"I heard your classes are hard!"
"We were going to sign up our homeschooled high schooler for your classes, but somebody told us they're hard!"
I get that sometimes. The fact is, they're not! If you've got a high schooler who has a good attitude, finishes up home assignments, and puts a little effort into stuff that doesn't come easy, things will work out great!
The Flag Football/Home School Class Connection (?)
I'll tell you what flag football has taught me about teaching (I've coached it for 15 years): A few times over the years I've had a player on our team who sees himself as a superstar who can just wing it because he's the greatest thing ever. So when we practice, he loafs, and in the game, he doesn't do as well as other kids with less talent and speed because he doesn't know where he's supposed to be. Give me any day a bunch of kids on my team who aren't superstars, but good workers and listeners, and we'll win a bunch of games! Same thing with classes. Is your student a good worker? Have a good attitude? Smile and act friendly? Finish assignments and participate in class?
Yes? Then who cares if he or she is considered "smart" (whatever that means!)? My wife Julie and I have seven kids; some could read when they were three or four years old, and some didn't until they were eight or nine. Who cares? Some were great at math; some weren't. Some went to college, and some who didn't have any desire to at all. Who cares? They all work hard, and we laugh a lot and learn together as a family. That's what's important.
The sad fact is that over the years I have had to remove students from my classes for having a cruddy attitude, not getting along with others, and coming to class repeatedly without their work done (usually a combination of all of those, which tells you something).
"Well, my kids aren't geniuses, but they wouldn't do that!" I can hear you saying. Perfect! They're a great fit for Home School Partners classes!
And if your kids need extra practice with one subject or another, let me know and I'll do the best I can to help them and arrange it so nobody in class knows about it. I have their best interests in mind--you can count on that.
I get that sometimes. The fact is, they're not! If you've got a high schooler who has a good attitude, finishes up home assignments, and puts a little effort into stuff that doesn't come easy, things will work out great!
The Flag Football/Home School Class Connection (?)
I'll tell you what flag football has taught me about teaching (I've coached it for 15 years): A few times over the years I've had a player on our team who sees himself as a superstar who can just wing it because he's the greatest thing ever. So when we practice, he loafs, and in the game, he doesn't do as well as other kids with less talent and speed because he doesn't know where he's supposed to be. Give me any day a bunch of kids on my team who aren't superstars, but good workers and listeners, and we'll win a bunch of games! Same thing with classes. Is your student a good worker? Have a good attitude? Smile and act friendly? Finish assignments and participate in class?
Yes? Then who cares if he or she is considered "smart" (whatever that means!)? My wife Julie and I have seven kids; some could read when they were three or four years old, and some didn't until they were eight or nine. Who cares? Some were great at math; some weren't. Some went to college, and some who didn't have any desire to at all. Who cares? They all work hard, and we laugh a lot and learn together as a family. That's what's important.
The sad fact is that over the years I have had to remove students from my classes for having a cruddy attitude, not getting along with others, and coming to class repeatedly without their work done (usually a combination of all of those, which tells you something).
"Well, my kids aren't geniuses, but they wouldn't do that!" I can hear you saying. Perfect! They're a great fit for Home School Partners classes!
And if your kids need extra practice with one subject or another, let me know and I'll do the best I can to help them and arrange it so nobody in class knows about it. I have their best interests in mind--you can count on that.