Daydreaming while waiting impatiently!

[milkmansdaughter]

He took a bunch of AP classes in his last school, passed some, didn't pass others depending on the homework. He had mono much of the year, plus sleep apnea (diagnosed in Jan, not treated till end of April) in addition to several other ongoing issues (liver transplant, kidney disease). All the teachers in every class say he understands the work. The whole last school year was pretty much a wash. I am not familiar with the Davidson school but will definitely check it out. I am sooooooo tired of batting my head against the wall. And like your son, socially, he could use time in school with other kids. He's not always emotionally ahead of the other kids, but he sure is intellectually. Music was the only redeeming factor the last few years. His best friends at the school were the librarian, janitors, and cooks. I hate that school had been such a disaster for him. I'm already discouraged that the online school will short change him. They only want to transfer 17 credits and he has 23. I'll look up that school. Thanks!

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Hm, thought I just responded to this. I wonder where it posted...

 

[tortoise]

I see your post! It went to the top of the next page.

oh my gosh! So many health problems! Is he eligible for a 504 plan?
If he is, maybe you could get his homework load reduced? Like if he passes a pretest then he doesn't have to do the homework/assignments? Might save his grades be getting him out of the work he'd refuse to do anyway.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

I pulled him out of two classes. He never had a 504. Each diagnosis individually doesn't really qualify him for one, and if you look at him, he seems completely healthy. And, he didn't want the "label". Most of his teachers never knew he was sick. They just thought he was lazy. I'd go in for a conference, and they'd all be shocked. And my son would say, "Mom, that's really more information than they needed to know. "
He's a classic underachiever.
In one class, he was studying WWII History. He had grandpas on both sides in WWII, a brother in the military, both parents were military, and his dad's been a firearms instructor for 30 years. So he was looking up different muzzle velocities of various weapons and calculating distances, etc. If course a teacher saw the page, which led to a counselor, and principal, a talk with the school police, a phone call home. They totally lost my son, and you can bet he never completed any more work for that teacher. Sooo frustrating. And I taught school for 12 years. I "get" how frustrated the teachers are. But somewhere in there is a kid who loves to read and study but just doesn't fit in the same mold as most other kids. I sooooooo feel like I (and the schools) failed him.
(It really means a lot to me that you understand!) After a while, I wonder if I'm just way off base. ..

 

[NH Homesteader]

Depending on the school, a 504 plan may not allow him to reduce the amount of work he completes. Some schools may allow that, others not. It seems to be all in the way they choose to interpret the law. But, a 504 plan is supposed to allow accommodations but not modifications to the regular ed curriculum. Whether that relates to reduced work or not... You would have to see what your local district says on the matter. (sorry my special education degree is showing lol)

I'm sorry your son has had so many medical issues. I'm afraid schools often fail the gifted kids. I wish they would quit this stupid single age/single grade junk and use flexible groupings already! (rant over)

 

[milkmansdaughter]

My oldest two went to a private Christian school where kids worked at their own pace. They took night and summer classes, and some homeschooling. They didn't have sports or AP classes but graduated at 15 and 16. The school closed the year they graduated and we moved after that. Both have done well since. Our daughter and youngest son struggled after leaving that school. They were about two years ahead of kids in the public school but had to go through it all again. Both struggled from then on. Throw in several moves/different states and different schools and me having to go back to work (so no more homeschooling) plus medical issues for both, and grades plummeted. Our daughter graduated a few years ago. Now we've moved again. One last child to finish school.
The high school here is huge, like a college campus size. I am just not ready to deal with another brick and mortar school, especially one that big. He doesn't know anyone here. And we were told he was not eligible for the public online school. Plus the regular schools down here have already started, and were still trying to get him into something.
I'm OK at this point just letting him get his GED and get on with college level courses, but because of his medical issues and insurance, we need him in school. (I don't think he can take the GED until 6 months after his peers graduate, and his peers age-wise are just starting their senior year.) And if you only look at his transcript, he's a lousy student, at the bottom of his class. And he IS a lousy student, but I think he'll thrive in classes that he's interested in. He hates "school" but he loves to learn. There's got to be a place for kids like him.

(Sorry, I'm ranting too. @tortoise I didn't mean to turn this into a thread just about us...)

 

[tortoise]

Oh no worries! I'm sad for your son, but I'm really happy to bump into someone who understands! If you trust your son home alone with an internet connection, you might take interest in "unschooling". check out Gifted Unschooling blog and there's a FB group by the same name too.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Thanks!

 

[tortoise]

I'm sorta floundering here. Between DS10 gone in public school (change of routine and role) and being functional, my identity "crisis" continues. I'm just cooking today because I don't know what else to do with myself. For perspective, I have NEVER cooked regularly. I am capable of cooking, but have been unable to stand long enough to cook or have had overwhelming fatigue. Except in the middle of the night. DH doesn't appreciate me keeping him awake by cooking all night!

Yesterday I prepped some things to get back on my menu plan and baked cinnamon buns and bread.

Today I canned 7 quarts of dill pickles and 16 pints of venison broth. I made and froze 3 pounds of meatballs. I have a venison loin with beans and veggies going in the crockpot for supper. I'm planning to make cookies and rice crispie bars - probably will freeze it all. And cucumber cream salad, gotta make that.

I'm avoiding picking blueberries.

 

[NH Homesteader]

you still have blueberries? Holy cow!

All that sounds delicious... I'm starving and dinner isn't for an hour and a half, lol!