Daughter going into high school
Feb 22nd 2017, 7:32 am
#1
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Daughter going into high school
Hi we are moving to the States in July (North Carolina) we have been in touch with the school she will be attending and they said that we will need hee transcripts which we have requested from her current UK school. My daughter is 14. I want to get her as ready as she can be because its a huge change so i have found this website https://www.khanacademy.org which appears a good start to get her doing things the "American way" if anyone has any advice on helping transition over to a US high school i would appreciate it. She is currently in "top sets" predicted an A* GCSE in a fair few subjects.
Thanks
Kelly
Thanks
Kelly
Feb 22nd 2017, 8:18 am
#2
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Re: Daughter going into high school
Hi we are moving to the States in July (North Carolina) we have been in touch with the school she will be attending and they said that we will need hee transcripts which we have requested from her current UK school. My daughter is 14. I want to get her as ready as she can be because its a huge change so i have found this website https://www.khanacademy.org which appears a good start to get her doing things the "American way" if anyone has any advice on helping transition over to a US high school i would appreciate it. She is currently in "top sets" predicted an A* GCSE in a fair few subjects.
Thanks
Kelly
Thanks
Kelly
Feb 22nd 2017, 9:56 am
#3
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Re: Daughter going into high school
Oh that's fabulous, I will look into this now. Whatever we have to do to help the transition a little easier and hopefully keep her at the top end of her classes we will do. Thank you!
How did your child do settling in?
Kelly
How did your child do settling in?
Kelly
Feb 22nd 2017, 11:50 am
#4
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Posts: 1,834
Re: Daughter going into high school
If you know the school or the school district your daughter will be a student in, have a very, very good read of the course catalog. It will list all the available courses, the levels available for each, and the expected path through them over the 4 year program.
The ones to concentrate on are the 'core four' of English, Maths, Science and Social Studies (she will also do PE, Health, IT, arts-based classes, languages, etc). Most (all?) high schools offer several levels of classes for the core four subjects: basic/ remedial; regular; honors. In addition, maths, and sometimes sciences, will have an accelerated track where the brightest kids in these subjects (usually the top 20%, but varies by school) are working 1-2 years ahead.
So an average student will be (usually) doing 9th grade English, World History/ Geography, Algebra 1, and General Science. An advanced student will do Honors English (more reading, essays, and in depth discussion); Honors World History (same); along with Geometry and Biology which are 10th grade courses in most schools. (This will all make much more sense once you've read the course catalog; there are usually little 4-year flow diagrams showing the paths through these subjects).
As your child won't have a history that the US school can make sense of, they may try to default to the regular classes for everything and then to 'see how it goes, and make any necessary changes next year'. In my experience, you can cheerfully but firmly push back on this, explaining that your child is ranked in the top X% in her current school and should be in the higher-performing classes for English and History (if this is true for these subjects). You'll likely have to sign a student/ parental waiver, saying you understand she'll be demoted from the class if she doesn't maintain a B average (stunningly easy to do for a bright, hard-working child).
The reasons you want the higher level classes are a) they will be weighted, so an A in that class will giver her more points than an A in a standard class; whether this is important depends on her college plans. But mostly b) she will have a better experience with involved, like-minded peers; bear in mind the streaming is top roughly 20% in honors, and then everyone else above a special ed level is mixed into the regular classes. The progression rate, depth of discussion, time wasted on crowd control and trying to get everyone to do at least some of the assignments, is night and day.
So push for Honors placement for English and Social Studies, if appropriate for her. It'll be trickier for Math and Science. Here, it's not just a case of being bright - there will be pre-requisites for certain classes, like simply not being able to take Biology or Geometry until one has completed Alegbra 1. One possibility for the math stream is for her to take Algebra 1 in 9th, and then do Geometry over next summer as an extra class, setting her up for Algebra 2 for 10th grade. She will probably have to do whatever is the default science option - probably a 9th grade general science or earth science class - and then perhaps double up on sciences higher up the school, taking Chemistry and Physics the same year, maybe.
