Attention problems and homeschooling?

Question

I have a 1st grade child who has a hard time with her attention span. I have visited drs. etc and do not need medical advice. However, I am wondering if anyone has had experience with homeschooling a child with an attention problem and whether they think it is helpful. In what ways? I think my daughter has a hard time paying attention when there are so many children and distractions around her in public school. We study at home and she does great, but then goes to school and fails her test because she has a hard time focusing there. I've talked to teachers there and last year they felt she had an attention problem as well. I've talked her new teacher as well. However, the problem still exists and I am trying to get educated from people who have experience in these matters. Thanks.

My child is well-disciplined and well-behaved...to you child abusers out there.

School doesnt offer any sort of support for her. Can not qualify for 504 plan on attention problem alone.

Not fond of medications, 186 children died last year from ADD related medications, so I'd like to exhaust all other efforts.

Yes, there is such a thing as attention problems and many children suffer from them. Unless you are serious and educated..please refrain from posting.

Does not have any hearing or sight problems, I have already had her checked out completely.

There is no lack of parenting here. I've taken my daughter to different drs., a counselor, had her vision and hearing tested, trying natural medication, work with her at least one hour a day one on one, and read 4 books on the topic. My child is very bright, very loving, and does not need to be beat because of her attention problem. If your solution in life is to spank those with disabilities to straighten them up, maybe you should have yourself checked out...and NEVER have children. There are some of the most ignorant responses on this important questions, and I realize thats why our country is in so much trouble...its ignorant parents who breed ignorant children. But, there are many great posts on here and I want to thank you all for your input on the matter. Best wishes to you!

Answer 1

I have a daughter that is exactly as you describe yours...mine is now 8. We pulled her out of public school this past year to homeschool her. It helped her by leaps and bounds!! And yes, our public school said that she "wasn't failing enough to help her" either. We had also taken her for numerous tests, down at our local Children's hospital. She had an evaluation by a school psychologist there, who told us she was a normal second grader, with no ADD or ADHD problems,as she is well behaved and sat still and was attentive to all he said and all the testing he did. He gave her an IQ test and said she was normal to above average for her age...though she was still struggling in school. He suggested further testing with and audiologist, a speech pathologist, etc. We did both. After all was said and done, she ended up being diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder. She has trouble focusing with noise around her or with "other activities" going on in her environment. It makes it hard for her to concentrate. So, we brought her home and let her use ear plugs if she wants or headphones (since we have two other younger kids at home too). She also uses a study carol around her. It helps too. We give her extra time and explain things out more to her, as just repeating it back doesn't mean that she processed it all. She doesn't have a "hearing problem" , as her hearing is perfect( we had it tested too). It's the way she processes what is heard. She can learn ways to cope with it, but will always have to deal with this no matter what grade she's in, which is why we refused to hold her back a grade as our public school wanted to do because of her struggles. But the one on one of homeschooling gives her an edge of getting things explained thoroughly and having time to finish her work without the pressure that public/conventional school puts on her.

We also had her eyes checked. Her eyesight is 20/20, but we took her to an optometrist on the advice of a fellow homeschooler since our daughter struggles with reading, math, and copying from the board,etc. This optometrist did special vision tests that a lot of regular eye doctors don't do. He tested for fixation, tracking, reversal frequency, visual memory, fine motor, visualization, vision analysis skills, auditory analysis skills, accomodative ability for both eyes, vergance ability of both her eyes to focus separately and together, and near-far-near ability to focus. Together, he found, her eyes are normal when it comes to eyesight (accomodative ability), but separate they are very weak, which makes it hard for her to focus on reading. She is also weak with far near far,which hinders both copying from the chalkboard or books and reading. So...she is now in visual therapy to help with all of this. It is helping already. You might want to look into it, even if your daughter has had a "typical" eye exam...(we did at Children's and they didn't do this type of testing). We are also getting her into programs for her auditory processing at Children's also. Homeschooling your daughter could help in ways you couldn't even imagine and boost her confidence in herself and her academics. Good luck. If you wish to email me, I'll answer any other questions you might have.

Answer 2

Just because a kid has trouble focusing while taking a test doesn't necessarily mean they have an attention problem. I think it is unfortunate that our school systems think that every child should learn within the same parameters as the other students and if they don't do so they have some serious, medication-needed problem. I am sure your daughter is absorbing the information she just doesn't do well with the type of tests they are giving.

