[mrsred]

My oldest son (11 1/2, bio) has always loved school. I mean really loved it. He is very bright and gets mostly A's with an occassional B. He is in the Highly Capable program. But this year, in 6th grade, he is miserable.
His teacher is very ... well, I don't really know how to describe her. My daughter (also in 6th grade but has the other teacher... only goes to Ms N for reading) says she is "mean". Also that if she is having trouble understanding she just says "read it again" and won't help at all.
I found her to be completely unenthusiastic. She gave the impression that she loves her job about as much as the person behind the counter at the local mini-mart. I have seen more enthused McDonald's employees.
DS absolutely hates school now. This is such a turn about for him, as he has always been such an eager student. Now he doesn't want to go at all.
I am considering home schooling him. The other option is to try to transfer him to another school in our community.
Has anyone switched a kid from public school to home schooling at such a late age? Any input here?
I really am at a loss as to what to do. Staying in this class is not an option.

[bajj]

Hey red, I wish I had advice for you. I am sorry your ds is going through this. I will keep you in my prayers.

[HappyTwinsMom]

Is there an option of switching teachers within the school? Or would you not want your children in the same class?

Homeschooling is certainly a wonderful option if that's what you feel would be best for him.

[mrsdatabits]

I, too, wondered about switching teachers.

And as for if you want to homeschool, talk to your son and get his take. He might rather do that than continue where he's at. And, tis better, in my opinion, to pull him now and homeschool him than to have him stick it out and detest school for the rest of his schooling.

[lucyjoy]

I moved my kids to home schooling in 7th and 8th grade. It was the best option for them at the time.

I remember listening to Foster Cline(Love and Logic) talk once about his daughter. His daughter got the "mean" teacher and many parents wanted him to intervene. However, he didn't because his daughter was in that class. He felt that to rescue her would rob her of a learning experience. There are people in our lives that will make things miserable-bosses we won't get along with, other employees etc.

I think there is much value in his train of thought. Is there anything you can do to help your son find a way to get along better or to better deal with the issues that are making him hate school? If it were me, I'd start there. Home schooling can be great, but it's really hard work and putting kid's back in after they've been out is difficult sometimes as well.

[rsbg]

Bless his heart. That is tough when one person can totally change a child's enthusiasm for school, for a valuable education. My son had a really tough time in 6th grade as well, but his issues were with bullies (here 6th grade is M.S.). He went from a child that was very social and outgoing to absolutely HATING school. It is tough! I hope you can change Teachers or find a solution.

[ritachen]

It used to be a big headache for me to supervise my son doing his math homework. But with Beestar, it has been a completely different story. My son enjoys it very much. Every Sunday, he cannot wait to check his name on the honor roll. I start to realize that my son in fact is quite talented, as long as he is directed to the right place and the right stuff... Now he is the top math boy in his class. I'm so happy about it.
I hope more parents get to know this web site (www.beestar.org). I believe many more families would benefit from Beestar like we do.
from rita

[AudreyE]

Originally Posted by lucyjoy

I remember listening to Foster Cline(Love and Logic) talk once about his daughter. His daughter got the "mean" teacher and many parents wanted him to intervene. However, he didn't because his daughter was in that class. He felt that to rescue her would rob her of a learning experience. There are people in our lives that will make things miserable-bosses we won't get along with, other employees etc.

I think there is much value in his train of thought.

I agree, to an extent. Our younger daughter had a horrible teacher in 1st grade, belittled her and us, refused to see the good in our daughter, you name it. We never knew if it was a personal thing, or a race thing, or what....

Our daughter was miserable. We were miserable. We handled it by telling her she just had to get through the school year, and things would change. Just tough it out, etc.....

It may have taught her a lesson in dealing with others. But it also left a black mark on her school record due to the behavior problems this teacher constantly reported with her (behaviors not seen before or since). Looking back on it, I would have changed teachers if I had to do it all over again.

