Brain Coach Tips

Another label has emerged for individuals that are having learning challenges – it's CAPD. CAPD stands for Central Auditory Processing Disorder and is also referred to as APD or Auditory Processing Disorder.  There are different aspects of this “disorder” that negatively affect a person's ability to function fully.  Symptoms include: Difficulties in recognizing and interpreting […] The post A New Label on the Block – CAPD appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Special Replay this week from The Brain Coach: Is your child struggling with math? Do you have a gifted child that needs to secure a good math foundation that will let them soar? Is your 5, 9 or 15 year old having trouble remembering their math facts? If the answer is yes to any of […] The post Special Replay: Cornerstone of Math appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

The almost militant battle of how to best teach reading has been waged over the last 150+ years with proponents from both sides being adamant about their recommendations.  As the reading curriculum pendulum has swung back and forth from phonics to sight to phonics the controversy roars on with little attention given to anything except […] The post Special Replay: The Best Way to Teach Reading appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Have you ever wonder if it is really necessary to teach your child cursive? Do you have a child that just doesn’t get it? Today Dr. Jan Bedell visits with Prisca Lecroy one of the co-owners of CursiveLogic. Prisca shares how their method of teaching cursive came about when her mother was tutoring a 23-year-old […] The post Why Cursive? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Do you attend Homeschool conferences?  If the answer is no, you may want to reconsider your decision not to go. Today Dr. Jan Bedell visits with Leslie Nunnery who along with her husband David, started the Teach Them Diligently Home School Conferences. Leslie shares the call they felt to encourage homeschool families to stay the […] The post Come and Be Encouraged appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Do you have a child that struggles to maintain focus when completing tasks?  Do you have to supervise every minute of your teen’s school day? Today Dr. Jan Bedell visits with the founder of Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum, Dr. Ron Johnson.  Doc, as many like to call him, was formerly a public-school principle and superintendent who […] The post Hidden Gem appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Special Replay: Neuroplasticity – Rewiring The Brain with Dr. Jan Bedell Podcast #19 Neuroplasticity, hmm? Do we really have to use such an unfamiliar word?  Yes, to describe the amazing gift that God has given us we can start with a big word and break it down.  It really is quite simple – “neuro” is […] The post Special Replay: Neuroplasticity – Rewiring The Brain appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Special Replay:  Draw Close To God In A Busy World with Dr. Jan Bedell and Pastor Alan Bias Pastor Alan Bias joins Brain Coach, Jan Bedell for some tips on how to hear God in the “everyday”.  Learn how to escape the “Big Gray Swirl” of busyness and distractions to experience life to its fullest. […] The post Special Replay: Draw Close To God In A Busy World appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Do you have a child with special needs?  Are you lost, and you don’t know where to turn for help?  Do you just need some encouragement? Today Dr. Jan Bedell talks with Peggy Ployhar, the CEO and founder of SPED Homeschool.  The mission for SPED Homeschool is – Helping students succeed through parent directed special […] The post Special Needs Resources appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Do your children have an awareness of the impact of good etiquette?  Today Dr. Jan Bedell speaks with Monica Irvine from The Etiquette Factory about how life-enhancing proper etiquette can be. “If you are not taught, you don’t know,” is what Monica has learned from speaking with parents who have used her products. It is […] The post Etiquette Made Easy appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Do you have a child that is constantly in trouble?  They don’t look at you when you talk to them.  They don’t follow directions.  They don’t answer when spoken to. They will not sit still and do their school work.  Guess what? This may not be defiance! Dr. Jan has worked with clients using the […] The post Behavior Alert – What’s the Root? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Do your children want to go to college? Do you wonder if they can succeed? Are they struggling just to make it through high school? Is taking a test a daunting prospect? This week you will hear an inspirational testimony of a seventeen-year-old who realized his life-long dream of going to college by using The […] The post But I Want To Go To College appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Do you have a child that is distracted, disorganized or impulsive?   Has someone suggested that they are ADD and they need to be put on medication to reach their full potential?    Today Dr. Jan visits with Michelle, Little Giant Steps’ Director of Parent Support, about her encounter with the ND Approach with her […] The post ADD Resolved appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Do you have a child that is a struggling reader?  Have you wondered if your child has dyslexia?   Once again Dr. Jan asks us to think differently and drop the thought of labels.  Labels are given when you can check off a number of present symptoms. What good is that?  The Neurodevelopmental Approach looks at […] The post Reading Struggles appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Is your homeschool struggling with stress?  A stressed-out child or momma can make for a long day!  Dr. Jan discusses some of the things that can cause stress in your homeschool life and gives some practical solutions, once again, she asks you to think differently. Metabolic challenges can cause gut issues and more. These chemistry […] The post Stressed Child – SOS! appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Is your child struggling with math? Do you have a gifted child that needs to secure a good math foundation that will let them soar? Is your 5, 9 or 15 year old having trouble remembering their math facts? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, this is the podcast for you! […] The post Cornerstone of Math appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Underlying developmental building blocks are necessary for a kindergarten child to be ready for more formal academics.  From Little Giant Steps’ perspective, kindergarten is the culmination of effective development in six areas.   When there are gaps in one or more areas of development, children can suffer from a myriad of learning challenges and even learning […] The post Kindergarten Skills for Academics appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

