TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk
Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Going into public high school this fall
- Thread starter FlytrapGurl
- Start date
I think I have to disagree with some of this. *Please note I am speaking only of my experiences, am making some generalizations, and speaking of nobody here. As a public school teacher in Florida I have found that the few home-schooled students that I get - many come to high school after being at home through 8th grade- have the same limited, nonpolysyllabic vocabulary as their public schooled counterparts. Many of them are more unprepared for their coursework since mom and dad mean well but don't have the technical skill to teach 6 or 7 subjects in any depth. I got a homeschooled girl in my zoology class at the start of the new semester in January - her lesson on animal behavior was a field trip to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa to watch the animals (her description not mine). I hardly think this equates with the 3 to 4 weeks I spend on animal behavior in the classroom. I will agree with the advice about staying out of the bathrooms- school bathrooms are disgusting - practice bladder control exercises, buy Depends, anything is better than going in. Also be prepared school food = fat, grease, yuck!
Tanya, I don't mean to scare you, but the worst part of public school in Florida is that they're now filled with Yankees. Yankees who do nothing but talk about how (insert name of northern state) is better than here and they can't wait to get out of here and Yankees who do nothing but complain about the weather. I have found if you start talking about eating possum, gator, and assorted road kill they tend to stop talking and walk away - they never know if you're kidding or not. All in all, I don't think you'll find it that bad.
Tanya, I don't mean to scare you, but the worst part of public school in Florida is that they're now filled with Yankees. Yankees who do nothing but talk about how (insert name of northern state) is better than here and they can't wait to get out of here and Yankees who do nothing but complain about the weather. I have found if you start talking about eating possum, gator, and assorted road kill they tend to stop talking and walk away - they never know if you're kidding or not. All in all, I don't think you'll find it that bad.
When I moved from Mississippi to Connecticut for my senior year of high school (1978) I noticed the CT high school worked much harder for the upper and lower 10%, but the middle group would have been better off in my MS school. A friend's daughter is in her freshman year at the "better" of the two local high schools and, sure enough, she's telling him the same thing. Especially in leafy Republican suburbs, CT high schools measure themselves by the number of admissions to Ivy League or other elite colleges. It's a measure of something, but not necessarily of academic quality.
As an aside, I suspect Mississippi schools have slid considerably since the 1970s. Education is one of the first things to suffer in a theocracy.
As an aside, I suspect Mississippi schools have slid considerably since the 1970s. Education is one of the first things to suffer in a theocracy.
Hmmm, it has been my expereince that home schooled children are superior both academically and socially. Naturally there will always exist exceptions to any rule.
I would have to agree with this, "I'm homeschooled, and I've found that I have no trouble conversing with Public Schoolers as long as I remember to use a small vocabulary and short sentences."
Our kids are now in private schools. Quite frankly, my husband and I were not in a position to homeschool which is so sad as that is the superior educational environment in our humble opinion. I base this on my interactions with children who have been homeschooled as opposed to those who are educated in public schools. We find many children of public school systems to be out of their depths in puddles and inadequately prepared for the real world ahead of them. Too much special interest is being served and funding appears to now be exclusively set aside for IEP compliance. Gifted and accelerated programs are wiped out in my area as are after school science and math clubs. They wiped out the art and drama clubs as well as others too. We do now have bilingual aids in many classrooms so that children who do not speak English in the home do not get "left behind". There seem to exist so many children in the public school systems who have needs that often can't even be met at the expense of the other children present in their classroom yet they are repeatedly mainstreamed.
