Should I let my 12 yr old decide for herself? Art School or Academic?
438253
The problem with deciding for her is that she may rebel.  If she chooses herself then she has to prove that it was the right decision.  If you choose, she can go about proving that it was the wrong choice.  She is more involved and committed if you let her choose.  It's not the end of the world.  She can change back later.  Art school graduates can do academic stuff in college.  She's not really deciding for the rest of her life.  They change their majors all the time.  My boyfriend calls it "malicious compliance" which is what you often get when you dictate something like this.
348708
yes it is a bad idea but what would be the solution ? have you tried getting involve in the school and to offer reasonable solutions ? if nothing works and you are concerned enough then wait to take your child to school just in-time for class or have someone else do it for you. you could also try another school. lol.
946258
I see both sides.   It is just your first year, maybe you need to give it more time, and ask for help from the university to make it not so hard.    Maybe you need to switch the subject to something that you find interesting.  I am sure that she still loves you.  She is probably overwhelmed by her fear that you will struggle (maybe as she has as a single mom)   I am sure she just wants what is best for you.    I never got to go to college, and didn't want to when I was 18.  But I am 36 now and totally regret it.  I would almost give anything to go back and get that degree.  Besides I read that ANY college degree automatically gives you at least $23,000 a year in salary more than a person without one!  That's amazing.   You need to sit down with you and talk about the options.   Maybe you can come with some alternate ideas on how to succeed.   Maybe something else is going on with her?   If you haven't been around so much because of college, I am sure it's hard to deal with as well for her if you two were really close.   Try to get her to talk, and let her know that you understand her fear, that you won't get a degree.   Tell her that you want to figure out how to get that in some other way.
866873
If my kid came home with a report card like that, I'd hang it on the fridge. You're to young to be so stressed. Just get it over with and show her. Middle school is tough, hang in there sweetie.
761815
The best depends on your child...no one can tell you what's best for your family!!! Read All Kinds of Minds, figure out what kind of learners they are. You would choose totally different curriculum for a child who is a visual learner than for a child who is a kinesthetic learner. \n\nRemember that kids in first grade tend to be more hands-on learners anyway, and keep in  mind that just because a child is in a certain grade, that doesn't mean that it's the age of curriculum you should buy. If your 8th grader is behind, you need to start where their knowledge ends, or you create a lot of frustration.\n\nFirst thought is to check local bookstores, Barnes and Noble and Borders both have an extensive homeschooling section. also check out Mardel's Christian bookstore. While much of their curriculum is Christian based, they also have much that is not. You can look through it and see if you like it, and it's easy to return.\n\nAsk your local homeschooling group if they have a curriculum fair coming up...that's an opportunity to really peruse the different ones and get your hands on (there's nothing worse than buying a curriculum and opening and seeing that it's not what you expected...unless it's buying the curriculum and it doesn't work for your child anyway!)\n\nOur town also has a curriculum exchange, so you can go to a bookstore setting, and you get credit for what you bring in, and as well the books/items are much cheaper than new.\n\nAlso see if you have a yahoo hs'ing group in your area, on ours lots of people pass stuff on for free, or will let you borrow it to see if it works.\n\nOne thing more, if your 8th grader has been miserable in school, you might look into deschooling so that he/she can catch their breath, and recapture their love of learning. Google it and you'll find lots.\n\nM
789935
Explain to her that part of being an adult involves doing things that you have to do in order to do things that you want to do.  You can empathize with her and say that you understand why she doesn't like all her school subjects, but make sure SHE understands that she is only hurting herself by not applying herself in history and English.  Also, if she plans on going to college she'll have to take even more history and English, so she needs to get used to it now.  There's no way you can make her like those subjects if she doesn't want to, but you may get her to the point where she tolerates them.
888273
I don't know but I wish your daughter good luck.  Going to a grammar school is a really good idea.  The education she's going to get there will be so much better than if she's going to a comprehensive but having said that, all is not lost if she doesn't get a place with the grammar.  At the end of the day, it is her own efforts that get her brilliant results at GCSE and A-level.
708083
it is always best to send your son to school rather than home study. i agree with others that he will have more balance student life in a school whether private or public. i still go for private school.
735569
Well, seeing as how you are twelve years old, I would recommend you wait a few years.  Take matters "into your own hands" for now, if you know what I mean.
