home schooling

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheree,

I am sorry to hear that your daughter is having difficulty with school.

You asked a question about homeschooling and even though it is approximately

0100 hours here I wanted to share a few observations about homeschooling.

Our experience with homeschooling has been very positive and has allowed our

sons to actually extend their childhood and has given them the opportunity

to learn at their own pace in a relaxed environment free from the stress of

school. We use an amalgamation drawn from several curricula that is

eclectic in nature because we try to center our learning experience around

interests. Our sons actually enjoy their learning experience and I believe

this has opened the door to lifelong learning for them.

I believe that childhood and learning are meant to be a journey, not a

race, and we emphsize taking the time to pursue and absorb what we are

doing. Homeschooling requires patience, the cultivation of relaxed

inquiry, and initially a trust in your child's natural inquisitiveness. My

OCD'er goes to weekly group sessions and most of the kids in his group are

failing at school for one reason or another.

Hope these observations are helpful.

Take care.

Louis

louis@...

louisharkins_4@...

ICQ: 38330756

Voicemail: 1-888-835-3268 Ext. 30071

Fax: 1-408-293-2266 Ext. 30071

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[Guest guest]

SSacks, Sheree,

My personal opinion of school (institutional) is not very high. I

believe that if it is causing unnecessary stress, then she shouldnt go. I

had Tom out for months, twice, and did not home school him at either time.

Now, agreed, he is very bright, but at those times he wasnt capable of

reading anything, or concentrating on math, etc. So, why put him under more

pressure, when he wasnt able to keep up. He still passed both years. Now

that he is high school, he works independantly on his credits. We have

letters from the doctor to support all decisions.

Since it is the end of the year, I would let your daughter attend the fun

days, and request that the teacher evaluate her based on her marks to date.

I would focus on making her feel good about herself over the next couple of

months, and if you need to do some tutoring over the summer to keep her up

to standard, then look for a pleasant high school student who will also be

more like a peer than a teacher. (I make this arrangement with many of my

clients, so far no failures (touch wood)!!).

Bottom line is: < " My daughter is nearing the end of school but I know is

overwhelmed and depressed. She is failing most subjects and now is sick alot

or late for school. I know she will be better when school is out but I don't

know how to handle the last few weeks. " >

I think that you have answered your own question.

take care, and give your daughter a hug for doing her best up until now.

Next year she can start fresh.

wendy in canada

[Guest guest]

Dear Louis: Thanks for your reply. Are your son's in home schooling because

of ocd or do you believe in it for everyone regardless of disabilities?

SSacks

[Guest guest]

Dear : Your advice was good. I think I knew most of the answers to the

questions I asked but it helps so much to have yourself and the others on

this list to hear me and to give their opinions. I am going to a meeting on

Tuesday with the teachers and I hope they will " listen " to me. Wish me luck.

Sheree

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheree:

Good luck with you Tuesday meeting with the teachers. I am sure you will

do well. Let us know how things work out. Take care, aloha, Kathy (H)

kathyh@...

>From: SSacks9021@...

>

>Dear : Your advice was good. I think I knew most of the answers to the

>questions I asked but it helps so much to have yourself and the others on

>this list to hear me and to give their opinions. I am going to a meeting on

>Tuesday with the teachers and I hope they will " listen " to me. Wish me luck.

>Sheree

>

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[Guest guest]

Hi Sheree,

We started homeschooling our sons after our older son was diagnosed with

OCD. We made every effort to remain in public school, but we had to begin

homeschooling because our local school simply refused to meet our son's

needs. We homeschool our younger son because we came to see the value of

the homeschool experience for him as well.

I believe that homeschooling is a viable option for all parents, but like

anything else you get out of it what you put into it. I know that

homeschooling has enabled our OCD'er to function and learn and has been

beneficial for his younger brother as well.

Take care.

Louis

louis@...

louisharkins_4@...

ICQ: 38330756

Voicemail: 1-888-835-3268 Ext. 30071

Fax: 1-408-293-2266 Ext. 30071

/subscribe/ and

/subscribe/ocdandhomeschooling

----Original Message Follows----

From: SSacks9021@...

