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Morpheus99
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 Posted: 01/14/03 - 12:33 Post subject: Is 4 yrs of HS necassary? Why not 2 yrs? then college
One of the managers here at work was telling us that his daughter is starting College after only 2 yrs of high school.
Is she a gifted child?
No, just a plain HS who feel that the last two years are a waste
of time as most seniors don't have the workload of classes so why
not go early.
This manages got into serious trouble with his local board of education and had to go through serious hoops just to give his daughter the chance to go to college.
The Ed board position feel if every parent does this, then there will be a flood of students going to college early, and not getting the quality of education they deserve. Plus even more cuts in public school money.
His reply was you mean like some football players who go to college now with the education of a freshman???????
This manager is one of my mentors, and his beliefs are the byproduct of the late 60's way of thinking.
Those with parents of hs age was wondering your thoughts, and the thoughts of the board in general.
S99
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copteacher
Adjunct
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 12:35 Post subject:
Only necessary because all the teachers in those rich teachers union say it is and parent can keep their kids occupied until they are 18. Otherwise what will happen to them.
I say if the kid is real smart. Go directly to college. One should be able to test out if they are smart enough.
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purple hayes
Frightened Inmate #2
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 12:35 Post subject:
Personal experience :: I drank I lot of beer in my 4 years of high school and if I tried to cram all of that beer drinking in to 2 years, I'd probably kill myself.
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runswithscissors
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 12:37 Post subject:
I had a girlfriend in HS that was taking college courses her junior year and then graduated after three. She never had time to do anything else but study and try to keep up with all of her class overtime. No time for me, so I dumped her.
I think if the kid wants to do it, great, more power to her or him. But they shouldn't be forced into it. I would never want my kids to skip high school. I learned too much about growing up in those four years to skip any of them. Book smarts only get you so far in life.
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genie
Master of Prissface
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 13:14 Post subject:
Very well said, Rando. Our kids today are being forced to grow up way faster than we were and to make choices that they are not always mature enough to make. IMHO, even at 18 you are a little young to decide what it is you want to be when you grow up, unless you've known forever that you want to be a doctor, etc.....or because "everyone in my family has been a teacher since the dawn of time" type of thing. I ABSOLUTELY disagree with putting this kid into college early. Doesn't the school district have honors/AP track programs for gifted students?? Ours did, I took AP classes junior and senior year, which basically amounted to a year's worth of college courses when I graduated high school. You have to take placement tests to get the credits, but they are far more rigorous than regular high school classes and I about killed myself with the courseload I took. I too could have graduated at the end of 11th grade but wanted to stay with my friends, and I am really glad I did. I would have crashed and burned harder than I did had I started college early.
Let kids be kids as long as they can, being an adult is a tough job.
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kristin31
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 13:14 Post subject:
I think it depends on the child. Some are ready for that level of responsibility and would like to swap the "social" aspect of HS for a chance to get a head start...others will do better with more time spent in H.S. At any rate, even if the child is ready to move on to advanced level classes, it should be the child's decision as well as the parents; some parents are re-living their childhood vicariously through their own kids and that's hardly fair.
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Morpheus99
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 13:26 Post subject:
| genie wrote: | Very well said, Rando. Our kids today are being forced to grow up way faster than we were and to make choices that they are not always mature enough to make. IMHO, even at 18 you are a little young to decide what it is you want to be when you grow up, unless you've known forever that you want to be a doctor, etc.....or because "everyone in my family has been a teacher since the dawn of time" type of thing. I ABSOLUTELY disagree with putting this kid into college early. Doesn't the school district have honors/AP track programs for gifted students?? Ours did, I took AP classes junior and senior year, which basically amounted to a year's worth of college courses when I graduated high school. You have to take placement tests to get the credits, but they are far more rigorous than regular high school classes and I about killed myself with the courseload I took. I too could have graduated at the end of 11th grade but wanted to stay with my friends, and I am really glad I did. I would have crashed and burned harder than I did had I started college early.
Let kids be kids as long as they can, being an adult is a tough job. |
Okay let's back up here.
The child is not gifted, but feels most students don't attend a regular number of classes in their junior and senior year.
