I’m sure children will get bored if they are not engaged in summer fun activities so reading, and not just clicking on those gadgets, will give them fun and excitement too. Now is the time we parents and teachers and parents lead the way and make them love reading.

I’m sure when they are adults they’d rather read fun stuff than read minute details of work-related literature like contracts, North Carolina health insurance, and manuals.

Here is a list of books for summer reading. Let’s hope the reading continues on till after summer vacation. I know *rolls eyes*, it’s 2009 but it’s still a list

Here is another reading list.

I’m not one who get books with popular animation characters because the children can watch these characters on TV so why bother have them in books? I’d rather children read books that will take them to different places, stir their imagination and make them want to read more. Or maybe be a children’s books author some day.

Fast forward to three years ago, I had a student who underwent a Tomatis Listening Program in Alabang. The parents were so happy with the results. They said that their child, my student, has greatly improved after she underwent a Tomatis Listening Program.

What is Tomatis Method?

The Tomatis Method was developed by Dr. Alfred A. Tomatis, a French Ear-Nose-Throat or ENT specialist. The study of auditory processing and language development was pioneered by him which led to a new multi-disciplinary science called Audio Psycho Phonology or APP.

It was the Tomatis Method which led to the discovery of ear and voice interrelationship: the voice can only reproduce what the ear hears. One of the causes of learning problems is the inability to listen.

The Tomatis Method allows children and adults alike to improve their listening skills for better and improved learning skills in a non-invasive and drug-free way. This can be coupled with occupation and/or speech-language therapy and/or special education services.

Listening and communication are the targeted learning modes wherein the auditory stimulation between the ear and the voice are given focused to stimulate the ear’s ability to listen and the brain’s ability to understand what is being heard.

The Tomatis Method makes use of the Music of Mozart because of these three elements: rhythm for human balance, harmony for reaching emotions and melody for the intellect.

The Tomatis Method also uses Gregorian Chant (which by the way, our nun teachers had us learn to sing via Latin songs) because of its proportional beat that is close to the respiratory rhythm. This beat has a succession of sequences of unequal length said to be found in ocean waves that come one after the other but not identical.

The Tomatis Method re-trains the listening system through:

• use of electronically modified music and language to improve auditory information processing
• enhances the ability to know the difference between frequencies which are all necessary for language development and auditory information processing
• use of Electronic Ear

Why is Listening an important factor in Learning?

For school children who learn through auditory means most of the time, listening is the key to learning the concepts and facts presented in class. We’ve heard it time and again, teachers complain that students “do not listen” or “Are not focusing and listening”. This is true to most students, specially those who have developmental and learning problems.

I wrote in a post about Study Skills that:

For me, study skills involve active listening, discussions, allowing the children to explore their surroundings, interactions between the teachers and the students and/or among students themselves.

Good Learners are Good Listeners.

The Tomatis Method is guided by the principle that “good learners are good listeners”. How so?

• Good learners are good listeners first because they focus on what they are listening to, as trained with the various frequencies the children undergoing the program listen to.
• Good learners are right ear dominant.
• Good listeners know which things they should listen to and can filter the not-so-relevant information.

Who can benefit from a Tomatis Listening Program?

Children and adults diagnosed with ADHD, Autism, Learning Disability, Sensory Processing Disorders can benefit from Tomatis Listening Program. Even those who were not diagnosed can benefit from the program because their listening skills will be more enhanced thus making them more productive and better learners.

What happens during a Tomatis Program?

• A listening assessment is first conducted to know a client’s auditory skills levels.
• An individual Tomatis Program is designed to meet each and every child’s needs and level.
• After every 15 hours of the program, progress is tracked through a listening test followed by a short interview or counseling session. This allows the team to see how much was achieved in terms of the areas where problems are pinpointed, and what feedback the child and the parents have of the program.
• Further changes will be done to suit the child’s present level.
• During sessions, children listen to personalized tracks playing in the headphones they wear. These tracks, usually consisting of Mozart music, Gregorian chants, the mother’s voice and some voice exercises and are tuned to the frequency needed by the child are put together by the Tomatis consultants pictured below: Ria Vecin, Joanne Pedrosa and Gem Manosa.

Individualized Listening Programs consist of 3 phases which last for 10 days. Each of these days have 2 hour sessions. A four – eight week break is given after each phase.

Read more about Tomatis Philippines, basic FAQs and about the Tomatis Listening Program in these links.

Like Tomatis Philippines on Facebook.

Then I wrote posts about my family and about being a parent under the parenting posts.

Through it all, it gives me immense joy when people I don’t know send emails, comments and thank-yous for helping them while they read about my experiences as a special education teacher.

I know I still have a lot to learn. I know I have my own shortcomings and that my students have adapted to my quirks I know too that I fall short of the expectations I set for myself.

And there were times when I ranted online when I shouldn’t have.

But in the end, when I see where my students are right now, I feel pride and joy that all the things we went through together are worth every second: teenage issues, challenges, expectations, bittersweet moments, future plans, discussed controversial topics where I have been privy to their journey through the turbulent teenage years.