The acceleration of these classes only really matters if she might go to a US university and major in something STEM; they usually like to see a math track that gets to Calculus in high school. For the sciences, ticking off the intro classes for Biology, Chemistry and Physics will enable her to take more advanced classes in these subjects - similar to A levels - in 11th and 12th grade. If science isn't her thing, or she won't be attending a US uni, it doesn't matter overmuch.
So.... have a good read of the course catalog, and see where you'd like her to be placed, and be prepared to push a little for it if necessary. And then go on US Amazon and order workbooks for key subjects, to get a feel for the vocabulary used and to see how her existing skills will map across. Example: https://www.amazon.com/Algebra-Workb...bra+1+workbook
I'd also recommend a quick romp through this US history book/ TV show for her, as general background to get the key events in order: https://www.amazon.com/America-Story...he+story+of+us. There's a book of it, or stream the episodes (DVD will likely be the wrong region for you); it's the usual American slightly jingoistic 'USA! Number One!' view of history but not too tiresomely so, and it's much more palatable than a dry textbook. The episodes are entertaining and informative even for adults.
The ones to concentrate on are the 'core four' of English, Maths, Science and Social Studies (she will also do PE, Health, IT, arts-based classes, languages, etc). Most (all?) high schools offer several levels of classes for the core four subjects: basic/ remedial; regular; honors. In addition, maths, and sometimes sciences, will have an accelerated track where the brightest kids in these subjects (usually the top 20%, but varies by school) are working 1-2 years ahead.
So an average student will be (usually) doing 9th grade English, World History/ Geography, Algebra 1, and General Science. An advanced student will do Honors English (more reading, essays, and in depth discussion); Honors World History (same); along with Geometry and Biology which are 10th grade courses in most schools. (This will all make much more sense once you've read the course catalog; there are usually little 4-year flow diagrams showing the paths through these subjects).
As your child won't have a history that the US school can make sense of, they may try to default to the regular classes for everything and then to 'see how it goes, and make any necessary changes next year'. In my experience, you can cheerfully but firmly push back on this, explaining that your child is ranked in the top X% in her current school and should be in the higher-performing classes for English and History (if this is true for these subjects). You'll likely have to sign a student/ parental waiver, saying you understand she'll be demoted from the class if she doesn't maintain a B average (stunningly easy to do for a bright, hard-working child).
The reasons you want the higher level classes are a) they will be weighted, so an A in that class will giver her more points than an A in a standard class; whether this is important depends on her college plans. But mostly b) she will have a better experience with involved, like-minded peers; bear in mind the streaming is top roughly 20% in honors, and then everyone else above a special ed level is mixed into the regular classes. The progression rate, depth of discussion, time wasted on crowd control and trying to get everyone to do at least some of the assignments, is night and day.
So push for Honors placement for English and Social Studies, if appropriate for her. It'll be trickier for Math and Science. Here, it's not just a case of being bright - there will be pre-requisites for certain classes, like simply not being able to take Biology or Geometry until one has completed Alegbra 1. One possibility for the math stream is for her to take Algebra 1 in 9th, and then do Geometry over next summer as an extra class, setting her up for Algebra 2 for 10th grade. She will probably have to do whatever is the default science option - probably a 9th grade general science or earth science class - and then perhaps double up on sciences higher up the school, taking Chemistry and Physics the same year, maybe.
The acceleration of these classes only really matters if she might go to a US university and major in something STEM; they usually like to see a math track that gets to Calculus in high school. For the sciences, ticking off the intro classes for Biology, Chemistry and Physics will enable her to take more advanced classes in these subjects - similar to A levels - in 11th and 12th grade. If science isn't her thing, or she won't be attending a US uni, it doesn't matter overmuch.
So.... have a good read of the course catalog, and see where you'd like her to be placed, and be prepared to push a little for it if necessary. And then go on US Amazon and order workbooks for key subjects, to get a feel for the vocabulary used and to see how her existing skills will map across. Example: https://www.amazon.com/Algebra-Workb...bra+1+workbook
I'd also recommend a quick romp through this US history book/ TV show for her, as general background to get the key events in order: https://www.amazon.com/America-Story...he+story+of+us. There's a book of it, or stream the episodes (DVD will likely be the wrong region for you); it's the usual American slightly jingoistic 'USA! Number One!' view of history but not too tiresomely so, and it's much more palatable than a dry textbook. The episodes are entertaining and informative even for adults.