Personally, I plan on homeschooling my children b/c of this way of thinking and other reasons. However, if you are going to homeschool you need to make sure that your child has an active social life. Involve them in sports, dance and community projects to teach them how to get along with all types of people and so they can make friends thier own age.

Good Luck! You are her mom you know what is best! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Answer 3

I think you should take her out of public school. If the kids are the distraction (which it seems like they are), she will do much better at home. If you need advice about homeschooling, I know a few websites. Just email me at [e-mail]. I have done much research on homeschooling and will be homeschooled myself for this upcoming school year.
It seems that the general concensus on this board is that "homeschoolers are weird and unsocial". That is totally untrue. 1. Homeschoolers are not weird. Homeschoolers are the same as kids that go to public school, they just don't spend 6 and a half hours sitting at a desk in a school building. 2. Homeschoolers are social. There are more opportunies to be social then just a school. There is Girl Scouts, sports, clubs offered through towns, and much more!
In my opinion, your daughter would do much better if she is homeschooled. I would try homeschooling out on a basis of "If she or I doesn't like it, I'll put her back in."

Answer 4

If you and your child make a better TEAM...then by all means, start homeschooling her now. If you wait, she will also start having other issues, because other kids will start picking on her or she will get bad grades, plus: low self-esteem, bullying problems, she'll feel different, and excluded.
It may be age-related, and as she matures in a loving environment, she will actually learn to pay attention for longer and longer time intervals. Just like everything else. You may want to get some assistance from a good counselor, who can show you how to train her "attention skills" or strategies on how to "block out" other stimuli.
Do not put her on drugs.
Do not tell her she is deficient, or has a problem.
Do not allow anyone to put a "label" on her.
Do not punish her when her mind wanders, gently guide her back to the focus point.
Love her, support her, encourage her and guide her, and you will see a difference in a short time. Also: the longer you can homeschool, the stronger she will become as a person.
Your bond/trust will grow.

Answer 5

I homeschool a first grader and a kindergartner and I have alot of fun and so do my kids.If you can homeschool for the sake of your kids benefit I would prefer it.My first grader loves being homeschooled last year I had a problem with him paying attention so I would give 5 minute breaks frequent and remind him if you hurry and lets get to a certain point it is your break time but so far this year he understands that we have a certain amount of things to get done threw out our day and he buckles down and gets it done.My kindergartner is 4 and she is very bright she does work for 20 minutes at a time in Math and then in Language and we have craft and science in the afternoon.Our family enjoys and recommends homeschooling we use Alpha Omega Lifepac and everything is planned for you and they have things for extra activities.Good Luck I would just work with her after all she does good with you,remember we are our child's only advocate.

Answer 6

My older son is gifted AND had attention problems, both in public school and in homeschool (frankly, I think he was more bored than distracted in the public school). One of his teachers (the year we took him out) was upset that he wouldn't fill in the little blanks on her paper. I suggested he knew the answers, but didn't want to waste his time writing them down - you'd have thought I suggested sending him on a deep space mission! She asked how was she supposed to show that he knew the answers if he didn't write it down! I suggested that she could ask him and then SHE could fill in the little blanks. She said she didn't have time to do this with all her students (like I was asking her to do it for ALL her students). If SHE'S not willing to fill in the blanks, why should she make him?

It took a couple years of homeschooling to "outgrow" his attention problems, but he's doing great now. He does have a set schedule (start by 8, etc.), but I let him decide the order of his subjects and he knows, the sooner he finishes, the sooner he gets his freedom (to watch TV, play GameBoy or computer, read, whatever HE decides).

We took him out halfway through second grade, thinking if we did nothing for the rest of the year, we could put him back in at the beginning of third with no harm done. That was almost 4 years ago and he has really excelled in homeschool - so much so, that we couldn't send him back now (he's too far ahead of his peers).

Not sure if this helps, but maybe it will give you some hope that she may outgrow this.

