homeschooling for child with ADHD

[JoyousExpectation]

My daughter will be in 7th grade next year and I am not sure if I will send her back to the huge busy public school if the virus is not under better control. She will have a VERY difficult time wearing a mask all day and having to distance from other kids. Does anyone have knowledge or experience with an online school for kids with ADHD?

[Onthemove1971]

Thanks for posting to this message, there are a number of parents who feel the same way. With the way the COVID #s are going we might all be home providing distance learning again until it is healthy to go out again.

I think it is important to understand the difference between homeschooling, and supporting distance learning.

To homeschool you work with or without a state teacher who can help you and set up a program, usually provided by the school. Or a private for profit agency. When you home school you take on the responsibility for the child's entire educational process ( time for PE, social intersections with peers, activities like music, arts, English, math, social science and history some even do field trips) to provide an educational program. There is also state testing ( on non-COVID times) so that children have a way to meet or exceed standards. One of the benefits to this type of learning is whatever "style" your child learns best from you an funneling all learning through that style. For example if your child learns best with the support of audio, you can make sure all books/materials are read aloud. Including tests.

There are many wonderful, supportive programs and parents that enjoy this style of learning.

To provide distance learning the person at home supports the school district when they set up and decide on the necessary assignments. Thry complete them and hand rhrmnin for a grade. There are also supports for children that have a 504/IEP plan to support their learning.

Don't we all wish we could go back to "normal" life.

Hope this helps you in your decision for your child.

[DC516 in reply to Onthemove1971]

What kind of “supports” for children that have a 504/IEP?

[Onthemove1971 in reply to DC516]

Every 504 plan and IEP is an individual plan that is made to support or enhance each child's learning.

Pre- Covid-

Since our son is leaving middle school and heading to high school some of the things that have helped him are getting teachers notes from lectures. This helps so that he does not have to focus on listening and taking notes at the same time. Another support is giving the teacher a signal so he can get up out of his seat and walk around outside the room for re-focusing.

There are many other supports like double checking that he has written down the homework correctly.

He also get extra time to turn in homework assignments ( this helps a lot as long as I go over the assignments to make sure he is putting in effort and completing them).

We have written, but our son doesn't use extra time on test.

Our son also uses Audiobooks ( he qualifies for Bookshare- an online downloadable free library)

Post Covid-

We have access to the 504 coordinator to help if needed. This person goes over our 504 plan with the teachers. Teachers discuss missing assignments to make sure he has turned them in. He had great teachers who would encourage him to write more or include more context when needed.

When we go back in fall.. we will be doing both distance and in person learning so he will really have to be dialed in on knowing what is expected of him. I am hoping the coordinator will help with this. He may also need tutoring if he struggles.

I am sure there are more that I am not thinking of.

[20soFar]

A few of my children, though never tested, probably have ADD or possibly ADHD. They described it to me as every sound and sense coming at them equally and all at once.

We home-schooled and that worked well for them.

Doing work online might work well for your daughter if she has a headset on while doing her work to close out any other stimuli while she's studying.

I agree with you that wearing a mask would be very difficult for her, possibly traumatizing. It already is for kids without the extra dimension of ADHD.

If you want to have your child at home, you can get in touch with your state's private education department to set up your school. There is likely a local homeschool group that can help you navigate that and lead you to great resources and new friends.

There is also a national organization (HSLDA---Home School Legal Defense Association) that will gladly help you with resources and advice. Their website is:

hslda.org/teaching-my-kids/... and here is a link for parents of kids with special needs: hslda.org/teaching-my-kids/...

I hope that helps you!! All God's blessings be on you!