My comments on this are that there is nothing more inhumane than attempting to treat people as equals who are not and never will be. I am a proponent of reintroducing the contained classrooms particularly in situtions where in which children do not speak English or have behaviors in need of being managed by those specially trained to provide them with the tools to attain their maximum potential. These BD children tend to be a disruption to the entire class not to mention the lost productivity experienced by the poor teacher who is forced to address behaviors when they occur. At any given point in time there will be about a third of the students in a classroom working at grade level in any subject matter, a third working below, a third working above. This in and of itself is a challenge to our teachers who do their best to educate the group as a whole. Now to this mix add a few with IEPs, one who falls under 504 who has to be monitored, one who doesn't speak English, one or two with Behavioral Disabilities, and a handful with Learning Disabilities some of which may be so severe that an aid is required for that particular student in the classroom. Is this fair to our teachers? Is this fair to our children who are differently abled? Is this fair to our children who aren't differently abled? Is the regular classroom truly "the least restrictive environment"?
Mainstreaming, somebody sure sold us parents of differently abled kids a bill of goods in that department and I feel for the teachers who are forced to do their best for our special needs kids with extremely limited resources and inadequate support.
Kudos to parents who homeschool and kudos to parents who pull their academically superior and differently abled children and place them in private settings. I don't believe the public school system is capable of meeting the needs of all these children in standard classrooms and we're going to break the spirit of a lot of teachers if we continue to set them up for failure by mainstreaming so many.
I would have to agree with this, "I'm homeschooled, and I've found that I have no trouble conversing with Public Schoolers as long as I remember to use a small vocabulary and short sentences."
Our kids are now in private schools. Quite frankly, my husband and I were not in a position to homeschool which is so sad as that is the superior educational environment in our humble opinion. I base this on my interactions with children who have been homeschooled as opposed to those who are educated in public schools. We find many children of public school systems to be out of their depths in puddles and inadequately prepared for the real world ahead of them. Too much special interest is being served and funding appears to now be exclusively set aside for IEP compliance. Gifted and accelerated programs are wiped out in my area as are after school science and math clubs. They wiped out the art and drama clubs as well as others too. We do now have bilingual aids in many classrooms so that children who do not speak English in the home do not get "left behind". There seem to exist so many children in the public school systems who have needs that often can't even be met at the expense of the other children present in their classroom yet they are repeatedly mainstreamed.
My comments on this are that there is nothing more inhumane than attempting to treat people as equals who are not and never will be. I am a proponent of reintroducing the contained classrooms particularly in situtions where in which children do not speak English or have behaviors in need of being managed by those specially trained to provide them with the tools to attain their maximum potential. These BD children tend to be a disruption to the entire class not to mention the lost productivity experienced by the poor teacher who is forced to address behaviors when they occur. At any given point in time there will be about a third of the students in a classroom working at grade level in any subject matter, a third working below, a third working above. This in and of itself is a challenge to our teachers who do their best to educate the group as a whole. Now to this mix add a few with IEPs, one who falls under 504 who has to be monitored, one who doesn't speak English, one or two with Behavioral Disabilities, and a handful with Learning Disabilities some of which may be so severe that an aid is required for that particular student in the classroom. Is this fair to our teachers? Is this fair to our children who are differently abled? Is this fair to our children who aren't differently abled? Is the regular classroom truly "the least restrictive environment"?
Mainstreaming, somebody sure sold us parents of differently abled kids a bill of goods in that department and I feel for the teachers who are forced to do their best for our special needs kids with extremely limited resources and inadequate support.
Kudos to parents who homeschool and kudos to parents who pull their academically superior and differently abled children and place them in private settings. I don't believe the public school system is capable of meeting the needs of all these children in standard classrooms and we're going to break the spirit of a lot of teachers if we continue to set them up for failure by mainstreaming so many.
Good luck Tanya, I bet you knockem dead. I would not be suprised if after a few weeks in your classes you get transferred to AP classes (Advanced placement). Your hobbies alone gurantee that you have a better grasp of science than most of your peers (Ahhh... the memories of all those debates with Pyro!
lol...
I fully support home schooling as long as it's in someone else's home. One of the major benefits of going to a public school is that a kid can learn things the parents or church or social group consider unimportant or threatening. Some of the most monumentally ignorant people I know have pretty impressive vocabularies.
