In the spring of 1999, an estimated 850,000 students nationwide were being home schooled. This amounted to 1.7 percent of the U.S. students, ages 5 to 17, with a grade equivalent of kindergarten through grade 12. Four out of five homeschoolers were home schooled totally and one out of five homeschoolers were enrolled in public or private schools part time.

 

There has been continued growth in the parent-led home school movement and it parallels a simultaneous decline in the enrollment in other forms of education. About 1.5 to 1.9 million students in grades K-12 were home schooled during 2000-2001.

The key reasons for home educating their children are varied. These reasons included being able to give their child a better education at home, for religious reasons and because of a poor learning environment at school. Also some have gone this way because of special needs that their children have that are not being meet by other means of education – both public and private.  With the primary goal of homeschooling being to direct your child’s upbringing and help to shape their philosophy, theology, character, and world view.

Patricia Lines of the U.S. Department of Education concluded that home education families “…have not turned their backs on the broader social contract as understood at the time of the Founding of America. They are…asserting their historic individual rights so that they may form more meaningful bonds with family and community. In doing so, they are not abdicating from the American agreement. To the contrary, they are affirming it.”

Home educators and their families are not dependent on public, tax-funded resources. In fact they seem to be saving taxpayers at least $61 million per year. Neither do they, in general, have a strong desire for access to tax-funded resources.

Home educators children are learning well. They do not need or want regulation and will strongly oppose it. The parents will not likely be coaxed into more regulation by the lure of offered services. They want to be understood and treated as people and educators with a serious purpose and integrity.

Dr. Howard Richman and his colleagues have found that the home educated score on the average at the 86th percentile in reading and the 73rd percentile in math. The national average is 50th percentile. Repeatedly, across the nation, the home educated score as well as or better than those in conventional schools.

Dr. Larry Shyers observed children in free play and group interaction activities. Conventionally schooled children had significantly more problem behaviors than did the home educated. This is probably because the primary models of behavior for the home educated and their parents. Home educated children are more mature and better socialized than are those sent to school according to Thomas Smedley’s personal interaction and communications approach to understanding socialization. Dr. Gary Knowles, of the University of Michigan, explored adults who were home educated. None were unemployed and none were on welfare, 94% said home education prepared them to be independent person, 79% said it helped them interact with individuals from different levels or society, and they strongly supported the home education method.

A greater percentage of homeschoolers compared to non homeschoolers were white, non-Hispanic. At the same time, a smaller percentage of homeschoolers were black. These figures are changing though rapidly since 1999.

The household income of homeschoolers in 1999 was no different than non homeschoolers, However, parents of homeschoolers had higher levels of educational attainment than did the parents of non homeschoolers.

A much greater percentage of homeschoolers than non homeschoolers came from families with three or more children. 62 percent of home schooled students were part of families with three or more children compared to 44 percent of non homeschoolers. Homeschoolers were just as likely to be an only child as non homeschoolers and were less likely than non homeschoolers to have just one sibling.

In order to home school, parents may need to dedicated a significant amount of time to schooling their children. Because of the time required, HOME SCHOOLING usually involves two parents, one who home schools. Rudner in 1999 found that 97 percent of HOME SCHOOLING parents were married couples.

The household income of HOME SCHOOLING families was higher than the median household income of families with children nationwide. NHES in 1999 reported though that the household income of homeschoolers reported in ranges from less than $25,000 to over $75,000, is the same as the household income of non homeschoolers. The same percentage of home schooled and non home schooled students lived in household with annual incomes of $50,000 or less.

Parents’ highest educational attainment was clearly associated with HOME SCHOOLING. Parents of homeschoolers had higher levels of educational attainment than did parents of non homeschoolers. 37 percent of parents of non homeschoolers did not complete any schooling beyond highschool compared to 19 percent of parents of homeschoolers. Conversely, 25 percent of parents of homeschoolers attained bachelor’s degrees as their highest degree, compared to 16 percent of parents of non homeschoolers.

Urbanicity refers to the classification of households as urban or rural. The percentage of homeschoolers living in a city was about 9 percentage points lower than the percentage for non homeschoolers. There were non statistically significant differences between the percentages of homeschoolers and non homeschoolers living in towns or rural areas.

DETAILS ON PARENTS REASONS FOR HOME SCHOOLING: (percentages will not add to 100 percent because respondents could give more than one reason. – Source: U.S. Depart of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Parent Survey of the National Household Education Surveys Program- 1999)

Can give child better education at home	48.9%
Religious reasons	38.4%
Poor learning environment at school	25.6%
Family reasons	16.8%
To develop character/ Morality	15.1%
Object to what school teaches	12.1%
School does not challenge child	11.6%
Other problems with available schools	11.5%
Student behavior problems at school	9.0%
Child has special needs/disability	8.2%
Transportation/ convenience	2.7%
Child not old enough to enter school	1.8%
Want private school but cannot afford it	1.7%
Parent’s career	1.5%
Could not get into desired school	1.5%

Public schools or school districts sometimes offer support for homeschoolers by providing parents with a curriculum, books and materials, places to meet, and the opportunity for home schooled children to attend classes and participate in extracurricular activities at the school. Research has found only a small percentage of homeschoolers enrolled in these classes and using these textbooks or libraries when they were made available by the public schools and that many homeschoolers did not want public support.

