The Great Shalom Podcast : Overcoming Learning Disabilities Sharon Sarles

Want to think better? What to avoid being fooled? Want to be more persuasive in your arguments? Use evidence.

This is the latest installment in our series on how to think better.

Look, I've made it easy. I've made it free. Invest your time.

Like and share, too, please!

In our series on how to think better, this week we are going to talk about noticing and using and enforcing definitions. Because "learning disabled students" spend so much time coping with regular school work like decoding, they often miss the nuances of other things like deeper comprehension and social cues. As society has lost most of its literacy and academic ability, then it is more easily tricked. This will help: USE DEFINiTIONS.



I told my college students to argue from definitions. It makes a strong argument. Like this: valuation is determined by the market. This house sold for $X this year. Therefore the value is $x. Therefore that is the tax valuation.

See? Or, in a case of a student: Water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen. So, what a happens if we put hydrogen and oxygen together (in this special way)? Marsupials are characterized by carrying their young in their pouches. A kangaroo carries their babies in their pouch. So what kind of animal is a kangaroo? Or for a high school student, socialism is defined as redistribution of the wealth. These people are promoting a plan to tax the rich and pay that money to the poor. So, what kind of a plan is that? Is that capitalism or is that socialism?



Not surprisingly, some people want to fudge or change definitions in mid-stream. These are mostly peaceful protestors; they protest by breaking plate glass windows, stealing merchandise, and burning buildings. Only a few people have been injured. These other protestors are protesting one nation's purported occupation by occupying the administration building at their college. They are protesting carefully targeted warfare that responded to a very large very heinous terrorist act, as genocide. So, to protest, they are calling for genocide of an entire people worldwide. To advertise that position, they are refusing entrance to class buildings to students who identify with that people group. Well know this is in the news. So, wait, what is the definition of "peaceful", "occupation," "genocide"? Do you see that this is at the heart of the discussion.



First, people get triggered, and instead of being able to have a useful conversation on whatever the topic is, such as a particular foriegn conflict or what student in the USA should do about it, they go off on some emotional rant based on emotional feelings somewhat, if tangentially, related. For that, see last episode. Then, they have difficult conversations, but the definitions are not agreed to and are not stable. No one can make progress like that.



Do not let other people fool you by switching definitions on you. This happens all the time in advertising. You go from wanting to be successful, offered the chance to be superior in every way because of that desire, to being a slovenly lazy ass because you don't buy the very expensive course. Self-critique of being willing to consider alternate ways of proceeding becomes s never ending struggle session where only compliance and self-hate is permitted. It goes on and one.



What is a Christian Nationalist? Some one who is both patriotic and a Christian? Or some right = wing extremist who is a violent, racist, armed terrorist?



Argue from definitions for a strong argument. Watch how others use and mis-use definitions.

Long awaited series started by some reminders about basic brain health that are often overlooked.

Children, youth, and mature adults all need sleep, protein, and vitamins. Each has their particular challenge. I just briefly mention most of these things, and give a quick run down of some supplements. If you want more specifics on any of these topics, let me know.



Another point about brain health is to stay away from toxins, which is hard to do. 3M is getting sued for polluting their products with forever chemicals. Imagine, being a company and putting brain harming chemicals in... cars, housing material, clothes, bandaids, and cosmetics. Let's not even mention food and medicines. So, detox is a fine plan. In the immediate, please do your best not to pollute yourself and your child. For instance, when I was pregnant, I would often see the plume of car exhaust, and try to be careful to turn away, to not breathe it. I was not able to shield my baby from everything, but I did my best.



I meet young adults these days who seem to try, but seem to have very little thinking ability. This has been going on, worse and worse for several decades. School is bad, but so is the environment. I argued this about pollution in the 1980s and 1990s and was roundly ridiculed. Then, a doctor on the Learning Disabilities Association of Texas, said at one of their conventions that we should look into it. After that, I got less criticism, but still plenty of skepticism. Today, there are lawsuits aplenty. One day we may have a better situation. In the meantime, do your best as a parent to reduce exposure to agents that harm brains.

Breastfeeding is best. We do know this. Best for health; best for baby's brain.

But what if a mother can not breastfeed for some real reason? Back in Spring 2022, remember, we had a baby formula crisis. We seem to have recurrent "crisis" around food -- let's hold that idea. Remember, you couldn't get that formula. But... did you ever want it? Have you read what is in commercial formula? Is there a better substitute? A professional lactation specialists is not permitted to tell you, but ... I found a friend.



