Special Ed.'s Vital Detours

The slow/slower learner label used to describe students of special education, these 'outside the box' learners, has always puzzled the Momsey. For it is we who are 'slow' in not being able to 'cope with the scope'- understanding fully - the magnitude of the learning problems facing these unusual little Einstein.

The teen students I taught, in the last century, before the birth of our children, years later, were incredible students, engaging and quick to learn. Formal 'academic' subjects were challenges to them, however. My all-male classes were respectful, bright boys who longed to excel in everything they undertook. What, I wondered, had not happened over the nine year period prior to their entry into high school. I was a beginning teacher whose thirst for understanding my 'boys' knew no bounds. ... As a parent volunteer, many years later, I began to demystify the hidden rules of learning for children: engage, question, laugh, and question further. Dialogue, in all forms, was the critical first step for all learning to occur. Language 'moves' learning.

Are we boring special children with our interpretation and details of a somewhat outdated turn of the last century education model? Let us make noodles, bread, pizza, danish, sfogliatella then 'dance' to finish out the week's 'academic' assignments with these at-risk children. (The five senses of the body, some say six, are being engaged, critically). The wasting of precious time has greater consequences for the child left 'behind'. Time is a precious commodity for all, more so, however, for those challenged by literacy and numeracy proficiency. Delivering a specially designed curriculum for slow learners should not, unto itself, be slow! Novel approaches should rule the special education dictum, randomly and often. Boredom is a deterrent to learning. Let the teacher decide what is best for her special brand of student and implement her modern approach that rocks the minds of these at-risk children, with 'help' and as early as possible.

The young plastic brain is waiting to 'absorb' what is useful and 'prune' what is irrelevant. In these 'flashy' moments of time, the traits of curiosity and confidence thrive as the building blocks of learning are being molded and created. Today's fast-paced modern world is a place of high-tech gadgets at our disposal. But wait. Building a creative mind is more than just using the latest high-tech gadget. My brother, a physicist/mathematician and his mentor, Albert Einstein, believe in the quote of the famous 20^th century scientist that the mind is the best computer in the world. (and a terrible thing to waste!)

The classroom is a point of life-off, a safe haven for those whose confidence and language skills have suffered. Structure in the classroom becomes a 'soother' for them. The art of order and nurturing begins here, respecting and encouraging these special students' learning style. Introducing 'safe' but novel experiences becomes a priority in helping these children develop. A future life is not an easy place to be if we are not prepared.

Special Education learners are anything but slow, I realized long, long ago with my own children. One was headed in the direction of special education, we were told within days of his premature birth. A simple Fisher Price music box was his constant soothing companion, in his incubator, this '2 month home' away from home, helping grow his fragile infant brain as he recovered from his near-death birth experience. Our oldest 'preemie' then became their 'high-tech human toy' for his two younger brothers, born within the next two years. (They became his language therapists). Dialogue, not toys, became the group's instrument of play. A two-way walkie-talkie was their 'modern' look at language. They were encouraged to think, every step of the way, much to the chagrin of their parents, in later years. Oh, My.

The high-tech, hand-held world has changed everything for everyone, especially for young at-risk children. In the classroom, colouring books, quiet time and attempts to draw animals can waste precious time and human resources. This directive serves only to dampen learning and provide an 'alternative' reality that seems productive but is not. As we move less, our hand-held devises and laptop computers keep us in a trance as we sit for long periods of time absorbing new information or re-visiting old 'sites'. Our children can sometimes be the 'victims' of this modern accidental philosophy. Outdoor education has proven to be one major key for fast-tracking learning for young children. The outdoor classroom rules as does Mother Nature herself.

The child's brain has the capacity to grow in unimaginable ways. Let us serve the most challenged children in ways that connect with them in a non-stop fun-loving manner. Creating the 'whole' child should be the name of the education game, personalized for maximum effect. In Momsey's child-like world - M.M.D.D.- (Music - Movement - Dough - Dance ) would serve the child like no other teaching tools. Research has proven this. I have seen the magic unfold when yeast dough was used in Mary's primary intensive language class for nearly five years, decades ago. It was never about baking. It was always about thinking, doing and leadership. (The redundant teacher was the goal). Engaging the child creatively was helping them become the successful people they were meant to be. It was magic, each and every time!

