Parents of the HS Class of 2015

Parents of HS Class of 20xx
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<p>Gibson1514, we have several copies of Harry Potter because kids would fight over who would read it first, I generally bought two and have found several copies at Garage Sales. You could say I am a book hoarder! You should probably just buy a new set, great idea!</p>

<p>Pepper, Sorry your daughter is feeling overwhelmed. I have always thought that we (the United States) overload our high school kids with EC’s and in my opinion its bad for the kids. My older 3 went to High School at an International School in Europe where the school limited days per week any activity could practice/meet. This gave kids time to do school work and the opportunity to explore more than one interest by enabling them to join more than one activity during any given semester. When we moved here last year my youngest D was shocked that Field Hockey practiced 6 days a week. Luckily she ended up choosing Sailing that is 3 days a week practice (3:30-6:30) and then weekends for Regatta’s. I think our country needs to re-examine the way we push our teens to achieve-all in the race to get into a good college. There is a movie called the Race to No-where that was going around here last year. I didn’t go to see it but I think its about this issue. Has anyone else seen it?</p>

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<p>Harry Potter fans here too! I can’t count how many books I’ve replaced, but I don’t mind spending the money on them. </p>

<p>Pepper, I also hope things settle down for your D. </p>

<p>EAO, I agree that sometimes things get too crazy for our kids, but I don’t think it’s any different than when I was in high school, at least for those involved in sports. Once the season started, I was busy every single day after school, but I loved it. Also, at least as far as my D is concerned, she’s joined the activities with which she is involved because she is trying to figure out where her interests lie, and not so much to bulk up her college app. (In fact, wisdom here on CC would say she’s too “scattered” but she doesn’t care - she’s trying new things out, and I’m happy with that.) </p>

<p>momsings, please tell me you don’t have to be the one getting your S to school! (I admit I was always secretly happy that neither of my girls were - was?? - interested in competitive swimming - those practices are way too early in the morning! :wink: )</p>

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<p>My daughter hates to read so no problems about that around here. :(</p>

<p>Oh momsings I don’t miss those early morning band practices! Great to hear the interview went well!</p>

<p>EAO I would love to see that movie but it is only available sporadically-I wish they would sell it on DVD. My kids are into a lot of different things as well-which I am also told colleges aren’t looking for-they are looking for more passion about one thing-at least for now. When my guy was younger they were looking for well-rounded-now it’s well-pointed. I figure let the kids do what they want and if it’s not what the college is looking for it’s not the right place for them! He ended up at the perfect place for him so that gives me a lot of peace that whatever happens with her in the end it will all work out-part of why I am here is to help me and I hope others like me have a less stressful experience this time around!</p>

<p>I do think the sports need to be limited. Half the team is hurt with various pulls, sprains and the like. I wish they would crack down on all these “Captain’s Practices” all summer which in reality are just a way around the rules that these kids are supposed to get a break. I wonder how much fun they are all having-doesn’t seem like much to me. Her team is a very good D1 team that is expected to compete every year for the state title-and the coaches treat it as if it was a pro team. I would be fine if she dropped it after this season but for now it’s what she wants to do.</p>

<p>She is settling down a bit-her schedule is a tad too much IMHO but she insists she can handle everything. I am keeping a watchful eye!</p>

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<p>S1 loves Harry Potter and read all of them. S2-not interested and never read any of them.</p>

<p>EAO-that is so neat that your D does sailing. My S2 would love it but sailing is not offered as a school sport in our area.</p>

<p>S2 failed his first Alg2 quiz last week. He was very discouraged by it until he found out he got 100 on his AP world history quiz last night and said to me “Mom, I did study more for the world history than Alg”. A good lesson learned!</p>

<p>We have a busy week here. College night today and open house tomorrow night. Have a good day everyone!</p>

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<p>Talking about Harry Potter! D. loved the whole thing so much that she read all of those books for at least 3 times in the past few years!</p>

