I had vaguely similar problems, but I think it was dealt with a lot better by my teachers and even my parents to an extent.
My parents did get me into remedial programs (KUMON for English, a maths club after school in primary school, etc). I was also recommended for those "gifted" programs by my teachers. Unfortunately, this didn't really carry over into secondary school (apart from a science extension program in yr7, which kinda rocked) and I was, to a great deal, left to my own devices.
I think the best thing my school did for me was to not allow me into the accellerated maths program and to completely steam-roll my mother when she tried to insist that I should be there.
Yes, I was smart enough to be there. Fortunately, my maths teachers were aware that I would not have coped. They also gave up their lunch times to provide extra help to students, which I took advantage of occasionally.
I was also fortunate enough to have a friend who was very, very organised! So we'd share the research, I'd fix up all the English (she was ESL) and she'd figure out how to present the damned thing :-p
As a teacher, it can be hard to figure things like that out. I do tend to try very hard to focus on how my students go about doing things, but it's not easy. In a normal setting, you have 25-30 kids whose individual needs you need to try to be aware of and cater for, and in a secondary school you might see them for an hour or two per day. It's a flawed system as far as getting to know the students, particularly if they are shy as you just don't get to have those conversations with them as often as you should.
I'm lucky that, this year, I have the same groups for both maths and science so I was able to build up some relationships where I could give them tips for test technique and study habits, even in a group of 50.
It's still hard though, mostly because I still don't know how I study best, let alone how someone else might as my mother thought that there was only one way to study and learn. I just know a few bits and pieces of good advice which I can thank my own teachers for, and I'm still trying to build on that knowledge.
no subject
My parents did get me into remedial programs (KUMON for English, a maths club after school in primary school, etc). I was also recommended for those "gifted" programs by my teachers. Unfortunately, this didn't really carry over into secondary school (apart from a science extension program in yr7, which kinda rocked) and I was, to a great deal, left to my own devices.
I think the best thing my school did for me was to not allow me into the accellerated maths program and to completely steam-roll my mother when she tried to insist that I should be there.
Yes, I was smart enough to be there. Fortunately, my maths teachers were aware that I would not have coped. They also gave up their lunch times to provide extra help to students, which I took advantage of occasionally.
I was also fortunate enough to have a friend who was very, very organised! So we'd share the research, I'd fix up all the English (she was ESL) and she'd figure out how to present the damned thing :-p
As a teacher, it can be hard to figure things like that out. I do tend to try very hard to focus on how my students go about doing things, but it's not easy. In a normal setting, you have 25-30 kids whose individual needs you need to try to be aware of and cater for, and in a secondary school you might see them for an hour or two per day. It's a flawed system as far as getting to know the students, particularly if they are shy as you just don't get to have those conversations with them as often as you should.
I'm lucky that, this year, I have the same groups for both maths and science so I was able to build up some relationships where I could give them tips for test technique and study habits, even in a group of 50.
It's still hard though, mostly because I still don't know how I study best, let alone how someone else might as my mother thought that there was only one way to study and learn. I just know a few bits and pieces of good advice which I can thank my own teachers for, and I'm still trying to build on that knowledge.