swellmomma Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 ds14 works at A&W making minimum wage. There is a guy that works there, fairly newly hired that told ds today that he had dropped out of school in 8th grade. That back then he wanted to be homeschooled due to issues at school (he did not tell ds the issues) and his parents said no so he just dropped out. Of course now at 22 he can not get a job anywhere except for fast food places for minimum wage just like ds14. Now this conversation started between them as the young man trying to encourage ds to work hard on his schooling even if he doesn't like it so he has a better future than himself. He asked ds if he could ask me for the website for the harry potter stuff ds wants to base his schooling on next year (if it still exists that is, it's been years since I looked at it, the yahoo group stuff for hogwarts academy). He told ds he really wants to get his education so he can get a better job. The problem is the post secondary schools in this province only really want to accept the gov't issued transcripts for the approved courses even as a mature student. And enrolling as a high school student somewhere at that age is very expensive since he is older than 19. I was thinking of writing a letter for ds to pass on the next time they work together, giving the name of the yahoo group (he thought it would be fun to learn some that way), but also offering to help him figure out his next steps, and sharing curriculum with him as we finish with it. Academically he is at the same level as my teens in many ways, though he could move at a faster pace being an adult motivated student. As I have been studying up on the provincial outcomes for each course and how we will meet those things I do know what he would need to study for each one. He does not need a full high school course load or diploma, just the grade 12 levels of the courses he would need for college acceptance since he could apply as a mature student with those pre-requisites, though he may not be aware of that. It didn't sound like he was getting much family support in the way of academics. So would it be rude, or weird or overstepping writing the letter stating that if he wanted to continue his education and would like some guidance or help doing so he could contact me? Or should I stick with just the information he specifically asked for (the HP stuff) and leave it be? If it makes a difference, when ds relayed this stuff to me he asked if I could help this young man out because he thought it wasn't fair he was stuck in a crappy job. Also if it makes a difference, ds is likely quitting his job at the end of teh summer to have more time to focus on his studies (working and schooling last year was very hard on him). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Occasionally Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 I don't think it could hurt to offer. If he doesn't want to take you up on it, he still has the yahoogroup info that you'll give to him. If he's interested, then he has the option of pursuing it. I'd keep the letter simple, though, more like a note. It's very kind and generous of you to offer to help him. From what you've said, he seems receptive. Hope it works out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 I think it's thoughtful and not rude at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 I think that would be very kind of you and not remotely weird, overstepping or rude. Send the letter, then leave it up to the young man whether he wants to take you up on the offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PentecostalMom Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 I don't think it could hurt to offer. If he doesn't want to take you up on it, he still has the yahoogroup info that you'll give to him. If he's interested, then he has the option of pursuing it. I'd keep the letter simple, though, more like a note. It's very kind and generous of you to offer to help him. From what you've said, he seems receptive. Hope it works out! I think it's thoughtful and not rude at all! I think that would be very kind of you and not remotely weird, overstepping or rude. Send the letter, then leave it up to the young man whether he wants to take you up on the offer. What they said. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 I agree with everyone else. It's a very kind offer and not overstepping or weird at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbeym Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 What a sweet gesture! Send a note with the website info and an offer of assistance. If he's interested, he'll make the effort to contact you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbeym Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 double post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Agreeing with everyone else. It is a thoughtful gesture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 Thanks ladies. I will write the note tonight for ds to take to work with him tomorrow. I tend to screw up with not knowing what would be okay and not okay in gestures like this so glad to be able to ask you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingedradical Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 I don't think it would be weird for you to do that at all. Also, I know this is strange coming from a homeschooling teacher, but there are usually free resources available through the government to help people study for their GED. I know this because .. I left home early and was a high school drop out (only finished 9th grade). Long story. I then went on to get a GED and college degree but my first step was to go to a GED class. True, I was told not to come back to because I didn't need it but the GED was easier then plus I was always a great reader. I think if the GED had been as hard back then as I hear it is now, I'd have had to go to the classes. As it was, I had to take one semester of pre-college math at the community college also before going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth S Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 Chiming in to say that (with or without your generous help) he should be able to find & benefit from GED study materials. Our state-wide PBS station has daily programs; our local comm college has an entire department devoted to helping people study for it. This is just a wonderful thing to see him ready to pursue this--it likely is not difficult to provide him with the contact information and maybe even buy him a GED prep book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 I think that is a lovely gesture. Please post his response. I've never regretted any offers of help I gave, whether or not they were taken. Sometimes I have felt silly, but I consider that a small price/risk to pay for potentially helping someone in need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CupOCoffee Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 Agreeing with everyone else here, what a wonderful and generous offer. But are you prepared to fully help him should he take you up on your offer? Not meaning that in any kind of way other than to think about what might all be involved in helping this young man. Which I still think is an awesome thing! There is SO much out there for free, that could help him get more education! Plugging in "free high school" in Google yields tons. And I agree with a previous poster who said about starting off with studying for the GED. There are guides out there, sites to help prepare for the test, you name it. There are also, again, plenty of free sites out there to take classes if need be. Saylor.org and Georgia Virtual school come to mind. There is also the site allinonehomeschool.com, which has lots of links for high school (for him to finish/take some needed classes before the GED). Good luck, and I hope the young man responds well. ~coffee~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 The boy has not worked at the same time as ds14 this week so far, ds has mainly been doing evening shifts and this boy much earlier in the day. Perhaps over the weekend when ds has day shifts they will be working together again. As for whether or not I would be ready, willing and able to actually see through my offer, absolutely. GEDs out here are worth less than the paper they are printed on. Most Alberta post secondary schools will not accept you with them. That said until I have spoken to him and know what his end game is, I won't know which routes to that goal to suggest though there are plenty. I don't think anyone ever should be left uneducated when they truly want to be so. I'll do what I can to help if he wants it. Back when we lived in the city the neighbor boy then 19 just needed 2 courses to get his diploma after dropping out. He was going to do them at my house online, His mom signed the form to register him(though she was mad to do so), and I drove him across the city to sign up for the classes. Everything was installed on my computer, he did the online orientation. Then his mom got mad that he was doing school here and sent him to his father's for 1 year. Which meant no schooling. The boy had no means to stay on his own so he had to liv with one of them. See she didn't care that he was living in her basement, unemployed, smoking weed all day. His father grew and supplied the weed to him. He had a chance at finishing his education and moving on to bigger and better things, but his own parents got in the way of it. The situation with this boy sounds similiar in that it was his own parents that got in the way of him finishing high school. The difference is this boy does work and has an apartment of his own etc. He wants the education and just doesn't know how to get it now that he is not high school aged. I do hope he takes me up on my offer to at least help him find the right path to meet his goals, but only time will tell. I'll post again when ds actually works with him and passes the offer on :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 I was looking at allinonehomeschool.com last night and it is certainly on my list of options, especially to get him through 8th and 9th grade material, before even starting on the high school stuff (high school is 10-12 here), he doesn't need to get his full diploma or anything, but he needs the skills/knowledge to write entrance exams into college, and to write the dipolma exams to have the pre-req's if he wants something more than trade school, or general studies when he applies somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awisha. Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 How incredibly nice of you to offer help to the young man Swellmomma!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.