Curricular options for a gifted/ADD freshman?

[Erin]

This is long, but I tried to keep it organized and readable.  Blessings to anyone willing to wade through it!!

So I'm starting to weigh out our options for next year for my 2e kid.

There are no such things as co-ops in my area, our funds are tight, so things like Great Courses/etc. need to be bargain basement, and we have metered (satellite) internet, so online options are limited but if you know of good ones, please share anyway!  

 

Math:  He's doing original Saxon Algebra this year and so far "it's just review, Mom."  (He's 1/3 of the way through the book.   It is not all review anymore, but he's coasting through it as though it were)  I'm not sure if we want to spend time on a full Geometry course, or just go right in to Algebra II...  

I can't figure out how to get him to be more attentive to details, though!  Particularly since, like so many, he does much of his work in his head.  He often gets things wrong and it's almost ALWAYS because he missed a step, put the wrong number in, etc.   

 

-->What are some thoughts?  Geometry? Algebra II?  Something else entirely?  Do we want to try a different publisher?  (He'll still make stupid mistakes related to inattention) Double up lessons, but not actual problems because then the ADD shuts him down!, until something is more difficult?  Online enrichment or extra challenges?

 

History/Literature:  He LOVES good books, but only when they're read to him for the most part.  He really dislikes the physical act of reading (it took us a long time to get him up to grade level), but he enjoys the actual material.   We've used Sonlight up til now (currently in Am.History) and he has a string of good books he remembers with fondness.  I'm not allowed to sell them.  lol  And I've recently decided to let him use a lot more audio books while he reads, to make the process more pleasant.  

 

-->I'm not overly impressed with Sonlight in the HS years so I'm thinking about moving to TOG and continuing our use of audios.  We both really like the weaving of history and literature together.  He thinks he has a better grasp of (and interest in) history when his lit. is in the same era.  

 

Science:  His favorite subject, hands down...particularly the physical sciences.  Doing experiments, reading the text, whatever...all science is good science.  He's in a 9th grade physical science overview (Holt) this year.  I started him in the physics half of the book first semester, and he took to the formulae and equations with no issues whatsoever.  (Other than the above-mentioned issue of losing details!)  He's looking forward to Chem spring semester.

 

--> With a usual progression, and because it's usually a college requirement, Biology should be next year.  But he's not thrilled at the idea.  Is there more of a bio-chem track we could take?  Does anyone know of a good text/course for that approach?  Any online sources beyond full classes?  

 

 

We also do Logic, Latin, Spanish, Art, Music, Writing and of course Bible.  Not always every week, but usually.  The mixture beyond the basic four seems to keep his interest fired up.

But he's getting to an age where he's supposed to spend more in-depth time in a subject, but ADD rears its ugly head and he might spend a lot of time, but he doesn't get a lot accomplished.  

 

 

 

-->So, the next question becomes--Am I asking too much of him?   There are days when he sees his tasks for the day and shuts down before he ever gets started!  But I know the work itself is completely within his capabilities.   

 

 

 

Any suggestions, insights or just empathy are welcome!  

[wapiti]

I can't figure out how to get him to be more attentive to details, though!  Particularly since, like so many, he does much of his work in his head.  He often gets things wrong and it's almost ALWAYS because he missed a step, put the wrong number in, etc.   

 

-->What are some thoughts?  Geometry? Algebra II?  Something else entirely?  Do we want to try a different publisher?  (He'll still make stupid mistakes related to inattention) Double up lessons, but not actual problems because then the ADD shuts him down!, until something is more difficult?  Online enrichment or extra challenges?

 

On the one hand, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.  On the other hand, Saxon is about the last program in the world I would try for my 2e kid due to the length of the exercises, the procedural focus and the reputed lack of math joy involved.  He too tries to do too much work in his head for dysgraphia reasons and, accordingly, makes lots of dumb mistakes.  His handwriting is horrible and so even when he does write, he sometimes misreads his numbers, misses signs, etc. (wearing his reading glasses helps - his convergence sufficiency went downhill recently due to excessive computer use  :glare:).  Sometimes I scribe for him.  He's using AoPS Intro to Algebra (which we love) and is still doing massive amounts of work in his head - LOL, it's always surprising when several minutes go by and suddenly the correct answer pops out of his mouth.  I have to try hard not to interrupt his train of thought, however - it's like erasing his work.  This did not work well with simultaneous equations, which was an especially challenging chapter for him due to the importance of writing out the steps.  He's getting there with the writing - baby steps - but now with ratios and proportions, he's back to doing the vast majority of work in his head.

 

I'm hoping that some of the attention to details, as you put it, is more of an age thing.  My dd has come a long way in that department though it'll be a few years before my ds10 will get to that stage, I'm guessing.

 

Eta, If he's more of a right-brain, visual-spatial, big-picture learner like many people with adhd, teaching to his strengths (e.g., with a big picture program like AoPS) might be something to consider, as opposed to teaching to his weak areas, such as the procedural, sequence-heavy approach of Saxon, unless you have found that the amount of review in Saxon is critical for his situation.

 

I'm not sure why you would want to avoid a full geometry course... that's some of the most fun math for VSLs and learning to do proofs is very important work, IMO.

 

Eta again (sorry, having random thoughts after re-reading your OP), on the reading angle, if the physical act of reading is still very tiring, I'd want to be sure to rule out developmental vision issues if you haven't already.  Problems with math details can also point toward the possibility of vision issues.