My eldest, has moved out, still schooling but doesn't want to do foreign language??

[missesd]

He's been homeschooling on and off since 6th grade. When he went back to high school, it was an EPIC fail. Too much freedom, and they don't watch the kids well. He missed 3 WEEKS of Geometry and they never missed him!! So far, since last year when I pulled him out, he's been doing well. Here in TX at 17 they can move out, which he just did. Not far, mind you just next door. My best friend who he is staying with assures me she will make sure he gets his stuff done, and I do check in to see what he's doing. Just talking about it though, he is wanting to no longer do Science or Foreign Language. I think I got him to come around about Science (he's had 3 yrs), but not about the Foreign Language. He started with Italian, looking at his records he received .5 credits before we moved and it was no longer offered. He went into Spanish, but the teacher paid no attention and he was constantly out of class, and there were no phone calls home.

 

Anyway, I don't know what to do... do I push it or let it go?? I have other students to worry about, and I am not sure how much I can do about it. he'll be 18 in January. His plan right now after school, is to get his EMT and then go to CC to work on becoming a fireman.

[regentrude]

Does he need the foreign language in order for you to be able to graduate him? (I don't know if your state has rules for homeschoolers; here, the state graduation requirements do not apply to homeschoolers).

If not, at this point I would not sweat the foreign language. If he only has one year, there won't be enough time to achieve anything in a new language anyway. Plus, if he goes to CC and becomes a fireman, I would think that there will be no foreign language requirement.

As much as I am in favor of language learning, in this situation, I would let go.

[Rosie_0801]

If he has to do another language, you can learn enough to get by in ASL in a year. If he doesn't have to, it sounds like he has enough to keep himself occupied as it is.

 

Rosie

[missesd]

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I am in deaf in one ear, so it's always been important to me to learn ASL as well as my children. There is always that chance something could go wrong with my only good ear. My other ones are also doing some Latin, and really I'd like my other high schoolers to learn Spanish.

[Nan in Mass]

So does he speak ASL already?

Either way, I wouldn't worry about foreign language at this point. I would be happy I managed to talk him into the science. I would try to move him into the community college classes as soon as possible because once he was out of my house, I would be afraid that the work/friends world would suck him up and he would lose any of his ambitions to go to college. None of mine would have been able to keep doing school if they weren't in the house with me. I don't think they could do it now, even. I would try to graduate him as fast as possible for fear that he would escape without even a high school diploma. Could you double up the English and get it out of the way this fall so you can call him graduated and sign him up for cc classes in the spring? But maybe I am being needlessly alarmist. One of my sons got sucked into the world of work and friends and didn't go to college. I would have been delighted if mine had been willing to go to cc and tried to get him there as soon as possible. My son changed his mind, eventually, but in retrospect, I can see that we should have ended high school earlier and put him in the community college.

Nan

[Candid]

Based on what you've describe he's going to do whatever he wants so the only place you have control is over what you do.

 

I would determine what you are going to require of him to get a diploma. Look at what your state requires. That should give you the lowest level. Obviously you may change things around, maybe they require two foreign language credits and two science credits, but he's got one foreign language and three science credits, you might decide that is an even swap.

 

I would not add extra stuff because it appears that he will just drift off without the diploma, instead meet the minimum state requirements and then award the diploma. But don't let him graduate from your school with too little either, that doesn't help him in the long run. Tell him what the deal is and stick by it.

[KJB]

If he were my son, I would encourage him to study for and take the GED. He could take the exam as soon as he feels he is ready and close the high school chapter of his life.

 

I would think at his age and with his living arrangement, he is probably mentally done with high school. A GED would give him closure and let him move on to whatever he wants to pursue next.

[Abbeygirlsouth]

I believe that Texas requires two years of the same foreign language for public schoolers. However, my understanding is that TX Home schools are considered private schools, therefore must complete courses in Good Citizenship, math, reading, spelling, and grammar. So as far as state requirements, you would be okay to drop foreign language.

FYI http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Texas.pdf

 

I was in a similar situation a couple of years ago as DS was resistant to a 3rd year of the same foreign language. In his case, the college of his choice very much liked to see a 3rd year of foreign language (Business major). So I would check with the CC or college to see what is required for your ds major and if there is no foreign language requirement, I would really really push Science, and other requirements for TX Home schoolers.

 

FWIW my ds senior year academics were like "pulling teeth" or giving birth...it was so difficult because he was ready to move on and very tired of Homeschooling. DH and I kept emphasizing that we understood this, but in order to move on to college, he really needed to accept that he could not give up his last year of High School.

 

Wishing you the best!

[itsrks]

Since there's a lot going on for him and he's planning to go to CC, I'd just let him deal with it there. Some fields don't require a foreign language and some universities don't either. When he gets into CC, his counselor will let him know. If he wants to continue Italian, there's free lessons online here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/

[K-FL]

Here, the general AA for univ. transfer suggests 1 yr (cc) foreign language. BUT depending on the major, it's not needed for the Bach., but may be needed to get into the U.

 

Since he's looking at being a fireman, have him look at the requirements for a management degree. That way if he ever wants to move up in the dept, he'll have the basics covered.

[Ellie]

Let it go.

 

He doesn't need it to go to community college. He has a plan for his life. I don't see how it would enrich his life in any effective way.

 

Let it go. :)

[TechWife]

Let it go.

 

He doesn't need it to go to community college. He has a plan for his life. I don't see how it would enrich his life in any effective way.

 

Let it go. :)

 

:iagree:

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Here, the general AA for univ. transfer suggests 1 yr (cc) foreign language. BUT depending on the major, it's not needed for the Bach., but may be needed to get into the U.

 

Since he's looking at being a fireman, have him look at the requirements for a management degree. That way if he ever wants to move up in the dept, he'll have the basics covered.

 

Public administration (thought that may be primarily a masters) and education degrees can also be useful within the fire service.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

He's been homeschooling on and off since 6th grade. When he went back to high school, it was an EPIC fail. Too much freedom, and they don't watch the kids well. He missed 3 WEEKS of Geometry and they never missed him!! So far, since last year when I pulled him out, he's been doing well. Here in TX at 17 they can move out, which he just did. Not far, mind you just next door. My best friend who he is staying with assures me she will make sure he gets his stuff done, and I do check in to see what he's doing. Just talking about it though, he is wanting to no longer do Science or Foreign Language. I think I got him to come around about Science (he's had 3 yrs), but not about the Foreign Language. He started with Italian, looking at his records he received .5 credits before we moved and it was no longer offered. He went into Spanish, but the teacher paid no attention and he was constantly out of class, and there were no phone calls home.

 

Anyway, I don't know what to do... do I push it or let it go?? I have other students to worry about, and I am not sure how much I can do about it. he'll be 18 in January. His plan right now after school, is to get his EMT and then go to CC to work on becoming a fireman.

 

Are you in an area where he can become a volunteer firefighter? Even if he has to volunteer out of the immediate area where you live?

 

Several members of our family are in the fire service. If this is an option, it is a good way to start to learn the profession and sift out in your head how further education will be helpful. Some departments will also support EMT studies for their volunteers.

[dragons in the flower bed]

Foreign language is so practical for helping professions. Can he imagine coming into a home where the children only speak Spanish, or with a deaf family? Those skills will make him invaluable to his coworkers. My mom is a 911 operator and there are some things they just have to send the team with the Spanish-speaking fireman/EMT/police officer to. It's a thing he will eventually want, I think.

 

But I wouldn't force. If he can't see its value now, he will someday, and he'll learn it then.