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Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling
Dyslexic son wants to drop out



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chani8




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 7:27 am
My son, age 15 1/2, wants to drop out of school. He has a high IQ but severe dyslexia, meaning he can barely read and write. He is supposed to be given tests orally, but it rarely works out, as teachers just forget about him, don't have time, and end up just not testing him at all. He can't do written projects. He is very bored in school. Being an introvert, he doesn't enjoy the social aspect of school either.

He came up with an idea, that he would like to quit school and take the GED. After that, he'd go to university. The thing is, I did that myself, so I'm not really opposed to the idea. But I didn't have dyslexia. So, the question he wants me to research is, how can he even take a GED with his dyslexia? What about college entrance exams. Will either of those accommodate his dyslexia, and how?

Then he said, if I can't go to university and become a computer genius, I'll end up having to become a sniper or a ninja. So, can anyone help me here? I'd much rather my son go into computers than have to kill people for a living.
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chani8




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 7:35 am
I found stuff online that states that my son can receive special accommodations, but I still haven't figured out how we'd go about this in Israel, if that is even possible.

Anyone have a better idea for him, instead of GED, for here in Israel?
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vintagebknyc




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 7:37 am
(((((chani)))))

breathe, there are other jobs that are not snipers and ninjas. I know nothing about taking tests with dyslexia. I do know that, at least in america, there are colleges specifically for dyslexic kids. (the ones I know of are not jewish schools, but the opportunity of that option is out there.)

perhaps there is another solution? an encouraging program for teens like him who have learning disabilities? that's what saved my life, and helped me get into art school. because of my testing issues, I'd not have gotten into a "real" college (said facetiously, because I know some people feel art school isn't "real" college, but I disagree.) but there are trade-type schools where your son might excel. a friend with a daughter in a similar situation encouraged cooking school, and she's now an amazing pastry chef who is successful and, most of all, feels really accomplished.


Last edited by vintagebknyc on Sun, Apr 12 2015, 7:51 am; edited 1 time in total
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vintagebknyc




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 7:40 am
note: we cross posted, and I didn't see your post about what you've found (or not found) in israel.
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vintagebknyc




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 7:47 am
would you consider sending him to a non-frum school in america? his diversity might offer him a nice scholarship: http://www.landmark.edu/
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Sanguine




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 7:52 am
I don't like the dropping out of school idea (even if it worked for you). I know you're not like every other person but I think schools here give so much more than a diploma (it often seems like class learning is secondary in school here). My son is somewhat learning disabled and really couldn't keep up in the regular school so we did a lot of searching to find him the right place. Did you look into a different type of school for your son? My son really wanted to complete the bogruts like everyone else but it wasn't going to happen in a regular school. He spent most of 9th grade playing basketball till we (and the school) realized that he needed a school geared to giving you that help. You should know, these schools aren't filled with troubled kids. Many of the kids are simply dyslectic like your son. No one forgets to give tests Baal Peh there.
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chani8




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 7:57 am
Thanks, Vintage. By program for teens with LD, do you mean instead of high school? Perhaps we should be looking for a high school that is more like a trade school, for now?

I hope some israeli imamothers can fill us in about options similar to what you mention, here in Israel.
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vintagebknyc




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 8:03 am
chani8 wrote:
Thanks, Vintage. By program for teens with LD, do you mean instead of high school? Perhaps we should be looking for a high school that is more like a trade school, for now?

I hope some israeli imamothers can fill us in about options similar to what you mention, here in Israel.


I meant high school programs, or a college level one like the link I sent.

here's the thing, said to you by a women who herself was an at risk teen (albeit a non-frum one): I know there is concern about a non-frum environment, but failing in a frum place could be devastating for him and throw him right OTD. better to be frum in a non-frum environment, than to be a ninja or a sniper (just kidding, but you know what I mean).

I have to run out to a thing, but I'd be happy to brainstorm with you about options for those of us who couldn't cut it in so-called "real" schools.
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chani8




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 8:04 am
vintagebknyc wrote:
would you consider sending him to a non-frum school in america? his diversity might offer him a nice scholarship: http://www.landmark.edu/


How do I text in hysterical mom mode? No! No! Not sending him away!!! Not to america! Not on a plane or a boat! Ok, I'll stop.
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grace413




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 8:05 am
You might want to check out Project Hila, a division of Kidum Noar - usually found in the nearest Matnas. The have a school program for kids who aren't doing well in regular schools for a variety of reasons and they have a very good studen-teacher ratio. My DD was in this program and definitely got the hakalot that she was entitled to by her evaluation, including oral exams and extra time.
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chani8




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 8:06 am
Vintage, I appreciate all the brainstorming you have to offer. Really. And non-frum isn't an issue to us, so you don't have to convince us on that.
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chani8




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 8:13 am
Sanguine wrote:
I don't like the dropping out of school idea (even if it worked for you). I know you're not like every other person but I think schools here give so much more than a diploma (it often seems like class learning is secondary in school here). My son is somewhat learning disabled and really couldn't keep up in the regular school so we did a lot of searching to find him the right place. Did you look into a different type of school for your son? My son really wanted to complete the bogruts like everyone else but it wasn't going to happen in a regular school. He spent most of 9th grade playing basketball till we (and the school) realized that he needed a school geared to giving you that help. You should know, these schools aren't filled with troubled kids. Many of the kids are simply dyslectic like your son. No one forgets to give tests Baal Peh there.


