Ugh! High school!

[suzziesnowflake]

So far this year is a complete bust for us. We are using kolbe lit, keys to algebra, apologia bio, oak meadow geo, sandier writing and sign language. The only things that seem to be going well are keys to algebra and sign language. The rest he is not retaining at all. He really needs middle school work but because he is enrolled in kolbe everything has to be highschool curriculum. How do I make this work? His lack of motivation and his argument about the fact that he doesn't need to learn this stuff because he is going to be a builder or work on cars. I know he has dyslexia but I know he is coasting. I don't have the same expectations for him as other highschoolers but if he doesn't get it together it will come around and bite him in the rear end!

[suzziesnowflake]

Oh I am giving him accomidations. He has bookshare for textbooks. The only thing he will use it for is lit. For math he has a calculator and multi chart. He can type but won't ( he has dysgraphia so handwriting is awful). The only thing he cares about is going in the shop and building stuff which is wonderful. He still needs basic skills though.

[Heathermomster]

I don't know.  Maybe speak with a professional mechanic at a car dealership and discover what skills your DS needs to get through their training.  I have a friend who specializes in Chevy transmissions.  

 

I don't understand how Kolbe works.  Do they give you a selection of high school texts to choose from, or do you tell them what you are using?  Do they offer a vocational type diploma?  Do they even award diplomas?  

 

If you have the freedom to choose high school texts, maybe switch the Apologia biology to an AGS Biology.  Throw in some basic labs and call it good.

[Tiramisu]

I'm not sure which Kolbe lit you are using. Even the jr high lit selections can be challenging for many students. Their high school lit can be very tough, and I don't think the majority of students would have the motivation or interest.

 

We used Kolbe and got a diploma from them. I pretty much chose my own materials, but, yes, they had to be high school level according to the publisher. They have a variety of diplomas but you still need the basics to get a standard diploma (the basic level).

 

I love Kolbe, and there is a good chance I will enroll my next one up next year. I would recommend talking to their counselors. They have been very helpful to me over the years.

 

ETA: Kolbe has/had a special needs counselor. You may want to ask to speak with her. 

[jenn&charles]

Oh I am giving him accomidations. He has bookshare for textbooks. The only thing he will use it for is lit. For math he has a calculator and multi chart. He can type but won't ( he has dysgraphia so handwriting is awful). The only thing he cares about is going in the shop and building stuff which is wonderful. He still needs basic skills though.

 

I don't know anything about Kolbe, but if your son needs middle school work, does he have to be enrolled in Kolbe? My son has some difficulties in a few academic areas and I'm working with him at his level, even though he's in high school.

 

My son also was diagnosed with dysgraphia and and despite that I have high expectations for him anyway and never let him use it as an excuse. I still require him to handwrite some of his work and when he doesn't do that, he has to type it up. Even though it's hard work, he's actually able to write with beautiful handwriting now. If he doesn't write nicely, he has to redo his work. 

 

I've always taken the view that I'm the parent and I will have him do what I think best to prepare him for life, whether he thinks it's worthwhile or not. Until he graduates, he doesn't get to steer the ship. He gets to give me input, and I certainly tailor things to his interests, etc. BUT we still do things he thinks are worthless like Latin. Does he like it? No. Too bad. You say your son CAN type but he won't. That wouldn't fly with me. 

 

I may not have the same expectations that I had for my other kids in specific areas, but I have high expectations for him and expect him to work to the best of his ability. Anything less will not help him in the long run, even if all he ended up doing was picking up trash at Mcdonald's. I'm trying to teach him academics AND a work ethic.

 

You know your son best. Maybe there is something you can use to motivate him, or maybe you need to take a different approach and address what appears to be a laziness issue (or using his disability as an excuse to not do his best).

