Info Wanted

There is an outstanding school placement person in Woodland Hills, Teri Solochek. It would be worth a trip to meet with her. She is super and will be able to offer all sorts of options to you. Good luck

I am looking into a different way of teaching/learning for kids and parents who are smart they just march to the beat of a different drum and are pigeonholed as learning disabled. I just started looking into it I'll get back if it is viable.....

Here is a link for a performing arts/music schools & music conservatory schools in California:
http://www.colburnschool.edu/
http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/musi...
http://www.sccm.us/
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&a...

Try doing a Google search... and see what comes up.

You could also try researching "Waldorf Schools"....
here's a link: http://www.google.com/search?q=are+waldorf+schools+music+...

Good luck,
~SUsan
www.cafepress.com/littlegoogoo

Piano lessons may be something to try in addition to normal school even if it has a music program.

Obviously its good for math but for symbol recognition it is great. It helps reading. When you read music yoiu read left to right in a line and you have to process the information and immediately do something with it. It is great for developing memory. It is great for incremental learning. It is great for dexterity.

It requires task repetion. I have my girls practice a problem phrase (usually a couple of measures) 10 times and have them "make it thier friend" so when they get to that part they can smile and zoom thru it. It essentially teaches you how to learn.

A decent used piano (elect keyboards not recommended for lessons, but fun toys) can be found for pretty cheap, under $1200. Figure about $100 per month for a good teacher. Piano tuning and simple maintainence is about $130 per year depending on the piano. Really a decent value for what you get in return.

A good way to find a great teacher is to contact a College nearby with a Piano Pedigogy class and ask the instructor for a good teacher referance who lives near you. The good ones often have a waiting list. The instructor should be involved in the Certificate of Merit program that teaches music theory in case your child wants to get serious later.

Also a parent who is somewhat musical is helpful, plan to spend time and partner in the task, or if you are not musical plan to learn along with your child.

It also provides your kid with an excuse to get outta the dishes...."i gotta go practice!"

If your daughter is in public school and has an IEP (which she should with if she's been formally diagnosed with learning disabilities) you can request an assessment for music therapy. They will provide materials for the classroom and home to enhance her learning.

You should check out Waldorf education. There is a school in San Diego. Do a Google and you will find a TON of info. Each grade learns a new musical instrument. Education is very hands on, learning is through play, and there is a strong focus on the arts.

K.,
Have you ever considered homeschooling? I don't know if that is even a possibility for you but there are so many great options within the homeschooling route. There are great homeschool charter schools that offer facilitators which come to your home provide support and collect work samples of your childs work. The school keeps records and offers standardized testing and (here's where you will benefit) they have vendors that offer private music lessons. My family has been with the Julian Charter School, in San Diego, for 7 years. They provide curriculum and classes. My kids have been playing the violin for 7 years now and the school pays our instructor for these lessons. Private lessons! It is a public charter school providing all this, but I teach my kids at home and am able to teach our faith and so much more freely!!!
The school has things in place to assess your daughter's abilities and disabilities. They will provide assistance for her needs. Good luck with your search I hope you find what you need to meet the needs of your family! If you are more interested in this check their website at www.Juliancharterschool.org

Hello K.,
You should homeschool your daughter. There are so many curriculumns out there to use. If you live in the southbay, the Christian Homeschoolers Education Assoiation is holding their yearly homeschool convention, in July, in Long Beach, California. You can go to CHEA on the google search and get their website. Good luck. D.

Dear K.,
I just wanted to add that I had heard that whatever a child is interested in when they are 8 years old is their true calling in life. So if she's musically oriented your other responders answers all sound good! I especially like the one about the FREE caliva.org school, if the others are too expensive!
Best,
Another "R. E" (I just found out I'm not the only one with that name!)

Check out www.EducationAndEnrichment.com for a comprehensive list of schools with special needs. There is a school out there that will be a perfect fit for your child, I hope this web site will help you identify it!
All the best,
R.

