A question for those of you who have had dc enter ps high school.

[vkay]

IF your dc were to go to a ps high school, should you join earlier to adjust first?

 

My dd has stated that she would like to go to high school. Assuming that we agree, we are trying to plan when would be a good year to enter the ps system. My dh says that 9th grade is a crucial year as far as academics/college is concerned. He doesn’t want her first year to be 9th. He would like her to “adjust†first and says it’s too risky to have her first year be such a crucial year. He thinks that she should join in 7th and use that year to adjust. The 8th grade can be used for excelling and making sure we’re on the right path. If all is well, then she continues on to 9th.

 

I know a lot of you have been in the same boat. I seem to recall getting a feeling that the easiest transition has been to start at 9th. Something about kids being more mature (ours and ps kids)?? Aren’t 7th & 8th graders a bit cliquey – more so than high schoolers??

 

I don’t worry about her grade-wise. I do think she’d need time to adjust her test taking skills. I also think she’ll be a bit overwhelmed by the social atmosphere.

 

Any insight from those that have btdt?

[lgm]

It would depend upon the district and the child.

 

7th is the first year of honors here and the workload is high. Students are dropped at the end of the quarter from any honors/accel class that they don't maintain a good grade in. You would need to work with the school in the winter of 6th in order to secure a place in honors/accel classes if the school is overcrowded.

 

8th is where the high school credit classes start for accelerated students, however all classes are in the middle school.

 

7th and 8th is cliquey unless the area has a lot of people moving in/out.

 

9th is a huge adjustment year for everyone as it's a new building with more than one feeder middle school and the discipline problems can be eye openers and a bit emotionally disturbing to some students. Other students just don't transition well to the freedom, new friendship opportunities and organizational req'ts of high school.

 

But it all really depends on the student, your area and particular district. Perhaps a call to the guidance counselor would be helpful.

Edited July 10, 2009 by lgm

[Deidre in GA]

i agree that it depends upon the school and the student. my son entered conventional public school 9th grade last fall. academically, the school work was a cake walk (except for math but that's another story altogether). this is supposed to be a good school but the work requirements are so lame i shudder to think what these kids were asked to do in middle school. unless you absolutely KNOW that the academic standards are very high, i wouldn't waste your daughter's time in public middle school grades.

[Chris in VA]

Personally, in my situation, I will not go thru the middle school carp again with dd as I did myself and with my sons.

I think 7th grade is a terrible time to enter school, mainly for social reasons, but also because it is typically a time of great disequilibrium for teens. With all the puberty stuff going on internally, I want to make sure the external environment is not one to which my dd needs to adjust.

9th grade is a good time to enter the ps system, because it allows students to start and complete a high school series of classes--math, science and history are typically in a series. Also, one can become involved with athletics and clubs, and the athletics are particularly hard to break into later in high school. Plus, everyone is making the transition to high school at that point. If your high school gathers kids from middle schools or Jr High schools, your child won't be the only one who is "new;" everyone will be meeting lots of new people.

 

I will probably try to put dd in high school in 11th grade--I want to offer far more literature and history than is typical in our school. I have the option of enrolling her for two classes each year of high school, so I'll probably do foreign language that way, and maybe science (depending on a number of factors), for 9th and 10th, anyway. Do you have a part-time option? Again, I would not consider it for Junior High age.

[Stacy in NJ]

I have a rising 7th grader that will most likely attend ps beginning in 9th grade. I just don't think that 2 years to transition is necessary, as your dh suggests. High school will be a transition for all the kids whether home or public schooled. Most schools will work with you to ensure the right academic placement for your high schooler. We plan on building a portfolio and doing some standardized testing so that we can work with the school for appropriate placement. Middle school in our area is 5th through 8th grades, and high school is 9th through 12. If the grade split were different, like the Jr. High I attended (7th through 9th), then I we would probably transition in 7th. That's not our situation, though, so we will transition in 9th.

[Krista in LA]

My dd will be starting high school this year. For a couple of years, she has mentioned wanting to go to high school, so we've been preparing for it. We contemplated sending her to jr high for 8th grade as a transition, but that school is in a bad neighborhood and a bit scary. Plus she wasn't ready to get up that early everyday. :D So we will just be throwing her in the mix as a 9th grader and I'm not really worried about it. I guess I just figure that if it doesn't work out, I can bring her back home. Although there will be adjustments and grades matter more, kids adapt easier than adults.

