<p>My 16 year DD is a sophomore in High School. She seems to have an unusual time remembering things (unless it involves music). For example, since August 15, she has lost 4 lunch boxes, 3 books; she’s repeatedly forgotten to do assignments despite maintaining a written agenda, and she has forgets to bring her orchestra instrument home, even over extended break.</p>
<p>When she was in elementary school the private school she attended recommended we have her tested, and two testing agencies diagnosed her as ADD. We rejected medication and she had done well until this year. Historically A’s and B’s - this year C’s and D’s. </p>
<p>However, despite the testing results she doesn’t seem to fit all the classic ADD. Also, when things are set to music, she has no issue. Learns vocal songs ridicously fast. When she was younger, she couldn’t learn her mulitplication tables, until we bought a tape that sung them - then it was no problem. </p>
<p>My daughter has a non-verbal learning disability, which for her manifests partly in problems with executive functioning. Keeping a calendar (and then checking it!), keeping track of things, etc. are chronic problems. Like your D, she never really learned her multiplication tables (she is very good at higher level math, but does have slow processing speed on stuff like multiplication). Geometry was a struggle for her, and don’t even get me started on trying to teach her to drive (<em>intparent clutches the dashboard with white knuckles…</em>). She has been tested twice for ADHD, and the results have been “inconclusive” both times.</p>
<p>Her organizational challenges really became a problem freshman year of high school (sounds like your D has hit the wall one year later). High school places much higher demands on executive functioning skills than middle school, so it is not uncommon for the wheels to fall off the wagon when they hit that.</p>
<p>Things that helped us:
This year we bought her French book ($80+ per book, she has lost several over the years) electronically, and it is loaded on her laptop (which she does not lose). The book cost less, also.
We have been through periods (in high school) where I went through her folders with her several times a week, and we also reviewed the online grading/assignments information her school provides. We are very lucky they have that… I am not doing that with her this year (senior year), although she did have a breakdown on turning in a few labs over the past few weeks, and I had to sternly remind her that she does not want to go back to the days when I have to review things.
She has done better with a calendar on her laptop (iCal) than a paper planner. There is a beautiful leather bound one on her floor right now that she picked last year… it is gathering dust, has not been touched in weeks.
We are lucky, no bus service so I pick her up after school. I can ask after lunch boxes, instruments, jackets, etc. Honestly, this year she finally seems to have her act together better, and I don’t have to ask often.</p>
<p>DD had a second set of books in Middle School (per pediatrician order) - but not in 9th grade. I like the laptop calendar idea. I reviewed her stuff/lesson requirements in Middle School, but stopped in 9th grade, b.c I figured she needed to learn to do it herself before college. Am worried about college. DD is very bright and creative to boot, but I don’t know how she is going to manage if she can’t remember to take care of basic school tasks.</p>
<p>This is so timely. I don’t have any advice but I have a daughter the same age who is struggling. She has been having a hard time both in Spanish and, surprisingly, in a dance class where she is learning a complicated routine. She actually suggested to the teacher that they focus on learning one section at a time (it is a private lesson) rather than do the whole thing and make corrections to everything all at once. The teacher said no and my daughter is now very frustrated. I was proud of her for speaking up about how she wanted to learn and very disappointed that the teacher is insisting she learn the same way her other advanced students do (this is a new studio for us, so the teacher doesn’t know her well). My daughter thinks she has a learning disorder and is asking me to arrange to have her school retest her. We tried this in 7th grade and the results were inconclusive. Also, she gets good grades–generally over a 3.5. So the schools have not been that concerned about her relative to other kids.</p>
<p>Her general issues are 1) needing a LOT of repetition of instructions 2) needing help comprehending instructions and 3) being a slow reader/processor and taking a long time on tests. I am worried about her losing even more confidence when she starts taking college prep tests in the spring. On the upside, she is EXTREMELY organized (except with regard to her bedroom :)) and has an amazing memory. She just does not think she is smart at all, even though she is.</p>
<p>As a teacher: if she can get an extra set of books to keep at home, save her back and get them. Ask for an accommodation that will let her use electronics not normally allowed in school (use cell phone camera to take picture of board with homework posted on it, etc.) Agree to allow school personal to check that device isn’t being used in a way not on her 504 plan.<br>
Get really good at writing songs to help her learn things. Different brain areas. Tell her about how Gabby Giffords could sing things before she could say them.</p>
<p>You might want to check out Cogmed Working Memory Training - [Cogmed</a> Working Memory Training](<a href=“http://www.cogmed.com/]Cogmed”>http://www.cogmed.com/). I have NO affiliation with this group. Here’s what I know: My BIL was the first adult in North America to try it, four or five years ago. He was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult (please note that “ADD” is not an accurate medical term anymore - ADHD is inattention or hyperactivity and impulsiveness or a combination of the two). My sister and mother were very leery about this computer-based training, but they both could tell a big difference. My BIL couldn’t hold down a job before, but he has had the same one for quite awhile now. Now the program is offered all over the country - you can use Google to find practitioners.</p>
<p>My 17-year-old has been diagnosed with ADHD, so my BIL suggested I look into Cogmed. I emailed my son’s doctor about it just last week. I’m not supposed to quote emails on CC, but basically he said he was skeptical at first, but when he checked it out, he was surprised to find articles in several respected, peer-reviewed journals that substantiate the claims that the program can help. He recommended we proceed with the program for my son, who is challenging because the ADHD meds exacerbate his bipolar symptoms.</p>
<p>Cogmed consists of (25) 45-minute sessions on the computer - five sessions per week for five weeks. A doctor or psychologist monitors the person and evaluates him or her periodically. There are follow-ups six weeks, six months, and one year after the training ends. The benefits are supposed to last indefinitely, but if the person wants booster sessions, 100 of them are included in the initial cost.</p>
<p>The psychologist explained that a lot of people with ADHD need help improving their working memory, which is like RAM in a computer. If the computer doesn’t have enough RAM, it acts sluggishly.</p>
<p>So we’ll see! I will post how things go for my son. I figure it’s worth a try at this point.</p>
<p>Cross posted, that was for hanaliy…sally305, SAT and ACT tests hardly ever change the directions for a section of a given type. If she does several practice tests and learns to recognize the directions for each section type, she can speed through the instructions.
I agree with your daughter. Talk to the school about testing. Learning disabilities like needing extra time on tests fall everywhere on the IQ spectrum.</p>