TYPES OF SUPPORT:	% AVAILABLE	%USED
Curriculum	12.4	8.1
Books/Materials	12.2	10.6
Place for parents to meet or get information	8.9	6.4
Extracurricular activities	21.5	6.4
Chance to attend some classes	16.5	2.8

I would like to thank the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement – NCES 2001-033 for supplying much of the statistical information. I would also like to thank NCES for information from their work.

by Dr. Paul W. Cates, Ph.D.

From a Christian philosophy of education, thoughts and actions can be derived, implemented, and defended. The elements to be considered in developing a Christian philosophy of education range from theological and doctrinal to social and educational. The first step is the development of a Biblical base. The Bible becomes the skeleton on which the practical application of our philosophy can be arranged.

Under consideration in this paper on a Christian school’s educational philosophy shall be the Biblical base, implications for the teaching-learning process of the school, the role of the educator, and the role of the learner.

The Biblical Base

The importance of having a sound Biblical philosophy of education cannot be overemphasized. In referring to the importance of developing a distinctively Christian philosophy, more Christian educators are beginning to realize that to be truly Christian, the curriculum must be Bible integrated in theory and practice. By this the Bible is to provide more than theoretical guidance and generalization. It is to be a vital part of the content of the curriculum and integrated with all subject matter. The Bible should be the integrating factor around which all other subject matter is correlated and arranged, and provides the criterion by which all other subject matter is judged.

A God-centered pattern of education demands that the Christian educator spell out clearly the processes involved in the total structure of the curriculum. This means all procedures and processes must be based on a definite theory of knowledge.

Since education deals primarily with the communication of knowledge, the defining of knowledge of truth becomes important. Knowledge may be defined as an understanding or a clear perception of truth. The Biblical view of knowledge presupposes a source of all knowledge, for knowledge is dependent on truth; and truth, in turn, is dependent on God. All avenues of knowledge stem from God. God, Himself, is truth, and has chosen to reveal Himself through natural revelation and special revelation.

The implications of having a God-centered theory of knowledge as a base for the philosophy of education are clear. Since god is the source of all truth, then all truth is God’s truth.

For the Christian, then, the seat of truth is God’s revelation, contained primarily in the inspired Word, but manifest also in creation, and this truth, though on its highest level received by faith, can also be known through our reason, enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Any adequate basis for Christian education must, therefore, include God’s revelation in creation as well as in His written Word. Our human understanding of the book of nature must not be made the norm for acceptance of the other book, the Bible. All the time, however, the ultimate criterion of truth is found in the revealed Word, the Bible.

Since God is central in the universe and is the source of all truth, it follows that all subject matter is related to God. Thus, the revelation of God must become the heart of the subject matter curriculum. The Bible itself becomes the central subject in the school’ curriculum. It, as God’s primary revelation to man, must become the integrating and correlating factor in all that is thought and taught at the school. It is the basis by which all other channels of knowledge are evaluated and used. Through the bible the inter-relatedness of all other subjects and truths is made possible.

We may conclude therefore that the function of the bible in the subject matter curriculum is two-fold. First, it provides content of its own. Second, it provides a service function to the other subjects. The principles of Biblical truth should be applied to and in all other subjects. Claim to truth from other areas should be tested and evaluated by the philosophical and theological truths of the Word of God.

God’s Christian Schools are built on the premise that all truth is God’s truth and that the Word of God is to be the key factor in the communication of knowledge. It is important to note that any and all education that is received should have the word of God as its foundation. This is not to imply that the Bible is a textbook on anything and everything; but rather, that the Bible is to be the point of reference from which we can evaluate all other areas and sources of knowledge. What one learns from God’s natural revelation must be in harmony with what He has revealed in His Word. Since God is the author of both revelations it is reasonable that they would not contradict each other.

In summary some of the advantages of having a Biblical philosophy of education are as follows:

1. It co-ordinates the various spheres of life as a whole.
2. It relates knowledge systematically.
3. It examines the presuppositions, methods, and basic concepts of each discipline and group of disciplines.
4. It strives for coherence, the formulation of a worldview.
5. Its method is to consult data from the total experience.

The Implications for the Teaching-Learning Process

The implications of having a sound Biblical base for the educational process are many. The educative process is the process by which the communication of the foundational truth is accomplished, in other words, it is the process by which the Christian philosophy of education is implemented in the classroom.

A clear danger of not having a firm Biblical base is pointed out by lack of life and power and reality in some evangelical teaching. We have been content to borrow man-made systems of education instead of using God’s system. Secular educators do not give central place to the unique revelation of God’s Word. Our distinctive content calls for distinctive treatment.

The school’s foundation, the Word of God, reveals the characteristics of true Christian education as to purpose, method, and results. The purpose is to put the believer into right relationship with God, man, self, and his surroundings. The method is by the Spirit’s assistance in the appropriation of Biblical truth to the believer’s life. The result will be a maturing believer who is able to live a life that is in conformity with the Word of God. In essence, Christian education is a process of guided learning where the teacher and the Holy Spirit combine efforts to help the leaner to spiritually grow and mature, to more and more conform to the image of Christ.

The scope, or field of Christian education, though guided by Biblical truth, is not limited to Biblical exposition. A Christian School seeks to developing the learner a worldview, a perspective that enables him to understand, appreciate, and live a Christian life in the world in which God has placed him. The school’s education, hopefully, shall help the individual develop the ability to separate truth from error, not only in Bible doctrine, but also in the facts and issues of his everyday life.

The Role of the Educator

The Christian educator or teacher is to be a guide or resource person in the wonderful experience of learning. He is to be neither a drill sergeant nor a manipulator, but rather, a facilitator of learning. His learners must know that he cares about them. The educator must have experienced the reality of what his is attempting to teach or else he is just a blind man leading blind men.