More and more families are seeking help for their children to function better emotionally, behaviorally as well as academically.  Many are having long term memory problems where they seem to know something one day and not the next. One reason for this is the link between hand, eye and ear dominance.  You can learn more […] The post Long Term Memory Boosters appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

What is it that preschoolers really need to experience to help their brains work at peak capacity when they start formal schooling?  That question has puzzled professionals in the educational field for years.  From a neurodevelopmental perspective, preschool preparation has nothing much to do with books you find at teacher supply stores, Sam’s or Cosco […] The post Preschool Essentials appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

In the 1950’s and 1960’s, information about how the brain functioned was based on what scientists could observe.  The general consensus was that the brain was hardwired by the time you were an adult. In other words, it was believed you were stuck with what you had if you were past 20 years old.   As […] The post Brain Plasticity- God’s Special Gift appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Being a mom of a child with involved developmental issues, Jan knows first-hand the feeling of wanting to “fix it.”  The NeuroDevelopmental Approach for Life is dynamically effective for changing the structure of the brain so individuals move through life more efficiently. If your child has symptoms of or the documented labels of ADD or […] The post Let’s Fix It! The NeuroDevelopmental Approach for Life appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Do you sometimes feel alone in your quest to educate your child with special needs?  This week, you will enjoy hearing from a mom that has walked through difficult times with her two boys, each with very different special needs.  She will share how God was faithful to send her help and support along the […] The post Navigating Special Needs Home Schooling appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

