Summer School

[luvmarypoppins]

Have any of your children attended summer school, not for enrichment but for repeating a class over due to failure. I am so upset, it seems like ds 17 is heading this way. He has failed trig/math for the lst 2 quarters and we just got his interim report and he is borderline again. I told him mathmatically I cant see how he will pass. He goes to a private school and then will have to go to the public school for math all summer. I heard its mon-thurs with testing every day. They get fridays off. I already told him this will ruin our summer, ie no vacation, he wont have his job, be able to go to driving school, be able to do his community service which is 20 hours required by the school and he will be with a rough bunch of unmotivated kids most likely, one of the reasons we never sent him to our local public school to begin with. I just dont think ds sees the seriousness of this, in all his other classes he is passing. I dont know if this experience will wake him up or not. What have your experiences been?

 

[Amlee]

I did summer school twice. Both times I missed too many days due to illness. You are correct in the crowed. I kept to my self and hoped nobody would notice me. It wasn't a group of people I was use too and didn't want to get use to. There was a few like me, but for the most part it wasn't a good bunch of kids.

Each school varies on time frame and testing. It might be worth checking around to see if you have more than one option.

IMO, it might be worth him not getting to go to driving school or vacation. If he failed this class and doesn't see the problem with it. Why should he get those privileges? If you have someone that is willing to work with him, don't punish the rest of the family. Go with out him.

Also you might want to check into extra tutoring for him in this class and see if there isn't something more behind it all.

Hope things get better for you and your family.

 

[CarolG]

Our older son had major issues with his Algebra II teacher's teaching methods (he just didn't get it the way she explained it). He failed the class and had to re-take it during summer school - he made an A the second time around.

While that gave us some concerns when he was submitting his college applications, he did get into his first choice - he was taking AP and honors classes, and did well on the SAT - and he's finishing his graduate degree this semester.

Will your son's summer school run the entire summer break? Ours was only about 6 weeks, I think - classes were 2 or 3 hours every day, so they covered the material in a shorter period of time.

And how do you know all of the other students will be "a rough bunch of unmotivated kids"?

 

[grlpwrd]

Have any of your children attended summer school, not for enrichment but for repeating a class over due to failure. I am so upset, it seems like ds 17 is heading this way. He has failed trig/math for the lst 2 quarters and we just got his interim report and he is borderline again. I told him mathmatically I cant see how he will pass. He goes to a private school and then will have to go to the public school for math all summer. I heard its mon-thurs with testing every day. They get fridays off. I already told him this will ruin our summer, ie no vacation, he wont have his job, be able to go to driving school, be able to do his community service which is 20 hours required by the school and he will be with a rough bunch of unmotivated kids most likely, one of the reasons we never sent him to our local public school to begin with. I just dont think ds sees the seriousness of this, in all his other classes he is passing. I dont know if this experience will wake him up or not. What have your experiences been?

Say what??? I attended parochial school for middle and high school and yet my kids all attend public school. [Depending on the area,] the public schools are not all filled with unmotivated kids and hoodlums, you know.

My oldest dd is almost 16 yo and she attends summer school because she wants to. She takes her PE class and usually a math class to get more credits. Otherwise, she takes AP courses during the year which are very challenging and that is why she waits until summer to take more math classes.

We work around her summer school schedule with my college schedule when it comes to vacation time.

 

[mamajoan]

I beg to differ on your statement regarding the "rough bunch of unmotivated kids".. Maybe your local public HS has a bad rep but our does not, in fact it is rated higher than the area private High Schools.

My dd has attended summer school every year since grade school. She is not rough or unmotivated. She has a tough time with school for many reasons.

Summer school can be helpful for kids who have a problems in a particular class. Summer school classes are usually smaller in size, more intense and to the point of that particular curriculum. Summer school in our area is 2-4 hours M-F for 6 weeks. This leaves adequate time for a summer job and vacation. 20 hours of community service can easily be achieved. Hec 3-4 Saturdays at the Community Food bank will cover it.
Hope your son does well.

 

[Makdyn]

I attend public school and went to summer school for two summer....I never consider myself a rough unmotivated kid.

 

[goofy4tink]

Oh man, how timely this one is. I just got home from a meeting with my dd's teachers. She's in 7th grade and in danger of being in 7th grade next year!! Math is dragging her down, it's affecting her other subjects. She isn't motivated, isn't doing the work. So, now the dread 'summer school' subject has come up. She won't be able to go to camp for the three weeks that she was looking forward to. We're giving her until the end of the grading period to get her grades going in the right direction or she misses camp.
Our summer school here is generally at one of our schools, rather than in a neighboring school, so at least she would be on home ground. But, there is a wide diverse group going from what I have heard from parents who have had kids in it on a high school level. Dd goes to public school, one I would put up against just about any private school. This is pretty much my dd's issue, although her math teacher is a contributing factor...she just doesn't have a teaching style that matches dd's learning style. But, you can't always have a perfect teacher/student match up can you??!!

