Could I Have a Little Help?
Well, school has been in session a week today. . .Both the boys are applying to STUCO (Student Council). . .As a requirement for membership, the kids have to hold a "B" average - which I expect my children to do anyway. . . .
When talking to Bud about his classes last night he said that he would really like to get out of Trig. . .I am absolutely no help to him - I made it through the Calculus class that was required which was labeled "Elementary Calculus". I don't want to be a push-over and let him out that easy, but he states that he is worried he's not going to do well and does not like the teachers method of teaching. . .When he was enrolled in the class he was told that if he thought he was going to have problems that they would move him to a basic math class (personal finance), which would be a good class for him to have also. . . He has the math credits he needs to graduate.
Here's my question. . . .Should Birddog and I let him see if he can get out of Trig and into something that he may hold a better grade in? or Do we make him stick it out and see how his grade is at the end of the quarter? Should I contact the Trig teacher and see if he has graded any work to see how Bud is doing?
We are sitting on the top rail of the fence and not sure which way to go. . .
posted by Shauna @ 4:44 AM
13 Comments:
The same thing happened in my Senior year and my mother made me stick it out. It lowered my grade point average to the point where I had to take another course in Summer School to ensure I got into my chosen University. I remind her of my spoiled summer all the time. I would contact the teacher and consider changing his course.
My 2 cents :-)
Thank you MJ. . .That definately helps. . .
Trig-right side
Personal finance-left side
I say, go left young man (or mom), go left!
It would be horrible to lower his GPA b/c of a class he didn't even need. He can always take trig in college if it's required and if he needs help he can always get in a study group or get help from a free tutor. I say don't push him in high school, wait and let him push himself in college.
Plus, let's face it, how often is trig used in the "real world"? Personal finance on the other hand, it seems like he could apply that to his life much more than trig.
Just my 2 cents also. :-)
Good luck. And might I add, those are two handsome devils you have there.
Thank you Silly for your 2 cents. . Trust me - it all helps!
Thank you for the compliment - we think that they are pretty good looking too! And they can be devils sometimes - hehe. . .
G E T A T U T O R !!!!!
(one of my daughters mentioned to me that she was "tutoring" in chemistry class and her 4 year old son thought she was passing gass in class)
This is a no brainer, let him do the personal finance, which may actually be of use to him in real life as opposed to Trig which is there purely for the academics to show how clever they are.
Yes I'm biased against Trig (I needed a tutor and I'm a straight A type) it has aboslutely no purpose other than to hamper his amibitions.
One more thing, even if it actually does come up in real life (it never did for me and I've written many scientific programs), unless he loves it, there's no way he will retain it long enough to be of use anyway. So why waste valuable time and effort when it can be better applied.
I hate to sound so wishy washy ;)
I would let him take Personal Finance. It is a practical and useful course. A student's senior year is stressful enough without worrying about a class that isn't really needed to graduate. Your son already feels uncomfortable in Trig and it will be such a burden on him with all his other activities, classes and interests.
Okay, you asked for it. LOL
My thoughts go both ways. I don't know what degree he wants to pursue in college. Whether or not he will need that much math or not. I know that I wish I had taken more math in high school once I got to college. My parents were like MJ's mom. If I enrolled in it I had to finish it.
But I guess if he isn't going to benefit from it in college then I might say take personal finance. But that is going against what I was taught. You know how hard that is sometimes.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Pamela - that is soooo funny! :) Passing gas. . .
Thank you Willowtree. . I am leaning toward the personal finance myself - that is everyday life. . .and YOU ARE A VERY SMART MAN. . .
Songbird - Bud is actually a junior - we are wanting to enroll him in concurrent College Algebra his senior year. . .But he is the Varsity QB this year and he sure doesn't want to mess up and not get to play. . .I can help with the Algebra, I can't with the Trig.
Julie - We have always taught the boys if you start something you finish it. . .Bud doesn't know what he wants to do once he graduates - he's going to start college with General Studies and check into a few things. . .I just don't want to make a huge mistake and hurt his GPA - but I don't like the idea of him quitting either. . .This is a very difficult decision.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR INPUT - IT DEFINATELY HELPS. . .WE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS A LITTLE MORE WHEN WE WERE ENROLLING HIM FOR THIS YEAR'S CLASSES, BUT WE WENT BY THE ADVICE OF A TEACHER THAT SAID IF HE HAD PROBLEMS WE COULD TAKE HIM OUT. . .I HAVE EMAILED THE PRINCIPAL AND ASKED HER OPINION - WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED. . .
Please continue to give me input! ! !
My only thing to think about is similar to Julie's....
If he does go to college: if he already has taken a year of Trig in highschool, it will help him IMMENSELY at college - because he will have that knowledge base to get him through the class. Whereas, if he waits until he goes to college to take it, the struggle will be more expensive. (if he has to take it twice)
I don't know what kind of GPA he has now, but I am sure he would do fine in Trig once he got started. He is a smart guy.
Back to what Karmyn said, my thoughts weren't of taking it twice but that is a really good point. I was thinking more along the lines of having to take classes that don't count toward your credit hours and all the extra money spent on those.
Good luck with your decision!
Julie and Karmyn - thank you - we are tossing everything around. . .There are pros and cons of both and with him not knowing what he wants to do it's really hard to say yea or nay.
Post a Comment
<< Home