Need to change approach-thoughts appreciated!

[Mrs. Tharp]

I am struggling a little bit with homeschooling DS2 right now and am thinking I should change my approach. 

 

Working with both boys takes a good deal of effort from me. They both have significant issues with executive functioning. but they manifest very differently.

 

DS1 needs me to sit next to him to help him stay on track, needs explicit instruction for each lesson and a lot of review. His reading comprehension is also dramatically improved when I go over the text with him. In spite of some ups and downs, he is a good worker. When I support him in the ways he needs, he gets his work done relatively promptly and cheerfully. It's a lot of work from me, and I am fine with this because it gets done. 

 

DS2 is another matter. DS2's attention issues mean that he has very little tolerance for review and repetition. At his age, I expect to have to sit down with him like I do with DS1, but it is a fight to get him to keep his attention on and solve every single problem. Every single subject that does not involve reading, watching a film, or playing a game is a battle. Even answering comprehension questions for books he's read is tough after the first 1-2 questions and he loves to read! It's like pulling teeth-- an excruciating experience for both of us. 

 

I do not have the mental energy to give this level of support to both boys. There is a categorical difference here. DS1 needs a lot of extra support to do work he is basically willing to do, even work he finds boring and/or difficult. Plus, his career goals make a structured academic approach necessary.

 

DS2 has significant problems paying attention to anything repetitive, boring, routine, etc. He can't seem to just "get it done" for the sake of fun/free time later. There has to be a certain level of stimulation involved for him to do work at all. Right now, I go over much of his work with him orally and it is still a huge struggle. Plus, the unpredictability of his response drives us both crazy. Some days he is able to complete his work with relatively few problems. 

 

Part of the issue could be curriculum. I use most of the same repetition-heavy materials for DS2 that I do for DS1--mostly classical.  I am happy to change stuff around--I'm just not sure what else might work.  I would also consider more of an unschooling approach for DS2 since he is such a voracious reader. I am not worried about content at all. I am mostly concerned that he continue to make progress with math and writing. Right now his favorite subject is science, which is reading, videos and experiments. 

 

The typical suggestions for kids with attention issues--short lessons, lots of breaks, don't necessarily help. Once DS2 takes a break and gets engrossed in a book he likes or a building project it is very difficult to get him back to work. 

 

Stuff that is working right now. 

 

Prodigy Math  https://www.prodigygame.com/

Calvert Spelling (online)

Literature (if not too much discussion)

Murderous Maths (The set arrived and he is already trying out probability tricks on me.)

Guest Hollow Jr. Anatomy   http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/science/anatomy_jr/jr_anatomy_curriculum.html

Horrible History

Horrible Science

Human Planet--loved the kids roasting the giant tarantulas. All I need to do is point out where Belize is on a globe. 

 

Not working: R&S Math, even modified. I desperately need to switch to something else.

                   R&S Grammar--so-so. He enjoys solving the grammar "problems" if there aren't too many. 

                   IEW--wrote one fantastic outline and paragraph, then got bored. Now like pulling teeth.

                   History--anything but Horrible History is boring for him. He did get somewhat interested in Famous Men of Rome. 

 

If I can't make this work, I may put him in school to save our relationship, though he also has some social anxiety. Making him do chores is like pulling teeth too--but at least it's relatively normal, and quickly over with. Jobs that involve physical activity also seem to be somewhat easier for him to complete. When we aren't butting heads, the kid's a hoot--funny, smart, insightful, and creative. 

 

Yes, DS2 has ADHD, but I am not posting in Learning Challenges because I feel this is as much of an issue with temperament and intelligence as it is with attention, especially with boys. He is already on medication, but I'd like to try other things before getting his dosage increased. Does anyone have any thoughts about what to try or change to? I am hesitant to completely unschool because it will create resentment with his brother.

 

Btw, Beast Academy, MBTP, and MCT have been tried and driven him up the wall, so those three are out. 

 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. 

