Wednesday, May 30, 2007
worried about henry
I am feeling despair today about my charming and bright youngest son. I was rereading one of my many books on ADHD and boy does he fit so much of it to a T particularly the difficulty with school. While I agree he probably should come out of GT classes it makes me sad. I have sat in enough classrooms to see the difference between regular academic and GT classes. Eli is in regular math and science and when I sat in his 8th grade science class during American Education Week the difference was apparent. Not that they are better kids but they are more compliant and just get the work done.
Kids like Henry who are bright off the charts but have behavior issues get pushed out of these high achieving classes because the teachers can't handle it and the other students have less patience.
Now he has dropped band in favor of chorus because he says he doesn't like the clarinet.
He was recommended and tried out for GT art. I don't know if he made it but he needs to have something other than video games that he is successful at.
I took Eli to school early today because he wanted to be ready for his oral history project presentation that included video and a powerpoint presentation. He spent hours and hours on this. He cares about his grade. He wanted me to stay and see it so I did. I looked around the room and recognized almost half the class. Kids he went to elementary school with. Good kids. Decent kids.
I know I am not supposed to compare but it is hard. Eli is in GT social studies and english not becuase he is exceptionally bright. He is bright but not exceptional. It is because he is neurotic like me. He wants to do well and get good grades and puts in the effort.
I want Henry to care. I want him to succeed. I just feel sad today for him.
He is home sick. Not sick enough to be in bed so of course I will fight with him all day to stay off the computer and the playstation.
Next year I hope the courses are easier for him to manage. I hope he excels and maybe can be reaccelerated to be in classes with kids with similar potential.
I know average isn't bad. Hell I am average. I just want ....
And so it goes.
Kids like Henry who are bright off the charts but have behavior issues get pushed out of these high achieving classes because the teachers can't handle it and the other students have less patience.
Now he has dropped band in favor of chorus because he says he doesn't like the clarinet.
He was recommended and tried out for GT art. I don't know if he made it but he needs to have something other than video games that he is successful at.
I took Eli to school early today because he wanted to be ready for his oral history project presentation that included video and a powerpoint presentation. He spent hours and hours on this. He cares about his grade. He wanted me to stay and see it so I did. I looked around the room and recognized almost half the class. Kids he went to elementary school with. Good kids. Decent kids.
I know I am not supposed to compare but it is hard. Eli is in GT social studies and english not becuase he is exceptionally bright. He is bright but not exceptional. It is because he is neurotic like me. He wants to do well and get good grades and puts in the effort.
I want Henry to care. I want him to succeed. I just feel sad today for him.
He is home sick. Not sick enough to be in bed so of course I will fight with him all day to stay off the computer and the playstation.
Next year I hope the courses are easier for him to manage. I hope he excels and maybe can be reaccelerated to be in classes with kids with similar potential.
I know average isn't bad. Hell I am average. I just want ....
And so it goes.
