Did he say how he likes his mushrooms? I sometimes saute them or add them to the Turkey dressing. Does he want them as a separate dish or as part of an existing dish or in some new way he hasn't tried yet or...?

I was just about to link it. :)

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Glad that they are working hard to find all the pieces to the puzzle.

Eat more often? Add in something like cream cheese on an English muffin about an hour after your morning coffee. Switch out your weight watchers brownie for something with a few more calories. You're body is not used to eating heavy things or eating often. You can't change that overnight and shouldn't try. But you can look at what you do eat and try to add maybe one or two more calorie rich (but healthy) additions to your existing meals or switch out what you are eating for something more calorie dense. Is your weight considered healthy for your body type/age?

Ear plugs?

Me, too.

Yes. Absolutely. No. No (even though he also has these issues). Yes, but only if (as others have mentioned) I felt they were receptive to listening/learning.

So Science Fiction, Crime shows and super hero shows are out but he likes dramas? Hmmm...is he o.k. with period pieces? There is Poldark. Can't remember if there is any TeA... If he is o.k. with older shows maybe ER. Degrassi? I am sure there are a lot of other suggestions but we mainly watch Sci Fi, Crime Shows and Super Hero shows here. LOL

Storygirl has some great points. 1. CLE stretches pre-algebra concepts over 700/800. Some people switch to another program after 600 because of that. Some combine 700/800 into one year (using an accelerated schedule or skipping certain material). 800 also includes Consumer Math in a few light units (I think towards the end?). Some people find the Consumer Math component very important. Others don't so they skip that part. 2. CLE does go through Algebra 1 with this particular math program but the higher level math is from an older system and a different source. Algebra 1 is considered very good as far as I have read (I have not used that level) but the older program is not. 3. Yes, only accelerate any program if the student can handle it. Your child is already struggling in math and you are not certain why (no eval) so maybe she is behind because the school was not very good at instructing her and maybe she has math learning differences that make math harder and maybe there is something else at play. Determining where she is at right now, what gaps she has and what she needs to understand and succeed will be critical. What will also be critical is going at a pace she can successfully navigate. That means that she may be able to accelerate and maybe she can't. You'll have to stay really in tune with where she is doing well, where she is struggling, and why. I strongly urge you not to plan her pace right now. Just take it one day at a time for now. 4. If you would prefer to use a different math program there are many other options. I was just using CLE as an example of how you can adapt programs to work for you. It depends on why she is struggling as to what might fit. At this point you will probably need to plan on some experimentation to see what system will help her the most. I wouldn't dump something just because she struggles a bit, but if she isn't making progress or the system you are using is causing constant tears and stress there is the possibility that either she was placed at too high a level or the presentation of concepts is not clicking with how she thinks. At that point you might need to either try a lower level or try solidifying concepts through another source.

Um...10? :001_rolleyes:

She was asking for help in finding polite ways to avoid what might end up being a painful political discussion during a holiday meal. I find that a perfectly reasonable thing to ask about. "Hey, can my on-line buds help me brainstorm this?" Hopefully the suggestions on this thread have been helpful for her processing a course of action.