 

 

[MerryAtHope]

I'd consider:

 

Writing--Essentials in Writing (short videos of about 5 minutes involved, then the student works on that concept. More incremental than IEW, and really clear instructions--plus it will take you out of the process except to read his work).

 

Math--maybe Teaching Textbooks (computer) or Math-U-See (video). Again, it will take you out of the equation except for corrections.

 

R&S Grammar--sounds like he enjoys it as long as it's not long--maybe just cut the assignments shorter? I actually don't do grammar every year though, and I alternated writing focus with grammar focus.

 

History--is Horrible History not a complete program--why do you need to do something else?

 

Finally, I'd consider using Workboxes. Then the boxes, rather than you, tell him what to do. Again, it takes you out of the equation to some extent. The student sees at a glance what's next, how much is left etc..., and it organizes all the materials (each subject has it's own box, and all materials needed for the subject are in the box). These made a huge difference here. And, you don't have to stay and struggle with him over getting something done--the workbox shows what is next, and he just has to do it. 

 

When my kids were younger, I sometimes employed a timer-type of method where I said, "Let's see who can get done first--me folding this laundry, or you with that math page. Ready...go!" My son especially liked that bit of competition (and I always made it so he could "win" if he tried.) Maybe adapting something like that could help him get back on track during harder times?

 

Another thing I did that helped here--I put time limits on a subject. So, for example, maybe 45 minutes for math (or whatever is reasonable for his age and your program). If I saw my child dawdling, I gently reminded "X minutes left." At the end of math time, we moved on to the next subject. After school time was done I said, "You have free time now, unless you have homework." Homework was finishing any school they didn't finish earlier, at the kitchen table (not sprawled on their beds or a couch etc...). This is much more concrete than simply saying, "Get it done faster so you get free time." They realize that they COULD be playing right now but they are doing school instead, and they get to work. (The first time I did this, I think my son sat for about 3 hours with "homework," but after that, he "got it" and figured out to just get it done.)

 

HTH some!

[sbgrace]

Nine is still young yet. I don't think you need more than horrible histories. Does he like to read history books or historical fiction? I wouldn't worry about history.

 

My ADHD kid is a math resister. I think it's because it takes a lot of focus, working memory, and other executive functions to do math.

 

Math in Focus (not a lot of problems/repetition, color, good white space/clean look) was ok here compared to others we used. We often worked on the white board together, even taking turns (he would check and "ding ding" if I got it right).

 

We switched to CLE in 5th grade. Now part of this might be that he was just older, but CLE has been, by far, the best math for him. I think the variety of problems on each page keeps him focused. For a while he would pick half of them to do alone, then I would do the rest on a white board with him a bit later. I know a lot of kids find success with CLE. I think it might be worth a try--it's cheap to do a light unit. If you want to try, you would do the placement test, then try the level starting with the second light unit (102, 202, 302--not the 01, which would be review of the previous level-it's structured differently).

 

Writing. I really liked the Most Wonderful Writing Lessons Ever book for that age, but that requires you along with him. It's by far the best narrative writing instruction I've found, and it allows for a lot of creativity. That might appeal to him based on what you wrote.

[2_girls_mommy]

I'd consider:

 

Writing--Essentials in Writing (short videos of about 5 minutes involved, then the student works on that concept. More incremental than IEW, and really clear instructions--plus it will take you out of the process except to read his work).

 

Math--maybe Teaching Textbooks (computer) or Math-U-See (video). Again, it will take you out of the equation except for corrections.

 

R&S Grammar--sounds like he enjoys it as long as it's not long--maybe just cut the assignments shorter? I actually don't do grammar every year though, and I alternated writing focus with grammar focus.

 

History--is Horrible History not a complete program--why do you need to do something else?

 

Finally, I'd consider using Workboxes. Then the boxes, rather than you, tell him what to do. Again, it takes you out of the equation to some extent. The student sees at a glance what's next, how much is left etc..., and it organizes all the materials (each subject has it's own box, and all materials needed for the subject are in the box). These made a huge difference here. And, you don't have to stay and struggle with him over getting something done--the workbox shows what is next, and he just has to do it. 

