All posts tagged: school

LESLIE LINDSAY, AUTHOR OF SPEAKING OF APRAXIA, talks with her 15-year-old daughter about what it’s like to be a teen with resolved CAS 2/2

Published by

By Leslie Lindsay  Leslie Lindsay, author of SPEAKING OF APRAXIA (Woodbine House, 2020) interviews her 15-year old daughter, Kate, about growing up with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS).  ~APRAXIA MONDAY|ALWAYS WITH A BOOK~ A Mother-Daughter Conversation about CAS Part 2 of 2 Now available in an updated, second edition, SPEAKING OF APRAXIA: A Parents’ Guide to Childhood Apraxia of Speech (Woodbine House, December 2020), is an award-winning resource on Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). Eight years ago, when Leslie Lindsay, former Child & Adolescent Psychiatric R.N., and mother to a daughter with CAS—now resolved—couldn’t find any parent-friendly books to help her child and family with CAS, she wrote one. This updated, well-researched, and comprehensive work provides readers the benefit of her experience and perspective. It covers: introduction to speech, language & listening explanation of CAS what to do when you suspect your child has CAS getting a speech evaluation meeting with a speech-language pathologist getting the CAS diagnosis possible causes diagnoses related to CAS speech therapy best suited for CAS complementary & alternative approaches activities & …

What if you sold everything, quit your job and traveled the world for 18 months–with your kids? Tracey Carisch talks about this & more in EXCESS BAGGAGE

Published by

By Leslie Lindsay  Back–to–School Series One American family. 18 Months. 24 Countries. 6 Continents and a complete life-altering adventure in this debut memoir. And she’s here chatting about this ‘no-regrets’ life, real-life experiences, how travel strengthens brains of children, over-scheduling, and stunning photography.  Tracey Carisch thought she had it all. She was living the American Dream with her husband and three young daughters. They had good jobs, a 4,000+ square foot home, and everyone was happy. Or, were they? At 37, Tracey has a panicked moment, sending her into a midlife crisis of sorts and questioning everything. What would happen if they gave up their jobs, sold their home, their belongings and traveled the world? They found out. And it became the adventure of a lifetime. But, there were some naysayers and judgmental folks–especially on the American side of the pond. And yet, and yet…they did it and they were all changed for the better because of it. I found Tracey and her family completely relatable, the story awe-inspiring, and I honestly didn’t want to put the …

BookS on MondaY: Who inspires you to do good? How might we teach our children about these individuals? Mary Feliciani talks about Martin Luther King, Jr., Ghandi, & others in her book for middle grade students HUMANITARIANS, VISIONARIES, HEROES & YOU

Published by

By Leslie Lindsay An absolutely fascinating and thought-provoking collection of inspiring individuals, past and present, HUMANITARIANS, VISIONARIES, HEROES, & YOU is exactly perfect for the middle grade reader, and their parents/guardians/teachers.  We read this slim volume aloud to our children (ages 11.6 and almost-10) en route to Thanksgiving in our hometown nearly 300 miles away. It was the quintessential read for this time of year. Thanksgiving, an American holiday epitomizing family, moral good, working for the betterment of a nation when times are tough (Thanksgiving, having been made a national holiday when morale was low during the Civil War). We asked the girls if they were familiar with the people in the book–many of whom are well-known–Martin Luther King, Jr., The Dali Lama, Mother Theresa, Gandhi–but others who are less-known. They nodded to some, but weren’t sure about others. We read anyway, introducing them to the good deeds, the selflessness of these humanitarians working to build a more holistic, kind, and peaceful planet. We learned about Craig Kielburger who, as a 12-year old, was moved by …

BookS on MondaY: Paul Tough talks about his new book, HELPING CHILDREN SUCCEED, grit, self-c0ntrol, the environment to keep kids motivated for success, & much more

Published by

By Leslie Lindsay   One of my very favorite parts of my job is to get acquainted with authors and their amazing new books before they become available. Just recently, I received this lovely little gem of a book from the folks at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and just had to share. HELPING CHILDREN SUCCEED: What Works and Why by Paul Tough (releasing tomorrow, May 24, 2016). Did you happen to read his first…er, helping,  the bestselling HOW CHILDREN SUCCEED (2012) about grit, curiosity, and character? Grit. I love grit. And curiosity. And how those two qualities merge to develop character…I’m all over that. Today, I am honored to sit down and have a little chat with Paul on his latest book, a slim, jam-packed, how-to (in a sense) on creating environments, both at home and school which sharpen those very qualities to help our kids flourish. This is excellent reading for teachers and parents alike. Leslie Lindsay: What is HELPING CHILDREN SUCCEED about? Paul Tough: It’s about what children need in order to thrive – especially …

The Teacher is Talking: Back-to-School Transitions

Published by

By Leslie Lindsay Whether your child is started a new grade or new school, there are bound to be a lot of transitions.  Here’s a fast guide to helping your kiddo navigate the new things that may be coming down the pike (and if you read last week’s post on anxiety, you’ll understand how transitions and stress go hand in hand.  The more you know, the better the transition).  A year ago, my then-kindergarten student was all bubbles and sunshine about her upcoming kindergarten experience.  We went to the open-house, meet-the-teacher nights, and all seemed good to go.  Even the the first day offered easy sailing.  It wasn’t till the third or fourth day that she completely refused to get in the school bus.  I mean, really refused.  She clung to me and kicked her legs, “I am not going to school today.”  It held up the line of other kindergartners and their parents as they said their final good-byes at the bus stop.  I scratched my head and worried what could possibly be going on.  Was her teacher mean?  Did someone say or do something …

