Comments on: A Dad, His Son, and D’s and F’s

By: Bruce Sallan

Bruce Sallan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:08:39 +0000

Darlene – I know and agree with you about EVERYTHING you said. Yes, home-schoolers are getting into fine college without traditional degrees. The school districts don’t want us to know that. I am at the point where I’m letting him mostly figure it out on his own, but without a “B” average he doesn’t get to drive (insurance is out-of-sight for boys without a “B” average) so he’s now 16 and hasn’t even gotten a permit yet. He has gotten a great girlfriend – but how long will she tolerate being driven by her boyfriend’s parents or her own, especially when she gets so much attention from older boys at school! That might really be a harsh lesson for my son. We’ll see!
.-= Bruce Sallan´s last blog ..NEWS OF THE MOMENT =-.

By: Bruce Sallan

Bruce Sallan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:06:05 +0000

Dear Woo;

Thanks so much. I couldn’t agree more. That is why I home-schooled my older son for 18 months. The school just wasn’t taking care of him. Not every kid, btw, is destined for Harvard and it’s foolish that “college track” seems to be the only option our schools offer. What happened to vocational training?
.-= Bruce Sallan´s last blog ..NEWS OF THE MOMENT =-.

By: Darleen

Darleen — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:12:42 +0000

You know woo is probably right. Your son sounds gifted. (I am a parent educator for gifted here in California.) Here’s what my Mom did with me over 30 years ago and it worked. She stopped nagging, she stopped lecturing, she stopped telling me what to do. She said she loved me and that I would figure it out on my own. I was now in charge of my own destiny.

Guess what. I did. And I floundered for a while first, but I got my bearings, got a degree and I grew up. Ask your self, what’s the worst thing that could happen? Your son may fail. But he needs to learn that on his own terms. Trust me he will.

And here’s another thing to ponder. Did you know that you can get into college with out a high school diploma? Well you can. Nobody tells you this but it’s true. I have plenty of students to back this up. Besides have you sat down and asked your son what he values in life and where he wants to go. We cannot motivate another person–motivation only comes from within. When he wants to he will learn. Follow his lead and keep your respect for each other. That is what is most important to us all, your relationship with your son.

By: woo

woo — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:51:43 +0000

Your son sounds extraordinarily gifted. If he’s not doing well in school, it’s not his fault. It’s not the fault of some sort of parental failing.

It’s the fault of the school.

Assembly-line school systems don’t work for the gifted. They’re designed to churn out good office drones.