“This is why the school or college that would develop a Christ-centered and Biblically grounded program must fly from its masthead this standard: ‘No Christian education without Christian teachers’, and must never, under any condition, pull its colors down. Compromise of this issue, always results in the progressive de-Christianizing of an institution.” 1

Footnote 1: (Frank Gabelein, The Pattern of God’s Truth , 1954, p 37).

The nature of the teaching process gives us some clues as to the function of the teacher. As a Christian educator the teacher must be both a Christian and an educator. As a Christian he has experienced the reality of God’s truth, and he has god’s Spirit to empower him and his teaching. As an educator he functions in accordance with the mandate of God to teach in accord with the educational principles contained in the Word of God. Educate means to change one’s behavior.

In the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul exhorts his readers to be followers of him as he is of Christ. This must be true of the teachers too, for as leaders they must exemplify what they are trying to teach. They must be sprit-filled men of God.

Six Qualifications for a Spirit-filled Teacher are:

1. The teacher is the communicator of truth, he must be openly and boldly a Christian.
2. Every teacher must know the bible. Because the Word of God is relevant to all subjects.
3. The Christian teacher must be committed in every aspect of his life and work, in all his being, to the truth.
4. The teacher must seek excellence. This is a seeking after intellectual excellence to the glory of God, and a Christian teacher should be content with nothing less than superiority in this area.
5. The Christian teacher must truly love his students, seeking their highest good even when at times the way may be hard. Not only should he love his students, he should genuinely like and understand them.
6. Finally, the Christian teacher should exercise complete submission to the one great teacher. Every teacher must listen to the Lord, and the Holy Spirit, for his lessons and never should he think that he does not need to be taught of Him.

A very helpful summary concerning the teaching role is give by Dr. Roy Zuck. His five points fairly well sum up what the Bible expects of its educators:

1. 1. Remember that Christian education is a supernatural task.-The presence of God’s Holy Spirit in teaching takes Christian education beyond mere programming, methodology, and techniques.
   2. A teacher is to rely on the Holy spirit.-Seen in light of the Spirit’s teaching ministry, Christian education demands you be submissive to the guidance and direction of the Spirit. Teachers must work with God, not against Him.
   3. Teachers are to relate God’s Word to the pupil’s experiences.-A proper understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit provides Christian teachers with a balanced, blended approach to the question of content and experience.
   4. Teachers are to rest satisfied with nothing less than spiritual results.-A teacher must constantly test his teaching to see if it’s resulting in spiritual growth on the part of his pupils.
   5. Teachers must recognize that, in the final sense, God, the Holy Spirit, is the teacher.-It is God who does the teaching, a teacher is merely a channel of His grace, an instrument doing the planting and watering. The spiritual effectiveness of a teacher’s work rests ultimately with the Holy Spirit.

 

 

The Role of the Learner

 

The learner represents the challenge to the Christian educational process. Each believer brings to class a personal set of needs, wants, and goals. Each is looking for fulfillment and growth in his own personal and spiritual life. Every learner starts with his own basic needs, thus the educator must seek to motivate the learner to discover and apply God’s provisions to his life. In Christian education true learning comes as the learner experiences the wonder of God’s truth applied to his life.

 

The pupil is to be considered as an individual, a person of worth, as god sees us as individuals. His personal experiences and knowledge have value. He is a responsible member of a learning group, having something to contribute and something to learn.

 

Footnote 2: (Zuck, The Holy Spirit in Your Teaching, 1963, pp 167-168).

 

The truth that is learned must not be finally imposed from without, but rather must be discovered by the pupil under the guidance and leadership of the teacher and the Holy Spirit.

 

To Summarize the Role of the Learner, LeBar states:

 

“A pupil’s growth is determined not by what he hears, but by what he does about what he hears. The important thing is what is happening inside the pupil. He may accept or he may reject whatever is going on outside. Learning is what the pupil does and what the outer forces do to him. Teachers can influence the inner factors only by properly using the outer factors. If a teacher will work with the Spirit of God, He can use him to effect the desired inner changes.”2

 

 

Therefore, it is the task of the teacher to help his pupils to know and to understand the principles of Scripture for their lines, and then to lead them to accept these principles as their own. The motivation would not remain outward, that is because the teacher says so, but rather, the pupil must be guided to the place where he can think through the issues and apply it to his life. Once the divine work of the Holy Spirit is accomplished, (John 16) God’s pre-determined principles become self-chosen goals.

 

The Place of Practical Teaching in the Philosophy of Christian Education

 

The Hebrew educational curriculum was amazingly balanced. True, the Law was the center of everything, but all other studies were related to the Law in parallel lines. For example, the agricultural system of the Hebrew society was an integrated part of the educational training of the child and adult. The planting of crops was correlated with the commandments of the Law; the sacrifice system was described by the Law. So therefore, the Hebrews not only were commanded to keep the Law, but also were taught by the Law.

 

Footnote 3: LeBar, Education That Is Christian, 1968, p. 136.

 

After the exile period, we noticed that there was a direct parallel between the secular studies of mathematics, astrology, etc., with the study of the Torah. They complemented one another. They were not separated, but integrated. From this emerges yet another educational principle: secular truth is God’s truth and should be integrated and seen as a cohesive whole.

