Sylvan Learning et al
Sylvia
I heard the commercial again this morning -- the one where the boy
gives his Mom his improved report card for her birthday, and she's
just so happy she could cry.
Then the narrator goes on.... 'if your child is having problems, or
just not being challenged enough....' Not challenged enough -- what
the heck is that about? Like being stuck in school 7 hours a day,
with whatever homework isn't enough 'challenge?' How hard does a kid
have to work, to show he's being challenged? I mean, if he's making
A's easily will working him so hard that his grades drop indicate
he's finally being challenged? Or will he still be expected to make
A's, AND work harder? Does your boss troll the office, doling out
busy work to folks who don't look challenged enough?
Most schoolkids, when you figure in time to and from school plus
homework, already put in a longer day than adults who work full-
time. Sounds to me like it's just a way to keep a kid so busy
parents don't need to spend any of their own time with the poor kid.
Telling a kid he's not challenged enough, so you've signed him up
with a tutor sounds punitive. Of course, it's really just another way
for Sylvan to make more money on anxious parents who never feel their
child is 'good enough.' Just another way to make parents and kids
feel inferior and to take more of their money..
Sylvia
gives his Mom his improved report card for her birthday, and she's
just so happy she could cry.
Then the narrator goes on.... 'if your child is having problems, or
just not being challenged enough....' Not challenged enough -- what
the heck is that about? Like being stuck in school 7 hours a day,
with whatever homework isn't enough 'challenge?' How hard does a kid
have to work, to show he's being challenged? I mean, if he's making
A's easily will working him so hard that his grades drop indicate
he's finally being challenged? Or will he still be expected to make
A's, AND work harder? Does your boss troll the office, doling out
busy work to folks who don't look challenged enough?
Most schoolkids, when you figure in time to and from school plus
homework, already put in a longer day than adults who work full-
time. Sounds to me like it's just a way to keep a kid so busy
parents don't need to spend any of their own time with the poor kid.
Telling a kid he's not challenged enough, so you've signed him up
with a tutor sounds punitive. Of course, it's really just another way
for Sylvan to make more money on anxious parents who never feel their
child is 'good enough.' Just another way to make parents and kids
feel inferior and to take more of their money..
Sylvia
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/17/04 10:19:09 AM, syltoyama@... writes:
<< Sounds to me like it's just a way to keep a kid so busy
parents don't need to spend any of their own time with the poor kid. >>
Yeah, and for parents to feel "involved" with their child without actually
becoming involved. They'll hire another adult to be "involved" and at an expert
level!
When I used to run an unschooling playgroup, a family came and the mom was a
nervous, impatient person. The dad was laid back. The kids were quiet and
what they (the family) really wanted was two things: playmates for their little
girls (who were pre-school age at the time) and possible customers for the
mother's Sylvan reading business.
Huh.
Well they weren't the only family to use that playgroup as a sort of "singles
bar" for kids. <g> Worse things can happen. So Holly started hanging out
with those girls a lot, which was good because they swam daily, and Holly
learned to swim really well from hanging out with them in the pool at their
apartment complex. The parents have ended up divorced and she's visited in both
new homes and we got to go to the mom's wedding when she remarried. It turned
out good for Holly, after all, but there was a weirdness in their original
intent.
Holly sat in at Sylvan a time or two after playing with the girls where their
mom worked. I know the mom thought Holly NEEDED tutoring, but I was equally
as sure she did NOT. So I think she sneaked her a lesson or two, which
only gave Holly more experience about what's out there in the world that she
might need, or not.
Sandra
<< Sounds to me like it's just a way to keep a kid so busy
parents don't need to spend any of their own time with the poor kid. >>
Yeah, and for parents to feel "involved" with their child without actually
becoming involved. They'll hire another adult to be "involved" and at an expert
level!
