Wednesday, March 17, 2010

professional development day

I had a meeting with the 8th grade team yesterday. As it turns out, my son is intelligent and witty beyond his years. His teachers love him and are impressed with his ability to grasp very adult concepts, especially politics and world issues. This was no meeting to discuss behavior. He is friendly, helpful, and participates in class. However, he is failing or nearly failing most of his classes because he refuses to do homework. He has actually told teachers "I don't do homework." I have fought this fight at home for so long and I am growing weary
If he chooses not to do his school work, there is no real consequence to him and he knows that. We have taken away every privilege possible and he could care less. Take away the video games and tv and he'll do word searches and play legos. No graduation ceremony? Please, "that crap is so lame". So, he has chosen to do the bare minimum, fail a couple classes he finds uninteresting and accept the punishments without flinching. And, there's not a thing any of us can do about it.
That was one hell of a school meeting, unlike Any other I've ever had, and I have had plenty (thanks, J). Usually, the teachers have all sorts of suggestions to get the boy back on track. Not this time. They actually recognize that N has the ability and the means and just needs grow some more. He'll be in honors classes next year anyway, because they know who he is and what 8th grade can be for even the most brilliant children.
Finally, this battle is over.

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