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<p>What is up with the Algebra 2? My nephew is a very good math student who got his first test back and it was in the 50’s! My daughter took her first one last week and is distraught over it even though she hasn’t gotten it back yet-she tells me she blanked out during the test and didn’t finish-which has never happened to her before.</p>

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<p>Two weeks has gone since school started for D.She has got good teachers this year.Especially for Trig/precal.She is showing some interest in the class.Her math teacher last year wasn’t good.They learnt on their own most of the time.She lost interest in the subject.</p>

<pre><code> Has anyone experienced this with your child? Losing interest in a subject because of a bad teacher?

          Lots of reading in AP Euro.She has decided to drop singing lessons.If feel sorry for her already.She goes to bed consistently at 12 and has wake up at 5:30.This is only the third week.Some of her classmates are taking four AP this year.I don't know how they manage.

        Its club rush week in school.D was happy that her club got 16 new members.Her friend has a club for animal cruelty and she has got two full pages of members.So  D was upset.We had to cheer her up and give ideas for posters and canvasing .Her club addresses Teen bullying,depression and sucide.These kind of topics take time to reach people.She has to be patient.

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<p>It’s different everywhere, but in our school, at least at the honors level, Algebra 2 is a big jump up in difficulty level. My S2, who just graduated HS, said that many of his friends felt that Honors Alg 2 was the hardest math class they’d had in high school, in terms of wrapping their heads around it in a new way. And these are the kids who finished AP Calc BC junior year and took Multivariable Calc their senior year. But that was when the “great but really hard” teacher was teaching it. Now she teaches Precalc, which my S3 is in this year. I’m waiting to see if it’s going to be hard.</p>

<p>Harry Potter - yes, we loved growing along with the series too. Especially my older boys - they were in the group waiting with anticipation for each new book to be released. I wouldn’t buy more than one, but my mom (apparently much nicer than me) bought a second each time so they could each read it as fast as they wanted to. Such fun times!</p>

<p>triplemom - Sounds like your D has a lot on her plate! Maybe her first project in her club should be public awareness about the importance of getting enough sleep to mental health. That way, it wouldn’t be you lecturing, it would be her discovering it on her own, and she’d probably take it more to heart than if she just heard her mom “worrying” that she isn’t getting enough sleep.</p>

<p>i don’t know if my kids have permanently lost interest in a subject because of a bad teacher, but I’ve definitely seen them check out for a year. It’s sad to watch.</p>

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<p>In my D.'s school, math teachers are pretty weak. Last year she took algebra II. the teacher basically didn’t teach. The students learned themselves and of course many got terribly confused. This year she’s taking precalc. The teacher is no better, unfortunately. But at least she is a nice lady and talks pleasantly. That seems to matter with D. :slight_smile: She is generally strong in math, and she gets help from parents. (we’re both physicists who love math.) One good thing is that she got an excellent biology teacher last year. She used to dislike science. After biology last year she fell in love with the subject.</p>

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<p>I see this in vball too, overuse injuries because many girls play literally year round…school in fall, club in winter/spring, sand in summer then late summer back to school. Their hitting arm or setting wrist or whatever never get any recovery.</p>

<p>Nationally it’s becoming a big problem. Kids think they have to play one sport all year to stay ahead but then that defeats the purpose when their body parts break down and they can’t play at all. It’s really heartbreaking, I wish coaches were more educated about it, or shared what they know about it if they did. I guess it’s on us as parents to protect our kids that way.</p>

<p>D plays two different sports so while she is active all year she is essentially cross training, different muscles and movements in alternating seasons.</p>

<p>D is relieved to be in Alg II - she had a hard time with geometry last year. Tough teacher, who she has again for A2. But she is finding she is ahead of others who didn’t have this tough teacher last year.</p>

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<p>PN, you are right.D needs enough sleep.We let her sleep through in the weekends.Thanks for the suggestion on getting enough sleep.</p>