Hi K.,

I know of a school and philosophy that has been very appealing to me for my own daughter. Here is an exert of what they stand for, you need to find out if there is one near you.
To me the best part is NO GRADING

The School places human development and art at the center of its work and curriculum. It prepares young people to meet the world with inner confidence, to trust in the value of each human being, and to think and work with initiative in their lives. Following the indications of Austrian scientist and philosopher, Dr. Rudolf Steiner, the children are taught in the context of their own stage of development with the understanding that subjects must be brought to them in different ways at different ages. The capacity for serious academic work and thinking in the high school is first prepared through healthy play and artistic learning in the kindergarten and lower grades. Children are not rushed, but encouraged.

Between birth and age seven, the child learns mainly through imitation. The atmosphere surrounding the child is filled with beauty, morality, and role models worthy of imitation. At this age the children need warmth and protection to develop their capacities in a natural, supportive, non-competitive and free atmosphere for creative play and work.

Children between the ages of seven and fourteen learn best from loving and consistent authorities who embrace the world with interest. At this age subjects are presented artistically in order to engage the children's feelings so that they will value the world and; want to master the basic academic, artistic, practical, and physical skills they will need for life.

High school students learn best in an atmosphere of challenge and enthusiastic expertise in which they can exercise their independent thinking. At this age students deepen their understanding of the world through challenging intellectual study as they begin to develop real mastery of their artistic, scientific, literary, historical, and physical capabilities.
Good Luck !

Aha! My daughter is very similar and is fortunate enough to attend a school called Ocean Charter in Culver City- the teaching is based on the Waldorf technique and as far as I am concerned is brilliant. THere is a lot of music and movement in the curriculum as well as arts based subjects such as knitting and watercolor painting - there's too much to say about it in this message, but I recommend that you research it - feel free to call me if you want to ask anything, ###-###-####, all the best!

What area are you in? Have you looked on the internet? Who diagnosed the learning disabilities -- a professional? Try to figure out which disability is most significant and search for it on the Internet. Homeschooling may be another alternative.

there are wonderful waldorf schools in los angeles... Pasadena and Northridge for sure and maybe one on the westside too?

You might want to either consider a school that uses music to teach such as The Learning Through Music Consulting Group might be able to tell you of a school in your area or give you other ideas http://www.learning-through-music.org/

or there are music cds such as Times Table Disco and music DVDs such as School House Rock that could help her.

Hope that helps.

What area are you looking for a school in?

Hi K.,

I do not know if yours daughters learning disabilities include vision or dyslexia. My husband went to the College of Optometry as a child. His mother did exercises with him for about 6 months. The school had wanted to hold him back for slow reading - it turned out to be a muscle weakness within the eye that was correctable. He went on to UCLA and grad school. The Irlen Institute works with different types of dyslexias. I know 2 parents that have had success with their children. Good luck.

You might research the Orf technique online. It is a technique that involves total body learning for music, so it isn't just notes on a page, but your body jumping out the beat. Very creative.
Good luck!

Hi K., I do not know what advice you have been given,. You may want to check out the Waldorff School of San Diego. There are two locations. They have an awesome education for children who need to learn differelty than the traditional way and have a grat music program. If yo are not in SD check on line to see you if you have a Waldorff school in your area

If you want to keep her in regular school, try talking to the school about music therapy courses - many schools offer this or you can find some of them in community resources. This should be fun for her and help her to work better in other areas. I have found (as the mother of a child with a learning disability on one side and a very high aptitude on another) that it is sometimes hard to work within normal school districts. Research some private schools and see what they offer. Don't look under "special education" but under "gifted" applications and you will find a myriad of schools that are meant for children who are extremely gifted in one area and have learning disabilities in others. These are usually the best schools/seminars to work with as they will have resources for helping you and others see the gifts and not just the curse. Another option is homeschooling and taking music courses that may be offered by other institutions. This will allow her to work at her own pace for many of the programs, but allow her to excel and move ahead in what she does well.

You might look into California Virtual Academy. It is a public, free charter school where you basically home school your daughter with the help of a free computer from the school and online coursework. They have an amazing curriculum with great complimentary music and art coursework, plus it would allow more time for individual music lessons or classes. There are many special needs children in the program because it is so individualized and allows them to go at their own pace. http://www.k12.com/cava/