Parents of the HS Class of 2011 - Original - Page 7

mamom · 09-05-2008, 12:01 PM

owlice wrote.< you need a backup supply of ink cartridges, one stashed away somewhere for just such emergencies. And some cookies! >

Actually, I threatened younger D with no TV for a week next time I see 5 copies of something from the Hannah Montanna page printed out. You know how the backup supply of ink cartridges work, they never get replaced til the next emergency. ...sigh

<t didn't take long for the complaints about homework to start (among them: "Why did I have to take AP Government during an election year?!" because he had to listen to the candidates' speeches for class), >

I hope he ends up enjoying his class. After lasts weeks convention, I have sat up and am starting to pay more attention. Instead of books on tape I am listening to NPR and talk radio during my commute.

>Too bad a couple of the books he needed last night AND the night before were over at his dad's, and his dad worked late both nights so they could not be retrieved. (We went through this each of the previous two school years; books need to stay at my house, since S is at my house every single day after school and can do homework needing a textbook here. Once a book makes it to his dad's house, it's unavailable for use here, and sometimes even for use there. Sheeeesh!)<

We started buying two copies of all S's books (except workbooks) last year. Half.com and ebay are great sources of good used and new books. It saves S from lugging 35-40 pounds of books on the train each day and we never have to woory about him leaving a book at school.

>He's sufficiently unhappy with school, not classes, but the school environment, that I've told him he can apply to Simon's Rock if he'd like, but HE has to do it, he'd need significant financial aid to make it work, and he needs to make sure his grades this year are really good. <

Never heard of Simon's Rock til now. Looks intersting from my quick look at the web site. Have you thought about BS or good day school? S has a friend at BS and the classes he is offered are incredible.

owlice · 09-05-2008, 12:38 PM

S is in public school (in a competitive-entry science and tech program), and usually, the school assigns one set of books for school, and one for home. Last year, I did buy a copy of the math book he was using, as the home copy the school assigned ended up at his dad's and never made it back to my house. I don't know that we could afford to buy dups of all his books; last year's math book was pricey!

We've talked some about private schools, too, including boarding schools. I've told him that all of these options would still come with homework, and with Simon's Rock, it's likely to be a LOT more homework. So just how much he is really interested in other options is still to be seen, as I think he was thinking that Simon's Rock would be more CTY-like, and at CTY, the kids are forbidden from doing work outside of class (which is good, since they spend 7 hours a day in class). Not likely to find a place which requires NO homework!

I think he'll enjoy AP Government. I've been impressed with the teacher's website and assignments so far (will meet the teacher at back-to-school night) and the kid did pick this class, after all! I think he grouses almost more because he can than for any other reason sometimes!

He was up pretty late watching McCain's speech last night (I didn't make it through the whole thing; conked right out partway through), and was one tired tired boy this morning.

And what, only five copies of Hanna Montana stuff?!

(Poor you! I think one copy of anything from that website would be enough to put me over the edge!!!)

owlice · 09-07-2008, 09:23 AM

SlithyTove, thanks very much for that cookie recipe! They are GREAT, and as good as they are fresh out of the oven, they are even better the next day. (I know this because I made them yesterday and just had four of them...)

nemom · 09-07-2008, 03:46 PM

Well, 10th grade actually seems to be going pretty well over here. The extra copy of the math text still needs to be unearthed so that it can stay at school, along with the very heavy language book.
mamom - I buy two sets of inks at once, so when I 'only' have one set, hopefully, I replace it.
Owlice - have you looked into local private schools? What about the school is the problem?

owlice · 09-08-2008, 01:43 PM

nemom, part of S's problem with the current school is the proximity to his mother, who is, to hear him tell it, way overly involved in his life because she (can you beLIEVE this?!) wants him to do his homework! (How DARE she?!) And... and.... oh, this is just dreadful..... his mother expects him to do chores!! And even (the horror, the horror) to go to church once a month!!!!!

Okay, those aren't the main problems, though these complaints were heard (probably by the entire neighborhood) this past weekend.

His major complaints about school are 1.) there are lots of annoying people there; and 2.) he doesn't feel especially safe. (He's as safe as any other kid in a large suburban high school is, but that doesn't mean he feels he is.) Except for some kids in his program, it's not a very intellectual environment (since it is, after all, a building full of teenagers), and that also grates on him.

He likes being away at CTY and being more responsible for himself. (I have no problem whatsoever with his being more responsible for himself, and wish he'd demonstrate same at home!)

We are looking into local private schools, too, but he really likes the idea of boarding school or early college.

SlitheyTove · 09-08-2008, 02:20 PM

owlice, very glad you liked the cookies!

D1 thought I'd enjoy reading the info sheet from her science teacher. She was right. This guy has a wonderful anti-cheating policy. If you're caught, you get a zero on the assignment, which cannot be dropped (the two lowest grades get dropped for grading). He will not write you a recommendation of any sort. He will also inform the school's GC and all of the other teachers in the school. He doesn't mention it, but since he's the one who runs Science Bowl, the independent science research project course and some other academic plums, I suspect that cheating in his classes screws up your chances for those, as well.

