aargh....

[jay]

James has overall adjusted well to high school... bringing his grades up to A-level in Algebra II, World History, and Literature Survey... everything except in one area. We received today's midterm progress report, and he's in danger of *failing* his Honors Chemistry class. Aargh... it is hard to let go, to let him sink or swim on his own sometimes. I want to dive in and fix it.... but I'm not allowed to do much more for him than help with homework. Although maybe I should investigate whether there are private tutors in chemistry. Any suggestions? His homework and labs have improved, but he is choking on his quizzes and tests.

Unless there's a quick improvement by midterms, he's going to have to drop at least one of his two bands...

Comments

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

Is he appropriately placed? Would it be better, or even possible, to move him to a "regular" chem class? If he's doing reasonably well with the HW and labs, but not on the tests, that would seem to me he's not "integrating" the information well, and a slower pace might be more appropriate. A private tutor might be helpful as well, though. Michael Litzky does that, but he's in Alameda, and unless you're willing and able to drive James up here, I doubt that would work.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

We argued for a different class... as well as regular chem. It was his choice... originally, he was going to take Japanese this year, as well!

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

Yes, you may have argued for a different class earlier--but is it too late to switch or drop this class now? It's obviously being too challenging for him. I think it's very clear that it's not simply a matter of overwork, since his other classes are ok. So dropping one of the bands won't *necessarily* improve his chem grades (though it might). I might think differently if he wasn't doing his homework for chem. But you say that's not the issue, so the problem is somewhere else. Integration of the material usually requires a different approach to the material, not just more time. Or it might be test anxiety, as others have mentioned (though again, I'd think that more likely if he were having trouble with ALL of his tests, not just Chem.)

I think if there's no way for him to change this class now, that your options are a) get him a tutor, or b) let him sink, which is the natural consequence for overreaching. Maybe next time he'll listen to you WRT his choice of classes.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

If he changes to regular chem now, it goes down as a drop on his transcript. Earlier he was having problems with tests in other areas, but has improved steadily elsewhere. I'm annoyed with his honors chem teacher and his counselor... when he went to his counselor and asked whether he should switch to regular chem (*before* the deadline, when he could have switched without penalty), the counselor passed the buck back to the honors chem teacher, who prevaricated and refused to make a recommendation either way, other than to tell James where he needed more focus.

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

Mmm. Well, that IS annoying. In that case, he needs to tough it out, one way or another. Tutoring might help. But in some ways, he might do better to actually FAIL the class, and then take it over. I don't know what their rules are about it, but sometimes it's better to do that than, for instance, to squeek by with a D or even a C, which is immutably on one's record. It may be time to have another conversation with the counselor, though I have to say that the first one you relayed doesn't give me a lot of hope that the counselor will do better in this situation.

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

I think test anxiety can be subject-specific, if one feels less confident about their abilities in that subject area. Don't know if that's what's up with James, but I wouldn't rule it out.

Jay, to what does James attribute the chem troubles?

I think a tutor is a fine idea. This doesn't sound like slacking, but like genuine struggle with the topic matter, and tutoring is very appropriate for helping one to catch up on a topic that one is struggling with.

Good luck...

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

I understand your desire to jump in, to help, and to fix. But does he WANT to be in honors chemistry?

[akienm.livejournal.com]

What she said!

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Yes... we'd recommended geology, this year. Most of the other students are sophomores and upperclassmen. And he opted for the honors class... there was, if anything, pressure from us to not over-reach in his first year.

[p3aches.livejournal.com]

its called test anxiety.

[shadopanther.livejournal.com]

I was in honors chemistry in high school & managed to pull a B. (I'm not offering to tutor though -- I don't remember enough.) It was in college chemistry where the tests his me hard, I had trouble finishing the tests. (For me, it was after I struggled through Chem with a C that I found out while my reasoning ability and other scores are very high, my processing speed is on the low side & I could have qualified for extra time on the tests.)

