My 2011 New Year's Resolution Inspired by Mel Levine's Book Ready Or Not, Here Life Comes

I am reading Mel Levine's book, Ready or Not, Here Life Comes as part of my resource for my thesis on how to help children with ADHD address problems connected to organization. There is so much to say on what are the things I discovered about the importance of organization skills and how it affects a person's life all throughout his existence which I will tackle on later. Going back to the book, here are some of my favorite quotes about Mel Levine's ideas on the skill of organization:


* Organization is the best policy for developing efficiency.

* Disorganized people are renowned for doing things the hard way.

* Schools should start to grade kids as much on their strategies as they do on their results.

* Teachers should evaluate and reward students for the way they went about doing something as much as for the right answer or a stellar essay.

* We should sensitive students to the vast range of challenges and settings where the right strategies can come to their rescue.

* Getting into the habit of strategic thinking helps prime a child to emerge as a productive young adult and it does woners for self-confidence, resistance to stress and overall resiliency.

To test some of the strategies listed in Mel Levine's Book "Ready Or Not Here Life Comes", I used one of the strategies called Task Integration Worksheet to help my son do his Math project. We have broken down his Math project into 4 tasks. Each of the task has a solution listed which is also sequentially. We arranged the task like a web and following a clock-wise manner.

The Task Integration Worksheet served as a visual reminder to minimize the parent's verbal prompts. Still verbal prompts were provided only to get my son back on track like for example "What task are you now? (from task 1 to 4)?" "How many minutes will it take for you to finish task ____? "You have already spent x number of minutes for Task ___, you still have x number of minutes left."

Can I say that the strategy is effective, well what I can say is that to judge it is still too premature. Because strategic thinking is somehow a habit learned. In addition, for children with special needs such habits may take a longer time to be assimilated. So I had another bright idea? What if an adult learned it? How long will it take for me to assimilate this habit. I have to be honest to myself. I am not that organized myself. So if this is something I want my child to learn, I must be able to say that it is something that can be learned and something that I practice myself.

Hence this article I will be working on combines what I learned about Mel Levine's Book "Ready Or Not Here Life Comes" and my New Year's Resolution.

I have made four resolutions this year connected to my Peace of Mind Square which is composed of four aspects of my life: Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual.

Physical Resolution:
1. To run at least 3 times a week.

A perfect event for me to prepare for my run is by joining The Bull Run: Takbo Para Sa Ekonomiya 2011 at the Fort on January 9, 2011. I find this Bull Run to be purposeful for my physical resolution because now I really have to commit to my running three times a week as part of my training for this run. I am technically a newbie in runs so I think I will try the 3K first. I don't want to get too ahead for myself. But the prospect of running in a marathon is a novel to me.

Spiritual Resolution:
2. To staff for the upcoming PSI Kids

First and foremost what is PSI Kids?
PSI Kids
The PSI Kids seminar is a fun-filled active experience for kids 5 – 12 years old. Children have the chance to practice making choices and dealing with the consequences; they have an opportunity to experience a responsibility without compromising their natural playfulness and joy. As they learn responsible ways of acting they have the freedom to let go of manipulative behaviors.

The PSI Kids seminar helps to bring out the best in every child. Shy, retiring children may need support in overcoming fears or speaking up to voice their requests. Children who are very active and demanding may need some coaching in how to share, listen or just slow down. Each child is encouraged to become more aware of his or her own strengths. PSI Kids learn to work with other children and to support each other.

The PSI Kids seminar helps to unleash the full potential of the child. It allows the child to acquire the tools he or she needs for success in school and in life.

Parents Orientation: April 29, 7pm

For details call Camille at 897-0900 or 0918-5785981. You may also check their website, http://www.psileadership.org/.

Thus staffing for PSI Kids is my agape and volunteer service for children.



3. Mental Resolution

To finish my Master's thesis in Special Education this year. There is nothing else that could top this.




4. Emotional Resolution

Whew, I am not sure I can share this in public but here goes for my perfect self expression. The value I would like to learn is "patience". Patience to myself and to others and I plan to do this by constant meditation through the help of Bhrama Kumaris.

What do I like about meditation in Bhrama Kumaris? A short description of what they are according to their site http://www.bkwsu.org/ sums up the reason for me. In Bhrama Kumaris "We study spiritual knowledge that nurtures respect for all faith traditions, coherently explains the nature of soul, God, time, and karma, and delineates an enlightened lifestyle.

In Bhrama Kumaris, we practise and teach a form of meditation that relaxes the mind and nurtures a healthy balance between our inner and outer worlds. Through numerous social service activities and partnerships, we promote spiritual understanding, leadership with integrity and elevated actions towards a better world."



So there goes my top 4 resolutions for the next year. I will be chronicling the status of these goals hopefully in my Belle de Jour Planner where I can squeeze my creative juices while working on my goals.

To get a chance to win a Belle de Jour or a Navi Planner, you can check out a fellow blogger's contest http://www.skysenshi.com/2010/12/win-one-of-these-viviamo-planners.html for more details. Remember if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.