Also, his class rules start with rule number 1: Do not annoy Mr. XXXXX. Good general advice for life.

nemom · 09-08-2008, 05:16 PM

Hmmm...he needs to understand that boarding school/private school/Simon's Rock/ other early college are ALL going to involve homework! Most boarding schools are, in my view, not very much like CTY. Simon's Rock may be a bit like it in that it draws from a similar crowd, but there will be fewer classroom hours and more homework hours. The right private school might work in terms of a CTY-like feel, but again, there will be homework.

owlice · 09-08-2008, 05:39 PM

I've been trying to get him to understand that, nemom. None of them will be like CTY, except possibly in the abilities of the students there, and even then, he's bound to find some people annoying!

SlithyTove, LIKED the cookies?! No, no, I LOVED the cookies, and will no doubt be wearing some of them on my hips for the rest of my life, given yesterday's intake! They are great!

2blue · 09-08-2008, 07:08 PM

Ah, homework. Now there's a subject close to this 2011/2015 parent's heart. My youngest is incredibly independent. His theory is, "Don't mention it. Let me succeed or fail on my own. If you don't let me fail, I'll never learn." Theoretically this is good and right. In practice, it's a struggle for this mom. Plus, he has to keep in mind that FA is a big factor in where he goes to school. My oldest had the best aid from the toughest schools to get into.

Anyway, he doesn't spend anywhere near the time on homework his brother did. They've had different teachers which can make a big difference, but I always feel like he must be forgetting something. He's had to pull one late-nighter so far and said he had forgotten how hard that is, and that it was indeed a learning experience. I hope so. He is much better this year at keeping his planner with him so there's progress.

blueraindrop · 09-09-2008, 10:33 AM

Hi Owlice, thank you for openning this thread. I have a daughter who is in 10th grade, she is very bright but not good with home work. I just hope to come here to get some ideas to help myself.

owlice · 09-10-2008, 09:56 AM

Welcome, blueraindrop! I wish I had some ideas to give you, but alas, I don't!

2blue, re: your youngest, do you have some threshold that has to be met? As in, "be independent, but if you get unacceptable grades, I intervene"? ("Unacceptable grades" however you define them.)

I've been down the "don't bug me about homework" road with S, and some of the results were not pretty. He has a planner but doesn't use it. Last year, the school used "My Gradebook.com," which parents could access to monitor grades and assignments. This year, there's a new system, but the school system hasn't worked out the online access for parents yet. Only one of his teachers has a website on which all assignments are posted.

S is definitely capable of straight As; I've told him if he wants to go to college early, he will have to have stellar grades this year. Last year's did not indicate his ability.

If anyone has ideas, I'd love to hear them!

2blue · 09-10-2008, 01:48 PM

Welcome, blueraindrop! I'm not sure I have any ideas for you either on successfully motivating a kid to do homework. I think that would be a great topic to start a new thread on here in the Parents Forum. One thing that my son had problems with was forgetting he had homework to do. He had a big planner that he kept in his backpack. But he hated pulling it out, so didn't and then would forget that work. He decided to keep a small notebook in his back pocket. It's easy to pull out, so by and large he gets his assignments written down.

I don't have any specific agreement as to a threshold, owlice. So far, he's pulled it off. It's just that he pulled some all-nighters last year and one late-night this year. If his grades slipped I would definitely step in. But it's more an issue of timing homework wisely than of not ultimately doing it. He has several teachers this year who will not accept late work. He has very specific long-term goals and is motivated to get straight A's. It is a matter of battling day-to-day procrastination and starting homework before it gets late. The risk of receiving zeros may be enough to get him started earlier this year. He does a lot of independent learning on what interests him and likes to come home and do that. In terms of time spent learning, he really does spend a lot--just not always on homework. He does think some of his classes are worthless and wishes he didn't have to take them, but knowing he needs the GPA for his college plans is his motivator.

blueraindrop · 09-11-2008, 12:59 PM

Thanks owlice and 2blue. I just try to not to be a "annoying mom". My lovely DD is extremely bright. She understands everything and does quite well on quiz and test. She is very charming and sweet. I just don't feel that she really understands the impotance of rank and gpa. So far she is doing pretty well with all homeworks this school year

mamom · 09-11-2008, 01:07 PM

blueraindrop,
What worked for us (well seems to have worked) is pointing out to S what the GPA and rank was of the kids admitted to his dream school. We then went through a few other web sites of schools he thinks he would like and looked up the GPA and rank of kids typically admitted there. I can honestly say I saw a light gone on in his head. Previously he was a smart but unmotivated kid. Can't say he works 100% all the time, but he is working harder.

chintzy · 09-11-2008, 04:49 PM

The new school year is only 10 days old, but so far S has been very motivated (not his normal state). I can think of three contributing factors:

1. Our "3.5 or you can't drive" policy (he just turned 16)

2. His senior sister's college search which has opened his eye to admissions, much like mamom's son

3. Having an error on his schedule that resulted in his spending part of the first day of school in lower track classes--one look around and he realized what I told him all last year--he didn't belong there!

I've probably jinxed the whole thing by talking about it! Let's hope it lasts.