High School

The nation got a new Suicide Hotline on July 16, 2022. All somebody has to do is dial 988 to speak with a trained counselor.

988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), and is now active across the United States. When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary. Source: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Before we discuss suicide in more detail, please print out the logo above and pin it to your kitchen noticeboard. Then, tell your children what 988 is and what it is used for, so they can help somebody in need the same way they do by knowing how and when to call 911.

This video explains how the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline number works.

Suicide: The Subject Nobody Wants To Talk About

Suicide knows no age limits. It is shocking and tragic no matter how or when it occurs. It scatters guilt widely as the friends and loved ones of the deceased wonder what they could have done to prevent somebody from taking her life. What subtle warning signs did

What is ACT?

The California Department of Education answers that question as follows:

The ACT test is designed to assess a high school student's general educational development and ability to complete college-level work.

How do colleges use ACT?

Many colleges use the ACT results as one factor in the admissions process. ACT, a non-profit organization, has developed the test administered in locations around the world.

This video explains ACT.

What does the test cover?

From the ACT website:

"The ACT test covers four subject areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science. Each subject area test receives a score ranging from 1 to 36. The composite score is the average of all four subject area test scores. Many colleges and universities use ACT scores as one factor in making admissions decisions."

When can you take the test?

The ACT is administered here in the United States seven times a year. International testing takes place five times a year. Be sure to consult ACT's website to confirm upcoming test dates and register. Don't wait until the last minute to register.

How much does the test cost?

In 2021 ACT costs $85 for the test and the writing component. If you cannot afford the test, you can apply for a fee waiver.

What if I am homeschooled or require special accommodations?

Homeschooled students will

One of the primary reasons parents send their children to private school is for the individual attention students receive. Private schools can provide that sort of attention because their class sizes are small. Small class sizes work. Small class sizes are one of the main reasons you send your child to private school. With that in mind, let's look at why small class sizes are so important.

1. There's nowhere to hide in a small class.

Imagine your child in a large high school class of 30-35 students. She's not good at math. Most of the students in her class don't understand math and could care less about it. So your daughter hangs out in the back of the room, keeps quiet, and tries to pay attention. The distractions and cutting up around her mitigate against any meaningful learning. Consequently, your daughter falls further and further behind in math. Sadly, public school class sizes increase as school districts struggle with budget deficits. As a result, class sizes of 30-35 students are common.

Contrast that learning environment with 12-14 students seated around a Harkness Table in a boarding school. A Harkness Table is an oval table. The teacher sits at the table with his students. This arrangement places students in a situation where they have no choice but to engage and interact with each other and with their teacher. A Harkness table creates a climate for learning.

This video discusses teaching in large versus small classes.

Implicit in the

Traveling in uncertain times is a challenge for most of us adults. So, imagine how many dangers, real and imagined, a young person will face. Recently I flew to Aguascalientes, Mexico. Although I have been flying for many years, I became acutely aware of how challenging flying has become in this pandemic era. Masking and social distancing aside, I encountered many new obstacles that were not part of my travel experience even a few years ago. I'll point some of these out.

The young traveler

Whether you send your child off to visit her grandparents or send her back to school, you know she has to travel safely. After all, you have experienced just about every situation and glitch you can imagine during your travels. But remember that you were traveling as an adult. You had the financial resources to book a hotel room the minute the airline canceled your flight, and your flight out was early the following morning. You knew what to do to comply with TSA requirements as you made your way through airport security.

Most importantly, you were streetsmart and aware of your surroundings and had an exit path ready in case of some crisis. These are just a few of the things that you need to teach your children before they travel alone. David P. writing on Passportinfo.com, offers sound advice in his article Teens Traveling Alone – What You Need To Know.

This video offers some airport tips

The college admissions scandal of 2019 proved that cheating is endemic throughout the secondary and tertiary levels of education. Nor is cheating restricted to college admissions tests and applications. We find examples of it in the classroom, on term papers, projects, and more. I will omit a discussion of cheating in elementary school in this essay and cover it in another article.

In 2011, when I read about students paying another person to take their SATs, I was appalled. What were they thinking? And how did they pull it off? Looking back on my high school and university years, I realize now that it was tough to cheat in the 50s and 60s. That was because all of the examinations that I took required us to write out our answers in pen. We didn't have multiple choice exams. No punch cards. I did occasionally hear of students who wrote out formulas on the palms or who looked over at a neighbor's answer book. But that was about it. Fast forward to the age of smartphones, and cheating has gone digital.

This video explains what contract cheating is and how it works.

Our role as parents

I will confess that I was, and, indeed, still am, a somewhat naive parent. I assume good things will happen. I also believe that my children will do the right thing. For the most part,