 

I know it can be really hard working with an unmotivated teen and I hope I don't come across too harsh. Perhaps you can find different things for your son to use that might be more fun and engaging to get his interest whipped up in some of his subjects. I know my son would not be the least bit interested in the Kolbe lit program (I just looked it up). He is, however, having a great time with books that are more suited for him in our various subjects.

 

Best of luck with your dilemma! 

[Julie of KY]

It sounds like the main problem is motivation.

 

As the parent, I set the expectations in subjects. I have high expectations and expect my children to be pushed. My expectations for certain subjects are very different from what others may set, but I decide what is reasonable with the accommodations needed and then say this is what is required. If my kids think some expectations are unreasonable, they are welcome to discuss this with me and sometimes I agree and change what I expect; other times I say you still have to do it. My oldest is dyslexic and severely dysgraphic, I have other kids that are also dyslexic and dysgraphic as well.

 

If you are aiming for a traditional high school degree, there are basic minimal requirements. If you are aiming to have him well-suited to be a mechanic, your educational goals may be different. No matter what he does, a well rounded, educated person does tend to go farther.

[suzziesnowflake]

Thanks guys! Sometimes mom needs a kick in the butt too! I will call kolbe and see if they can help with some questions I have. He is using the jr high lit. He refuses to do the vocab before he reads( this will change).I am not sure he is getting much out of it. The biology is done at co op as well as the sign language. Maybe it's my teaching style. He says he is not a baby and he gets it but he really isn't "getting" it. I don't want to hand hold but he needs it. Any advice?

[Tiramisu]

If this helps, I remember Marita, the advisor, made some very helpful and creative suggestions about how to accommodate. She might have some good ideas to possibly incorporate hands on stuff into his curriculum if this could be of interest to him. For example, for an assignment, your ds might be able to display his knowledge in a poster rather than a paper. Mr. Buyarski is the head of advising, and although I only spoke with him once or twice, it was clear he understood learning differences. He is the one to make final decisions about what's okay and what's not at the high school level. Kolbe maintains high standards, but everyone there I've dealt with was always kind to me and sympathetic to my dd's difficulties. I was hsing high school for the first time, and we discovered the CAPD and had ongoing medical issues on top of that. I really appreciated having the Kolbe advisors to help me navigate through high school, and their transcripts and recommendations were very helpful when she applied for volunteer positions and college.

[Greta Lea]

My 10th grade dyslexic son is doing well this year with Power Basics Biology and Exploring Literature by Pearson/AGS Globe. He's also doing extremely well with Notgrass World History (just the history text).

[suzziesnowflake]

In bio, lit and geography he has a huge amount of vocab. He is using Quizlet but he is not retaining any of it. He puts the word in and it gives him definitions then he clicks it. He does this with all his vocab. After that he never looks at them again. He has about 50 terms total to do. How do I help him with this or do I just tell him to "suck it up buttercup". I don't remember ever having this much vocab till college.

[marlowefamily]

None of my kids are in high school yet, but they are in Kolbe partly because of the eventual high standards for the high school curriculum.  That said, Kolbe is extremely flexible in K-8 by allowing parents to substantially modify the curriculum and to take courses 1yr lower or above grade level as needed.  My oldest son is 5th grade and behind in language arts, and I'm hoping to have him caught up to grade level or beyond by high school.  I'd highly recommend talking to your Kolbe advisor to see what is recommended...  As for vocabulary, all the Kolbe courses are intense about this...even at 5th grade, my son has to confirm he understands ~50 words/week...for perhaps 25 words, he has to look them up in the dictionary and keep a journal.  We make a point of having at least one vocabulary flash card session each week to reinforce words he should have learned before.  This is a program that builds up vocabulary over the years, and is the biggest difference my kids notice between public and home schooling.

[suzziesnowflake]

marlowfamily-Wow your child does this with an LD? That is wonderful! My son not only has dyslexia, dysgraphia, but also processing issues. He gets overwhelmed very easily (always has) and just shuts down.  You should be proud of your son!

 

I left a message and hope for a call back Monday from Kolbe!