329542
Try taking the advice given here. Be prepared to march down to the school a lot to try to get this taken care of. Your grandkids CAN learn! Then, if none of that works, consider homeschooling, or have the parents consider homeschooling, whichever is more appropriate. Like some of these teachers said, they are trained to educate regular student, not special children. I know a boy with FAS and a myriad of other diagnoses, and when he was eight years old, he snuck out of a locked campus and was halfway home before his grandma was called and told he was missing. He had walked about five miles. Homeschooling gives you the advantage of knowing your grandson's individual problems. There are so many different types of problems going on in a special ed class, that I don't blame the teacher for being overwhelmed. Most special ed kids excel once they start being taught at home because they are in an environment they know, with loving caregivers who understand the complexities of their own disorders, and are able to work at their own pace. There's no distractions like there are in a classroom. It just seems to work. There are several place you can turn to to learn about homeschooling kids with special needs. Check yahoo groups, there's a lot. I'm on HS-Plus, and it's a really good group. Lots of different disorders being dealt with, FAE/FAS is a big one, so you'd get lots of help. I homeschool my autistic pre-schooler, and will be homeschooling my 'normal' little one, and any others that come along. Contact me if you'd like, I'd be more than happy to talk to you some more.
113748
If you have more than one choice I would think very hard and determine which one I would like the best. Than I would try to figure out if it is possible to reach that goal (money, schooling etc). Just make sure the choice is yours and not someone elses.
194127
Community Colleges are a good options for some classes.  If you're looking for at home curriculum, try Apologia Science, Saxon Math (goes up to calc I believe) and Excellence in Writing with Andrew Puduwa (it is geared toward a little younger age group, but if you son is at all lacking the mechanics of writing it is a great program). Also, check out the book "A Thomas Jefferson Education."  You can find it at www.gwc.edu in the bookstore section. It is a must read!
598863
Do both! Label them, and then let your child know how to explain it to the teacher, but if it doesn't say you're better off going with both. Good luck! :)
562216
well you see miss. i've been in a private school all me life and been using this curriculum all my life. I have made an 4.0 on my report card for as long as i can remember and i've never made anything except an A on my report card. Abeka books are definately more challenging. I think that if you want your kids to be challenged and smarter then definately go with abeka curriculum. ( btw my bff makes the same grades i do )
923195
Twelve is pretty young. I would tell her to wait a few years, she has plenty of time for that later.
1187655
At my high school we didn't have majors, and I still got into University. There are some specific requirements for certain art programs though. You have to have taken some art history courses and have a portfolio with some samples of your own original artwork. Aside from the specifics, you need good grades and recommendations from teachers. A recommendation from an art teacher or artist would be even better.
1021574
Beccawho has made a lot of good points about the issue of being young in college, but I'd also like to raise the issue of the cultural differences of what your son would face in an American college.\n\nMy daughter started college a year early at 17 and that worked for her because she is very mature for her age and can also pass for being older. However, it is definitely not something that I'd recommend for just any young person - not because of the difficulty of the school work (I'm sure your son would do fine, academically), but because of the social "scene" on college campuses. Alcohol plays a large role in terms of how college kids socialize and since my daughter doesn't like to drink, she found it hard to meet friends. And friends are important when it comes to working on class projects together, walking home at night, going off-campus to buy supplies, helping you out when you're sick, etc. College life without a support system of friends can be rough.\n\nHave you also considered the whole issue of your son's adjustment to American culture? I've traveled to other countries and I know that America's youth culture is not something that is highly respected by foreigners, and I can't say that I blame them. American kids grow up very "fast," and when they are off on their own on college campuses, I'm not sure that environment is something you'd want your son exposed to at such a young age. And then on top of everything else, you've got all of our crazy notions about race.\n\nMy advice to you would be to keep your son in high school for the full amount of time, if possible. He obviously should have access to college level work, so if your high school does not offer enough AP classes (which count towards college credit if he passes the exams), then I would hope that they offer the option of dual enrollment with a nearby college (being both a high school student AND a college student). With dual enrollment, your son's college classes also count towards his high school diploma and are often paid for by the school district. \n\nBy remaining in high school, not only will your son get used to American culture, but his amazing grades will more likely pay off in fabulous scholarship opportunities that he couldn't get if he skips graduating from high school. This I know, because my daughter missed out on those opportunities. In this way, his hard work won't be a waste, because he will receive more recognition in the long run compared to being the odd young kid in college who is mostly ignored. Please know that scholarships and awards mean even more than "results" and great exam grades, because anyone can earn great grades, but fewer are recognized with awards. People who get awards tend to get noticed with even more awards at later stages in their life, such as applying for things like internships, grants, special programs, etc. \n\nIf your high school cannot offer college level classes for your son in the subjects where he is ready for them, then have your son take classes at your local community college. Not only can your son earn two years of college credit at a community college, but the social atmosphere at community colleges is not the same because the population tends to be a bit older and more mature. Community college students tend to go to their classes and then go home or to work. (Probably what you may be used to with African colleges.)\n\nFinal piece of advice: if you insist on pushing your son into college, at least find one with a large number of international students.