Making the most of each and every day with at-risk children, in creative 'unstructured' ways, is akin to paying a visit to a part of the brain that the child did not know existed. Interesting things happen. Looking into the eyes of a child serves to connect him/her to a world view of life, learning and love. There is no substitute for the 'human' experience. Of that there is no doubt.

Restorative, Delicious Tea

Tea was a drink rarely made and served in my childhood family of coffee drinkers. I loved the smell of coffee beans, however, whenever I grocery shopped with mom. The incredible aroma spilling out of the mill, as it ground the beans into the fine milled product needed to make coffee, was euphoric to this tea drinker child. It had been my job to grind the coffee while mom shopped in the grocery store for the family's predictable products of the week. (There was no car in our household. Mom and dad did not drive.). ... Tea never received top billing, back then. Then I grew up and saw a different story.

Today, coffee is only important to me if it is in a chocolate or mocha cake,. Though I never developed the taste for this popular world-wide brew, my husband loves it, once, daily. Once, as a teen, while on my way home from work, I stepped into the local delicatessen to buy my dear dad a few baked goodies. (He was a devotee of sweets). I was given a sample cookie to taste and proceeded to choke. Coffee was given to me to stop the episode from getting worse, the only time I have ever had this popular drink. I drank it quickly while holding my breath. I had a decision to make: drink or choke. The taste of this famous brew that has spawned the creation of multi-billion dollar coffee industry, in all configurations, worldwide, was never been appreciated by me.

As a teen, I rarely made tea, but when I did it was usually late in the day, with orange juice added. (Never milk). No attention was ever paid to the making or drinking of this hot beverage. Now it is a priority in my life. Back then, it was simply a hot drink, not in the same category as coffee. Tea choice was limited to what was available in grocery stores and served when company came to visit. (I was not company). Tea is now my daily, go-to-drink for every imaginable health concern or just for drinking pleasure.

A new class of hot beverages called Chinese teas entered my life when I was introduced to a culinary delight called dim sum, by my husband, in the early 80's. During this afternoon eating indulgence, I began my lifelong passion for the bite-sized morsels of shumai, chung fung and Chashio bao, the tasty dishes of over 500 choices, along with unending pots of soothing green tea. My passion for green tea and others began my life-long journey towards health strength.

Oolong, jasmine green,  green, kombucha, white, black, and now rooibos are my high priority teas. Other teas: hibiscus, licorice root and dandelion, have now been added to my repertoire of 'medicinal aids'. Green tea is my tea of choice when dining out and my beverage accompaniment to pizza. Whenever I wish to accelerate the removal of carbs from my body, I usually visit my tea box, of which there are three, and choose my heart's delight. Processing carbs requires water, I learned many years ago. Drinking plain tea is like drinking water but with added health benefits. I drink it cold with added honey and lemon for a thirst quenching and healthy alternative to soda pop.

Tea helps boost metabolism, increases bone density, aids in heart health, and helps strengthen and promote hair growth. I drink Chinese teas the only way they were meant: plain or with a slice of lemon. Years ago, a new tea entered my life: rooibos, an african red tea that is caffeine-free and a 'proven' cancer fighter. (Research says so). It is an important part of my healthy diet. Our 'western' nephew, having returned to his birth province of Saskatchewan, years ago, informed me of this new mellow tea, with its intriguing cancer-fighting properties. (Our dogs have been getting it - naturally caffeine-free - in their diet, for years, as it as an aid in combating inflammation, the basis of disease). Caffeine can kill a dog! Case studies involving men and women, at different ages and stages of the dreaded disease showed rooibos's affect on reducing cancer's cells. Its merit in a dog's diet was upheld further in a dog wellness magazine, a recommendation supported by the author of the article, a naturopathic veterinarian. Oh, My.