Most College courses are refresher courses taught in HS (basic trig, math, history, etc).
So why not go early????
Not the board take is it would create choas in the teaching ranks within HS letting kids (with their parents approval) go to College early be Community College or a major one.
Hope this helps.
S99
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runswithscissors
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 13:35 Post subject:
I strongly disagree that most college courses are refresher courses. Sure, there were advanced math classes and such in high school, but not everyone took them - I know I didn't.
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akern
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 13:40 Post subject:
| purple hayes wrote: | | Personal experience :: I drank I lot of beer in my 4 years of high school and if I tried to cram all of that beer drinking in to 2 years, I'd probably kill myself. |
Amen brother.
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Cappy
Excelent
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 13:44 Post subject:
I got more out of HS in my final 2 years than in the first two.
Kids should be able to take college classes if they can handle the extra work that it requires.
I don't think leaving b/c she is bored is suitable reason.
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shelee
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 13:47 Post subject:
| purple hayes wrote: | | Personal experience :: I drank I lot of beer in my 4 years of high school and if I tried to cram all of that beer drinking in to 2 years, I'd probably kill myself. |
Agree, I don't think they're ready for what's coming.
A better alternnative: I took 1 college class my senior year and my hs paid for it. They even paid for gas expenses. I went to hs for the first half of the day and then had my course 3 times a week in the afternoon. It was SO awesome because my best friend was opting to do this too and the school I chose was on the same campass as the high school my boyfriend attended (small Catholic college and hs).
I wish faculty had offered this to all of the students, though. There are some underestimated/low achievers who wouldn't have qualified for the program, but who were not only smart enough but also mature enough to have moved on to the next phase.
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rolling rock
The Pinball
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 14:01 Post subject:
i would have to say that i don't believe anyone is emotionally ready for campus life at 16. I did some of the most stupid, outrageous, immature stunts (for lack of a better word) those first two years in college and i was 18. so, like, totally.
european countries have high school kids work for a year or two before making the jump to a college campus -- strictly because most kids dont know what the hell they are even there for that first year - . they want the KIDS to have a chance to mature and it works wonderfully for people we know over there.
sorry, but i think that dad is making a huge mistake with his daughter. i know it "depends on the child" -- maybe she is 16 going on 54 -- in that case, go for it.
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Morpheus99
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 14:29 Post subject:
| rolling rock wrote: | i would have to say that i don't believe anyone is emotionally ready for campus life at 16. I did some of the most stupid, outrageous, immature stunts (for lack of a better word) those first two years in college and i was 18. so, like, totally.
european countries have high school kids work for a year or two before making the jump to a college campus -- strictly because most kids dont know what the hell they are even there for that first year - . they want the KIDS to have a chance to mature and it works wonderfully for people we know over there.
sorry, but i think that dad is making a huge mistake with his daughter. i know it "depends on the child" -- maybe she is 16 going on 54 -- in that case, go for it. |
Granted Bob has mentioned that his daughter is more mature than her age and this was with the parents blessing.
Which leads to the question of homeschool vs high school and aren't home school children doing pretty much the same thing??
http://www.homeschoolzone.com/college.htm
S99
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genie
Master of Prissface
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 16:38 Post subject:
Now homeschooling, I think, is a very good concept if the parent gets the proper support and really works the curriculum. I have a good friend whose wife homeschools their two, and these kids are above average, I think, in intelligence and doing great! As long as you tie into a network where they still get the social participation that they'd otherwise miss not being in school, and the parents are truly invested in the kids' education, I am all for it. If I had kids and could afford to be a stay at home mom, you better believe I would homeschool mine.
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Sahara
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Posted: 01/14/03 - 17:53 Post subject:
I think that if the environment at the school is such that it is a waste during the junior and senior classes, there is something wrong at the administrative level in the school district. Did you boss realize the situation when the daughter was a freshman? If yes, why didn't he take action?
Does your boss' daughter plan to get a diploma? Is that an issue? I say if she can test out for a GED she should be able to pursue college early. Is there a stigma associated with GED vs. diploma? I dont' know.
BUT, I believe that most kids need the time to develop social skills with other kids, young adults and adults.
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