 

Even within evangelical circles, the great gulf that often exists between the bible and everyday life and practice is all too apparent. A breakdown has occurred, intellectual schizophrenia if you please, with the result that business, science, and politics are almost totally unrelated to the Scriptures. As Schaeffer has so aptly put it:

 

“Today we have a weakness in our educational process in failing to understand the natural association between the disciplines. We tend to study all our disciplines in unrelated parallel limes. This tends to be true in both Christian and secular education. This is one of the reasons why evangelical Christians have been taken by surprise at the tremendous shift that has come in our generation.”3

 

 

To accomplish this integration is no easy task, but the Christian needs to understand that all truth is important and that Christian education needs to present a unified philosophy of life.

 

Footnote 4: Frances A. Schaefer, Escape From Reason (London: Inter-Varsity Fellowship Press, 1968); (page 12).

 

Biblical Foundations for Christian Education

 

 

• 1. God’s revelation is the basis for all truth. Luke 11:52; Proverbs 1:7
• Parental responsibility is the priority control. Deut. 6; Ephesians 6; Genesis 18:17-19
• The example of early Christians.-Acts
• Significance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the teacher. John 16:13; 1 John 5:19-21
• Christian Education is education for the whole man. Proverbs 22:6
• God’s education is always in contrast to man’s education. Colossians 2:8
• Biblical Education requires a submission of all intellect and will to the Lordship of Christ. 1 Cor. 1:18-31; 2 Cor. 10:5

 

 

 

I. What is Christian Education?
Acts 8:31:31; Jn. 16:13; 1 Tim. 4:6; Eph. 6:4; Prov. 22:6; Jn. 1:18; 2 Peter 3:18

 

A. Pattern of teaching involves:
1. Introduction: intrigues interest in investigation (Jn. 4-7).
2. Interpretation: defines in framework of known to unknown (Jn. 4:10-14)
3. Interaction: encourages participation deepening impressions (Jn. 4:15)
4. Integration: assimilates new truth into enlarged life (Jn. 4:29)
B. Manner of instruction is:
1. More than telling or showing; engaging in participation (Matt. 22:19).
2. Many times unconscious in effort as well conscious (Matt. 22:16).
3. Multiplied in various activities as worship, camp, play, etc. (Matt. 5:1; 21, 28).
4. Manifested by imparting, counseling, discussing, living! (Matt. 22;16)

 

II. The Student . . .
A. Personality with attitudes, desires, knowledge, skills, etc (Jn. 2:23-25).

 

 

• Created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27).
• Marred by sin (Rom. 3:23).
• Adorned with mental, physical, spiritual, social interests.

 

 

 

B. Learner, follower, disciple, endowed with: (Matt. 5:1-2)
1.Mind to discover, understand, perceive truth confronted (Rom. 1:14).
2. Heart to appreciate, desire truth made attractive (Phil. 1:8-10).
3. Will to appreciate, respond to truth and opportunity (Jn. 7:17).

 

III. Through Experiences . . .(Will to do His Will – Eph. 1:17).
A. Education involves a teacher-pupil-subject-relationship
1. Teacher introduces, interests, explains, encourages (Jn. 4:7, 14)
2. Pupil investigates, appreciates, assimilates, acts (Jn. 4-15)
3. Subject is truth around which this interaction revolves (Jn. 4:26)
B. Education takes place only when truth is:
1. Understood in the mind, not mere mental assent or repetition (Acts 8:30-35).
a. Related to previous experience or fragmentary (Matt. 4:19).
b. Related to life situation or artificial (Matt. 4:20).
2. Believed in the heart (the entire being) (Acts. 8:37; Roman 10:9-10).
3. Actualized into life (adopted by will) (Acts 8:38; Prov. 3:6)

 

IV. Of Truth . . .(Jn. 14:6; 17:17)
A. All truth is God’s truth, but received in portions (Col. 2:3; Heb. 1:1-2).
1. Expressed in nature, providence, Scriptures, Christ (Rom. 1:20; 2:15).
2. Received by intuition, experience, authority, reason, faith (Heb. 11:3).
B. Holy Spirit illuminates, providing super-rational truth (Jn. 16:13).

 

V. Into a Life . . .(Jn. 20:31)
A. Purpose of grace and truth is conformity (Jas. 1:22f; 2 Cor. 3:18).
B. Christ is not only truth but life (Jn. 10:10; 14:6)
C. Provision of truth is complete (Rom. 8;32)
1. Standard of measurement of maturity is Christ (Eph. 4:13).
2. Instructions are adequate in Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
3. Power is provided in Gospel (Rom. 1;16).
D. Completed only when see Him and become like Him (1 Jn. 3:2)

 

VI. Of Service . . .(Rom. 12:1-2)
A. Meanwhile, God provides an outlet for love (2 Cor. 5:14).
B. And the world awaits its demonstration (Jn. 13:35).

 

VII. To the Glory of God! (1 Cor. 10:31)
A. That in all things He might have the preeminence (Col. 1:18).

 

---

 

Copyright (c) 1975 by
American Association of Christian Schools
and Dr. Paul W. Cates, Ph.D.

 

All rights reserved. NO part of this article may be reprinted or reproduced, or utilized in any form or by an electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the American Association of Christian Schools or Dr. Paul W. Cates, Ph.D.

 

American Association of Christian Schools
6601 N.W. 167th Street
Hialeah, Florida 33015

Please click here to view the pdf files.

Birmingham Vision Care. P. C.
280 N. Old Woodward o Lower Level o Birmingham, Michigan 48009 o
Dr. Harriet C. Pelton | Dr. Lloyd 1. Snider | Dr. Ronald S. Spalter Optometrists

VISUAL HYGIENE CLASSROOM SUGGESTIONS

A CHILD’S CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT MUST BE COMFORTABLE. ALL SITUATIONS WHICH MAY CAUSE PHYSICAL STRESS MUST BE ELIMINATED. For More details on Visual Hygiene in the Classroom call 828-435-0670  .