I am going to have to post in spurts over the next few days. I apologize for that. Just short on time and my thoughts are a bit scattered. Hope I can help anyway. First, I wanted to address your questions regarding CLE but I want to put a disclaimer here. I am not saying you should start your child in CLE. I just want to explain why it can be a good program for kids that struggle with learning issues. One of the reasons I think quite a few find it very helpful is because it takes concepts in small pieces and reviews them quite a bit over a long period of time while still continuing with new concepts in small bits. Some kids need that very badly. Some programs introduce a concept, do a bit of review, then don't return to that concept for weeks or even months. For a lot of kids with LDs that just makes it nearly impossible to retain anything. It never actually gets transferred into long term memory in any cohesive way. Another reason I think CLE can work incredibly well is that you can customize it for the needs of a particular child so if you need to accelerate and your child is understanding the material that is also easy to do. Also, not every child needs ALLLLL of that review. Many people on the WTM have posted about being able to cut out unnecessary review in areas their child is doing well. One way is to do the new material from two lessons (perhaps together on a dry erase board first using the problems from the TM to make sure they are understanding, then finish the light unit problems for the new stuff inside the workbook) then do the review problems from only the second lesson (and maybe cut out a problem or two from each section she is doing well in). Skip the quizzes and lesson 17. That means a light unit could be completed in maybe a week and a half instead of 3+ weeks. Also, if you aren't taking large amounts of time off between light units then the first light unit of each level could be skipped since it is entirely review. That saves more time. Lets look at your child in particular. Lets say that she placed into the 500s even though she is in 8th grade. She could run through 501, which is review but would help her solidify any gaps from previous levels. It is designed so that areas she is solid on she can skip the additional review that is built in. If she is grasping concepts well then she could complete the 500s in maybe 4 months. If she doesn't need ALL of the review and you can cut out extra review problems then the lessons aren't nearly as long each day. There is a lot of review even skipping review every other lesson and some problems from the review she is doing so that should help solidify concepts as she goes. You can also break up the lesson. Do the new material in one session then do the review problems later in the day. If you don't take off time between the 500s and the 600s she could skip 601 since that is entirely review (unless you felt she needed more review, but there is sooooo much review in this program that I don't know that she would). Do the accelerated schedule again for the 600s (IF she is doing well retaining and applying what she is learning). The 600s would theoretically take even less time since you skipped all of 601. She could finish in less than 4 months. Take a break of maybe two weeks then start the 700s. Again, with an accelerated schedule she could finish in around 4 months as long as she is not struggling. 800s same thing. She could be ready for Algebra I by summer of 2018. Is that a bit behind a normal math schedule? Yes, but not impossibly so. And she would hopefully have a very solid foundation going into Algebra I. If your state requires math through Algebra II to graduate with a High School diploma then she still has time to do Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II within a normal graduation time frame. Since science is frequently tied in with math skills at the High School level she would need to take a math light science for 9th and 10th grade but they exist. There are many options that would be considered bona fide science curriculum, just with a really light math component. But that was just one scenario. There are other programs out there that might work well for your situation. And other ways to handle CLE as well. I need to run but I will try to return and help later on. I have some suggestions for reading/spelling but will need to address that maybe tomorrow.

Okay. I wasn't actually arguing with you, just sharing my experience and perspective. I found the link interesting. I think we are saying the same thing. Basically, it depends. At least that is what I am getting out of this thread. Did I offend you? That was not my intention.

I don't have pics but I do have a school room. We used to use it all the time and loved it. So much easier than cleaning off the kitchen table every time we have to eat. :) Now that the kids are older they do a lot of work on a laptop and DD has gravitated back to the kitchen table for most table work. What we liked while we used it and things that helped make it better: 1. Solid table for writing/coloring/sketching/etc. One that doesn't shake, doesn't have annoying grooves or other surface stuff that makes it hard to write on. The table in the education room was very sturdy. Our kitchen table is not that sturdy. If one person is writing on one side and someone else is trying to write on the other side the table shakes and makes both parties unhappy. 2. Each child had their own shelf/shelf space for whatever they might need. They liked having their own space to put stuff. 3. Really good lighting. The kitchen used to have a lot of shadows. The education room had better lighting. 4. Consistency on where to put things when not in use and a training program to reinforce the organizational skills. Just telling them clean up was not helpful. They needed to be trained, including structure and consistency and regular, positive reminders so that the cleaning up eventually became automatic. It was really helpful that the education room was specifically for that, so the stuff in there had a specific purpose for that room and had a specific place to be put when not needed. The kids felt more organized in there. 5. When in the middle of a project we could just leave it for the next day. 6. Less likely to try snacking or suddenly feel hungry just because we were in the kitchen. Being away from the kitchen saved a lot of calories and arguments. :) 7. Fewer distractions in general, not just for the kids but for me, too. I was less likely to suddenly leap up and try to take care of other chores, which meant we moved more smoothly through the material and school stuff didn't take as long. The kids were able to stay more focused because I was more focused. 8. Helped the kids and I mentally switch from play mode to academics (not that we didn't play but they were more ready to focus on math/reading/spelling more quickly when we would enter that room). 9. Kids enjoyed helping decorate and organize and also plan their own specific space within the room. They felt more invested in being in that room because they had helped design it.

