Disadvantages

Alyssa's choice to go to school has brought about a new set of questions and quandries.
She comes in with a slight disadvantage. She never really developed any study skills. For instance, she was sick and needed to go to the doctor. She decided to bring her homework along and do it in the waiting room. She wanted to go to a friend's volleyball game and be online to talk to friends when she got home, so it seemed like a good idea. She even continued to do the work -basically filling in the blanks from the history chapters - as she sat on the examination table. At one point, she burst into tears - tired and completely overwhelmed. I've already told her that her grades don't really matter to me. But she wants to do well. And she really doesn't want me to tell her that she'll have to study to do well.
So,she completed the work but didn't really read the chapters. And so when the test rolled around, she considered that she *had* studied. She recognized the words, but she didn't KNOW them....as evidenced by the 49 she got on the test.

This has a huge impact on her self esteem. She starts talking about not being ABLE to do this work. But the truth is simply that she doesn't have any study skills.

So, currently, the plan:

• Study 2 hours per night - no texting, no computer, no T.V. during this time
• Bring Algebra home every day. Review the work, even if it's completed in class
• Read the History chapters that go with the vocab/homework
  
• Work on Geography for Test
• When we get the English, study it as well

This is a VERY foreign-looking life for us. And if her self-esteem wasn't so tied into her test results, we'd opt for something way more relaxed. But for now, this is where we're heading.