CHALKBOARD – A green chalkboard with yellow chalk provides the best contrast.

 

DESK & CHAIR – Ideally desks and chairs should be adjustable because children come in different shapes and sizes. However, this is not always possible in today’s classrooms. If a child clasps her hands at chin level while sitting up straight, her elbows should just touch the desk surface. The proper chair height can be determined by having the child sit on the chair she is to use, with both feet on the floor. in this position, you should be able to barely slip your flat hand under her thighs just behind the knees.

SLOPED STUDY SURFACE – A child’s working surface should be slanted at a 20 degree tilt. This will provide a more equal working distance across the whole reading surface. It usually enables the child to work at a longer working distance than when the task is flat on the desk.

ROTATION OF WRITTEN WORK – When writing the student should rotate the paper approximately 45 degrees. This makes it easier for the child to have good posture and reduces fatigue.

DESK ARRANGEMENT – Ideally desks should be 6 meters (20 feet) from the chalkboard. Do not have children sitting, facing the wall. Windows should be at the sides of the desks, not behind them.

LIGHTING – The classroom should be sufficiently lit in both the horizontal and vertical planes. Light should be evenly distributed, with no or a minimum of reflections and shadows. Natural light through the windows is most important.

 

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VISUAL HYGIENE

1. Be AWARE of space between self and the page when reading. Also, be aware of things around and beyond the book.

2. When reading, occasionally look off at a specific distant object and LET its details come into focus. Maintain awareness of other objects and details surrounding it. Do this at least at the end of each page.

3. When studying, place a book mark 3 or 4 pages ahead. Get up and move around for at least one minute each time you reach the book mark.

4. Tilt the book up about 20 degrees (this slopes up about 4 inches). A tilt top for the desk can be made by screwing two door stops to the back of a piece of 1″ inch plywood or drawing board and attaching two rubber knobs to the front (near) edge so it does not slip off the desk. This can be used for reading, studying, writing. It usually enables working farther away from the task than when the task is flat on the desk.

5. When riding, avoid reading and other near activity. Encourage looking at sights in the distance for interest and identification.

6. Encourage outdoor play or sports activities that require seeing beyond arms length.

7. When outdoors, sight a distant object at about eye level. At the same time, be aware of where things are on all sides.

8. Walk with head up, eyes wide open and look TOWARDS, not at objects.

9. Become very conscious of the background of the objects you look TOWARDS, be it a person, print on a page, an electric sign, the TV, or any other object.

 

VISUALLY THERAPEUTIC TOYS & GAMES

Toy or Game	Visual Skills Area
Lite Brite	Fixation, Eye Hand Coordination, Form Perception
Lego	Eye Hand Coordination, Form Perception
Tinker Toys	Eye Hand Coordination, Form Perception
Jump Rope	Gross Motor
Stocks	Form Perception
Jacks	Eye Hand Coord., Ocuiomotor Skills
Simon	Visual Memory
Labyrinth	Ocuiomotor Skills, Eye Hand Coord
Mazes	Ocuiomotor Skills, Eye Hand Coord.
Bail Games, Balloons	Gross Motor. Eye Hand Coord., Spatial Concepts
Where’s Waldo	Figure Ground
Memory	Visual Memory
Concentration	Visual Memory
Tricky Fingers	Eye Hand Coord., Form Perception, Visual Motor Integration
Tangram	Form Perception, Visualization
Lincoln Logs	Eye Hand Coord., Form Perception
Bed Bugs	Fixation, Eye Hand Coord.
Operation	Fixation, Eye Hand Coord.
Toss Across	Eye Hand Coord., Spatial Concepts
String Beads	Fixation, Eye Hand Coord.

Birmingham Vision Care. P. C.
280 N. Old Woodward o Lower Level o Birmingham, Michigan 48009 o (248) 646-4777
Dr. Harriet C. Pelton | Dr. Lloyd 1. Snider | Dr. Ronald S. Spalter Optometrists

BEHAVIORAL SIGNS OF VISUAL PROBLEMS

Sometimes visual problems in children manifest themselves as behavioral problems, such as issues with focusing, reading skills, and eye hand coordination. For further information on testing your child, contact us today at 828-435-0670, or you may live chat with us, just click on the orange button on your screen. 

Eye Movement Abilities

 

1. Head turns as reads across the page
2. Loses place often during reading
3. Needs finger or marker to keep place
4. Displays short attention span in reading or copying
5. Too frequently omits words
6. Repeatedly omits “small” words
7. Writes up or downhill on paper
8. Rereads or skips lines unknowingly
9. Orients drawing poorly on the page

Eye Teaming Abilities

1. Complains of seeing double
2. Repeats letters within words
3. Omits letters, numbers or phrases
4. Misaligns digits in number columns
5. Squints, closes or covers one eye
6. Tilts head extremely while working at desk
7. Consistently shows gross postural deviations at all desk activities

 

Eye Hand Coordination

1. Must feel things to assist in any interpretation required
2. Eyes not used to “steer” hand movements (extreme lack of orientation, placement of words or drawings on page)
3. Writes crookedly, poorly spaced: cannot stay on ruled lines
4. Misaligns both horizontal and vertical series of numbers
5. Uses hands and fingers to keep place on page
6. Uses other hand as spacer to control spacing and alignment on page
7. Repeatedly confuses left-right directions

