*Welcomes Self To SOCNET*

Hello!

I've been reading for awhile, I find this a great place.

So here's my story (Oh you knew it didn't you?):

I'm 16 and I've got aspirations of joining the Navy when I turn 17 and going out for the finest SpecOps our nation has to offer, United States Navy SEALs.

My first year of high school, I was a liberal idiot, just a real screw around, still smart, just bad mistakes and laziness.

My second year I started getting my stuff together, but then I had to go in for surgery on my knee, I had my ACL replaced and my meniscus repaired. Cadaver graft on the meniscus. I had an excellent sports surgeon, he did the work on Jerry Rice's knee, and my knee is 100% better, if not stronger than it ever was. This of course is because of modern technology being able to use an achelises tendon to construct an ACL out of. So anyways, this took me out of school for enough time to wreck my grade situation.

This year, my third year, I started off with a bang, I did everything right, did the work to my potential, but there was a small problem, my English 11 teacher didn't like my writings. She was pretty much this leftist zombie on top of being a hard grader. I knew it was causing problems so I sought to correct the problem right away, as nothing was going to stop me from obtaining my goals. I went to my school councilor and told him the situation. He said there was nothing he could do, my options were to either stay in the class (and fail) drop the class with an F (fail) or get my GED. Now the situation I was faced with was either waste my time and end with an unfavorable result, or get my GED.

I researched it as much as I could in the time frame I had before having to make the final choice.

I turn 17 on July 28, 2004, and I plan on enlisting.

I know you can go out for SEALs with a HP3 which I'm assuming includes the GED.

My question is any of this going to cause me problems?

After I complete my GED requirements here in the next few days I'm going to be looking to take college classes at my community college, I'm dedicated to this, I work 11 hour days to accumulate money to take classes, and I'm no dumb bunny.

I know a high score on ASVAB will increase my chances of being accepted with a GED, but I read somewhere about 15 college credits putting me in a Tier 1 instead of the Tier 2.

I know this is rambling and I'll surely get slammed for it, but what are your guy’s opinions on my current situation?

I'm going to be trying to get a hold of the closest recruiter ASAP, but I'm kind of sitting here wondering and worrying.

OK! NOW YOU CAN FLAME :D

[Lurch]

Originally posted by WhenTheEagleCries
my options were to either stay in the class (and fail)

Already quitting.
Bad start.

Originally posted by Steve1/75
Already quitting.
Bad start.

Negative, she was going to make me fail. I've never been a person to blame other people for my problems (which is why I tried taking direct action immediately) but this woman didn't want me to go on.

The criteria of English 11 at the school I was attending was to dissect "classic" writings in order to "further understand contemporary America."

She would constantly mark me down for not "getting it" because I saw things a different way. Hell, she told us to write in our journals about our opinion on betrayal, and I wrote about good ol France, oh did she have lots to say about that.

Public Schooling is rather bad these days.

The whole thing with me getting my GED was even if I passed this year and next, I still had to make up 15 credits from prior problems, the GED seemed like the best solution for me, and most agreed, simply because it'll get me where I need to get [Which I'd feel a lot better about if someone could give me some insight...]. It's also not like its the end of anything, if I ever want to go back and take care of business, that's always an option, I'd just rather not, I know its arrogant, but I feel I'm above public schooling, at least here in Oregon (I'm not orig. from Oregon, I'm from Southern CA [Heh, not much better schooling]) I'd rather get out in the world and get stuff done than sit by and listen to a guy who has Stalin paintings and a Hammer and Sickle throughout his room.

[Fast Eddie]

Just getting a good seat before the action movie starts!

Shit! I forgot the popcorn, Someone bring an extra bag when you come in.:D

[rmediver2002]

The whole thing with me getting my GED was even if I passed this year and next, I still had to make up 15 credits from prior problems, the GED seemed like the best solution for me,

The easiest or the best?

Why the rush to join as soon as your 17?

I'm going to be trying to get a hold of the closest recruiter ASAP

http://www.navy.com/joinnow

[Doogie320]

5 points.

[Ratliff]

You know that show Gallegher, when the front row pulls a plastic sheet over themselves right before he starts busting shit with the sledge hammer...........thats what I feel like.

[rheanna]

Originally posted by Steve1/75
Already quitting.
Bad start.