It happens every year. Summer draws to a close and plans are made for the start of a new school year.  Teachers, young and old, experienced and first timers, get a great sense of anticipation about the prospects the new year holds. In this episode, Jan Bedell, the Little Giant Steps’ Brain Coach, will help […] The post Strategic School Start appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Have you ever felt like there was a glass ceiling above your head and prayers just weren’t being heard?  Have you ever experienced God’s divine intervention where you just knew it was Him and there were results to prove it?  Come, listen, and be inspired by a God that moves mountains for moms. On this […] The post Answered Prayer – A Mother’s Answer For Her Struggling Child appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Do you find that your child with unique learning needs has been happy-go-lucky all summer while the pressure of school has been off?  Are you seeing that now the closer to the start of school you come, the more anxious the child is?  Have you been considering home schooling your child who has been struggling […] The post Homeschooling Special Needs 911 appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Special needs require special focus. Many parents must focus a great deal on their child with special needs, and rightfully so. Yet, how does the situation of having a special needs sibling affect the other children in the house? All family members of children with ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, developmental delays, CAPD, Autism, syndromes, and genetic […] The post Siblings Of Special Needs Kids appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Exercise and Joy with Felice Gerwitz Podcast #212 What does exercise have to do with joy? Being joyful is a result of exercise and can help our mood and stamina. In this episode, Felice explains her findings – what has worked for her and what she still struggles with in her exercise routine. Many of […] The post Exercise and Joy appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Another label has emerged for individuals that are having learning challenges – it’s CAPD. CAPD stands for Central Auditory Processing Disorder and is also referred to as APD or Auditory Processing Disorder.  There are different aspects of this “disorder” that negatively affect a person’s ability to function fully.  Symptoms include: Difficulties in recognizing and interpreting […] The post A New Label on the Block – CAPD appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Ear infections are painful, but who knew the extremely far reaching effects of fluid on the inner ear, which is often the result of ear infections? The Brain Coach, Dr. Jan Bedell, will go through the cascading negative consequences of ear infections.  Children with small ear canals, like many of those with Down Syndrome, are […] The post Far-reaching Effects of Ear Infections appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week, the discussion focuses on how the brain is resilient and can be healed from the effects of trauma in a person’s life. Dr Jan will be joined by a colleague, Ruth Young. Ruth has been a NeuroDevelopmentalist for 15 years, is a pastor’s wife of 37 years, and an author of many article […] The post Healing from Trauma appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

A syndrome is a group of symptoms that collectively indicate or characterize a disease, disorder, or other condition considered abnormal. There is a large range of negative effects in a person’s functional ability with and within each syndrome. Brain injury can occur from genetic anomalies, birth trauma or accidents at any time during a person’s […] The post NeuroDevelopment Can Help Your Child with a Syndrome or Brain Injury appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Have you wondered if it is worth the battle to get your children to hold their pencil correctly? An instinct deep inside nags at you about the importance of this skill, but you are so tired of saying, “Hold your pencil right!” Often you are tempted to give up because you are not absolutely sure […] The post I Said, “Hold Your Pencil Right!” appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Spelling is an important skill for school and life. Many parents are baffled as to why some of their children are good spellers and others are not.  This seems to occur even when children are taught with the same reading program.  Some educational professionals advocate spelling using a phonetic approach.  The challenge with this line […] The post Essentials for Spelling appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Thank you adoptive parents!  You are all heroes for taking on the challenge of raising adopted children!  You know that heroes go through hard things to get that “hero” recognition and I would dare say that most, if not all of you, qualify as having done hard things. Many of you were prepared for the […] The post Adopted: Isn’t Love Enough? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

The label of autism can strike fear in the heart of any parent.  One of the most confusing aspects of autism is how the level of functional ability can vary to the extremes. This wide array of the effects has caused people to refer to this as a “spectrum disorder” or refer the individual as […] The post Autism Solutions appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Behavior modification is the topic of many books, ministries and websites, so it can be confusing terrain for parents.  Disciplining children with learning issues or low auditory processing can sometimes be challenging, and take extra thought and attention. But no matter what the state of the child, a behavior management system is necessary to curb […] The post Create a Positive Learning Environment, Part 2 appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Living in a household where the environment is negative is no fun for anyone.  There are many factors that could cause this undesirable situation to be happening in your home.  Some such factors can actually result in symptoms of learning struggles and even labels like ADD, ADHD or dyslexia.  I am not saying your child […] The post Create a Positive Learning Environment – Part 1 appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

The discussion from part 1 of When Does Homeschool Really Begin? continues as Jan Bedell, the Little Giant Steps’ Brain Coach, leads you through the last stage of brain organization at the cortex level.  The cortex is the thinking part of the brain and is where you interact most with your children.  Be sure to […] The post When Does Homeschool Really Begin? Part 2 appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Most people don’t think about educating their children until pre-school age. In this episode, the Brain Coach lets you in on some tips that will save you hours of effort in later years.  When children go through ALL the developmental steps that God intended, the foundation for successful education is laid.  Children will then be […] The post When Does Homeschool Begin? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

