gwyneth, a little girl with Down’s, how to count when I was working with her one summer, way back when! We used blocks and other manipulatives.
Hang in there with the math. Teachers can work wonders. On another note where did you find the cupcake maker? Sounds like a great christmas present for my daughter.
Lauren,
Hang in there with the math problems. I know it can be frustrating.
Loved the sketch and of course, your stunning sample. Here is my card;
http://woodedviews.blogspot.com/2008/09/let-it-snow.html
Have you checked into the Montessori learning method (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_method) at all? It is very hands on, and uses specifically designed materials to help the kids learn different skills such as writing and math. There is a kid with Downs Syndrome at my daughters Montessori school, and he seems to be right in there with the kids. Granted, he’s a few years behind them, but the teaching methods and materials seem to really help. Like many of the gals said above, using beans, or different objects to visually see what 2+4 is makes a HUGE difference! There are montessori materials that help teach mulitiplication and division as well. The one that comes to mind is the “stamp” game. No, it doesn’t involve stamps 🙂
Good luck!
Hi Lauren, just wanted to get in another plug for Math U See – it’s a great program (we’re using it now!). The manipulatives are always the same and gives them a good basis of understanding. Worth looking at! Sounds like you got a lot of great advice! Your card is beautiful -very calming and serene! 🙂
Lauren, I am a SPED teacher and my recommendations are:
a) using manipulatives- she needs to be able to see it, feel it..
b) Touch Math- it’s a great program. Even if she doesn’t put the dots on the numbers she can put them next to the numbers.
Looks like you got a lot of great advice! My son hates school, but does pretty good until it’s homework time! Wish I had the magic words, but I don’t!
This is gorgeous!! Love the sketch and the card!
Hi Lauren :O)
Love your sketch this week! I gave it a shot.
http://kristinscrafts.blogspot.com/
Hope you had a wonderful weekend!
Hey Lauren, just saw this post about Alexa’s math troubles. All of the suggestions about using manipulatives are great! Also the touch points work well for some kids too. One thing to remember is that learning is best done when concrete examples are used and provided. For example, you have an orange and then a picture of an orange. The orange is the concrete example of what an orange is, where the picture is only that, a picture of an orange. A child is always going to learn what an orange is better when they can see the real thing, then later they can transfer that knowledge to calling the picture of an orange, an orange. I would suggest working with hands-on items. Like beans, m&m’s, counting blocks, books. There are tons of things in your house you can use. Start simple. Using things with different colors may help too.
I don’t have a child with Down’s but I was able to help my child with counting by using M & Ms (I guess some of the manipulatives would work the same, but the reward at the end of the lesson made learning fun!).
Another issue with Lauren you may not have thought about is her past chemotherapy treatment. As a pedi oncology nurse I know that post chemo cognitive problems are common in children who have had spinal chemo (which I assume she had with her ALL). It is especially noted with abstract concepts, like math. So this, in addition to her down’s may be contributing to the problem. Feel free to email me if you have questions about this.
Good luck, I am sure she will get it with your help!
Pam
Love your card and the choice of colors, gorgeous! 🙂
I’m sorry I cannot help with thw math question, Naomi seems to be having a hard time with that too sometimes, although this year it seems to go better all of a sudden.
Since we teach math a little differently in France, it is even harder for me to know how to approach it with her!
You are right it is hard for the 1st child! 🙁 With me the special needs child is the 2nd one, and weirdly enough he did some things before Naomi (like walking), it is sometime so confusing!…
here is my card for the challenge:
http://decoratingmylife.blogspot.com/
thanks for the sketch – it was great fun!
What a fun sketch Lauren. I usually don’t do circles too often, so this helped me out of my comfort zone. You can see my sample here: http://www.ericasartisticattic.blogspot.com
Thanks for another great sketch.
Great sketch Laura . Love the circles. Here is mine:
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1072740?nocache=1
Hi Lauren,
Wow, lots of great suggestions and ideas. A lot of the ideas just sound like sound math skills too.
Missed doing your sketch the last couple of weeks. Here is this one.
http://katiespaperhaven.blogspot.com/2008/09/make-wish-and-vent.html
Better late then never – here is my card http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1079599?cat=500&ppuser=132530. Love all the smileboxes!
I’ve had it done for a while but just now could post it. Thanks -Molly B
http://mollyslazydogblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/meet-chrissy.html
Hi Lauren, So long after it was posted this sketch was used as a basis for this Wedding Card I was asked to make. Thanks for the inspiration – you can find my card here http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1327740?cat=500&ppuser=132530
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