Feb 22nd 2017, 12:14 pm
#5
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Posts: 2,900
Re: Daughter going into high school
Kodokan has provided a comprehensive answer.
US high schools are very good at catering to top students; that is partly why the culture/attitude towards private schools in the US is very dissimilar to Europe. If your daughter really is a top student and is 14, she should slot right in.
There was another thread recently where it was pointed out that subject selection for next year will begin shortly; contact your school and make sure you are on top of that as electives have enrollment limits and if you put it off too long your daughter may end up in a bunch of course electives she doesn't want.
If the school wants to put her in regular classes with the promise to re-evaluate later, don't accept that. If they can put her in the regular classes and re-evaluate later, they can also put her in the honours courses and re-evaluate later. The peer groups are very different and it will be disruptive to your daughter to change later.
One other note, things like sport, music etc are run through high schools generally and not private clubs. So if your daughter is really into volleyball etc the default option should be to try out for the high school team.
US high schools are very good at catering to top students; that is partly why the culture/attitude towards private schools in the US is very dissimilar to Europe. If your daughter really is a top student and is 14, she should slot right in.
There was another thread recently where it was pointed out that subject selection for next year will begin shortly; contact your school and make sure you are on top of that as electives have enrollment limits and if you put it off too long your daughter may end up in a bunch of course electives she doesn't want.
If the school wants to put her in regular classes with the promise to re-evaluate later, don't accept that. If they can put her in the regular classes and re-evaluate later, they can also put her in the honours courses and re-evaluate later. The peer groups are very different and it will be disruptive to your daughter to change later.
One other note, things like sport, music etc are run through high schools generally and not private clubs. So if your daughter is really into volleyball etc the default option should be to try out for the high school team.
Feb 22nd 2017, 12:20 pm
#6
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,900
Re: Daughter going into high school
Let me just also add something while I am thinking of it - they won't know anything about the UK system, and every parent always thinks their son or daughter is a special little snowflake. Accordingly - if you talk about "top sets," GCSE and your brilliant daughter, expect blank stares and for them to tune you out. Tell them this information in another way; "this is the transcript, this line here means that she was top 2% in the highest level English course etc etc etc." That they can conceptualize.
Feb 22nd 2017, 3:26 pm
#7
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Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 294
Re: Daughter going into high school
If you know the school or the school district your daughter will be a student in, have a very, very good read of the course catalog. It will list all the available courses, the levels available for each, and the expected path through them over the 4 year program.
The ones to concentrate on are the 'core four' of English, Maths, Science and Social Studies (she will also do PE, Health, IT, arts-based classes, languages, etc). Most (all?) high schools offer several levels of classes for the core four subjects: basic/ remedial; regular; honors. In addition, maths, and sometimes sciences, will have an accelerated track where the brightest kids in these subjects (usually the top 20%, but varies by school) are working 1-2 years ahead.
So an average student will be (usually) doing 9th grade English, World History/ Geography, Algebra 1, and General Science. An advanced student will do Honors English (more reading, essays, and in depth discussion); Honors World History (same); along with Geometry and Biology which are 10th grade courses in most schools. (This will all make much more sense once you've read the course catalog; there are usually little 4-year flow diagrams showing the paths through these subjects).
As your child won't have a history that the US school can make sense of, they may try to default to the regular classes for everything and then to 'see how it goes, and make any necessary changes next year'. In my experience, you can cheerfully but firmly push back on this, explaining that your child is ranked in the top X% in her current school and should be in the higher-performing classes for English and History (if this is true for these subjects). You'll likely have to sign a student/ parental waiver, saying you understand she'll be demoted from the class if she doesn't maintain a B average (stunningly easy to do for a bright, hard-working child).
