teaching styles with children on the spectrum

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My son is approaching 13, is in 7th grade, and is a great student for the most part. He needs lots of support, but he is improving.

We have what I am guessing is a common situation -- our son takes his math class at the end of the day, when he is tired, when his ADHD meds are waning, and therefore he doesn't get much from class. Thank heavens he has an excellent teacher who "gets" his needs.

Because of the above-expressed problems, my son often comes home not knowing how to do his homework. Once we teach him, he does very well at math and succeeds on tests at school. The trouble is, it takes such a long time to repeat all that he needs to learn to do his homework.

My way of teaching is to use lots of visuals, work through a problem or two with him, and then get him to do the work on his own. He still often needs help, so my way is not necessarily fool-proof. Another problem is that, with 7th grade math, I am rapidly reaching my limit of being able to help him without a lot of prior study on my part.

My husband, on the other hand, is terrific at math. Having said that, he is not terrific at TEACHING math. He does this thing with my son where he tries to teach concepts, but he basically gives my son some of the information, and then waits, and waits, and waits for my son to magically come up with the "rest" of the information. I'm sure that my husband is trying to teach, but trying also to NOT give the answer, so that it forces my son to think. The trouble is, that process rarely works. It just ends up with a lot of tears on the part of my son, and a lot of frustration on the part of my husband.

Do you have a similar problem? What have you done to remedy this? If you went through this as a child with your parents, what would you have hoped they would do to make things more understandable for you?

This is the 2nd time I have tried to reply, it wouldn't let me the first time.

I have been up since the wee hours of this morning thinking about this very subject (maths) My 10 year old really finds maths hard. I found a web site (sorry cant recall their name, perhaps you could do a search on the product name) They have this very simple but visual teaching concept, which I think may help my son, perhaps it could help yours. It was called smart math. They talk about having counting points on numbers. I cant afford this product, but I am now trying to think up a way to make up something similar for my son J.

It's well worth a look. I'm hoping if I can get it to work at home I will send it to school and they can use it there to. If you or anyone else come up with a better idea, it would be fantastic to hear it. all the best Aurea.

My son works best when you teach him a concept and get him to play with the concept in his own mind. With my son, I would follow what your husband is doing.

My sister is the one who couldn't "get" math, and I remember how I finally got her over the hump with percentages. I took her shopping She now "gets" it.

Everyone is different. Sometimes you have to approach a concept from 5 different angles before someone "gets" it.

Aside from finding a new way to look it, and to keep doing so until your son grasps it, I have no advice.

I was an ace at math when I was a child, like it was plain fun. On the opposite, meds messed up with my math.

Thanks for all of your replies. I'm always looking for new ways from this forum to teach my son.

Well, if your husband knows the concepts better, but you both agree that you are the better teacher, why not ask your husband to help better your math so that you can teach him.

AAAAAAAAA...math!! !! !! !! !! !! !!
what about trying to find a local teen or local college student looking for a little extra cash for tutoring your son ?
we tried this with our son- i stink at math, and hubby is not very good at teaching math........the tutor worked for awhile, but son was so anxiety-ridden at that point in his life that he could barely concentrate.