The sleepless nights, the crossroads, the questions, the doubts now look like just little stumbling blocks that made their parents and I hope that we have shaped the path for a better future for them.

It was through this blog too that I took a fancy to taking photos and eventually had my own photo blog.

Through the years I’ve met a lot of mombloggers, virtually and in real-life, and have even forged a bond and a blog with some special friends who I know will be there through all wrinkle serum and hair-dyeing times.

I join photomemes and tagging memes too, to meet new friends.

One blog lead to others more out there and if only I have all the time in the world sans parenting responsibilities, real work, house chores and mundane things, I would probably have more blogs than I can handle but alas, I always go back to this blog and reserve my best thoughts here.

I hope I can still keep the “fire” and the passion in this blog alive even when my fingers are too shaky to touch the right keys on the keyboard and when my eyesight fails to read the fine print (thank God, there’s none of that yet, LOL).

It’s been a long journey (the blog’s template name) but the fun is just starting.

Like my photo blog, this is a long shot at winning but as I’ve said, it’s a close to being a winner in itself. Thank you to everyone I met virtually and in real life, for enriching my life more

I am so happy to brag write about this. Woohoo!
Click here to read my article posted at FilipinoMomBlog.

Of course, they expect a lot because they pay a lot of money to be able to get these services for their children.

Here in the Philippines, parents/families of children receiving therapy services pay for these services, unlike those children in other countries who get these as part of their tax benefits.

Getting into these therapy services don’t mean instant relief and instant improvement of the developmental and behavioral problems that need to be addressed.

So what should parents expect during the first few weeks of therapy?

Below are a few observations I have made during the course of working with these therapists:

Expect crying, lots of it, especially for the younger children (ages 3 and below)

• These crying bouts will persist from the first session to sometimes well into the 10th or even beyond. Do not fear for the children are either adjusting to being with a new adult,  or they are probably testing this adult’s patience to see how the therapists will react. Young children can be very manipulative, it seems. Just observe an infant who cries the moment he/she is laid on a bed but quiets when picked up.

• They do not readily understand why they have to be taught to do things because they are used to playing and doing things their way. And why not? They would definitely cry if they can’t get a toy they want if they have to do a hand gesture of “give” or say “give” first. Of course, these thins are difficult especially when they are used to getting their own way.

• They cry because they resist what is being asked of them like sitting, asking for things and not grabbing these things, following verbal instructions, establishing eye contact, packing away the toys/materials that they have played with.

• They cry because they do not want to do the vocalizations they need to be able to produce sounds which will later on be words that they can say.

• They cry because everything is new to them, the therapists, the place, the tasks and the different stimulation that they see around them.

So parents, do not be upset if your children cry during the first few weeks of therapy. In due time, they will enjoy doing these things and with your help, they would be able to achieve the goals that have been set for them.

I told the doctor my concerns. That he doesn’t talk to the staff and therapists at the center where I am the special ed teacher but he talks to the students there. But because he is very observant, he asks why some of those who are older are not able to answer the questions being asked of them.

He is shy and would rarely speak with other people around, except for relatives. He still has to experience formal school and going with me to the center is the next best thing he has experienced for socialization.

His skills are varied and amazing and are not usually characterized by his age. He can read and spell long and complicated words. He can read short stories and answer questions about that. He can read all the words in the Dolch Sight Words, and even spell them correctly when he was just four years old. He can add multi-digit numbers mentally. He can subtract multi-digit static subtraction mentally. As well as multiply and divide mentally. I also explained that I just go with what he wants to do because he taught himself to do these skills, with me just giving him enrichment activities.

Aside from those skills, he can calculate on what day a certain date will fall. He likes gadgets: mobile phones, computers, PDA, calculator. He likes looking at calendars. He can also name cars, very specific makes, not just brands. He was also able to do a 90 piece jigsaw puzzle before he turned five. Oh, have I mentioned that he has his own e-mail address and can send YM to those who are online when he goes online. Anyway, enough bragging.

He was given different activities: mostly language-based activities, patterns, fine and gross-motor activities, problem-solving drills and a lot more. He was drumming his fingers on the table in between activities. He answered seemingly without thinking, very spontaneously. It seems to me that he was even challenging himself to be very fast and accurate especially when he knew he was being timed.

The Verdict Result?

Because he was not very adept at writing, his overall performance was affected. But not so surprisingly, the doctor said that he is “potentially gifted in the analytical and reasoning skills.” Some of his skills are those found in eight year old children.

He even scored 95 months in some aspects when his chronological age/level is 70 months. Except of course, his writing/copying, which I don’t worry much about. Around age 7, he can be tested further and thoroughly by a child psychologist.

This is of course puts more pressure on me and my husband to further encourage him to do his best as well as develop where he is not best, his social skills. At the same time, he should be able to enjoy the childhood joys and experiences which will make him a better person.

For the meantime, we will make an appointment to meet with the guidance counselor at my eldest daughter’s school where they can make arrangements for placements based on the skills and academic levels of the students.

(I’m so sorry Dr. ALR, I really wanted an appointment before the school year starts so I didn’t get an appointment with you because the average waiting time is 6-8 months. Proof that you are the most sought-after dev ped in the country)