The reasons you want the higher level classes are a) they will be weighted, so an A in that class will giver her more points than an A in a standard class; whether this is important depends on her college plans. But mostly b) she will have a better experience with involved, like-minded peers; bear in mind the streaming is top roughly 20% in honors, and then everyone else above a special ed level is mixed into the regular classes. The progression rate, depth of discussion, time wasted on crowd control and trying to get everyone to do at least some of the assignments, is night and day.
So push for Honors placement for English and Social Studies, if appropriate for her. It'll be trickier for Math and Science. Here, it's not just a case of being bright - there will be pre-requisites for certain classes, like simply not being able to take Biology or Geometry until one has completed Alegbra 1. One possibility for the math stream is for her to take Algebra 1 in 9th, and then do Geometry over next summer as an extra class, setting her up for Algebra 2 for 10th grade. She will probably have to do whatever is the default science option - probably a 9th grade general science or earth science class - and then perhaps double up on sciences higher up the school, taking Chemistry and Physics the same year, maybe.
The acceleration of these classes only really matters if she might go to a US university and major in something STEM; they usually like to see a math track that gets to Calculus in high school. For the sciences, ticking off the intro classes for Biology, Chemistry and Physics will enable her to take more advanced classes in these subjects - similar to A levels - in 11th and 12th grade. If science isn't her thing, or she won't be attending a US uni, it doesn't matter overmuch.
So.... have a good read of the course catalog, and see where you'd like her to be placed, and be prepared to push a little for it if necessary. And then go on US Amazon and order workbooks for key subjects, to get a feel for the vocabulary used and to see how her existing skills will map across. Example: https://www.amazon.com/Algebra-Workb...bra+1+workbook
I'd also recommend a quick romp through this US history book/ TV show for her, as general background to get the key events in order: https://www.amazon.com/America-Story...he+story+of+us. There's a book of it, or stream the episodes (DVD will likely be the wrong region for you); it's the usual American slightly jingoistic 'USA! Number One!' view of history but not too tiresomely so, and it's much more palatable than a dry textbook. The episodes are entertaining and informative even for adults.
The ones to concentrate on are the 'core four' of English, Maths, Science and Social Studies (she will also do PE, Health, IT, arts-based classes, languages, etc). Most (all?) high schools offer several levels of classes for the core four subjects: basic/ remedial; regular; honors. In addition, maths, and sometimes sciences, will have an accelerated track where the brightest kids in these subjects (usually the top 20%, but varies by school) are working 1-2 years ahead.
So an average student will be (usually) doing 9th grade English, World History/ Geography, Algebra 1, and General Science. An advanced student will do Honors English (more reading, essays, and in depth discussion); Honors World History (same); along with Geometry and Biology which are 10th grade courses in most schools. (This will all make much more sense once you've read the course catalog; there are usually little 4-year flow diagrams showing the paths through these subjects).
As your child won't have a history that the US school can make sense of, they may try to default to the regular classes for everything and then to 'see how it goes, and make any necessary changes next year'. In my experience, you can cheerfully but firmly push back on this, explaining that your child is ranked in the top X% in her current school and should be in the higher-performing classes for English and History (if this is true for these subjects). You'll likely have to sign a student/ parental waiver, saying you understand she'll be demoted from the class if she doesn't maintain a B average (stunningly easy to do for a bright, hard-working child).
The reasons you want the higher level classes are a) they will be weighted, so an A in that class will giver her more points than an A in a standard class; whether this is important depends on her college plans. But mostly b) she will have a better experience with involved, like-minded peers; bear in mind the streaming is top roughly 20% in honors, and then everyone else above a special ed level is mixed into the regular classes. The progression rate, depth of discussion, time wasted on crowd control and trying to get everyone to do at least some of the assignments, is night and day.
So push for Honors placement for English and Social Studies, if appropriate for her. It'll be trickier for Math and Science. Here, it's not just a case of being bright - there will be pre-requisites for certain classes, like simply not being able to take Biology or Geometry until one has completed Alegbra 1. One possibility for the math stream is for her to take Algebra 1 in 9th, and then do Geometry over next summer as an extra class, setting her up for Algebra 2 for 10th grade. She will probably have to do whatever is the default science option - probably a 9th grade general science or earth science class - and then perhaps double up on sciences higher up the school, taking Chemistry and Physics the same year, maybe.
