10 Weeks or 2nd job offer?

[ktmarvels]

Sometimes repeating a grade is the best option. My cousin had a hard time in 8th grade, so he repeated it and ended up being more mature and ready to handle the rest of his schooling career. We had another family friend's son that had the same sort of issues in 8th grade, but he wasn't held back. He struggled all through high school.

In this instance the amount of parental involvment had no real affect in this instance, it was mostly maturity level (and maybe the fear of failing again). My aunt takes a more 'hands off' approach to her sons than our family friends do.

[bigsaver]

Really sounds like you need to get at the bottom of that 1.4 GPA. Is this new, or has this been going on for the past couple of years. Best of luck.

[cicy33]

I think that you should take the job. Get your son a tutor. I know that myself I can't teach my own child, drives me to distraction. and what are you going to do when he does graduate? Will the job still be there? I might have missed but is the job elsewhere? and repeating a grade is not the worst thing in the world. What is the reason for the bad grades? If he has trouble understanding, 10 weeks plus summer school is not going to be the magic cure. if it is due to typical teenager life and he doesn't care then he should be able to do it easily providing he wants to. By no means am I saying your son does not want to do well. But he is a teenager and I remember when my daughter was in school, I had to stay on her butt to keep her doing her homework and staying focused but that is part of it, right?

I keep remembering a commercial about Sylvan that really irritates me. I know there are kids that truly need tutors but when they say "Johnny can master level 20 on XYZ video game but doesn't do well in reading, Get him a tutor" My answer? Take away the video game!!!!

[jwthornhill]

After trying to help him for a couple of weeks we realize that he is going to need a professional's help.

So, we've arranged for him to meet with a tutor who fortunately lives in walking distance from our home. She isn't cheap $400/month. But, after sitting with him only twice she says that she is confident that she can bring his grades up enough to graduate.

Now, I have to hope that I can secure that position in order to afford it all.

Thanks for all of the advice.

[tinapbeana]

glad to hear you sat down and tried to work with your son before going for a tutor: would have saved you a lot of money if it turned out to be something you yourself could handle.

ALSO glad that you opted for an actual tutor when it looked like he needed more help than you would be able to give him. some might have seen it as a matter of pride, or not wanting to look inferior in front of their kids, and not gone the tutor route. IMO, that's like fixing a dented fender on your car instead of taking it to a trusted body shop just so people won't know you aren't a car expert

at any rate, it's good to hear that the situation is making progress. keeping my fingers crossed for your extra job!

[LuxLiving]

Where's Mom?? Can she help w/tutoring?

Any Grandparents, excelling cousins, neighbors, church members that could help?

I had library night on Sunday and Wednesday night in our church library so that kids could bring in their homework and get study time and any help that I could provide or round up from those on premises at the time). Look for community resources to back you up.

I say boefixpa has some wise insight there. Why did he fall so behind?

I'd likely take the job and hire the tutor/Sylvan Learning Center or some such - as long as I had some way to see that he actually got to the appointments.

Could you set up a schedule WITH HIM that ya'll are going to work together to get caught up? (NO BLAMING him) What if you take the brunt of the fault as your own even if this is not the actual case in regards to the work? Saying something like, "It's my fault that I haven't stayed more on top of your grades and see that you are current, but from now on With Your Help I'm going to keep abreast of what's going on. Can you set aside Tuesday or Thursday night for a WEEKLY review session?"

Then you make sure that you keep your appointments with him. Write them on the calendar as VIP stuff and try at all costs not to break the meeting. Let him know KINDLY that you mean business and have his best interests at heart.

Set up NIGHTLY checkpoints such as at 7:00 p.m. that all school assignments have to pass by you to see that they are completed. Even go so far as to seeing if you can get the teachers to mail/email/phone you a copy of the weeks assignments? A casual 'homework done??' is not likely to cover it at this point. A more intense - 'let's go over your homework' at 7:00 is more likely to gain you time to make corrections together or see where he's got a hangup and still have time to get it together for morning!

Then follow through!!! Follow Through! FOLLOW THROUGH!!

Good luck with this!! Let us know how it goes.

Posting here - It is obvious you love your kids!