Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

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MamaMary
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Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

Post by MamaMary » Tue Jul 28, 2009 7:52 am

I am getting ready to sign off for awhile, but wanted to tell you that I have an update on Betty/Olive and wanted to share it with you. This past May I went to my homeschool convention and heard the most amazing speaker. Her name was Linda Werner and by the time she was finished there were over 1000 parents on their feet clapping, whistling and crying. She talks about teaching to our children's STRENGTH'S, while only managing their weaknesses.

This test has changed my family and even my leadership team for our support group as we've all taken it and many have administered it to our children. It takes Betty/Olive to a whole new level. It is not just a mom (like me) sharing her observations, it's actually put together by Gallup and is scientifically proven. UCLA has used it for their incoming freshmen to help them pick college classes based on their STRENGTH'S!

There are 34 possible themes and this 25 minutes test will tell you what YOUR (and your husband, and your children, and your best friends, and your moms) top FIVE are!

My oldest Brandon tested out as ADAPTABILITY as his number one. I know that I am high in this theme! Here's the description:

You live in the moment. You don’t see the future as a fixed destination. Instead, you see it as a place that you create out of the choices that you make right now. And so you discover your future one choice at a time. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have plans. You probably do. But this theme of Adaptability does enable you to respond willingly to the demands of the moment even if they pull you away from your plans. Unlike some, you don’t resent sudden requests or unforeseen detours. You expect them. They are inevitable. Indeed, on some level you actually look forward to them. You are, at heart, a very flexible person who can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in many different directions at once.

How did this change our homeschool? I quit trying to make him follow a strict schedule. Instead I began giving him a to do list, a time to start and a time to finish. DING DING DING..., We have a WINNER! He is more productive than EVER!

OTOH, my 13 year old tested out using the young teen test and his #3 was:

Organizer- Scheduling, planning, and organizing his world make life better. People count on him to get the details right and to pull a plan together.

How did this change our homeschool. He has a schedule that HE helped me put together. We are going to have it laminated and in the front of his very neat notebook. I keep him on task because he will have a breakdown if we go too long with out structure.

How does this relate to HOD? Well a big portion of her talk was about needing to manage our weaknesses. I want my children to have a good education, I want them to have a biblical worldview pulled into every subject when possible, I want my children to learn how to work independently, but I would have to work in my weaknesses to plan that. When I spend time in my weakness I am not engaging or embracing my strength's. BUT this is obviously Carrie's STRENGTH. (I'm guessing she has the themes discipline, learner) and she helps me manage my weakness while she works within her strengths. Isn't that cool!

I blogged pictures, details and even my top five. If you are interested order it from amazon as they are the cheapest. You get your book and in the back is a code. You go to their website, plunk in your code and begin your test. You only have 20 seconds between answers. (which is plenty of time you won't feel rushed but you can't over analyze as they found it not to be as accurate) You do NOT, should NOT read the book first. Take the test and then you can read. It's a fun, easy book to quickly run through but packs a powerful punch!

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MamaMary/692610/
Mary, Mama to 4 amazing sons and wife to one incredible husband! Come check us out on the blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MamaMary/

shaybird
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Re: Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

Post by shaybird » Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:13 am

Thank you, Mary!! This reminds me of Train up a child in the way he would go... What is the name of the book so I can order it???
Thanks,
Sharyn

MamaMary
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Re: Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

Post by MamaMary » Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:20 am

Hi Sharon,

I LOVE to train up a child. Linda brought in the biblical worldview for Strengthfinder;-)

The book for 14 and up is called: http://www.amazon.com/StrengthsFinder-2 ... 658&sr=8-1

The book for test for 10-14 is called: http://www.amazon.com/StrengthsExplorer ... pd_sim_b_6

If you take the test will you let us know your strength's? (Big Excited For you smile)
Mary, Mama to 4 amazing sons and wife to one incredible husband! Come check us out on the blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MamaMary/

8arrows
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Re: Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

Post by 8arrows » Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:10 am

I enjoyed your blog. Not one of your strengths surprised me. I think they describe what I have read about you to a T! I envy your energy and enthusiasm (oops, that's just dwelling on my weaknesses (smile)). Have a great year embracing your children's strengths!
Melissa, wife to Jim for 28 years
3 graduated, 2 using US 2, 8th grade dd using Missions to Marvels
Isaiah 40:11 ...He gently leads those that have young.

my3sons
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Re: Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

Post by my3sons » Tue Jul 28, 2009 10:24 am

Good morning, Mary! Those descriptions make total sense, and knowing you, I have seen your strengths and ability to adapt time and time again. :D This concept reminds me a tad of the Five Love Languages (the one for children :wink: - though the adult one is pretty on track too :lol: ). It IS helpful to know what makes each of us tick, and when possible to be flexible enough to allow individual strengths to shine. I agree this can be helpful to homeschooling, though it's impossible to always teach to strengths, it makes total sense to try to do so. :D It sounds like you've got your dc figured out, and you have some very practical ways to play to their strengths - great job, mom! Have fun seeing the fruits of this through the year! :D

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

MamaMary
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Re: Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

Post by MamaMary » Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:22 am

my3sons wrote:Good morning, Mary! Those descriptions make total sense, and knowing you, I have seen your strengths and ability to adapt time and time again. :D This concept reminds me a tad of the Five Love Languages (the one for children :wink: - though the adult one is pretty on track too :lol: ). It IS helpful to know what makes each of us tick, and when possible to be flexible enough to allow individual strengths to shine. I agree this can be helpful to homeschooling, though it's impossible to always teach to strengths, it makes total sense to try to do so. :D It sounds like you've got your dc figured out, and you have some very practical ways to play to their strengths - great job, mom! Have fun seeing the fruits of this through the year! :D
Oh Julie, I missed your perky voice in my life! (Big Smile) I was actually wondering about you and Carrie and where you fit in? I see all of your strength's but I don't know how to nutshell them. You are so good at giving GREAT practical advice, yet you are inspirational and motivational too! I am going to share my friend Kim's #1 strength below and I thought of Carrie. I love how she takes these wonderful HOD books and breaks it down into bite size portions.