[TravelingChris]

I won't have my youngest enter middle school (7th grade) and especially not when I have had the experiences of my 11th grader in summer school. If we still live here when she is to enter ninth grade at a special school for Science and she gets it, I will let her go there. Otherwise, middle school seems like a holding place with not much being done and too much social stuff. High School is better but not sufficiently so for us if it isn't a academically segragated school. We thought we would get that with a summer program that cost 750 dollars and required auditions but apparently not. My dd is learning some worthwhile things but I will not repeat this since even with a strong personality and good morals, I see her behavior slipping already a bit (one week in).

[LizzyBee]

My oldest went back to high school this year and she did great even though it was her first year back in school since 2nd grade. But she happens to have the personality and learning style that's perfect for a classroom setting. Some of her classmates told her when she did well on a test or quiz, "That's not fair. You were homeschooled."

 

My middle dd has mentioned going to school for high school. We had her evaluated by an educational psychologist last year and I asked her about starting dd in 8th grade to give her an adjustment year, and the EdPsy recommended against it. That surprised me! Her comment was based on factors that are personal to my dd, but the point is that the EdPsy thinks dd will do better if she goes back for 9th grade rather than 8th, and a transition year is not necessary.

 

At our June homeschool support group meeting, we had a panel of homeschool graduates to talk about their experiences since high school. When asked the biggest homeschool mistake their parents had made, one of them said putting her in ps during middle school. I've heard numerous people talk about how brutal middle school is nowadays and that if you only homeschool for certain school years, middle school is the time you should do it.

 

Of course, you and your dh know your dd and your school district, so only you can decide what's best in your circumstances. But generally speaking, I have never heard anything good about returning to school during the middle school years.

[LibraryLover]

If there are any years to skip school, 7th and 8th grades would the ones.

 

So, I vote H*ll no.

[mom2ncr]

My son entered in the 9th grade. He is an Asperger's kid and not very social. He is happiest when he can sit at his computer all day and not have to interact too much with humans. He would likely have been a kid eaten up if he had spent his early days in public school because he marches to his own drummer. However, by the 9th grade he was developed enough and confident in his own skin to be comfortable in school. He wanted to go and take all AP classes, so he found like-minded students who were academic geeks as he was. For him, it was the perfect time to make the transition and it was really smooth.

[vkay]

They have been incredibly helpful!! Everything you said falls in line with what I remember from these boards over the years. Dh also appreciates your insight from personal experiences and for relaying information from others.

 

If she's going to high school, we have decided that she will join in 9th. I'm so excited that I'll have her here a few more years :lol:.

 

Before 9th on our own, we'll just up test taking abilities....etc.

 

Wow, thank goodness I checked here first - 7th & 8th being the worst and all....

 

What a wonderful resource these boards are. Having so many hs'ers in one community that can share information and ideas.......priceless.

[vkay]

My son entered in the 9th grade. He is an Asperger's kid and not very social. He is happiest when he can sit at his computer all day and not have to interact too much with humans. He would likely have been a kid eaten up if he had spent his early days in public school because he marches to his own drummer. However, by the 9th grade he was developed enough and confident in his own skin to be comfortable in school. He wanted to go and take all AP classes, so he found like-minded students who were academic geeks as he was. For him, it was the perfect time to make the transition and it was really smooth.

 

I too have a ds that is an Aspie. My ds sounds exactly like yours. Loves computer over people, very accademic, marches to his own drummer, and currently at his age..........he'd be eaten alive if he went to a ps. In my mind, I've been wondering how he'll ever join up. It was very reassuring to read your experience with ds and that he's doing so well. If gives me great comfort. Thank you for sharing.

[vkay]

:lol:

[Tap]

I know you have already decided....but just in case.....another vote for, NO Way....wouldn't even consider it.

 

 

Ds has been in a public school/home school hybrid since 5th grade, with varying degrees of participation. It was a good way for him to keep up with the classroom environment (he loves that part) and still be able to be home schooled for some subjects. If you have an option like this, it could be a good way to introduce a few different things.

 

I used to work at this same hybrid, and here are a few things that kids stumbled on when they came directly from home to hybrid.

 

1. Having different teachers with different rules. Having teachers change their minds on projects/requirements after the project already started. Getting used to someone else grading their work, and being held to different expectations than the parent does. ie Some teachers don't care about spelling but penmanship is important, or some care more about formatting than grammar.

 

2. Having steadfast rules about grading and late work. Getting a report card that reflects the true grade the child earned. Being expected to keep track of when assignments are due, and being responsible to turn them in on time, without mom's prompting.