 

When my kids were younger, I sometimes employed a timer-type of method where I said, "Let's see who can get done first--me folding this laundry, or you with that math page. Ready...go!" My son especially liked that bit of competition (and I always made it so he could "win" if he tried.) Maybe adapting something like that could help him get back on track during harder times?

 

Another thing I did that helped here--I put time limits on a subject. So, for example, maybe 45 minutes for math (or whatever is reasonable for his age and your program). If I saw my child dawdling, I gently reminded "X minutes left." At the end of math time, we moved on to the next subject. After school time was done I said, "You have free time now, unless you have homework." Homework was finishing any school they didn't finish earlier, at the kitchen table (not sprawled on their beds or a couch etc...). This is much more concrete than simply saying, "Get it done faster so you get free time." They realize that they COULD be playing right now but they are doing school instead, and they get to work. (The first time I did this, I think my son sat for about 3 hours with "homework," but after that, he "got it" and figured out to just get it done.)

 

HTH some!

This timed method, "homework" later is the only thing has ever worked for us to get school done with my ADHD (argumentative) child. She doesn't mind finishing up later on her own. And if she is really motivated for the free time because she has somewhere to be or wants to get on the phone with a friend or something she magically gets it done much more quickly than usual.

[Ellie]

 

I am struggling a little bit with homeschooling DS2 right now and am thinking I should change my approach. 

 

Working with both boys takes a good deal of effort from me. They both have significant issues with executive functioning. but they manifest very differently.

 

DS1 needs me to sit next to him to help him stay on track, needs explicit instruction for each lesson and a lot of review. His reading comprehension is also dramatically improved when I go over the text with him. In spite of some ups and downs, he is a good worker. When I support him in the ways he needs, he gets his work done relatively promptly and cheerfully. It's a lot of work from me, and I am fine with this because it gets done. 

 

DS2 is another matter. DS2's attention issues mean that he has very little tolerance for review and repetition. At his age, I expect to have to sit down with him like I do with DS1, but it is a fight to get him to keep his attention on and solve every single problem. Every single subject that does not involve reading, watching a film, or playing a game is a battle. Even answering comprehension questions for books he's read is tough after the first 1-2 questions and he loves to read! It's like pulling teeth-- an excruciating experience for both of us. 

 

I do not have the mental energy to give this level of support to both boys. There is a categorical difference here. DS1 needs a lot of extra support to do work he is basically willing to do, even work he finds boring and/or difficult. Plus, his career goals make a structured academic approach necessary.

 

DS2 has significant problems paying attention to anything repetitive, boring, routine, etc. He can't seem to just "get it done" for the sake of fun/free time later. There has to be a certain level of stimulation involved for him to do work at all. Right now, I go over much of his work with him orally and it is still a huge struggle. Plus, the unpredictability of his response drives us both crazy. Some days he is able to complete his work with relatively few problems. 

 

Part of the issue could be curriculum. I use most of the same repetition-heavy materials for DS2 that I do for DS1--mostly classical.  I am happy to change stuff around--I'm just not sure what else might work.  I would also consider more of an unschooling approach for DS2 since he is such a voracious reader. I am not worried about content at all. I am mostly concerned that he continue to make progress with math and writing. Right now his favorite subject is science, which is reading, videos and experiments. 

 

The typical suggestions for kids with attention issues--short lessons, lots of breaks, don't necessarily help. Once DS2 takes a break and gets engrossed in a book he likes or a building project it is very difficult to get him back to work. 

 

Stuff that is working right now. 

 

Prodigy Math  https://www.prodigygame.com/

Calvert Spelling (online)

Literature (if not too much discussion)

Murderous Maths (The set arrived and he is already trying out probability tricks on me.)

