I just spent an hour helping John with his homework, and I am now twice as exhausted as I was when I last posted. Letting him go back to public school was something that we had to try, but living in institutions or hoping between schools in foster care has not helped him to learn to deal with homework. Tomorrow he has a spelling test and I was helping him study. He is very frustrated because he has a serious learning disability and he is doing 2nd grade words. He rushed to get the worksheet done and in the process missed about 20 out of 30 of them. I mean crazy stuff -- like “The Ketchup of Maine is rocky and bumpy, but gives a lovely view of the ocean.”
So, as I am helping him try to learn the words that he knows are way below his grade level, he is getting more and more frustrated. I am using every bit of self control and patience as I can while he gets more and more agitated. Finally, the word jury caused him to punch a small hole in the office wall, one of the few walls that hasn’t had a door or wall punched in in our house. Heavy sigh.
There’s no magic key to spelling -- just repetition and learning and relearning. I don’t know for sure how to help him. And after an hour of the anger, tension and frustration I am ready for bed. Just have to survive a few more hours and I can go to bed.
AGH!
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