Kid is new and failing every class. Are we doing to get kicked out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have found my kids have fallen behind in math since coming back from virtual school.

I think virtual school really let the academic muscles atrophy. There is a huge physical and mental difference between being at school in person and hanging out in your bedroom with a computer all day, being pretty much left to your own devices to learn or not. And if your kid is in a class now with kids who did not lose time to virtual learning and have kept pace for 18 months, it is going to feel worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like your kid never bothered to study in public school OP, and you didn't push him. Now he has to catch up.

I think the issue is that OP thought her kid was studying fine in public because he was.getting goog grades. Because of holes in the public curriculum and the difference with private, her kid is now struggling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like your kid never bothered to study in public school OP, and you didn't push him. Now he has to catch up.

I think the issue is that OP thought her kid was studying fine in public because he was.getting goog grades. Because of holes in the public curriculum and the difference with private, her kid is now struggling.

But there are many FCPS kids who moved to private with no problem. OP wants to blame FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Maybe those parents are supplementing. There are also likely those that move and have a tough transition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's our first year in a private, 8th grade. However, our son was completely unprepared and is failing everything. Apparently his "world class" education from FCPS was somewhat lacking. He can't write a paragraph, spell three-syllable words, use basic punctuation and capitalization, do enough research to write a short report, take notes, or efficiently study for tests. The school has given us a learning specialist, a counselor, and an accommodation plan (although the only "disability" he has is a public school education and a missing year where he had "virtual"). He was a good student before - A's and B's only. They have called us into a meeting next week to talk about his lack of progress. Should I be worried?

How did you not notice this. Yes you should be worried and get a tutor and a psycho educational evaluation. That is not normal even in public. This has nothing to do with virtual school.

[Anonymous]

Most kids graduate from public schools so they never really find out that they inflate grades and abilities. OP has seen the light and it's a train coming at her kid. Meet with the school and see what they can offer and then fill in the gaps with tutors. It is going to be $$$ though.

[Anonymous]

I was this kid! First thing I would do is listen to the child. It’s possible child knows that s/hé is the worst in the class and also the “problem” child. Child may also feel guilty for letting parents / school down, and maybe even ashamed of themselves. I would also not let my fear of child getting kicked out get to my kid as child may very well be absorbing parental fear and making it child’s own. Tutors can be a mixed bag. Some were helpful, others just compounded the issue. Every time I had a well-intentioned tutor get frustrated with me, it was the pits.

What saved me: I had this teacher I used to be able to talk to, and one day, I blurted out that I didn’t have to be the best student, I just didn’t want to be the worst anymore. It turned out the journey from worst to second worst was far easier to overcome than any other goal set for me. In the process of getting there, a lot of confusing things that made my head swirl from skills to content started to make more sense. The realization that I could make sense of this world became my motivation to improve from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Somehow, a lot of his peers in his public school can do those things.

+1. This is a your kid problem, not a public school problem. How did he get in to the school? Did you pay extra?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was this kid! First thing I would do is listen to the child. It’s possible child knows that s/hé is the worst in the class and also the “problem” child. Child may also feel guilty for letting parents / school down, and maybe even ashamed of themselves. I would also not let my fear of child getting kicked out get to my kid as child may very well be absorbing parental fear and making it child’s own. Tutors can be a mixed bag. Some were helpful, others just compounded the issue. Every time I had a well-intentioned tutor get frustrated with me, it was the pits.

What saved me: I had this teacher I used to be able to talk to, and one day, I blurted out that I didn’t have to be the best student, I just didn’t want to be the worst anymore. It turned out the journey from worst to second worst was far easier to overcome than any other goal set for me. In the process of getting there, a lot of confusing things that made my head swirl from skills to content started to make more sense. The realization that I could make sense of this world became my motivation to improve from there.

Yes, yes this. Mom there is a way, it's just going to be super tough. There's kids who have persevered with the help of involved parents and committed teachers and strong support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he didn’t have to write essays, it’s not a rigorous school. Which is good news! They will be much more willing to work with you.

Do rigorous schools have student essays for Middle School admissions? I thought that started in HS admissions.

All the schools my kids applied to in middle school required testing and essays (this was pre-pandemic). This is not a comment about rigor, rather that all schools I am familiar with required an application that required work on behalf of my kid.

I am with the other poster - if your child is having trouble with three letter words in 8th grade, that feels odd. Presumably he had to spell three letter words at previous schools. Could be some mental health or larger problem going on. It sounds like you are no focused on him, which will probably be a big help to him.

Good luck!

OP here, now I see why everyone is saying troll. I said - or meant to say - three SYLLABLE words. Like "rigorus."

Like mother, like son, LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP is DC at SAAS by any chance?

SAAS has essays for admission.

[Anonymous]

While some people are crying "troll," I find the original post very plausible. First, there could be mental health or substance abuse issues that aren't obvious to the parents. Second, some kids who do well in public schools by being smart and/or having good social skills that impress teachers can get clobbered in some private schools. I went to a hard private school a while ago, but I remember being shocked at how much work was required just to pass a class. It was hard to coast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is DC at SAAS by any chance?

SAAS has essays for admission.

They said “small” so I doubt it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's our first year in a private, 8th grade. However, our son was completely unprepared and is failing everything. Apparently his "world class" education from FCPS was somewhat lacking. He can't write a paragraph, spell three-syllable words, use basic punctuation and capitalization, do enough research to write a short report, take notes, or efficiently study for tests. The school has given us a learning specialist, a counselor, and an accommodation plan (although the only "disability" he has is a public school education and a missing year where he had "virtual"). He was a good student before - A's and B's only. They have called us into a meeting next week to talk about his lack of progress. Should I be worried?

No, he wasn’t. How can you write what you just wrote and experience all of this embarrassment then still cling to fake grades as if they mean ANYTHING? The As and Bs were 100% fake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most kids graduate from public schools so they never really find out that they inflate grades and abilities. OP has seen the light and it's a train coming at her kid. Meet with the school and see what they can offer and then fill in the gaps with tutors. It is going to be $$$ though.

+1. Ignorance is bliss. I have family with kids in mediocre public high schools who boast about the kids' sky high GPAs and I feel sorry for them. But nothing I could tell them will get them to wake up. They admit their kids seem to do jack s*** yet have all As -- and instead of being skeptical, they think they're geniuses. It's sad.