Answer 7

I must say first, i am a Mother who has homeschooled all of her children. I had to learn from trial and error. Now there are so many options to choose from. I would say you need to start with HSLDA website. They will guide you through what you as a parent should do and some options on the education of your child. The school that your child attended, I hope and pray that you leave that place and never look back. Just think of it as a stepping stone. The people from that District should be ashamed of things like this. When a parent is needing support they usually just look the other way. They don't want to get involved. What a shame!! Also for your childs education you might want to try Abeka. They have many, many options also for a child just like yours. Most of all, spend time with her and get know each other on a different level. Enjoy her life with you and she will respond in way you might not have seen in a while.

Answer 8

I am homeschooled and i do alot better homeschoold then in public school but i dont have a learning problem but alot of ppl i know who have gone to homeschool and have problems are doing great.You should try homeschooling and see if it works im now going into the 7th grade and doing almost 9th grade work and if she works really hard amybe she can gte ahead and graduate early!!

Answer 9

I would begin homeschoolingoing her. Check the laws for your state. There may be support for you because she is "special needs." Make sure when you homeschool that she does stuff outside the home too. Sports are very good for kids who hs. This gives them a good chance to workout and develop teamwork with others. Run a search of Yahoo groups for homeschooling. Support groups and coop programs in your area are very important.

On a side note: This board receives many posts that are particularly against homeschooling. They say homeschooling will deprive kids of social experiences. They say kids who enter public schools are "socially inadequate." They say parents aren't "qualified." Those are very likely the same people who ignore the drugs, sex, violence, and unbecoming language that has such a strong presence in the public school. They are the first to preach tolerance and all that stuff; but they are teaching social intolerance towards anyone who doesn't "fit inside the box." I could almost guarantee if citizenship was taught in schools kids who homeschool wouldn't be the "social retards" they have been called on these boards.

Only once have I seen a homeschooling situation go severely wrong. In my freshman year of college, there was a new student who was 14 years old. She had the academic ability to handle the work demanded by the university (I cool with anyone who can handle university level work at any age.). She was horribly immature in her behavior. She was homescholed in a rural home (I'm fine with that) but had no interactive contact with people until she was at the university. Her family didn't attend church (okay, that's fine). She was not involved with any youth groups such as Girl Scouts or sports leagues. The biggest factor against homeschooling working successfully can be complete isolation. Getting kids out for a few hours a week with other kids can really help kids. They learn to apply the good manners we teach them at home.

My son's best friends home school. In fact, he prefers to hang out with his friends who homeschool over those who don't as a result of the exposure to manners and attitudes he's not comfortable with.

Answer 10

IN homeschooling, use short lesson plans, do 15 minute lessons and then change to some physcial activity.

I worked with a special program in GA for children with all sorts of issues from attention issues, to what I called parent issues, we had special buses with drivers that actually had to wake up some students since thier parents could care less and had some with problems in only one class.

So we had them all come to our "one room class" some for only a hour or two a day and others for all day.

First we found with those that had attention issue, you don't keep thier areas very 'busy".
In a home school situation ifyou have space, use a spare bedroom and empty it out, bear except a dry erase board and a student desk ( we home school now and actually bought real school desk, to make it school like)

And then bring in only what you need for that class, you mute phone rings, no TV in the background and you eliminate distractions.

Next remember in a four hour day you can do more than a school in a full day.

Next everything can be a learning, laundry, you teach textures, colors. When you go grocrey shoping, you take twice as long but you go over sizes, prices, and so on.

You take trips to all sorts of activities.

Next see if they can get into a martial arts class if they like that sort of thing and you can afford it, it helps in thier mental training.

next some states and some school districts are very home school friendly, others are very hateful, So learn what your state law is.

Check out www.HSLDA.com (or .org) I forget

and on the medical side, you did not say where you live, but if your state allows Nathurpaths, or if not, read up on some of thier teachings, I had a step son who was medicated for years, but a mere (major) change in diet changed his entire personality and attention.

Answer 11

I took my daughter out of school for the exact reason you explained. she was being passed into 2nd unable to do 1st grade work. I home schooled her for 10 years and although it was a head to head struggle many days but she told me after she graduated (age 16) that she was glad I home schooled her. She went to a public school last year just for the experience and she is now 18 and has 2 high school diplomas and doing great. Home-school is not for everyone, you and your daughter will have to agree on the plan (or she WILL NOT learn from you no matter how many distractions are eliminated) Then prepare for the hard days and be thankful for the easier ones. You might try Alpha Omega as a curriculum. It is Christian, if that's not a problem, but it is also very well set up for both students and parents. it is also more affordable.