7th, throw things at him and hope something sticks?

[Janeway]

Science, History, and literature. This is my extremely strong willed child, I have had to drag him through what we have done. He does very little and needs a lot of supervision. Testing revealed that he is very intelligent, 99th percentile. So I need to revamp my ways.

We are set for vocabulary, math, grammar, and writing. But, as far as science, history, and literature go, we have nothing. But, I do have a bunch of Henty CDs for the car, and the remainder of the SOTW CDs, Lots of shows on Netflix and Amazon. Also have Cornerstones music history CDs, Do you think I should leave it at this or try to add something else in? I still there this is some undiagnosed issue with him so I am
Trying to be completely outside of the box with him.

Edited May 8, 2016 by Janeway

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

I could do something like that (though I would add a lot of books) with my oldest and she would learn a ton.  She is a voracious reader and she will read almost anything that we allow her to.  She also has an incredible memory (if she's interested).  Could you add a basket of books from the library each week?  Not that they are assigned per say, just to choose from as he wishes.

[KSinNS]

Lots of books, talk about them, let him pick. Is he ready for adult-level books? The booklist in Norms and Nobility is both very boy friendly and challenging. The Churchill history book (history of the English Speaking Peoples) is a great read, and gory enough to appeal to that age. I haven't read all the others yet, but they look like fun.

[8filltheheart]

I wonder if his low interest and reluctance are due to boredom. How would he respond to designing his own courses with your help? Let him choose areas he wants to learn more about and select appropriate level titles. (I definitely would not use Henty. One of my bright kids said in 3rd or 4th, "His stories are all the same. He just changes locations.")

 

I have had kids read a variety of different things in middle school, everything from epic poetry (Iliad and Odyssey, Marmion, Lady of the Lake, Paradise Lost) to novels like Northwest Passage. My current 8th grader is reading Le Morte d'Arthur with my 11th grader and me. She has decided it was the original screenplay for Monty Python's In Search of the Holy Grail. ;)

[Janeway]

Terrible. We already tried that. I am sure if we had him evaluated, he would be diagnosed with ODD.

[8filltheheart]

Terrible. We already tried that. I am sure if we had him evaluated, he would be diagnosed with ODD.

Then wo him on board, I'm not sure how your OP will be successful, either.

[Bocky]

You have a lot on your plate. I wonder if you have considered some version of brick and mortar school for your ds? I had a strong-willed, not very motivated 7th grader who required a lot of hand-holding; not with the difficulty-level of the work but with the motivation to do it. Nothing really helped except sitting with her each and every lesson. She went to public school this year for 8th, and though it has not been all sunshine and roses, it has been a much better year for her - and also for the rest of the family.

[almondbutterandjelly]

How does he learn best?  That will help us make suggestions.

[Janeway]

How does he learn best?  That will help us make suggestions.

He loves watching those shows. He is quite intelligent, so I want to keep things out of the box and "baby step" him in to being ready for college by the time it gets here. I was going to say ready for high school, LOL, but I think I may need more time. He seems to enjoy apps, and the documentaries and even the books on tape. 

[Janeway]

But, I think I have things set, I was just wondering if, for 7th grade, to continue with the documentaries and books on tape and such, no formal textbooks or anything, for those 3 subjects, literature, science, and history.

[almondbutterandjelly]

In that case, yes, I think you are fine.