I don't know anyone who identifies as Heathen (and that link is just to one organization so I am uncertain if they speak for all Heathens or have just self-identified as a specific religion), but there IS a specific group of Heathens that have revived a particular form of Germanic paganism and are called Heathenists or Germanic Neopaganists. I have no idea if other Heathens identify that way or not. I do know people who are pagans and I don't believe the people I know consider themselves as under one specific religion. The term is used in a more general sense as I understand it. But hopefully someone who is actually a pagan or a heathenist will chime in.

The general definition means someone who follows a religion that does not worship the God of Christianity, Judaism or Islam. (my post up thread gives more details).

This. I think Heathenism is not a religion in and of itself but the term can be used to indicate the revival of a certain form of Germanic Neopaganism. I believe it can also mean behavior tied with barbarism or idolatry or is sometimes used as a synonym for paganism. I have also seen it used in a general sense to just mean someone who is not a Christian. Depends on the context. There are many forms of paganism, so "paganism" isn't a specific religion, either, as far as I understand it. I think it is a more general term indicating a religion that is not based on the main stream world religions in existence currently (but I may be misunderstanding). Pagans can be polytheistic or pantheistic or probably other istics that I am not aware of. There are many different types of paganism being practiced, I believe. Hopefully a paganist can help out.

O.k. I only have a moment but one thing I was thinking about was your concern over credits. That is honestly not hard to take care of and we can help you find ways to track credits. Lots of options that would work and tons of resources for material that might help. I can link some things later. As for whether a child in High School that is doing work below High School level should get credit, that depends on the subject, the material being used, the requirements of your state, the deficits and the strengths the child is working with, and the end goal for the child. The main thing right now is two fold as far as I can see. First, you need to find out just how behind she is in each subject. You need to figure out where the gaps are and which ones are critical to be addressed and which ones are not that important. Without that knowledge you are shooting in the dark and doing the same thing the school was doing, pushing forward when she isn't ready. The other thing is understanding what the long and short term goal is. Is she hoping to get into college? Does she have any area that she might be interested in as a career? Or has she been in survival mode so long that she has no goals? If the latter, then I think you need to focus on how to help her find confidence while she gains critical skills. I also think focusing on her strengths right now, and helping her find areas she could do well in, will help her (and you) tremendously over the long haul. When kids feel they have something worthwhile they can do motivation usually increases quite a bit. And I think it would work better for planning if you could commit one way or another to whether she is homeschooling for just the next few months or for at least 8th and 9th grade? Is she going back to school for 9th? At this point it looks to me like you don't have any good options for her going back to school, to be honest. The only place you could send her is the school she was already at, correct? And they offer NO supports, NO accommodations/remediation, no testing, no nothing. They just keep pushing her through as she actually falls further behind, getting more demoralized. That sounds like a pretty lousy option since it wasn't working before. I don't see how that will suddenly change with just a few months of work at home, especially since you are not in a position to get evaluations. If you could commit to working with her for a longer period of time, it gives you both more breathing room for trying to find what WILL help her and getting that implemented. Gotta run but I will return later. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: I was going to send a long post but I think right now what you need is a hug. Just hang in there. O.k.? There ARE options. There are ways this can be handled. We can help you brainstorm those options. For the next few days just focus on health and bolstering moral while you try to work through things mentally. I, and I am sure others, will post more and can help you work through what to do. Right this very moment, though, just breath. You are not alone. Others have been where you are. We will do our best to share and help. Hang in there. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