The Teacher is Talking: Special Back-to-School Series

Published by

By Leslie Lindsay Has your summer flown by…or are you counting down the days till your wee ones head back? Perhaps you’re worried about a few things–maybe your child is starting a new school…or, she’s not very good at making first impressions, staying organized, or playing fair.  Now’s the perfect time to begin working with your child on some of those skills as you polish up the back-to-school shoes and shop for glue sticks.  Follow along as we discuss a different topic related to school readiness each week now through the August.  Topics include: Back to School Stress & Anxiety Easy Transitioning to a New Grade or School Social Skills & 1st  Impressions Organizational & Memory Strategies Self-Esteem & Positive Behavior Playing Fair & Respecting Others [if you have a child with apraxia, or another special need, please remember to follow along on http://www.speakingofapraxia on Mondays for apraxia-specific back-to-school tips beginning 8/5/13.  With a combination of these and the apraxia tips, your family will be ready for success!] Without further adieu…here’s a little refresher on back-to-school stress & …

The Teacher is Talking: The Energy Bus Book Review

Published by

By Leslie Lindsay I just can’t get enough of my books this week!  I think you will agree that today’s “The Teacher is Talking” meshes well with yesterday’s post about speech disorders and bullies.  The Energy Bus by Jon  Gordon came to us by way of a birthday gift for my 6-year old.  She’s a full-day kindergarten student who hops on the big yellow every day, so a book about school buses made perfect sense.  But this is not just any school bus–it’s Miss Joy’s Energy Bus!  (image source: Amazon.co 2/12/13) I love how this book teaches the young character that he is in charge of his own positivity–his own good thinking, and his own outcome.  It’s about coming to school ready for the day and being your best self.  When some of the older kids at school bother him, he just uses his special energy bus powers to put ’em in their place.  Of course, there are a few bumps along the road, but what one learns from the energy bus is something we …

The Teacher is Talking: Increasing your Expectations

Published by

By Leslie Lindsay (image source: http://reputationxchange.com/2012/03/20/fixing-americas-reputation-try-the-classroom/) Remember, back in the day parents (or grandparents) would send you something they clipped from the newspaper or magazine?  A column, a story, or even the comics.  I got something similar from my own father recently, only it wasn’t a clipping.  Instead a link from his Smartphone.  Ah…don’t you just love how this baby boomer generation is embracing all of the new-fangled technologies (alas, his Smartphone is not the new iPhone5, but well…least he has one).  “Here ya go, Poco Uno*–maybe you can use this for your blog or to teach those grandkids of mine a little something about school.  You’ll always be life-long learner,” he said in his email.  (*Poco Uno is our poor English-Spanish translation of “Little One,” his nickname for me since I was a little girl.)  And so here it is, straight from my dad’s iPhone to you and the future generations:  An article in NPR Morning Edition (http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/09/18/161159263/teachers-expectations-can-influence-how-students-perform?sc=17&f=1001) September 17th 2012 by Alix Spiegel indicates that if teachers have high expecations of their classroom students, …

Apraxia Monday: Tips for Teachers

Published by

By Leslie Lindsay Your children may already be back in school–or you may have week or two before the big day.  In any case, you’re likely thinking about it–specifics, plus the extras like how you’re going to talk to your child’s teacher about CAS (if you haven’t already).  But what if you are a teacher who has a child with apraxia in your classroom this year?  Here are a few tips and ideas from parents who may help you understand what all of the hoop-la is about.  (retrieved from CASANA, 8.30.12, a YouTube video]   See this short video on Apraxia.  It’s a worth your 3 minutes!   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nN9dG5F7M0 Tips for Teachers If you are a teacher reading this, then hooray! I applaud your efforts to learn more about the kiddos in your classroom. Read the child’s IEP. If parents challenge your knowledge, make special requests, or argue for a special IEP meeting, remind them that you are on their side and please don’t take it personally.As parents we just want the very best for our children and …

Apraxia Monday (on Thursday): Teaching the Teacher about Apraxia

Published by

By Leslie Lindsay If you are like me, then you have just spent a good chunk of your evening wondering about your child’s new school year.  Who is her teacher?  What time is the bus coming?   Do I have all of the necessary school supplies?  What about shoes?  That first-day-of-school outfit?  (It’s a big day for all that in my neck of the woods here in Chicagoland).  But have you thought about how you might broach the subject of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) with your classroom teacher?  Like many, your child’s teacher may not know what CAS is–or how to help.  It’s up to you to inform them.  Short of giving them a copy of SPEAKING OF APRAXIA (Woodbine House, 2012)–okay, shameless plus–you can do a few other things to prepare yourself and your child for a successful year in the classroom.  Teaching Your Child’s Teachers about Apraxia [excerpted from Speaking of Apraxia, Woodbine House 2012.  Available where books are sold)  Do you wonder what you should tell your child’s teacher about apraxia?  Not …