My boy didn't even start reading well until he was 12/13, now he knows a lot of Latin, writes large essays every week, and his comprehension is very high when reading. Homeschooling doesn't focus as much on the instant results or having a child hit all the same markers another child hits, but rather on raising a child to be a productive part of society. Once my boy understood the actual structure of words/sentences/ paragraphs/ chapters, he started to thrive. What's funny is had I got the same instruction he did(through the curriculum we used), I would have done much better too, as most of what was being taught in English classes just went innocent ear and out the other, part of that was the teachers sucked too.He's a good kid, and smart so long as it's something that interests him. Which I think is one of the biggest issues we've been having with him at school. He doesn't want to be there, and has zero interest in school work. I get it, I was the same way, but he still needs to learn the basics and graduate. Tried explaining it to him several ways, he doesn't seem to get it. I think it's just his age, but I really don't want him having to repeat kindergarten again. It's been a challenge from go with him and school.
I took a lot of shop classes, small engines, wood, metals, then went to a skills center off site for sheet metal fab and ARC(air conditioning, refrigeration, cooling), just getting out of my school helped me a lot. Doing sheet metal fab helped me to excel in geometry as I was actually applying it.I was a lot like that, I was good at what interested me and did my best to ignore everything else.
My best year in HS was when I had wood shop the last period of the day. I made the credit roll that year because I wanted to be there. The next year I had shop the first period of the day and I did horribly, because I just did not want to be there the rest of the day!
Luckily, I always did well enough to pass, but not much better. I went to college for accounting because my only strong subject was math. (I got in because my SAT scores were decent).
It will help to explain to him how things he learns (like math) will help him to calculate roof angles and vehicle mileage, etc. Knowing that he can apply the knowledge will make it more relevant.
Didn't graduate with my class because I failed Government twice back to back with the same instructor, couldn't stand him and he felt the same for me, still don't like the government lol.
Took the GED and went to diesel college in TN, but rarely use that although i did manage a muffler and brake shop for a time. Have had multiple successful businesses and still do side work with the tractors and the tree work.
As you said about teaching him how his boy learns is key, unfortunately most public schools/teachers don't as they have their curriculum and they teach how they were taught. I'm sure his boy will do just fine in this world just having good people skill/character, common sense, and mechanical aptitude.
Oh, I did go back and get my diploma, just because, but its never helped me in any way...
Was there anything in the traps .I was flunking Social Studies (and everything else besides machine shop) back in High School. The teacher despised me, since I refused to put any effort into his useless rambling. I remember him calling me out one morning, asking why I was staring out the window, thinking about nothing. I replied, " I wasn't staring out the window thinkin' bout' nuthin;, I was staring out the window wondering if there was anything in my muskrat traps".
I would give away nicer looking chains than that one.
Pick me