One with LD, three gifted - hard to balance

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

This is probably more of a vent than a request for information. I don’t know that there is a feasible answer to my issue.

I have one child with LD (oldest — 11 yr. old) and 3 quick studies. We’ve homeschooled for seven years. With the three different grade levels, (two are twins) I need to teach as much together as possible. Problem is, the twins (middle children — 8 yr. olds) have surpassed the 11 year old in academic ability and it is becoming increasingly more obvious. I do not have time to teach them separately. The 11 d. scored out of eligibility for services with the public school (testing was probably not the best assessment because I accelerate/remediate her education in order to keep her at least on level with her peers — she had been exposed to many of the concrete concepts she was tested on for several years). I can’t afford a tutor. I just can’t figure this one out. Although the 11 year old complains very infrequently about this, it must be rather frustrating and discouraging for her. Anyone else deal with a similar sibling situation (please excuse the tongue twister)?

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 05/08/2001 - 6:27 AM

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Angie-

My daughter is 7 and my LD son is 11. The fights are wild at my house. What I did was tell everyone that unless we are playing an educational game there is to be no talking back and forth.

My son does do well is math and is ahead of his sister. If my daughter is having problems I ask if he can help her and tell her that he can teach her a simple way to do the work. Sometimes my son will allow his sister to help him. (Not often). But the rule is that you must ask the person if you can help them, this gives the one having problems a chance to work it out. Sometimes I have to put them in different places in the room when they just want to shout answers but it works pretty good.

I also had a talk with my daughter about her needing special help in some areas and her brother needing special help in other areas. It dosen’t make anyone more special than the other. I also do alot of art, science, and computer projects at the same time with both of them so that they are doing seperate work and projects together.

Good luck, I hope this might give you some help.
D.D.
[email protected]

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 05/09/2001 - 5:52 AM

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Angie,

I have three children. The oldest is 14 and has a learning disability. They need one-on-one attention. My oldest has started helping my 5 year old while I work with my 11 year old. Then I let them work on puzzles or learning games while I work with the oldest. It is working pretty well. Sometimes I work with one in the morning and one in the evening. This summer I plan to study gardening and plant life together as a goup. It will be much less structured.

We have turned our garage into a “class room”. It is much easier to work with them in a structured evironment. I wish you luck. Don’t give up. Teaching different levels can be done. You just have to see what works for you.

Nell

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