I'm doing the right thing...right?

[seemesew]

My 3rd kid has been doing Saxon 8/7 this year and has done Saxon for years. This year has been a struggle and I feel like because of his autism there are some gaps because of the way he understands things. Anyways, he has been offered to do a pilot program for a math company that I truly LOVE and feel like it will greatly benefit him. The problem and only con I'm trying to let go of, is doing a Prealgebra program in 9th and due to the nature of the program he won't be able to speed through and "catch up". The Pro's are I really think this program will help him more than any other we have used for him and I really think even if he does prealgebra again he will have a better foundation for Algebra in 10th.

Tell me I'm doing the right thing by "holding him back". Well, I guess not really because he would need to redo the 8/7 or go to Algebra 1/2 anyways.

[Jean in Newcastle]

You’re doing the right thing. Btw- my extremely gifted son on the spectrum did five years of high school because he needed some extra time for social skills and the finish up two subjects to my standards . Only four years showed on his transcript and he transitioned very easily to college. 

[seemesew]

9 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

You’re doing the right thing. Btw- my extremely gifted son on the spectrum did five years of high school because he needed some extra time for social skills and the finish up two subjects to my standards . Only four years showed on his transcript and he transitioned very easily to college. 

 

That is reassuring to hear!

[8filltheheart]

I agree that it is the right choice if you believe he needs the additional skills.

FWIW, from my hindsight perspective, nothing academic matters compared to the ability to function.  So I would even go so far as to say to make academics less priority than life skills.  When my ds was that age I got furious with his therapist who told me that all the education in the world wouldn't matter if ds couldn't hold a job.  Our ds has a very high IQ and never had a single problem with academics.  Life skills and healthy functioning, otoh, are still struggles and he is now 31.  Academics are truly just not as important.

[seemesew]

Just now, 8filltheheart said:

I agree that it is the right choice if you believe he needs the additional skills.

FWIW, from my hindsight perspective, nothing academic matters compared to the ability to function.  So I would even go so far as to say to make academics less priority than life skills.  When my ds was that age I got furious with his therapist who told me that all the education in the world wouldn't matter if ds couldn't hold a job.  Our ds has a very high IQ and never had a single problem with academics.  Life skills and healthy functioning, otoh, are still struggles and he is now 31.  Academics are truly just not as important.

This is great advice and something I think about often. He is doing better with life skills this year but it is definitely something he needs more practice with than your average child, which is another reason I think another year of PreAlgebra would be good for him that way he can focus on some other things he needs to this year.

[Ellie]

On 6/2/2023 at 5:09 PM, seemesew said:

My 3rd kid has been doing Saxon 8/7 this year and has done Saxon for years. This year has been a struggle and I feel like because of his autism there are some gaps because of the way he understands things. Anyways, he has been offered to do a pilot program for a math company that I truly LOVE and feel like it will greatly benefit him. The problem and only con I'm trying to let go of, is doing a Prealgebra program in 9th and due to the nature of the program he won't be able to speed through and "catch up". The Pro's are I really think this program will help him more than any other we have used for him and I really think even if he does prealgebra again he will have a better foundation for Algebra in 10th.

Tell me I'm doing the right thing by "holding him back". Well, I guess not really because he would need to redo the 8/7 or go to Algebra 1/2 anyways.

Oh, I would not have him do Alg. 1/2 instead of Math 87 if you think he needs a repeat. If anything, do Math 87 again, making sure he does *all the problems* in every problem set.

I have no opinion about doing the pilot program, except to point out that "prealgebra" is relatively new. Back when I was in school eons ago, it was basic math in 8th or 9th, followed by algebra (for those who were going to do algebra). In fact, I did business math in 9th.

[Not_a_Number]

I’d do the pilot program, but then I’m not a fan of Saxon.

If it’s not too off-topic, how’s your Aspie son doing, @8filltheheart?

[Porridge]

On 6/2/2023 at 3:54 PM, 8filltheheart said:

I agree that it is the right choice if you believe he needs the additional skills.

FWIW, from my hindsight perspective, nothing academic matters compared to the ability to function.  So I would even go so far as to say to make academics less priority than life skills.  When my ds was that age I got furious with his therapist who told me that all the education in the world wouldn't matter if ds couldn't hold a job.  Our ds has a very high IQ and never had a single problem with academics.  Life skills and healthy functioning, otoh, are still struggles and he is now 31.  Academics are truly just not as important.

My mom told me this but I was insecure so it took me awhile to wrap my head around it. We moved my very bright DS to an easier math program this past year and it was one of the best things we could have done.  It gave him a real boost in confidence and gave us space us to address the non academic issues.

Edited June 10, 2023 by Porridge

[Lecka]

I would say it’s more Covid related than anything else, but my son is going to take Pre-Calculus and Trigonometry as his college Freshman math class.  And it’s going to be okay!  It is what it is.  
 

I would have found this totally unacceptable previously, but now I think it’s going to be okay, it is okay.

 

Locally a lot of kids his age have just dropped out of any math or science path, so I would rather have him be a year behind in math than that.

 

So if your son is on track to complete Algebra II, I have looked at the ramifications for my son’s intended college major.  And there are ramifications, but they are not dire, gloom and doom ramifications.  
 

In fact I think he’s going to do well.  
 

Edit:  and there are also ways my son “could” still start in Calculus instead of Pre-Calculus and Trigonometry, but we don’t think it’s the right choice for him.  
 

Where we live, too, Algebra II is the prerequisite needed for College Algebra, which is the only math class needed for quite a few majors at the local university.  
 

Separately, there are options to take Geometry and Algebra II at the same time, and options to take summer school.  These are options if it becomes clear later, your son wants to complete Pre-Calculus in high school to take Calculus as a freshman.  
 

Locally also — it is really the case, a lot of students dropped out of a “math and science track” during Covid.  A lot of students got behind in math during Covid.  
 

I can’t change the past so I have the option of making the best of it or thinking it’s gloom and doom and ruining his life.  But that just does not seem like it’s the case.  
 

In fact at this point, I feel like if this is the worst thing that happens because of Covid, it’s a huge win and we are getting off easy.

 

And, it’s really okay with my son.  He’s like — willing to take 5 years to graduate, willing to take summer school in the future, etc. He doesn’t think it’s the end of the world.  He is very aware a lot of his cohort have quit, and then yes plenty of kids have stayed steady, and that is great for them, but it’s not his story, and that’s okay.  He did have a harder time with Covid and that is just the situation.  

Edited June 10, 2023 by Lecka