Jump to content

Menu

mom4peace

Members
  • Posts

    127
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by mom4peace

  1. My older son, 14, took the ACT in both 7th and 8th grade just to see how he was progressing on that front. That said, he's a HG/PG kid, so grade-level instruments just don't give much information. The SAT is significantly longer than the ACT, which for my son was a good reason to stick with the ACT (without the writing portion). As others have mentioned, they are very different tests. There is a bit of trig on the ACT, although it's the bare basics (sine, cosine, tangent, cotangent, cosine, and cotangent). I'd stick the the EXPLORE for a child at grade-level (ACT's 8th/9th grade test). Producing anxiety for a 7th or 8th grader about high-stakes testing would be a big mistake. We've used the ACT and EXPLORE to boost confidence and look for gaps. So far, it's served us well.
  2. Complaining is more about temperament than 2e status, I'd say. My 2e older son (ADHD, dysgraphia) is not one to complain about assignments. He does have trouble attending to what doesn't interest him or what requires intense, sustained concentration or attention to detail. My younger 2e son (Aspie with anxiety) is much more likely to resist work if he perceives it as too hard or it appears to conflict with his routine. They have very different temperaments and different disabilities. Both are HG/PG. I guess I'm saying that there are many reasons children with and without learning challenges, gifted or not, resist work and complain. That alone is a sign of neither LD or giftedness. Sorting out all those threads is challenging, not only for the examiner but for the parents. I often struggle with this issue, wanting to know what is giftedness, what is temperament, what is teenager behavior, what is ADHD, etc. Truth is, behaviors really can't be sorted that way. People are a package deal, and it is all rather tangled and messy. I make parenting and homeschooling mistakes because of that mess. I sometimes expect more output than my older son can give, anticipate more organization than he can consistently offer (and consistently is key -- inconsistency is often a strong marker of a learning disability). I also sometime underestimate what my boys can do, which decreases an opportunity for them to grow or otherwise short changes them. The comfortable learning zone for 2e kids can be an ever-shifting, incredibly thin area that's very hard to hit. Stepping to either side of it is inevitable. This whole 2e business is indeed frustrating and confusing. I'm glad there are places like this forum to sort some of it out.
  3. Thanks! That's good to know. Honestly, I'll likely skip the TM at this level but get the workbook. We used Challenging Word problems for Singapore Primary Math in addition to the regular text and workbook. He needs very little repetition, but I do want some seriously challenging problems.
  4. I've used it with 2 2e kids. The grammar and vocabulary have not needed adaptations, given there really isn't much output required. The writing, however, needed to be altered. My younger Aspie son, 10, (now in WWW1 and ML1) is still working through Essay Voyage (although we've taken many detours to allow for the writing he wants to do. He's attempted a research paper, although he's no where ready to manage the rigor of Academic Writing I, the course that would go along with his other MCT courses. His brother, now 14 and with dysgraphia and ADHD, was also a year behind on the writing, and even this year found Academic Writing too much to manage (and this was WWW2 and ML2 for him). There is a leap from Essay Voyage to Academic Writing I that is just too big for many kids, even those without 2e stuff. Fortunately, the writing piece of MCT separates off nicely from the rest. FWIW, even with my older, most of his initial work in Par. Town was done via dictation. His output was just that minimal. Personally, I'd wait for a student to be ready for each level of writing rather than water down the content. By the time you get to AW1, there is just no way to go for content without asking for product.
  5. ADHD was suggested by the psychologist when my DS, now 14, was 6 and went through IQ testing. At that point, he was in school and underchallenged, and the psychologist advised we just wait and see what happened with increased stimulation. A year later, we brought him home to learn, where he remained a rather distracted young child. I really resisted the ADHD label and worked hard to make changes in his environment to accommodate his fidgety, distracted nature. But at 9, it all hit the fan. He was crying often, saying he felt stupid because he couldn't concentrate (even when he wanted to concentrate). Sure, he could play a computer game, read a book of interest, and focus on a video, but he struggled terribly with tasks he didn't pick that weren't incredibly engaging. We returned to psychology who referred us to psychiatry. She agreed that a low-dose stimulant would likely help. Boy, was she right. He's still on a stimulant, and while it doesn't help with the organizational issues that plague those with ADHD, it curbs the impulsiveness and increases his attention. For him, for now, it works. That said, I think we waited until the right time to start that medication. We waited until what he needed to get done (wanted to get done, even) couldn't be done with other supports. Keep in mind, he's not hyperactive, so we weren't having accidents and injuries left and right. A few other thoughts. Anxiety can look like ADHD in kids. A worried, anxious child will have trouble focusing (as will an adult). Sensory processing challenges can look the same way. And all three can exist in the same child. (I have that child, in fact.) FWIW, reading Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnosis slowed my acceptance of my older son's very real learning challenges. It was easy to brush all his issues off on being HG/PG. I far prefer Deirdre Lovecky's book, Different Minds. It contained detailed information about giftedness with and without ADHD (and Aspergers) and helped me untangle some of the threads of both of my 2e guys.