When I used to run an unschooling playgroup, a family came and the mom was a
nervous, impatient person. The dad was laid back. The kids were quiet and
what they (the family) really wanted was two things: playmates for their little
girls (who were pre-school age at the time) and possible customers for the
mother's Sylvan reading business.
Huh.
Well they weren't the only family to use that playgroup as a sort of "singles
bar" for kids. <g> Worse things can happen. So Holly started hanging out
with those girls a lot, which was good because they swam daily, and Holly
learned to swim really well from hanging out with them in the pool at their
apartment complex. The parents have ended up divorced and she's visited in both
new homes and we got to go to the mom's wedding when she remarried. It turned
out good for Holly, after all, but there was a weirdness in their original
intent.
Holly sat in at Sylvan a time or two after playing with the girls where their
mom worked. I know the mom thought Holly NEEDED tutoring, but I was equally
as sure she did NOT. So I think she sneaked her a lesson or two, which
only gave Holly more experience about what's out there in the world that she
might need, or not.
Sandra
Christine ONeal
Sort of on this same vein of not being challenged enough. Logan and I were at the park the other day when the school kids got out. There were a few moms there talking about how the kids didn't have any homework that week because it was standardized testing week. The moms decided this would never do so they were going to make up homework for their kids to do. The schools have decided testing is enough for one week, but not these moms. The poor kids were going to have to do homework that their mom's made up. Talk about doing work for nothing! I wanted to scream, but just walked away. This was after one of the mom's had spanked her kid right there at the park. He had been out of school for 2 minutes, how could he have needed a spanking already?
Christy
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Christy
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Sylvia Toyama
Oh, last summer I ran into the woman who was my best friend in jr. high school -- we see each other every so often because she works at the local Target. She went on and on about how she and her dh had just moved their two sons from one Christian school to another. Turns out the new school is more stringent academically than the old one, so her son is now bringing home C's instead of A's (the older boy, the younger had only completed pre-K at the last school.) Her solution was to borrow copies of the textbooks for last schoolyear from the new school, and have the boys spend 2 hrs every day reviewing so they'd be ready for next year. She actually said, 'I know Lucas is going into kindergarten, but there's so much he can forget over the summer.' He was only 5 -- he's not learned enough in school to have much to forget! She explained that she was very worried about her 10yo's math performance, because you know how important Algebra is to doing well in college and that college is
the only way to well in adult life.
I almost bit a hole in my tongue. I wanted to say 'Right, and that college degree you got is serving you so well, working as a shelf stocker here at Target.' People just don't get it.
Sylvia
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the only way to well in adult life.
I almost bit a hole in my tongue. I wanted to say 'Right, and that college degree you got is serving you so well, working as a shelf stocker here at Target.' People just don't get it.
Sylvia
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[email protected]
In a message dated 3/18/04 9:23:12 AM, syltoyama@... writes:
<< She explained that she was very worried about her 10yo's math performance,
because you know how important Algebra is to doing well in college and that
college is
the only way to well in adult life.
<<I almost bit a hole in my tongue. >>
I would've said something.
That's why I avoid homeschooling groups anymore. I went to Tumbleweeds
several times and decided not to. I always said something. And that was to
homeschoolers! <g>
Sandra
<< She explained that she was very worried about her 10yo's math performance,
because you know how important Algebra is to doing well in college and that
college is
the only way to well in adult life.
<<I almost bit a hole in my tongue. >>
I would've said something.
That's why I avoid homeschooling groups anymore. I went to Tumbleweeds
several times and decided not to. I always said something. And that was to
homeschoolers! <g>
Sandra
badolbilz
SandraDodd@... wrote:
really into the whole school mentality and I'm can't just sit and listen
very well anymore. One of my best friends was so upset at her son last
week. He hadn't done his math homework the night before, so she made
him sit at the table that morning to do it before the bus came. She
went upstairs to shower and dress, but ran back down for something and
caught him using her calculator. She was furious and told me on the
phone that he was going to be in huge trouble when he got home from
school. I had to say something. So I said, "Aren't you a little proud
of him for figuring out how to best solve HIS problem. I can only do
most math with a calculator." Hell, I was proud of him! But she just
sort of hurummphed and ended the topic.
