by Rasby » Fri Dec 03, 2004 11:25 pm
Dear Patty Gale,
Your experience illustrates what I am seeing. The kids I see coming into my freshman classes fall into a bipolar pattern in terms of skills and grades. Rather than grades falling along a bell curve like we would expect, there are very good students (tends to be those who have gone to private schools or who have been home schooled) and those who can barely read and write beyond a sixth grade level. And your son's experience is correct: we spend the freshman year just trying to get them up to speed so the freshman year is often nothing more than review of high school material for bright students. Very frustrating to say the least.
I'm very happy for you that your children are getting an education that still stresses hard work, personal responsibility, and academic excellence. Many of my students are under the mistaken impression that the best course of action is to try and avoid as much work as possible. I tell them that a diploma may get them in the door, but it won't keep them from being fired if they can't do the work. I truly applaud you and your husband. I know it is a huge sacrifice to send children to private schools, not only financially but also in terms of transportation, etc.
I don't want to sound like all students are terrible. I actually have some very good students. It's just that there are way too few of them. Have a great day. Rasby