<pre><code> Maxwell,same here.Her chemistry teacher was good last year and she loved chemistry because of him.Ap Bio teacher is not good this year.She is getting help outside school for AP Bio.
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<p>You guys are making great points about the year-around nature of so many sports these days - I hadn’t thought about that. When I played, there were none of those “captain camps.” We strictly adhered to the rules and so did not see the types of injuries (and pressure) that these kids experience. My niece just started high school and her family couldn’t go on vacation with us (we go together every year) because she was trying out for the volleyball team and couldn’t miss one of those captain camps. Ridiculous.</p>

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<p>My S is hitting the bed at 9:00 PM, which makes me very happy. (His choosing).
Great news! We got the orchestra teacher we liked AND he is starting tomorrow–love that excitement in a new teacher.</p>

<p>I feel pretty lucky about the teachers S has this year. For the most part, they are truly good at what they do–such a joy. S is completely thrilled with his Honors Algebra II teacher and the Honors Chem teacher. Yay! It is funny though, for his 4 core classes, they are all the same teachers who taught his older brother when he was a sophomore. It is a bit dejavuish!</p>

<p>Suzy, I was super busy in high school too, with a very intense high school drama program. The main difference I see between me and my kids it that they have more homework, or maybe they do more homework than I did. :D</p>

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<p>What do you think of a teacher who says on Monday “We’re not having a test tomorrow, we’re having it on Wednesday.” And then when everyone walks in on Tuesday, he says “I changed my mind. We’re having the test today.” </p>

<p>No one was ready because everyone thought the test was the next day. What kind of a way is that to run a classroom??</p>

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<p>^That’s no way to run a classroom, it’s a way to get kids to hate you for the rest of the school year. Unless the teacher is trying to make a point, that they should always be prepared, no matter what? But I’ve been a teacher for over 20+ years and I would expect a minor riot if I did anything like that.</p>

<p>D has had just 2 full days of school–last week she had 3 half days and one of them was taking the PLAN test. She has a teacher she already dislikes (Global History) and another about whom she’s heard negative rumors. The rest she seems to like–so far.</p>

<p>As for the PSAT prep which I signed her up for at our local library, which prompted my first post–it’s been cancelled due to low enrollment. Kaplan must have felt it wasn’t worthwhile. Her school doesn’t do PSAT prep this year but they’ll do some next year.</p>

<p>It looks like a lot of schools offer AP classes for sophomores? I just looked at D’s school catalog and they’re not offered there until Junior and Senior year.</p>

<p>As for ECs, D is looking forward to Speech and Debate, and she auditioned this afternoon for a part in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at the Catholic all-boys’ high school nearby, her school’s “brother school”. Not that many girls tried out so she has a chance, but she wants to be in it even if she doesn’t get a speaking part. Which means lots of driving back and forth for me…in fact tomorrow they have call-backs (all of the girls were called back) and I’m driving her and 3 of her her friends. At least it will give her a more active social life…</p>

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<p>Momsings, great news! Maybe that great new leader will take the sting out of the 6 am practices. (yikes!)</p>

<p>Pepper and Pinot Noir, Algebra 2 honors is known as the hardest math class in D’s school. I don’t get the point of trying to make the class so difficult that the students can’t pass the tests. From my very simplistic point of view, if the kids can’t pass, the teacher hasn’t done the job of teaching the material.</p>

<p>The sports mania is crazy! D started crew practice and it requires 6 3-hour practices each week PLUS regattas. I don’t know how these kids manage it all. I was busy in high school but nothing like this.</p>

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<p>crepes D’s school only offers AP European History to sophomores. Unless they are way ahead in something and get special permission, I suppose.</p>

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<p>D. just finished her AP chem homework. She has so much to make up - she didn’t take honors chemistry last year. In the summer she did a chemistry camp, which didn’t prep her as well as we were hoping. so now she’s been working like mad. Hopefully it’ll work for her. </p>

