public school or homeschool?

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FantasyFairy Joined: Jul 18, 2007 Posts: 1 Other Topics	Posted Jul 18, 2007 at 7:56:35 PM Subject: public school or homeschool? My son is 17 and entering the 11th grade this year. He has "unspecified learning disabilities" he was tested in the 5th grade. Now entering the 11 grade, he is on an 7th & 8th grade level in math & english. But has A & Bs in most classes. I dont think he is improving & i am considering homeschool for the fall. I want to do what is best for him, i dont want to do more harm than good. I dont want him to lose any credits and be unable to go to college. I dont know that he would pass the entrance exams anyways due to his level . My fear is that i withdraw him, homeschool, if it doesnt work out & he returns to school, could they retest him & put him in a lower grade? i dont want to make things worse-- any suggestions?
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scifinut Joined Jul 11, 2005 Posts: 550 Other Topics	Posted:Jul 18, 2007 9:49:11 PM Subject:public school or homeschool? There are a lot of options for school AND college. Its time to do some research. :) Part of it would be looking at what he needs to work on, what he could get in each setting and what would most meet his needs. The other part is to look at options for a GED or a High School Completion program at the community college. There are also online classes that could be helpful for him. What are HIS goals? What does he want to do after school? Is he interested in a trade? Remember that not everyone goes to college. Also, just because someone is doing poorly in HS doesn't mean they won't do better in college. Talk to your son and involve him in the decision. Good luck! scifinut mom to: ms 16, bp/adhd/anxiety/complex ld mr. 20, add/dyslexic I hear and I forget I see and I remember I do and I understand. -Anonymous
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Kathryn Joined Oct 02, 2006 Posts: 172 Other Topics	Posted:Jul 19, 2007 11:45:49 AM Subject:Re: public school or homeschool? It sounds as if math is his main problem. My sister is in college (after taking 10 years off) and she has a math LD. Maybe discalculia? Not sure. Anyway, she takes the very basic of math classes in college, but is normal in every other subject. The ironic thing is that I majored in Math in college!! LOL!! Anyway, back to your son, I am learning that there is LOTS of help for college students just like any other school. Check out some college websites to get an idea and see the special resources they have for students with LDs. It's pretty amazing. And like the other post, does he even want to go to college? If he does then I'm sure he will get whatever help he needs. Be sure to let him know that he can get help in college as well so he doesn't fear that it is a mountain he cannot climb. And to me, the great thing about college is that you can take your time. Just take a few classes at a time. It's not like HS where he has to be enrolled full time. I always question whether my dd will even want to go to college since she too has an LD. I figure why would she want to sign up for more of the same of something that is difficult? But you never know. If she has an area where she excels then she will have a niche and do just fine and so will your son. As to homeschooling, I know nothing about it. If it's just math where he struggles, then what about a math tutor or an educational therapist of some kind to work on his math abilities. My dd struggles to learn her addition facts (she just finished 2nd grade) and I'm realizing now that she is not visualizing. So, yesterday when I asked her what 2+1 was she did not know. So, I asked her to picture 2 ice cubes, so she closed her eyes and saw 2 ice cubes, then I said, keep your eyes closed, now here comes another one. How many do you see now? And she said "3"!!! So, it's not just "math" that is hard, but the underlying skills involved in learning it and understanding it. Can you homeschool part time? Can he take regular English, history, etc.... and then homeschool for math or whatever subject he struggles? Kathryn
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Fun2LearnHomeschoolMom Joined Aug 31, 2007 Posts: 10 Other Topics	Posted:Aug 31, 2007 11:14:35 PM Subject:Re: public school or homeschool? Hi, as you can tell from my user name, I homeschool my (2) children. I just wanted to suggest that you check out www.HSLDA.org, the web site of the Home School Legal Defense Association. They have lots of articles not only on getting started in homeschooling, but also on homeschooling "The Struggling Learner". I think that you need to check with your local school district about re-entry requirements as it varies from state to state and from highschool to highschool. I know that in our school district, if you want to get credit for any homeschool highschool courses you completed before you entered highschool you are required to take the final exam given at that school for that course!! This is really ridiculous, in my opinion, as it makes it very difficult for homeschoolers unless they used the same text books, read the same literature books, etc. Your district might not be as strict. (I do know of kids who have successfully passed them, however.) By the way, a homeschooled graduate usually has no trouble getting accepted into college if the SAT scores are good. I know of homeschooled highschoolers who are actually getting pursued by colleges! If you do homeschool DON'T have him get a GED!!!!! GED's have a stigma with both the military, colleges, and employers that homeschooled diplomas don't necessarily have. Hope this helps.
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Aly Joined Aug 01, 2006 Posts: 74 Other Topics	Posted:Sep 02, 2007 9:40:50 AM Subject:public school or homeschool? I would not worry about having him put in a lower grade due to a re-test. In fact, since he has an LD that is "unspecified", you might request that they do a thorough testing so that they can know what is really going on. That may drive changes in his IEP if you choose to keep him in public school, or help guide you in homeschooling him full or part time. You may also consider keeping him in public school but hiring a tutor to suppliment his education on his weakest learning issues. "Never give up, never surrender" -Galaxy Quest “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity” -Albert Einstein “Be not afraid of growing slowly; Be afraid only of standing still” -Chinese proverb
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public school or homeschool?