Focusing Abilities

1. Comprehension reduced as reading continued’, loses interest too quickly
2. Mispronounces similar words as continues reading
3. Blinks excessively at desk tasks and/or reading
4. Holds book too closely: face too close to desk surface
5. Avoids all possible near centered tasks
6. Complains of discomfort in tasks that demand visual interpretation
7. Closes or covers one eye when reading or doing desk work
8. Makes errors in copying from chalkboard to paper on desk
9. Makes errors in copying from reference book to notebook
10. Squints to see chalkboard, or requests to move nearer
11. Rubs eyes during or after short periods of visual activity
12. Fatigues easily; blinks to make chalkboard clear up after desk tasks

 

Visual Perception Abilities

1. Mistakes words with same or similar beginnings
2. Fails to recognize same word in next sentence
3. Reverses letters and/or words in writing and copying
4. Confuses likenesses and minor differences
5. Confuses same word in same sentence
6. Repeatedly confuses similar beginnings and endings of words
7. Fails to visualize what is read either silently or orally
8. Whispers to self for reinforcement while reading silently
9. Returns to “drawing with fingers” to decide likes and differences

Birmingham Vision Care. P. C.
280 N. Old Woodward o Lower Level o Birmingham, Michigan 48009 o (248) 646-4777
Dr. Harriet C. Pelton | Dr. Lloyd 1. Snider | Dr. Ronald S. Spalter Optometrists

A Home Guide to Child Development for the Early Years

Proper child development starts at home, below is provided a list of guidelines and tests both of motor skills, hand eye coordination, inter-neuro-sensory motor integration, communication, and balance.

Adapted from “Mommy and Daddy – You Can Help Me Learn To See” by G. N. Getman, O.D. and J.W. Streff, O.D., copyright 1959 Women’s Auxiliary to The American Optometric Association

I. From birth on, the infant is attracted to areas of light. By looking at bright spots and shadows, they begin to develop the earliest visual skills. To guide this development properly:

1. Keep a dim light on in the baby’s room during hours of darkness so they will have something to look at whenever they awaken.

2. Move their crib to various positions at regular intervals so that light will stimulate each eye and each side.

3. Change the baby’s position in the crib at regular intervals so that light will stimulate each eye and each side.

4. When the baby is awake, talk to him/her from different places in the room. This gives them a familiar moving target to watch and follow, thereby teaching them to associate distances and directions both in sight and in hearing.

5. Hang a nursery-type mobile about six to eight feet from the crib, at the level of the crib rails, so that it will be in line with the child’s gaze as it looks through them. The slow movements of these brightly colored objects assist them in learning what movements are and how to keep the eyes directed toward these objects.

6. Arrange for the baby to be in other rooms also while he is awake. This provides many more bright areas and objects to watch while they are learning to control their eye movements in these important early weeks.

7. Change and feed the baby from alternate sides. This gives the baby basic and important seeing experiences from different positions.

 

II. The earliest form of hand-eye coordination starts when the baby begins to be aware of the movements of its own hands. This sets the stage for the exploring of objects within its reach. To enhance this development:

1. Help the baby move their hands before their own face so they can see these movements.

2. Place a light-weight rattle first in one hand, then in the other and help them shake it. They will not hold it very long, but it will give them a chance to feel, see, and hear it.

3. Play “peek” by holding the baby’s hands before their own eyes so they can start to learn the difference between having their eyes closed and having their view blocked.

 

III. At about 16 weeks of age, the child discovers that they have two hands which they can “see in one look” as they move together, apart, closer, and further away. At this stage, it is time to:

1. Play “patty cake”. Make a big game of it with your baby. Say all the words to them as you “pat ’em, roll ’em, and toss ’em”. Each movement of the hands helps them learn the many directions of movement which hands and eyes can take.

2. Provide plastic or wooden blocks of a size that they can hold in their hand. Help them to put these blocks together so that they click and bang as they watch them.

3. If the child is a bottle baby, have them help you hold the bottle during feeding time. Place their two hands on the bottle as it approaches their mouth, so they see and feel the nearness of it as the nipple enters the mouth.

4. Arrange for several clean, smooth objects that they can put to their mouth. The sequence of looking at a rattle, taking it in the hand, and putting it to the mouth is a very important experience in learning about the many things surrounding them. In fact, this is the practice for feeding themselves and is the eye-hand control necessary for use of their own spoon.

5. Move the mobile closer to the baby. They will enjoy the opportunity to hit it so that it swings and bounces. Previously, most of their movements have been random or steered by you. Now they can create movements of the objects around them.

6. Play “Please” and “Thank You.” Place a toy in the baby’s hand and say “Thank You”. Gently remove it and say “Please”. Wave the toy so they look at it when you place it in their hand. This helps them learn to visually grasp and release objects as well as to develop finger flexibility and dexterity.

7. Tie bells on the the baby’s booties and help them learn to see their feet by hearing them too. Help them learn to kick the mobile to make it move.

 

IV. At about six to seven months, the baby needs to have play time on the floor. Their rolling and crawfishing movements will bring their entire muscular system into action. Therefore, provide the child with opportunities to reach, touch, and feel as many things as possible.

1. Provide large plastic or rubber balls so they may reach for them every time they see them.

2. Vary the toys and objects to provide the child with different textures and surfaces to explore.

3. Arrange room and floor temperature whenever possible so the child can be on a large crib sheet in their “birthday suit”. The bulk of tightly pinned diapers can hinder leg and body movements. All babies should have some time without these hindrances to gain freedom of the movements of their entire bodies.