The acceleration of these classes only really matters if she might go to a US university and major in something STEM; they usually like to see a math track that gets to Calculus in high school. For the sciences, ticking off the intro classes for Biology, Chemistry and Physics will enable her to take more advanced classes in these subjects - similar to A levels - in 11th and 12th grade. If science isn't her thing, or she won't be attending a US uni, it doesn't matter overmuch.
So.... have a good read of the course catalog, and see where you'd like her to be placed, and be prepared to push a little for it if necessary. And then go on US Amazon and order workbooks for key subjects, to get a feel for the vocabulary used and to see how her existing skills will map across. Example: https://www.amazon.com/Algebra-Workb...bra+1+workbook
I'd also recommend a quick romp through this US history book/ TV show for her, as general background to get the key events in order: https://www.amazon.com/America-Story...he+story+of+us. There's a book of it, or stream the episodes (DVD will likely be the wrong region for you); it's the usual American slightly jingoistic 'USA! Number One!' view of history but not too tiresomely so, and it's much more palatable than a dry textbook. The episodes are entertaining and informative even for adults.
Thank you so much so much valuable information. As we speak we are going over states/cities and presidents and i just brought her American history for dummies.
I will deffo get her to watch the show.
I will get onto the course catalogue now too.
She was on the gifted and talented register here so i will get the proof of that as well to show them that its not just me thinking i have a little smartie on my hands or "snowflake"
Thanks again x
Kelly
Feb 22nd 2017, 3:32 pm
#8
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Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 294
Re: Daughter going into high school
Kodokan has provided a comprehensive answer.
US high schools are very good at catering to top students; that is partly why the culture/attitude towards private schools in the US is very dissimilar to Europe. If your daughter really is a top student and is 14, she should slot right in.
There was another thread recently where it was pointed out that subject selection for next year will begin shortly; contact your school and make sure you are on top of that as electives have enrollment limits and if you put it off too long your daughter may end up in a bunch of course electives she doesn't want.
If the school wants to put her in regular classes with the promise to re-evaluate later, don't accept that. If they can put her in the regular classes and re-evaluate later, they can also put her in the honours courses and re-evaluate later. The peer groups are very different and it will be disruptive to your daughter to change later.
One other note, things like sport, music etc are run through high schools generally and not private clubs. So if your daughter is really into volleyball etc the default option should be to try out for the high school team.
US high schools are very good at catering to top students; that is partly why the culture/attitude towards private schools in the US is very dissimilar to Europe. If your daughter really is a top student and is 14, she should slot right in.
There was another thread recently where it was pointed out that subject selection for next year will begin shortly; contact your school and make sure you are on top of that as electives have enrollment limits and if you put it off too long your daughter may end up in a bunch of course electives she doesn't want.
If the school wants to put her in regular classes with the promise to re-evaluate later, don't accept that. If they can put her in the regular classes and re-evaluate later, they can also put her in the honours courses and re-evaluate later. The peer groups are very different and it will be disruptive to your daughter to change later.
One other note, things like sport, music etc are run through high schools generally and not private clubs. So if your daughter is really into volleyball etc the default option should be to try out for the high school team.
Yeah she is not really into PE she is more interested in art/ photography.
Feb 22nd 2017, 3:50 pm
#9
Austin. TX.
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 5,930
Re: Daughter going into high school
+1 for Kodokan's post.
Get hold of the math curriculum for her current studies. It is important that if she is put into a higher level class that she has covered all the stuff that the other kids have. You can email it to the school and ask for a math teacher to take a look at it.
Yes, do push for the higher level classes. It is easier to go down a level mid-term than up one - which is generally discouraged. I certainly have the right to over-ride the teacher's recommendation here in my school district. We recently chose next year's 10th grade courses where my daughter's biology teacher advised that she take a lower level chemistry class than the biology she currently takes because she is on algebra 1 this year and not geometry. HUH??? I have older kids so we just laughed and ignored her. She could not even properly explain it - just said that's the recommendation from the department.
