Finishing subjects before year's end in high school

[ncmomo3]

I have always just started with the next level in lower grades, but looking at high school coming up....I'm sort of stumped. Do you all generally go forward with a new subj. or does it depend upon the individual subjects as to what you decide?

[Chris in VA]

We find that high school is so full, we don't even finish some things.

[ncmomo3]

We find that high school is so full, we don't even finish some things.

Yikes--I haven't considered that. That just shows I may not be as ready as I hoped.:confused:

[Barb F. PA in AZ]

We do go on to the next thing. Particularly in areas like Vocabulary or Math. Our school year isn't strictly divided, so we count credits much like colleges do. Rather than promoting them at the end of the year, we promote them as they finish 8, then 16, then 24 credits...whenever that happens to be.

Barb

[ncmomo3]

We do go on to the next thing. Particularly in areas like Vocabulary or Math. Our school year isn't strictly divided, so we count credits much like colleges do. Rather than promoting them at the end of the year, we promote them as they finish 8, then 16, then 24 credits...whenever that happens to be.

Barb

Do you find that at all difficult to track or is it easier that way?

[FloridaLisa]

We don't neessarily go on to the next thing in the sense of moving on to the next math or science or whatnot. Ds just finished up debate for the year, but will add in a foreign language. As some of his classes finish in April, he'll need that extra time to study for AP and SAT II exams. So far, we've used summers for review of math with ALEKS, rather than moving on. I can also see using freed-up time for volunteer work or a job. There are so many things that fill up time in high school!

HTH,
Lisa

[Barb F. PA in AZ]

Do you find that at all difficult to track or is it easier that way?

I just keep a running list of what we're doing, most recent course first, resume-style, kind of like this:

Mathematics:
Algebra II/Trigonometry
Geometry
Algebra I

Language Arts:
Literature and Composition II
Literature and Composition I

Humanities:
Public Speaking
Philosophy

Etc...

Then our transcript is also grouped by heading, toughest material on top, rather than by year. We don't date anything because the way we work, some courses are done over a long period of time (ie Philosophy might take all 4 years to visit and revisit as we study history) and others over a very short period of time. I've had some on this board take me to task last year because some of our courses take longer than a year to study, but I don't have a problem with that. By the time the 4 years is over, I believe the student can have a deeper and broader understanding of a topic she loves than if she were forced to push through it in a year without the added benefit of increasing maturity.

This method also works very well for the 4 year rotation of history. We never worry about where our breaking off point is each year. We just study the history and at the end of the 4 years, we break what we've done in roughly 4 parts and name them.

I know our method isn't for everyone, or even for many, but I find it takes away so much pressure just to *finish* everything each year. Learning feels more interwoven in our lifestyle, like in the early years. It's probably my inner unschooler seeping out.

Barb

[ncmomo3]

Barb
Wow, this certainly is a method that I have not considered. I really appreciate the time you took to respond to this.
Thank you so much. I'm off to ponder....

[Barb F. PA in AZ]

Barb
Wow, this certainly is a method that I have not considered. I really appreciate the time you took to respond to this.
Thank you so much. I'm off to ponder....

Sure, and if you'd like to see my oldest daughter's transcript just to get an idea of how it came together, PM me and I'll dig it up.

Barb

[ncmomo3]

I did pm you Barb, thanks.

[Ellie]

after a decent break, of course :-)

[Kelli in TN]

We just keep on trucking along.

My whole approach is very relaxed as far as scheduling. Everyone goes year round except for high school seniors. They have to finish up so they can graduate! When we finish something, we just pull out the next thing and keep on going. Our transcripts are grouped by grade, but our umbrella school lets us declare it to be whatever grade we wish (within reason). I just call each course by the grade level in which she did the bulk of the work.

[Sharon in MD]

I find that with homeschooling high school, it is pretty rare that we finish a subject before the term is over. But, I think there are a tremendous number of variables that go into that. For instance, how many extra curricular activities are your family members involved in. We loose alot of time in our home to running to Dance Co. rehearsals, piano lessons, dance lessons, group bible studies, and co-op type classes. Yeah, you can do some school in the car, but it is so much less efficient that we see a big impact in terms of getting done.

Another thing to consider is how many credits you want your high schooler to tackle each year. Are you going to count things like instrumental or vocal lessons and ensembles as credits or as extra curricular? I have tried to find a balance on both for us....we count piano as a fine arts credit because ds might want to minor in it or try to find some scholarship money there...and I figured it couldn't hurt to show it as a credit. But for him all the dance stuff he does is e.c.

For our family though, if we have finished a subject for the year...it is gone and nothing replaces it. I would have an absolute mutiny on my hands if ds didn't get the reward of being done with a subject. The more things end as the spring progresses, the more free time he has. For him, this is hugely important. We've had an awfully stressful year...way to many courses and way too many ECs. So he's paid a heavy price in terms of almost NO unscheduled time. So...as things are starting to be finished off over the next month or two, I'll just let him breath. We need the break.

We just figured out that we are ahead in 3 courses and behind in two....so for the next week we are ditching the ones we are ahead in to catch up the others....this works well for us. And gives us incentive to push the ones that are behind so that we can finish by early June.

Hope this hasn't rambled too much...I'm getting paged from down stairs and have to run.

[SpunkyHorsey]

Sure, and if you'd like to see my oldest daughter's transcript just to get an idea of how it came together, PM me and I'll dig it up.

Barb

I PM'd you as well, thanks!! Chris

[Sandra in NC]

Some of my son's classes started in August and some in late Sept. Some of them end with the AP exam in early May and some go until June.

We will probably add some extra studies in May on topics of interest (World Religions, Nutrition), but I expect a gentle ramping down of school work just as there was a gentle ramp up!

In any case, he will stay busy with volunteer work and his entrepreneurial efforts.