Memory Issues Effecting School Work

[cdford]

I am so frustrated. I'll take any suggestions you guys can come up with. Jenn has celiac disease, DH, and FMS. The memory issues with the fibromyalgia are a major problem. She has once again completed an entire section of school work getting decent grades on all the daily stuff. She then studies and takes a test...and cries through it because she cannot remember the answers. This time she made a whopping 13 on a social studies test. I have tried all kinds of different learning style stuff, I even put her into the local public school (we homeschool...it works better with her need for flexibility when the FMS hits hard) trying to get some help. They just coddled her and let her turn her work in late. They provided no long term suggestions on how to help her learn. She struggled for an entire year and stayed sick the whole time. I want to help my daughter. She is a bright, active, loving 14 yr old kid who has a whole world ahead of her. I just do not know who to turn to for help in assessing what she needs. Her doctors say she does not fall into any of the usual categories and they do not know where to send her since she is the youngest FMS patient they have ever seen. They know what to do with adults, but not with kids. Kids just don't usually get the fibromyalgia symptoms so early.

Please help. I am in tears trying to figure out what to do to help her.

[Guest ajlauer]

You might want to check out Sylvan Learning Centers. www.educate.com They advertise that they find out what your child needs help with, and then help solve the problem. Can you give her open-book tests? I don't know much about homeschooling.

[sdore]

I am a teacher (high school).

We have programs for kids that need a modified education plan. It isn't considered special ed it is considered an individual educational plan.

This plan would modify her tests, quizzes, and assignments. For example, some of my kids get to have 3 answers to choose from instead of 4 on a multiple choice test. They usually always get extra time on tests/quizzes. They may also have their test read to them.

In my state students have to get tested to show where they need help. Once the problems are found a IEP is made and must be followed.

I am not sure how this works in your state but it sounds like it would be worth checking out and getting done possibly before the end of the year to prepare her for the comming years.

steph

[cdford]

Steph:

Thanks for your input. That was what I was hoping for when I put her into the system for a year. I even requested the help. I wrote a letter outlining her specific difficulties and requesting assistance. While I am a strong believer in home education, I also know that at times a child can need professional assistance. I thought I was turning to "the experts" for help. Unfortunately, it did not work. I am not sure where the problem lay. She had some teachers who would work with her and others who never even showed up for conferences. Of course, her worst areas were the ones who did not show any effort to help. I spent as much time with her at home going over the material from school as I do teaching her. It was as though she was getting double dosed and was still not getting it. She and I just became more and more frustrated as the year went on.

ajlauer:

There is one near us. I will see if this is something that they can help with, assuming it is not so expensive we cannot afford it on my disability pay.

Again, thank you both for taking the time to message back.

[sdore]

The only thing about sylvan is that where I live they only offer english and math help. If she needs help in other subjects she is out of luck.

And... If they school does NOT support your child's learning needs, if your child has been tested and it is know she is spec. ed or has learning disabilites the school has to supply special services!!!!!

you could file suit!!!

[cdford]

Yes, we did have a doctor's letter describing her special needs. This particular school has so many other issues that I think she just fell by the wayside except for those couple of teachers who worked with her. They also expected far more of her even within her limitations. They cut her no slack but made sure she had what she needed to learn the material. Interesting that she made really good grades and loved those classes and those teachers. She thrived in their environments.

[ianm]

I have been in your daughters shoes but at least she is getting some help. I was dumped into sped classes and got no help at all when I was her age. But there is hope.

I will get my Bachelors degree (4.0 GPA too! ) soon and have applied for graduate school (MBA). About 85% of the classes were in the accelerated online format (University of Phoenix) and for some reason that just clicked for me. The course work was extremely demanding but tests were not real common and usually just covered a few key topics for a particular unit. Some classes had no tests at all. You don't take tests in the real world. The emphasis was on analyzing a problem, coming up with a solution and implementing it. The purpose of that was to get you to think and be creative because that is what will get you places in the real world.

The K-12 curriculum is based upon the "Scarf and Barf" theory of education. You memorize the facts and then vomit them up on test day. I encountered a lot of people like myself at U of P. A lot of extremely intelligent and creative people who failed miserably in K-12. These people thrived once they were released from the K-12 prison system.

I don't know any specific ways to help your daughter but I can show that there is hope.

[cdford]

Ianm: I am printing off your note and giving it to my daughter. She so needs the encouragement. I know she is capable. She knows she is capable, but she is beginning to doubt herself and that is the last thing she needs to do. Thank you so much for taking the time to post your message.

[ianm]

The private universities like University of Phoenix and many others understand that there are people out there who just don't respond to traditional educational methods. They prefer to have students who have had success in the real world and their academic track record is secondary. Siena Heights University is another good one and I've applied for grad school there. They understand that the world is changing and that economic growth depends on creative people who think outside of the box. The business world is actively seeking these people. They don't want people who only know how to memorize useless facts and take tests. That doesn't get new products and ideas into the marketplace or help a business restructure to grow with a changing world.

The K-12 educational system is infested with people who only know how to think inside the box and can't tolerate change of any kind. I wish you luck.

[cdford]

Thanks for the input, guys. I really appreciate your taking the time to "listen".