And We Fixed It.
One of the reasons Dylan is dropping chorus is because chorus takes place during second period.
At Dylan’s high school, they run on a semester schedule – to an extent. Some of the classes go right along, as if nothing had changed. Other classes are only half-year classes and end in January. All the classes have two parts – which means you can change classes midway through for almost any reason.
This is not something the school likes to broadcast, and they gave me a hard time when I started poking around. But as it happens, Dylan has an IEP – so he gets a bit of “special” treatment, especially when it comes to possible class failure.
The big issue is that Dylan’s energy starts to wane right around sixth period. Historically, whatever class he takes last is the class he hates most – and also the class in which he does most poorly. Last year, for example, English and Spanish were his last two classes – and his worst.
Now in high school, he has computer science class last. He’s been doing a great job in the class, because it’s entirely hands-on. There are no mind-numbing lectures and there’s no paperwork. Computers are one of the things that Dylan can do endlessly without tiring. He can stay focused when something is on a computer. And best of all, he loves it.
But next semester, computer science moves to sixth period. Dylan was scheduled to have English and Geometry as his last two classes.
The deadly last two classes were going to include math – which is already a struggle.
So I talked to Dylan. I talked to the school. And we fixed it.
We found a P.E. class that he can take last period – yay! Dylan desperately needs P.E. class. (In fact, while they only “need” one year of P.E. to graduate, I’d like him to take P.E. every year.) We moved Geometry to first period, which bumped history to second period – and eliminated chorus, the only class he was willing to drop.
“So I have a really hard morning and nothing to do in the afternoon!” he said gleefully.
“You still have English seventh period,” I reminded him.
Dylan loves his English teacher, and while he doesn’t always turn in his work, he enjoys the class.
“So nothing bad to do in the afternoon!” he said.
We are all set for second semester.