what to do with DD? suggestions please

[lwilliams1922]

 

 

 

 

 

DD is 13. She attended private schools up to last year at the end of seventh grade. She's always been years above grade level in English, language, reading but she is ADHD and her lack of executive funtions made school a tourture session. She has the intellegence but she was always pagued by her organization problems. There may be a DX of aspergers added in the future.

 

 

 

In 7th grade I realized that her self esteem was suffering. The school system was determined to make her acheive a level of organizaion that simply was not possible. The school was also at a loss of what to do with her underdeveloped math ability. She had an IEP but nothing that offered any real progress.

 

 

 

 

After finally reading WTM I decided almost instantly that I would withdraw and begin home schooling.

I spent the last quarter of last year foucisng on math. After years of math tutors she was still about 4 years behind grade level and not showing any signs or progressing. I discovered she was a visual learner and started her on MUS. She caught up about 2 years in 9 months. She still doesnt like math but it doesnt generate tears or the blank look as it did before.

 

 

Now I'm at a loss of what to do next. Her English and writing level is really beyond where I feel I could be of much help to her, especially with two toddlers to care for. At 13 her SAT reading and writing scores are 580. ACT English score of 26.

 

I'm currently outsourcing writing with home2teach and Latin with either Latin in the Christian trivium or the Potter's school.

 

I'm thinking about having her take English classes at the CC online. John's Hopkins CTY classes look attractive but they are more than we can afford until I go back to work.

 

I've been talking recently with the CC. They were not terribly receptive at first but now that she sat for their placement test and scored high they've agreed to allow her to take classes for credit (with the exception of math). We just need to have any instructor sign off that their class would not contain content not appropriate for a 13 year old.

 

DD is thrilled with the idea and keeps talking about wanting to have an associates at 17 instead of a high school graduation. Keep in mind she is ADHD and is hyper focused on this right now.

 

I think she is capable but I would need to have her take the first few classes on line so that I could help teach her the organization she needs to stay on top of the classes. Right now trying to do both teaching and organizing her is too much for one person (me). I know going back to school would not be a good fit as there would be no help for her to learn the skills she needs.

 

here is a snap shot from the past---> she get assignments from 7 teachers normally looses assignments from 5 of them, just gives a blank stare during math and manages to complete Latin and be one of the top students in Latin. The teachers get frustrated and force her to take the consequences of the missing assignements/grades. Without most of her assessments or knowing to prepare for tests she does test well from memory and averages out most subjects with C's (along with an A in Latin and an F in math).

 

 

 

so here is my thought...

 

Let her take ENG 101 on line from the community college next fall. She would also continue with her on line Latin and writing classes. At home we focus on primarily on Math as well as organization (can I create an ongoing class for this?), Science, history and Logic.

 

Provided she gets an A in the class i would let her take 2 or 3 more the following semester with MAYBE one of them on campus.

 

does this sound feasible?

Is there anything I should think about?

Could she be eligible for finical aid or scholarships?

Could this plan jeopardize any future aid or admissions?

 

I would love any thoughts on this.

Please be gentle :)

 

 

I'm going to cross post this as I couldn't decide where to put it.

Edited July 9, 2009 by lwilliams1922

[8filltheheart]

 

 

 

. The school system was determined to make her acheive a level of organizaion that simply was not possible. The school was also at a loss of what to do with her underdeveloped math ability. She had an IEP but nothing that offered any real progress.

 

 

 

 

 

I think she is capable but I would need to have her take the first few classes on line so that I could help teach her the organization she needs to stay on top of the classes. Right now trying to do both teaching and organizing her is too much for one person (me). I know going back to school would not be a good fit as there would be no help for her to learn the skills she needs.

 

 

 

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I have several thoughts on this.

 

 

 

First, I think you'll find that online classes and CC classes require a much higher level of self-discipline and organization than classes IRL. That has been our experience. Even my very mature, super organized kids have fumbled somewhat in staying on top of what is due when in online and CC classes.

 

 

 

Second, having a child very similar to yours (extremely intelligent but incapable of self-pacing/self-scheduling/organizing his work), I will share the comment that one therapist said to me that impacted me beyond all others.........

 

 

 

It doesn't matter what knowledge he possesses if he cannot function.

 

 

 

He told us that back when ds was about your dd's age. Our ds is now 17. It took us until the beginning of this yr to actually be willing to drop academic focus and work on life skills/functioning. It was a mistake. We should have tempered everything much earlier on.