Another example is my dd's birthday coming up on the 29th. She's
forgoing a party so she can can have a day in the city at the zoo, the
play McDonald's and a movie. She desperately wants her best friend to
come and share the day. It's fine with me, but her mom, another friend
of mine, says she can't let her dd miss a day of school for playing.
Her dd is in kindergarten. I'm REALLY sure whatever happens in that
classroom that day is going to be vital to that girl's future (please
note the heavy sarcasm). Elysia's heart is set on going on that day,
not another. That's fine. It's just frustrating when your friends
can't seem to see the forest for the trees. That little girl won't
remember March 29th two days after it's happened because it will be just
another day at school, whereas, she could have had a great, memorable
day with us.
Heidi
>That's why I avoid homeschooling groups anymore. I went to TumbleweedsThis is where I'm having a problem. I have family and friends who are
>several times and decided not to. I always said something. And that was to
>homeschoolers! <g>
>
>
really into the whole school mentality and I'm can't just sit and listen
very well anymore. One of my best friends was so upset at her son last
week. He hadn't done his math homework the night before, so she made
him sit at the table that morning to do it before the bus came. She
went upstairs to shower and dress, but ran back down for something and
caught him using her calculator. She was furious and told me on the
phone that he was going to be in huge trouble when he got home from
school. I had to say something. So I said, "Aren't you a little proud
of him for figuring out how to best solve HIS problem. I can only do
most math with a calculator." Hell, I was proud of him! But she just
sort of hurummphed and ended the topic.
Another example is my dd's birthday coming up on the 29th. She's
forgoing a party so she can can have a day in the city at the zoo, the
play McDonald's and a movie. She desperately wants her best friend to
come and share the day. It's fine with me, but her mom, another friend
of mine, says she can't let her dd miss a day of school for playing.
Her dd is in kindergarten. I'm REALLY sure whatever happens in that
classroom that day is going to be vital to that girl's future (please
note the heavy sarcasm). Elysia's heart is set on going on that day,
not another. That's fine. It's just frustrating when your friends
can't seem to see the forest for the trees. That little girl won't
remember March 29th two days after it's happened because it will be just
another day at school, whereas, she could have had a great, memorable
day with us.
Heidi
>
>
Christine ONeal
badolbilz <ynxn96@...> wrote:
I'm REALLY sure whatever happens in that
classroom that day is going to be vital to that girl's future (please
note the heavy sarcasm). Elysia's heart is set on going on that day,
not another. That's fine. It's just frustrating when your friends
can't seem to see the forest for the trees. That little girl won't
remember March 29th two days after it's happened because it will be just
another day at school, whereas, she could have had a great, memorable
day with us.
Heidi
I've had this problem with friends whose kids are in preschool. PRESCHOOL!! They won't let them miss a day of preschool to go on a cool trip with us. They will remember a trip to the zoo much longer than whatever they did that day in preschool. It makes me crazy.
Christy
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I'm REALLY sure whatever happens in that
classroom that day is going to be vital to that girl's future (please
note the heavy sarcasm). Elysia's heart is set on going on that day,
not another. That's fine. It's just frustrating when your friends
can't seem to see the forest for the trees. That little girl won't
remember March 29th two days after it's happened because it will be just
another day at school, whereas, she could have had a great, memorable
day with us.
Heidi
I've had this problem with friends whose kids are in preschool. PRESCHOOL!! They won't let them miss a day of preschool to go on a cool trip with us. They will remember a trip to the zoo much longer than whatever they did that day in preschool. It makes me crazy.
