My daughter goes to a Catholic school, has been there since pre k and is now in 6th grade. She’s been doing very well academically with much support at home from me, but her anxiety around school work is through the roof this year. She has very little joy in her life now as school is so tough and she is just trying to keep up each and every day. She has at least 3 tests a week, multiple ongoing projects, hours of homework each night (yes, this includes Friday night!), etc. There are always tests on Mondays (necessitating studying each weekend) and she had a test the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and again multiple tests next week coming right off her holiday break. Never any downtime without school. She has an ICEP in place, but teachers aren’t going to change their curriculum or cadence of testing just for her (we’ve already discussed her mental state with them). My daughter’s just breaking down constantly due to school. I am wondering if it would be better to switch her to public school, or is this just what middle school is like, and the environment would be the same there? She is hesitant to change schools also as she is worried she will be bullied (she knows some girls that attend it from outside activities and they are not nice). At her current school, she has one friend and the others are mostly polite to her (although she is excluded from things, it isnt overt, and she is very happy with her one friend). I am just not sure how much more she can take in terms of school work, but I worry maybe the grass isn’t greener at the public school. Looking for other’s experience on what a normal 6th grade academic workload is.
What has 6th grade (or middle school)... - CHADD's ADHD Pare...
What has 6th grade (or middle school) been like?
many kids become overwhelmed in middle school. The public school may be more accommodating on the tests and workload. Have you thought about out online learning? I work as a sped teacher online for 16-22 yo, and they seem to have a better handle on the work. Kids don’t socialize as much between them but there seems to be less bullying because a lot of the kids realize the others (including teachers) have a lot going on. The catholic schools do seem to have it a bit more challenging (my student teaching was 1st grade at a catholic school).
I don’t think she is self directed enough for online learning (it was really tough for her during Covid), but might be an option down the line. Thanks!
I went to Catholic school from 1st -12th. Great education but I didn't have ADHD. The county I live in has highly ranked public schools which my 2 kids with ADHD attend. They're in middle school and the demands have increased since elementary school. They have homework everyday, but never on Friday. They usually have 1 or 2 quizzes a week but that happens every other week. It's very manageable. My kids have an IEP or 504. Is there a way for you to learn from friends what the public school homework load is like? You don't mention if she is on medication-could her increased anxiety be a side effect from medication.
From your message it sounds like a ton of work. I can't imagine that workload for a 6th grader. My experience with Catholic schools is that they're very geared towards college prep. Great if you can handle the pressure. My kids will go to college but. I don't know if all the middle school work and pressure is necessary.
Grades? Middle and high school
6th grade adhd help!
Time to Change Schools?
Newly diagnosed ADHD/ ODD