<p>Talking about sports mania !!! - how about marching band mania! D’s marching band practices 6 hours per week. Plus they play for the football games, every friday evening, and competitions… I regret I didn’t insist for her not to do band this year. :p</p>

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<p>Wow! So much going on with everyone!</p>

<p>Momsings – glad you got to help your school interview the new orchestra teacher, and glad you got the teacher you all agreed was best. But I’m still aghast that orchestra meets at 6am!</p>

<p>Ezilyamused – At our HS, sophomores can take the PLAN (officially scored) and a mock PSAT (unofficially scored, not reported to College Board). They charge $30 for the PLAN and $10 for the mock PSAT. Juniors take the official PSAT, for $30. The school arranges a one-weekend test prep workshop, for folks who want to do that. Our PTA has purchased Method Test Prep along with our Naviance package, and that is available year-round online.</p>

<p>EAO1227 – Race to Nowhere is an important film. I wish they would make it a mandatory part of training for teachers, administrators, and coaches (since ECs are a big part of what’s over-stressing our kids). You can look online [url=&lt;a href=“http://www.racetonowhere.com/screenings]here[/url”&gt;http://www.racetonowhere.com/screenings]here[/url</a>] to find a screening near you. The website promises they’ll start selling a home-use DVD this fall.</p>

<p>tripleamom – Yes, a good teacher can be tremendously influential and, sadly, a bad teacher can completely kill a kid’s interest in a subject. Getting an outside tutor to help your D overcome a bad AP Bio teacher is probably a smart move. Also, sleep is <em>very</em> important and if your kid is getting to sleep at midnight and waking at 5:30am that is not enough. Kids don’t learn well when they’re sleep-deprived. Unfortunately, trying to make-up the deficit by sleeping in on the weekends actually makes the problem worse. You cannot “bank” sleep that way. It’d be smarter for your D to try to work ahead on HW on the weekend (if assignments are given out in advance) to lighten her workload during the week, so she can get to bed earlier on school nights. Or maybe she can streamline her morning routine so she can push back her wake-up time a bit? </p>

<p>SansSerif – teacher springing test on students after announcing they weren’t going to be tested until later is completely unfair. I’d suggest to the students that they get-together and complain en-masse to the teacher. If it happens again, they should escalate to the principal.</p>

<p>herandhisMom – Yikes! Jumping into AP Chem as a first chemistry class would be really tough. Are you sure it’s the best thing for your kid?</p>

<p>Gibson1514 et al – We’re huge Harry Potter fans here, too. It was pretty special growing up with Harry, early on in the series when the JK was publishing a new one each year. I remember when HP-V came out, standing for hours in line waiting for copies to go on sale at midnight before getting on a 5am trans-Atlantic flight with my two Ds. Of course I bought 3 copies (British edition) so we could all read them on the plane. And then, when we landed, I bought an American edition for comparison. Sadly, I thought the series went downhill towards the end. Still, it’s wonderful how Harry inspired a whole generation of young readers.</p>

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<p>mihcal,you are right about the sleep.I have been talking to her lately.Usually she finishes her work on time.She is prepping for SAT Chem test.She wants to make an impression on the teachers so her school year will be easier.So she is working overtime.</p>

<pre><code> She should be fine in a week or two.Has anyone signed up for the online classes offered by COURSERA and other sites.D wants to take Greek and Roman mythlogy which is a 10 weeks course.

               Gibson1514,D15 loves Harry potter.I remember with the last book we had an argument who would read it first and we decided she would read it when she si back from school and i would read it in the day time.So i finished it earlier than her and she was upset that i tricked her by not letting her take the book to school.However,D21 is not yet showing interest in reading the series.

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<p>hisandhermom,taking AP chem wihtout previous chem classes will be challenging.D took chem Honors last year and she is prepping for the SAT Chem.There are areas which are not covered in her class and some are indepth than what she learnt.Hope your D catches up in the class</p>