Help-Confused

[ChristinaKs]

When my oldest had the opportunity to work at a veterinary office, I allowed her to do so. She started out as a kennel tech part time, then she switched jobs to another clinic where she was able to do a lot of cool things like actually take vitals, blood, she performed dentals, and even helped out with surgery, as well as do receptionist work, pay bills, do the clinic shopping etc. I'm sure there was much more as I was not hovering over her. She only worked as a kennel tech for three months and then she moved to the other clinic where she worked for almost two years. Her hours bordered full time.

My question is, she didn't complete the dissection labs part for her biology, but she had this other opportunity. She argued that she should receive some kind of credit for working at a vet and still not have to do the dissections. I do know for sure she helped with surgeries and this clinic is one of the more prestigious in our area, they even do the zoo animals here. What are the thoughts on this? Has anyone given credit for their children working? Life skills etc?

Christina

[BeckyFL]

This sounds similar.

[Martha]

As long as she actually participated in dissection, then I'd feel okay giving lab credit for biology. If you feel watching a vet surgery qualifies as participating, then I would think that's okay. In many schools they don't have enough materials for every student so they have to share in dissections. I would think watching and assisting a vet woudl be at least as good a credit as that?

[ChristinaKs]

Thanks for the input, I know feel so much better.

Christina

[Vicki]

When my son was in high school he worked as a dental assistant. We put it on his transcript as a work study credit. I was told that the public school her gave them 3 hours of credit for working 8:30-12:30 and it was called a work study credit.
You are the teacher, if you want it to count as her labs, then give her credit for it. I once met a high school biology teacher from another part of the state and he said they had beautiful labs and he tried to get his students in their atleast a couple of times a year to use the microscopes, but they didn't do any dissections. He wanted to, but there wasn't any money for it. They used virutal labs.
God bless,
Vicki

[Lori D.]

Forgive me if I am misreading your post... But... I think it all boils down to whether or not she's covered the information that's covered in a high school biology course. Working lots of hours at a Vet's office is a wonderful and education experience -- but it's not a substitute for learning the information that is expected of a student studying biology.

Again, forgive me if I'm misreading your post and thinking that the *only* Biology work your daughter did was to work in the Vet's office... but... if that is the case, then you could legitimately give your daughter:

- 1 credit (180 hours) = Veterinarian Lab Science -- for animal hands-on hours worked
- 1 credit (180 hours) = Work Study (or Internship, or ...) -- for office hours worked
- partial credit = Biology (depending on what she covered in textbook or other high school level research, activities or materials -- along with hours worked in the Vet office)


It sounds like her work for the vet should certainly be counted *towards* biology. You and your daughter will have to determine whether or not she has covered enough of the material in a biology course (through any textbook, video class, actual classroom or other science resources) to give her full credit (or partial credit) for Biology. Bottom line: if she hasn't covered enough of the topics below -- or in enough depth or with enough labs -- then consider giving her 1/2 or 2/3 or 3/4 of a credit for Biology -- whatever the 2 of you determine to be realistic. (If it were me: if she's covered all the topics below through her school studies, but is ONLY missing some dissections, I'd give her a full Biology credit.) Just my 2 cents worth! BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

A high school biology lab course typically covers the following topics, each with appropriate labs:
- chemistry of life
- ecology
- cells
- genetics
- evolution
- classification
- microorganisms
- fungi
- plants
- invertebrates
- chordates
- human body

[ChristinaKs]

Lori,

To answer your question, she completed Apologia Biology, she just didn't do the dissections.

Although the job was a great experience, I don't think I'll allow the rest of my children do it, it took too much away from some of her other studies, mainly math as we did not get beyond Algebra I, even though we tried really hard. It took two years to get through pre-algebra and two to get through Algebra I (Math-U-See, Keys to Algebra, and even some tutoring, she just didn't get it. I'm not having a problem with my other children so far.)

And thank you for your 2 cents worth and of course everyone else's.

Christina

[Pamela H in Texas]

JMO, but I would say that she would get work-study credit and/or some elective like veterinary science, possibly (the possibly being because hands on would only be a portion; did she do some kind of studying book wise also?).

But no, I would not let her out of the Biology labs. I'd have her finish those up.