4. Whenever possible, have other children play in the same room with your baby. All babies start to imitate others just as fast as their development allows. As the baby sees other children at play, they too will use these visual clues to go into movement. They will watch others move toward and away from them, thus gaining their early experiences in visual size and visual distances.

V. The growing child reaches a stage where they begin to push and throw objects off their high chair tray. This helps them to learn that there is a “down”. It also teaches them how to release objects from their hands just as much as they need to know how to hold objects in their hands.

1. Place objects on the high chair tray that can be pushed off or thrown to the floor. Take a little time each day to play this game.

2. Of course, certain objects like the food dish needs to be held fastened to the tray. The child must also learn to recognize which things are for pushing and tossing.

3. Use all the words that go with this game, such as “There it goes”, “all gone”, and “here it is”, as well as “no-no” in the case of the food dish. These are visual words which describe the action they see while playing this game.

4. Use many simple words with your baby. Talk to them frequently about each experience. Talking helps them associate word sounds with what they see and feel. While they are in the bath, talk about the bath, when a brother or sister comes into view, talk about them, when they are playing with a toy, talk about the toy. Assist them in associating speech sounds with what they see and feel by imitating their expressive little noises. This will encourage them to try again.

5. The child should have freedom of the house to be able to feel the object they saw. This verifies and expands their visual knowledge of the object. Dangerous objects, however, should be placed out of reach, but many things should be made available to them to examine.

6. Yam or pom-pom make wonderful balls which can be thrown or chased, as well as providing a different texture that will look and feel different than the usual rubber balls.

7. Arrange a “pot and pan” cupboard where the baby can reach it and open it themselves. Put tissue paper, cellophane, clean rags, and a two or four cup percolator with the pans. All these objects provide visual experiences which let them learn about tops and bottoms, insides and outsides, smooth and rough, soft and hard, big and little, light and heavy, and many other visual aspects of the things his world contains.

VI. By the time the child is one year old, they need to crawl, wiggle, roll and creep.

1. The child needs to get stuck under a desk or coffee table. They need to get into and out of tight places and they need to discover how to do these things for themselves. When they get stuck, show them how to back up or turn around so they can solve the problem next time.

2. They need experience on stairs and steps. Stairs help them learn to see that up is different from down and that steps are different than floors. Protect them from severe falls, but little bumps help them to learn how to avoid big bumps.

3. They need to creep before they walk, so do not be in too big a hurry to help them walk. Spend time assisting them to creep, since this will enable the bilateral (two-sided) abilities to develop more satisfactorily.

GENERAL HOME ENHANCEMENT PROCEDURES FOR THE FIRST TO THIRD YEAR OF LIFE

 

 

Every child should be assured of proper visual development. This includes the integration of the process of vision with all the other sensory systems of the body, the development of efficient eye tracking skills, as well as the ability for vision to be able to substitute for hearing, tasting, smelling and feeling. In order for these abilities to develop effectively, matching of different combinations of sensory-motor systems, including speech and rhythm must occur during the vital stages of infancy and early childhood. It is during this period that it is important that the child be exposed to these interactions. The following are some basic activities that attempt to accomplish these goals.

a. Whenever possible, talk, sing and play with the child.

b. Allow the child time for play and exploration by themselves.

c. Avoid the restraints of a playpen. crib and high chair during those periods of the day when they are not required. Let the child move around as much as they can.

d. Show affection to the child.

e. Try to approach the child from different sides at different times. This goes for feeding and playing. It is also recommended that the crib be moved to different positions of the room on different days, if possible, so that the child will not always face the light from the same side.

Eye Movement Abilities

a. Hold a flashlight or penlight before the child and move it from right to left, left to right, up and down, diagonally, and in circles while talking to the child as it tries to follow the light.

b. Shine a flashlight at a wall and move it slowly while the child tries to follow the beam visually.

c. Play flashlight tag with the older child by having them hold a flashlight as well and try to follow your beam of light with their own.

d. Play “airplane” while feeding the child by circling the spoon in the air and making a buzzing sound as it approaches his mouth.

Hand-Eye Coordination
a. Stacking blocks
b. Stringing beads
c. Tossing and catching balloons
d. Close fists and open one finger at a time
e. Ring toss
f. Push toys
g. Pull toys
h. take apart toys as well as percolators and kitchen utensils
i. Peg or nail pounding
j. Follow-the-dot games
k. Folding and unfolding napkins
l. Modeling clay or play dough
m. Toss bean bags at someone or into a basket
n. Simple puzzles
o. Tracing and coloring
p. Free painting or finger painting
q. Trace around wooden, plastic or cardboard forms. Use large crayons.
r. Spread food out in front and to both sides of the child as they eat
s. Have child switch a small object from hand to hand as they put on a shirt or sweater
t. Place pegs in a pegboard
u. Dot 0’s in a newspaper or phone directory
v. Color and fill in drawings

General Movement and Balance Skills
a. Set up an obstacle course composed of chairs, tables, hassocks and boxes in such a way that the child has to crawl under, over and squeeze between narrow obstacles.
b. Play ‘Take 1, 2, or 3 giant steps”. “Take 1, 2, or 3 baby steps”.
c. Push a wheelbarrow.
d. Hold child’s ankles as they become a wheelbarrow.
e. Walking backwards.
f. Toe touching.
g. Running games.
h. Peeking through legs.
i. Jumping from steps or blocks.
j. Balance on one foot.
k. Hop on both legs together.
1. Hop on each leg separately.
m. Step on cracks.
n. Put rope on floor – child jumps over it.
o. Roll, throw, bounce balls.
p. Sit-ups, push-ups, etc.
q. Walk on a walking rail (an 8 foot 2″ x 4″).
r. Balance on a balance board.
s. Hand and foot tap: 1. RH, RF, LH, LF 2. RH, LF, LH, RF
t. Crawl and creep.
u. Play hop scotch.
v. Tossing and catching balloons.

