I reviewed the StudentKeys Student Binder by PeopleKeys with Elizabeth. It’s been a blessing and it’s continuing to bless our family as we learn to communicate better for each different personality.

PeopleKeys uses a DISC system that corresponds to four personalities. People fall into categories with a dominant and secondary, and perhaps a close tertiary point.

Liz really thought this was great. She took the quizzes out loud, with me. So I got nothing done since she demanded my undivided attention. It was ok. It was good mama-daughter bonding time.

Liz is ID and I am DC. She also guessed what her siblings and dad are. I think she’s pretty spot on.

I=Influencing, Inspiring, Impulsive. {people-oriented and active role}

D=Dominant, Determined, Driver {task-oriented and active role}

C=Compliant, Cautious, Correct {task-oriented and passive role}

[and S=Steady, Supportive, Stable cuz I know you were dying to know! It’s people-oriented and passive role.]

After she determined her personality type, she read about her traits. And then she read mine. And then we laughed at each other.

As she completed the learning and thinking styles booklets, we discussed how she is successful with her school work and how she doesn’t succeed at some aspects. We discussed how we could make changes and how she needs to challenge herself.

The overview lists general traits, strengths, limitations, fears, motivations, and ideal environments. I think these are highly accurate and I love their chart format. Liz found it very easy to comprehend and it was really fun to talk about together. Then there are charts with General, Relationships, and School/Work. Those breakdowns are interesting and it has two columns at the top: admire/drive others crazy. Love!

Of course, being the mom and a teacher and a realist, I want her to understand that just because her ideal environment is “few conflicts” and “freedom from controls” doesn’t mean she’s an adult and doesn’t have to follow my rules and deadlines for schoolwork.

Since we are both D, we often butt heads, but I also understand her motivators, fears, strengths, etc., because they are also my own.

I just need to remember to offer grace and love her and accept her because this is who she is and it’s not always just defiance. She’s also an I, which is very different. She’s very outgoing and social and this I don’t understand, but I want her to succeed here and learn healthy relationships.

There are also worksheets where we can notebook about communication role playing with different personality types. Love!

This workbook divides learning into kinesthetic, visual, and auditory. According to this, Liz is a kinesthetic visual learner. I know this. The learning tips are great for our homeschool success. Several glorious pages explain how each learner learns best. And then there are notebooking pages to help Liz understand all this. And we discussed our homeschool and her siblings and how we all learn and I did not learn well in school because they don’t adapt learning much. There’s even a teaching style worksheet! Great for homeschool parents!

Cognitive Thinking Styles are the acronym LITE.

Liz is Literal Intuitive. I feel this may not be completely accurate, but may play out better as she grows up. Learning about thinking is super fun. Two pages describe in detail each type.

When we discussed some of my DC traits, Liz made fun of me! This is Liz’s impersonation of me, blogging. She says I sit at the keyboard, even when I don’t feel well and should be resting, or cleaning, or teaching, or doing something more productive. Isn’t she hilarious?

The StudentKeys Student Binder Package is $49.00

Includes:

• The Personality Style Workbook
• The Perceptual Learning Style Workbook
• The Cognitive Thinking Style Workbook
• The Values Style Workbook
• The Career Choice Workbook
• The Goal Setting Workbook

We reviewed Honing Your Study Skills from Hands of a Child.

I chose the note pack. What’s a note pack? From the company:

Note Packs are ready-to-go notebooking units.  With our Note Packs your students are able to enjoy the same Research Guide and activities as our lapbooks, but without all of the cutting and pasting! Simply 3-hole punch the fun and interesting pages and add them to any 3-ring binder. Note Packs are available in the same formats as lapbooks.

Also available as a lapbook – eBook, CD, printed, combo, or kit. Prices vary.

When I saw this, I knew it was just what I was looking for to help my teen with her study skills and note taking. We’ve kinda winged it until now, but her work load is getting too much for her to not have a plan and study skills in place.

I printed the pages out on pretty paper and after she completed them, we 3-hole punched it all and put it in a folder for her to keep in her minioffice file.

I put the file on her iPad mini so she could read the lessons and instructions as she went along. Perfection!

Liz independently completed the note pack in just a couple days.

Then we reviewed what she learned.

I especially liked the pages on time management and reference materials. We try to do it old school and I make sure my kids know how to use dictionaries, thesauruses, and encyclopedias. Then they can search the Internet. I extended the lesson by comparing primary and secondary sources. We discussed plagiarism and the reliability of Wikipedia as a reference source. We discussed research and source citation methods for different subjects. I can’t wait until she’s ready for complex research assignments! I plan to have her complete a small literary analysis this year. I love MLA.

