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Old 01-16-2008, 11:13 AM
 
Location: Southern Oregon
3,567 posts, read 3,730,692 times
Reputation: 1489

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Quote:
Originally Posted by golfgal View Post
Absolutely have him choose or you will get the "you MADE me take this class" . If you can find a camp or program at a 4 year college where he can stay overnight in the dorms that might be better then day courses at the community college. Give him a taste of the college life and things might change quickly--also being totally responsible for yourself in a controlled environment like a summer camp can make a big difference in their outlook too.

Again, I have one just like him, although he isn't quite as negative about things, so I can TOTALLY sympathize with you. We tested our's for LD's too, nope, just lazy with an IQ of 185. When he LIKES a class or a teacher, straight A's, never misses a point. If he doesn't like a class or a teacher, we hope for C's.
That's him - A on the test, F on homework and projects. It is soooo frustrating. You would think that he would want to do BETTER than his half-brothers. I know I want him to. I don't want him to have to struggle like that.

We have a 4 yr college here, too. I will call up there and see if they have an overnighter thing. I can't get him to go to summer camp - I loved it as a kid. He wouldn't even go when we offered to send a friend with him.

How old is your boy?
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Old 01-16-2008, 12:32 PM
 
20,793 posts, read 61,185,650 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tulegirl View Post
That's him - A on the test, F on homework and projects. It is soooo frustrating. You would think that he would want to do BETTER than his half-brothers. I know I want him to. I don't want him to have to struggle like that.

We have a 4 yr college here, too. I will call up there and see if they have an overnighter thing. I can't get him to go to summer camp - I loved it as a kid. He wouldn't even go when we offered to send a friend with him.

How old is your boy?

Mine is 15, sophomore in high school.

Don't think of summer camp in terms of a camp set in the woods, swimming all day camp, I was thinking more of a camp--that is just what they call them--at a college campus that is more academic or interest based, like basketball camp but for some other area.

We are lucky that there are about 15 colleges/universities within reasonable driving distance that we can look into for these kinds of things. Our DS is in marching band and loves that. They spend a week at a college for band camp each summer.
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Old 01-16-2008, 12:48 PM
 
Location: Southern Oregon
3,567 posts, read 3,730,692 times
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oh - I wasn't going in that direction... There are basketball and band camps here. I get it . I will look into academic camps... I doubt they are local, unless OIT does one. I will check it out. Thanks.
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Old 01-16-2008, 12:51 PM
 
Location: Southern Oregon
3,567 posts, read 3,730,692 times
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Just found on line that OIT has a "Expand Your World" 3 day program that sounds like it's what we are talking about, but it's for 8th graders! I will have to dig further...

Mother on a quest...
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Old 01-16-2008, 04:08 PM
 
Location: Boston
137 posts, read 1,003,648 times
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AFS has scholarships and you can fund raise in the community. The rotary club also has a cheaper exchange.
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Old 01-16-2008, 04:59 PM
 
Location: Southern Oregon
3,567 posts, read 3,730,692 times
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Originally Posted by eslteacher View Post
AFS has scholarships and you can fund raise in the community. The rotary club also has a cheaper exchange.
cool - I will look into that further.

Thanx
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Old 01-19-2008, 08:21 PM
 
Location: Southern Oregon
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Talked to the boy.... he says he is too distracted at school and wants to come home. Would rather do his class work here in the morning and get a job for the afternoon.
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Old 01-20-2008, 08:56 AM
 
847 posts, read 3,514,558 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tulegirl View Post
Talked to the boy.... he says he is too distracted at school and wants to come home. Would rather do his class work here in the morning and get a job for the afternoon.
Does your school have a co-op program where he can take classes in the morning and then go to work? That might be a good compromise.
Again, I worry that a lot of kids 'say' they are bored, etc. at school because they think the grass is greener. I do not think that, by itself, is a good reason to homeschool. That is my opinion.
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Old 01-20-2008, 02:51 PM
 
Location: Southern Oregon
3,567 posts, read 3,730,692 times
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If the school does have a "co-op" program, I still don't see what good it will do if he still is not performing in a classroom setting. That doesn't sound like a compromise to me. He doesn't want to come home for the sake of a job opportunity.

After 6 years of flunking classes whether he is in a private or public school set-up, asking him how he feels is something I must consider. Even if he feels that the "grass is greener" shouldn't I, at this point, seriously look into it? At least he would be more motivated than he ever has been previously.

Why do you think we should continue to keep him in a public school when he is unable/refuses to perform there? Even if he says that he is "bored", if we and all of the teachers and counselors have been unable to get him going (for 6 years), how much more time should I let go by before jumping in and start listening to him?
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Old 01-20-2008, 03:10 PM
 
847 posts, read 3,514,558 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tulegirl View Post
If the school does have a "co-op" program, I still don't see what good it will do if he still is not performing in a classroom setting. That doesn't sound like a compromise to me. He doesn't want to come home for the sake of a job opportunity.

After 6 years of flunking classes whether he is in a private or public school set-up, asking him how he feels is something I must consider. Even if he feels that the "grass is greener" shouldn't I, at this point, seriously look into it? At least he would be more motivated than he ever has been previously.

Why do you think we should continue to keep him in a public school when he is unable/refuses to perform there? Even if he says that he is "bored", if we and all of the teachers and counselors have been unable to get him going (for 6 years), how much more time should I let go by before jumping in and start listening to him?
You have good points and you know your child best, I mean I have never even met him!! However, I guess I have dealt with so many kids that did not 'like' school or were 'bored' or 'hated' it or 'thought it was too hard/easy' and taking them out was not the answer. For each child, it is different but I always worked closely with the child and the family to see what was really going on, there is something more that is making him feel this way. Here are some examples of some conclusions I came to with kids like that.

They were not challenged enough in classes and needed higher level classes
Or
They were were overly challenged and need special education testing/classes
Or
There were emotional issues/problems at home/problems with friends and the student needed counseling, etc.
Or
There was a health issue
Or
The student had not found interests, academically and extracurricularly, and needed a little push
Or
There was a substance abuse issue

etc., etc., etc., etc.

Again, these are experiences I have had with kids and the ultimate outcomes. Being bored, hating school, etc. are symptoms of many many things that might possibly be going on.

It sounds like you have worked hard to identify the problem and have already worked with the counselor, what is his/her recommendation?

I, in my many years of experiences, have never met a kid that was simply, 100% bored with school without there being something else underlying. Like I said, however, I have never met your child so it is hard for me to say for sure.

As far as co-op is concerned, nine times out of ten, here is what happens. Many of these kids hate school, are bored, etc. but once they get into co-op and feel like they are actually doing something productive that maybe related to their future, they start to understand the importance of school a little more, therefore they do better. A decent co-op program will have business teachers who work with the students throughout the year, the student will have to take a business class of some kind in conjunction and be subject to job reviews, etc. The kids start to have real life experience and understand the importance of an education.
The same is true for vocational programs. Say, for example, the kid starts a culinary program. He/she may think, before they start it, that all other school is unnecessary because they are going to cook, period, end of discussion. However, once they get into the program and begin to understand the importance of math as it relates to cooking because of measurements, etc. and Chemistry as it relates to cooking and business classes as they relate to owning your own restaurant, etc. they start to take school more seriously because they have a goal and know they need it to reach that goal. Not to mention, needing good grades to get into a good culinary school, etc.

So, those are some of my experiences with kids like your son. Trust me, sometimes it takes awhile for kids to get it, but they do. He will mature as well and that will make a huge difference, I promise!
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