Guest Hollow Jr. Anatomy   http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/science/anatomy_jr/jr_anatomy_curriculum.html

Horrible History

Horrible Science

Human Planet--loved the kids roasting the giant tarantulas. All I need to do is point out where Belize is on a globe. 

 

Not working: R&S Math, even modified. I desperately need to switch to something else.

                   R&S Grammar--so-so. He enjoys solving the grammar "problems" if there aren't too many. 

                   IEW--wrote one fantastic outline and paragraph, then got bored. Now like pulling teeth.

                   History--anything but Horrible History is boring for him. He did get somewhat interested in Famous Men of Rome. 

 

If I can't make this work, I may put him in school to save our relationship, though he also has some social anxiety. Making him do chores is like pulling teeth too--but at least it's relatively normal, and quickly over with. Jobs that involve physical activity also seem to be somewhat easier for him to complete. When we aren't butting heads, the kid's a hoot--funny, smart, insightful, and creative. 

 

Yes, DS2 has ADHD, but I am not posting in Learning Challenges because I feel this is as much of an issue with temperament and intelligence as it is with attention, especially with boys. He is already on medication, but I'd like to try other things before getting his dosage increased. Does anyone have any thoughts about what to try or change to? I am hesitant to completely unschool because it will create resentment with his brother.

 

Btw, Beast Academy, MBTP, and MCT have been tried and driven him up the wall, so those three are out. 

 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. 

 

 

Easy Grammar and Writing Strands instead of R&S and IEW.

 

You have to unschool everyone or no one. :-)

 

Maybe KONOS for science and history for both? Y'all could do that together.

 

[Farrar]

Honestly, if you just did a tiny bit of writing for the history and science that's already working and maybe added a math program then I'd say the working stuff is plenty. Just drop grammar for now. And he's 9 - doing outlining and comprehension questions and so forth is not a must right now. He's working on spelling, he likes to read. You're good. The writing will come. I'd maybe just have him do a daily copywork or dictation from one of the books he's reading. Maybe a weekly freewrite. Horrible Histories is plenty for history in elementary school - especially for a kid who's actually into them and paying attention.

 

For math... CLE? Something more challenging like Beast Academy? Something more independent like Teaching Textbooks? 

[....]

 

Part of the issue could be curriculum. I use most of the same repetition-heavy materials for DS2 that I do for DS1--mostly classical.  I am happy to change stuff around--I'm just not sure what else might work.  I would also consider more of an unschooling approach for DS2 since he is such a voracious reader. I am not worried about content at all. I am mostly concerned that he continue to make progress with math and writing. Right now his favorite subject is science, which is reading, videos and experiments. 

 

 

One of my kids is doing "whatever she wants to do" - I don't know how else to define it.  She's turning 9.  None of the other kids care that she picks what she wants to study (they're older and too busy with their own day).  I did tell her that we at least need to do All About Spelling every day.  That was the one thing I wouldn't put aside.  

 

She is doing really well with this approach.  She usually asks to do math (she really likes math), read a science book, read silently in her bedroom, play chess (she is huge into chess right now).  She has a notebook and sometimes she asks me to fill a page with math problems for her to do or copywork from her reading.  She has a Handwriting without Tears cursive workbook that she'll get out every once in a while and practice handwriting.  She spent two hours outside last night with the teenagers looking for Mars and Saturn with astronomical binoculars and a star map app.

 

I read aloud to her every day.  

[fairy4tmama]

You might be interested in Shiller math and the Homeschooling Journals by Sarah Janisse Brown could be just the ticket for helping him read and explore in a more unschooly way while still having a bit of structure and accountability )there is even one specifically for kids with ADHD). We use some of these journals and I have to say I have been much more impressed with them than I thought I would be (at times they have actually been out entire homeschool aside form math).

Edited September 30, 2016 by fairy4tmama

[SanDiegoMom]

Maybe a Brainpop subscription? They have a lot of great videos covering history and science and sometimes related games. My kids learned a lot from Brainpop.

