Dots

If you haven't had the opportunity to read the picture book, "The Dot," by Paul Reynolds, you need to do so. It makes me think of how we try to yank kids up to where we want them to function. Since we know that children progress developmentally, it makes much more sense to start where the child is functioning and provide support from that point. Adults can forget how difficult it is to learn a new skill, especially without good background knowledge and understanding the "why" of what needs to be done. Good teachers and parents provide support at every developmental stage and always remember to also provide the "why" for learning the skill. Then the child can sign his/her name (see "The Dot" to understand this last sentence)!