Bette Fetter

About Bette Fetter

Posts by Bette Fetter:

August 13, 2012

Learning Styles: Is Your Child an Auditory Learner?

There has been much written about the hemispheres of our brain and the way they define our thinking style. Our left brain is the logical, analytical side of us, while the right is where creativity lies. While we use both sides of our brains for almost every task we do, each side of our brain has its area of specialty, which in turn influences the way we think. For children, brain dominance has a profound impact on school success. Understanding your child’s thinking style can help you be sure they are receiving the kind of instruction they need.

August 10, 2012

Benefits of Art: Drawing is Visual Learning

Art class is not just about art. Art and its foundational skill—drawing—is about reading and writing visually. When children learn to draw, they learn to see, evaluate and discern—visually. Many other subjects are affected by a child’s visual discernment and reading skills, such as math and reading.

August 8, 2012

Learning Styles: Montessori Preschools Reach Visual and Kinesthetic Learners

Recently, I was invited to be part of a teacher in-service at a local Montessori pre-school. We met in the evening, after the children had gone home. As I entered the classroom, I saw shelves lined with familiar Montessori activities—all colorful, well-organized and designed to entice young learners. There is a special place in my heart for Montessori pre-schools, because their teaching method includes techniques and tools that work well for a multitude of learning styles, especially our visual and kinesthetic learners. Their engaging activities get the children interested but are also designed to help children develop discrimination, sequencing and organization skills that are critical to successful learning.

August 6, 2012

Art Education for Kids: The Importance of Being Visual

When I first set out to write Being Visual, I thought I was writing about my experience seeing the way art can be used to enhance learning. But while writing and researching, I had a very profound shift in my own understanding. I, like many others, thought learning was learning and art was there as a benefit—an enrichment. As an artist myself, I had always enjoyed participating in art class alongside my other studies. But, I now realize I had grossly underestimated the power and value of art as it relates to education.

July 25, 2012

Visual Learning: Illustrations in Your Children’s Books

It’s Saturday morning—time to take my grandson, Brayden, to the library for a new set of picture books. Oh, how he loves books! First, we go around the house gathering all the books we need to return. As we review them, Brayden has a bit of emotion about letting some of his favorites go, but is encouraged about finding new books—new “friends”. We jump in the car, drive over and enjoy the return process before heading in to select new friends to check out and take home.

July 20, 2012

Developing Cognitive Skills with Visual Learning: Five Lessons Your Kids Can Learn in the Kitchen

Cooking with our kids is a great way to spend time together while involved in purposeful activity. But there’s much more that happens when we invite our kids into the kitchen. Cooking is an engaging, visual, spatial, tactile, hands-on activity that can reinforce classroom learning while developing fundamental cognitive skills.

July 17, 2012

Multisensory Activities for Kids: Learning to Cook is So Much More than Fun!

After a late night reading stacks and stacks of books during our “sleepover,” my grandson and I were up early and in the kitchen to start our day, making and doing. Brayden, who is four years old, climbed on his special kitchen stool, while I got out the ingredients. Making breakfast quiche was going to be a great opportunity to measure, pour, mix and roll, all things that would thoroughly engage a curious preschooler. This multisensory activity is one that I often engaged my own children in as they grew, knowing the benefits go far beyond just having fun.

July 11, 2012

Summer Activities for Kids: Theater is About More Than Playing Dress-Up

Participating in theater is about so much more than playing dress-up. There are significant cognitive, physical, emotional and social benefits to participating in live theater. Many of these benefits are just what our visual-spatial kids need, but are also a safe, fun way for our more auditory-sequential kids to develop their “other” side.

July 9, 2012

Childrens’ Theater Great for Visual-Spatial Kids this Summer

This weekend was the 25^th anniversary of our local children’s theater group. The Children’s Theatre of Elgin was founded by two brothers, both of whom are attorneys, and is dedicated to “live theater for children, by children”. Parent volunteers provide most of the labor, while grants allow them to use of state of the art theater facilities. The group puts on four shows a year with student performers ranging from ages seven to twenty one, depending on the show. What a great, creative outlet for your visual learner this summer!

July 5, 2012

American Independence: A Product of Innovation

Yesterday, as I watched our local Independence Day parade and delighted in the colorful fireworks, I thought about some of the attributes that have helped shape our nation. Before and after we became the United States of America, we were blessed with remarkable men and women of vision, fierce determination and persistence. Long before there […]

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Bette Fetter

About Bette Fetter

Posts by Bette Fetter:

Winter Break Survival Guide