Christina Morrissey

I apologize if this is not the right one of the lists to post this on. I
am also a member of a "Special needs Homeschoolers of Washington state"
e-list. This came today. The list is a relatively small one. I thought
perhaps that given the size of the unschooling list, that perhaps some of
you would have some suggestions for this mom that might help. Her call for
help got to me and I didn't have any specific answers except the conviction
that unschooling would definitely be the way to go. If any of you could
help answer her questions regarding dealing with a dyslexic child and his
differences in learning, just reply here and I'll forward to the
group. Thanks soooooo much!!!!

Christina in Seattle
*********************************************
>From: beartre@...
>X-Yahoo-Profile: beartre
>
>Subject: Re: [SpecialHSofWA] Help!
>Reply-To: [email protected]
>
>Hi everyone!
>
>I haven't had a chance to write much since moving to WA but I have been
>"lurking and reading" as often as possible. :-) We have spent months at
>doctors.
>I have been struggling with the "should I put the children back in public
>and/or am I capable of teaching children with so many challenges"
>syndrome! I was
>OK with one special needs child, but now the test results are in and I have
>two. Although I knew something was going on, the diagnosis has caused me to
>question my skills in teaching two children with very different
>challenges! So
>I will turn to the only ones I know deal with these same challenges on a
>daily
>basis. As a single, adoptive grandmother, I don't know who else would
>understand. I hope you can give me some guidance or at least hear me vent.
>
>Jamie (13yo) has multiple diagnosis. She is a post-renal transplant, and is
>diagnosed ADHD, OD,OCD, Fetal Alcohol Affect, Anxiety and Attachment
>disorder,
>an eating disorder similar to Pradder Willy (sp)(causing our kitchen and all
>food to need to be in "lock-down" at all times), and probably is high
>functioning Aspergers. She is active in Special Olympics swimming and ice
>skating as
>well as ther. horseback riding. She currently is at about a 3rd grade level
>in most subjects. We have found Math-U-See, Saxon Math, Read Naturally to
>all
>work well.
>
>Brian (9yo) is diagnosed with mild ADHD. He has been struggling with
>spelling, reading and language since the 1st grade. His math skills have
>been
>excellent. So testing was done this summer to try to figure out what is
>going on.
>I just met with the phychologist and it seems that Brian is dyslexic, a
>perfectionist, and gifted in math and science. He tests at about a 2nd
>grade level
>in those subjects he has been struggling in and is at a 7th grade level in
>math and science. Ballet is his passion, dancing 4-5 times a week with
>children
>that are 12-13yo.
>
>Now, my questions to all of you . . . What curriculums have worked for your
>children diagnosed with dyslexia? I am searching for something for his
>reading, writing, and spelling. The doctor wants Brian to be allowed to
>fly with his
>math and science. He tests way above grade level and she wants me (or the
>school) to let him go with it. Any suggestions anyone? Patti, do you
>know of
>good math/science programs that you possibly used with your older sons?
>
>I have met with the school super. (and special ed supervisor) at the local
>public school. The school "rates" highly on the state level and has 250
>children K-12. He assures me that he will "work with me". I have gone
>back and
>forth concerning public vs home. The children have done well at home, but
>is it
>enough? Has anyone done a part-time day at the public school? He seems open
>to working with me, but for obvious reasons, I don't trust the public
>system.
>If it doesn't work, how difficult will it be for me to pull the children?
>Neither has an IEP in WA State. Once one is in place, how much control
>will I
>loose over their schooling? I was also assured that the school has a zero
>tolerance for bullies, drugs/alcohol, etc.
>
>If anyone has ANY suggestions or input on public/home, curriculum or just
>response to my rambling, please let me know. I need to either meet with the
>super and enroll them or get the Letter of Intent done ASAP.
>
>Thanks, Mona
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Heidi

My first thought in reading over this post pretty quickly, was, the
first child, with all those diagnoses from Fetal Alcohol to OCD...way
beyond my pale and I have nothing helpful to say about that

however, when I came to the second child, with a diagnosis of adhd...
I kind of shook my head.

> >He has been struggling with
> >spelling, reading and language since the 1st grade.


oh, my. Wringing my hands...NOT... (This from a mom with a 9 year old
who *could legally* be in 4th grade, who isn't reading yet, either,
and is really wiggly and doesn't sit still for long periods very
well,and most likely has dyslexia...etc.)

IOW, in my opinion, this gramma should not worry about the boy w/the
adhd "diagnosis." A lot of that could just be immaturity, you know?
My chief worry with that one would be that he's now labeled, and
probably knows it if he's as bright as my Katie. Which is a shame.
Let him age a bit LOL and I bet he'll grow out of this "mild adhd"
diagnosis and astound everyone with his stellar math and science
brain...and hire an assistant for the verbally oriented stuff that
needs doing when he's doing Nobel Prize winning research :)

blessings, HeidiC


--- In [email protected], Christina Morrissey
<cmvw@c...> wrote:
>
> I apologize if this is not the right one of the lists to post this
on. I
> am also a member of a "Special needs Homeschoolers of Washington
state"
> e-list. This came today. The list is a relatively small one. I
thought
> perhaps that given the size of the unschooling list, that perhaps
some of
> you would have some suggestions for this mom that might help.

