scrapbookbuzz Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 My dd is 15yo and a freshman in high school. She is in ONE outsourced class this year, because it just wasn't getting done at home, and it's enough to make me want to pull my hair out! Today isn't helpful, either, since it's that monthly time for her. Is anyone struggling with a teen Aspie's low self-esteem, who is greatly unmotivated, and may also be suffering from depression? And it's a full moon this week, which doesn't seem to be helping things. Tell me I'm not the only one dealing with this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 My oldest dd is an Aspie... We did basics-- Read (every day) English (she did better with grammar than with writing) Math (on her good days-- about 1 level every 2 years). IF we had time I added in history and science... it depended on her ability to focus THAT day. My dd graduated from college with honors-- but her highschool progression was not standard-- it was survivial! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 OK, Jann you have to tell us how you got your Aspie into college! Everyone else seems to have such a heavier courseload, etc. I wonder how we'll ever manage it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBJones Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Well, we're not to high school yet, but I have an Aspie, just like what you described. You're definitely not alone. I know what you mean about the hair pulling. (LOL--I have to laugh or I'd cry.) I wish you only the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 I 'graduated' dd when she was 19 -- an extra year of school. DD took the Compass test and went the community college route-- she was never going to pass the ACT or SAT. For high school English she read a few books and we discussed them. She wrote a few paragraphs (but they were good)-- longest thing I ever got out of her was a one page essay... still her skills were solid (other than spelling!). We used englishgrammar101 for grammar and editing. It was FREE and to the point. Short sweet lessons... just what she needed-- it also helped her prepare for the format of the compass grammar/punctuation section. She completed Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 in high school-- 2 years each. It took her FOREVER to get concepts. She made A's and B's on homework--but was never able to really complete a test. I watched her work most of the problems so I knew she understood the material. Because Algebra 2 was on her transcript they allowed her to take the next level of college maths --the only math credit she needed for her degree program. She aced the course. She BARELY passed her first college composition course-- but she did learn quite a bit. The classes her last year required 1000's of words each week in article descriptions and essays. Once she had a solid goal-- her degree-- her attention span really improved! (motivation and maturity). DD's degree is in photography-- she studied with some of the top names in the business. She DID have to take the other basics as well-- history, math, English, speech... I must admit I did keep her transcript BASIC -- English 1 A, English 1B, English 2A, English 2B , Algebra 1 A, Algebra 1 B, Algebra 2 A, Algebra 2 B... for history and science I put down 'survey' courses... Truthfully the CC just needed a transcript with a signature and graduation date. They did not look at the actual courses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Thank you, that helps a lot. I have been viewing the SAT/ACT as an obstacle that we will not be able to overcome. I appreciate seeing a plan in writing that has actually worked. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbookbuzz Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 Thank you, everyone, for your input! She is interested in a science field so math is essential. However, Algebra is proving to be a challenge. We may have to have her apprentice somewhere after high school so they can see her actual aptitude and not just an unreliable grade on paper. I value and appreciate any other input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Feel free to join the Parents of Teen Aspies social group - we talk about this kind of stuff all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbookbuzz Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 TechWife, where do I find that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3kidswild Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Yes, got one over here as well. DS is also 15. He's putting forth just enough effort to get it done and that is it. We're taking Easter week off so I'm hoping that will help. It has been a really bad winter here and thought maybe it was the winter blues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmamainva Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 We followed the same path with our Aspie son -- now age 19. We worked on reading and math only for all of elementary school -- we used Sonlight cores and BJU math -- if he popped into the kitchen to watch a science experiment, I was elated! He loved art so we always managed to get that covered. Around middle school I added in writing -- that was like pulling teeth at first! But then found IEW and that worked well for him. For high school, he discovered that he really loved history, especially government and politics, so that's what he focused on. We covered a little bit of world history, but mainly European history -- and he knows more American history than I do! We used Apologia for science -- he struggled with it but did okay -- we covered Biology & Chemistry -- he didn't have the math abilities to tackle the Physics text. We used Teaching Textbooks for math but he never made it past Geometry. We knew at that point that he was going to the community college and he could always find a professor to teach the higher math courses there. Well, long story short, he graduated from our home school last year and is in his 2nd semester at the community college. He's working on a degree in Information Systems Technology, with an emphasis on Network Security. And loving every minute of it!!! He has blossomed socially and doing better than we ever thought possible academically -- he made the Dean's List last Fall with straight A's!! :) I'm one proud mama! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 When my son was 15, he was a lot like your dd. He had very low self-esteem and felt bad about himself. He was unmotivated to work in his academic subjects. I had to sit with him and help him through every class. Thankfully, I had the time to do that. He's gotten better about it now. He's 17 and working pretty much independently. He's never had a full load, like 7 classes. He had 4 classes at a time until this fall when we added a 5th. It took him some getting used to, but he's managed to keep up with his classes. Because he had a part-time load, he was able to focus more on the subjects he did have. Also, I let him work at his own pace and he took a long time to do some of his subjects. I don't think he ever completed a course in a typical 36-week time frame. He may be 19 when he graduates, we'll just have to see how he handles his last 5 classes. He did take the SAT and did fairly well. He didn't do well on the writing portion at all though. We practiced the SAT using a prep book so he knew what to expect going in. The biggest thing that I think helped is that my dd15 took it as well. She was in the same room with him so he wasn't alone. He has no interest in ever doing it again though. If he didn't do well, I was going to have him take the COMPASS at the 2-year college. He doesn't like talking about the future. He doesn't want to go to college. He doesn't like his high school classes, but he's comfortable with homeschooling and the thought of doing something different makes him very uncomfortable. We do have him enrolled in one outside class where he can experience lectures, homework on a deadline, and exams/projects. It's been good for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 I don't frequent the high school board since my older son (who has Asperger's) is only 9, but I stumbled onto this post with a search. I need to print this out and hang it up for some perspective, lol! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 TechWife, where do I find that? I just sent you an invite to be sure you found us. You can find us by going to the top of the page, looking at the blue banner and selecting "social groups" and then looking at the directory. It is "Moms w/Teen Aspies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennipher Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 My DD is almost 14. I am so frustrated this year. I am pulling teeth to get her to do anything. I am really scared of high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedarling Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 My Aspie will soon be 17, and is finishing his sophmore year of high school (he'll *hopefully* graduate at 19.) He's way overloaded this year...he may finish half his credits, as he's just too slow to get through it all. I wish I had seen this plan before, as its much more like what he can really accomplish! He aced the community college placement test, though! Tested into pre-calc (even though he's still in Algebra 1). At 15 I finally got him diagnosed, as it was obvious he was not going to outgrow it, but he has really started to improve so much in the last 2 years! Socially, and even academically....he's now an A student if allowed to go at *his* pace. He has goals, now, though he didn't at 15! My dd13 is the one with depression, though she's not Aspie (though she is so like her brother in many ways!) Honestly, I was hoping by 15yo she might be coming out of this phase? We have reconciled ourselves to her having a sub-par education. We've made her schoolwork so minimal and easy that on a motivated day she can be done in 2 hours! It just seems to be what she can accomplish without meltdown. She has no goals...says she'll just get married (no plans for a career....just to own lots of animals.) She sees no point in furthering her education...so for her, getting her to do any schoolwork at all is an accomplishment. My plan is to get her to the point of community college acceptance, in case she changes her mind, and lots of life skills training in the stuff she does want to learn: sewing, gardening, etc. Maybe by finding interests she'll eventually be motivated academically? Anyway, I do have empathy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 What is COMPASS? I do not think Indiana has this one. We do not believe our HFA will be able to go to college. Maybe the CC route is a possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedarling Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 COMPASS is a community college placement exam. Some of our local colleges use it, and others use Accuplacer. My almost 17yo just took the accuplacer In order to do dual enrollment he had to test into English Composition 101, and his math score determines what math he is able to take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.