Okay, it's time to stop putting it off. I need to plan for High School.

[CLHCO]

I could really use any help anyone could give me on stepping in the right direction.

I have a system set up to help me track credits and I've played with it over the last couple of years. I'm feeling fairly comfortable with it now. The only problem is, I have no clue what curriculum to plug into it.

I'm a bit lost on what should "count" for credit and what shouldn't.

In a nutshell:

1) They will still be in middle school level math when they hit high school. They should still be able to get credit for it toward graduation though, right? I mean, if they were not particularly strong in math in a public school they would take the general or remedial math instead of advanced, but it does count for credit, right? If we push it they will be hitting pre-algebra hopefully by mid-next year and algebra by the 10th grade. I would like them to take a course in consumer mathematics. With all of their struggles through math, I would be more than satisfied with this. They are not looking to get into a major university anyway. Community or local college is their personal preference.

2) I am lost on science too. They're in Rainbow and I hope it's done by November but we're a bit behind on it. What is a good high school level program to follow that will be acceptable for math-challenged young ladies? I would prefer not to over stress them on this. They are good at the basics for science and score very high on their standardized test for this, but anything requiring math, like physics, will not come easy.

3) They're slowly making their way through Latin Prep but I wasn't sure if that could be considered a high school level language course. Is there some type of minimum standard and how do you know what counts?

Most of the other subjects they are ready for high school level study. I just need to find curriculum to fill in the blanks. I can read up on TWTM for high school history and others but I'm open for suggestions. I really prefer curriculum that is already well laid out instead of things I will need to build myself. I have not been hanging out on this board much.

4) What are the current most talked about curriculum for things like history, English, science, etc. so I can do a search?

Thanks for any help!

[Linda in NM]

Well, not much help, but here's what we're planning...finishing Latin Prep next year and counting it as Latin I for one credit (hope that's "legal"); maybe using LL for Shakespeare (probably will, seems easier for the teacher!); using Trisms Ancient World for history (that has credits specified...makes life easier)! We'll probably do Apologia Biology next year, with an honors syllabus that integrates natural history (syllabus from MODG Academy...)

[carol]

I think you need to check with your particular states graduation requirements. For instance here in Al it says nothing below Alg. 1 can count on a transcrcipt unless the student has been diagnosed with learning disabilities.

For my upcoming 9th grader he'll be doing the ACE Biology with DVD.
I bought them used. I know it isn't as meaty as some, but He definately
isn't headed toward a medical field. We'll probably switch for physical science, chemistry, and physics with a diferent program.

For History we'll be using a government class, haven't decided curriculum
but wanted to do it during election year. Then 2nd semester I'll probably
do world geography.

For Math video text algebra.

For Enlish we'll do a mix with focusing on the 5 paragraph essasy and research paper by analytical grammar. We'll do vacab by Jensen. We will do literature studies and maintain grammar.

We will do health first semester and drivers ed written part second semester and driving during the summer(he won't be 15 until next may).

We will do karate for P.E. and we have a homeschool band for P.E.

We will be doing 6 1/2 credits.

Hope me sharing will be helpful to you.

Carol

[Eliana]

Before choosing specific materials, I would recommend thinking through your goals and priorities, and getting a vision for what these years might look like.

Homeschooling High School is my favorite high-school specific book, but if I were you, I would read through the high school sections in a number of hsing books. (Including TWTM! :)

Do you want to take TWTM Great Books centered approach?

A more 'schoolish' approach?

Perhaps you want to integrate subjects across the curriculum (science and math// English and history are two logical possible pairings) - that would mean a less textbook oriented setup and more projects, research, etc.

You mentioned transcripts, so I assume you are planning to do college prep work, yes? Do you have any ideas about what kind of college/vocation/lifestyle your students might be aiming for? If they want to do a pre-med program, you'd make different choices than if they want to go to Julliard. (Many students aren't ready to specialize yet, and that's okay! You want to plan a strong general foundation which will leave them in a good position when they are ready to specialize.)

When you have a rough game plan, I think the resource specific conversations will be more useful - you'll be able to look at our passionate, often mutually exclusive recommendations through the lens of your family's goals.

[CLHCO]

My girls don't really care for college. We would like them to get the piece of paper though. We are thinking of going the non-traditional route for them, meaning, I'd like them to work on possibly working through much of their general requirements at home while in high school. I have read some on how CLEP tests work and other exams, which would be something I'd have them study for along side the subjects they are taking then take the exam right away. I realize you must then find a college that will accept these non-traditional credits but I believe a credentialed local college in the area does and is certainly adequate for a basic education. They can even take a class or two there in high school but we will need to study up for the SAT to avoid many entrance exams.

