The Honors Track

Well, we managed to convince Abe to change classes.  He only didn't want to do it because he hates change so we sweetened the deal with a video game (compliments of grandma!).  So far the transition has been good.  The social studies class is pretty similar but the English class is at a whole other level.  There is a lot more work and the teacher is actually requiring them to write regularly in their "Writer's Notebook".  Some nights the vast majority of Abe's HW is from English.  I think it is good for him to be challenged rather than skate by.  Also, having English first rather than 9th period is good for him.  Now he has art 9th period which is perfect for him.  The thing that is really great is that when Abe is challenged I get to see how competent he can be academically.  The class is reading Gilgamesh and Abe is handling the work and the analysis without any difficulty.  The hardest part is that Abe has trouble focusing after school.  I tried to get him to do his homework right when he got home but he needs to unwind and chill out and refuses to do it.  Later on he is willing to do it but finds he loses focus and can't do all of it.  We end up waking him up early which can be stressful because eventually he has to stop working and get ready for school.  I know that I can request modified homework if need be but I would rather try to solve this without having to reduce his work. Abe can do his homework in resource room but he forgot it there once and since then has been reluctant to do it there.  Abe only has resource room to give him some space in his schedule and we are trying to work out with the teacher what he should do there.  Abe would like to be able to play on computer and personally if he needs that it isn't the end of the world.  The teacher want to do something "constructive" and I hope it doesn't end up making resource room a stressful place.