Education

I mentioned in a response to comments to an earlier post that I am somewhat unhappy with my daughter's performance in school.

She's ranked academically at just about the .33 point, with an 86 average in her core subjects. That's just barely into the second honors range. Remembering what the principal and teachers said before she entered, I did not expect that she would do as well as she had in middle school - but I did expect better than this. How much better? Perhaps a 90 average, somewhere around there.

The question that comes to mind is: is this the best that we can reasonably expect. This is the sort of thing that I look to school counselors and teachers to tell me, but they seem clueless. I referred to the counselors as cheerleaders in an earlier post, and thats a good description. They are earnest and well-meaning, but thats about it. I know that its difficult to know if a kid could do better, but if they can't tell, I don't see how I can. My hunch, though, is that she can. She's a bright kid. I see the number of hours that she puts into practicing with her color guard troupe each week -- about six to ten hours -- versus the number of hours she puts into studying -- about five -- and I think thats not right. Thats out of whack. I don't expect that she'll be a grind, as a friend is -- this other girl literally studies all the time, waiting for the school bus, on the ride in, during lunch, waiting for band practice to start -- but more? Yeah.

Do I think that more would translate to better? I honestly don't know. But I do know that it can't hurt.

I'm also thinking about taking away her laptop when she's supposed to be studying. She says she likes having it on for music, and perhaps it doesn't hurt. But more than once I've asked if she's studying, and she says yes -- then five minutes later I hear laughter from her room. Thats not what I want to hear. I don't want to grind her down, but a little nose to the grindstone -- is that too much to ask?

I really hate the idea of being alone in this. Its what makes me laugh when the school says how great it is in working with kids. Yeah, right. Only one of the teachers even provides information on what projects are going on, what tests are being given, whats being covered, what results are being seen. The others? Well, you know they're busy. Maintaining a web site is too much to ask. Yeah. Thanks for the help, guys.