I wish him good luck -- a tutor with tips on test taking for chemistry might help.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Midterms are coming up... and they're doing introductory quantum physics as an offshoot of studying electron shells and ionization. As a freshman... and James seems to have a similar issue with chem tests.

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

Would social time with a chemist be of use? I know of one who might like to come visit, and could perhaps provide some help or insight, even if tutoring isn't her gig (she *is* very good at explaining concepts).

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

It might very well help, if you know of one willing to talk patiently with a 15-year-old...

[inflectionpoint.livejournal.com]

ummm... the chemist might be willing to chat with the 15 year old, the questions become... what does the 15 year old want to do. We could certainly give it a try and talk.

Personally, it is a bit much for a first year/freshman. IMO, they do better with it after having gotten the algebra and such down pat, and without that, things can be challenging. We could take a look at this, me and James, if he would be up for it? Perhaps you could ask him...

[lynne-laughs.livejournal.com]

Chem for a freshman is pretty darn tough. My experience (as a high school science teacher) is that if he's failing the exams that perhaps a switch to regular chem would be good. We actually won't allow any freshman to take Chem and our sophomores need special permission from their previous science teacher.
If he gets a "D" or lower in any class he will have to repeat that class in order to be eligible for any UC or Cal State. Private schools are a mixed bag.
I reccomend speaking with his teacher to see what he/she thinks is best. (You might also get more specific info about what he needs.)

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

After 6 weeks, any change to regular chem goes on his transcript as a drop. One thing that kind of annoys me is that early-on, he asked his counselor if he should change... she told him that he should talk to the honors chem teacher. Who then told him what he needed to do to improve, but said nothing about switching to regular chem. And now that he's in trouble, it's too late to do so -- had she been more upfront a month ago, he would likely be better off.

I blame myself somewhat for not questioning him harder... and I think he has gotten some substandard counselling.

[deedeebythebay.livejournal.com]

*gently now* He's a freshman....will one drop make that big a difference?

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

Good point...

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

Yes, actually, it might. Because a drop usually goes down as an F in the GPA, IIRC. It might, however, be better for him to FAIL the current class, and re-take it. In some systems, when you do that the earlier failure gets expunged from the record. I think much will depend on what system this particular school uses.

[deedeebythebay.livejournal.com]

Interesting, in college I had to drop a few classes over time, and some of them "past the deadline" and they were never considered an "F" or affected my grade. You're right, each system is different.

[lynne-laughs.livejournal.com]

In most cases I have seen recently, an F will continue to show up on the transcript. I am not aware of drops being turned into an F. This is something that needs to be checked out with the individual school... also with a bit of pressure on the counseller, he or she should be able to make an exception for a change from honors to regular chem. Schools say they have these inflexible rules, but whan a parent shows up on campus, things begin to look different.

Substandard counselling is a pretty nice way of putting it. My advice is that you study up on exactly which classes your son needs to take and be sure that he gets them. Too many students wake up half way through high school to find they are not eligible for college.

With my students that have a tough class, I request a grade check every two weeks. I made a form that includes current grade, test scores, homework, participation and comments. This keeps the student and the teachers (and parents too) aware of everything in detail.

[hobbitbabe.livejournal.com]

I don't understand why it would be a big deal to have one grade 9 failed course on his record. (Either if he sticks with it and fails it, or if he is able to pass a different chemistry course.) If he is the kind of perfectionist kid who would be very upset by this, it would probably be a good thing to let it happen and teach him to move past it, this early in life when it really doesn't matter, or the next potential failure will feel even more dangerous.

Definitely if you intervene (with tutors, with parental protest about the bad advice from the teacher, etc) in order to prevent a failure on his transcript, you are reinforcing whatever ideas he has about the serious consequences of failure.

You mention "not being allowed" to do much - is it James who is preventing you, or Pat, or something else? Also, you mention that he will "have to" drop some music if he doesn't improve - is that a school rule or a family one?