 

3. Planning and completing long term projects. Keeping documentation, citations, and evidence of materials used. Maintaining standards of copyright, plagiarism, and giving credit to sources. Doing research via the Internet, using the library, and live sources (interviews, direct observation, etc).

 

4. Scheduling their week, themselves! Without parents saying, "do this today". Giving the kids a list of assignments due in the next month, and allowing them time to decide what to do in what order. If any work isn't completed on time...then grades reflect the absence of work completed. Keeping a planner. Teaching them how to plan!

 

5. Finishing a book, taking notes, writing a report. Studying the different styles of literature and why the different styles are classified the way they are. Studying poetry, whether the kid likes it or not :0)

 

6. Making a presentation board and giving a verbal report. Making it look 'professional' with color and frames/borders (crinkle cut scissors are not allowed). Using visuals.

 

7. Working on basic speech skills. Not saying words like 'um' to fill in spaces. Making eye contact, standing up straight etc.

 

8. Using the computer, for more than games. Learning how to do real research (without strict kid filters). Using basic Boolean terms like And, Or, Not, +,-, " to simplify searches. Learning basic keyboarding because most assignments will be typed. It can be useful to learn to use PowerPoint because a lot of classes will allow/expect them to use it for classroom presentations. If they are going into 9th grade and don't know how to really use PowerPoint, and Really use the features of Microsoft Word, and at least a basic idea of what Excel and Publisher are (not nec on how to really use them), they need to take a computer course their first term of school. Some schools have it as a Freshman required class. They will absolutely benefit from knowing how to use these programs and having time to get used to shortcut keys, and what all the features are.

 

9. Being on time to classes.

 

10. Studying for a test on material that they may not have just completed. Having Mid Terms/Finals.

 

11. Taking a standardized test and test taking skills/strategies. Filling in circles-completely :0) .

Edited July 10, 2009 by Tap, tap, tap

[vkay]

I think I'll print it out.

[Carol in Cal.]

One option I am considering is having DD do a gap year for 8th grade--i.e. homeschooling 8th grade, and then attending a middle school (probably private) for a second run through 8th grade. This is because around here the middle school classes are really not all that prescribed--kids are at a wide range of levels, and so an 8th grader might be doing algebra 1, geometry 1, algebra 2, or pre-algebra, or even remedial math, all at the same grade level. Since we are not using the same textbooks as the public schools for other subject-area work, I don't think she will be bored; and since we are not reading twaddle or even much modern work in our homeschool, whatever they read in middle school will probably be something she has not already read.

 

That way her transition year to school would be 8th grade rather than 9th grade, and she will be on the old side of the normal age range rather than on the young side of the normal age range going into high school, which I think is a good thing in terms of her maturity in dealing with 'the crowds'.

 

We have not yet made a final decision, but this is partly driven by my desire to spend next year relaxing over pre-algebra redux instead of a horrendous forced march through Algebra 1 that I don't think she is quite ready for yet.

 

Anyway, something to consider.

 

We might also just go into 9th the year after next, or possibly do two years of 8th grade at home. DD is an excellent writer, and I don't think it will be any worse to have her writing excellently and above her grade level a year from now vs. two years from now--she is not going to "fit in" no matter when she goes to high school.

[skaterbabs]

9th is a trandsition year all around; often the high school kids go to does not serve the same geographic area as the middle & elementary schools.

[Reesegirl]

Just one more voice supporting the wait until 9th grade....my dds and I had the joke that middle school kids are the meanest people in the world. Now I know that not all kids are mean at that age but just the group mentality can take over. All 3 of my dds have entered high school in 9th and adjusted well. A portfollio is a good idea, along with standardized test scores. When I took my oldest daughter into register for 9th the guidance counselor wanted her to repeat algebra since it is considered a highschool class and I didn't necessarliy have documentation from a private or public school. But having stellar test scores helped sway her to allow her to skip it on her transcript. When I enrolled my other girls I never had a problem with this guidance counselor again...My oldest daughter set the pace for the younger girls.

[katemary63]

If there are any years to skip school, 7th and 8th grades would the ones.

 

So, I vote H*ll no.

 

:iagree:Worst age ever to get into PS.

[skaterbabs]

:iagree:Worst age ever to get into PS.

 

 

I agree. We pulled Yacko & Wacko at the beginning of 6th, intending to keep them out until 9th, for that very reason.

[Tabrett]

My dd started 9th grade at PS and had no transition problems. In fact most new friends and STAFF were surprised when they found out she had been homeschooled! People have such misconceptions of homeschoolers! I would never let my dc start PS during middle school years. Those are the worst!