More Students Finish School, Given the Time
 

More Students Finish School, Given the Time

hmm. I'm thinking you view this as wasteful and pandering to losers, or some such thing. Not sure, because you don't comment explicitly.

I'm going to offer an alternative view. I'm a parent of a child who did so-so through school, then dropped out before graduating. She had a baby, got married, then went, on her own initiative, back to school in a special program for completing her high school diploma, did well, and was very proud of herself.

I am very grateful that such programs exist, and proud of my daughter for doing it. I would point out that the maximum age for this program is 21. After that, I do think they should just get a GED.

I see two very distinct sides to this and have not made up my mind how I feel about it yet.
Looking forward to the discussion.
When I was a teacher I spent a lot of extra time with some students who grew a great deal and wasted a lot of time with other students which harmed the whole class...
It is tough to decide early on what you are about to embark upon.
Edit:
I never understood when I just put an article or new thread up someone always wants to try to read into my reasoning for it if I post none.
It is a waste of time and makes NO sense.
The reason is to have a discussion about it.
Even if I do have a reason, once it is posted it is not mine any more, it is the Cellar's and we make of it what we wish.
Everyone bitches so much about my threads lately. It's not like you spend much time in them unless someone decides to take it personally anyway. I am really thinking about stopping.
You guys can just talk about what you are eating and wearing from now on.

I think this is a very good idea. Everyone makes mistakes in high school, some just much bigger than others, and once some wake up to a future of low paying dead end jobs, they might get the motivation to go back where they left off.

if you post someone else's words without any explanation, we have no choice but to guess.

Why, why do you care why I posted the article... discuss it from your point of view.
Why do you care what the fuck I think?
What Rob thinks sure seems to carry a lot of weight these days and it is confusing the hell out of me. I sure as hell don't care what you think about this nearly as much as you seem to about my opinion, I can promise you that.
I may like you, but opinions are worthless until backed by reason and I have given no reasoning for my posting this, until I do why do you give a damn?

it's your thread, you should have a point. I want to hear from original posters why they think whatever it is, is important, why we should bother to comment, what their feelings about it are.

So--why did you post this snippet? Why should we read it? Why should we comment? Why should we care? You give us no clue, no jumping off point.

In other words, what the hell is your point about the diploma programs?

Edit:
I do, to have a discussion.

I already posted this... still having this little reading problem huh?

Uh huh, for discussion. So why haven't you discussed it? Is this it?

I can't even relate that to anything in the article. What does this have to do with programs set up to assist drop outs in getting their diplomas?

I'm not giving you shit about your posts (in particular). I just don't like it when people throw stuff out there without giving us poor potential responders a clue. It's unhelpful.

You can't see a parallel with spending an inordinate time helping a student get a degree and doing the same helping one get a diploma?
Done with you. You refuse to think for yourself.

You are stating that you need someone to hold your hand when they post a thread for discussion.
I will not always do this... you may as well stop now.

your statements are extremely hurtful to me.

Based on what?

Based on the fact that you basically called me stupid and made me cry.

I did not call you anything "basically" I stated, basically, that you bitched me out for not summarizing or leading the discussion for the thread.
I told you I am not going to do this and told you why.
Why you would cry about this baffles me.
I don't like it and I apologize that my choice of words lead you interpret them to a point to cry.
There is not need for it and I assure you it is not my intent.

Oh for fucks sake. Stop it. Please. Cloud, don't start taking rk personally. Rk stop being so fucking touchy. Everybody calm the fuck down. You. Are. Shitting. In. The. Happy. Place.

There. Got that out my system.


Of course help and extra time should be made available to those who need it in order to complete their education. We don't all learn at the same speed.

Touchy?
I thought I was being the opposite and very patient.

The more I think of it, especially with this, most likely being in separate programs, the more I like the idea.
I just have a niggling in the back of my head about the older kids (who are going to be more troubled more often with these issues) being around the freshmen for extended periods.... but that could be worked-out.

Yeah, I would guess the would have this at a community college since the atmosphere at those are a lot different than at high school. I'm assuming classes at those colleges are more serious than ones at a regular high school and distractions wouldn't be the best in this situation either.

I think once you're at the point these kids are at, there are two scenarios:

1.) You're already relatively smart enough to survive in the real world--you know how to have a bank account, go grocery shopping, get a blue collar job and get yourself to work every day
2.) You are illiterate to some degree, your math skills are bad enough that you have a hard time calculating bus fare, and in general you are not capable of surviving on your own.

For the students in case 1, getting the degree is at best an exercise in pride of accomplishment. Which is fine, but really, if you're already smart enough to work as a cashier somewhere, just lie and put some high school on your application. No one will ever check it, ever. Maybe those English classes will improve your writing skills enough to get you to manager instead of cashier someday, but corporate training programs are usually also required and will be more directly helpful in the long run. A diploma in and of itself isn't going to help anything but your pride and honesty (which is reasonable, if that's the sort of thing you go for.)

In case 2, obviously your English and math skills need to be improved, but there are many other topics in high school which can probably be safely eliminated for you. There is simply no need for you to take chemistry, or geography, or fine arts. Your life options have already been sufficiently narrowed, and time would be better spent focusing only on the necessary skills. In which case, I think there should be a separate program for these students, with completely different goals than a typical high school diploma.

Hmm. I was forgetting you guys do it as a High School Diploma. When our kids get to that age they take GCSE (general certificate of secondary education) which can, and is, also offered at colleges for adults to take as many jobs and courses require a GCSE or equivalent.

Though the GCSE is 'secondary education' and more usually gained at secondary school, it is not assumed to be purely a children's qualification.

At some point, at the second year, I would feel that it would be better for a person to get a GED and move to the community college system.

ah, public schools, squeezing a four year education into 6,7, or 8 years. Beautiful progress.

I would say the opposite. Highschool is 3 years of material (if you're taking the full breadth of courses with stuff like calculus) stretched out into 4 and padded with useless filler. 4 years takes into account the fact that some students can't handle a busy work day yet.

My fourth year was all elective classes. I was done in my third year, and had electives there. I was not the best student in HS either.
My wife spend half of her third and all of her fourth year of HS in college.

My high school was 3 years.

Yeah, in DC, elementary school goes to grade six, junior high school goes to 9, and high school goes to 12.

My Aunt wrote me that my cousin's kid is starting 5th grade so he takes the Jr High bus now.... wtf?

I am only noticing because #1 it's hot and #2 I'm bored and #3 things like this I notice. I will try not to get my self in trouble bringing it up.
This is an observation.

I notice that quite often in your posts you will post your feelings. Then you will post your 'ideal'. Alot of times your working philosophy dealing with people seems to be at odds with your world philosophy. I kept reading your post thinking that the second paragraph would be a better statement softening your remarks of the first paragraph. They are incongruous and it's a common split of yours I see. Sorry, I'm an evil bitch. :)

My High School was 7 years. :)

Some kids who might need it are allowed to stay in school until the age of 21 to graduate.The kids that stay until 21 actually probably do need the attention and want it. The kids that don't want it or need it drop out and either become drug dealers or go onto better things.
It dosn't take much to graduate. Just showing up got me a diploma in my Junior year and I am not smart. SO allowing anyone the time if they want it is a good thing.