One of the things Linda talked about was using many different books in helping to understand our children, our husbands and ourselves. The 5 love languages is one of them. Brandon and I have "WORDS" as our gift. My husband is "PHYSICAL TOUCH" :roll: :lol: and my Colton is "GIFTS". He loves to give them and get them. It's very cute. I do not have my boys figured out, but I am having fun on the journey :D I hope YOU take strengthfinder. I would love to see what your top FIVE themes are. It's far more specific than Betty/Olive, Five Love Languages, The Way They Learn Or even Created to be his helpmeet It's more specific like a fingerprint;-)

8arrows, I would LOVE to see what your top five are?

My friend Kim, who does the Betty/Olive workshop with me when we speak did her test. Her #1 strength was Deliberative:

Your world needs to be predictable. It needs to be ordered and planned. So you instinctively impose structure on your world. You set up routines. You focus on timelines and deadlines. You break long-term projects into a series of short-term plans, and you work through each plan diligently.

It's so funny, how opposite we are and yet how much I adore her straightforward, no nonsense approach! :wink:
Mary, Mama to 4 amazing sons and wife to one incredible husband! Come check us out on the blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MamaMary/

Carrie
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Re: Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

Post by Carrie » Wed Jul 29, 2009 4:09 pm

Mary,

What an interesting topic! I will have to delve more deeply into the links you shared, as I enjoy figuring out more about myself and my kiddos. :D Each of our family members is quite unique from one another, which keeps us on our toes in our family! :D

I loved what you shared about your oldest son. I agree fully that some kiddos work well with a set schedule and time allotments, and others do better with a to-do list and a start and end time. :D

Thanks for sharing!

Blessings,
Carrie

my3sons
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Re: Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

Post by my3sons » Wed Jul 29, 2009 7:28 pm

Hi Mary - I will definitely have to delve into this when time allows! :D You've got my interest piqued. It is so Betty of you to point out my strengths (though I think you are being quite generous there :wink: ) - thanks - you are an encourager full of heart. I loaned out my Five Love Languages about 5 years ago and have not gotten it back. I think I remember my friend who has it and will have to track it down. At the time I read it, Wyatt was 5 yo, which was a tad young to know much about him. It did, on the other hand, shed a lot of light on Rich and me. :D If I remember right, Rich fits "acts of service", and I fit "quality time". So, he would like to show he loves me by washing the car, and I'd like to feel loved by him taking me on a date. He'd like me to show I love him by cooking him supper, and I'd like to show him I love him by having a great conversation. :shock: I think we'll spend a lifetime figuring this out - there are shades of the other love languages we show or desire too, but those are the main ones. I would enjoy going through the test and reading the book you've shared here, Mary. :D Thank you so much for sharing here!!! :)

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

MamaMary
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Re: Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

Post by MamaMary » Thu Jul 30, 2009 2:49 pm

It will be FUN seeing both of your results. :D :D :D
Mary, Mama to 4 amazing sons and wife to one incredible husband! Come check us out on the blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MamaMary/

mskogen
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Location: Canehill, AR

Re: Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

Post by mskogen » Thu Jul 30, 2009 3:05 pm

Mama Mary,

I was there as well. Although I haven't taken the test. YET!!!!
Wish I could have meet you there. Glad to see you back online!!
Blessings,
Michelle

Wife to dh since 2000
ds 15 years old, World History
ds 14 years old, World History
ds 11 years old, RTR
dd 9 years old, Preparing
Enjoyed LHTH, LHFHG, Beyond, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, RTR, Rev2Rev, MTMM, WG, enjoying WH

shaybird
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Re: Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

Post by shaybird » Thu Jul 30, 2009 6:55 pm

Mama Mary,
I am new on this board but I enjoy you already. Our family is doing some traveling so I will have to wait until we return home to get the book and test. Can't wait!!
Thanks,
Sharyn

MamaMary
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Re: Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

Post by MamaMary » Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:01 pm

mskogen wrote:Mama Mary,

I was there as well. Although I haven't taken the test. YET!!!!
Wish I could have meet you there. Glad to see you back online!!
Michelle, I am not sure where you're at in Florida. But she is speaking at our support group meeting in September: http://www.ppea-homeschool.com (Linda Werner is the name of the page) I can't wait for you to take the test. It's so dead ON!
Mary, Mama to 4 amazing sons and wife to one incredible husband! Come check us out on the blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MamaMary/

MamaMary
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Re: Betty/Olive/HOD/Homeschooling Our Children

Post by MamaMary » Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:01 pm

shaybird wrote:Mama Mary,
I am new on this board but I enjoy you already. Our family is doing some traveling so I will have to wait until we return home to get the book and test. Can't wait!!
Thanks,
Sharyn
Oh Sharyn, I will look forward to your results. (Big Excited Smile)
Mary, Mama to 4 amazing sons and wife to one incredible husband! Come check us out on the blog: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MamaMary/

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