This made me giggle, "I fully support home schooling as long as it's in someone else's home". I have to admit that in addition to both my husband and I having been employed full time, the thought of being with any one of the "little darlings" 24/7 was beyond overwhelming. That level of commitment alone was more than either one of us could handle at the time. So many different learning styles was another factor, we were afraid we'd fail our own children miserably.
This statement, "One of the major benefits of going to a public school is that a kid can learn things the parents or church or social group consider unimportant or threatening" speaks volume. We are open to our children being exposed to learning things we deem unimportant or threatening... providing it is done so at an appropriate age and providing we as parents are made aware of the subject material. This has not been happening here on Illinois. There do still exist parents who believe schools can't, and shouldn't, do it all. I will refrain from commenting further but some public school "approved" subject material is best handled by a parent at younger ages or disseminated at school providing the parents are made aware by being given advance notice that it is going to be taught in the classroom.
I had no idea there were so many homeschooled kids at Terra. That is awesome. Tanya, you will do quite fine and I know you will excel amidst your peers.
RamPuppy... what does your avator mean?
This statement, "One of the major benefits of going to a public school is that a kid can learn things the parents or church or social group consider unimportant or threatening" speaks volume. We are open to our children being exposed to learning things we deem unimportant or threatening... providing it is done so at an appropriate age and providing we as parents are made aware of the subject material. This has not been happening here on Illinois. There do still exist parents who believe schools can't, and shouldn't, do it all. I will refrain from commenting further but some public school "approved" subject material is best handled by a parent at younger ages or disseminated at school providing the parents are made aware by being given advance notice that it is going to be taught in the classroom.
I had no idea there were so many homeschooled kids at Terra. That is awesome. Tanya, you will do quite fine and I know you will excel amidst your peers.
RamPuppy... what does your avator mean?
I would strongly urge you to go through high school as if you were planning to go on to college. You can always choose NOT to go to college later.[b said:
If you take non-college prep classes, and then later decide you WANT to go, it will be much harder to gain acceptance at a university.
Preparing as if you plan to go to college gives you more options down the road.
FlytrapGurl
apple rings.. what more can i say?
[b said:
I know how to say that sentence "right", I just choose not to.
HELLOOOO!!! *waves arms in the air violently so people listen* I'm not homeschooled "by my parents". A: I don't even know my dad, and 2: I live with my grandparents. I'm not homeschooled "by them" either. If you read the first part of the first part of this thread, you'll already know that they do not teach me. Okay? The Pensacola Christian Academy sends boxes of DVDs every year along with textbooks, tests, quizzes, etc. The DVDs contain filmings of each class, each with a different teacher, each in a classroom. My grandparents have absolutely nothing to do with the education.
[b said:
Hell, I experience that already.
[b said:
I love that.. reminds me of a quote. "Maybe I encounter so many people who are hostile just because they can't open their minds to the possibilities that sometimes the need to mess with their heads outweights the 'millstone of humiliation.'" —Fox Mulder
[b said:
Sure, they're right in your point of view. But the Rebels are right in my point of view. And that is all.
Okay, yesterday we went down to the middle school at 9AM to go over the test results. My IQ is 135, I'm above-average on reading/language/vocabulary and the patterns/relationships test, and there are a few holes in math, mostly in ratios and geometry. Originally I was gonna take Applied Math 1 (all areas of math plus pre-algebra) in 9th grade, but the counselor talked to a math person with the school after she got the test results back, and decided that I should instead take Algebra 1, saying that I should be able to do well with that if I "apply myself". Anyway, the high school will have a Freshmen Orientation on May 6 from 5:30 to 8 (CRAP!! Gonna miss the last half of The X-Files..), where they get us used to the high school and the rules, etc. When we went down to the high school yesterday to get me registered, the head custodian recognized my mom (she had to come down to sign some stuff, naturally), and the administrator remembered my uncle Gary, since he was always causing trouble and stuff. Anyway, that's the beef.