Building Body Concepts and Self-Imagery
a. Expose child to the concepts of front-back, up-down, big-small, side-side, and one-two, all in the terms of body parts.
b. Using a floor length mirror, have the child watch themselves as they move different body parts on your command.
c. Draw around the child’s hand or foot and make an outline drawing. Have the child match it with their own body parts and point to the big toe, little toe, thumb, etc.
d. Teach child to touch your head, hair, shoulders, stomach, hand, foot, leg, arm, neck, mouth, ears, eyes, chest, back. fingers, etc. on command.
e. Teach child to touch his own body parts on command.
f. Play in sand box – make imprints of body parts (feet, toes, knees, hands).
g. Play game poems such as:
Hold both hands up
open them, shut them
open them, shut them,
give a little clap.
Open them, shut them,
open them, shut them,
put them in your lap.
h. Play”Hokey-Pokey”: “put your left arm in, etc.
i. Play “What” games:
What see ? (eyes)
What hear ? (ears)
What smells ? (nose), etc.

Communicative Ability
a. Trace designs in the air for the child while they try to guess what it is. Have them do the same for you.
b. Follow simple directions: stand up, sit up, close the door, open the door, come here, etc.
c. Imitate sounds: How do we laugh? (Ha, ha, ha) How do we sneeze? (ah-choo) How do we whistle? How do we cough? etc.
d. Pantomime:
1. Pretend you are a soldier, policeman, a cat stretching, circus acrobat, baseball player, elephant swinging his trunk, a dog begging, a baby crying, horse galloping, flower growing up, up, up, then down, down, down, bouncing a ball, sweeping, mopping, peeling potatoes, driving a car, etc.
2. Sing, while a child acts out a song. For example: “This is the way we wash our clothes, wash our clothes, wash our clothes. This is the way we wash our clothes, early Monday morning.” Then iron our clothes on Tuesday, mend our clothes, stir a cake, etc.

Auditory Awareness
a. Blindfold child or have them face away from you. Make the following noises and have them identify: crushing paper, whistling, knocking on door, tapping on glass, writing on chalkboard, blowing on harmonica, clapping hands, drum, piano, noise makers, pounding, coughing, running, jumping, snoring, crying, walking, etc.
b. As they progress, have them try to identify money jingling, blowing into a bottle, scratching, rain falling, leaves rustling, paper tearing, paper bag popping, etc.
c. Have them identify whether the sounds they have heard are high or low, near or far, loud or soft.
d. Imitate sounds of animals and have him identify whether it is a bee, dog, cat, bird, horse, pig, duck, etc. Have them imitate these sounds for you.
e. Have the child imitate sounds heard on phonograph records.
f. Sing rhythmical songs such as London Bridge, Mulberry Bush, Ten Little Indians, etc.
g. Have them clap their hands to a beat.
h. Thp to a certain number of beats and have the child repeat them back.
i. Tell stories to the child.

Inter sensory-Motor Discrimination
a. Sort and count objects.
b. Identify coins.
c. Blow different size soap bubbles.
d. Take a quick look at an object – tell what it is.
e. Learn colors – use colored balls or blocks. In stories, emphasize the color of objects (red wheels, blue dress) while pointing to something that has that color. Have them find the red block, yellow crayon, brown belt, green lollipop, etc.
f. Hide a button in one hand. While both hands are closed, ask the child to guess which hand holds the button.
g. Play with shadows on a wall.
h. Make felt puppets for hands and fingers.
i. With child’s eyes closed, place some food or drink in his mouth while he tries to guess what it is.
j. Repeat with various odors.
k. Introduce child to many different objects then, as a game, have them close their eyes and try to distinguish them. Examples: cotton, sandpaper, felt, paste, smooth stone, rough rock, shiny paper, sand, pencil, doll, toothbrush, key, leaf, wood, etc.
1. Teach directions and space relations to the child: have them move arms in and out, up and down, walk to and from something, climb under and over something, go left to the (window) and right to the (door). Plant seeds and watch them grow.
m. Encourage child to learn to discriminate which object is heavier and which is lighter, as well as which makes more noise when dropped. Use paper weight, rock, brick, cotton, paper, feather, book, tin can with and without sand, balloon, stone, etc.
n. Encourage the child to discriminate a small object from a large object (ball, box, etc.) as well as a tall object from a short one (doll, bottle, etc.)
o. Have the child learn the names of objects. As a game, ask: Show me the ____. Where is the ____ ? Give me the ___ ? Put the ____ into the box. (ball, airplane, wagon, chair, table, bed, door, window, coat, apple, etc.)

Distance Oriented Games
a. Throw a ball into a basket or a large box (move it further away as the child achieves).
b. Throw a ball at specific targets across the room.
c. Throw a bean bag at a drawing of an animal with an open mouth.
d. Play “hit the penny” with a large ball.
e. Throw a ball into a hula hoop: 1. Held in the air, 2. Resting on the ground
f. Call child’s attention to and discuss objects that are at a distance. Play “catch” & move further away as child improves.
g. Paste different pictures on a beach size ball. Have youngster roll ball across room and tell what picture is facing him when the ball stops.