Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments anyone homeschooling creatively talented kid?

Well, it sounds like you'll be in good shape and on a 'good' track. I've had to deal with the EF aspects since homeschooling ds10 as well -- but it's definitely more doable when your ds is in a better mental state than in school AND with some time, patience, and maturity. I definitely can relate to having a child who is not in any way or shape conformist, but I think you'll find homeschooling will mesh more for your ds and, if not, there's always the possibility of returning to school again (earlier if necessary too).

There are some freely available study skills courses online (some may retrieved under 'how to study' or 'time management'). Those may help. There's the book - Smart, But Scattered, and plenty on pinterest to help too.

I was geometric phobic in hs and was apprehensive to homeschool ds due to the math. However, I did try out Education Portal's hs geometry (now study.com) for free when it was in beta mode for an education blog on online learning and it was completely different (in a positive way) to what had been taught in hs; and I'm not recommending that particular website but just emphasizing that there are different ways of teaching and learning geometry and to what can be done in a classroom vs. with homeschooling. So between a tutor and what you can find around online and elsewhere, you should be ok .

I mean this to be funny, but it may not be (except to slightly hysterical me).

Talking to DS about the AoPS Python class, and he responds: Um, no, I don't want to learn PYTHON, it is outdated and nobody uses it any more. [I have no expertise so no idea if he has any clue about this.] So, DS, what language do people use? He says, C++ and he "already knows a little about it." Whatever, DS. See? Has to be his idea or no-thank-you. I told him it could be useful for learning the lingo, so will wait and see if that idea percolates into something nonresistant.

As an aside that belongs on a different thread: he has one class in which it's impossible to know what's going on (multiple writing pieces, each goes through a conference/draft process, all due the last day) that he claims to be caught up--so I ask teacher via email if she can confirm--no response. That was last week.

This week, he has multiple projects and presentations along with finals in all of his classes NEXT week and he can't remember when his presentation for the aforementioned class is scheduled (and it's not in planner), so I email, yesterday, and say "DS can't remember when his presentation is scheduled, will you let me know, please?" I received a response today: "He scheduled it for a day, he will need to check in class today." I think that teacher doesn't want me to ask these questions, would you agree?

He writes no due dates in the planner and I guess my check-in email is supposed to communicate nothing? I guess she really doesn't recognize that DS can't remember to do these things without support. I try to support him but it's such a damned if you don't, damned if you do situation.

I can't wait until May 19!

On electronic music: there is already a range of careers, some of which are not so obvious.

At the most conventional, and well-established, end of the range, there is the whole category of music production and engineering (live and studio) in the ordinary sense of music.

Then there are all the people who do sound design for other media: film, video games, apps, etc. This includes musical elements and foley.

Some individuals are actually making a living in part or in whole by designing and selling ringtones.

If he is interested in careers in these areas, he may enjoy browsing some of the industry publications, like Mix magazine or Electronic Musician.

I program for a living so I'll mention this in case it helps your case - most of learning to program is learning all of the various constructs (variables, arrays, pointers (if applicable), data management, functions/tasks, if/elsif, case, loops, etc). The first language I learned was useless to have on a resume but it was enough of a foundation that I could quickly learn the syntax of the ones I needed to. I've worked in about 10 languages based on that foundation. Language fads come and go and languages have different strengths/uses so it is pretty rare that people learn just one and spend their whole career just doing only that.

I looked at the AoPS programming courses and their second one is OOP Python. I unfortunately don't know enough about Python to know how similar/different it is but I've done C++ and 3 other object oriented languages for work and the better your foundation is the faster you can pick the new ones up. If he wants to be a C++ guru then having a solid OOP platform will go a long ways. If AoPS does programming half as well as it does Math then I think it would be a great start.

C++ predates Python by about six years, FYI. Python is a much better language to learn to program in, in my opinion. And saying that "nobody uses it any more" is a gross overexaggeration at best. Plus, frankly, the opinion of a child who doesn't even know how to code yet on which language to choose is not an opinion to be given much weight.

I was very impressed with the AoPS beginning programming course from watching my daughter take it. I do think it would have been equally impressive in C++ or in Python, and the language used is not nearly as important as the concepts taught.

Even though I'm just reading this on the internet and not experiencing it directly in real life, the teacher's non-informative response, which seemed to reiterate normal classroom procedure rather than providing any support required by the 504 for your son to access his education, made my blood pressure rise and my adrenaline run.

In general, you may wish to refer to the 504 in each communication with the school. You may even wish to lead with it. For example, "I'm checking his planner, which does not seem to be up to date. As outlined on the 504, assignments are to be listed in the planner, yet I do not see the scheduled date for his presentation listed in the planner. Would you please ensure this presentation date gets written in his planner?"

Rather than posing your inquiries apologetically, as though you are asking for a personal favor, this wording keeps the onus on them, and holds them accountable to follow through and deliver on what they agreed to when crafting his 504.

You may also wish to keep the teacher's replies in mind when crafting any future IEP/504, in order to close any potential loopholes.

Thanks for weighing in, chay!

I know, was just illustrating what I'm up against! It's difficult when it's a subject I know nothing about, and DS knows just enough to be ridiculous. I think he feels so burned right now about anything "formal" that he immediately opposes me. Maybe. Or maybe he is just kind of a know-it-all-13-year-old.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, too. I think maybe she has forgotten he has a 504 or doesn't believe he has a disability, at all.

The loophole thing in the 504 drives me crazy. I can't think of every possible way it can go wrong, until it does. Then I sound adversarial in the meeting, asking for more clarification.

The thing is--the teachers seem to either be very supportive/communicative or not at all. It's interesting that the worst about supporting him are the ones who are specifically his "gifted" teachers, while the high school teachers are much more skilled. It makes me wonder if they've been given some directive to treat him/me/us this way, by the program coordinator.

Now I have two of my dearest friends, with slightly older children who have been through this program, suggesting that I:

--Raise heck via attorney about the 504 problems and refused evaluation.
--Encourage DS to hang in there, because the program is considerably more enjoyable in eighth grade. And easier, because they aren't compacting two years into one in two core subjects.

One of these friends, whose younger child is same grade as DS, is also unimpressed by the teacher who hasn't graded anything (the same teacher who refuses to communicate real information with me via email). I guess teacher is finally grading some papers and friend's DS went from a D- to an A, yesterday. My DS' work remains unrecorded and I have no idea if he's turned in his work. He says that he has, but he is frequently...wrong.

DS refused school (via anxiety meltdown) yesterday, but he is caught up on his work (as far as I know) and plans to attend today.

We may be in a holding pattern. I haven't yet decided whether or not this decision (home vs. school) should be left to DS or I should make it for him. Any thoughts about that?

Assuming he isn't booted next week--he would be off academic probation next year, so the pressure would be somewhat less.