While conscientiously working on his geometry problems, Conner Ford kept one eye on the clock.

 

 

“After this paper, you can take a break,” said his mom, Carol.

 

And as promised – once Conner successfully solved the remainder of his problems and high-fived his mom – he was off for some brief TV time and a snack; specifically a cartoon and pepperoni stick.

 

Carol Ford has been homeschooling 16-year-old Conner for the past year and a half. At a very young age, the son of Carol and Brad Ford was diagnosed with autism. He attended public school up through the eighth grade.

 

In just one homeschool session, the mother-son pair covered a wide range of curriculum, completing more than a dozen worksheets.

 

“He’s doing fourth and fifth grade-level math, English and health and we do lessons on science, social skills and real-life skills – just trying to get him to understand socially what is appropriate to say and what is not,” Carol said. “He’s learning what to do if he goes into a store – checking to see if he has enough money and is getting the right change – and things like bicycle safety, fire safety and calling 911. He’s done amazing in math, working everything from fractions to perimeters. In grammar, we work on similes, metaphors, homophones, synonyms and antonyms - and he’s doing really well.”

 

Carol said she chooses the curriculum, then finds extra worksheets which complement it. But it’s not just those resources which provide Conner’s education.

 

“With Conner, it’s always redirecting – figuring out what works and what doesn’t work,” she said. “For instance, with grammar, a typical kid would grasp subjects and verbs quickly, but with Conner, I have to repeat and repeat in different ways and then he gets it.”

 

A former WVU professor and parent resource educator for the West Virginia Autism Society, Carol attends various autism seminars, keeping up to date on the latest techniques for teaching children with disabilities.

 

“I learn how to break things down and about learning through play,” she said. “I also visit homeschool Websites, finding resources I can tap into.”

 

Other resources utilized include those shared by Mrs. (Mikki) Leatherman, Conner’s special education teacher at Bridgeport Middle School.

 

 

“She’s very thorough and was helpful in giving me a lot of ideas,” Carol said. “She’s been very encouraging. She’s also the certified teacher who looked through Conner’s portfolio at the end of last school year.”

 

Watching Conner work, it’s obvious he wants to learn. In the one-on-one setting, he receives immediate feedback on his work. If he has done it correctly, he is obviously pleased. If it needs tweaking, his listens to correction and tries again.

 

His first morning session lasted nearly two hours. While working, he sits on a stability ball, which enables him to move around a little. He also utilizes a slant board and bale, which is visually more appealing.

 

“All those things help him succeed,” Carol said.

 

There are other tools and resources throughout the house which meet Conner’s various needs, such as sensory integrated dysfunction which deals with touch to the body, Carol Ford explained.  For some kids with autism, it overloads their system to wear certain clothes or socks. Conner is the opposite, preferring to be completely covered – with long pants, long-sleeves shirts and socks. He also responds well to pressure, such as that provided by the use of a suspension swing and padded landing zone.

 

Swinging is one of Conner’s favorite things to do. Spending time with his 20-year-old brother Cameron is at the top of pastime list. He also loves playing with his dog Shelby, going horseback riding, learning about/playing with dinosaurs and doing artwork. His personal art wall displays a number of quality creative works – which range from drawings to paintings to three-dimensional pieces. He likes to show them off and describes each piece – and when/where he created it - in detail.