XPOST: How many hours per day in 9th grade?

[Finnella]

I hate talking about school in terms of how many hours per day must be done, but this school year (8th) has been awful. My DS is an Aspie and has ADD; his ADD meds. stopped working at the beginning of the school year. We've had to be very careful with medication because of his anxiety and haven't found anything else that works.

 

Anyway, I had been focusing on my DS completing his assignments, but this year has degenerated into forcing him into a minimum five hours per day to have any privileges, e.g., computer game access. In the near term, I expect I may have to keep this up, which makes me wonder how many hours per day do your 9th graders work?

 

Yes, I know this isn't the attitude he needs to carry into college, so it's another thing to add to the list of what he needs to learn during high school. Meanwhile, I need to get him through his first year of high school with some productivity.

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

[PeterPan]

Well what are your plans for the academics, or you don't know yet? Just asking, because obviously he's going to be much more inclined to spend time if he's interested in it. In fact, our np pointed out to us that dd was likely to do better in college, because she'd be doing what she wants to do. Wise people ;) usually figure out how to connect with that sooner. Is there any give in what you're doing, any way to have it merge with what he finds interesting? Any way to give him lists of requirements (structure!) but have HIM make the lists on how to meet them?

 

I make accommodations for processing speed and keep the work efficient, yes. But even so, when we were doing our National History Day project, I found her tolerance was MUCH higher than I realized. She CAN work more, but she just has to be really, really engaged. So maybe working on engagement will be easier than working on chopping? I don't think this should be 4 years of battle. After all, it's not worth it. He is who he is, and no amount of battling to force him through some list is going to turn him into someone else.

 

Says she who is right there with you. :)

[Finnella]

Well what are your plans for the academics, or you don't know yet? Just asking, because obviously he's going to be much more inclined to spend time if he's interested in it. In fact, our np pointed out to us that dd was likely to do better in college, because she'd be doing what she wants to do. Wise people ;) usually figure out how to connect with that sooner. Is there any give in what you're doing, any way to have it merge with what he finds interesting? Any way to give him lists of requirements (structure!) but have HIM make the lists on how to meet them?

 

So far, when we've discussed academics, his inclination is to do nothing. My sister's and BIL are planning to do some introductory programming with him this fall because he's expressed an interest in that and engineering. So we'll see how that goes. Math is somewhat better since we switched to MUS. (And I can always remind him that he needs that as long as he's interested in engineering.)

 

For the most part though, he's at a point that his strong preference is to study acting and read fiction; nothing else. I've decided to do a theater elective next year and postpone another logic class for a bit. As for the core classes he needs to get into college, I haven't been able to find anything that will interest him. It's just something to plow through so he can earn computer access.

[PeterPan]

Have you thought about using the acting/theatre interest to drive everything else? So he likes fiction and theatre. So you watch theatre about history and then read a bit to fill in. You read quirky fiction about science (there's TONS of that, mercy). Textbooks are such a rat trap of disinterest.

 

Here's a list of books I've thought about for biology (which is in your sig). Some are better than others, but it might give you ideas. If you do labs and read quirky books that he finds engaging, it would be enough. Biology/Life Science

 

This book, which ironically is not on that list because I already bought it, was the one that started me down this path and made me realize the tremendous potential to use engaging fiction to connect with a non-traditional student.

Cats are not Peas: A Calico History of Genetics

 

You could even go further out of the box and pursue some of the weirder science fiction and the science behind it (Terry Pratchett, that sort of thing). He's not like everyone else, and his education doesn't have to look like everyone else's. There are people getting into college with VERY unconventional backgrounds, backgrounds like what I just described.

[Finnella]

Have you thought about using the acting/theatre interest to drive everything else? So he likes fiction and theatre. So you watch theatre about history and then read a bit to fill in. You read quirky fiction about science (there's TONS of that, mercy). Textbooks are such a rat trap of disinterest.

 

Here's a list of books I've thought about for biology (which is in your sig). Some are better than others, but it might give you ideas. If you do labs and read quirky books that he finds engaging, it would be enough. Biology/Life Science

 

That reminds me that I need to update my signature; it's showing what we're finishing up rather than plans for next year. I like your idea though and may use it for 10th grade. And he's been asking to read some Pratchett. :) He's also voluntarily reading the Hawkings' George series.

 

Meanwhile, I need to think of something along those lines for Earth science. I'll admit that I have been considering resorting to a textbook for a science, but you make a great case for trying again to avoid that. (It turns out that I do have some book ideas in Evernote.)