Christy
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Tia Leschke
>But don't you realize that they have to get used to putting school first in
>
>I've had this problem with friends whose kids are in
>preschool. PRESCHOOL!! They won't let them miss a day of preschool to go
>on a cool trip with us. They will remember a trip to the zoo much longer
>than whatever they did that day in preschool. It makes me crazy.
their lives? After all, it's their *job*! Sigh.
Tia
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/18/2004 1:14:18 PM Central Standard Time,
ynxn96@... writes:
Honor Society last week at his middle school. I have been to graduations that
were less formal than this. The speaker, yes they had a keynote speaker, got
up and asked these kids if they wanted to be successful. Of course they all
nodded their heads and we in the audiance did as well. The woman then
proceeded to ask them what they felt success meant and proceeded to ask them : Would
you feel successful if you had a nice car, lived in a $300,000 house, could
go away on fancy vacations and she was serious. Nothing about having a great
family or being happy it was all about money and she was dead serious. I
almost stood up in the middle of the whole thing and asked if there was anyone else
in the audiance who was as offended by this as I was. I felt that these
children needed to be removed from the building. It is getting very difficult to
keep my mouth shut.
As an aside the woman, who had five kids of her own, said that her oldest two
had not been focused on success because the oldest had run after a boy and
had a child and the next did not go to college and was in the Marines about to
be shipped to Iraq. All I could think was that maybe if she had defined
success differently, her kids might have beed different or she might have been able
to accept them as they were.
Sorry for ranting,
Laura M.
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ynxn96@... writes:
> This is where I'm having a problem. I have family and friends who areI understand completely. My son's best friend was inducted into the Junior
> really into the whole school mentality and I'm can't just sit and listen
> very well anymore.
Honor Society last week at his middle school. I have been to graduations that
were less formal than this. The speaker, yes they had a keynote speaker, got
up and asked these kids if they wanted to be successful. Of course they all
nodded their heads and we in the audiance did as well. The woman then
proceeded to ask them what they felt success meant and proceeded to ask them : Would
you feel successful if you had a nice car, lived in a $300,000 house, could
go away on fancy vacations and she was serious. Nothing about having a great
family or being happy it was all about money and she was dead serious. I
almost stood up in the middle of the whole thing and asked if there was anyone else
in the audiance who was as offended by this as I was. I felt that these
children needed to be removed from the building. It is getting very difficult to
keep my mouth shut.
As an aside the woman, who had five kids of her own, said that her oldest two
had not been focused on success because the oldest had run after a boy and
had a child and the next did not go to college and was in the Marines about to
be shipped to Iraq. All I could think was that maybe if she had defined
success differently, her kids might have beed different or she might have been able
to accept them as they were.
Sorry for ranting,
Laura M.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
kstjonn
You posted that your husband has a SSN and works for a French firm.
Are you considered permanent residents, under the law? Do you
recieve health benefits from the governement?
I ask because we live in Prague, Czech Republic. Basically, we live
under the radar. :) My husband's firm is NOT Czech and we travel
out of the country every three months or so to get our passports
stamped. We don't get benefits, we pay out of pocket expenses for
everything and are often charged more for things because we are not
permanent residents. BUT we are FREE to do as we like. And that is a
good feeling.
Find out how the French government classifies your family and then
you'll know if they have the "right" to police your actions
concerning education.
Good luck
Kara
Are you considered permanent residents, under the law? Do you
recieve health benefits from the governement?
I ask because we live in Prague, Czech Republic. Basically, we live
under the radar. :) My husband's firm is NOT Czech and we travel
out of the country every three months or so to get our passports
stamped. We don't get benefits, we pay out of pocket expenses for
everything and are often charged more for things because we are not
permanent residents. BUT we are FREE to do as we like. And that is a
good feeling.
Find out how the French government classifies your family and then
you'll know if they have the "right" to police your actions
concerning education.
Good luck
Kara
Sylvia Toyama
And how sad for those kids that their mother tells their stories as examples of failures to be guarded against. I'll bet they're just flocking home at holiday time!
Sylvia
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Sylvia
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