Help! Can I really do this?

[Nicholas_mom]

Hi,

 

I just realized in the last couple of months that I have an accelerated learner. Over the years, we noticed he was somewhat "different" : he gravitated to adults (altho now he loves being with kids, too), he was artistically talented, musically tanleted, etc, all showed itself in the last year. He didn't start reading until last year and he just turned 9 yrs old last week! Ever since he started reading his intellegennce has skyrocketed.

 

So, I have been reading on this forum in the last couple of weeks and found a great book that was listed to readh here: "Upside-down Brillance" about the visual spatial learner.

 

This fits ds to a T. The list for giftedness on page 51 of the book, fits ALL but One characteristics. He is very respectful of adults but can very politely tell him they said something that was misinformation, especially of things he likes: rocktets, space and now robots.

 

My ds has read everything about space and space travel and has started thinking about space travel and time travel. He starts talking about space travel like Eistein did when he was a teenager. I read Eistein earlier this year because I wanted to know what made him tick and whether my son had this, too. I wasn't thinking "giftedness", yet, at that point.

 

So, the other day he rambles about space and time travel and ends up in the same conclusion as Eistein in that we are all moving at the same time where ever we are.

 

I know this all sounds familiar to some of you with your children but I am freaking out because I am realizing he has a different learning style and even though I loved math in school and got minor in college in Math and have a B.S. in Geology, teaching a child math is a whole different ballgame. Plus, I haven't seen this new math since I haven't been in school since 1989.

 

Yikes! Can I really do this? And HOW do I teach him math? We are doing Grade 3 now and I have MUS beta, gamma, Miquon, MM Blue Series 1-3 and I am all confused on how to teach this basic :tongue_smilie: It sounds silly but I am really intimidated that he is so smart.

 

Any words of encouragement is appreciated. I am going to check out the 2012-2013 thread now :)

[Five More Minutes]

Hi,

 

I just realized in the last couple of months that I have an accelerated learner. Over the years, we noticed he was somewhat "different"...

 

Yikes! Can I really do this? ... :tongue_smilie: It sounds silly but I am really intimidated that he is so smart.

 

Any words of encouragement is appreciated. I am going to check out the 2012-2013 thread now :)

 

:grouphug: I've just started hanging out on this forum, too, having recently realized our daughter's acceleration in LA. You've expressed so well the mix of feelings that come with realizing that there's something different about this one. I understand and empathize!

 

I've found the people here to be wonderfully inspiring and encouraging and patient with me as I try to get my head around it. I'm sure you'll find the same.

 

And what I've learned here is a big "YES" to your question. You CAN do it, and probably better than anyone because you care so much.

[nova147]

It's a bit terrifying in the beginning! But you get the hang of it after a while. You try things that don't work. You level up, only to find you need to go up two more. You try one thing that is too hard and go back a step. Your child goes through 2 years of curriculum in one year. You have to find cheap stuff that is still challenging because money doesn't grow on trees! But it works out. I'm sure as DS7 gets older, I'll have to start finding mentors in the community to fill in gaps I just can't handle. I agree with Lynnita; you can do it because you care the most about him!

[JennW in SoCal]

Yikes! Can I really do this?

 

I'm sending my last off to college next year, so here are some words of encouragement from the other end of the homeschool journey.

 

Yes, you CAN do this!! What you can not do is plan for how it is all going to work from year to year or over the course of 12 years, because these outside-the-box thinkers will surprise you each time you think you have it figured out. The trick is to follow your son's lead. Feed his mind, cover the basics in what ever manner works, and just keep moving forward. Forget grade level. Forget the standard scope and sequence -- just feed the brain and work on basic skills.

 

You will know when to accelerate or when to slow down, and not just because of mistakes in the work being done. When a gifted learner is learning new things their eyes light up, they master it quickly and are ready for the next new thing. A poster from years back used to constantly talk about looking for that light in the eyes as your best indicator of being on the right track. When he hits a wall you can take a step back and try the concept from a different angle, or take a break and come back to it later.

