Swannanoa 2012

If there's a place my two younger kids love to be, Swannanoa is it.

She and Dylan love everything about it from the music to the people to the entire atmosphere. Warren Wilson College is in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina just east of Asheville. Image that scenery with Irish music being played in little nooks and crannies all over the campus by people practicing for a class or small groups of people jamming together. We have been going to Swannanoa for the past four years so have a number of friends we love to see each year and we make new friends, too. They meet so many people with a similar passion for Irish music so, whether they are younger or older, they have an immediate connection.

Haley and Dylan had great classes with talented Irish musicians. Haley had fiddle with Liz Carroll for the beginning of the week but a family emergency called her away and Liz Kane took her place. She also took a tin whistle class with Kathleen Conneely. Dylan took guitar and bouzouki classes with John Doyle, Eamon O'Leary, and Donal Clancy. Our evenings consisted of amazing marathon concerts and ceili dances then late night/early morning jam sessions. Haley and Dylan They got to jam with many of the instructors for the week and some other talented musicians in those late night sessions. They also had a blast playing music with some "neighbors" from PA, Rose and Nate, most nights of the week and the four of them put together a set for the Student Showcase which was a lot of fun.

Some highlights and pics...

Haley and Dylan playing in a session with Liz Carroll and Kathleen Conneely.

Haley with Liz.

Dylan accompanying a new friend, Mackenzie from CO.

Haley and Dylan playing "Morning Nightcap" with Kevin Crawford.
 I think I blinded everyone with my flash.

Haley with Eli! "Talk the the hand!"

Dylan accompanying John Doyle's fiddling.

Kids in big session.

Haley with the ceili band.

Eyeball fun!

Dylan with John Doyle.

Tin whistle class performance.

Next up is a quick trip to the Dublin Ohio Celtic Festival for Haley as she joins The John Whelan Band. It will be a whirlwind of fun! We fly home just in time for our Ireland fundraiser next Sunday. Then it's off to Ireland and the Fleadh!
Wish Haley luck!

A Broader Definition of Success for Gifted Children

Back in 2008, I read this article and though it was interesting, I didn't necessarily agree with the author's point of view.

http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/getArticle.cfm?id=2026 

I wrote a blog post about my problems with the article back then and was asked to expound a bit on it for this blog tour....so here it goes.

I, personally, don't think accommodating gifted children is about creating prodigies, Nobel prize winners, or the next Mozart. When my kids read at 3-4 years old, I didn't automatically think that I was going to create the next Nobel prize winner. My goal was to provide them with materials they found interesting to read but not too emotionally mature for their tender years and to read with them everyday. When Haley began to show advanced musical ability, my goal was not to create the next Mozart. I simply found ways to meet her needs for instruction, performance opportunities, and social outlets. My main goal in homeschooling my children has always been to give them what they need

to feel challenged, give them an education that keeps many doors open for them so they have options, and teach them where they are so they maintain a love of learning and become adults who are able to find a job doing something they want to do.

I have a much broader definition of success than Mr. Gladwell would accept. I believe there are many other important aspects of human beings worthy of being celebrated besides academics or huge achievements. In the article, Mr. Gladwell considered people with over 150 IQ as not having obtained success if they didn't become Noble prizewinners or make huge contributions to some field of study. Many of those in the study did get advanced degrees and go on to work in the field of their choosing leading productive lives but to him, that was not successful enough.  By Mr. Gladwell's standards, I am a failure. I fall under his definition of gifted but I "only" work part-time and chose to put my efforts into homeschooling and mothering my kids. I always wanted to be a mother and consider it my most important calling. I purposefully chose a career that would provide me with flexible hours so I had time to be home and raise my children.  I am happy with my life and am raising three great kids. To me, that is all the success I need.

Not every precocious child will grow into an eminent adult who makes amazing contributions in a some field considered useful to the masses. There are so many factors such as personal interest, internal motivation, creativity, hard work, drive, and a bit of luck that often factor in much more than innate ability. Also, some people have so many interests, they cannot limit themselves to one particular field of study, some are interested in a field/area not many others are interested in, while others make small contributions in their own local area or for themselves that are not celebrated by throngs of people. I think it is very limiting to view those lives as less successful.

If we accommodate gifted children with the only goal being eminence or with expectations for them to contribute in some amazing way, we risk putting too heavy a burden on them. How many gifted children burn out or resist challenge or opportunities because they have the weight of their parents' (or other adult's) expectations on their shoulders? How many have their fragile egos shattered when they don't live up to someone else's expectations?