 

 

 

He is a rising senior and we thought briefly about dual enrolling for some subjects this yr but changed our minds. Instead, I have decided to focus on having him learn how to schedule/pace/self-regulate. I am NOT going to check his work daily, but weekly. I am going to syllabuses similar to college classes with due dates, etc and work with him to focus on creating his own system that will work for him (whether it is planners, sticky tabs, desk calendar, whatever). We need for him to take this responsibility on himself or he will never even be able to hold a job b/c he is so distractible.

[TraceyS/FL]

Thanks for sharing this info. My 13yo exhibits a variety of ADD symptoms, and struggles with organization (as do i, and that is soooo going to end up in court isn't it?). I've been working at getting her to step up and work on it, but well, we need to do more.

 

Her potential ADD has been a concern since the week we started 2nd grade, but we've been able to work around it with her home. With the STBXH trying to force them to PS, it's going to rear it's ugly head more.

 

ANYWAY, guess i get to add to my research stuff on this.

[Misty]

I don't have any advice for you, but I just had to tell you that I have your daughter's twin here at my house :D

 

My daughter will be 12 in two months. She is very high-functioning Asperger's, ADHD, OCD, and her executive functioning skills are the worst I've ever seen. She looses everything and she is, well.. a slob... She is VERY highly verbal and actually sounds like an adult when she talks. She has always been extremely advanced in reading, writing, spelling, and verbal expression. However, math is very hard for her. She was diagnosed last year with "mild" dyscalculia. Math has been very frustrating for us over the years.

 

We have always homeschooled. I could not imagine her in public school. What a mess that would be! I dread the high school years. My daughter gets major hyper-focused on things and she just cannot focus on anything else. She really has a problem in this area. But she definitely is the stereotypical "Little Professor" Asperger's child.. A walking encyclopedia.. She reads SOOOOOO much and has a memory of steel. I imagine your daughter is very similar.. Anyway, had to share.. Hope you get some answers.

[Verity]

I don't have any advice for you, but I just had to tell you that I have your daughter's twin here at my house :D

 

My daughter will be 12 in two months. She is very high-functioning Asperger's, ADHD, OCD, and her executive functioning skills are the worst I've ever seen. She looses everything and she is, well.. a slob... She is VERY highly verbal and actually sounds like an adult when she talks. She has always been extremely advanced in reading, writing, spelling, and verbal expression. However, math is very hard for her. She was diagnosed last year with "mild" dyscalculia. Math has been very frustrating for us over the years.

 

 

I don't want to hijack your post but I'm not sure how to get back to Misty on this one. Your description of your daughter sounds alot like my 10 y.o. ds who I brought home to school last fall. I'm trying to figure out curriculum's now that will work for him and am curious about what you have found works best for your dd? In particular I need help with math, science, possibly latin? THANKS!!:bigear:

[Misty]

I don't want to hijack your post but I'm not sure how to get back to Misty on this one. Your description of your daughter sounds alot like my 10 y.o. ds who I brought home to school last fall. I'm trying to figure out curriculum's now that will work for him and am curious about what you have found works best for your dd? In particular I need help with math, science, possibly latin? THANKS!!:bigear:

 

Hi Verity...

 

I just spent the past 3 years remediating my daughter in Right Start Math, which did wonders for her.. http://www.alabacus.com She's doing Teaching Textbooks now and doing okay.. Not fantastic, but okay.. http://www.teachingtextbooks.com . Math-U-See may be another option for you to consider.. http://www.mathusee.com

 

Science was unschooled here for years since she was always such a strong reader. She would get interested in a science topic and just run with it for weeks. So I let her go with that. But this year we did Noeo Science. I really like it and my girls seemed to enjoy it as well. http://www.noeoscience.com

 

We are not doing Latin... My daughter has serious attention issues.. She cannot focus on things she is not interested in. She has major hyperfocus behaviors and she only thinks and talks about what she is hyperfocused on. Drives me nuts sometimes! So we are doing English From the Roots Up instead of a full Latin program. She wants to be a writer and she actually writes obsessively now (one of her hyperfocus interests) so I can't let her get away with absolutely no Latin. I feel like this offers bite-size lessons that she can easily focus on without being overwhelmed with learning the entire language. Other good programs that offers bite-size lessons (but we haven't tried yet) are Getting Started with Latin and also Lively Latin. We may try one of those in the future.

 

http://www.gettingstartedwithlatin.com

http://www.livelylatin.com

 

Reading has always been the key to my daughter's learning. She reads constantly.. Her comprehension isn't perfect, but her memory is near perfect. We are working on the comprehension issues here and there. Her curriculum for this past year is in my signature and links to those programs are on my blog in the right margin. Let me know if you have specific questions about anything!