The name made me smile! For years our "special ed" classes were labelled "Adaption"-the highest level. "Opportunity"-usually moderate cognitive impairment-and "Skills"-lowest level-

tabitha - From reading mrs.anteater's post that this was a 'special ed' class.  Rather I took it as recognition that not all students choose to go on to university,    Some may choose to learn a trade. 

While I am glad that my two children choose academics and both received degrees, the one who followed up with a course in IT is using that training to earn a living, and I have seen many young people drop out of university to enter the unskilled job market, or to switch to a community college where they may have been happier in the first place.

I think the potential problem might be in young people locking themselves into a program too soon, before they know what they want in life, and not getting the background in the subjects they might need to switch career choices in another year or two or ten.

Seeler is right, this isn't special ed- though they do want to know if you have any LD.

From what I heard, there was a special ed program before and that is what most of the parents of the students are now thinking- that's why the program is slow to start- it's still perceived as special ed. I was the only parent who came to the information session...

Tabitha,

I doubt you had to go for an interview for the special ed classes. In O2, if you don't keep up your marks, you are out. My friend's son had the chance to apply for an internship in construction for a couple of weeks through the program, something that would have cost him a couple hundred dollars as part of college- and then can continue to work there as a summer job while finishing Grade 12. I think he is aiming at becoming some kind of construction site manager or so.

I KNOW this isn't special ed. What I remarked on was the name that had been used.

Here in Edmonton we have 2 different trade focused routes. One is RAP-it's work experience that pays and starts you on your apprenticeship-while you complete high school.

The second is a smaller pilot project targeted at students who are good with their hands. They send 1/2 day for 1/2 year learning in health care, resturant or aviation. They do their traditional schooling the other term and 1/2 of this special term!

Its good to know that schools are now offering these alternate routes that young people can explore while getting their education.  I might have chosen quite differently when I was 14 or 15 if I had had these opportunities to explore various activities until I found the proper fit.   I just hope that some students don't find themselve locked in a program that might not ultimately be the best fit, but find that in doing so they have closed other doors to opportunities. 

That sounds like a great option mrs.anteater. There are some alternative programs in Vancouver, but I haven't heard of anything quite like what you are describing. Good luck to Junior Anteater.

Thanks,myst, junior is quiet exited about it- but he hasn't had his interview yt, so he is not sure that he will get in. One thing I like about it is that the teacher ensured me that spelling will not be an issue, because they will do everything on the computer and use speech recognition if they have to. If he could learn to be better organized, I will be happy.

 It sounds like a terrific program.  I wish we had more specialized programs in my district for students who aren't necessarily university-bound.   I hope it is a great success and can expand so that more students can benefit from it.

I have heard that there are more job opportunities in the skilled trades than there are for university graduates right now. 

I remember when Seelerboy was at University.  One summer he worked in a program for school drop-outs or potential drop-outs.  The first object was (1)  to get  them back in school or (2) to prepare them for employment.    

Several years later, he has his first degree but no permanent job.   The side window on the car wouldn't close, so he took it in for repair.  Back home.  How much did it cost?

"No charge.    Remember that summer program.  I placed one of the boys with an auto-glass repair shop for work experience because I knew he just wasn't interested in going back to school.  He's a manager there now.  It didn't take him long to find and replace the broken cable, and he wouldn't take my money." 

i wish your son good luck if this is his choice of program.

On the other hand, one thing that I do think regular high school offers is the opportunity to discover that you are good at something.

Many students enter highschool with pretty low opinion of both school and their abilities.  Perhaps they are late bloomers, had poor teachers, didn't go to a big enough school to offer lots of choices and of course, all courses are mandatory in elementary school.

But then high school can offer alot of choice.  In languages, maths and sciences, different history and geography courses, business course, music, arts........

Sometimes it is one course or one teacher or just being older that can show a child that they have lots to offer.

I agree that learning a trade can be a valuable thing.  Plumbers and stone masons and electricians, long distance truck drivers.....  all these are good paying jobs.

It does sound though that while getting grade 12 you are eliminating any possibility of university.  It's not for everyone for sure but deciding that in grade 9 while you are still maturing seems early to me

lastpointe - I'm not sure from what little I know (from Mrsanteater's post) that this completely rules out the possibility of going on to university, although this would be one of my concerns that I would look into if my child were considering it.   Perhaps with a bit of foresight and juggling of courses the student could get some of his/her pre-req's in this course - or enough that a bit of up-grading, maybe going back into the main stream for an extra year, would prepare him/her.   It seems to me that lots of young people go back and up-grade their high school after a year or two in the work force, if they choose to go on to university.  I know I did - and that was many years ago.  I switched to strictly commercial subjects (typing, shorthand, bookkeeping) in my final year of high school so that I would be able to get an office job and support myself.  A few years later, I realized that steno wasn't for me, I took a few night courses, wrote entry exams and got into university.  And I always had the skill to fall back on.

Lastpointe,

He will have just a regular Grade 12- good for University or anything else he wants to do. I can't see him going to University right off from Highschool, he isn't great at structuring himself to learn, but I could picture him doing that later in life to build on whatever trade or college program he has learned first. He has similar issues as his Dad, who had only Grade nine, but later came around and got himself an education when he felt the responsability of starting a family.