  6. That depends on what you'll use for Algebra. Singapore 6 doesn't contain typical prealgebra material like exponents, radicals, factorization, and negative numbers, although depending on what you choose for algebra, this may not matter. My older went directly from Singapore 6B to Jacobs' Algebra, where those topics were quickly covered. Some kids may need more practice. My younger has finished Singapore 6B and will move to Discovering Mathematics (a Singapore secondary math series), which also contains the above topics. We've covered most of prealgebra using the Algebra Survival Guide, so this will serve as review (and likely largely skipped over).
  7. After much consternation, I've decided to continue with Singapore for secondary math. We'll use the Discovering Mathematics series, and I'm wondering if (as a fairly mathy person) if there is any reason to buy the teachers' supplements to the book or the workbook. For that matter, given much of level one will be review, do we even need the workbook? Any help is appreciated!
  8. Brownie, I know what you mean. I find myself in a moderate amount of panic at times, wondering if those planning and organization skills will ever kick in...and if he'll seriously be miserable down the line. As much as I talk to myself firmly at those points, reminding myself that he's only 14, that he has plenty of time to grow, those fears are real. I worry that he'll be angry at me for not helping him gather those skills, although I've done all I know how to do. This twice-exceptional stuff is rough, and while the worries may seem crazy to some, they are real and can weigh heavily on the mind. Thanks for sharing your concerns.
  9. Zumdahl Introductory Chemistry is find for standard high school use and appears to be used by colleges as well. It is NOT an AP text, nor would it be an intro text for majors. We did supplement with Chang when needed (my test questions came out of Zumdahl and Chang). The Foundation edition (which was the TE I had but not the text, unfortunately) includes a chapter on energy and one on organic chem. I had to supplement from Chang and online sources for the organics and other deeper elements of general chemistry. Why Zumdahl then? It was visually appealing, and I was teaching two distractible 13 year old boys. We beefed it up a bit, and that worked well.
  10. Both my guys have expressed a desire to proceed directly to Algebra, at age 9 and 10 respectively. I honored it with both, with my older going to formal Algebra study with Jacobs'. My younger is doing Algebra "lite" with the Algebra Survival Guide and no definite plan for fall (that's why my original blog post reviewing options). Here's a few reasons NOT to dive in: Algebra requires organization skills that may not be in place at an early age. Waiting a bit (playing with number theory, problem solving) can give kids a chance for developing this much-needed skill. Algebra requires more writing than lower level math on the whole. This skill was NOT in place for my older son and was a serious challenge to him. Algebra at a young age assumes a progression (Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II, Precalc, Calc) that leaves the usual math sequence done quite early. Is this a problem? AoPS would say yes. I'm not as sure. It does present a challenge for many families to find suitable mathematics instruction young. Calculus at 13 or 14 may present challenges regarding instruction (college classroom? online class? learn at home?). Some families want to delay this concern. There is more to math than that sequence, and mathematically talented children have an opportunity to explore it and learn more than what's on the traditional path. The stop-and-smell the Fibonacci daisy reason for delaying Algebra is compelling. For my younger son, delaying had to do partly with my wish that we'd smelled more mathematical flowers on the way to Calculus (which due to serious slowness over the last year is put off until age 15, this fall) and concerns that my younger isn't ready for the thinking skills it involves. Over the past few weeks, he's shown that he's more than ready and is very enthused about the challenge of AoPS. We'll see if that enthusiasm holds and finish the Algebra Survival Guide then try the posttest for AoPS Prealgebra and pretest for their Algebra. There is no universal right or wrong but there are compelling reasons to consider the delay.
  11. My older has ADHD, and the problems with attention started to really impact school work at 9, with executive planning being more evident a bit later. They were both always an issue, but with careful planning and plenty of guidance, they didn't really interfere until then. As my DS, now 14, had more assignments that required more planning and more attention to detail, the defects showed. Not to discourage anyone, but at 14, the problems are worse than at 12. Puberty is the wrench in the mechanism right now, and the only way out seems to be through. My younger with Asperger's has thus escaped the attention and planning problems of his older brother. His ability to socially manage life was, again, always low, but the expectations socially are also low until closer to age 10, it seems. He struggles mightily at 10 but is willing to accept some coaching from mom to smooth his way.
  12. Ah, that makes sense. I've have a riot on my hands if I proposed double math lessons each day. Thanks for clarifying.
