How do you not feel like the world's worst teacher when you child doesn't retain what you've bent over backwards to teach?

[merry gardens]

The title says it all. Some days I feel like the worst homeschooling mom on the planet.

 

I spend a great deal of time teaching reading and spelling. It doesn't show. Some days I want to give up.

[Izzy]

I understand. I HSed ds for half of 2nd and all of 3rd. I thought I had completely failed him because the only thing he was retaining was math. He went back to PS in 4th and here we are in 7th grade and the PS has done worse than I did. I wish I had been confident enough to meet him where he was and not be so concerned where he was grade level wise. But that is SO hard to do as a HS parent because we already feel like we're under the microscope. FWIW he left 2nd grade at a beginning first grade level and came back to school at a 4th grade level in everything but LA. The school has had him since and he's STILL at a 4th grade level in everything but math which he still does well in. Anyways, I guess I'm trying to reassure you to have faith in yourself. Our LD kids have their strengths but also their areas in which they excell. Their weak areas are not a reflection of our teaching and I 100% think we are the most qualified to teach them. :)

[Crimson Wife]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

 

I really think there is a "straw breaking the camel's back" point with our kids, where it looks like there's no progress until something finally "clicks" and all of a sudden there's a giant leap forward. HIT!

[Guest]

:grouphug: Hang in there! We feel that way because we have a vested interest in our child's education. For school teachers it's a job. I'm sure most do the best that they can but at the end of the day, they don't have the time nor sometimes the interest to devote individual time to one child struggling. We have every reason to want our children to be the best that they can be, for their own future, and because of it frustration will be a frequent guest in a homeschool, I feel. Especially when there are special needs involved, also. :grouphug:

[merry gardens]

Thank you everyone. I'm tired. I appreciate you all sharing your thoughts and support. ((hugs))

[Cynful]

I'm totally with you!! :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[Mukmuk]

Yep, happens :(. :grouphug: I read the Dyslexic Advantage and there was a story of a young man who needed to revise with his mom over summer otherwise he'd forget. Steeling myself.

[momsuz123]

You know, I have days like this too. For awhile actually I was feeling like that daily, but then I took a break and pulled out some games (educational, fun ones). I was amazed at how much better my dd was doing. Maybe the math sheets in MM were hard for her, but wow, she was playing "Buy it Right" great. Making change and everything. Other games were showing the same great results. Hang in there.

[angelmama1209]

i am completely with you. and glad i'm not the only one. i've been my 5yo letters for 1.5 years, intensively since september, using many different approaches. she still doesn't know them. i've finally started to make some specific observations and she is going for an evaluation today. once i recognized that something else may be going on, i was able to let go a little bit and not push her or stress so much over it. it's so hard, i mean, it's LETTERS. what 5yo doesn't know their letters? mine. :(

[Lecka]

My son was having trouble with letters and letter sounds both at that age.

 

Have you read Overcoming Dyslexia? Have you checked on phonemic awareness?

 

They are a possible direction to look at.

 

And.... my son is getting his addition facts, but I am so afraid he is going to forget them. I think I am just going to have him keep reviewing for.... the indefinite future.

[Ottakee]

Mine are in school now (highschool special ed) but I remember spending WEEKS trying to teach my daughter to read the word *I*. She could tell you the NAME of the letter but could not read it as the word *I*????????? Her reading at one point was SOOOOOOOO SLOOOOOOOW that I would doze off between words. Seriously.

 

Now she is reading at a solid 4th grade level (which with an IQ in the mentally impaired range is VERY GOOD--highest reader in her program).

 

My son also has fetal alcohol so we would teach, reteach, teach again, reteach, and the next day repeat again. Eventually some things stick, at least most of the time.