Chem credit and trying to graduate my high schooler and keep my integrity intact!

[Faithr]

So I've talked about my very nice, but unmotivated 17 yo ds. In order to graduate, his father and I have set the following conditions:

 

1. He must complete one solid research paper before graduating. This guy has resisted writing mightily the whole 4 years. But we aren't saying he's a high school grad until he's done this. He has written some essays, etc over the course of the past 3.5 years with very great reluctance. He is in the middle of working on his paper and he's done a pretty good job so far. I'm hoping he'll finish this up this coming weekend.

 

2. Finish Saxon's Advanced Math. At the rate he's going he'll be done by mid May - so no problem here.

 

3. Complete Physics class he's attending given by a homeschooling mom. He is so smart this area but he never does the homework so I am checking that he's doing what he supposed to be doing before each class.

 

4. He's finishing government with his dad next week. Woo hoo!

 

5. Big dangling question mark here. He failed Chemistry last year. Not because he didn't know it. He just never turned in homework or studied for tests. The tests had formulas that he'd only partially remember so he'd mess up there. Also he never turned in his lab book, even though he did every single lab! (He liked the labs!) Grrrr. Such a waste. Anyway, we told him if you were in school you'd have to make this up so no graduation until you do. He was going to take a remedial chem class at the local community college and we went through all the rigamarole that requires only to find that the class was cancelled due to low enrollment. So now what? I'm thinking of two options: a) study for clep test and then take the test B) I noticed the coursera thread and checked out their chemistry classes. There is one that looks good, would be 10 weeks long and is meant for those who have no chem background (he does a bit so it will make it easier for him). However, I have no idea when the course starts.

 

What would you do about the chemistry? I don't want to drag this out. I want to graduate him and move on. He needs to find his own motivation somehow. But my own sense of propriety says he's got to do something about the F in Chemistry.

[EKS]

Instead of the CLEP test, I'd take a look at the SAT subject test in chemistry. It is meant for kids who have had chemistry at the high school level, whereas CLEP is meant to show college level competency.

[Ellie]

Does he have enough credits to graduate without the chemistry? If so, I say graduate him.

[Faithr]

Well, we usually follow what a high school graduate in Virginia would need. Here's a link to a chart that lays it out. He'd be missing a science credit with lab. http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/graduation/standard.shtml#note2

[Mom22ns]

So, to clarify, he only has 2 science credits without the Chemistry?

 

What about picking a Chemistry curriculum (textbook or whatever you want), then creating or using just the final exam? For example, DIVE Chemistry has just 2 tests, that could work. When he can get the grade you designate on the test(s), Chemistry is done. He probably doesn't need to retake the entire class, just go back through the materials, figure out what he knows, fill in the gaps, then prove his knowledge.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Well, we usually follow what a high school graduate in Virginia would need. Here's a link to a chart that lays it out. He'd be missing a science credit with lab. http://www.doe.virgi...ard.shtml#note2

 

If you are tracking with VA requirements, what about laying out the Chemistry SOL for him. You can definitely find pages of activities and presentations for prepping for the SOL exam for Chemistry. There are review books and released exams. When he can pass one of the SOL exams, he has passed the test.

 

As for the lab, if he did the labs and has the lab notebook, then go over it with him (or ask the instructor from last year if he will review it). If he didn't understand the chemistry well enough to do the labs correctly, that is a different question.

[Faithr]

 

 

If you are tracking with VA requirements, what about laying out the Chemistry SOL for him. You can definitely find pages of activities and presentations for prepping for the SOL exam for Chemistry. There are review books and released exams. When he can pass one of the SOL exams, he has passed the test.

 

As for the lab, if he did the labs and has the lab notebook, then go over it with him (or ask the instructor from last year if he will review it). If he didn't understand the chemistry well enough to do the labs correctly, that is a different question.

 

Smacking myself upside the head! This is an excellent suggestion! Why didn't I think of that?

 

Thanks. I am going to look into this possibility.

 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

My library carries this series of SOL prep books. You might see if you can find something similar.

[jhschool]

I wouldn't graduate him.

I would keep him an extra year and sign him up for a solid year-long writing course at

comm college or online.

I wouldn't consider a kid prepared for college who didn't write well.

For chemistry, I would sign him up at the comm college or for an online course so he

has the chemistry done right.

Then he can take two more classes at comm college or online

in whatever subjects he is weak on or whatever subjects he is

passionate about--either way, he will learn. If he doesn't want a full load, he can

volunteer the rest of the time or work.

An extra year will also help the maturity and can only make him a stronger student.

Good luck!

[Faithr]

I wouldn't graduate him.

I would keep him an extra year and sign him up for a solid year-long writing course at

comm college or online.

I wouldn't consider a kid prepared for college who didn't write well.

For chemistry, I would sign him up at the comm college or for an online course so he

has the chemistry done right.

Then he can take two more classes at comm college or online

in whatever subjects he is weak on or whatever subjects he is

passionate about--either way, he will learn. If he doesn't want a full load, he can

volunteer the rest of the time or work.

An extra year will also help the maturity and can only make him a stronger student.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the advice but I don't agree. I am worn down with 4 years of dragging him along. Prolonging things will only keep him locked into inaction. He turns 18 in April. It is up to him now. Not everyone has to go to college and not every one needs to write well. Some times just writing good enough is all you need. If he decides in a year or two to pursue a college degree, we will be ecstatic and very supportive. But the ball will be in his court. As long as he is living responsibly, meaning he is gainfully employed and living uprightly, I am satisfied. He does plan to take an economics class and a psychology class at the comm. coll. next year. So in his mind he has not given up on academics which is good. I think I just need to give him space so he can grow up. I am fairly confident he will, eventually.

 

[kiana]

Faith, I've known people who graduated from high school with an F in one course and took a completely different course to earn the credit. Is there anything he finds less tedious than chemistry that might work for him to get that 3rd credit? If he already has earth science or bio, as far as I can read he just needs one more credit in ANY science.

 

Other than that, I also see nothing wrong with giving credit once he can pass a chemistry end-of-course exam.

[AngieW in Texas]

Maybe you could have him review chemistry with Khan Academy videos and then have him work through a chemistry subject test prep book and use one of the sample tests as an end-of-year test.

 

I wouldn't actually sign him up to take the chemistry subject test though. The tests aren't free and he doesn't seem to really care. You don't need him to take a subject test. You just need to have something that shows you that he did actually absorb the chemistry so you can give him credit for it.

[Melissa B]

I would give him credit for the labs already completed and have him work through the Teaching Company Chemistry lectures (on his own) pre-marking the workbook questions from each lecture that you would like him to complete as proof of watching and digesting the lectures. When he has watched all 36 lectures and completed the assigned problems from the workbook he has completed the class.

[Faithr]

I went to the book store to get the SOL Chemistry review book, but they didn't have any. So I picked up the SAT Chemistry prep book. I think he can work through that with the help of his old chemistry book and Khan Academy and when he feels ready and able, he can take a practice exam and then I'll consider him done. And I am going to give him credit for the labs because I know that was the only part of the class he really was interested in and I know he completed it even though he never did bother to hand it in to the teacher. He remembered after she had already calculated the grades and she had reminded him at least twice by email (not to mention it was on the syllabus which I am sure he never once glanced at).