Mr. Gladwell compares gifted issues in academics and music to sports issues. I think there are some major differences between prodigious abilities in sports and those in music or academics. Few school districts cut back on their football budget or stop team try-outs for fear that some kids will be disappointed and not make it to a pro career. Unfortunately, when it comes to giftedness in academics or music, many schools around the country are cutting budgets (or have no funding to cut) and neglecting gifted kids. I think Mr. Gladwell's ideas are dangerous weapons for schools to use to justify their neglect of the gifted. If only a very small percentage of the gifted will "succeed" (using Mr. Gladwell's definition) then why bother accommodating them at school? Also, discussion of a child's success in sports is much more socially acceptable than discussing their success in academics or music, which are often viewed in society as elitist.

I believe it is important to accommodate while also protecting our kids from pressure, disappointment, or burnout by allowing each child to work with and expand whatever gifts or interests they have whether they be academic, musical, athletic, leadership, etc... Those who absorb information faster and understand more complex concepts at a younger age need accommodations whether it means going faster or deeper or some combination of the two. I fear holding bright kids back or allowing them to coast without proper challenge will be detrimental to their love of learning. Allowing them to learn at their own pace and broadening their education by following their passions and interests keeps the love of learning alive and allows them to experiment in a variety of areas. We, as parents, also need to be careful not to mistake our goals for our children for their own goals/needs putting unnecessary pressures on them. We should also be careful in how we phrase our comments/praise to our children...do we tell them they performed well because they worked hard or do we tell them they did well because they are more gifted than the next child. Kids have no control over their inborn ability but they can control the amount of effort they put into their activities which may help them to deal with disappointments in a more resilient way.

My children may never be Nobel prize winners or world class athletes or play at Carnegie Hall but they will have spent their young years learning at the pace that suited their individual needs, be equipped with the tools they need to pursue whatever goals become their dreams, and will have parents behind them who will support them no matter what they determine to be their "success." 

Parenting the Gifted Blog Tour 2012

Teaching My Baby to Read is very excited to be participating in the Parenting the Gifted Blog Tour 2012 from July 15-21st. This blog tour is organized by parents who met on The Well Trained Mind Message boards and who would like to help celebrate SENG’s National Parenting Gifted Children Week 2012.

This blog tour is not officially associated with The Well Trained Mind or SENG, but we are parents with experience and insights to share.  We come from different parts of the country, different school choices, and different social and economic backgrounds, but we all have one thing in common. We know that parenting a gifted child can sometimes be as challenging as it is rewarding.  If you have ever woken up at 3 AM in the morning wondering “What am I going to do with this child?” then this blog tour is for you!

From July 15-21 the Parenting the Gifted Blog Tour will discuss some of the most pertinent issues facing gifted education today:

On July 15th Childhood Inspired will write about “Loneliness as a Gifted Parent”. Our Roxaboxen Adventures will discuss “Identifying Gifted Minority Students”.

On July 16th Sceleratus Classical Academy will share “Don’t Panic! Musings about realizing that your child’s learning pattern is ahead of schedule.”

On July 17th Teaching My Baby to Read will feature “When School Isn’t Enough; Fanning the Flames of Learning Afterschool”.

On July 18th Homeschooling: or Who’s Ever Home will write about “A Broader Definition of Success for Gifted Children”.

On July 19th A Tree House Education will feature “2E Issues”. Homeschool in Florida will share “Get Out of Your Own Way: How to Listen to the Needs of Your Gifted Child”.

On July 20th Making Music With Kids will discuss “Finding a Good Fit for a Preschooler You Suspect is Gifted”. Barely Educational will offer “Worrying Too Much and Overanalyzing Parenting”

On July 21st Teaching My Baby to Read will feature guest posts. Dancing with Dragons will write about “Teaching the Visual Spatial Learner: When Your Child Thinks in Pictures”.

Teaching my Baby to Read still has room for more guest posts, so if you have something on your heart that you would like to share, please email Jenny via Teachingmybabytoread at gmail dot com.

Ten!!!

Ten years ago today, I became the mother of a beautiful baby girl! After having two wonderful boys, I wanted a girl more than anything in the world. I waited a few years before trying again because I had to want another baby, not just a baby girl and God blessed me with Haley. Even then, I didn't know just how truly blessed I was. I feel so lucky to have been given this amazing, talented, smart, child (actually three amazing kids).

Who would've know 10 years ago what kind of child she would be or what the world had in store for her? I can't believe all she has accomplished in her first decade! I can't even imagine what she will do in the next but we will certainly enjoy the ride!

She and I spent the day at Strings camp. She had a private lesson and all her other classes. Then we headed off to the Irish session at Plough. Her friend, Alex, and his family came to help celebrate and play some tunes. Tom had called ahead to get them to make her a cake and when they brought out a Haley-sized cupcake, everyone sang Happy Birthday to her. We left a little early and Dylan gave her the presents he bought her and the blueberry muffins he made for her. (Man, were they delicious!)

                   HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HALEY!!!!

Yum!

Singing Caledonia with Rosie!

Catching Up Post #2

So far this month...

