Homeschool World Forum

Be leaning more towards independant work? My daughter has been homeschooled for 4 years (starting in K and now in 4th). She still needs me to pretty much sit at her side for EVERYTHING!!!! She is ADD and spaces out regularly but she is taking meds to help (it is really noticeable when she forgets to take them!). In science we are using a Scott Foresman textbook. I have to read it to her and even then she can't answer an questions about what we've read. I will assure you that she absolutely CAN read. However, if I read the lesson it will take 30 minutes verses 4 hours. She can do spelling on her own for the most part, as well as a lot of her math. Everything else she needs me to sit with her for; grammar (including reading the problems), science, and culture studies.

I worked with my nephew a few years back who was taking a year break from public school. He was then in 5th grade and he did everything on his own. I assigned homework, answered questions, and graded his assignments. I didn't read anything to him (he was able to read his own directions). My daughter is my oldest so my history with my nephew is all the experience I really have to go on.

My main issue is that I have to have her work more on her own. I have 2 younger daughters who actually need my help, my middle one is in 2nd grade and is still conquering her reading skills and my youngest is in kindergarten and is brand new to anything book-wise. I can't spend 10 hours a day on school!!

Is there something better to use for science and social studies, maybe something video oriented? She learns really well as a visual learner. What can be done for grammar?

Please help!!

This is why we tend to go towards more hands on work. The q&a style of 'read this, answer this' doesn't work for my kid. He'll space out, and what he does answer doesn't mean anything except that he knew how to find the answers in the text. Whoop dee do. It's forgotten by the next day anyway.

Same subjects, same issues with us (10yo here, too). We just went in a different direction.



We're getting to where he's able to work independently on everything. I'm not too keen on giving up the direct contact with all the subjects, though, because I do think that no matter what age kids benefit from having a guide there to help when needed. We spend a lot more time outside of the academics working on independent skills. Cooking is great for that - he decides what to make, I sit back after going over the initial questions with him and just watch. When he needs help, I'm there, but the point is to get him confident enough to work on his own.
Chores, too. I don't spend my time nagging; there's just "done" or "not done" and if it's not done (or done right) all I say is "the chore isn't finished." He gets to draw on his mind and figure out what needs to happen - he's too big for me to tell him over and over.

When he does need to work alone with the academics I use the same idea. I go over it initially with him, have him set a time limit, and then go do my own thing.

"Okay, kid, what do you need to do for this? What materials do you need? How long do you think it'll take you? Sounds like you've got it figured out - I'm going to do laundry, but I'll come back when the timer goes off and we'll go over it then. Sound like a plan?"

If the timer goes off and little to nothing has been done, that's when we troubleshoot. If it's a game, eventually they get tired of still working on one piece when everyone's off doing other things. If it's a learning block, that's when you change what's not working.

I homeschooled four kids from 1989 - 2002. My older two needed a LOT of help, all the time. My younger two learned to work independently, because I was always busy with the older two! Unfair, sure. But the older two had gone to PS from K - 3, and just didnt' learn good skills. One was labeled "gifted" at school, but sounds a lot like your daughter. He might have been labeled ADHD if I had left him in PS. He would take 4 hours to complete a short assignment, unless I sat right there, nagging him. I'd get sooooo irritated!

What I learned that worked well with him, was never bore him. Never give him review work on stuff he knew. Break up the day, allowing play and exercise breaks. Sometimes I'd "bribe" him, with "if you can do these many pages on your own in this time frame (with a ticking timer, to keep him focused) then I will read the rest aloud for you".

For some review, I'd have him teach a younger sister stuff. That was great, because he was more focused, but not only did it help me, it also built strong relationships. He is STILL close to those younger sisters! And my kids are ages 21 - 29!

Have you read anything by Raymond and Dorothy Moore? I'd recommend "Homeschool Burnout" for their discussion on ADD and homeschooling. Many times children can function better without medication if they are given plenty of constructive activities to release their energy. My sister's middle son was on ADHD medication for many years, but if she had to do it over, she has said repeatedly that she would NOT medicate him. When he was 18 and wanted to go in the army, he could not be on medication. They stopped the drugs, some of his other behavior issues disappeared, and he excelled at boot camp. Of course, how you chose to deal with your child's condition is entirely your decision, I just thought that you might want to read about some alternatives.

Have you tried breaking up learning with exercise. I had a friend who's child sounded very similar but responded well with shorter bursts of intense learning with revision while exercising. Worth a try...

Mine weren't working alone until about the 8th. grade

It sounds like your daughter would really benefit from some "hands on" activities for learning science and social studies. These would keep her attention, be fun for her and not seem as boring as a textbook.

Maybe you could buy some cheap/used science kits and try to do some fun things for social studies such as dressing up, cooking projects, etc. She will remember what she learns from these "hands on" projects more so than what she would read in a textbook. She might even be able to do these things independently if they come with instructions.

Charlotte Mason has a list you can find on www.amblesideonline.org that gives an idea of what a child should know by age 6 and age 12.