[Mrs. Tharp]

Thanks for all the responses! Lots to consider here. I'll chew on it some more and update tomorrow.

[Bics]

Hi,

I post with trepidation because each situation is so unique, but to qualify my post, let me add that I am have struggled with ADD my whole life.  Also my eldest child, about to turn 9, is uppermost in my thoughts.  I almost didn't post, but then I imagined being you, seeking input, trying to save this relationship and still draw them along in their education, and I just have to add what I can.  If it helps, great; if it doesn't, no worries.

 

Question 1 to ask yourself: Does DS2 respect you? Have you backed down from challenges with him in his earlier life?  Does he know you love him but that he owes you respect? Do you have to wheedle to get him to do what you say, or does he earnestly try and can't?

 

Question 2: Have you tried alternating "inspirational" studies with "disciplined" studies?  Example: Literature, then grammar.  Science, then math.  It might give his brain a break.  "A change is as good as a break."

 

Question 3: Have you put the weight back on him?  He might be choosing to have an unteachable spirit, and the Bible says that is foolish. 

Just today,  I had to go back through this with my daughter over hand position on the pencil! She ended up causing a big to-do over me expecting her to hold the pencil better so her hand would not be unduly fatigued.  Ultimately, I had to remind her that she could only really learn what she chose to draw in, and she was choosing to have an unteachable spirit out of pride or something.  I told her I couldn't make her want to do it right, but I could stop her from continuing to do it incorrectly, so if she chose to get behind in her written work, so be it, we would continue with what she could do verbally and she would make up the rest of it on her own, or fall behind. 

In about ten minutes, her heart softened, she came to me, asked forgiveness, hugged me, and when I asked her why it had happened, she gave me a reason that was so much deeper!   It was a real thorn in her heart manifesting itself as refusal to cooperate in lessons.  We went forward with renewed closeness, and the rest of the day she voluntarily worked to correct her own positioning. 

 

I only tell that story to illustrate that there might be more going on than you realize. 

Maybe ask him the motives of his heart sometime in a quiet, non-threatening time.  I hope this bears fruit in your life.

Sincerely,

 

 

 

[PeterPan]

It's ok to cross-post and ask for help both places.  :)

 

Has DS2 had evals for language, etc. or testing by a neuropsych?  I'd want to know if there are word retrieval issues, processing speed, etc. causing some of this.  My dd has word retrieval issues typical of apraxia and dyslexia, even though she's diagnosed with neither.  It can make some of the tasks you listed (answering questions, etc.) VERY hard!  One of her her accommodations is to receive all questions ahead of time.  Because it's a disability for her, she has to have that.  She's really not capable of just answering on the fly.  

 

At that age (9) my dd was VERY into being independent.  That was my first suggestion when I read your litany, was to get him over to an independent list, a COMPLETELY independent list, and to do it PRONTO.  He sounds highly motivated, but he can't apply that ADHD energy when the list is not stuff he can do independently.  It needs to be on a cycle.  I forget the name now, sorry.  Where you make the list and they work down it and stop when the time is up.  So at 2pm, stop, and if the next thing is Wii break, then the next day they start with Wii break.  :D  

 

My favs for independent at that age are Wordsmith Apprentice, BJU video science (which it sounds like you don't need cuz you're NAILING science!  yay!!), MUS, and later Abeka grammar.  You said no unschooling, but I think you're going to have to think of it as highly structured independent work.  The list says science and he does science.  He's craving novelty because of the ADHD.  It's a problem and it's going to be a problem all his life.  It's the ADHD chemistry.  You're either going to HARNESS it or fight it.  It *is* possible to harness it.  The more you free yourself to say ok, this is the history slot, the slot says history, and as long as he's doing something there and can check it off I don't care.  And he's probably going to need a pre-planning session every week to get in his brain his options and what he has chosen for those slots.  That tames some of that impulsivity.  From buffet and chaos to hey let's make a list of things you'd like to do this semester and let's pick what you're doing this week.  Tamed.

