Anyone familiar with Penn Foster High School? (online)

[Disney1fan2002]

I am seriously considering this for my DS15. He is in a public school now, and this year has been a breaking point for me. Homwork has always been an issue for him. He has Asperger's and gets great grades without doing homeowrk, but the 0's he earns for not doing homework drags his grades down. I cannot get him to understand how ridiculous it is that he is letting this happen.

He wants to go to college. How he thinks he is going to get there if we allow him to tank his grades is beyond me.

I have called the school to set up a team meeting. I am going to see if they can put in homework modifications, preferably a no-homework modification. I can't keep dealing with this. Life would be so much less stressful in this house if we di not have daily homework wars.

I would love to choose my battle, and let it go, but since it is affecting his grade, I can't.

I wonder if he was able to homeschool through an online HS if he would feel in control of his learning, and do things at his pace. It is not that he is against learning, he loves to learn!!! There is just something about being told to do homework that shuts him down. He can't even explain it. He just says he can't bring himself to do it.

Has anyone heard much about Penn Foster? I know they are legit, because a girl I work with got her diploma from them. I just don't know if colleges will consider it.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

If you're going to pay for it I'd choose something more acceptable like k-12 or Connections. If he really wants to go to College then you need to get him to understand that homework is a HUGE part of being a College student.

 

[maelstrom]

When I switched to a homeschool program in high school, my mom called the local community college and asked what they look for in a homeschool program. They said that if the program was accredited by the state it was in, they would accept it. That seems to be a big thing. You can get accredited by so many non-reputable agencies, that I think the college wants to see that the state the program is in recognizes it.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

If you're going to pay for it I'd choose something more acceptable like k-12 or Connections. If he really wants to go to College then you need to get him to understand that homework is a HUGE part of being a College student.

Thank you! Connections looks really good.

 

[rszdtrvl]

Does your son's high school offer online classes? I know ours does right through the high school. I am tempted to have my son take a class or two online. He is also an Aspie kid.

 

[Robinrs]

Does your son's high school offer online classes? I know ours does right through the high school. I am tempted to have my son take a class or two online. He is also an Aspie kid.

I was going to suggest this.

My son had serious issues with math so he took online courses in it. He did MUCH better online than in the class. He told me he has friends who take almost all of their courses online.

If the school or your district offers it, you can get it for a fee or free. Check with your son's counselor about the requirements and how you can work it out based on his needs.

Good luck!

 

[clm10308]

In many states both Connections and K12 offer online charter schools where you do not pay any tuition. Books and a computer are mailed to the student. In the charter school, students are required to take the state standardized testing. that could require you to travel depending where you live.
I woorked as a teacher for Texas Connections Academy for two years before I moved out of state, so I am a bit biased toward Connections.
I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. On
One schooling doesn't work for everyone, but for many kids like you describe, it has been good.

 

[Darcy03231]

DS is graduating from high school this year (I hope). If I knew then in middle school what I know now, I definitely would have home schooled him. He's a smart kid, but absolutely hates homework and won't do it. He's a square peg that resists being forced into a round hole. He finds the structured school environment a "waste of time." It drives me crazy because with minimal effort he gets high B's low A's in the classes he's interested in.


I really think had we homeschooled him things would have gone much better.

 

[torinsmom]

Just wondering what happens when a child who doesn't like to be told to do homework gets in college and is told to do homework? I know most of my work in college was homework; class was really just lectures. I definitely understand thinking about an online school program though.

 

[Darcy03231]

Just wondering what happens when a child who doesn't like to be told to do homework gets in college and is told to do homework? I know most of my work in college was homework; class was really just lectures. I definitely understand thinking about an online school program though.

For my son, its not so much the issue of working independently, the issue is having to be up at 6 am to catch the bus at 6:30 am to start school at 7 am and be there until 2 pm. Then he has to come home and do homework. In his mind if he's doing the work at home, why does he have to spend so many hours in school? My daughter also hated high school (although she conformed) but absolutely loves college. She doesn't go all day, has time between classes to do her homework and, best of all, she doesn't have to be up at 6 am. She's also arranged her schedule so she doesn't have any classes on Fridays. It will be interesting to see how my son does at the Community College in the fall.

 

[torinsmom]

For my son, its not so much the issue of working independently, the issue is having to be up at 6 am to catch the bus at 6:30 am to start school at 7 am and be there until 2 pm. Then he has to come home and do homework. In his mind if he's doing the work at home, why does he have to spend so many hours in school? My daughter also hated high school (although she conformed) but absolutely loves college. She doesn't go all day, has time between classes to do her homework and, best of all, she doesn't have to be up at 6 am. She's also arranged her schedule so she doesn't have any classes on Fridays. It will be interesting to see how my son does at the Community College in the fall.

Gotcha I know I love online classes. I did most of my Education classes online and got a Masters online as well. I like not having to drive to and from school and being able to work at my own pace. My son starts community college in the fall and I want him to try both "real" classes and online to see what works best for him. Online college classes are often cheaper as well.

 

[shortbun]

My son goes to a K-12 school and has tons of homework with deadlines.I think you"ll need anIEP with a special allowance for homework for any school. We got an evaluation to allow more time for anything handdwritten; there are handwritten assignments required in K-12. They have a dropbox where you can submit them. I think the only way you are going to ski[ "homework" is to actually homeschool and design the cirricullum as being done each day during the school day. Good luck.