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Should Teen Failing Classes Work?

J

jruner

Member
One of my teen's is failing core classes and refusing tutor help. They also do not turn in assignments at all or late, yet say give me a job and I will be just great. This will give them money for a cell phone and texting. Our teen uses another christian forum so much just to text/chat that we had to limit it just so he would eat with the family.

Isn't graduating high school their primary job toward their own future including a good career?

Thanks
 
What is my 14 year old daughter doing at your house?!

My daughter has been dying to get a job at Chick-Fil-A (one of 2 places here that will hire a 14 year old). We told her her grades had to be at least C's. Well, she's got a D in every single one of her core classes. Needless, to say, we won't let her turn in her application. She's furious. I know she's capable of making good grades. She's just L-A-Z-Y.

So what I've done is hung her application on the fridge as a reminder to her that she needs to pull up her grades. I'm hoping it works. Time will tell. Good luck to you...I need it here too!
 
I agree, no teen should be working a regular job during the school week unless their grades are at least a "C"...

In our home, our daughter raises animals and sell them so her "job" is basically just normal chores for any farm girl. However, if any of her grades slip below a "C", she's "unplugged": No phone, no texting, no mp3, no computer, no TV. Last time she was "unplugged" it took her two weeks to get her grades up...Day before yesterday, I got an email from her science teacher...and she already has her science grade back up to a C.

Some kids just aren't students...but nonetheless they need to get decent enough grades to graduate High School or else their future is going to be really difficult. They won't understand this now...but they will in the future and will then appreciate their parents not allowing them to fail out of school and be trapped in future-less, low-paying jobs.
 
jruner, since you're in Idaho, you should talk to your school about something along the line of Payette River Technical Academy. PRTA is a charter school that is right on the Emmett High School campus. PRTA is basically a vocational school...it offers courses like restaurant management, nursing assistant certification, auto mechanic certification...web development... courses meant to allow a student who isn't college bound to graduate High School with more than entry level skills in careers that offer some upward mobility. Something like this might be good for your boy.

My daughter takes classes via both EHS and PRTA...as she advances through high school, her goal is to take the PRTA restaurant management and culinary arts skills courses. By the time she graduates, she would be qualified to work as a restaurant manager.

The Principal of PRTA...guy by the name of Bill Knickrehm...works with the Horseshoe Bend High School so that students there can take advantage of the courses as well. Perhaps Challis School District could get something like this as well...at least the principal could give him a call...I'm sure there are more kids than just your son who aren't the academic type but still needs a decent education towards more than a "you want fries with that" job.

http://www.pr2ta.com/content/
 
Julie and I attended a workshop for parents of teens at our church once. The speaker said something that kinda stuck with me. He said a student's job is to be a student. This is a critical time that can (but not always) set them up for an easier road in the future. Parents should try to eliminate things that get in the way of them focusing on their "job" as a student.

This isn't to say that teens 16+ shouldn't learn responsibility, but they should do it on the weekends. Even more so if they are having a hard time in school. I'm learning the hard way that it's not an easy task for a parent to influence his/her child's effort in school, but I don't think putting more on them when they are already not on task is the answer.
 
handy said:
jruner, since you're in Idaho, you should talk to your school about something along the line of Payette River Technical Academy. PRTA is a charter school that is right on the Emmett High School campus. PRTA is basically a vocational school...it offers courses like restaurant management, nursing assistant certification, auto mechanic certification...web development... courses meant to allow a student who isn't college bound to graduate High School with more than entry level skills in careers that offer some upward mobility. Something like this might be good for your boy.

My daughter takes classes via both EHS and PRTA...as she advances through high school, her goal is to take the PRTA restaurant management and culinary arts skills courses. By the time she graduates, she would be qualified to work as a restaurant manager.

The Principal of PRTA...guy by the name of Bill Knickrehm...works with the Horseshoe Bend High School so that students there can take advantage of the courses as well. Perhaps Challis School District could get something like this as well...at least the principal could give him a call...I'm sure there are more kids than just your son who aren't the academic type but still needs a decent education towards more than a "you want fries with that" job.

http://www.pr2ta.com/content/
Click to expand...


Where was this in 1960-64 Bet i would not have quit school.. I hated school from day one about 1950.. Prta would have been great! If you have a child that is not just being lazy, but really does not like school look into this kind of thing.

Dora you are always a blessing....:yes
 
I helped out a friend with this issue, minus the job part. The solution I came up with for both the parents was the following:

RESPONSIBILITIES
1. write all homework assignments in agenda/planner
2. have each teacher initial her subject when all assignments are written in agenda/planner
3. complete each assignment
4. document an hour of additional study (note time and subject in agenda)
5. present agenda to parents at a considerate time for them to approve and initial it. The next morning is not considerate unless previously agreed upon.

