Guest Barb B Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 OK - lets list our top ideas to prepare our homeschool seniors for college - mainly academics and for studying . . . 1. This year I want to have lots of reading for ds - in lit. especially. I know folks say the amount of reading increases in college. 2. I also want to throw lots of essay writing at him - in all subjects. 3. I want to keep tests in all subjects but add midterms and finals (which I admit we haven't done). We are homeshooling completely this year (as in years past) - IMO the comm colleges here are 2nd rate and he'd be better off at the public school (which isn't happening!). Don't get made - like I said - that is my opinion of the specific ones where I live. So - how to prepare for a full load of college classes plus the outside worktime involved in them? I guess there isn't a way to prepare. But then again - maybe this isn't specific to homeschoolers - those going to a public or private school run into the same transition challanges. \Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 If you wanted it to be like taking a college course, I'd have him plan the work for one or two of the "courses" that you are expecting him to complete this year, working from a one or two page course syllabus that you hand to him. Have him schedule his own work, plan when to complete his assignments, give him occasional pop quizzes over the reading, term papers to write, including a proposal that you have to approve, blog entries to upload which are "reactions" to his reading, and have him plan his own studying for the three timed exams that will constitute the majority of his grade. give him essay exams if he hasn't had any. English 101 and 102 (freshman courses) are about the only ones in which there is any sort of a writing process, so he has to learn to "get" (understand) the writing assignment with very little input from the prof. hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 Here are some things I am doing to help my dd get ready for college: 1) Get her through some calculus by the end of the year. Because of a prolonged illness in 9th grade, she fell behind in math. I really want her to have some calculus before college so that it isn't such a brand new thing in college. We will probably get one semester done. 2) Increase literature essays- I have outsourced this and she will have a lot. 3.) Get her very used to organizing herself- she has been good with this so far but I will be upping the things she needs to keep track of. SHe has ADHD and this is an extremely important skill for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardis Girl Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 What did you use to outsource the lit essays? Love the topic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 Yes.. ~increase writing, hard deadlines ~increase reading, practice reading for content *quickly*, rather than leisurely ~give assignments for a quarter at a time, or semester...syllabus form...and teach your child to work from a planner to manage time. Our favorite planner http://www.plannerpads.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barb B Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 (edited) I like the idea of hand over a syllabus and have him plan. I think I may be doing that? For instance, last year for lit. he knew when a book analysis was due - he would be in charge of dealing with his time. Or for history, I told him each friday would be a test on a chapter (one chap. per week) - I never scheduled what pages to read each day. Except lit. when I will tell him when we will meet to discuss (which he prepares for by answering questions) - that sometimes is daily or several times per week. But that is how some college classes will work too - the students being told that, for example, chapters 5-10 will be discused the next class. Just thinking out loud! Thinking I may be doing better preparing him for college then I thought. Barb Edited June 29, 2010 by Barb B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 Teaching my kids to work from a syllabus has been a big thing of mine. I went to public school...but...when I went to college, I was NOT prepared for being handed a syllabus with all the assigned reading/projects/papers and tests for the semester and dates due and then NOT being constantly reminded of it. I did okay, but my roommate was constantly late with things and really struggled with the *you have your syllabus, no excuses* attitude. I decided to make it part of my homeschool high school to teach my kids to plan and budget out their *own* time and balance all their extra-curricular and family life with getting their work done. It sure helps them realize when they do and do NOT *truly* have *free time*. :) We know two very academically smart kids who lost their scholarships due to not being able to complete work on time. It doesn't matter if you do it perfect, if it's late. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barb B Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 Anyone have a sample syllabus they can share to give us an idea? Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Anyone have a sample syllabus they can share to give us an idea? Barb Just about any course title you google, in combination with the keyword syllabus, will net you many options to choose from. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah C. Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Have them read. Read, read read. College classes usually work based on a syllabus, with a few major assignments due at different points. The students are expected to plan how to get those assignments done by the due dates. The professors are not going to give them a plan of action. You could emulate this. In high school I never had to deal with cumulative midterms and finals. In college, I did, and they still cause me quite a bit of stress! If you can, make up a midterm and a final for a subject, and put stuff on there from the entire course. That way their first cumulative final won't be nearly as high stakes as the college one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 (edited) Warning: The following link contains rude language! If you are not easily offended, you might enjoy reading this piece from the Rate Your Students site. (The site is now sadly defunct but I found a cached copy of the article.) The piece is entitled: We'd Encourage Future Students to Read the Syllabus, or Maybe Just Take Another Class. Regards, Kareni Edited June 30, 2010 by Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 And a good prior post on syllabi: How To Read A Syllabus--make it the next class on your agenda! Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Warning: The following link contains rude language! If you are not easily offended, you might enjoy reading this piece from the Rate Your Students site. (The site is now sadly defunct but I found a cached copy of the article.) The piece is entitled: We'd Encourage Future Students to Read the Syllabus, or Maybe Just Take Another Class. Regards, Kareni This was fabulous!!! LOL! Unfortunately, it's shocking how many kids NEVER read the syllabus. Some, just flat don't listen or follow instructions. My dd just returned from freshman pre-reg. She could not BELIEVE how 3 girls held up the seminar on using the online personal accounts. She said the guy would give an instruction and then... *wait for it*...one of them would raise their hand and ask for the EXACT info he JUST SAID!!! Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barb B Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Have them read. Read, read read. College classes usually work based on a syllabus, with a few major assignments due at different points. The students are expected to plan how to get those assignments done by the due dates. The professors are not going to give them a plan of action. You could emulate this. Thats good - it is what I do already. Really I found little time for "holding my kids hand" so to speak while they finish an assignment. Especially papers and test - they know when the test is or the paper due and thats it. I actually start this in middle school! Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Yes.. ~increase writing, hard deadlines ~increase reading, practice reading for content *quickly*, rather than leisurely ~give assignments for a quarter at a time, or semester...syllabus form...and teach your child to work from a planner to manage time. Our favorite planner www.plannerpads.com Thanks for organizer info. And the deadlines is the best advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barb B Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 I had an eye opening conversation with a friend whose ds is going to be a senior in public school. She also has a goal of making her ds more prepaged for college. One of the things she shared was that he be able to plan his own time, working from a planner instead of being told what to read and do when. I truly was suprised! I would have thought that is a traditional school building that the kids would already be working from a syllabus and not day to day having the teacher tell them what to do . . . From that conversation I would say that my ds is a bit ahead of the game. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photo Ninja Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 One thing my dc have all thanked me for was making them write timed essays, including literary analysis, persuasive and expository (usually on a history topic). I admit that they did not like doing it. While my college dc have had to write research papers and essays, most their courses include essay tests or at least one essay component along with the usual scantron test. They were used to writing an essay with strong content as well as organization in one hour because I wanted them to have that skill. They each have stated that they find essay tests easy because they had so much practice, and that many students can't organize their thesis and examples quickly enough to be able to write a quality essay in the time allotted. I would give them a topic and they would have one hour to outline and write their essay. I expected good organization, a thesis and supporting points, facts or examples. Other times I would give them a few topics and allow them 10 -15 minutes to outline an essay with detailed thesis, points and supporting examples. I didn't always require them to write all these essays, but there is value in making them organize one. One dd is taking a summer course (6 weeks, U.S. History 2) and in this course as well as others she took from this professor, the students are given 3 - 4 possible essay questions the class before the test, and told that 2 will be on the test. My dd then prepares by outlining essays for all the possible topics. While she can't take her prepared notes to the test with her, just having studied it at home and organized her essays in advance allow her to write a good essay because she remembers her main points and thesis. Anyway, that is my suggestion, based on my dc's experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 PP asked "What did you use to outsource the lit essays?" I am extremely fortunate. My dd's debate coach, who also lives in our neighborhood, wanted to teach a class of literature for her son who she feels needs additional students for both discussion and to prompt him to work harder. She asked my daughter, along with some other students, if they wanted the class. My daughter, who is normally very quiet, does speak up well in classes and the coach knows that she is an incredibly hard worker, so she got in. The class is on 20th Century lit and will be preparation for AP English Lit or AP English Lang for those who want to do that. I was originally going to have dd take world lit and this is not much of a change, since I was going to focus more on modern lit anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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