 

If you want to cure the novelty problem, the real, long-term solution is school.  Just saying.  Cuz honestly it SUCKS to keep going with it through 12th grade.  We've made it and we survived.  Some things we've done are really good and had really good fruit.  I don't really have regrets in that sense, kwim?  But adding the ds2 with ASD has been hard and dealing with the need for novelty, the impulsivity, etc. is a challenge.  It's not going to change.  If it really bugs you, pull the plug and put him in school.  Find some killer school, find the jump point, and do it.  I'm WAY more pro-school than I was 5 years ago.

[PeterPan]

The frequent breaks are for self-regulation.  If he's staying regulated and calm and is able to focus, he doesn't need them.  Is the medication working?  Is he calm?  

 

Taking unnecessary breaks would backfire because he would have trouble transitioning back.  My dd likes to get in mode and stay in mode. 

[Tiramisu]

Hi,

I post with trepidation because each situation is so unique, but to qualify my post, let me add that I am have struggled with ADD my whole life. Also my eldest child, about to turn 9, is uppermost in my thoughts. I almost didn't post, but then I imagined being you, seeking input, trying to save this relationship and still draw them along in their education, and I just have to add what I can. If it helps, great; if it doesn't, no worries.

 

Question 1 to ask yourself: Does DS2 respect you? Have you backed down from challenges with him in his earlier life? Does he know you love him but that he owes you respect? Do you have to wheedle to get him to do what you say, or does he earnestly try and can't?

 

Question 2: Have you tried alternating "inspirational" studies with "disciplined" studies? Example: Literature, then grammar. Science, then math. It might give his brain a break. "A change is as good as a break."

 

Question 3: Have you put the weight back on him? He might be choosing to have an unteachable spirit, and the Bible says that is foolish.

Just today, I had to go back through this with my daughter over hand position on the pencil! She ended up causing a big to-do over me expecting her to hold the pencil better so her hand would not be unduly fatigued. Ultimately, I had to remind her that she could only really learn what she chose to draw in, and she was choosing to have an unteachable spirit out of pride or something. I told her I couldn't make her want to do it right, but I could stop her from continuing to do it incorrectly, so if she chose to get behind in her written work, so be it, we would continue with what she could do verbally and she would make up the rest of it on her own, or fall behind.

In about ten minutes, her heart softened, she came to me, asked forgiveness, hugged me, and when I asked her why it had happened, she gave me a reason that was so much deeper! It was a real thorn in her heart manifesting itself as refusal to cooperate in lessons. We went forward with renewed closeness, and the rest of the day she voluntarily worked to correct her own positioning.

 

I only tell that story to illustrate that there might be more going on than you realize.

Maybe ask him the motives of his heart sometime in a quiet, non-threatening time. I hope this bears fruit in your life.

Sincerely,

Just sharing my thoughts on the pencil grip. From my experience with three kids, I would do a couple things before making a pencil grip an issue. I would start with an OT to figure out what the underlying issues are. I had children with different mixes of an underlying intrnsic muscle weakness, one with a verified coordination problem, visual and visual motive issues, suspected ADHD affecting motor planning, and joint hypermobility. All of there things can affect pencil grip, and usually we won't know unless we get things checked out by people who are aware of those things.

 

The thing to keep in mind is that, they may be able to pull off a good grip for a short time, which gives us the impression it's in their control and that if they don't it's a discipline problem or a character issue or an "unteachable spirit due to pride."

 

Accusing a child of not trying hard enough for whatever reason without a full understanding of the underlying problems can be dangerous on many levels, including faith. This is just my opinion after dealing with my own kids and seeing the risks of different approaches and the benefit of others.

[Mrs. Tharp]

Let's see. 

 

Horrible Histories is not, IMO, technically complete; I would say it's a wonderful supplement that needs a spine or some kind of big picture overview to complete it. I'll just use SOTW for the big picture stuff. It's the one he complains about the least, even if he doesn't choose it for free reading. I can combine him with his brother. 