Get hold of the math curriculum for her current studies. It is important that if she is put into a higher level class that she has covered all the stuff that the other kids have. You can email it to the school and ask for a math teacher to take a look at it.
Yes, do push for the higher level classes. It is easier to go down a level mid-term than up one - which is generally discouraged. I certainly have the right to over-ride the teacher's recommendation here in my school district. We recently chose next year's 10th grade courses where my daughter's biology teacher advised that she take a lower level chemistry class than the biology she currently takes because she is on algebra 1 this year and not geometry. HUH??? I have older kids so we just laughed and ignored her. She could not even properly explain it - just said that's the recommendation from the department.
Feb 22nd 2017, 6:09 pm
#10
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Thread Starter
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Re: Daughter going into high school
Morpeth, thank you so much again, we are now watching America story of us on youtube its really good!
Feb 22nd 2017, 7:35 pm
#11
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Posts: 471
Re: Daughter going into high school
I have a daughter going into high school in August too! (and another going into 11th grade and a son going into 5th grade...where has the time gone 
)
I couldn't agree more with everyone else. You really do have to fight for your child to be put into the correct levels. We moved from Florida to California last summer and really had a fight on our hands with the middle school. Firstly they thought she couldn't be as good as we said and as her grades portrayed as 'Florida schools are no where near as good as California schools and we are one of the top areas for schools'. Secondly they refused to believe that she could have already taken high school classes, especially as she is one of the youngest in her grade. After much arguing the school decided that they would test her maths and prove us wrong **major eye roll**. Of course she did really well in the test and they moved her up from the standard 8th grade maths level to the high school class, she skipped the inbetween levels
. Sadly they still refused to test her English level so put her in the standard level class, it wasn't a huge problem as English is her weakest subject, but after a couple of months, and tests, we got a message from her teacher asking if it was ok if she moved her up to pre-AP English! So she once again skipped several levels. The other subjects sadly are all standard levels, so she had to effectively go back several levels, especially in science where she had already got an A in a high school science donors class. She still finds it all very easy, including the maths and english, much easier than what she was doing in Florida as she has already done it all before. Thankfully she isn't one to slack due to this as she refuses to get anything lower than an A.
Sorry I have totally waffled on, but my point was do not accept what the school says unless you are totally happy with it.
Where are you moving too? Sorry I am to lazy to check your other posts
)I couldn't agree more with everyone else. You really do have to fight for your child to be put into the correct levels. We moved from Florida to California last summer and really had a fight on our hands with the middle school. Firstly they thought she couldn't be as good as we said and as her grades portrayed as 'Florida schools are no where near as good as California schools and we are one of the top areas for schools'. Secondly they refused to believe that she could have already taken high school classes, especially as she is one of the youngest in her grade. After much arguing the school decided that they would test her maths and prove us wrong **major eye roll**. Of course she did really well in the test and they moved her up from the standard 8th grade maths level to the high school class, she skipped the inbetween levels
. Sadly they still refused to test her English level so put her in the standard level class, it wasn't a huge problem as English is her weakest subject, but after a couple of months, and tests, we got a message from her teacher asking if it was ok if she moved her up to pre-AP English! So she once again skipped several levels. The other subjects sadly are all standard levels, so she had to effectively go back several levels, especially in science where she had already got an A in a high school science donors class. She still finds it all very easy, including the maths and english, much easier than what she was doing in Florida as she has already done it all before. Thankfully she isn't one to slack due to this as she refuses to get anything lower than an A.Sorry I have totally waffled on, but my point was do not accept what the school says unless you are totally happy with it.