Reply-onelist

onelist

Subject: Re: Home Schooling

Date: Fri, 28 May 1999 00:52:03 EDT

From: SSacks9021@...

Dear Louis: Thanks for your reply. Are your son's in home schooling

because

of ocd or do you believe in it for everyone regardless of disabilities?

SSacks

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[Guest guest]

, from canada,

Tom is in a public alternate high school program. Its one of 3 schools

in the school board for 'misfits'. It used to be that under 16's had to

complete one year in the regular system, but the under 16's program may be

cut next year.

Each student is doing a course according to their schedule and level. Its

sort of like a correspondence, or the same courses the students home with

illness complete. They must be able to stay motivated to work independently.

Theoretically, a student would complete a course in 6 weeks, get the credit

and move on. They should complete the year with the same amount of credits

as those attending the 'regular' stream.

IF there are no alternate programs available, then contact the school

guidance now and set up a meeting with guidance and resource. Tom had 1

resource his first year. I dont know what is better, half day of 4 subjects,

and then she can go home, for a year; or, find a semestered school, and try

2 subjects only, with resource for the other 2 periods. This would introduce

her to school, peers, etc. If its successful, perhaps next term she could go

up to 3 courses, or reduce to 1 course, but still be in the school

environment.

There must be kids home-schooling high school??? Contact the school board

or your school social worker and ask what other kids do in similar

situations. When tom was in grade 8 they refused to give us school support,

but sent work home, sometimes. He passed anyway.

I find this election expense and tiring. I could think of a lot of ways

to spend the campaign money that would be more effective. People keep saying

to me how has kept his election promises, and I respond with: at

whose expense?? Threatened cuts to special education means that kids like

tom and tori may not have the support to complete high school. Gee, is this

creating an elitist society??

sorry to have rambled a bit there!!!

I hope the info is resourceful. Let me know if you need more info.

wendy in canada

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

Our lives are a bit upside down at the moment dealing with school issues. Our

school is doing their best at skirting the issues of accommodating our daughter.

Tori (14) has been out of school

for almost two years and is getting home instruction from the school. Problem is

next year is high school and going back to home instruction would not give her

any credits. With all the

complexity of Tori's condition we know she would head back down a emotionaly

destructive road if she were to attend school, even in a withdrawl room. When I

was going back over emails that I

had tagged I reread your lines that caught my attention. " Now that he is high

school, he works independantly on his credits. We have letters from the doctor

to support all decisions. " I'm

curious to what kind of program you have set up? Do you see Tom getting a

highschool education in the end? This is our fear. Tom is very bright, our Tori

is as well. I know we are within our

rights to expect our children to be educated especially when their acedemic

gifts have so much potential. Then why does the system's way to get help have to

be so much of a struggle?!

Your advice below is perfect :-)

from Canada

" W. Birk " wrote:

> From: " W. Birk " <wb4@...>

>

> SSacks, Sheree,

>

> My personal opinion of school (institutional) is not very high. I

> believe that if it is causing unnecessary stress, then she shouldnt go. I

> had Tom out for months, twice, and did not home school him at either time.

> Now, agreed, he is very bright, but at those times he wasnt capable of

> reading anything, or concentrating on math, etc. So, why put him under more

> pressure, when he wasnt able to keep up. He still passed both years. Now

> that he is high school, he works independantly on his credits. We have

> letters from the doctor to support all decisions.

>

> Since it is the end of the year, I would let your daughter attend the fun

> days, and request that the teacher evaluate her based on her marks to date.

> I would focus on making her feel good about herself over the next couple of

> months, and if you need to do some tutoring over the summer to keep her up

> to standard, then look for a pleasant high school student who will also be

> more like a peer than a teacher. (I make this arrangement with many of my

> clients, so far no failures (touch wood)!!).

>

> Bottom line is: < " My daughter is nearing the end of school but I know is

> overwhelmed and depressed. She is failing most subjects and now is sick alot

> or late for school. I know she will be better when school is out but I don't

> know how to handle the last few weeks. " >

> I think that you have answered your own question.

>

> take care, and give your daughter a hug for doing her best up until now.

> Next year she can start fresh.

>

> wendy in canada

>

[Guest guest]

, try this site for homeschool info:

http://www.home-ed-magazine.com/

Aubin

[Guest guest]

Dona,

As you already know, we are practically neighbors! :-) We live in Salem and

our 8 year old is in the 2nd grade. I agree with you about the way our

schools are around here. Ashleigh has allergies and sinus problems which has

resulted in her missing several days of school. I think the worse thing we

deal with is the gym teacher... if I write a note to have her excused from

gym for whatever reason, and as her mother I feel that is my right as I see

fit, Ashleigh is practically punished for it. They take this way too far. I

am so worried that when Kelsey starts school we will have one heck of a fight

on our hands. I am looking for info already regarding the IEP plans everyone

keeps talking about.

I have talked to Kelsey's PT about my concerns and she has told me a little

about the IEP and that legally the schools must cooperate. It's going to be

hard enough for me to deal with sending my baby off to kindergarten anyway,

but with her having special needs and fearing she will be picked on by

heartless teachers makes it even harder. I know I'm worrying 2 years ahead

of time, but I know how it is around here. Pretty sad, huh?!

I hope Sara continues to do well. Kelsey has improved so much already and I

can see her improving every day, thank God! Time to get the little rugrat to

bed... Take care,

[Guest guest]

i was asked by the counselor if i wanted to start this

i just said lets see how melissa does

last year she missed 40 days and this year will be a total of 39 days

and tomorrow is the last day of school

you need to keep this as a option

it does come in handy

Robbin

[Guest guest]

Donna

the 504 is a great program that would help in this situation

also the IEP

i am like you on the inhaler with the child my son needed his also

but i called the american lung assoc and they sent me alot of info

is also asthmatic shes on the nebulizer with 3 different inhalers

but only 1 she carrys with her and she was recently diagnoised with JRA

she was very active and is headin that way again she is 13 and heading into

the 8th grade where do you live ? here she goes to a county school they

seem to be better with the kids they also have a in school nurse the city

schools dont from my experience

the school has been nice about melissa and i do cover my butt to

Robbin

[Guest guest]

i was told if melissa was out more than a week to start paper work on the

home school teacher but so far she will miss a day or 2 then she goes to

school for a few days then shes down again with a headache or being sore

you also have to take into account that in middle school they change classes

and a medical note has to be given to each teacher and the child walks alot

if your school has a elevator as for a elevator pass this helps alot

Robbin

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/1/00 6:51:13 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

BUDDFAM4@... writes:

<< Hi everybody, I want to know if any of your children are home

schooled. I am in the process of getting the paperwork to join the

IEP plan and homebound schooling. The school told me that they hire a

teacher from the school to come to the house and teach 3

days a week for an hour a day. This is only if she misses school for

a while. It would be on an as needed term. She would still go to

regular school, but if started missing to much time, the teacher

would come to the house and work with her on what she missed. I think

it sounds great. Have any of you ever done this. loves

school and hates missing it. So I explained to her she would only be

home schooled on days she is feeling bad. Which I pray arent to many

by the time school starts again in August. >>

Hi...

I've never posted to this list before, but joined about a month ago and have

been reading all the emails.

First, my daughter Sara, 12, was diagnosed with Poly JRA, as per the MD, a

mild case. We thank God for that...she already has severe asthma and is

taking numerous medications to control that. She's a tough girl, tolerating

anything and everything the Drs. throw at her and the diagnosis of JRA didn't

phase her a bit...just the fact that she had to add more medications to the 7

she took already.

She is still very active in her sports and doesn't let the swelling in her

fingers, knees and toes get her down. She is amazing!!!

The reason I responded to this is the homeschooling thing. I took my children

out of school 2 years ago...for one, I didn't think they were receiving, what

I thought, was a proper education. Also, the asthma factored in...it's

amazing how little the school system where I live cares about the health of a

child. They refused to let Sara have her inhalers with her, even with Dr.s

prescription stating that she was a severe asthmatic and was to be no where

without it. The school then tried to tell me that I didn't know anything

about Asthma and that my daughter didn't fit the " symptoms " of a child with

asthma. At that time, she was 9 and weighed 35lbs...does this seem normal???

I can't imagine how they would react now, if I told them, on top the asthma,

she has the arthritis and that there will be days when she may stay home

because her toes are too stiff to tolerate her shoes or her fingers too

swollen and painful to hold a pencil. At home, we work with the

limitations...if she's not 90-100%, we cut back on the school work and what

we do do, we do orally.

The homebound teacher sounds great! Never used one...school never offered.

Nor have they offered to any of my friends whos' children have missed

numerous days due to health related problems. The schools here just care

about getting their funding...if children are absent, they don't get as much

money.

Good luck and hope she doesn't miss too much school come fall.

Dona

[Guest guest]

Macey was on hospital homebound last year. It kicked in when she missed

more than 10 days of school but the hours of teaching were retroactive. So

basically on day 10 her homebound services kicked in and they gave her the 6

hours from the previous two weeks and then she got 3 hrs per week for each

additional week. The doctor had to fill out a form for each instance (she

had 3 the whole year) describing the current illness and when he expected

her to return. if the child is having surgery and the physician knows from

the start that he/she will miss more than 10 days then the doctor can go

ahead and fill out the form and the school system will start the 3 hours

from day 1. Macey has an IEP under the status of " other health impaired " .

Ursula Holleman

Macey and 's mom

http://home.att.net/~maceyh

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/1/00 10:53:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Robbin40@...

writes:

<< Donna

the 504 is a great program that would help in this situation

also the IEP

i am like you on the inhaler with the child my son needed his also

but i called the american lung assoc and they sent me alot of info

is also asthmatic shes on the nebulizer with 3 different inhalers

but only 1 she carrys with her and she was recently diagnoised with JRA

she was very active and is headin that way again she is 13 and heading

into

the 8th grade where do you live ? here she goes to a county school they

seem to be better with the kids they also have a in school nurse the city

schools dont from my experience

the school has been nice about melissa and i do cover my butt to

Robbin

>>

Hi...

We live in Roanoke VA. I didn't mean to sound so harsh about the school

nurse. I'm sure there are some really great ones out there. But this one in

particular, she just really got me...I mean, for her to think she had the

power to overrule what the MD says...just amazed me.

As for Sara, we had a really rough night last night. This is our first bad

one. Poor thing, she was taking a bath at 2am trying to get some relief. Her

left hip/knee was so painful, she couldn't even put any weight on it.

This may sound like a stupid question, but when flare-ups like this happen,

how long before some relief? I know each child is different, but I'm lost

right now. The only meds she is taking right now for the arthritis is

Naproxen 375mg and Zantac to prevent the tummy upsets. I called our regular

Dr. and they recommended Tylenol for Arthritis pain for break-through pain.

Anyone have any experience with this medicine???

Thanks for listening!

Dona

Roanoke, VA

[Guest guest]

Donna

cool your not far from me i have a friend in roanoke va

i am in atlanta ga

melissa woke one morning and couldnt walk at all

her left hip and kne was affected the doctor tryed enteric asprin

that caused brusieing we stopped that they put her on tylenol 3

didnt help then on tolectin she had a reaction to that

they finnally put her on VOLTAREN 50 mgs 2 times a day then went to 3 times

a day so now shes takeing the voltaren her asthma meds and zyrtec and

gas X lord she needed that this girl is killing me with gas

sorry about it but some of the medications do produce gas

so i asked the doctor about it and she said yes

embaressing yes i walk away from her every time

about the flare ups melissa started feb 29 00 and was put in a wheelchair

she stayed in the chair about 6 weeks went from that to casting and

crutches

now she is in knee braces when she is out of the house or shes hurting

the braces seem to help alot to

she is finally able to ride her bike but not yet can skate melissa is 13

years old

and passed to the 8th grade as of today

Donna let me know if you want any more info

Robbin

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/2/00 10:28:04 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Robbin40@...

writes:

<< Donna

cool your not far from me i have a friend in roanoke va

i am in atlanta ga

melissa woke one morning and couldnt walk at all

her left hip and kne was affected the doctor tryed enteric asprin

that caused brusieing we stopped that they put her on tylenol 3

didnt help then on tolectin she had a reaction to that

they finnally put her on VOLTAREN 50 mgs 2 times a day then went to 3 times

a day so now shes takeing the voltaren her asthma meds and zyrtec and

gas X lord she needed that this girl is killing me with gas

sorry about it but some of the medications do produce gas

so i asked the doctor about it and she said yes

embaressing yes i walk away from her every time

about the flare ups melissa started feb 29 00 and was put in a wheelchair

she stayed in the chair about 6 weeks went from that to casting and

crutches

now she is in knee braces when she is out of the house or shes hurting

the braces seem to help alot to

she is finally able to ride her bike but not yet can skate melissa is 13

years old

and passed to the 8th grade as of today

Donna let me know if you want any more info

Robbin >>

Thanks...that helps alot. This is all so new to me...the asthma I had gotten

a handle on...we will with this also.

What a coincidence you have a friend here in Roanoke. I actually have a

friend in Atlanta! He's been there about a year now...small world!

Dona

[Guest guest]

Debbie

yes your right theres a difference between school home bound and home

schooling

and your right about useing the school teacher and keeping up on the same as

class

mates on AOL now we can use the AOLSchool.com i have to find out what

melissas school teachers email is also i can give melissas teacher melissas

email name and the teacher can scan her missed work in the computer and

melissa can do it like that it will still be a absent but a excused absent

and she dont get behind

with school also the timeing with half day is bad she has to be there

before 10:30

or shes still considered absent which is a headache

i am going to be more persistant with the school this comeing year due to

her absents cause so far as of today she was out more than 35 days this year

substract 3 for moms funeral and last year was 40 days out

let me know what else us parents can do

Robbin

[Guest guest]

Donna

cool lololol i have sites you can go to for any asthma info to and the

thing i did was gather up all i could about asthma and even printed it off

the sites and took all of it to melissas teachers coach and principal and

told them to read it all

i also did this for my son this helps the teachers understand better

some teachers never have seen it also you can call the american lung

association

theres a 1-800 number in the phone book also call the arthritis foundation

in the phone book they have a 1-800 number to and ask for any and all info

on asthma for the kids parents and teachers and do the same for the

arthritis foundation

if you have a printer print out what your child has and the help the school

can help with also ask the doctor for a letter stateing what your child has

copy this for your records and then hand to the school you will be prepared

for the start of this next school year

Robbin

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Let me start by clearing up a few terms. Homeschool is where the parents

purchase their curriculum and educate the children at home <on their own>. I

homeschool my 3 kidlets. Homebound is a school program that sends a

teacher to your house. I think it was Jenni who mentioned the going to

school some days and homebound someday being a headache and I agree

completely, I spent from 5th grade through graduation on and off of

homebound and my 3 recommendations would be..

1. If your going to do both, try and get her teacher at school to come by

after school and do the homebound studies. this way she will be on the same

page as the class.

2. Think about half days, let her go to school for the classes either in the

morning or the afternoon <which ever is a better time of day for her> and

then homebound only the other classes. On a semi permanent basis. I went to

school in the afternoons for art, music and Spanish and then had the core

classes at home. make sense?

3. If the days are not many, try talking to her teachers about you just

picking up the work for that day and doing it at home yourself.

I personally loved homebound and it played a major part in my decision to

homeschool my own children. In school I was a C student, on homebound I was

an A student and once I moved on to college I was much more prepared for

independent studies and continued to make the honor rolls.

Hope that helps,

Debbie

By Gods grace,

The Schuh Family

Dan, Debbie, Dottie, Kody and Wyatt

For information on Homeschooling, Crafting and Cooking as well as local

information for Ponca City, OK. visit www.poncamoms.com

home schooling

Hi everybody, I want to know if any of your children are home

schooled. I am in the process of getting the paperwork to join the

IEP plan and homebound schooling. The school told me that they hire a

teacher from the school to come to the house and teach 3

days a week for an hour a day. This is only if she misses school for

a while. It would be on an as needed term. She would still go to

regular school, but if started missing to much time, the teacher

would come to the house and work with her on what she missed. I think

it sounds great. Have any of you ever done this. loves

school and hates missing it. So I explained to her she would only be

home schooled on days she is feeling bad. Which I pray arent to many

by the time school starts again in August.

[Guest guest]

Dona,

Dr Amoroso suggested for us to use Tylenol for Kelsey... she is also on

Naprosyn. I think the warm baths and heat are the best kind of relief for

Kelsey. Hope Sara starts feeling better soon.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/2/00 11:35:39 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

imshellrenee@... writes:

<< Dona,

Dr Amoroso suggested for us to use Tylenol for Kelsey... she is also on

Naprosyn. I think the warm baths and heat are the best kind of relief for

Kelsey. Hope Sara starts feeling better soon.

>>

Thanks a bunch! Tylenol is what we are using. I just don't feel comfortable

giving her anything else that might compromise her breathing...we've come to

far to get her lungs operating at an almost normal capacity. She is feeling

better right now...soundly sleeping...I think yesterday was just too long ,

too much activity and not enough rest for her. We went to the park with my

sis-in-law and her 3 kids(they are 3 & twin 16 month olds...lots of chasing

babies!) Then, my son had an 8 pm ballgame that lasted until 10p and with all

that humidity.

We went to the Opthamologist today...something Dr. Amoroso recommended. Sara

thought the dilation of her eyes was really cool. She was calling her friends

and asking them to come over to see her " alien " eyes. Thank goodness,

everything was normal.

Dona

[Guest guest]

Glad Sara is feeling better. Kelsey still has her bad days, she is just

having less of them now. Great news about Sara's eyes :-) Dr Amoroso also

recommended us to a pediatric opthamologist, Dr Bullard at the Vista Eye

Center in Salem. We went in April and everything was normal... I was so

relieved! Kelsey absolutely hated the eye drops. I could've cried myself,

she was crying and was just pitiful! lol Talk about making you feel guilty!

lol She doesn't like anything in her eyes... she freaks if water gets in

her eyes!

Have a nice weekend,

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/3/00 8:21:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time, gmckin@...

writes:

<< Hi Dona,

I'm really sorry to hear that your daughter seems to be flaring. In our

case, taking just the NSAIDs alone (things like naprosyn, relafen,

advil, indomethacin, etc) didn't do much of anything for my son's pain

and inflammation. He needed stronger meds. Sometimes, it does appear to

be all a child needs for relief of their arthritis symptoms, though.

About the duration of flares: You're right. I think it varies too much

to be able to give a concise answer. Might be just a few days. Might

last weeks or longer. I know that's not very comforting. Sorry. That's

just the way JRA sometimes is. If Sara doesn't start improving, I'd try

to make an earlier appt with her rheumatologist to re-evaluate the

current situation, check her hip and knee, and discuss options for meds

that might be able to control the pain and symptoms better. We haven't

used Tylenol for Arthritis pain. My son takes prednisone, indomethacin,

plaquinel, methotrexate, miacalcin .... and also cytotec for his

stomache.

I hope Sara starts feeling better soon.

Aloha,

Georgina >>

Thanks a bunch for the info. Sara does seem to be doing better today. We

borrowed one of her great-grandfathers canes to make the walking a little

easier, but her knee seems to be less swollen than yesterday and her range of

motion has greatly improved. I think she just majorly overdid it on Thursday.

She's a kid who doesn't know what the mean of " rest " means, so she keeps

going and going, no matter how tired she is.

Dona