Never mentioned Rebels, there aren't any, as the Civil War ended over 140 years ago. The last rebel died a long time ago. If you didn't fight in the Civil War, you're not a rebel, sorry. I was born in the South. I consider myself to be an american. Being proud of where you're born makes about as much sense to me as being proud of having fingernails. It's not a personal achievement. April
Anyway, it's Southern politicians who lead the movement to increase corporate power, restrict constitutional protections, destroy nature, meddle in private lives and over-rule state courts. Seems like Southerners of today have looked at the worst aspects of the Yankees of 1861 and like what they see. Congratulations.
Clint
Stay chooned in for more!
I agree that AP classes and the number of Ivy League schools that accepted people is important. AP classes (you probibly will not have that option freshman year) knock out some credits so you can get more majors in college. The number of Ivy Leagues that accepted students is good b/c that means the school has a good reputation which does help a bit.
"Anyway, it's Southern politicians who lead the movement to increase corporate power, restrict constitutional protections, destroy nature, meddle in private lives and over-rule state courts. "
Well they did lose. I have to agree on these points. According to my paper the New England Dems will filibuster the Artic Drilling. They interviewed Kerry and Clinton. I am pround of them.
Well they did lose. I have to agree on these points. According to my paper the New England Dems will filibuster the Artic Drilling. They interviewed Kerry and Clinton. I am pround of them.
be ready to wake up early, have to wait for the bus in the freezing cold (oh wait... you're in florida), be driven NUTS by stupid *cough cough* people that just don't want to MOVE (don't you just HATE it when you want to get to class and there's a group of people moving slower than a slug going against the wind that doesn't let you pass? you just feel like kicking them and yelling at their face to HURRY UP!
), people asking for your homework, etc...
JustLikeAPill...never be ashamed of where you're born...just don't be overly proud of it, either. After all...where we are born is due solely to where our moms were at the time! You had no choice in the matter. My mom was in Kentucky.
I'm not ashamed of being from the South...but I really hate the Yankee/Rebel thing. I work at a University, and I hear plenty of students lamenting that "this southern state is so much better than Illinois" all the time. I'm like...shut the **ck up and move back down there, then. The Civil War is over...people need to move on. I've met lots of idiots from the north...and lots of idiots from the south, too.
I'm not ashamed of being from the South...but I really hate the Yankee/Rebel thing. I work at a University, and I hear plenty of students lamenting that "this southern state is so much better than Illinois" all the time. I'm like...shut the **ck up and move back down there, then. The Civil War is over...people need to move on. I've met lots of idiots from the north...and lots of idiots from the south, too.
FlytrapGurl
apple rings.. what more can i say?
[b said:
It's a different concept.. today, a Yankee is anyone born in the North and a Rebel is anyone born in the South. Whether you choose to be proud of it and make it part of who you are is your choice. You believe what you believe, but I believe in being proud of where you were born, just like being generally proud that you're American. Besides, everybody on here mentioned Yankees. If there are no Rebels, then there are no Yankees, either. But you never said anything to the people in this thread that said the word "Yankee".
[b said:
What the southern politicians do is not my fault and it is not any other southerner's fault. Just because out politicians are idiots doesn't mean we can't be proud to be southern. I'm not happy with President Bush either, but does that mean I dislike America? No.
[b said:
Nope. Can't ride the bus. I'm not 2 miles or more from Astronaut. Only 1.9. Probably gonna have my grandparents drive me or somethin'. And I don't have to wake up any earlier than I'm already used to.. high school gets in at, like, 9:30.
[b said:
For your information, in January it can be in the 40s in the day, which is way colder than in the 40s in the North. TRUST ME. I've been in 45-degree weather in the North. I wore shorts. But I've also been in 45-degree weather here. I wore long pants and about four layers and STILL almost froze. For some reason, 45 degrees here is a whole lot colder than 45 degrees in the North. 45 degrees here is like half that in the North.
April, yeah the Civil War is over, but that doesn't mean people don't have the right to be proud of the heritage. Anybody can be proud of any thing they want.
-----------
Edit for language: Do NOT use special characters to bypass the profanity filter.