 

Kids are resilient, too, and won't be crippled for life if you stumble while introducing new math concepts. I speak from experience here!! I presented elementary concepts the way I remember learning it way back in the 60s and 70s, but had to get creative a few times with division or fractions. For algebra and higher, I'd spend my Sunday evenings working problems for the coming week. My youngest son is quite the math whiz, and he finally, in exasperation, took the text books from me and taught himself Algebra I and Geometry before heading to the community college for everything through Calculus. My fumbling as a math instructor didn't ruin him as he is consistently one of the top students in all his classes and is planning on majoring in math.

 

Look for mentors and interesting opportunities along the way of your homeschool journey. Camps and organized classes at local museums tend to be dumbed down, but astronomy clubs and rocketry clubs will be welcoming of a young science buff. Lego robotics is another great outlet where you may find other homeschooling moms who are feeling daunted, too. My oldest was obsessed with the space program when he was young, and I found many fabulous resources through NASA's websites. We finally got to tour the Kennedy Space Center when he was 18 -- he was thrilled.

[quark]

My math ability doesn't go far past algebra. For science, I'm an armchair nature lover, into biology but not very good at it, and although I have been fascinated by physics and chemistry, I haven't been able to understand as much as I should to guide my accelerated learner. I'm not quite the history lover either although I was very passionate about the kings and queens of England in my teens. I was a lit major but lately, I haven't been reading as much as I should. I guess I'm best at geography. But altogether, I feel very poorly equipped to lead my accelerated child.

 

Recently, my son asked me what I'm really good at and I couldn't answer him. I'm good with animals but that doesn't help much with a math-focused kid. I'm not too bad at cooking but I don't enjoy it. I'm okay with housework and gardening. I just couldn't find one academic thing I am really good at.

 

And then it hit me. I'm REALLY good at finding him the books he needs to follow his passion-of-the-moment. And I'm good at seeking opportunities for him like classes and mentors. I probably couldn't do it for another child but I CAN and WILL do whatever it takes for my son.

 

I wish I'd been a straight As student in school. If I'd known then that I would have this child, I would have put so much more effort into being a good student and being more well-read.

 

Despite it all, my son is thriving. Just keep trying, keep going, keep making mistakes and learning from them. You will hit a point where your child will be able to lead on his own. Yes, you can really do this!

Edited May 16, 2012 by quark

[Nicholas_mom]

Thank you all for some inspirating posts! :)

 

When I am reading the book "Upside down brillance" I have actually started geting anxiety attacks and then I come down and say to myself that I am homeschooling my child because I want to follow his lead and follow his development whereever it is.

 

My youngest son is quite the math whiz, and he finally, in exasperation, took the text books from me and taught himself Algebra I

 

 

This makes me laugh because this is what happened with his music ability. I was doing waldorf -inspired stuff and try to teach him the Recorder but he soon was correcting me in my music abilities that I finally asked him this what he wanted to learn. He said piano so we are doing Suzuki piano and he has outdone me in that area :lol: He is figuring out the patterns as he learns to play with both hands on the piano.

 

This just amazes me.

 

Thank you all again!

[wapiti]

For math for an intensely visual-spatial learner, even a potentially twice-exceptional one, I'd be chomping at the bit to try Beast Academy. It would be a great summer supplement. The stuff he already knows you could breeze through.

 

FWIW, reading so late is a possible sign that there may be some sort of learning issue. I'd keep that tucked in the back of your mind in case you hit any significant bumps along the way. Good luck - you'll be fine!

[Kathy G]

Take a deep breath! :)

 

You CAN do this! I too almost had an anxiety attack when I read that book. I have 2 that way.

 

Yes, it is challenging,

Yes homeschooling them is tougher than my more auditory child

 

 

BUT- it is TOTALLY worth it!

 

We have had to use a variety of materials for math. Singapore and Khan Academy were great for independent learning. We used AOPS too. But- my child needed more variety than anything and preferred to use several things. Mine too, took Algebra and Geometry texts and learned on his own over a few months.

 

It will be better at home because you can adjust to his learning style. We read and use videos. Some Khan for lots of subjects. Art everyday (to the dismay of this nonart mom)

The books Visual Spatial Learners by Golon and Unicorns are Real by Vitale were helpful to me.

[Nicholas_mom]

reading so late is a possible sign that there may be some sort of learning issue.

