Heather
03-21-2005, 02:12 PM
Little background here... I considered homeschooling Angela this year... but decided to give public school another shot... :banghead
Well, she is quite behind at school and struggles with the environment and the learning methods. The school system tested her and I also had some private testing done. Most of the areas on her IQ test were average, some were below normal and a few were at the top of the charts. The school decided to send her to a resourse classroom for an hour a day for more individualized learning. She has progressed quite a bit since they started this... but still seems to learn nothing while in her regular classroom. We spend over 3 hours nightly doing homework... where I am essentially teaching her what she didn't learn in school. In the process the school system also diagnosed her as having Aspergers, which I didn't entirely agree with.
Well, after waiting for almost a year, we finally got her in with a developmental pediatrician at our local children's hospital. After looking at all the testing scores he said that in his opinion, if she is not learning, it is their fault not hers. He was outraged that they want to hold her back this year. He said that I should confront her teacher about holding her back, and to show her scores to them and flatly tell them that it is their fault, not hers. Seriously at one time, her teacher said "There is nothing I can do to help her, I don't understand her." So far I have gotten two letters from the school asking me to agree that she needs to be held back in 2nd grade. I have refused to sign them.
So, luckilly my mom was there, because her and my father think it is silly to consider homeschooling. They always give the "socialization" defense. Well, I asked the doctor about Homeschool and he said that if they plan to keep her in 2nd grade that I should homeschool her. He even said that is basically what I am doing now having to do homework for 3 hours each night. I also asked him his opinion on homeschooling and socialization - he flatly told my Mom that that was the worst argument against homeschool. He told her that public school is only ONE of millions of ways to socialize, and probably the worst of all of them.
In the end, he applauded me for being a stubborn mom and fighting for DD. He also said that he would never diagnose Angela as having Aspergers, he said that she is perhaps a bit different, but he also said that is a good thing. He did mention that she may have a bit of OCD.
All in all I have decided to go ahead with homeschooling Angela next year, however... if they for some reason change their mind and decide to promote her to 3rd grade I may reconsider. But that is very doubtful.
I'm not planning on homeschooling Holden just yet. He is very advanced for a Kindergartener, and LOVES school. He seems to thrive there, so why mess with something that works... Right?
So, what do you ladies think... am I making the right decision?
Well, she is quite behind at school and struggles with the environment and the learning methods. The school system tested her and I also had some private testing done. Most of the areas on her IQ test were average, some were below normal and a few were at the top of the charts. The school decided to send her to a resourse classroom for an hour a day for more individualized learning. She has progressed quite a bit since they started this... but still seems to learn nothing while in her regular classroom. We spend over 3 hours nightly doing homework... where I am essentially teaching her what she didn't learn in school. In the process the school system also diagnosed her as having Aspergers, which I didn't entirely agree with.
Well, after waiting for almost a year, we finally got her in with a developmental pediatrician at our local children's hospital. After looking at all the testing scores he said that in his opinion, if she is not learning, it is their fault not hers. He was outraged that they want to hold her back this year. He said that I should confront her teacher about holding her back, and to show her scores to them and flatly tell them that it is their fault, not hers. Seriously at one time, her teacher said "There is nothing I can do to help her, I don't understand her." So far I have gotten two letters from the school asking me to agree that she needs to be held back in 2nd grade. I have refused to sign them.
So, luckilly my mom was there, because her and my father think it is silly to consider homeschooling. They always give the "socialization" defense. Well, I asked the doctor about Homeschool and he said that if they plan to keep her in 2nd grade that I should homeschool her. He even said that is basically what I am doing now having to do homework for 3 hours each night. I also asked him his opinion on homeschooling and socialization - he flatly told my Mom that that was the worst argument against homeschool. He told her that public school is only ONE of millions of ways to socialize, and probably the worst of all of them.
In the end, he applauded me for being a stubborn mom and fighting for DD. He also said that he would never diagnose Angela as having Aspergers, he said that she is perhaps a bit different, but he also said that is a good thing. He did mention that she may have a bit of OCD.
All in all I have decided to go ahead with homeschooling Angela next year, however... if they for some reason change their mind and decide to promote her to 3rd grade I may reconsider. But that is very doubtful.
I'm not planning on homeschooling Holden just yet. He is very advanced for a Kindergartener, and LOVES school. He seems to thrive there, so why mess with something that works... Right?
So, what do you ladies think... am I making the right decision?