What! You don't want to read Cat in the Hat when you can read Don Quxote? Silly you. Your school counselor sucks. You don't need a GED. You can still get a high school diploma, you just have to do it for yourself.

You can take classes at your local community college (for free in most states that I know of) under a homeschooling program known as independent learning. Search on the net for that and search "unschooling". You have to find a "credit bank". I'm sure they exist in Oregon. They will keep a record of your courses, provide you a transcript and provide you with a High School Diploma.

If you can't search out more on your own, send me a PM.

[IrishEKU]

Originally posted by Fast Eddie


Shit! I forgot the popcorn, Someone bring an extra bag when you come in.:D

*KLUNK* (Sets Cooler down) Got the pop corn!





WTEC,

Never been a SEAL or plan on it, too old and to many impacts with Mother Earth, but as Steve 1/75 stated, you are off to a bad start. As many of the BTDT's will tell you, adapt and overcome. There is no second best. Stop looking for loop holes.

FWIW, play her tune, write what she wants to hear and pass the class. If you think HS is tough, wait untill you get to college and have the same " guy who has Stalin paintings and a Hammer and Sickle throughout his room" holding your short and curlies.

Teachers like that may think they are "shaping the minds" of tomorrows leaders but I have fooled a few of them, got my grade and kept my mouth shut.

[fish78]

Silly question here. Why not just play the game and give the teacher what she wants? You don't have to like it, you just have to do it.

Offer to do extra reading, or whatever is required, to help raise your grade to an acceptable level. I don't know the curriculum at your school, but reading the classics will always help you understand modern life. For traditional literature, those that are considered classics, and most poetry, it is helpful to have an understanding of mythology and the Bible. Try Bulfinch for a basic mythology text.

[Footmobile]

.

[Tri]

Howdy, WTEC,

I offer the following constructive advice as a fellow student, hopefully adding some more objective perspective to the situation:

Originally posted by WhenTheEagleCries
She was pretty much this leftist zombie on top of being a hard grader. I knew it was causing problems so I sought to correct the problem right away, as nothing was going to stop me from obtaining my goals. I went to my school councilor and told him the situation.

Was your first action to go directly to your councilor? Have you talked to your teacher? Personally, when I do poorly on an assignment, usually an assignment from English class, like yourself, I go directly to the teacher. Your councilor was not the one who graded the paper; therefore, he cannot really tell you what you did wrong that justifies the grade. Only your teacher can do that. Even if you do not get anything out of the meeting with your teacher, at least your teacher will know that you are committed to success. Hopefully though, through the meeting, you will learn what the teacher wants. All you have to do then is give it.

Originally posted by WhenTheEagleCries

Negative, she was going to make me fail. I've never been a person to blame other people for my problems (which is why I tried taking direct action immediately) but this woman didn't want me to go on.

By direct action, do you mean talk to your councilor? If so, see above. Did she actually tell you, “I don’t want you to go on?” Remember, if you turn in flawless writings, your teacher is going to have trouble marking you down. Support everything you say with perfect grammar. It’s hard for teachers to just make errors on your page.

Originally posted by WhenTheEagleCries
She would constantly mark me down for not "getting it" because I saw things a different way. Hell, she told us to write in our journals about our opinion on betrayal, and I wrote about good ol France, oh did she have lots to say about that.

What were the actual instructions for the assignment about betrayal? Usually, in a literature class, teachers want you to support your ideas with classic literature. Usually, after reading a work, the teacher tells you about the interpretations of that work. Those interpretations may have been written by liberals, but the teacher might be testing you on what you learned in class. For instance, if my math teacher puts a problem on a test about finding the zeroes of a quadratic function and just taught about the quadratic formula, she probably does not want me to use the factoring method. Anyway, how France betrayed us in the Iraq conflict is not classic literature; therefore, it may or may not be good support for your opinion on betrayal. Your teacher may have wanted to read something about “Macbeth” or whatever you were learning about at that time. Possibly, you might be developing your own opinions rather than seeing the big picture of what the teacher is trying to accomplish through the lesson.

Originally posted by WhenTheEagleCries
Public Schooling is rather bad these days.

What makes you say that? What would your ideal system have that the current one does not have?