Audrey

[julie23]

we haven't been in your shoes as far issues with the teacher... thank goodness... but middle school years are very tough ones... I homeschooled my oldest part time in eighth grade...

the two younger ones, 6 and 7, are currently in K and 2nd.... but i already know that i am going to pull them after fifth grade and homeschool.... possibly through tenth... it depends.

I recommend paying for a good online curriculum.... (they come with books, too)... I like one called Laurel Springs, i think... just google it... anyhow, this one has yearly standardized testing... Terra Nova's... so you can make sure your child is progressing on a National Level....

Also, they customize curriculum... they give your child a test first, and then place him in the curriculum where he belongs.... which is really important to me...

if you maintain a structured home school environment, i don't really see him having any problem going back into the school setting.... but structure is really important... if you let him get away with turning things in late or staying in PJ's all day, you may have trouble when you put him back in...

I know people from both ends of the spectrum.... laid back, PJ's all day.... turn in things late... and the opposite, structured... scheduled.... etc. and as far as I can tell, the kids from the structured setting did better when put back in school... but i'm only speaking for the very few that i know of.... not all ....

j

[rubymama]

Originally Posted by lucyjoy

I remember listening to Foster Cline(Love and Logic) talk once about his daughter. His daughter got the "mean" teacher and many parents wanted him to intervene. However, he didn't because his daughter was in that class. He felt that to rescue her would rob her of a learning experience. There are people in our lives that will make things miserable-bosses we won't get along with, other employees etc.

I agree there is some value in this line of thinking...in certain situations and with certain children. Perhaps at a certain age. Is grade six that age? I don't know. I do know that grade one was NOT that age and I deeply regret not pulling my son out of an absolutely horrible first grade situation with a mean teacher who scared the bejesus out of him and caused him to hate school halfway into second grade when he finally, blessed with a wonderful teacher and with LOTS of support from me, healed.

[kimb1005]

My son had the mean teacher in 2nd grade. Not only was she a teacher who lacked any warmth (and as a former 2nd grade teacher, she definitely need it for that gae), her and I had butted heads when my oldest had her for math. She hadn't been willing to adapt her learning stations rules for my ADHD son until her grade partner (who he had for all but math) insisted she did. He toughed out that year but there were LOTS of meetings with both me, prinicapl, teacher and school counselor. He HATED school. Thankfully, he got a teacher he loved (and who loved him) the following year so no, by grade 5, we are back to loving school. Looking back, I should have pulled him that year though --it was horrible for all involved!

[Lisax]

Originally Posted by mrsred

My oldest son (11 1/2, bio) has always loved school. I mean really loved it. He is very bright and gets mostly A's with an occassional B. He is in the Highly Capable program. But this year, in 6th grade, he is miserable.
His teacher is very ... well, I don't really know how to describe her. My daughter (also in 6th grade but has the other teacher... only goes to Ms N for reading) says she is "mean". Also that if she is having trouble understanding she just says "read it again" and won't help at all.
I found her to be completely unenthusiastic. She gave the impression that she loves her job about as much as the person behind the counter at the local mini-mart. I have seen more enthused McDonald's employees.
DS absolutely hates school now. This is such a turn about for him, as he has always been such an eager student. Now he doesn't want to go at all.
I am considering home schooling him. The other option is to try to transfer him to another school in our community.
Has anyone switched a kid from public school to home schooling at such a late age? Any input here?
I really am at a loss as to what to do. Staying in this class is not an option.

I'm a primary school teacher. In my class, there are some students using beestar.org. Then I browsed carefully this website. I found that beestar exercise is a systematic knowledge application and skill practice program covering the core subjects such as math, English Language Arts (ELA), and science, and also follows the curricula schedule in school. The exercises offered weekly can help kids lay a solid foundation because its practicability and interesting. Suggest to try it. Hope to be helpful for your kids.
Beestar.org - Math and Reading for Kids

Lisax