Reply to Managing 2e kid (ADHD+highly intelligent) in MCPS high school

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[quote=Anonymous]My son, now in 12th grade, is 2E - intellectually gifted and with severe ADHD. We’re also in a large public high school (not in MCPS). We were in a similar position going into 9th grade, and my son really wanted to take honors and AP classes - similar to your son in that he was afraid of being bored, is naturally very intellectually curious, and wanted to be in classes with other kids who care about learning.

We did a few things that ended up working well for him: First, he does have a very supportive 504 plan with lots of accommodations – extra time on tests, flexibility to turn in assignments late when he forgot them, and the option to reduce certain homework assignments (like doing every other math problem). We also gave him a lot of support at home - I helped him organize his homework plan every day after school, helped him set up study plans for tests, etc. Basically EF support. He also had to limit activities that happened immediately after school, since his ADHD meds would wear off around 6pm and he had to get all his homework done after school.

And last, we essentially lowered our (and especially his) expectations of his grades. Even though we knew he had the intellectual ability to get A’s, because of his slow processing speed and his meds wearing off in the early evening, he just couldn’t “grind” work out. He couldn’t study for tests as much as he often needed to, and he had to do a lot of homework on the weekends.  He ended up taking nearly all honors classes, with a few AP classes in his favorite subjects (math and science), and he’ll be graduating with mostly B’s (and a handful of A’s).

Over time he got better at organizing his work, and now that he’s a senior I no longer need to provide EF support (he still misses assignments here and there). He also got into his first choice college (for engineering), and overall has been engaged with school and enjoys learning. I think if we had really pushed him to get A’s, it would’ve affected his mental health, and if he had avoided honors and AP classes, he would’ve been really bored.
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