Dr. Fuentes  

Aeric Smith's (my autistic 21 year old. son) Progress in Education: After Aeric graduated from Maple Heights High School in 2006 with a diploma and honors, I enrolled him in Penn Foster, a distance learning online that is self-paced training.  Penn Foster is as follows:

Overview of Penn Foster Career School Penn Foster Career School was originally the brain child of Thomas J Foster back in 1890. Even back then the focus was on distance education, and the school enrolled more than 250,000 students in its first decade.

Today, the school is a leader in online education, and as of 2007 has enrolled more than 13 million students. Penn Foster offers more than 80 different programs across a wide range of careers. These programs culminate in either a certificate of a diploma.

Penn Foster Career School is closely tied to Penn Foster College, which offers Associates degrees that can be earned online, and Penn Foster High school that enables students to get their high school diploma online. All of the schools enable students to learn online, in print, or a combination of both methods.

Penn Foster Career School is accredited by the following organizations:

•The Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools (high school and vocational-technical programs)

•The Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)

•The Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools. Points of Distinction

•Proven career-focused training for more than 115 years

•Complete flexibility in fitting education into your schedule

•Low tuition costs •Interest-free monthly payment plans

•Online or print-based learning, or mix and match Areas of Study The school offers more than 80 programs covering a diverse range of career opportunities, including: Appliance repair, auto mechanic, computer and web careers, health care trades, legal support roles, and teaching.

See below for a complete list of programs.

Penn Foster Career School Selectivity The school has an open admissions process, so becoming a student there is relatively easy. All that is required is a simple application Penn Foster Career School Faculty Quality The faculty at the school is made up of industry professionals who have direct and practical experience in the application of the course material. This fits with the hands-on focus of the school. Penn Foster Career School Student Body Because of the wide range of programs offered, students at the school come from all walks of life. There are also a significant number of international students. Penn Foster Career School Student Life As all courses are offered online or via printed material sent to the student's home or office, there is minimal interaction between the students.

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Accreditation Penn Foster Career School is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools for its high school and vocational-technical programs.

Penn Foster Career School is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), which is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency.

The Independent Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council is listed by the Department of Education as a "nationally recognized accrediting agency."

The Accrediting Commission is also recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Penn Foster Career School is licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools.

Approved for veterans education benefits Many Penn Foster programs are approved for veterans education benefits. Reservists may also qualify for veterans education benefits. If you think you may be eligible, check with your local or regional VA office.

My Take:

Step One: Now, with all that said...my son, Aeric reads 47 pages in one month. He takes his time on every word that he reads. I assist him by asking him questions to comprehend after he reads a sentence. My reason for asking questions per sentence is for him to comprehend what has been read. Sometimes it may take repetitiveness to get him to comprehend, but he finally gets it. Therefore, the key is to not rush him. Let him breathe when he reads and go over his reading when mistakes are made until he completes his sentences without flaws.

Step Two: Make him take notes as he comprehends his sentences. He can go over the notes whenever he likes to remember what was read as long as it takes.

Step Three: When preparing for an exam, I rehearse his notes along with his exam questions repetively until he gets it. This process takes as much time or more than the first step because I allow him time to process his memory with ease. I never rush his memory because he is very good with details. Therefore, I rehearse the exam questions over and over again until he finally thinks that he is ready to take the exam in confidence.

Results: On July 29, 2009, Aeric took his first exam and scored 90%! The process takes quite a while, but it is worth the effort!