Hi all, Just this morning I posted all the things I'm covering with Ls. Then I got to thinking can we do it? Can I do it? I'd like to think I offer fun and interesting activities but Ls seems to be bored out of his tree with all the things we're doing. (especially any time he has to write, or show his work, or open a book) So far he really likes field trips, watching movies, showing me his lizards, dirtbikes, 4 wheelers etc. I think there may be a bit of a power struggle going on, too. As in, he always gets his way with his parents so why not with me, too? He's not a bad kid though. Maybe I'm just having problems relating to a 12 yo boy? We get through lessons ok, but he seems to lose sight of the main ideas very quickly. Once we had been doing a geography scavenger hunt (finding things on maps...) when we were done he looked at me totally blank faced and said "Where does this go?". Did I really have to tell him - in his geography binder!?! I guess I need some help, tips maybe, to get him and even myself motivated on those days when I don't feel like I'm teaching him anything. Like today... arrggg. Thanks for this forum!
Take those things that he is interested in and find books on them. You can teach Language Arts by using them. Example: Read a paragraph and let him tell you the parts of speech. Let him look up those things using the encyclopedia. Write a brief summery of what it says. Do some internet searches on topics. Give him some topics (not necessarily the ones he likes) and tell him to do research on them. He is at an age that likes to be in control. You can't let him. I have had the same type of things happening with my dd (13). I have talked to different people that have homeschooled this age, and the above advise was what each one said. My cousin, homeschools her 8 :shock: children, gave me the best advise. She said, "You are the teacher, not them." "You give the projects that need to be done, and set a day that they are due." "Do not back down from it, or you will find yourself doing this often." " Set time limits on work that has to be turned in that day, if not you will never get it." These have been the motto for her homeschool from the beginning. She has never used a set curriculum. She has 2 in college and one that will be there next year. They have been homeschooled all their lives. She has 5 boys (11, 13, 15, 17, 21) and 3 girls (9,16,19). The 9, 11, & 15 year old have add and adhd. They all seem to have no problem doing their work. Even the three with add and adhd were doing their work and getting something out of it. So her motto must work. And I find it hard to homeschool 2.
I think she is hired to teach him. I would try to look up something that interests him like dirt bikes. Find out who made the first one and how far was the first race and give him some things to look up. Make him write on it. Make him make up a journal entry about himself on a dirt bike, etc.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF TEACHING!!! It's like that in the "real" classroom, too, only multiplied by 20. You will have days like this. Sometimes you will have MANY days like this, but then something will click, you'll see it on his face, and it will make it all worth while. Hold on to that memory, because you'll need it to get through the NEXT dry spell.
Thank you! My head was so mixed up that day. I know there will be days like that and even just moments in time. I'm getting better at dealing with them. Sometimes my frustration comes from the huge sense of isolation I feel in this job. Some days are better than others, that's for sure. Like today. Ls wants to learn to draw. I have no idea how to! And I've taken art courses. Well.... we got some supplies and books from the library and we both sketched a funnel cloud off in the distance of a field. We had a blast and it was such a learning experience for both of us!
"Drawing for the right side of the brain" (or is it left? I forget...) Anyways that book is really cool. It's not Ment to be a text book but it makes it so anyone can feel like they can draw well.
My sis is a special ed teacher. She used to give them a list of things to do. She let them pick who they were reporting on.Which assignment to do first, She let them research a project and then they would be news casters on the Wacky World News reports.Sometimes she was the reporter interviewing Abe Lincoln, Socrates or Cleopatra.
drawing on the right/left side of the brain(i can't recall if it was right or left now either). i had to use that book in college. it was a wonderful book to learn from. i recommend it strongly. very interesting things.. very
