Mrs. Kim Ashby:  Homeschool Conference Speaker and Workshop Leader Details

• Special: Learning Disabilities

Developmental Age and Its Importance for Academic Success
Join Kim Ashby, BSN, as she discusses how a child’s developmental level, not just her chronological age, is important for learning success. Focus will be on screening techniques, the importance of establishing dominance, and how to modify curricula and your teaching methods in order to help address these issues to help make learning fun and to help your children retain what they are learning. From new babies to high schoolers who struggle, from children with diagnosed learning disabilities to those who are “outside-the-box” learners, there will be something for everyone.

Primitive and Postural Reflexes: Early Development Affects Learning
Primitive and postural reflexes, when retained from early infancy, will cause learning difficulties. Several primitive and postural reflexes will be reviewed, with an emphasis on how each reflex specifically affects learning in the school-aged child.

Food for Thought: Nutrition for the Brain
More than any other organ in the body, the brain is affected by what we eat. Nutrition will affect the way a child learns, behaves, and feels. The brain has eight major requirements for optimal learning and memory. Join Kim Ashby, BSN, as she discusses the brain’s unique nutritional needs and find ways you can improve your child’s eating habits to optimize learning.

Using a Multi-Sensory Approach to Learning
If you have elementary- and middle school-aged children or struggling learners of any age, this workshop is for you. Join Kim Ashby as she discusses techniques for using a multisensory approach to learning which allows the child to take in, store and retrieve information more easily. It also makes learning a lot more fun!

Making the Most of Your Child's Learning Ability
Does your child dislike reading, writing or math? Do you have a child who is struggling in an academic area? Would you just like to know that your child is learning to the best of their ability? The way a child's body takes in information—visually, auditorily, tactilely—will affect their ability to pull it back out when needed. Come learn how to screen your children for stumbling blocks which may be keeping them from reaching their full potential. Kim will discuss ways to assess your own child and techniques which can help make learning easier and allow a child to process learned information more effectively.

Special Needs, Multi-sensory Learning, Adapting Curriculum

• President: Board of Directors of GIFTSNC, Inc.
• Owner: Creative Tutors
• Area Manager: Creative Tutors, Wake Co, NC
• Certified Irlen Syndrome Screener
• Founder/President of the board of directors of GIFTSNC, Inc
• Co-leader/Steering committee member for Dayspring Home Educators in Cary, NC
• Served on the board of directors for the Family and Support Network of Wake County
• Co-instructed graduate level courses at UNC Chapel Hill
• Holds a North Carolina Wildlife Permit for Small Mammal Rehabilitation

Kim Ashby earned a BS in Nursing from The Catholic University of America and, when she worked outside the home, was a Certified Emergency Nurse with a special interest in trauma nursing. She lives in Raleigh, NC with her husband and 3 boys. The Ashbys began home educating their children in 1998. They graduated their oldest son in May 2007. He is attending UNC Wilmington. She continues to home school her younger boys.

Her oldest son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was in the public school system as a 2nd grader. Her second son has cerebral palsy which has resulted in multiple/global developmental delays. Her youngest son has undiagnosed, mild auditory processing issues.

Kim has co-instructed graduate level courses at UNC Chapel Hill for ST/OT students and Early Intervention students. She is the founder and President of the Board of Directors of GIFTSNC, Inc, a home schooling special needs support group. Kim has presented workshops at a variety of state home school conferences as well as local support group parent meetings. She is a Steering Committee member and former Treasurer for Dayspring Homeeducators in Cary, NC. She served on the Board of Directors for the Family Support Network of Wake County. She holds a NC Wildlife Permit for Small Mammal Rehabilitation and enjoys working with orphaned and injured wildlife.