Originally posted by WhenTheEagleCries
I know its arrogant, but I feel I'm above public schooling, at least here in Oregon (I'm not orig. from Oregon, I'm from Southern CA [Heh, not much better schooling])

Have you really “maxed out” the schooling? Are you in a magnet program? All Advance Placement courses and such? If you are doing this and are still bored, a possible idea is to take concurrent courses at the community college. One of my friends is doing that. Right now, he is in Calculus II. He was accepted to the Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS).

Originally posted by WhenTheEagleCries
I'd rather get out in the world and get stuff done than sit by and listen to a guy who has Stalin paintings and a Hammer and Sickle throughout his room.

Originally posted by WhenTheEagleCries
She would constantly mark me down for not "getting it" because I saw things a different way. Hell, she told us to write in our journals about our opinion on betrayal, and I wrote about good ol France, oh did she have lots to say about that.

Originally posted by WhenTheEagleCries
He said there was nothing he could do, my options were to either stay in the class (and fail) drop the class with an F (fail) or get my GED.

Out of curiosity and confusion, is your teacher a male or female? If female, are you saying that your councilor is also a communist? Does your councilor and/or teacher actually have communist paraphernalia in his/ her room? Is the paraphernalia out of context (i.e. some relics of the USSR and the USA from the Cold War might be appropriate in a History classroom)?

Eleventh grade literature was tough for me too, but the course turned out to be a growing experience. I still am learning how to write well, which considering that I am still taking literature courses is a good thing. Good Luck!

--Ted

[Edited for grammar]

This coming from someone who did the "I hate my liberal English teacher and did crazy stuff just to piss her off and got bad grades then did the test and got early dude", stay in. Do what you have to without compromising your values. If you present a logical argument that is relevant to the material, and shows you understand what she is trying to teach, I don't see how she could give you a bad grade.
What happens when you get a PSG or PL (Or the Navy's equivalent of such) who just doesn't like you? You gonna ask for a transfer? No. You just have to work it out.

EDITED TO SAY: This sounds like a case of putting blame on someone else to explain shortcomings. "She's going to make you fail?" Come on now.

[Sneaky SF Dude]

Mmmm. Matchanu gets a chew toy for Thanksgiving.

[Lurch]

Originally posted by WhenTheEagleCries
Negative, she was going to make me fail. I've never been a person to blame other people for my problems (which is why I tried taking direct action immediately) but this woman didn't want me to go on.

Every Military school I went to it seemed like the instructors were going out of their way to make me fail. Just wait until you get some mean crusty and uglier than sin NCO in your face telling you his goal will be to wash you out, and he’ll mean it.
With your attitude you’ll come apart like a cheap suit.

[Bravo_One_Three]

West Linn... that's my AO!

[EarthPig]

Originally posted by AirbornePaintman
This coming from someone who did the "I hate my liberal English teacher and did crazy stuff just to piss her off and got bad grades then did the test and got early dude", stay in. Do what you have to without compromising your values. If you present a logical argument that is relevant to the material, and shows you understand what she is trying to teach, I don't see how she could give you a bad grade.
What happens when you get a PSG or PL (Or the Navy's equivalent of such) who just doesn't like you? You gonna ask for a transfer? No. You just have to work it out.

I would give the same advice...good post.
RLTW
EP

[Bohr Adam]

Originally posted by WhenTheEagleCries
Hello!

I've been reading for awhile, I find this a great place.

Hence another illustration of the difference between "reading" and "comprehending."

Also, why do I get the feeling that your definition of "awhile" differs from most of the posters on this forum?

I'm surprised the show hasn't started yet. The Navy folks must still be recovering from overdoses of turkey - we know how much they like to eat.

Now, please excuse me as a duck back under my rock - notably WELL above sea level.

All very good posts, but everyone kind of ignored the fact that I'm already out of high school, that's done, bada-bing.

It wasn't just that teacher, you have to understand the circumstances of I couldn't risk failing that class. I was already 15 in the hole.

An example of how she was, we were assigned to do opinion papers, so I wrote a 7 page report on the war in Iraq and all the details that weren't being reported in the news.

After I read it to my class, it didn't fly because "It didn't have enough supporting details." There wasn't anything in there that wasn't a supporting detail, you can't write a 7 page paper on anything unless you have details.

REGARDLESS, I am OUT of that CLASS and HIGH SCHOOL. So beating a dead horse about staying in the class is out, if it was a mistake leaving, I'll accept that, but I can't do anything but move on from here.

[Doogie320]

I stand corrected.... 6 points, maybe 7.