Is there a Yamalube alternative?

What should i say to my mom about alternative high school?

• Im in highschool an im failing 3 classes. my high school has teachers who only hands us work an focas on degrees an graduateing. Sounds alright? but by handing us billions of papers an not clarifying right. well me an my mom talked an then we got up on the subject of my grades. now, my brother went to this alternative highschool. an i asked me mom about his alternative highschool. she blew up on me an said she was disapointed in me for even thinming of there. an it was for dummys. she said that im probly lazy, takeing the easy way out, an gives up. so we had an arguement an my brother came home an asked to call mom I say shes not gonna answer cuz shes mad at me for bringing up the alternative school. he says that that school was waaay better. an you got more credits. it was so easy an he was kind of glad he went there. but he said he went there cause he failed a lot. hes made a lot of choices to lead up to my moms expectations being higher for me. but me an him are alike. were not good at school. an i promise you we tried hard. but he says that the alternative school is better. i under stand my mom doesnt want me to follow his footsteps. But that school is better. an my school right now is terrible. teachers litirally do not care if we pass or fail. they just teach an doesnt offer for us to stay after school. if we show up.we show up. I need help on what to tell my mom next time she brings it up. she says id rather not go to school with my friends an go to the alternative school. but her an everyone else told me education first? i just want to pass. i dont care anymore. i just want to pass. but in the best way possible. she exploded in my face about never going there. She said they offer so much at my school. yeah. a bunch of bullies an fights an teachers who dont care. i would miss my friends. but theres the weekends and someimes after school. i just want to pass.no mean comments please. please help.what should i tell her?

• Answer:

  I don't intend to be mean, but it's clear from your writing that you have trouble with English. Alternative schools don't provide a good education. Basically, they keep trouble-makers away from other kids until they're old enough to leave school. I hope your brother made more of it than that. Let me suggest this: Are you and your mother familiar with special education? It's for all kinds of students, most of whom are very smart but learn in a different way than most students do. Because your brother had trouble learning, it is quite possible that both of your have learning disabilities. That doesn't mean you're stupid. It means your brain is wired a little differently so you learn differently than most kids. There is a law -- IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) -- that requires schools to test students for learning disabilities if their parents ask. Some schools are very cooperative -- even suggest a student be evaluated -- but too many fight it. Your mother should write the principal a letter saying she thinks you are not performing up to your ability and she wants you evaluated for special education under IDEA. The school MUST evaluate you -- the school psychologist will give you a number of tests that test all kinds of things -- within 45 (I think) days. The purpose is to identify any learning disabilities. If it is found that you do have learning disabilities, then your mom and a group of teachers, the psychologist (and a knowledgeable advocate if mom wants -- look in the back of the handbook the school will give your mother) will create a document (IEP - Individualized Education Plan) that explaina what the teachers will do differently in teaching you. The point is for them to teach in a way that works for you (your brain). The school can do many things and provide you lots of extra help so you begin to do well in your classes. If you qualify, you can stay in high school until the end of the year in which you turn 21. That way, you can take fewer courses each year so you have more time to give each course, plus you'll be getting extra help from the teachers. You'll get your diploma. You don't *have* to stay until you're 21, but you can. And if that's what you need to do to get a good high school education, I urge you to do it. The first step is for your mother to write the principal requesting the evaluation. She can use Google to find many sites with gobs of information about IDEA, special education, and getting the school to give you what you need. You're going to live 90 years, and you'll be working about 50 of them. If it takes you an extra year or two to get a solid education -- so you'll do well in college, if you choose to go, and so you are successful in your working life, that's a tiny price to pay, right? Show your mother this and ask her to write the letter. Once you know the results of the evaluation, you, she, your advocate, and school personnel can decide the best course of action for your education based on that valuable information. Good luck to you.