Anyone have any experience with Homeschooling? ADHD/ LD?

[Kimber Scott]

I'm contemplating homeschooling my 15 year old ADHD/LD son. I'd like to hear from anybody who's had any experience in this area. I feel like we've been trying to put a square peg in a round hole with him for the last 10 years and it's time to do something different.

[Nite Owl]

1. I homeschooled both of my sons

and both my husband and myself were teachers. They never went to school until college. I taught art to LD kids and I always had the feeling that LD really meant Learn Differently. The Disabled part comes a lot form the system that wants to teach all kids the same way, and as you say some are round pegs. When they don't fit in with the prescribed way of teaching they have to have the label to explain it all. He probally will do well at home. Let him learn through what interests him. A rigid curriculum isn't going to work. Science can be learned in the field. Math can learned in daily problem solving etc. There are a lot of programs for the computer to learn. Find out what avenue he wants, it doesn't have to be a text book. Children want to learn. Google John Holt and see if they have any books on the subject. He was a leader in the 'movenment' before it became a fundie thing to do. There used to be a newsletter they had and there were lots of similar minded people to talk to. This was a long time ago so I don't know if it still exists.

[Kimber Scott]

3. Thank you for the encouragement.

I will Google John Holt. I've been reading online all night about this and the more I read, the more I feel it's the right thing. Thanks, again!

[Nite Owl]

7. To add to your reading

don't forget to see what your state laws are. NY requires that you send in a curriculum and quarterly reports. I never did those and they never bothered me. One way that may be around that is to enroll in a correspondence school. We used Keystone National HS for my youngest. Books were very good. They had some nice courses and we didn't worry about the degree they jut got a GED and moved onto college.
What does your son want to do?
If you have any questions that I can answer feel free to email me anytime.

[Kimber Scott]

9. We're working on the what he wants to do part. He won't say.

He's shown an interest in photography and sculpture and he's very good at working with children. Kids love him.

We live in AZ and the law is pretty simple. You have to send in an affidavit with the child's birth certificate stating you are homeschooling. You're not required to submit any records to the state and there is no testing. I believe a GED is the only option as far as certification goes.

There is one interesting thing I found in the statutes that requires the school system he is assigned to, to provide LD services just as they would if he were at school. I'm going to do a little further digging into this to see how that works and what it entails.

We have an IEP meeting Monday. He's been in school just over a month and he's already been suspended, off campus, for 10 days of it. Augh!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

2. "The Indigo Children"........

http://www.indigochild.com/index.html

http://kryon.com/k_37.html

The Indigo Child is a boy or girl who displays a new and unusual set of psychological attributes, revealing a pattern of behavior generally undocumented before. This pattern has singularly unique factors that call for parents and teachers to change their treatment and upbringing of these kids to assist them in achieving balance and harmony in their lives, and to help them avoid frustration.

In this groudbreaking book, Lee and Jan answer many of the often-puzzling questions surrounding Indigo Children.

1. Can we really be seeing human evolution in kids today?
2. Are these kids smarter than we were at their age?
3. How come a lot of our children today seem to be "system busters"?
4. Why are so many of our brightest kids being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)?
5. Are there proven working alternatives to Ritalin

Throughout this work, they bring together some very fine minds (doctors, educators, psychologists, and more) who shed light on the Indigo Child phenomenon. These children are truly special, representing a great percentage of all the kids being born today on a worldwide basis. They come in "knowing" who they are - so they must be recognized, celebrated for their exceptional qualities, and guided with love and care.

This book is a MUST for the parents of unusually bright and active children!





http://www.indigochild.com/

[Kimber Scott]

4. Oh my God! When my son was born I always felt he was an "old soul."

Like he already knew much more than he should - not academically, but realistically. He knows who he is and I know he feels confused because he doesn't fit into the mold. Man, the answers are coming at lightning speed! Thank you. Thank you.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

5. you're welcome and i felt the same way when my son was born and i saw it

in his ancient eyes and felt it in my soul too

What is an indigo Child?
As a summary, here are the ten attributes that best describe this new kind of child, the Indigo Child (named by those who predicted it).
They come into the world with a feeling of royalty (and often act like it)

They have a feeling of "deserving to be here," and are surprised when others don't share that.
Self-worth is not a big issue. They often tell the parents "who they are."
They have difficulty with absolute authority (authority without explanation or choice).

They simply will not do certain things; for example, waiting in line is difficult for them.

They get frustrated with systems that are ritually oriented and don't require creative thought.

They often see better ways of doing things, both at home and in school, which makes them seem like "system busters" (nonconforming to any system).

They seem antisocial unless they are with their own kind. If there are no others of like consciousness around them, they often turn inward, feeling like no other human understands them. School is often extremely difficult for them socially.

They will not respond to "guilt" discipline ("Wait till your father gets home and finds out what you did").

They are not shy in letting you know what they need.

[Nite Owl]

8. I've got to get that book.

My oldest son fits that description. He's his own person and always has been.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

6. homeschooling Indigo Children links

HOME SCHOOLING! Many of you have endorsed homeschooling as a viable alternative for anything you would see below. We agree! Not all can do this, however, but if you are interested, start here: http://www.midnightbeach.com/hs/.
There are also many homeschooling magazines available. Just go to http://www.google.com and type in "homeschooling magazines."
http://www.waldorfhomeschoolers.com for Waldorf inspired homeschooling
http://www.washtpa.org/ Washington Homeschooling Support Group
http://www.alternative-learning.org Alternate Learning organization, featuring Homeschooling
http://www.tchers.net/ The Caribbean Center of Home Education Resources

[2Design]

10. book to read that helped me realize why school was so hard for

me was

AdD success stories - This is about the creative and genius side of kids who can't sit still in classe and learn the standard way. When I was working in a middle school about 10 years ago, I realized that schooling must have been devastating for me. I hate authority and mindless rules.

And I can't sit listening to some one talk and get it. I don't learn auditorially. More kinesisthetic and visual and then auditory.

here is a link to book on amazon
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1887424032/qid=1096093646/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-5791409-8672833

sound like the idigo child is along the same lines.

I hate to see so many kids on ridlin. It is a drug.
Better if we learn how to cope in a world where we are round pegs and all the holes are square.

I don't know if would be diagnosed as ADD but after I had a vertigo ear problem, things changed and later I had someone say I had characteristics of ADD and recommended that book. Made a BIG difference to me to see all the ways I fit his description of the hunter versus the gatherer. Those are the types who can go to school and sit all day or go to an office and sit in a cubicle.

I have to be out and about.

[Kimber Scott]

11. Thank you. I think what I'm learning the most from all of this is we

don't HAVE to keep riding on the assembly line. What a concept!

[2Design]

12. actually I think as a home schooler you have options of taking

a class or two at the high school and sometimes at the college level

so maybe there are classes he like and can take those in school - check it all out

a friend of mine home schooled their daughter