CONSEQUENCES
1. each lacking teacher's initial is a day of lost privileges (in this case it was computer and games). If you didn't get 4 initials then you lose 4 days of privileges. 2 initials = 2 days
2. you must get any lacked initials and complete the work before any privilege can be reinstated
3. once initials are recieved and work is completed then the consequence is halfed. i.e. lacked 4 initials and recieved them the next day, 4 days of consequences becomes 2 days (but only after the work is done).
4. if grades go below a C then you must spend an additional hour studying each affected subject
5.this is not a negotiation.

This made it completely on the child's head what happens. He had to seek the teachers out and the parents too. It was all on him. As for ensuring the computer and games were not used... just take the power cord.

I also advised that if this doesn't work, then take everything out of the room except a desk and a week's worth of plain clothing. I even suggested taking the door.

My approach is similar with children that are picky eaters. They eat what is on their plate or they don't eat. Eventually, they will get hungry and eat even if it is the next day. When they eat what is on their plate they are then allowed to have other things such as goodies and snacks.

Reward great and punish swiftly and without anger.
 
We have tried the agenda and teachers initialing (with varied support, as in very little, but some) plus talking to the counselor who also did not follow through with this at risk student after setting up a plan for in school accountability and we are now withholding quite a bit. We will take it further with the agenda.

The technical programs appeal to me, but I am not sure this school will go that route as they didn't even accept my daughter had cerebral palsy and needed adaptive technology! Now they are just thrilled about the Idaho online high school course graduation requirement, it saves them money for teaching time! When I went to home schooling two main points of the school districts lecture were "no socialization and we lose money if you leave".

The school states our son is meeting the basics of our standardized test and "we are getting funding", so aren't you happy. They give him help preparing for that test! They took him out of reading and reading is effecting every class.

We had a special ed teacher quit, because disabilities are not addressed in full support of learning here!

I was told regarding adaptive tech, do not tell us how to teach, don't tell me how to parent or that your own universities and child development doctors are less professional than you are.

Locally we as the parents of special needs students keep getting forced into the online charter school programs or with my other two kids must buy or design mixed curriculum.

I have had offers of universities, lawyers and PhD's in multiple areas speak here before regarding free adaptive tech grants and usage, all at no charge and all refused. This would all take years to take effect if ever. Sorry for getting so side tracked but when there is a negative atmosphere within the educator's how do you motivate your child?

We will parent and let God lead us in this, but academics and politicians who put money over the basic right learn we also pray about.

It feels like the economy is creating this attitude of you teach the difficult children or we will just let them get by for funding.

Forgive my ranting

Jruner
 
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jruner said:
One of my teen's is failing core classes and refusing tutor help. They also do not turn in assignments at all or late, yet say give me a job and I will be just great. This will give them money for a cell phone and texting. Our teen uses another christian forum so much just to text/chat that we had to limit it just so he would eat with the family.

Isn't graduating high school their primary job toward their own future including a good career?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I say crack down like a bi-polar warden at a state pen.

Ive seen first hand how lazy students make for even lazier workers.

The first thing I would do is pull the plug..on everything.Take away the cell phone and remove everything in his room that does not contribute or pertain to bookwork/homework and school studies.No computer,tv,radio etc.All gone.

Let him know that the only way to even begin thinking of having it back is to bring the grades up.Until then his life consists of nothing but homework and extra study time.And just to make sure he isnt in the room doing nothing or sleeping,I would follow the previous suggestion to remove the door,and even sit and study with him.

As for the late assignment turn-ins and having the nerve to not turn one in at all..thats what yardwork and housework is for.The only time not studying would be spent working,and nonstop.Mowing,weedeating,trash disposal,handwashing of dishes (even if you have a dishwasher). Fulfill his little desire to work,and sit back while he does it all by himself.

Gone would be the days of hanging with friends..complete prisoner until grades come up..and stay that way.

People like my wife would gasp in shock at the mere suggestion of going to that extreme,luckily for us her daughter is a good kid/student.

Education is by far the most important thing a kid has going for him,nothing to be taken lightly.I work in a field of mostly under-educated people,most of which not surprisingly are very lazy,unappreciative and very disrespectful to any form of authority as well as abusive when they have authority.I wish I could show some kids exactly where they could end up by being stubborn..but most times these days it doesnt really seem to matter much.

Good luck with everything.
 
The warden is in! His friends said "wow your Dad is an unfair jerk".

Great complement, since he is now bringing home books.

Thanks
 
Teach her the consequnces of poverty and how not having a solid education will quickly lead to poverty. Even then its not a good idea to be dependant

Poverty is no joke.

EDITED BY STAFF
 
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