 

I tried timing him today and it was a great motivator. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

I used Workboxes when the kids were little and still have the materials, so that could be a possibility. I already print out individual checklists for them each day. Older DS checks off every box, younger DS only looks at it with pointed encouragement and never checks off the boxes unless I remind him. Maybe going to an actual physical box would be more effective. 

 

The last time I tried MUS he loved the manipulatives enough to constantly build with them during lessons but hated doing the problems. I don't know about TT. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and try Singapore? His conceptual understanding is high; his EF issues just seem to kill him with computation. He really struggles to memorize his facts, which dogs him when he tries to solve more complex problems. 

 

Part of this is definitely anxiety and pushing past it to even get started. Today I used the timer when he was having trouble with copywork. Just staring at the page, fidgeting, and getting worked up. As soon as I set the timer he finished quickly. 

 

I did subscribe to BrainPop this year and he ADORES it. It is one of the mainstays of Guest Hollow Jr. Anatomy. 

 

Maybe open and go math and grammar programs such as CLE would work better. I don't know. Prodigy Math for drill is only a partial solution. I looked up their reports today and realized that he'd only completed 5 problems in ten minutes. Not particularly efficient. He doesn't care for pure discovery math programs, so Beast is out. 

 

One thing that did help with math today was working in ten minute increments, then switching to something else. That seemed to help. I also put science, a favorite subject, in the middle of the day, instead of at the end. That was a rousing success and seemed to give everyone renewed energy.

 

Farrar, I need to think about what you said about the amount of work he gets. When oldest ds knows what he is supposed to do, he just chugs through his work (and did this even at 9)  but my younger son doesn't seem to work that way.  The systematic, step-by-step, get it done approach only works with him up to a point.

 

ETA" to add more info.  

 

 

Edited October 6, 2016 by Mrs. Tharp

[Mrs. Tharp]

Evanthe, your approach would likely work well for him, but I do not want to cause problems with his brother. I am reluctant to mess with this because I've had to work very hard with oldest ds to follow directions, work step-by-step, and to persevere when things are difficult. He will notice if his brother is reading all day without doing any structured work and he will grow resentful. 

 

Elizabeth, he received a neuropsych. eval. when he was four. I should look it over again. He could probably stand to have another one. An independent list sounds great. He does already get one he is reluctant to check over. The R&S materials I use have a teaching component, but there is always enough there for him to start on his own. But he doesn't like to do this, unless it is a reading assignment. I don't know about word retrieval issues; he just doesn't like open ended writing. He wrote (dictated to me) a fabulous, complex paragraph for his first IEW assignment, then lost interest. I think the paragraphs were too simply written and the work was too repetitive. I think you have a point about the novelty-seeking aspect of ADHD and about the idea of trying to harness it. 

 

Writing Strands and Wordsmith Apprentice seems like they might be good alternatives to our current R&S Grammar/IEW combo. Thank you, Ellie and Elizabeth!!!

 

The Homeschooling Journals by Sarah Janisse Brown look intriguing and could work. I wish the author had posted a greater number of sample pages. 

 

Thank you, Whippoorwill, for suggesting alternating "disciplined with inspirational". That worked exceptionally well this morning and I need to do it a lot more often.

 

I understand what you are asking me. Occasionally, ds is oppositional, but 80-90% of the time, he truly is sitting there, struggling to focus enough to do the work. He gets very frustrated over his inability to compIete the work when he knows it is something he can do and is genuinely remorseful when his attention needs to be redirected over and over again. However, he does sometimes take advantage if he knows I am distracted, particularly with his brother. He does struggle with anxiety and perfectionism as well. I want to try to change things around before I ask for an increase in his medication since it suppresses his appetite enough as is and we get quite the rebound effect when it wears off in the evening. 

 

 

Thanks everyone!!!