Opening our Eyes

In the garden of Eden, Eve was tempted by Satan to eat of the forbidden fruit so "her eyes might be opened". Although it was the right choice, it was seen as a sin and the rest of the story is history. If she didn't do it, neither would Adam, we wouldn't be here and we would not know the good from the evil. But then let's face it, in this world there is a lot of good, a lot of evil, and a lot of in between. Don't worry, this isn't about all the evil in the world. It isn't even about the good. This is about finding good, better, best, and incorporating the ideas together. Because, let's face it, we can't always have the best so we have to work it in to the good that we have and know.

April is a brilliant woman who rediscovered Waldorf Education for the both of us. Right at a pivotal point in our children's lives, she directed me back to the ideal way for children to learn that was taught in one brief glimpse in college. As I recall, Waldorf is what we all strive for, want and need but rarely find. But April found it...right here in Phoenix! WooHoo! I wasn't in love until I read the book, but I found the best and want it for my child. Now, I just have to see if Desert Marigold will deliver what the philosophy promises. (I have been advised that it might not, but I'm not casting judgment as of yet.)

So I deviated from my point...letting the best meet the good. I tutor reading and found a great way to help kids with auditory processing problems. I use the LindaMood Bell Phoeneme Sequencing (LiPS) program. It works, without failure, even with kids who don't really want to learn. You've heard of phonics? I call this super phonics plus some. I have this kid that forgets everything and LiPS has given him some tools to help him retrieve the information he knows. Often times I have to intervene, but he's learning to do it on his own now and when I see it I'm amazed! The other day he forgot what a C sounds like. He could get the sssssss part, but not the kkkkkkkk sound. What the heck? Who forgets that?! This kid does. So I remembered the story from the Waldorf book about the cat, I drew a cat with a big swishy tail, and made sure the outline of the tail was a darkened letter C. Wa-la! The best meets the good, or best to best. Whatever, the kid got it and I didn't have to tell him outright. Maybe he'll remember the cat, maybe not, but now he has just one more thing to help him out. Brilliant.

So, my eyes are opened and I'm looking at everything through a different frame of mind. I know my work is good, and works for all my students. They can read now, and couldn't before. That's good, but is there better?!