Xploration Centre Parenting and Education Tips
I decided to take a break from my usual medical blog to share information I learned watching a virtual retreat recently.
I started watching the Xploration Centre Virtual Retreat last week and have learned so many new things! I am a grandma now, but I enjoyed my time homeschooling my kids years ago. This retreat made me realize how much life has changed in the last 30 years. Our kids now need to be prepared for a world that has an exponential increase in technology. In this blog I am sharing a few helpful tips and resources that I have learned so far. They have included so much content, I have only gotten through 2 of the 5 days of speakers.
From Xploration website:
“This is why we created a new model that actually prepares children for the world that is emerging, and connects them to nature, themselves, and community.
A place where children feel safe and encouraged to be themselves and are supported to foster their passions and purpose.“
The emerging world needs a new kind of human, one that is deeply loving, always learning and strongly connected to the natural world.
www.xplorationcentre.com. Located in Victoria, BC
Speaker: Jim Kwik-world expert in speed reading, memory improvement and optimal brain performance. His life story is super inspiring! His new book is called “Limitless”, and I can’t wait to read it!
How to retain information using the mnemonic FASTER:
Forget what you know about learning, empty your mind
Active- brain learns through creativity, ask questions
State- you never learn in a bored state, increase the emotions when learning
Teach- learn with the intention of teaching someone else
Enter- schedule your learning on your calendar-make time for learning
Review- spaced repetition-review what you learned
Jim spoke again during the retreat so I can share more of his wisdom in future blogs.
Speaker: Kathy Kolbe. Conative traits, cultivating genius
Website: www.kolbe.com
Ask your kids questions you don’t know the answers to.
Student aptitude quiz- the truth about your natural abilities, available on the website
Other assessment tools are also available on the website
Kathy talks about knowing your strengths in 3 areas- cognitive or thinking, affective or feeling and conative or doing. How do you as a unique individual think, feel and do in your life? Cognitive strengths include your intelligence, skills, knowledge, experience and learned behavior. It’s what we can do. Affective strengths are our motivation, preferences, emotional intelligence, values and your personality. It is what you want to do or what you value. This was the first time I had heard the word conative. The definition is: “The aspect of mental processes or behavior directed toward action or change and including impulse, desire, volition, and striving”. Conative strengths are your doing, striving instincts. It is how you will take action. Knowing what your conative strengths are helps you understand how you approach getting things done in your day to day life. It describes our striving instincts. At kolbe.com you can take a test to learn about your conative strengths and learn more about yourself and how to support your innate strengths. (there is a cost but the report is super complete and helpful) I took the test and I’m a 9722. Fact Finder was 9, Follow Through 7, Quick start 2, and implementor 2. And there is no bad score! Each strength profile is about who you are and how you get things done. You can read more on the kolbe.com website.
Speaker: Patty Wipfler, talking about why kids act out. She is author of the book titled “Listen: Five Simple Tools to Meet Your Everyday Parenting Challenges”. https://www.handinhandparenting.org
It is important to reassure kids that you are there with them when they are upset. Their behavior is language and we need to read their behavior to connect with them.
Five tools to promote connection:
Listening partnership- a self care resource for parents to talk to another parent who listens without offering solutions
Special time- 5-10 minutes to do what your child wants to do with you, they get to chose, you give undivided attention
Play listening- using the power of laughter, releasing tension, tickling not recommended for this activity
Setting limits- allows emotional release
Stay listening- listen empathetically to their emotions and stay with it while they unload
Rough housing with your kids is healthy- studies show it increases leadership skills. Book mentioned:
“ Playful Parenting: An Exciting New Approach to Raising Children That Will Help You Nurture Close Connections, Solve Behavior Problems and Encourage Confidence” by Lawrence J Cohen, Ph.D. I have always known that play is important for kids (thanks to my Early Childhood Education Mom specialist). But I didn’t realize the benefit of rough housing. I was too afraid that someone would get hurt! I guess I never learned the fun side of rough housing, or the rules of the game.
I have so much more to share, but that will be for another time. Here is the summarized list of resources plus some others I didn’t talk about yet.
Resources:
www.Xplorationcentre.com A school is soon to open in Victoria, BC
www.kolbe.com so many great resources on their website
https://jimkwik.com book “Limitless” and online classes
https://www.handinhandparenting.org many resources for parents; book mentioned “Listen: Five Simple Tools to Meet Your Everyday Parenting Challenges”
Book about play: “Playful Parenting: An Exciting New Approach to Raising Children That Will Help You Nurture Close Connections, Solve Behavior Problems and Encourage Confidence” by Lawrence J Cohen, Ph.D.
Exercise recommended by Ray Kurzweil- teach kids about exponential growth vs linear growth. Example: 1;2;4;16;256;65,536…..and so on as exponential growth
Nate Ball, mechanical engineer, entrepreneur - has a PBS show called Design Squad where he shows you how to make cool stuff with your kids-super fun! and he does beatboxing!
I will share more information from the retreat next time. For now, keep learning!