 

Thanks for the tip. We did ENKI which has alot of sensory-integrated BRAIn exercises and the creator of the curriculum, a teacher and I were concerned at first, but soon realized that it was just him. He likes to do things in baby steps and take his time.

 

We do alot of Brain Gym stuff, which are actually exercises for working the left and and right hemispheres of the brain. Also, the book "Smart Moves" also has brain exercies and a good reaad about that. He scooted istead of crawled so we had to do alot of cross-crawl type things for years, since he was 4 yrs old.

 

Which is why I am stunned NOW that he is intellegent. We were concentrating on the brain exercies so much and as soon as reading kick in, everything seemed to fall into place.

 

Take a deep breath! :)

 

You CAN do this! I too almost had an anxiety attack when I read that book. I have 2 that way.

 

Yes, it is challenging,

Yes homeschooling them is tougher than my more auditory child

 

BUT- it is TOTALLY worth it!

 

We have had to use a variety of materials for math. Singapore and Khan Academy were great for independent learning. We used AOPS too. But- my child needed more variety than anything and preferred to use several things. Mine too, took Algebra and Geometry texts and learned on his own over a few months.

 

It will be better at home because you can adjust to his learning style. We read and use videos. Some Khan for lots of subjects. Art everyday (to the dismay of this nonart mom)

The books Visual Spatial Learners by Golon and Unicorns are Real by Vitale were helpful to me.

 

Thank you! I will definitely check out those books and look into other math programs. I am seeing this, too, where I use more than one thing for math stuff.

 

Thank you, thank you!

[Iucounu]

You can do it! And I would definitely get your son tested for learning disabilities at some point, just to rule it out if nothing else. If you want to read up these links may help:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twice_exceptional

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/twice_exceptional.htm

http://giftedissues.davidsongifted.org/BB/ubbthreads.php/forums/3/1/Twice_Exceptional.html

[Nicholas_mom]

And I would definitely get your son tested for learning disabilities at some point, just to rule it out if nothing else.

 

 

We did test him, that's what brain gym is all about. That's why he is so integrated. There isn't anything that gets past him. It's actually perfectly normal to start to read at 8 yrs old.

 

Trust me, my son does NOT have any learning diabilities. And I am not in denial or anything. He has shown again and again that he is just exceptional child.

 

He is always way ahead of me when I want to teach something to him. I just can't keep up with him. That is what is overwhelming me. :)

[Iucounu]

We did test him, that's what brain gym is all about. That's why he is so integrated. There isn't anything that gets past him. It's actually perfectly normal to start to read at 8 yrs old.

 

Trust me, my son does NOT have any learning diabilities. And I am not in denial or anything. He has shown again and again that he is just exceptional child.

 

He is always way ahead of me when I want to teach something to him. I just can't keep up with him. That is what is overwhelming me. :)

He can be exceptional and have a learning disability. That's why they call it being "twice exceptional". High intelligence can mask a learning disability in some cases, but the disability is still there, dragging down ability and performance.

 

Brain Gym is not all about detecting learning disabilities, going by the info on their website. It's not perfectly normal in my experience and opinion to learn to read at 8 years old. I am not trying to be unpleasant at all, but I think that objectivity is called for in these situations. If your child could benefit from some different learning strategies, I think you'd serve him well by seeking those out.

[calimom04]

I agree barely reading at 8 is not normal. Sound like he's making great progress though.

[LittleIzumi]

YES, you can do it!! We can all muddle through together. :lol: I've got a twice-exceptional little one--advanced/gifted, but with ADD and symptoms of dyslexia. It's a crazy ride, but so much easier to deal with in a homeschool setting.

[Kathy G]

There are many examples of right brained late bloomers and it sure sounds like you have one. Go with your gut. You know your child better than everyone else. Have you thought about letting him look at some curricula and decide for himself? We have had success with that here.

[Nicholas_mom]

Have you thought about letting him look at some curricula and decide for himself? We have had success with that here.

 

Yeah, I am still learning. I did buy different used math curricula to see what works best and which ones he likes. I have Grade 4 planned with things I think he will like and is challenging. But, I am thinking of having him give his input more for Grade 5. I don't know......just taking it one day at a time :tongue_smilie: