Homeschooling

Homeschooling the difficult child

We are having HUGE behavior issues. So bad, I'm afraid I will have to give up homeschooling. I am so discouraged and disheartened!

The issue is always reading and stems from her one year in private school where somehow she learned (or was taught) that it is OK to guess words you don't know.

If she sits down and reads a book, she can read all the words. Bit if she is given a review list of the words she has just Mastered consistently, she guesses. But rather than sounding out the sounds of the words, she makes up sounds and fake words.

It always ends with frustration, and tantrums, tears, throwing things, and discipline. I just don't know where to go next. :(
                We're Going to be a Family of 5!

Lilypie - (PaHE) Lilypie - (4noI)

                               Lilypie - (2q9u)


Re: Homeschooling the difficult child

  • Whenever I get tears and frustration, it's always a sign to me that it's time to set the material down and revisit later. Usually, within 3-6 months, they've figured it out on their own when they were ready. This happened recently with DS2 and his letter sounds. It was a daily battle to get him to sit still at the table and he was just not getting it. I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out what to do. Then I took a wise veteran homeschool mom's advice and stopped stressing, because there really was no rush. Two weeks ago he came up to me and started saying his letter sounds on his own - he had either taught himself or picked it up by observing his big brother's phonics lessons. He was reading within a week. No stress and no more tears. I can't remember what grade your daughter is in, but I still think she's young enough to set it aside and wait until she's developmentally ready. The goal is to read a book, and she's doing that. So I wouldn't stress for now. Don't give up!
        
  • Loading the player...
  • Thank you for the encouragement. Even though my mom lives close, and homeschooled four kids, she isn't much help. Her response is always just, i had that problem too. Great. Awesome. TELL ME HOW YOU FIXED IT!!!!

    I feel like I am completely alone in this. I can't seem to get in touch with ANYONE in our homeschooling groups. Add to that my other friends are child free and working full time, I have no outlets. Ever.

    I want to look at other curriculums. I don't think this method is working for her. But I don't even really know where to start. When I went to the convention last year, I already had an idea of what I wanted to look at. But after a year working with her, she is bored out of her mind doing workbooks all day long. (Not really, she's done in two hours usually).
                    We're Going to be a Family of 5!

    Lilypie - (PaHE) Lilypie - (4noI)

                                   Lilypie - (2q9u)


  • @TamaraR4
    Are you still in WI? (You mentioned in my thread that you grew up here.) 
    Maybe it's time to take a (previously unscheduled) break from school. How old is she? Is she old enough to have a discussion with her about the types of things she likes in school?
    I like the pp idea of setting difficult, stressful things aside for a bit and coming back in a few weeks or months. 

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • We're in Michigan now, but there are no regulations, and she's only first grade. We've had a rough time getting this year off the ground. The thing I don't understand is she can totally read! I don't get why she is stifling reading a word list. It's not even a spelling list. All she has to do is read words she has been reading for the last several weeks in her lessons.

    We didn't do school today.
                    We're Going to be a Family of 5!

    Lilypie - (PaHE) Lilypie - (4noI)

                                   Lilypie - (2q9u)


  • Hello, I came across your post when I was googling 'How to Homeschool a Difficult Child', and saw that you were wanting to look into different curriculums as your daughter isn't too thrilled with workbooks.... Have you ever heard of/looked into Sonlight? It is a literature based curriculum and doesn't use the standard workbook approach. Whatever you end up doing, I hope you will be able to find a solution that works for you and your daughter! Good luck!
  • If she can read the words in a book, why does she have to read them in a list? Real question, not being confrontational. For review? To check if she understands the meaning?

    If the list is causing so many issues, why not drop them? Instead you could have her make up sentences with the word in it, or you read them and she tells you what they mean, or even something silly like she has to act out the word.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker


    BabyFruit Ticker
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"