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| www.mojabox.com |
Have you ever had a tailor made suit or custom outfit of any kind? Wasn't the fit perfect, with all of the tucks and cinches in the right places. Now think about how you felt when you wore the custom made outfit. That's exactly how a child feels when the teaching methodology fits his learning style.
What is a Learning Style?
According to www.learningstyles.com there are Seven Learning Styles:
Visual (spatial):You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
Aural (auditory-musical): You prefer using sound and music.
Verbal (linguistic): You prefer using words, both in speech and writing.
Physical (kinesthetic): You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch.
Logical (mathematical): You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems.
Social (interpersonal): You prefer to learn in groups or with other people.
Solitary (intrapersonal): You prefer to work alone and use self-study.
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| Drum Engineering Camp |
Most children have a mix of learning styles, but a strong preference for a particular way. It's the style that allows them to really get information and for it to stick. My child is a visual-aural-physical-social learner. Wow! Now that's a mouthful. But it is important information to know as I help him navigate his educational career. In fact, it is helpful in all areas. For example, during the summer LionHeart took a drum engineering class. No matter how many explanations he got, it wasn't until he had a diagram (spatial) that he was able to understand and complete the task.
Customized Learning Profile
If learning style is important, then parents need to know this information about their children. As a homeschooler, I am the primary teacher so I become intimately aware of how my son learns. But sometimes when we are so close, we miss things. Every teacher could use a helping hand. If your child attends traditional school, how wonderful would it be to provide every new teacher with a blueprint, a profile to help your child live his best life in the classroom. That is exactly what Moja Box aims to do, provide a customized learning profile unique to your child.
The Founder of Moja Box
In 2017, Dr. Rona Frederick founded Moja Box. The concept was inspired by her daughter, Zahara—whose name means illuminate. "Parenting has taught me about the power of stepping back, observing, and valuing the innate and unique gifts that every child brings into the world," says Dr. Frederick. An educator for more than 25 years, Dr. Frederick has written a dozen articles on culturally responsive teaching and best practices for children of African descent. She currently works as a coach for teachers and principals supporting their efforts to foster culturally affirming spaces for their culturally and academically diverse children. She believes every child has their own unique learning profile much like a fingerprint. "My passion is to shed light on every child’s unique fingerprint and to support parents in developing a holistic program that maximizes their child’s learning potential," says Dr. Frederick.
Our Moja Experience
Because my son knew the evaluator it was a very different experience. He tried a little harder because he liked her. Remember, I said he is a social learner. If he doesn't like you, forget about it. The profile consisted of a traditional achievement test, the Woodcock Johnson, that was conducted at my home over the course of several days. The evaluation also included interviews with trusted individuals who teach my child and could give insight into him as a student. The final piece of the puzzle was an interview with both myself and my child, separately. I really felt like she was digging deep to find out who he was as a learner and a person. I couldn't wait for the results.
The Academic Portrait
Unlike most evaluations that are heavy with negativity and filled with a bunch of educational mumbo-jumbo that you can't understand, the Moja Box's academic portrait is written in an easy to understand style. It includes an overall summary, teacher data and the results of a learning style inventory. What I truly appreciated was a layperson's explanation for the tests so that I had a clear understanding of what was being measured.
Recommendations
The end of the report was filled with real-world recommendations for things to do at home. I loved the learning hacks, game recommendations and even referrals for further testing if I was interested. Also included in the recommendations are clear instructions for parents on how to engage the teacher and also how to learn more about how your child learns.
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| Our Moja Gifts |
Our Moja Gifts
This warmed my heart. Yes, the Moja Box is an actual box. As a part of the evaluation, the family receives a Moja Box of gifts. It is filled with items related to the short, but meaningful journey of getting to know your family and your learner. Inside the box was something for me (the primary teacher) and something that spoke to the strengths of the learner. What I treasured most of all was the graphic art personification of my child's learning style. It will sit on his desk to remind him of all the wonderful qualities he posses.
For more information about Moja Box, click here.
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