First time home schooler, need advice.?

Question

My son has Adhd and ODD. he is 8 yrs old and still cannot read and write. we have dcided to part homeschool him, 3 days at home and 2 days at school. What need help with is working out what to teach him each day.

how many hours a day should i be working with him?
how many diferent subjects should i be covering each day (or week)?

i also have 2 other children, 1 in grade 4 and the youngest to start school next yr. so i would like to include then in some things so they dont feel left out.

Thanks

Im from Cranbourne, vic. part homeschooling isnt the norm. i am only able to do it with the approval and support of the school.

Answer 1

First of all, you are going to get alot of advice but you need to find something that works for you!

Is your son on medication? If so, then it won't kick in sometimes until an hour after taken. My daughter, age 9, is ADD and my son, age 12, ADHD and I have found that they need different ways of learning. My daughter is more hands on and my son is more "just tell me what I need to do so I can be done for today!" So what I have done in the past is give him a list of what I want him to accomplish for the next day then let him be. I don't care if he does it at 10 am or 6pm just so long as it's completed by the end of the day. You see, homeschooling doesn't have to be done between 8-3pm. Now for my daughter we don't even try to begin any schoolwork with her until about 10 or 11 because her brain just doesn't function before then and her medicine doesn't fully kick in until about a half hour after taken. Something else...make your son's learning fun for him. If he's interested in trains then do your work around trains. Have him find out information about different trains and how they work. If he's just learning to read then get him books about trains and help him read them. Eventually he will be reading them to you. Make sure you have him tested to see what reading level he's on. Just because he's in 3rd grade doesn't mean he's reading on a 3rd grade level. Also he might just need a little encouragement that he's not receiving in the school environment, it's hard for teachers to have one on one when they have 20 other students. There are many different activities you can do to include your other children. If you need more help just email me [e-mail] and put in yahooanswers and I'll know it's not spam and help you the best I can. Just do me a favor and don't let the school discourage you! The school system told me that my 8 year old was mentally handicap and uncapable of learning. Well, she is now going into the 4th grade and loves learning at home! It takes a lot of time and patience on your part but you can make it work....don't give up on him because without you there's noone to guide him! Good luck to you and email me if you need help.

http://add.about.com/cs/education/a/learning.htm

This is a great site for ideas:
http://www.incrediblehorizons.com/classroom.htm

Answer 2

To help him read since he has adhd you might cover the words below the sentence your reading with a sheet of paper or somthing.

you can do 2 things with the scooling part- 1 do a little of each subject a day or 2 do only one subject at a time but do a little bit more.

i would suggest the first one so he doesnt forget the stuff hes already learn when hes on another subject. also take breaks in between.

i usually work on homework 3 hours a day but then again i'm homeschooling in high shcool so it probably wouldnt be that much for your son.

hope this helps!

Answer 3

I have no ADHD or ODD but I didn't really start to read till I was 12! Now phonetically I COULD read at about 10 but at 8 forget it!

My mom home schooled me on and off in elementary school and I was home schooled all of middle and High school. Honestly we where very very relaxed on curriculum in high school, I had a part-time job from the time I was 13 and at about 15 was basically allowed to learn what I wanted. I got my GED without any real effort and will graduate from paramedic school this August.

Just let your kids follow there interests they WILL learn and will be passionate and retain that learning because it means something to them.

I am very thankful I was allowed to be myself and develop as a whole person outside of formal education. Oh and by the way once I hit about 14 I became an avid reader.

Answer 4

So much depends, really, on your educational philosophies, on what works for you and your son, on your state's requirements, etc. Just remember it's going to take some time to learn about homeschooling and get used to working together. Don't over-stress yourself at first by jumping in with two feet to a full school-like program, it's just too much pressure and unnecessary. Try a few things-- visit the library, read together, print out some worksheets from the computer, play some educational games, browse some museums and zoos, take some time to breathe. Feel your way into it and build on what works little by little. Allow yourself the time for an easy transition, you'll find your stride much more quickly and without the frustration and burn-out that can occur from jumping into the deep end.

MSB

Answer 5

Short lessons sound like the name of the game!

20 minutes per subject or less if he really starts to wander. Truly you can cover all school in about 2-3 hours and then let him play with legos, etc.

Don't beleive me? Well I sat down and figured out high school subjects for my girls -- you can earn 1 credit in English on 30-45 minutes a day and that's high school!

As long as you cover reading, writing, and math you're good. Maybe spelling. Do science once or twice a week if you like -- at this age that means a walk outside to discuss the weather, any animals you see, collect pinecones, etc.

This is fine for your other kiddos too!

Answer 6

I have this terrible habit of asking a question of the question...but...where do you live?
Have you checked the laws on this part time home school?
Sorry to be nosey, but this is something interesting and new to me.