Transitioning from chassidish school to regents high school

amother

Brunette

Tue, Nov 21 2017, 8:31 pm

My nephew is currently in a chassidish 8th grade. He is weak in all English subjects. Has anyone ever transferred from a chassidish H.S. to a high school that takes regents and been successful?

thunderstorm

Tue, Nov 21 2017, 8:32 pm

Yes. My son went from Bobov to a regents highschool and is in Eleventh grade. He has done amazingly well and was always at the top of his class

doctorima

Tue, Nov 21 2017, 9:21 pm

I'm sure it's been done, but it won't be easy. I would start getting him tutors in core subjects - math and English to start - to bring him up to speed as much as possible. If that goes well, in the spring or summer, I would work on science and/or social studies.

amother

Beige

Tue, Nov 21 2017, 9:31 pm

I know someone in Brooklyn who has experience tutoring exactly this kind of situation. Let me know if you want her number.

sister1

Tue, Nov 21 2017, 10:35 pm

I hate to say this, but plenty of boys from litvish schools are weak too. Most boys who do well on regents study on their own and don't rely on teachers from school. If he's motivated to do well, he'll be fine. I'm pretty sure he's on pretty equal footing with everyone else! Good luck!

amother

Green

Tue, Nov 21 2017, 10:42 pm

Do any chassidish yeshivahs take regents in high school? I know Ger used to but they don't anymore.

CDL

Tue, Nov 21 2017, 10:48 pm

sister1 wrote:

I don’t think this is true at all. Litvish schools might be weak , but not as weak as (some of) the chasidish yeshivas.

Maya

Wed, Nov 22 2017, 12:01 am

We transferred my son , but at a much younger age. He was tutored in English subjects during the summer months before the school year started.

In your position, the least I would do is hire someone who's knowledgeable about the level of academics expected for kids entering that high school, evaluate your nephew and see how well or badly he does, and decide from there if tutoring is necessary.
Personally, I would give the child help either way. Why make him struggle even for the first few months if it can be easily prevented ?

amother

Lavender

Wed, Nov 22 2017, 5:20 am

amother wrote:

Do any chassidish yeshivahs take regents in high school? I know Ger used to but they don't anymore.

Bobov- optional

amother

Crimson

Wed, Nov 22 2017, 11:06 am

amother wrote:

Do any chassidish yeshivahs take regents in high school? I know Ger used to but they don't anymore.

I think Stolin does (or did)

amother

Lilac

Wed, Nov 22 2017, 11:43 am

amother wrote:

My nephew is currently in a chassidish 8th grade. He is weak in all English subjects. Has anyone ever transferred from a chassidish H.S. to a high school that takes regents and been successful?

I guess you don't want him to have an education you had. Weak is שוואך and that is Yiddish Wink

amother

Honeydew

Thu, Nov 23 2017, 10:09 am

Lilac, I teach in a regents high school and we use the term "weak" for poor students. Sorry.

amother

Brunette

Thu, Nov 23 2017, 10:19 am

amother wrote:

https://youtu.be/L5xge_pWb4E
That's your answer!

I think this woman is wrong with just about every word that came out if her mouth.

Zehava

Thu, Nov 23 2017, 10:49 am

Well we’re all women here and it’s different for us since girls even in the most chassidish schools get a way better education than the boys.
That said if he’s a smart kid and has a good grasp of the English language it’s doable.
Personally I found many of the regents to be pretty dumb and easy. Most are multiple choice and the answers are sometimes really obvious.
To a mind sharpened by Gemara they should not be that murderously hard.
To me my schools tests and finals were always a lot harder than the regents.

Maya

Thu, Nov 23 2017, 1:55 pm

Zehava wrote:

If you're unfamiliar with the material, and never heard of certain words or concepts in your life, your mind can be as sharpened as anything and it won't help you.

Zehava

Thu, Nov 23 2017, 2:26 pm

Maya wrote:

If you're unfamiliar with the material, and never heard of certain words or concepts in your life, your mind can be as sharpened as anything and it won't help you.

I was. Unfamiliar with the material that is. And having a sharp mind absolutely helped me. I laughed sometimes at the obviousness of the answers.
I maintain as long as he has a good grasp of the English language and can understand what he’s reading he should be fine.

thunderstorm

Thu, Nov 23 2017, 2:45 pm

Zehava wrote:

I agree about having a good grasp of the English language to be important. We don't speak Yiddish at home and my boys love to read. I believe that the reading my son did even while in Chasidish cheder definitely laid the groundwork for his transition into highschool. His biggest struggle was Algebra but he tried and didn't give up and did better than I did on the regents. And that was with only 1 1/2 hrs a day of secular studies, and NO homework!