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Help on how to salvage my ds education


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Ok, I am in need of some serious help.

We are in our second year of high school and I feel like I am failing my ds. We didn't accomplish everything last year to the degree I would have liked. With that in mind, we started this year with an on-line charter school. We didn't like it and ended up back hs'ing in Dec. This put us behind this year.

So this is where we are at:

9th grade:

Completed 2/3 Algebra 1.

Completed World History, but slacked towards the end of the year.

Completed Conceptual Physics, but not to a degree that I would have liked.

Completed a basic English/Lit. course, but not to a degree I would have liked.

Completed 2/3 of a very basic Spanish program.

Completed enough computer programming/game desigining to give 1/2 credit in Computer Science.

Completed a study on Ancient Greeks, but not sure if it is to a degree to award 1/2 credit or if it should be rolled into history.

PE is fine.

 

10th grade:

Finished Algebra 1 and have started Geometry, hoping to finish by June.

Working on American History, but not getting as much out of it as I would like.

Working on English/Lit. with a combination of writing, grammar and American Lit. study. I would like to award a separate credit for the American Lit., but not sure if enough will be done to do that so it may have to be rolled into a basic English credit.

Working on Spanish and will probably consider this as Spanish 1.

Working on Chemistry. This is probably the best subject this year as far as getting something out of it and completing it as I would like.

Working on an elective. We are studying the origins of the English language. It is going ok, but again not sure it will be enough for its own credit or if I will have to roll it into his English credit.

Again, PE is fine.

 

I feel like we are just doing enough to get by. Writing is still a chore and so we aren't accomplishing as much as I would like and to a level I was hoping to be at. My ds does what is asked of him, but no more than that. I have made the mistake of not challenging him to strive higher because it takes so much longer to get anything done.

I just feel like we have done the bare minimum to get by and I am disappointed with myself for having allowed this to happen.

 

Anyway, what can/should I do to get him on track for graduating and college? We are planning on having him try some classes at the cc next year through the pseo program. He is looking into a career in environmental science. The local cc has a 2 year program for this with a transfer agreement with a couple universities nearby to complete a 4 year degree.

 

I am feeling like I am failing my ds and I don't want to make the same mistakes with my dd (who starts high school this coming fall).

 

Thanks for reading and any advice.

Edited by Deece in MN
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Please (please) keep in mind that my oldest is 13. But I think you're lacking a general game plan?

 

When you start a public high school, you know exactly how many credits you need to graduate and in which areas. You then break those credits down into a workable annual plan spread over four years.

 

It sounds to me like you're planning annually with the hopes of accomplishing enough to meet your end goal. If this is so, then it's backwards.

 

You need to find out where he needs to be in order to achieve his end goal and then break it up into a manageable plan. And, quite frankly, a sophmore should be almost entirely responsibility (with some accountability to you) for his own education at this point. Have you held him to long term goals or does he need daily goals? Because I don't think his success or failure at this point should fall entirely on you. His motivation, or lack thereof, is going to be reflected in what he does.

 

And I guess I'd also wonder what reason you think you've not been able to accomplish what you'd like. What is standing in the way? Pinpointing this might be key in getting to your goals as well.

 

Random thoughts. :)

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I think you are fine!

 

You have (or will by June) two credits of math, two of history, two science, two English, 1.5 Spanish (I'd go ahead and count the 9th grade year as .5 of a credit), .5 elective (computer), and 2 PE.

That's a pretty standard 6 credits a year.

 

I would fold the Ancient Greece into history, and keep all the English together. Most people do NOT give separate English credit for lit. Now, you could count the language study as .5 credit and call it something like "Language Study: Origins of English" or count it as vocab--all towards an elective credit.

 

I'd say, that's enough PE. Many colleges don't even count it. Some do. Like the PP said, work backwards from what is required.

 

I think you are ok. Keep going. Get his writing up to par, practice for the SAT's (can count as an elective or just do it), and keep plugging along.

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I think you are fine!

 

You have (or will by June) two credits of math, two of history, two science, two English, 1.5 Spanish (I'd go ahead and count the 9th grade year as .5 of a credit), .5 elective (computer), and 2 PE.

That's a pretty standard 6 credits a year.

 

I would fold the Ancient Greece into history, and keep all the English together. Most people do NOT give separate English credit for lit. Now, you could count the language study as .5 credit and call it something like "Language Study: Origins of English" or count it as vocab--all towards an elective credit.

 

I'd say, that's enough PE. Many colleges don't even count it. Some do. Like the PP said, work backwards from what is required.

 

I think you are ok. Keep going. Get his writing up to par, practice for the SAT's (can count as an elective or just do it), and keep plugging along.

:iagree: with all of this!

Your son's program may not be as rigorous as you would like, but you have certainly not "failed" him! Make writing a priority for next year (he will really need this for CC), then start looking at the requirements for his major at both the CC and the 4 year school, and work backwards from there.

:grouphug:

Jackie

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Thank you for the replies and the support that we are doing "ok". Somewhere along the line I did lose my overall plan. I have to sit down and look at where we are and where we need to get ds and go from there. I was having a bit of a bad day when I posted and I appreciate the support.

Thanks! :)

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