They are not going into science or math. They like to write fiction all day. We certainly will want to work through great books if this is the case, but I admit I hold a suspicion to what many colleges consider great books anymore. They have specialty literature all over the place but few study the classics specifically anymore. We will be better off covering much of this at home.

Are those of you covering the great books working strictly through TWTM or are there other programs/lists you are using. We really like "Lightning Literature" for 8th grade. Is their high school program good?

I will try to find the details on math credit for our state. I am of the mind that algebra and a consumer math is sufficient to get them through. If they decide to go into something requiring math by a freak change of personality and taste, they can study up through calculus then.

[Beth in SW WA]

Well, not much help, but here's what we're planning...finishing Latin Prep next year and counting it as Latin I for one credit (hope that's "legal");

Is Latin Prep worth 1 high school credit?

[CLHCO]

It would appear that in our state the local school board decides what to select for their graduation requirements, not the state. Home schools are not tied to their local schools, outside of notifying them they will be homeschooling and providing them with tests, which I don't even do since I use an umbrella school to keep track of records for me on state requirements. (The umbrella school does not do credits or grades though.)

Homeschoolers decide for themselves what works for a credit and can usually simply base this on what they feel the college they are going to expects.

So, if we intend to have them double credit college and high school at the local college, we just need to ask the school what they want in advance. We decide what to count for high school and it counts to college too.

Well, that answers some questions. It doesn't plug in curriculum yet but it's a direction. :)

[Linda in NM]

We'll see...when we get to the end of the book. Maybe Prep 1 and Prep 2...

[Nancy B]

I'm curious about the program you are using to track your credits. Is it difficult to use?

Nancy in SC

[Rose in BC]

Homeschooling High School is my favorite high-school specific book, but if I were you, I would read through the high school sections in a number of hsing books. (Including TWTM! :)



Who is the author of this book? I would like to read it. My kids are currently in Grade 5 & 6 but I need lots of time to wrap my head around the high school years.

Thanks.

[Eliana]

Who is the author of this book? I would like to read it. My kids are currently in Grade 5 & 6 but I need lots of time to wrap my head around the high school years.

Thanks.

Homeschooling High School by Jeanne Gowan Davis (http://www.amazon.com/Homeschooling-High-School-Planning-Admission/dp/1932096116/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206683385&sr=1-1) If you click on the link it will take you the Amazon page for the book. If you click on "look inside" you can see the table of contents and some pages from the book. (I believe Rainbow Resource Center carries it as well.)

If you have any specific questions about it, I can try to answer them.

HTH

[Jean in Wisc]

I've posted a number of things on my blog (transcript, high school classes, etc). If you scroll down a ways, you may find some things that might interest you--

http://shadesofwhite.typepad.com/shades_of_white/homeschooling/index.html

[Kareni]

Homeschooling High School by Jeanne Gowan Davis

The above is really a wonderful book. My husband and I were talking earlier, and I mentioned that this is the book that makes homeschooling high school seem to be very doable. I like its approach to record keeping; I recommend it too.

Regards,
Kareni

[Barb F. PA in AZ]

Have you thought about holding off high school one more year? You'd be ready to start Latin I, Algebra, and a high school level Science course by then. You'd have an extra year to research and plan. Students in school take remedial courses because they must be pushed along with their age peers even if they aren't developmentally ready to be in 9th grade, but you have no such pressure. Plenty of kids graduate at 19 due to holding off school entrance for a year. If it were me (thinking aloud), I'd rather launch a 19yo with a solid transcript than an 18yo with a weak first year.

Barb

[Katrina]

:iagree: with Barb F. PA in AZ about possibly holding off on high school one year. That's actually what I'm going to do with my dd. She's in 7th right now, but she's a young 7th. We've discussed it and we both feel more comfortable doing highschool for grades 10th-13th. (On her transcripts it'll say 9th-12th, but this way she wont have the stigmatism of telling people she was held back a grade. Instead, we're just extending middle school.)

I hope this helps some! :grouphug:

[Kelli in TN]

Cheryl,
I did not read all the responses so please forgive me if I repeat what someone else has said.

I am getting a crash course in this sort of high school right now as I tutor a young lady who was terribly behind. Since she is not my child, I have no desire to extend her time in high school, I want her to graduate on time. She will not have a solid, college-ready transcript. But she will have a transcript and I think she will be capable of dipping her toes into the collegiate world via a light course load at the community college. Since we started out with "maybe she can get her GED" and now we are talking about "maybe she should take the ACT" I cannot count this as a failure.