Where are you moving too? Sorry I am to lazy to check your other posts
Feb 23rd 2017, 1:28 am
#12
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Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 294
Re: Daughter going into high school
I have a daughter going into high school in August too! (and another going into 11th grade and a son going into 5th grade...where has the time gone )
I couldn't agree more with everyone else. You really do have to fight for your child to be put into the correct levels. We moved from Florida to California last summer and really had a fight on our hands with the middle school. Firstly they thought she couldn't be as good as we said and as her grades portrayed as 'Florida schools are no where near as good as California schools and we are one of the top areas for schools'. Secondly they refused to believe that she could have already taken high school classes, especially as she is one of the youngest in her grade. After much arguing the school decided that they would test her maths and prove us wrong **major eye roll**. Of course she did really well in the test and they moved her up from the standard 8th grade maths level to the high school class, she skipped the inbetween levels . Sadly they still refused to test her English level so put her in the standard level class, it wasn't a huge problem as English is her weakest subject, but after a couple of months, and tests, we got a message from her teacher asking if it was ok if she moved her up to pre-AP English! So she once again skipped several levels. The other subjects sadly are all standard levels, so she had to effectively go back several levels, especially in science where she had already got an A in a high school science donors class. She still finds it all very easy, including the maths and english, much easier than what she was doing in Florida as she has already done it all before. Thankfully she isn't one to slack due to this as she refuses to get anything lower than an A.
Sorry I have totally waffled on, but my point was do not accept what the school says unless you are totally happy with it.
Where are you moving too? Sorry I am to lazy to check your other posts
)I couldn't agree more with everyone else. You really do have to fight for your child to be put into the correct levels. We moved from Florida to California last summer and really had a fight on our hands with the middle school. Firstly they thought she couldn't be as good as we said and as her grades portrayed as 'Florida schools are no where near as good as California schools and we are one of the top areas for schools'. Secondly they refused to believe that she could have already taken high school classes, especially as she is one of the youngest in her grade. After much arguing the school decided that they would test her maths and prove us wrong **major eye roll**. Of course she did really well in the test and they moved her up from the standard 8th grade maths level to the high school class, she skipped the inbetween levels
. Sadly they still refused to test her English level so put her in the standard level class, it wasn't a huge problem as English is her weakest subject, but after a couple of months, and tests, we got a message from her teacher asking if it was ok if she moved her up to pre-AP English! So she once again skipped several levels. The other subjects sadly are all standard levels, so she had to effectively go back several levels, especially in science where she had already got an A in a high school science donors class. She still finds it all very easy, including the maths and english, much easier than what she was doing in Florida as she has already done it all before. Thankfully she isn't one to slack due to this as she refuses to get anything lower than an A.Sorry I have totally waffled on, but my point was do not accept what the school says unless you are totally happy with it.
Where are you moving too? Sorry I am to lazy to check your other posts
Hey!! Thank you yes i am deffo going to be forceful, we know its a huge time to move schools for her and if she was not so willing (she was the one begging for the past few years to move back to the States) and ready to work hard we wouldn't do it. She has been working hard and as soon as she came home today she did 3 hours of some of the online American classes and watched an hour of tbe show that was reccomended (i learned loads too)
We are moving from Norfolk in the UK to Jacksonville NC x
Thank you for sharing and good luck to your little ones x
Feb 23rd 2017, 1:54 am
#13
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2011
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,834
Re: Daughter going into high school
Hey!! Thank you yes i am deffo going to be forceful, we know its a huge time to move schools for her and if she was not so willing (she was the one begging for the past few years to move back to the States) and ready to work hard we wouldn't do it. She has been working hard and as soon as she came home today she did 3 hours of some of the online American classes and watched an hour of tbe show that was reccomended (i learned loads too)
We are moving from Norfolk in the UK to Jacksonville NC x
Thank you for sharing and good luck to your little ones x
We are moving from Norfolk in the UK to Jacksonville NC x
Thank you for sharing and good luck to your little ones x
Last edited by kodokan; Feb 23rd 2017 at 1:59 am.
Feb 23rd 2017, 10:06 pm
#15
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2012
Location: Nebraska by the Sea
Posts: 987
Re: Daughter going into high school
Some great advice here. My contribution is get used to the themed message and I do not mean this as a negative but the reality is in the US, the onus is squarely upon you, your child. Some people call it fighting for what you want. The Americans just think of it as independence and their pioneer spirit. Bottom line no one is really going to looking out for you except yourself, pervades throughout the culture i.e., healthcare.