So, a great friend, wonderful mother, and inspiring woman let us know about her situation and how she makes formula. Not surprisingly, she got some information from the Weston-Price Foundation.



Weston-Price Foundation https://www.westonaprice.org/#gsc.tab=0 recommends healthier food. Have you heard all the claims that commercial food is being tainted or will be tainted with dangerous mRNA or bugs? Someone asked Robert Barnes, Constitutional Lawyer extraordinaire how it is that elites would taint food, since wouldn't they kill themselves thereby. Barnes averred that elites tend not to eat commercial food. I have heard that King Charles has long invested in organic gardens on his property and that garden supplies his tables. So, Barnes' observation on that point may be correct, and this questioner's assumption might fail. At any rate, I and GSB have long held that it is best to eat food like God made it. It is our faith; and it has worked for us.



If you are not at the breastfedding stage, you may wish to check into the extent to which cow or goat or sheep milk is good for your child. I think you may be surprised to find out that while necessary measures in commercial process may reduce nutrition. Thus, raw milk, if you can get it, from a trust source, might be the best option. Check out our handout, which is indebted to the Weston-Price Foundation. See the sidebar to the right.



Doc Pete Chambers, who coordinated relief to West Texas ranchers, suggested that pattern analysis may indicate that intentional targeting of food production may have been the cause of the blaze.



https://rumble.com › v4gnoxx-texas-fire-situation-report-with-doc-pete-chambers-live-from-tx.html

TEXAS FIRE - Situation Report With Doc Pete Chambers Live From TX - Rumble

Mar 1, 2024INSPIRED Mar 1, 2024 TEXAS FIRE - Situation Report With Doc Pete Chambers Live From TX https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6QMMVHTpGg Gundry MD - Watch this eye-opening ...



https://apnews.com › article › lliquid-nitrogen-leak-georgia-plant-34698174274717f4ec84b6964782e9fe

Liquid nitrogen leak at Georgia poultry plant kills 6 | AP News

Published 7:29 PM PDT, January 28, 2021. GAINESVILLE, Ga, (AP) — A liquid nitrogen leak at a northeast Georgia poultry plant killed six people Thursday and sent 11 others to the hospital, officials said. At least three of those injured at the Foundation Food Group plant in Gainesville were reported in critical condition.



https://www.foxnews.com › us › texas-chicken-farm-engulfed-hours-massive-blaze

Texas chicken farm erupted into flames on Monday night | Fox News

Jan 31, 2024The Bryan Fire Department shared images of the fire, which showed huge flames and a giant plume of smoke at Feather Crest Chicken Farm, which is owned by MPS Egg Farms. The sheriff's office said ...



https://www.

STEM is science, technology, engineering and math. It was heralded as a step forward, after low American scores. More recently art was added. So STEAM is all the rage. Wait. What? While we are celebrating, now for years, something we did very badly, and still do even worse.... what is missing. What is being hidden? Watch out.



This is dangerous. See why. Come to your own conclusions. Join me through a few stories for a fun ride. With an ending realization that History and Civics, done well of course, should be the center of education. That is what is being left out.



Why has History been so very neglected? What has been the result? If there is an intention behind it, what would that be?



How can you correct it?

For more on the history of Homeschooling judicial decisions in Texas, see the Texas Homeschooling Coalition



Also: Hot News: World History Institute, inspired by the work of Marshall Foster to show how the Bible, the Reformation, and good history line up for a better world today, is working on High School curricula. I'm sure it will be great. In the meantime, get *The American Covenant* as reading or curricula, in either newer or older version.



HALF PRICE SALE ON HOMESCHOOL INTRO PACKET

Today we talk about Testing for Grades, Placement, Aptitude, and College Entrance. I find that many people don't understand the difference between criterion based and norm-based testing. In this way, they do not understand the scores.



Also, almost no one understands how random and arbitrary grades are. Even the standardized tests (either criterion or norm-based) have been re-centered much lower. No one has much motivation to talk about this, however.



Secrets revealed on how to find placement tests for purchasing homeschool curricula. Explanations given to allay concerns of homeschooling parent about their children being behind or being competitive in college entrance. Of course, it is helpful to understand how these tests work, but in general, home educated students are far ahead. And most college admissions clerks know that by now.