So, we looked at state and local course requirements and discovered that our high school offers math classes for the not-ready-for-algebra crowd. We have Foundations I and Foundations II. So we used those labels on her transcript. I believe I will be able to get her through Algebra 1 before graduation, and while that would not get her into a university, it will get her into community college. I had to put her through general science before she could handle physical science and yes, general science is on that transcript. She is in physical science now and I believe she can complete biology 1 and then we will call it good. Once again, it won't take her to the university, but it will take her to community college.

In this situation I simply do not have the luxury of worrying about a solid transcript. We have to "get 'er done" any way we can. But this is a child who already quit high school once, so everything is sort of an emergency with her.

Now, honestly, I would not do this with my own child. In fact my seventh grader strikes me as the type who will not be ready for high school work when the time comes and I am toying with the idea of extending middle school time by one year. I am not quite figured out how to do this without embarrassment at church when it is time to promote up to the next youth group, but I have time to figure it out.

I am not saying you should cut the corners I have had to cut with my bonus student, I am just saying it can be done.

[Barb F. PA in AZ]

Cheryl, this thread popped back up in my email (subscribed thread) and rereading it before signing off, I had another thought. I saw above where you were hoping the girls could test out of some courses while they are still in high school. I don't know whether you've seen the prep books for the CLEP tests, but these aren't easy-squeezy tests. Because they don't have an essay, they aren't as challenging as AP tests, but passing them is probably above the the reach of the average (read 50th percentile) high school student. A student should have a really strong college-level background in a subject before attempting the tests. They are $65 per test, so really not cheap enough to take repeatedly. Same with college classes in high school. A remedial student will really struggle with community college in high school. Not to belabor the point, but they'd be likelier to reach these goals if they were given another year to grow.

Here's the link for the CLEP exam descriptions: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/exams.html. If you find yourself in a Barnes and Noble, take a look at some of the CLEP prep books to get a feel for the type of information included on the tests. High school is a really good time to put the Covey of "Begin with the End in Mind" principle to work. Hope this helps!

Barb

[CLHCO]

I'm curious about the program you are using to track your credits. Is it difficult to use?

Nancy in SC

Senior High: A Home-Designed Form+U+la by Barb Shelton

I have a friend who loves this book and showed it to me. I'll admit to you what I wouldn't to her - I actually do not like a single bit of Barb Shelton's style of writing. It made me crazy and I didn't feel the book was put together in an easy to follow manner. To each their own though. She struck a strong chord with my friend, who loves her informal and relaxed style of writing.

However, what I did gain was a few good ideas on forms to design my own, which I suppose is the point of the book.

I have an easier time now tracking the variety of things we sprinkle in and placing them neatly into categories that will eventually translate into credit hours for specific subjects. I also have sheets I can build "grades" from, though I've not really used them yet.

I don't really plan most subjects. Instead I keep track of what they worked on after they did it. I make a note of what was done and the time spent. Now and then I go through and tally up the time spent for each subject and translate it to credit hours earned. Or I should say, that's the plan. I like it and it works but I've not kept up with it this year like I should.

[CLHCO]

A remedial student will really struggle with community college in high school. Not to belabor the point, but they'd be likelier to reach these goals if they were given another year to grow.
Barb

They really are not remedial at all in most subjects. I'm sorry if I gave that impression. It's only math. (Okay, spelling gets wonky now and then, but not horrible.) The difference with that compared to the other subjects is rather strong, really. Their reading level is very high and on the required standardized tests they score high in most subjects with "average" on only one or two... except math, which brings their whole score down to average. What is funny is how they tend to score "college level" in science on their standardized tests, even though they can't do math well.

To be specific though, I think they were simply late bloomers with math. They understand it all and are doing just fine now - just a couple years later than your average college-bound student timetable. My concern is in not letting their math issues hold them back, instead of not trying to push them through as students who really struggle in general. I'm looking at how to proceed with that in mind.

I picked up a couple of CLEP type books at the library. The math is miles away. The rest may not be in a couple years if we are studying the subjects they test on prior to it and are deliberate in our preparations. We have a community college being built in our area. I'd like to have the course work I select prepare them for some classes there in their junior and senior year.

[Barb F. PA in AZ]

They really are not remedial at all in most subjects. I'm sorry if I gave that impression. It's only math. (Okay, spelling gets wonky now and then, but not horrible.) The difference with that compared to the other subjects is rather strong, really. Their reading level is very high and on the required standardized tests they score high in most subjects with "average" on only one or two... except math, which brings their whole score down to average. What is funny is how they tend to score "college level" in science on their standardized tests, even though they can't do math well.

Ah, thank you for the clarification. That makes a difference. I still wouldn't count middle school math in high school, however. If they are going to CC, they won't need four years of Math anyway. So what about skipping the Math they do in 9th grade and begin recording with Algebra in 10th?

Barb