 The kids played a two day gig at Cold Spring Village near Cape May. The weather was perfect. The crowd was lively and the music was wonderful! They had their friend Tala singing for them and Francesca dancing with them. They all did a great job! The rest of the festival was fun. We love the different exhibits at the village. On Saturday, I took Haley and Dylan from Cape May to PA so they could play at a recital put on by a dance school. The owner of the school had heard Haley playing at the Shanachie when they were closing and asked the kids to come play sets between dance numbers to give her dancers a break. 

Dylan graduated from 8th grade! What a handsome young man he is!

Haley and I travelled to New York for a fiddle lesson and stayed for the Dunne's Pub session with special guest Joannie Madden. The pub was standing room only for most of the evening.

From New York, we travelled to Connecticut to spend a few days with Haley's friend Sofia and her family. The first night we had a dinner invitation from John Whelan. It happened to be his birthday so the girls helped him celebrate with some tunes.

We attended the homeschooling convention in CT. We had a good time and were able to attend a lecture given by Susan Wise Bauer of Well Trained Mind fame. (It was very good btw...she talked about literature analysis at different ages/stages of development.) The rest of the convention was okay. We picked up lots of literature and a few things in the hall. I think if I were newer to homeschooling the entire convention may have been more relevant for me. Back a few years ago before I found the curriculum I like, it would have been nice to be able to take a look at everything before I purchased it...might have saved some money that way.

We brought Sofia and her mom and sister back home to New Jersey with us so the girls could attend Philadelphia International Strings Camp. They stayed all this past week with us and commuted back and forth to camp. I will post more on strings camp after Haley finishes up there this next week. She's doing two weeks of camp. On Thursday night Haley had a gig with Paraic and the guys (Sean and Dave). It was the hottest day of the summer so far so we began the evening with some ice cream. Haley and the guys busked for a little while then we moved over to the pub for the gig.

Not the clearest picture but I like how much fun they are obviously having fiddlin'

We also attended a couple Philadelphia Orchestra concerts the past two days at the Academy of Music (their original home before the Kimmel Center was built). Both concerts celebrated Stokowski, the conductor of the orchestra in the early 1900's. Today's concert was music from Fantasia and while the orchestra played, they had a huge screen showing parts of the movie. It was a really fun concert! After the concert we met with the concertmaster, David Kim, who invited us backstage to meet the amazing new conductor of the orchestra, Yannick. Haley was so excited to meet him after watching him conduct the past two days.

Catching Up Post....

Buffy chillin'

 I have been so busy this month and haven't had any time to keep my blog updated with all that's going on around. I hope to catch up with myself in the next few days. First off, our chicks are growing. They have been enjoying free range of our large fenced in back yard for a few weeks now. I let them out of the coop when I get up every morning between 5:30-6:30am...yeah, I know I am up early. They roam the yard, dust bathe in the raised beds, and hide from the heat in the trees along the front fence. First thing in the morning, they follow me back up to the house and spend a bit of time looking in the sliding glass door or hanging out on the furniture. Around 8:30pm, they all head back into the coop.

Here are some funny pictures of the girls I took last week....

Checkin' out the patio.

Hey, whatcha got there?!

Cleo the Phoenix...still the smallest and prettiest chick.

New Fiddle

On Tuesday we went into the city to try new fiddles. Haley's violin teacher had said once she learned Praeludium, she could get a new fiddle and I was feeling that she needed as much time as possible to practice on a new fiddle before we go to Ireland. I know her violin teacher is not thrilled to be moving her up. Haley is getting too big for a 1/2 size but is still a little on the small side for the new 3/4 and her technically demanding pieces will be more difficult on the bigger violin. Her fiddle teacher, however, would have her moved up to a full size fiddle if there were any chance her fingers could stretch that far. (The one main difficulty we've encountered having two different teachers and playing two different styles of music...sigh!)

So, Tuesday we drove to the city, paid an exorbitant amount for parking (sorry had to throw that in there), and spent two hours trying and re-trying 10 different violins and about as many bows until we'd narrowed it down to three to bring home. To tell the truth, Haley had narrowed it down to her favorite already but I thought she should bring a couple more home just to be sure she still had the same favorite after playing them awhile. She played them for her classical teacher at her lesson on Tuesday...that we were almost late for and then played them for her fiddle teacher on Skype. Fortunately the consensus was that Haley's 1st choice was the best one for her so she is very happy.

We are going to try to go back today to return the others and get a different sort of chin rest on this one because she doesn't like the one on there now. The new fiddle sounds soooo big compared to her old one. It is going to take getting used to for me. I always come to know her sound and can pick her out in a group even when I can barely hear her so now I will have to get used to hearing her differently. She is going to continue working on Praeludium with the new violin for the next week or so until she goes to strings camp and it will be the piece she spends her time on at camp. After camp she'll begin some new pieces.

I'll post a picture or video of the new fiddle soon.