  13. I've considered a hybrid like that, but I know my guy will seriously balk at two math texts in a day. He's liking math, but I'm certain he just doesn't want to work that hard. This is child two who is highly mathematically capable with very little interest in working hard at it. <sigh>
  14. If he's an Aspie, he's always an Aspie. It's not a separate thing but an integrated part of him. That said, just like kids not on the spectrum, Aspie kids can act in ways that need correction. I think the question is one more of how to respond to particular behaviors, and that's very personal for a particular child at a particular time of life. In other words, it's hard to know what to do. Consequences and rewards can work with kids with Asperger's, but just like kids without, they only work if the consequences matter, the rewards matter, and the behavior is something they can control. The last is the hardest part for me. I've often heard it said that inconsistency is the hallmark of a learning disability, and it seems to be true around here. Why a child can do one thing one day and not the next is often a question to me. Just because a kid has done it once (made eye contact, apologized, gotten out of bed on time, done long division) doesn't mean he or she can do it every time. A final thought -- behavior is communication. Meltdowns are information. Shutting down is information. Shirt chewing, finger picking, loud sound making, yelling, and crying are all information. Figure out what they mean (at least some of them) and you'll go a long way to understanding the mindset of your child. Aspies have a hard time labeling feelings -- that takes time. Behavior reflects a feeling. I ask often what is bothering him when he misbehaves, going through the common culprits for him (anxiety, fatigue, hunger, thirst). The more we do this, the better he gets at it. May you find some assistance sorting all this out. Peace.
  15. Thanks. It's the list I wish I'd been able to find five years ago. I'm working on reviews for the items on it, which should keep me busy for awhile. I'll admit I'm curious about AoPS PreAlgebra but uncertain if my son has the dedication to math to start down that path. I really hate committing to any one path, which is largely my resistance to NEM (although a commenter on my blog assured me switching after the first year is no problem, given it's largely prealgebra). My son is really enjoying the Algebra Survival Guide, and while I planned just to start it while messing around with other resources on the list, when he wants to cruise on something, I follow his lead. Ah, well.
  16. I'd agree with the above posters that ASD is a possibility but only one. The ADHD or the giftedness alone could explain what you are seeing. While the Adderall can help attention, it won't put all the other executive function skills and social skills in place that go along with ADHD. Social skills classes may help, but so may detailed coaching before (and even during) events. Honestly, your museum description sounds more ADHD-like than anything else. Some gifted kids don't have the strongest "normal" social skills either but shine more brightly in that arena with other gifted kids. I don't think this a case of being "too good" to be with the others, just a case of being uninterested in some aspect of the play of the other child. I'd second introversion and add possibly sensory issues. Withdrawal is not a bad response to overload and a need to be alone, although it obviously isn't always the most appropriate one. Again, a bit of coaching or at least discussion about this issue may be needed. Asperger's is a possibility, but I'd not use intense interests as an indicator. Intense interests is common in gifted kids, and kids with ADHD may have a (often digital) interest that can be quite intense. It may be time to search for a psychologist who specializes in gifted kids to help you sort this out. Different Minds is an excellent book about the intersections between giftedness, ADHD, and ASD. It's worth a read while you're either watching, waiting, and coaching or awaiting an appointment for someone who specializes in these issues. Good luck!
  17. I don't have an answer, but I do have sympathy. My DS14 has some serious executive function delays (a good amount of ADHD plus simply being a 14 year old boy). He takes far more tending to than I ever imagined a child that age would, and some days (many days), it really gets to me. We do the best when we work on one thing at a time. If I focus on one issue (say, checking a list to see if all the work is done or reviewing an assignment to assure all the problems are completed) he is FAR more successful than if I ask him to manage the myriad of executive function skills that are so challenging for him. Every bit of success he has helps, even if it is tiny. This is a long, slow road, and I don't think there is any miracle way to speed up this process. Patience would help, although I'm rather short on that lately and have none extra to pass out. ;) Peace!
  18. I've recently created a list of options we've tried for mathematical learning after Singapore 6B. With two accelerated learners, this happened quickly, and I thought it might be helpful to share the (many) paths we've taken and considered. I'd appreciate any additions (add to the comment section). I hope this is helpful to someone out there.
  19. There are so many options available, and I can't think you're likely to turn the wrong way. We started HS level biology at 12 and Chemistry at 13 (here are the plans) and are now doing earth science for 9th grade (we just never got to it before.) We're likely to use a local university for dual enrollment (college and high school credits) for the next run of classes, which is a common option in the group of homeschooled high schoolers we know. AP classes are another route for that last high school aged run through the sciences. I do like the idea of spending the middle school years following interests, going beyond the straight science curriculum. There is just so much out there to explore! Good luck!