Carolyn Ashley-Wheeler

Hi Mona,
I'm fairly new to home ed. and I'm in the UK, but have you looked at the
website for Education Otherwise? I know I've seen info. about working with
dyslexia on there and although we don't follow curriculums, there might be
something that helps. There's also a mail list for EO which I have found
immensely useful. The address for EO is www.education-otherwise.org .
Best wishes to you and the children.
Carolyn


----- Original Message -----
From: "Christina Morrissey" <cmvw@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 4:25 PM
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Fwd: Re: [SpecialHSofWA] Help!


>
> I apologize if this is not the right one of the lists to post this on. I
> am also a member of a "Special needs Homeschoolers of Washington state"
> e-list. This came today. The list is a relatively small one. I thought
> perhaps that given the size of the unschooling list, that perhaps some of
> you would have some suggestions for this mom that might help. Her call
for
> help got to me and I didn't have any specific answers except the
conviction
> that unschooling would definitely be the way to go. If any of you could
> help answer her questions regarding dealing with a dyslexic child and his
> differences in learning, just reply here and I'll forward to the
> group. Thanks soooooo much!!!!
>
> Christina in Seattle
> *********************************************
> >From: beartre@...
> >X-Yahoo-Profile: beartre
> >
> >Subject: Re: [SpecialHSofWA] Help!
> >Reply-To: [email protected]
> >
> >Hi everyone!
> >
> >I haven't had a chance to write much since moving to WA but I have been
> >"lurking and reading" as often as possible. :-) We have spent months at
> >doctors.
> >I have been struggling with the "should I put the children back in public
> >and/or am I capable of teaching children with so many challenges"
> >syndrome! I was
> >OK with one special needs child, but now the test results are in and I
have
> >two. Although I knew something was going on, the diagnosis has caused me
to
> >question my skills in teaching two children with very different
> >challenges! So
> >I will turn to the only ones I know deal with these same challenges on a
> >daily
> >basis. As a single, adoptive grandmother, I don't know who else would
> >understand. I hope you can give me some guidance or at least hear me
vent.
> >
> >Jamie (13yo) has multiple diagnosis. She is a post-renal transplant, and
is
> >diagnosed ADHD, OD,OCD, Fetal Alcohol Affect, Anxiety and Attachment
> >disorder,
> >an eating disorder similar to Pradder Willy (sp)(causing our kitchen and
all
> >food to need to be in "lock-down" at all times), and probably is high
> >functioning Aspergers. She is active in Special Olympics swimming and
ice
> >skating as
> >well as ther. horseback riding. She currently is at about a 3rd grade
level
> >in most subjects. We have found Math-U-See, Saxon Math, Read Naturally
to
> >all
> >work well.
> >
> >Brian (9yo) is diagnosed with mild ADHD. He has been struggling with
> >spelling, reading and language since the 1st grade. His math skills have
> >been
> >excellent. So testing was done this summer to try to figure out what is
> >going on.
> >I just met with the phychologist and it seems that Brian is dyslexic, a
> >perfectionist, and gifted in math and science. He tests at about a 2nd
> >grade level
> >in those subjects he has been struggling in and is at a 7th grade level
in
> >math and science. Ballet is his passion, dancing 4-5 times a week with
> >children
> >that are 12-13yo.
> >
> >Now, my questions to all of you . . . What curriculums have worked for
your
> >children diagnosed with dyslexia? I am searching for something for his
> >reading, writing, and spelling. The doctor wants Brian to be allowed to
> >fly with his
> >math and science. He tests way above grade level and she wants me (or
the
> >school) to let him go with it. Any suggestions anyone? Patti, do you
> >know of
> >good math/science programs that you possibly used with your older sons?
> >
> >I have met with the school super. (and special ed supervisor) at the
local
> >public school. The school "rates" highly on the state level and has 250
> >children K-12. He assures me that he will "work with me". I have gone
> >back and
> >forth concerning public vs home. The children have done well at home,
but
> >is it
> >enough? Has anyone done a part-time day at the public school? He seems
open
> >to working with me, but for obvious reasons, I don't trust the public
> >system.
> >If it doesn't work, how difficult will it be for me to pull the children?
> >Neither has an IEP in WA State. Once one is in place, how much control
> >will I
> >loose over their schooling? I was also assured that the school has a
zero
> >tolerance for bullies, drugs/alcohol, etc.
> >
> >If anyone has ANY suggestions or input on public/home, curriculum or just
> >response to my rambling, please let me know. I need to either meet with
the
> >super and enroll them or get the Letter of Intent done ASAP.
> >
> >Thanks, Mona
> >
> >
> >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> >ADVERTISEMENT
>
><http://rd.yahoo.com/M=244522.3707890.4968055.1261774/D=egroupweb/S=1705016
061:HM/A=1595055/R=0/SIG=124j83ehr/*http://ashnin.com/clk/muryutaitakenattog
yo?YH=3707890&yhad=1595055>1f3b2d.jpg
> >1f3b9b.jpg
> >
> >Life is not a matter of milestones... but of moments. -Rose Kennedy
> >*********************************
> >To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> >[email protected]
> >
> >
> >
> >Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the
> ><http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>Yahoo! Terms of Service.
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
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