(no subject)

[sereneorange]

Connor has graduated 5th grade. It seems insane to me that he is going to middle school. I do not feel like someone old enough to have a middle school aged child. He is relieved. He actually failed math with a 69. The only reason he is going, is his insanely high test scores and the whole no-child-left-behind bullshit. I told them to flunk him. Better to learn the consequences now instead of in high school when the GPA matters. But what do I know. I am just his parent.

The ceremony was nice. All the kids were really supportive of each other. They screamed and clapped when another got an award.
They did a neat video presentation that left them all screetching everytime someone's picture came on the screen.

There was this blonde 5th grade girl that we thought was much older, because she is like 5'7 or something. Karen would be out with Connor and she would see him and say, "Hi, Connor!" and he would always say, " How does she know me." She is not in the Dual Language Program, so they have never had classes together. We thought she was a teen volunteer at the YMCA.

Connor is with me at work today. He will be next week too. Then he will be at the YMCA the rest of them Summer. He is going to teen camp this year. I cannot imagine a bunch of 11 year olds around 15 year olds all day. They do really cool stuff though. They go on 2 field trips a week. They get to go skating, to Galveston, Moody Gardens, museums, Astroworld, Water World, etc. . .

Lucky lucky boy. Two days a week they spend in the pool. Friday is free day. They play outside. Connor is usually exausted when he comes home in the Summer.

Comments

[glitter-ninja.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about learning the consequences of failing, but I might let it slide with a 69. When I was in school, 69 was actually D+ and not an F. I know, because my grades in math were consistently below 70.

And I'm super extreme jealous to the max about summer camp. I wanna go!

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

$400+ a month and you can. Are you short? Can you pass for a teen? lol

[smalltownhero.livejournal.com]

Congrats Conner!!!

Grant graduated preschool today.. even had a cap and gown!

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

they had cap and gown at con's preschool too, but not elementary school

[thatvoiceguy.livejournal.com]

Hey...I've got one leaving 8th grade and starting Freshman year in August. I'm the one who feels decrepit.

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

man....are you ever old!!!

[thatvoiceguy.livejournal.com]

You may thoroughly bite me.

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

lol...I was just kidding...shhh...

[thatvoiceguy.livejournal.com]

I know. :P

Though I wouldn't mind a little biting.

Oops...typed that out loud, did I?

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

yeah you did

[roshov.livejournal.com]

wow, 5th grade, soon to be a teenager.......and that would make you "HOW OLD"? :)

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

34 you dink.

aren't you 38?

[roshov.livejournal.com]

yuppers, but you'll feel OLD when he becomes a teenager....heheeeh

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

yeah yeah yeah..

He thinks he already is. I keep correcting him. He is getting real tired of being called a "Tween"

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

I'm not familiar with the no child left behind deal, but I think it would heave sucked to make him repeat the 5th grade on such a small margin. I mean, one more point would have been passing... and I imagine relearning all the crap in the other classes he would've had to repeat might have made for lower grades. I know I would lose interest in my classes if they didn't move fast enough--that's why I'm thankful for the Honors and Tier 4 programs that Spring ISD uses. If not for them, I might have failed some courses out of sheer boredom.

I'm also thankful for my awesome math teachers, who didn't care if I was paying attention to their lectures as long as I was doing the homework for that night.

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

he has gone through the whole year with at least one f every single reporting period. usually two or a couple d's as well. He did so little actual work. At least you did homework.

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

only when properly motivated...

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

well..what the hell was it. We have tried everything we can think of

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

Oh, well by proper motivation, I meant something along the lines of "I enjoyed it and I didn't consider it a complete waste of time."

*shrugs* sorry.

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

well....that is not helpful at all...crap

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

promise to buy him an xbox 360 or ps3 if get gets all A's the first semester?

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

funny. no

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

the entire year then?

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

yes

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

okay well there you go. Tell him you'll get him one of the new system if he gets straight A's for his final yearly grades.

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

sure. I will promise, but he will never do it

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

is he in advanced classes?

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

he was in a Dual Language program. The same 22 kids started kindergarten together (11 native Engl. speakers 11 native spanish speakers) and the first year was 80% spanish 20% engl. then next years 20/30 then 60/40 ...the last two years math and social studies was in spanish Science was in English. They would do reading and writing 2weeks in engl, 2 weeks in spanish.

Would have gotten him into the same for 6h grade, but his grades suck. That is ok. he has LOTS of spanish homework projects this summer. :D he is taking spanish in 7th or we are getting him back into that program at a middle school. He is challanged.

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

Ahh okay, that's basically what I was getting at. I thought maybe he was just bored in his current classes and maybe needed to placed in the honors program or something. I gotta say... I don't think I would have liked the dual language program much... I'd rather just have had a Spanish teacher for Spanish class and left it at that. It's so tough to find good teachers as it is, but then they have to make them bilingual? Unless you're lucky, I figure either the English/Spanish would suffer or the science, math, etc. would.

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

He is not really suffering becuase of the language issue. His Standardized tests (his whole class) is higher than the average. (quite a bit was high school level) but his own issues are what's affecting his grades.

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

his own issues = laziness/procrastination?

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

pretty much

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

is he competitive? some high school counselors (like mine) believe updating the student on his current class rank each semester. It's a good motivator for some kids to get better grades...

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

not even a little bit (school work wise)

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

okay... well short of threats of bodily injury, I'm out of ideas.

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

lol...me too..

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

good luck :)

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

you could always try getting him involved with some friends so that they do their homework together... that way it isn't such a chore? Make sure to pick someone who actually does all their homework though--and won't just let your son copy all the answers.

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

there is an issue of time. He goes to the YMCA after school and we pick him up at 6. he is supposed to do homework in the homework room from 4-5, but usually fucks off and doesn't get much done. He goes to bed at 8 or 8:30. We do the homework in the am before I go to work and him to school.

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

what does he do between 6 and 8:30?

Anyway, now that he's gonna be in junior high, he can go to bed later since school doesn't start until like 9am.

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

eat. bath. tell me about his day

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

... tell you about his day? you mean people still do that?

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

lol...yes..

[wakeupkent.livejournal.com]

freaks!

[muthafucknfalco.livejournal.com]

do they have a "summer enrichment" program at the local schools around in your area? just wondering if that was only here or other places too

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

they do, but I leave for work at 6 am and dont get home till 6 and 7
my sister will take him to the YMCA, but cannot leave late enoughtto drop him off at 8 am at the school andnoone can pick him up at 3 pm.

We will be getting him a math and spanish tutor and have a summer full of cool projects for him