  20. I certainly do. The amount of information my boys amassed by age five was unreal. My younger, now ten, continues to collect information of history with the same enthusiasm as he does about his more traditional hobbies. But by five, for my younger, and six, for my older, they were fast on their way to analysis and beyond. I appreciate the order of the stages in Classical homeschooling, but I don't think the ages match up for all kids -- for some, they aren't even close. I don't think they're strictly linear either, as I see my kids wander through those stages in no particular order most every day. And that's fine. Being home allows the flexibility to speed up and slow down as needed. I'm impressed how much you have planned for years to come. I'm managing to think through the grade we're in lately. Every time I've tried to project outward, I've been thwarted by the kids who are doing the learning. They seriously test the limits of my flexibility. I suppose that's good. It sounds like you have an amazing daughter. Gifted looks different in different children. My kids are theoretically pretty even in their intelligence (Yes, we've been down that road. They are both such mixes of strengths and weaknesses that we've sought a fair amount of professional wisdom.), but they express it in different ways. I always say that nothing I learned about parenting or homeschooling the first has helped me with the second. Throw in learning disabilities and differences, and it just gets more confusing. Although I know it's not always broadly well-accepted, it really is okay to use the g word (especially in safe places like an accelerated learner forum;)). Kids are different, and some learn incredibly fast. It's delightful, exhausting, and sometimes worrisome all at the same time. Peace
  21. I'd disagree that mathematical learning must be linear. My older son, then 10, did a beautiful job with Algebra (Jacobs) without having memorized his times tables or knowing long division (he used a calculator on the division and was just slow with the times tables). He'd finished Singapore 6, including challenging word problems, but really despised arithmetic. By the end of algebra, the times tables were in place. He had to use them for the Algebra, and with that necessity, they wormed into his brain. He figured out long division during Algebra as well -- synthetic division just made sense to him, and from there he learned long division. Without moving along at that point, he'd have increasingly lost interest in math. For any subject, I think if we hold to an absolute order to learn things, we do a disservice to some kids who just aren't linear thinkers. Gifted kids especially are often whole-to-parts thinkers, needing to see the whole picture before the details. As always, there are no absolutes. Watch the kid, not the text.
  22. I'd second the Singapore recommendation. I've used Singapore with to gifted boys, compacting where needed. There really isn't that much to elementary math, and Singapore really makes it sing. We use Zaccaro Challenge Math and some Theoni Pappas along the way, both which add more real math rather than just arithmetic.
  23. Author of the Bloom post here. The pyramid structure demonstrates the hierarchy of the skills although it does fail to portray the fluid movement one makes through the levels. Much curricula only taps the bottom layers of the pyramid with little attention to the top. Any work that involve regurgitation of facts or processes does this. This does NOT mean that level of work isn't important at times, but putting a high premium on memorization and simple understanding at the price of analysis, evaluating, and creating limits the learner. It does not take a huge amassing of facts (remembering, understanding) to be able to move to the top of the pyramid (analysis, evaluating, creating). Some of the newer inquiry-based science programs, like Middle School Chemistry from the American Chemical Society (review here), do this beautifully. How does it work at home? We spend far less time on memorization of facts and far more on "playing" with the facts learned. Curricula, like the ones at the end of my post, can help a parent do this with ease, but with some tinkering, almost any material at almost any level can be analyzed and evaluated. We do most of this via conversation. We talk endlessly, addressing the what ifs and wanderings of the mind, especially about history, science, and literature. I'd rather my kids be able to reason through and evaluate a smaller amount of material than memorize but be unable to utilize a larger body of information. Bloom's Heirarchy works with math, too. My younger son started Algebra at 10. He had a brilliant mathematical mind but was still hesitant with multiplication facts and could not figure out long division. (Math is NOT arithmetic. Most elementary math curricula is almost all arithmetic, including Saxon. Math sings. Arithmetic talks.) By the end of Algebra I, his math facts were tightly in his head because he had to use them to make the Algebra work. He also learned long division -- the synthetic division needed for Algebra made sense, and he extrapolated that information to the more basic long division. For literature, avoiding comprehension questions (understanding and remembering levels) and heading straight for the top of the pyramid makes literature come alive. Michael Clay Thompson has a series that makes this far easier to implement, although just reading together and talking about literature can yield the same results. That's a bit of how it works for us. I'm hoping others will tell their tales.
  24. And here's the link to Dana Goldstein's second go at progressive/liberal homeschooling. It's not, IMO, an improvement. Perhaps she starts off the wrong way with her title: "Progressive Homeschooling" is an Oxymoron. <sigh>
×
×
  • Create New...