The almost militant battle of how to best teach reading has been waged over the last 150+ years with proponents from both sides being adamant about their recommendations.  As the reading curriculum pendulum has swung back and forth from phonics to sight to phonics the controversy roars on with little attention given to anything except […] The post The Best Way to Teach Reading appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Organizing Einstein: Enhancing the Abilities of the Gifted Learner Part Two – with Dr. Jan Bedell In part two, the Brain Coach continues the workshop on staying ahead of that voracious appetite for new ideas and expanded content that comes with a gifted learner.  Additionally, the concept of teaching with frequency, intensity and duration to […] The post Organizing Einstein: Enhancing the Abilities of the Gifted Learner Part 2 appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

The Gifted Learner with Dr. Jan Bedell When your child has an above average IQ, you have a whole new set of challenges.  Staying ahead of that voracious appetite for new ideas and expanded content can definitely keep a home school mom hopping. The goals for podcast #26 (part 1) and #27 (part 2) are: […] The post Organizing Einstein: Enhancing the Abilities of the Gifted Learner Part 1 appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Do you have a child with special learning needs?  While every child is unique and needs specialized attention, some seem to require more. They struggle to progress through typical milestones and traditional curriculum and approaches don’t seem to help them much.  They have learning, behavioral or emotional struggles or have received labels like Sensory Integration […] The post Special Needs Homeschooling 101 appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Homeschool Success with Your Struggling Learner with Dr. Jan Bedell It seems more and more children these days have some sort of learning struggle that challenges their academic progress or gives them one of the common learning or behavioral labels like ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, OCD, bipolar, Asperger’s and the list goes on.   It is estimated that […] The post Homeschool Success with Your Struggling Learner appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

You Knew It Yesterday – What Happened On The Test with Dr. Jan Bedell Have you ever had that frustrating experience where you were certain your child grasped an academic concept, and then the very next day, she couldn’t recall ever seeing it? Well, it is not just a frustration for you.  The child is […] The post UPDATED: You Knew It Yesterday – What Happened on the Test? appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Stop Twirling That String with Jan Bedell, PhD Visual challenges can be varied and sometimes hard to detect, but often mom or dad know something isn’t quite right. The challenge is to figure out what is causing the problem.  The doctor might say, “The child’s vision is fine.”  The question from a neurodevelopmentalist standpoint is, […] The post Stop Twirling That String appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Stop Overreacting It’s Just A Sock with Jan Bedell, PhD – your brain coach.   Do you ever want to just yell, “IT’S JUST A SOCK, put it on your foot!”? It is hard to understand the reaction of some children when their tactile system is giving the wrong messages to the brain. The sensory […] The post Stop Overreacting It’s Just A Sock appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

#20_StopOverreactingItsNotThatLoud_handoutStop Overreacting! It’s Not That Loud! Episode #20 Stop Overreacting! It’s Not That Loud! Have you ever been really frustrated with your child’s reaction to sound?  Have you been troubled by his ability to understand what you are saying?  Has it crossed your mind that you might need to get her hearing checked?  If the […] The post Stop Overreacting! It’s Not That Loud! appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Neuroplasticity – Rewiring The Brain with Dr. Jan Bedell Podcast #19 Neuroplasticity, hmm? Do we really have to use such an unfamiliar word?  Yes, to describe the amazing gift that God has given us we can start with a big word and break it down.  It really is quite simple – “neuro” is having to […] The post Neuroplasticity – Rewiring The Brain appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Making Math Easier with Dr. Jan Bedell  Podcast #18 Be sure to download the handout below As homeschoolers we tend to teach the way we were taught or at the very least we are influenced by how we experienced school ourselves.  In this episode, Jan Bedell, the Little Giant Steps Brain Coach, challenges the standard […] The post Making Math Easier appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Making Reading Easier by Dr. Jan Bedell   A prerequisite to reading using the phonics approach is a good auditory processing ability (auditory short term memory).  If processing is not well developed, reading with phonics past three letter words can be next to impossible.  Don’t go buy another phonics program!  It isn’t the phonics program […] The post Making Reading Easier appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.