The note taking and study success pages were eye-opening for Liz who has never really had to study before. (I think I went until my 3rd year of college before I had to study…)

Of course, I could have gathered all these materials and taught the lessons, but Liz loved the concept of the notebooking. She read, wrote, and narrated it back to me! All keys to learning well.

The best part? I can reuse many of the pages for any subject. There are biography notebooking pages. A weekly schedule is a great tool for her to learn to manage her time. I’ve been providing her with a schedule, but now I will release that responsibility to her! A mnemonic page is useful. We did the study area evaluation and decided on how to best utilize study and learning spaces.

3 main types of learning:

1. Auditory
2. Tactile
3. Visual

It will also play nicely into another review coming soon!

Honing Your Study Skills contains:

• 5-day Planning Guide
• Related Reading List
• 15 Hands-On Activities
• 11-page Research Guide
• Answer Key

Note pack or Lapbook eBook on sale for $5.00 (orig. $12.00)!

Recommended for grades 5-10. Liz is 12.

I reviewed the DVD Understanding Child Brain Development produced by The Family Hope Center and introduced by Andrew Pudewa of Institute for Excellence in Writing. WHERE HOPE COMES FROM.

My kids don’t have any known special needs but I thought this DVD might help me understand families who struggle with differences. I want to walk alongside them in prayer and learn and help any way I can. I thought it might help me in my ministry of being a natural health advocate. I want to learn about all the research available so I can pass on information to those who need it. God has given us amazing knowledge and resources to heal the human body!

What I learned. And some affirmations.

With the DVD comes a link to download a companion 52-page eBook with copies of the presentation slides. Super helpful!

Mr. Newell stresses the positive. They focus on abilities rather than disabilities. YES!

Their team views a child as a “whole person, not a collection of parts and specialties.” I love that.

I love this quote. Mr. Newell says to replace “society” with “parents.”

I love that they desire to treat the source of interference, not the symptoms! “The problem is the problem. The parent is not the problem.” So many parents of kids with special needs experience guilt that they did something wrong! We don’t understand God’s will. He is in control. He is driving the car.

It seems the team doesn’t want to rely on allopathic medicine to solve problems but believes that the body can heal itself with proper therapies. A company after my own heart.

Their first level of therapy is nutrition/detox. I think this could solve many health and brain disorders right there. Mr. Newell says about 85% of kids from 17 different countries who come to his center have evidence of heavy metals in their system {which causes an explosion with the CNS}.

Did you know the brain expands and contracts? Most of the kids who come to the center have no brain movement. I don’t know much about cranial-sacral therapy, but I plan to research this now! Don’t wear tight hats. Search for a cranial-sacral therapist near you! The compression of the birth canal and the expansion of birth helps the brain function normally.

He mentions the sensitivity of our olfactory system. I so agree that it’s important! Did I mention we do essential oils?

I agree that understanding and working with the child and proper nutrition and fitness are keys to brain health! He stresses the importance of a regular schedule. Structure and organization! Be consistent.

What you can expect.

The DVD progresses through the stages of brain development from

• birth-2 weeks
• 2 weeks-2 months
• 2 months-8 months
• 8 months-12 months
• 12 months – 18 months
• 18 months – 36 months

The DVD explains the development of critical life skills:

• seeing and reading
• hearing and understanding
• sensation and tactility
• locomotion and mobility
• communication and speech
• manual dexterity and writing
• emotional and social maturity

Fascinating review of how water reacts to environment. Showed water crystals from pristine locations and how it’s “happy.” Compared water crystals from home cooked food with convenience food. oh my! This affirms our lifestyles choices. I am so happy to see this.

The the slides show water next to a mobile phone. oh dear. Should there be legislation that kids shouldn’t have cell phones due to radiation exposure?

Then we see water near TVs, microwaves, computers. We rarely use our microwave and Mr. Newell recommends not using them because it changes the molecules of food and it is therefore of no value to the human system.

Recommended reading:

I cannot recommend this DVD enough – to ALL parents and care givers. It will help you understand child development.

To order the DVD for $19+shipping, please call 610-397-1737 or you can order Understanding Child Brain Development from IEW.

Also check out their program Your Thriving Child: The Essential Guide to Your Child’s Learning and Development.

Click for their conference schedule!