I guess part of me sees the situation like this: DS has done entry level college courses during the summer institutes with kids who are serious students, advanced, amazing, high achievers. They have talked about brilliant test scores and lofty goals of great colleges. Now, he is in "honors" classes that are a charade, he is the highest grades in all but one of these classes (except one--French), and many of the kids don't care. I look at Miraca Gross articles and think about radical acceleration and just enrolling him in college classes EXCEPT he wants to have some semblance of high school experience. He does not want to homeschool, even Stanford online, and doesn't want fancy prep boarding school. I am just trying to avoid him "wasting time" or getting discouraged with busy work, or wanting to drop out (a rising phenomena in our school district with gifted kids), or doing things like DH & I did when we were bored in HS (skipping school).
Oh Cym, it sure gets harder as they get older and want more of a say in their educational plan. I think the thing to do is lots and lots of conversations with DS about what he exactly he wants from a high school experience, and how he is doing in his 'honors' classes. For better or for worse I think your role here is to be a consultant as much as possible, and to throw occasional fits when he's really heading far off course. Can he do online classes during the school day in the library, and attend art and music at the school? Can he dual enroll college and high school? Is there an independent study he can really sink his teeth into? A mentor?
There probably is a lot to be gained by doing clubs and social life of a high school student, and he probably has more capasity to be bored than he did when he was 5. Now that my DS11 has tasted hard work and academic challenge, he's saying that he can see the benifit of easy classes and lots of friends - not that he could actually pull that off. But I can see that he is hearing the siren call of the social world. Tough times ahead is all I can say. ((pout)) I reminds me of all those in the womb motions that were practice for the next phase of life. I think our boys are making motions for - ug - independent living. Just wish we had more choices.
BTW - please don't be too hard on the school for teaching to the majority of kids - not so many children his age are ready for those intro college classes that he's already done.
Love and More Love,
Grinity