My son doesn't care about bagruts because he can't imagine getting a full bagrut when it requires Lashon. He's going into grade 11th next year. He's desperate to find something else and doesn't need a religious environment, rather, a place with lots of fast paced, high level, intellectual study. Where is he going to find that except for college? Any ideas? He won't penimia, either, so sending him to JM isn't an option.
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chani8




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 8:18 am
grace413 wrote:
You might want to check out Project Hila, a division of Kidum Noar - usually found in the nearest Matnas. The have a school program for kids who aren't doing well in regular schools for a variety of reasons and they have a very good studen-teacher ratio. My DD was in this program and definitely got the hakalot that she was entitled to by her evaluation, including oral exams and extra time.


I'm confused when people say, program. Does that mean the kid has to continue going to school, too, or is this something in place of school?

He is begging me to get him a private tutor and call it homeschooling. Anything to get out of sitting in a classroom. This Project sounds like a possible solution. Is the goal to get bagrut?
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mille




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 9:41 am
I know every situation is differently, but your son sounds a lot like me. I don't know if I can categorize my dyslexia as 'severe', but it's certainly not 'mild'. I did the same, I left high school and got my GED, then went on to college... Where I got a 4.0 GPA and was accepted easily into PhD programs in a science field.

The difference between college and high school for me was that I got more freedom to find a method that worked for me. There were a lot less stupid homework assignments and a lot more papers. I didn't have to hand write anything if I didn't want to, other than a few essays on exams (but those were rare, at least for me, it was mostly scantron). I recorded most of my lectures, because I understand auditory material a lot better than written. I wrote my notes by hand, despite errors, and used the recording to decipher what I wrote in order to type the notes. I still make errors in typing, but they are more apparent and easy to correct. I had to find a method that worked for me in reading. I personally use two bookmarks so I only see one line at a time while I read.

I also find kindle reading to be easier, because I can change the font to a more dyslexic friendly font. Some textbooks can be loaded onto a kindle, too, and obviously all books for literature classes and the like.

Unfortunately, all of my experience is in the US, and I know things can be way different in America. Here, you can get accommodations through the office of disabilities in college (and in theory in high school too, but in my experience in public school, sometimes they just didn't have the resources to give me the accommodations practically). I have no advice on the actual GED test, because the test was so insanely easy that I didn't study at all and passed with flying colors. There was no written portion if I remember correctly, and I did ok with scantron tests and written tests as long as I used my bookmark method.

If his dream is to become a computer genius and he has any interest in coding, he should check out codecademy.com. Tons of free tutorials in programming in many languages, and they are very clear. If he can get his foot in the door somewhere, he might not even really need a degree to be a successful programmer. If he's interested in building and the hardware side of it, I suggest the youtube series for PCPartPicker. They do a ton of videos about components and building and all sorts of stuff, he might find it interesting at least.

I know this wasn't a ton of useful advice, so I'm sorry I can't be more helpful. But maybe a story of someone with not so mild dyslexia 'making it' will be of some chizuk to your son. He can definitely make it work!!!
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grace413




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 10:13 am
chani8 wrote:
I'm confused when people say, program. Does that mean the kid has to continue going to school, too, or is this something in place of school?

He is begging me to get him a private tutor and call it homeschooling. Anything to get out of sitting in a classroom. This Project sounds like a possible solution. Is the goal to get bagrut?


This is instead of school and not too different from a semi-private tutor. The goal is for the kid to get as far as he/she can/wants. There are certificates of 10 years of schooling, 12 years of schooling and partial full bagrut.

I'm not an expert but I don't know if he can go to university without bagrut. This program is free or almost free as opposed to the private bagrut schools which cost big bucks. They spend a lot less time in the classroom than a regular school because there are only a few kids.
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chani8




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 11:01 am
Thank you all for the thoughtful responses thus far.

I read your post to my son, Mille, and he really appreciated it.
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Mom23gs




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Apr 12 2015, 1:23 pm
Have you ever heard of the organization Kol Koreh? They are an advocacy group for kids with dyslexia and other language based disabilities. Maybe give them a call and see if they can help.
http://www.kolkoreh.org
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