Hello all!!!
I wanted to provide an update given all the kind answers I received above. I should have posted earlier but I did not want to jinx it.
Recall, after starting meds in the summer and embarking upon a difficult freshman year course load, DS14 started failing tests despite the fact it appeared he was working basically all afternoon and evening after school. After we discussed possible dropping 1 or 2 of his honors classes including the very stressful and difficult Bio Honors, he said he knew what he needed to do. Darn it all, if he didn't then just take off. He started studying a little differently, talking to teachers and seeking help when needed, accessing all the practice items the teachers had available, and continued to plan out his weekly and monthly work and test schedules. He then started a run of several Bio H and Geo H tests with 100%. He went into finals for the semester with all As but still needing to get at least Cs on his finals in order to maintain his As. He ended up getting As on all his finals except Spanish but still finished with all As for the semester. He also got an A+ on his Bio H final and a 94 in that class.
The grades are obviously very nice but I am mostly so happy for him that he found a way to work harder and smarter rather than longer. Maybe a switch went on in his head, I'm not quite sure. He still had to work hard and plan everything meticulously, which makes me happier because it seems that was another key to his success.
He also continued to make new friends which was very gratifying since he was not the best at that before. Our home life also improved as our interactions at home became so much more positive because I learned to just let him be and let him ask us if he needed any help such as quizzing him on material the night before a test or helping him edit a paper that he wanted input for.
We did end up getting a 504 because he needed to type all his English timed write tests in class as well as certain homework assignments that the teachers had previously required be handwritten. That helped his English grade a great deal and gave him confidence in his writing abilities. Plus I know he will need it in place if we need to seek accommodations from the College Board. But right now, he is only using the accommodations for typing although I don't rule anything out.
Polarbear-Thank you again for all of your kind and wise input and comments. When he did his new IQ testing this past summer, he had been on Concerta for about a month and a half. The day he took the IQ test this summer that yielded the 134, he was off of it for the day.
Your point about the entrenched learning of a topic prior to a test was very well-taken and we used that information with DS. In studying for a Geo test, for example, he made sure he went over practice questions, then took a few and then "taught" them to me or DH so that we knew he could explain and understand because we believed that would help make it "automatic" for him. So thank you for that point.
We ended up indeed lightening his homework load simply by seeking the typing accommodation. With the dysgraphia, everything that involved writing even on his Ipad with his Apple pen took so long. Once he could type everything, the time he took was decreased which gave him a better overall feeling about the rest. And yes, he is still not as fast as others even when using a keyboard because he is just not a fast typist but I think he had a better attitude about it when he understood he was not having to write out a two page paper or do a timed write in class by hand writing it.
He apparently has fine-motor dysgraphia. We did not see any reading fluidity problems. He has always been a strong reader of topics that interested him. Luckily for us, the biology became more interesting AND he learned how to access it in a way that stayed with him. It was amazing how he was retaining the information.
The other gratifying thing that happened is that he discovered a real passion for architecture and design. He has always been interested in those areas but started looking into designing planned communities, houses, and other spaces. We found a couple who were retired architects and they have been giving him three hour lessons every Saturday for the past three months, which he loves. They have been helping build a portfolio of plans, sketches, and the like. Now he is thinking he would like to study architecture/design/urban planning in college with a specific emphasis on residential and low income housing.
I am by no means thinking we can all put up our feet and sit back and wait for his acceptance to Stanford. (LOL) I just cannot believe that we have come out on the other side of that tunnel from September. I know other tunnels may be ahead but I feel better equipped to help him help himself reach his goals. Next up: PSAT/SAT/ACT boot camp!
The other notable thing that came out of all this is that I think it very likely I've had ADD since childhood. But that is a topic for a different forum.
I truly truly appreciate all of the kind input and helpful comments you all provided. You are wonderful people who are so generous with your wisdom and experience.
