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Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Saturday, August 6, 2011
Former principal offers advice for teens on school with good study habits. I’m really concerned. What should I do? — Brenda, Garden Grove, Calif. BRENDA: Your counselor could use a bit of constructive counseling. The nursing profession DR. WALLACE: I’m in the welcomes solid B stu11th grade and would like to dents with good study habits. become a nurse. Be assured that there I talked with my school are many colleges and counselor to see about getuniversities that will welting into college, but she told me that my IQ was only come students like you. Living in Southern 101 and I should plan to do California provides you something else. with the opportunity to I am a solid B student By Dr. ROBERT WALLACE Creators News Service
Don’t let counselor dissuade you from dream job
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you can tell me why teachers always compare brothers and sisters and think they should be equal. — Nameless, Sacramento, Calif. NAMELESS: It’s just human nature to expect a lot from the children or siblings of those who have a particular talent. DR. WALLACE: I’m 16 Mickey Mantle was a hall and the youngest child. I’ve got two older sisters attend- of fame baseball player. When his twin sons ing college. signed their first profesBoth of them are on the sional baseball contract, border of brilliancy. They were straight-A stu- many expected them to be as skilled as their dents who were really wellfamous father. liked by their teachers. I’m It didn’t work out that no idiot, but I don’t border way. on brilliancy. There is nothing wrong My teachers, many of with teachers expecting them taught my sisters, younger siblings to match don’t understand why I’m what older brothers and a normal B student. These sisters have achieved. teachers have accused me However, if this doesn’t of being lazy, having an “I occur, the teachers don’t care” attitude and should discuss the reason being defiant. why and then deal with These accusations just reality. aren’t true. A teacher’s prime goal I care about my studies, do my homework and get the should be to accept all students the way they best grades possible. are and take them as far I know there’s not much as their abilities allow. you can do, but since you’re Some of your teachers a former educator, maybe apparently don’t see you as an individual — with a brilliance that happens to be different from that of your sisters. It might be a good idea for you and your parents to have a conference with your counselor to discuss your concerns.
leges refuse to rely solely on IQ scores because they are sometimes considered to be unreliable.
Teen is tired of being compared to sisters
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DR. WALLACE: I’m 16 and live with my parents and 11-year-old sister. My dad is an attorney and my mother is a registered nurse. Both work late and usually don’t get home until after 6 p.m. My sister gets home at 3:15 p.m., and I’ve got to be there and watch over her until my parents get home. This means I can’t par-
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attend a superb local community college, which will be more than happy to accept you as a student. Do well and your grades and credits will transfer to any college in the nation. And that includes Harvard, Yale, Stanford and Knox. If you decide that you don’t want to continue working for your bachelor’s degree but still want to work in the medical field, a counselor at the community college will provide you with an appropriate curriculum available at the school you will be attending. Keep up the good academic work — in a few years you will be called “Nurse Brenda.” I was a principal in the Garden Grove School District. The counselors I worked with were effective professionals. I don’t know how the unprofessional counselor fell through the “cracks.” Many schools and col-
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