I like the idea and have used them in the past (especially at Wal-Mart because the wait time is LOOOOOOONNNNNNNNGGGGG for checking out with a cashier - they usually have like 25 checkout stands and only two are open) but out of the maybe dozen times I have used self-check something has glitched with the system roughly half of those times and I have had to get assistance. In one instance they never could fix the issue and I had to take my things, put everything back in the cart and go get in the regular line. Really annoying. Do I think it is easier to cheat the system? Yes. Do I think stores may lose money this way? Yes. Do I think this will cost a lot of people jobs? Yes. But I don't think they are going away. When they work, it IS more convenient, for small numbers of items especially.

I just posted on your intro page asking you to come here and you were already here! LOL You are fast. :) I don't have a specific response but I do believe there are others who have children with Autism who attended college that post here from time to time. Hopefully, they will respond. In the meantime, it might help the responses to fit your specific needs if you were to post more detailed questions? Are you looking for advice on how an autistic person can get into college? Or what resources a college should have for an autistic person? Or stories of autistic people who successfully navigated through college or at least are currently in college doing well? Or specific colleges that are autistic friendly? Hoping someone can help you very soon. Welcome to the LC board.

I recommend you post on the Learning Challenges board. Not a lot of people come here. If you post on the Learning Challenges board you will get more responses in a timely fashion. There are some lovely people there who may be able to help. Go to the main page and look at all the sub-forums. One will be called Learning Challenges. Click on that and start a new thread there. Welcome to WTM!

I'm not sure how confronting the coach will help. This is a former coach, right? Your child is not being coached by this person anymore and hasn't been for 2 years? While it is awful that this may be happening, I don't know what you can do about it except to just let people see you and your DD and judge for themselves as you go about your lives. Unless you think this is directly affecting how the current coach or the organization (are you still part of the same organization?) is dealing with your DD... In that case, yes I would go to the people in charge, not in a combative or angry or panicked way, but in a concerned way, and ask questions, express concerns. I don't know that it will do any good but it MIGHT help.

By the way, in one of your follow up posts, when you say you have had no testing, does that mean your diagnosis of ADD/dyslexia/binocular dysfunction was done privately and there was no testing through the school? Or you had no testing and the diagnosis is based on observation? Or...? Just trying to clarify. :)

OG = Orton Gillingham which is the base system that most dyslexics do best with. There are several programs that are OG based. Barton is the easiest to implement for a layman and is one I would strongly recommend in your situation because you might be able to get her through all of the first 3 levels and part of Level 4 before fall of next year, which might really help. However, you say that finances are a huge issue so Barton may not be feasible. (As an aside, Barton resells for nearly the purchase price so you could buy a level then sell it when you are done and use that money to buy the next level. Just make sure you buy a second set of tiles with every level after Level 1 since the tiles are used cumulatively.) I am going to be honest, you may need to really commit to homeschooling her through High School, regardless of materials. There are tons of materials you might be able to implement (and I agree that CLE coupled with Ronit Bird to solidify subitization skills might really work in your situation). It is the time factor that will be a big problem. It depends on where she really is (NOT what the school was pushing her through, but where the gaps are and how big). She may not be able to get to a level where she can function as a 9th grader in a brick and mortar school if you only have months to remediate issues. Do you know which school you might consider placing her in? I absolutely would NOT consider putting her in a private school for 9th grade that offers no supports whatsoever for a child that has learning challenges. Have you looked to see if there is any other school, maybe a private or public school, that could genuinely offer help? If so, she might be able to get a IEP/504. It could help, depending on how supportive the school actually is. You might need to start the paperwork for getting an IEP/504 in place sooner rather than later, though. Sometimes the process can take months. The main thing right now is not to let all of this overwhelm you (easier said than done, I know). Take a deep breath. Focus on hanging out with your kids and making it through each day while you process through and figure out what to do. There are answers out there. It may take some time to find them but there are answers. Hang in there.