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To: YoungAmerican84
I did JC before going to a four year school, and there are a lot of reasons to do it. Nobody cares where you spent your first two years, it's where you graduate. Second, it costs about a quarter what a four year school costs, and the student can generally live at home. Third, it creates an excellent bridge to a four year college. Most freshmen are not mature enough to deal with the temptations of a four year school. I watched a lot of freshmen come in, and there was a huge tendency to party hard in the first semester, and be on scholastic probation the second semester.

Most of the students I work with are plenty intelligent, but they've never learned how to study. I spend probably the first three weeks of class teaching them how to study. By the second half of the class, I can give them an assignment that includes memorizing a full page chart and expect an average of 93 or so.

They can also handle a 300 question test. They're motivated and they want challenges. There's nothing more rewarding than watching a class go from hating to study and do tests to having over half of them voluntarily show up for an optional 2 hour study session. Great feeling, almost as great as walking into a fire station and knowing I've trained over half the people there.

13 posted on 03/13/2007 8:55:06 PM PDT by Richard Kimball (Why yes, I do have a stupid picture for any occasion)
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To: Richard Kimball
Most of the students I work with are plenty intelligent, but they've never learned how to study. I spend probably the first three weeks of class teaching them how to study. By the second half of the class, I can give them an assignment that includes memorizing a full page chart and expect an average of 93 or so.

I wish I had you as a teacher way back when. Somehow -- despite my pathetic study skills -- I managed to squeak my way through a masters degree. But it weren't pretty.

22 posted on 03/13/2007 11:42:08 PM PDT by Constitutionalist Conservative (Eschew obfuscation, y'all.)
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To: Richard Kimball

My daughter is special needs. She's only 10, but I'm already looking at college options for her. She's great at math, and way ahead in math. I'm good at math, and I know she'll have no problem with upper level math. She's already wanting to learn algebra, and I think she's ready for pre-algebra.

Her worst problem is speech problems from brain damage. Because of the speech problems, she has difficulty with writing, and her reading is slow and tedious.

I personally think she'd make a great accountant or a statistician because she loves numbers (and she likes money).

However, she will need to pass language arts classes in college. I keep on thinking that a junior college will be a good way for her to go. She could live at home and take the language arts classes. I can help her if she needs it, her speech therapist could help her, or other tutors could help her. After she passes those classes, she'll be ready for her major.

Plus, junior colleges tend to have smaller classes than a regular college. They also have lots of night classes which would be a good thing for my daughter in that she is a night owl.


25 posted on 03/14/2007 3:54:19 AM PDT by luckystarmom
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To: Richard Kimball

Why would you want them to memorize a full-page chart?


45 posted on 03/14/2007 7:52:43 AM PDT by ladyjane
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