At most functions, tea is not the main beverage attraction. Coffee is. All my life, tea was an everyday hot drink we took for granted. Not anymore. Research has now stated that tea is this beneficial liquid elixir, but made somewhat 'redundant' when milk is added. (It seems the proteins in milk inhibit the absorption of tea's antioxidants that destroy free radicals, the products of 'life')  Tea's reputation is now eclipsing that of its cousin, coffee. (Even coffee has its own rewards when served plain).

I revere my myriad of teas. They are my 'medicine' cabinet, my go-to drinks, next to water, with all food, even pizza. Teas overall health benefits, without milk's distraction, can never be underestimated. It is a tried and true centuries old liquid elixir, simple, accessible and oh so delicious. Coffee is not the only game in town.

Creating a Kefir Muffin Recipe

I was asked to rescue a soon-to-be expired 'expensive' ingredient called Kefir. Since it was a fermented dairy I sought recipes that might include sour cream, buttermilk or yogurt. To save time, I decided to create my own recipe. The 'look' and taste indicated muffin success.

A pumpkin muffin recipe I'd created was found that included both buttermilk and yogurt. And so the experiment began. I measured all the dry ingredients, using organic flour, and some organic sprouted buckwheat flour, then whisked them together, aerating them in the process. Into this dry mix I added the baking powder, soda, salt, one grated apple in addition to grated nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger. (The apple had been sitting on the counter). The baking powder and soda were left till the end. I did not want the moisture, in the air, acting on these two leaveners thus reducing their effectiveness, later, in the oven.

Into another bowl I added the wet ingredients: 2 cups of the soon-to-expire Kefir, 4 eggs, vanilla, salt, honey, 3-4 tablespoons of organic sugar and some organic oil. The wet ingredients were added to the dry. All were mixed until just combined. The batter seemed stiff so into it went another cup of Kefir. The remainder of a streusel topping, from an apple crisp recipe, was added to the top of the muffins for added yummy flavour. Into the oven went the muffins. The result was tender, delicious muffins. With the second bottle of Kefir, another batch of muffins were made in addition to two small coffee cakes laden with cinnamon inside and more streusel crumb-topping on top.

Sometimes, ingredients accrue in the refrigerator, in the cupboard or on the kitchen counter. It makes sense to use them quickly saving them from being thrown out. Kefir is expensive. It takes time to create it. It is a nutrient dense product, a newly discovered one for me. I was made aware of it a couple years ago. Now, I was asked to do something with it and so I did. The fermented product seemed to have a tenderizing effect on the gluten strands in the organic all-purpose flour used. Those were expensive, but delicious muffins, I had to admit.

When creating any new recipe, I decide on the characteristics I am looking for and go from there. A fermented ingredient requires baking soda, I have learned. Keeping track of the ingredients, methods used and pan sizes are important, too. There are times when I might want to duplicate the recipe just created. In my cookbooks, I make notations, always, especially when reducing quantities of sugar, dairy or fat. When introducing 'exotic' flours, I consider their unique properties before adding other ingredients to help these fine milled grains 'operate' in the recipe. The addition of cooled tea or coffee (I do not drink coffee) to batters and doughs helps to augment flavour and taste. Baking can also be about experimentation.

In the bounty of summer, fresh fruits and berries can be frozen for late winter baking. All manner of ingredients can be then incorporated to produce new and exciting items baked fresh from the home oven or outdoor barbecue. With any new creation, time in the oven is uppermost in my mind. In a few cases, I have set the oven temperature slightly higher than normal, for a short period of time, to allow for the the initial blast of high heat to lift the newly created product. After fifteen minutes or so, I reduce the temperature to allow baking to continue without drying out the item. In the case of the newly created Kefir muffins. I set the temperature a bit higher to help lift then reduced heat to help bake them. Muffins do not take long to bake.

A new barbecue was purchased late last fall. The one I had been using was rusted and falling apart. Only a simple four burner 'oven' was acceptable. Other configurations would simply throw me off my game. Baking outdoors in the 'hot box' might then become a challenge. I could not accept that. Simplifying life is also an important feature of mine. Using an overabundance of apples to make apple pie, apple cake, applesauce, apple crisp are some of my delicious options. I have taken the crumb topping, selected for the apple crisp, to a new level, now, making it gluten-free. We now have Kefir muffins with a yummy streusel topping. What a discovery! 

