Talk about stubborn men...

[catnapper]

Thanks Fox-Gal. I had a loooonnng talk with his favorite Aunt last night and she is peeved beyond recognition.. she's a teacher and has dyslexia herself. She said, and I quote, "He needs to get over himself." In our family, when we say that, we mean: stop whining, no more woe-is-me, what makes you think that you're so special that you're the only one with this problem, etc.

I had never thought of him using his handwriting to disguise his bad spelling, etc. I have noticed its been getting worse lately, but I thought it was because he didn't care and just wrote something to write it, or wrote too fast.

As for people thinking less of you because you admitted your problem, thats not going to happen. People are so well informed of this today that its just one more thing about a person. People would most likely react the same way if they were told that you were color blind. Its just one more thing people can also relate to.

[cali]

lol well he is not alone with the bad hand writing thats for sure! in grades when we were forced to handwrite, no printing no typing allowed, the teachers took me into the all and told me to print, no matter how hard they tried my handwriting never did improve lol computer and typing classes did not get me anywhere either, we had to take these speed typing tests etc.. never could do those! however message boards are what improved my typing, they are somthing that I enjoy, AND I have to type to use them. it sounds like your son is quite a bit like me. i dont get anywhere with something i dont enjoy, for example my english teacher last semester made class fun, and everyone enjoyed going to his classes, my english mark went up 8% because I had fun in the class I enjoyed it. also a teacher calling home concerned got me REALLY mad. my bio teacher called my mom because I was not doing very well in the class, I could have killed both my teacher and my mom I was so angry. let your son learn from his own mistakes, do you know what goes through a teens brain? parents so one thing we will do the opposite. for example parents say dont smoke, or dont do drugs, or dont drink, and party all night. guess what the teen is going to do? exactly the opposite, because we want to learn for ourselves we do NOT want to be told what to do, everyone I know who does the kind of things I mentioned above, there parents forbid it. my mom and one of my friends moms, have a little rule "keep it out of sight of them and they dont care" I am a good girl you could say lol and my brother although he does drink and party, he does not let it get out of hand. my friend is also a good girl type although you wouldent know it by looking at her! lol. my point is just let your son figer things out for himself.

[mugsy]

catnapper....the number thing is called dysgraphia...I know someone who has that (along with dyslexia)...talk about frustrating.

It sounds like he's a 17 year old to me. Perhaps not running track because he didn't pass, might just wake him up. I assume he won't get the credit for the class either and will be repeating it? I don't me to be nasty, but, they have to learn somehow. I am not a parent, but, like your husband, am a teacher, so I am fully aware of the IEPs and such, so, as long as the teacher is following it and he uses the resource room, he should be able to pass. I'm sure he is frustrated too. Why not suggest (stongly ) that you guys sit down at the table and work through it together. Tell him about how numbers are for you and that you have to get help with those...maybe that would help. I always tell my students that until they're 18, their rights are limited, so get over it. (They of course tell me I'm mean...as they laugh with me) Perhaps the favorite aunt might be able to help too.(sorry if you already said that...I'm still not totally awake).

[catnapper]

Mugsy, thanks for letting me know the name of the numbers thing... I just might get tested... I'm still really mad about losing my job and there was a ton of harassment (sexual, emotional, and otherwise) going on there... I'm better being out of the situation, but another ex-coworker and I were thinking about a lawsuit. It would greatly help my case to prove that my numbers thing wasn't just me being a lazy, ditzy employee. But thats another whole post.

As for my son, we have tried to sit down with him. He just is so frustrated hmself that his attitude is getting unbearable. And yes, I agree with you about failing the class as a life lesson learned. My husband is against it because it would ruin his chances for college. But know what? He's not ready. He will be in for a major shock the first semester. My husband doesn't think so, but I do because I see his study skills and how he reacts to stress. Freshman year can be a wonderful learning experience, it can also overwhelm you.

Then the problem with college is that my son is a great runner. We have division I schools (if that means anything to you) lining up to talk to him. So, he'll go to school and run, but what about outside running? Will he be able to handle the pressures of class, a professor that expects YOU to take note instead of handing them pre-typed to you? How about the pressure of being handed a book on Monday and being expected to finish it by next monday's class? Or a paper assigned Tuesday due wednesday - 2000 words typed. He'll absolutely flounder.

Cali, I do know what goes through a teenager's brain as I was one not too long ago. He's my step son and there's only a 13 year difference between my son and I. I know that he doesn't drink, smoke, party with drugs... that would all affect his running. The last thing in the world he would ever do is engage in something that could potentially keep him from running. His excuse for not doing yard work is that he might strain something while pulling weeds

Thanks all of you guys! I seriously appreciate the advice. It makes me feel better that I'm not screwing up (too much ) and that he's just being a normal stubborn 17 year old man-in-training.

[Cincy'sMom]

I don't have anything to help, but I hope you can come to some agreement to help your son.

As for college, have you heard of Wright State in Dayton, Ohio? They have a lot of wonderful programs to admit students with a more difficult time learning. I don't kow if there is a similar school closer tohome, but it may be worth looking into when he is ready.

Good luck!

[cubby31682]

I also have 'learning issues.' When I was 10 years old I was in a very bad car accident that almost took my life. Before the accident I was a stright A student. After the accident my grades dropped down to C's and maybe a B every now and then. When ever my mom tried to help me with writing papers or anything like that I got so embarrassed and I refused just like your son. Or I wouldn't do the work at all. My teachers never called my house to let my parents know what was going on. Even still I don't post alot because I am afraid of making mistakes in gammer, spelling and so on. The last thing I want is for 'strangers' to see how bad my problem can be. My spelling is the worse. I have tried to get better at spelling and every now and then I learn a new word but for the most part I forget the word a few minutes after I tried to remember it. Before my accident my worst class was math, which I kept an A- average. After my accident, I kept a C+ and my worst class became english and reading. Which was my best class before. With me the more my parents tried to help me the more I got mad and would refuse to do the work. At school the teacher would tell us that we had to write a paper and stand up in front of the class and read it out loud. I always stayed home on those days. In class if I would refuse to read out loud it was an automatic fail. No questions about it. At least if I didn't show up I could just hand in the paper.

I have no clue where I'm going with this. Just please try to take it easy on him. I understand now how improtant school and school work really is. Some times school with set up a time for them to have someone tutor them. I had that as well it worked for the short while that they did it. Maybe you can talk to the school and see if they can set something like that up.

Katie

[Corinna]

I didn't think I had problems till I hit algibra in 7th grade then they determint I had a "mathblock" I did ok till high school My math teacher had 2 students (brainyacks) and brother and sister of my best freind sit on either side of me. Mom hired a tudor plus the teachers help. Got out alive with a D. After getting out of school and started teaching literacy to adults,(had a brother and sister ) who were dislexic . I started reading up on ways to teach them I discovered I was dislexic in numbers.DUH I read well cuz I love to read and have been since I was 2. Spelling and numbers are a problem. I just had to teach myself how to triple check thinks. Thats why I some times have weird sentences here,but you know what no one here cares.
The book I think helps any one with any learning disabilyty is from England I think it may be out of print but if you can frind a copy is "I can't read or Takl too good. " The brits were the first to discover and try treating dislexics .