 

[MushyMushy]

Well, my DS is unmotivated, but he has decided that he prefers summer school for some bizarre reason. I have no idea why on earth he'd want to get up early in the summer and sit in a classroom for 3-6 hours, but there it is. Anyway, summer school was fine for him! He actually did well in it, but this year I'm making him pay for his own classes.

You might want to consider that to make it less appealing to him. But it's not the end of the world like you're making it out to be.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

around here alot of HS kids - public and private school, all academic levels - take summer school in order to free up room in their regular year schedule for electives. My son will be taking 1/2 of his Senior Year Math requirement through summer school this year so that he can take an elective Journalism class at the local CC in the fall.

Regardless, check around and see if their is an online course somewhere that the school will accept as credit if it bothers you that much.

 

[ckay87]

I've been afraid that summer school might be in my DS' future. Honestly, it would do him good. He could use some remediation AND it would do him some good to see WHY we take this little thing called academics seriously.

For me, the problem is ....of course....WDW! We have had a rough year and I am in the midst of planning a killer trip, unlike any we've had. We are leaving ON the last day of school. So I'm hoping that any potential summer school begins at least 1.5 weeks later.

The feedback here makes me feel just a little better about what summer school is like. It's a good, timely issue for us as well.

 

[FINFAN]

I was also going to suggest on-line summer school, or perhaps your local Jr College offers the courde there? That would pull in a wide variety of students, but not sure if it would be convenient or feasable. That is a reason on line is so popular. Kids can work at their best times...for example, my DD is taking her required Gov't course for HS graduation on line. She also had the choice to take it 4 dasy a week for 6 weeks, 4 hours a day. That was too early in the day for her and also cut into her work schedule, so she is taking the on line one. My DD is a night owl, truly absorbs info better...nocturnal I'd say. I have some concerns about on line simply becasue there is no instructor and DD also is a better visual learner...but she did a sample course and came out fine. As long as she has computer access, she will be able to travel this summer ( not that we have FINANCIAL access...so we only have small things planned) anyway, the on line lasts longer, mid June to mid August, butlike I said, she can do it at 3 a.m. if she likes and you do have contact w/instructors thru e-mail, and usually phone as well, and the support sytem of the Virtual HS. You could look into it, DD's class is $180 on line, would be $200 in the summer classroom and then the $100 book fee...so she actually chose the more affordable route. She also is doing it to free up time her senior year for early dismissal, and also, since it is req'd for graduation, she feels if she does not pass it over summer, then she can add it next year.

Good Luck, I know, my DS struggles and 7th grade is very difficult for him. He suffers from the Peter Pan syndrome BIG TIME! I will be seriously looking at him taking several classes on line for HS...or supplementing with homeschool. I know school os not a problem for many, but for others, it is a nightmare, moves too quick, methods do not get secured.



Pam

 

[geffric]

Both of my kids will be in summer school this year. In our district, it is expected that the kids will be in summer school so they can get certain classes out of the way and then be able to take other classes. DS#1 taking the health requirement and drivers ed. DS#2 is taking world history. Summer school is 5 days a week and from 7:30 to noon. Aftre school, DS#1 will work and DS#2 will do sports stuff ( weights and conditioning) for the high school wrestling and football.We are leaving for WDW after finals on July25th. The kids get out at noon and I have a 3pm flight booked.

 

[Gurgi]

Ohmigod, I loved that movie, he was so hot.

 

[lajones81]

Have any of your children attended summer school, not for enrichment but for repeating a class over due to failure. I am so upset, it seems like ds 17 is heading this way. He has failed trig/math for the lst 2 quarters and we just got his interim report and he is borderline again. I told him mathmatically I cant see how he will pass. He goes to a private school and then will have to go to the public school for math all summer. I heard its mon-thurs with testing every day. They get fridays off. I already told him this will ruin our summer, ie no vacation, he wont have his job, be able to go to driving school, be able to do his community service which is 20 hours required by the school and he will be with a rough bunch of unmotivated kids most likely, one of the reasons we never sent him to our local public school to begin with. I just dont think ds sees the seriousness of this, in all his other classes he is passing. I dont know if this experience will wake him up or not. What have your experiences been?

I don't have any kids, but I had to retake a course myself one summer. The information did not sink in the first time, but during the summer session...I got it!! Good luck to you and your son!