Two years ago, I changed a pound cake recipe. Instead of adding 1 cup of apple cider, I added 1 cup of apple cider vinegar. The mistake was discovered on the day of the birthday. Most thought it a very 'strong' and odd tasting cake. Two people loved it. Now, I know. Even errors in baking can have positive results.

Our Shrinking Five-Inch Screen

It was a Sunday evening when we arrived in Manitoba with our two retrievers. We had been travelling across Canada and parts of the United States, for the summer. As outdoor daylight began to dim, our Coleman lantern took over 'duty', making it easier to watch T.V. than to read. Into our tent we went.

Agatha Christie had peeked my interest, in the 70's, never having heard of her till my partner introduced me to this brilliant mystery writer. In high school, composition and literature classes kept our class focused on Shakespeare and Greek mythology. We had been told what to read. Pencil 'decor' seemed to mark the print, page after page, in the play we were studying, at the time. My textbooks were awash with these 'pencil inserts' signifying the importance of this passage and that. At one point, the printed word seemed invisible, having been covered everywhere, by my pencil 'opinions'. Everything seemed important yet nothing, relevant. ... Agatha Christie had restored my love of reading, I hadn't known I had.

As the sun set, the 'four' of us retired into our tent. Reading was now very difficult. Night time was here and with it little light from the Coleman lantern. It made sense to watch television on our Crown black and white 5-inch set, a unique little machine, ahead of its time. In a previous camp ground visit, its fully extended T.V. antenna had been broken when the tent, pitched on rock-laden ground, collapsed and made this portable modern convenience a most disappointing entertainment marvel. What else could go wrong, I wondered? We hoped the nearby city's cable network had something worthwhile for us to watch with our now somewhat broken and bent T.V. antenna. Reception would be difficult.

The movie held me in its grip. It was a change of pace, requiring nothing of me than to watch the story line unfold on this 5-inch screen. The antenna was holding. It had not snapped off as we thought it might, the other day, when the tent fell on it. I was riveted to this miniature screen even as it began to shrink. With the movie soon to end, I held out little hope the 'emergency' batteries would arrive in time. Could my husband return in time to reboot this incredible miniature picture machine? As sound and picture slowly began to diminish, again, superman returned, having troubleshooted his way into town looking for the batteries desperately needed. It was 1972, the period after prehistoric man and woman, when nothing was open on Sunday and the future seemed decades away. The screen was now a one-inch blur and dimming slowly.

As he parked the car, I waited as the one-inch picture - if you can call it that - began to diminish again, resembling a tiny postage-sized square on the television screen. As 'John' entered the tent, with 9 batteries in hand, I stopped the 'changing of the guard'. Though the picture was barely visible, the sound, barely audible, I asked him to wait until the commercial began. The end was near and I did not want to miss any of the dialogue, the engine of any movie, as my ear rested upon this tiny portable 'window'. We were quiet. I was prepared for the worst and hoped that the movie would be shown, again, for me to see it in its entirety on a normal-sized screen. Little did I realize, how small a television screen could become. How ridiculous I looked. (A magnifying glass would have helped immeasurably). Both of us laughed till we could laugh no more. That was camping.

John had recalled this moment in our camping history. I had forgotten the details of that evening and was reminded in glaring hindsight. We laughed some more. Who watches a 'tiny' movie, ear pinned to the screen, waiting for 'power' to be restored? Finding batteries, on a Sunday evening, was a miracle in itself. Most of the country did not have Sunday shopping, back then, and VHS/DVD recorders did not exist. Re-charging batteries was unheard-of. We simply purchased new ones.

Today re-charging is a non-event for nearly every form of technology. Television screens come in all sizes. Smart phones do it all, too. Our little 5-inch black and white television was tops in an exclusive entertainment club. We still have this miniature symbol of man's ingenuity. But it took 9 D batteries to complete the picture.