Seton - Experience, Research, Reviews?

[BlsdMama]

Seriously considering this for our oldest dd.

 

A little about her - We used TWTM recommendations very consistently until about sixth grade. Then we experimented with Sonlight and found it not to our liking. We've used Tapestry since then and it has been a good fit, and I love the curriculum, but for not valid to this question reasons we are leaving TOG for now.

 

DD is beginning her high school year. As I have eight other children I feel I can give a fairly unbiased run down on her strengths and weaknesses. She is typically average when it comes to science. She struggles with Algebra though we have been able to insure she does well by just being VERY thorough in doing and then re-doing work until it's done and understood. She has a thorough grasp of grammar and useage. She excels in writing and loves literature.

 

She is extremely Type A and will make lists of things to cover and then sub lists under that of how/why/etc. She is very driven academically.

 

That said, I'm *not* excited about high school. It would be my first choice to enroll her in a local Christian Classical high school. Tuition is really NOT feasible though. We have other children and dropping $30K on her high school education just isn't in the cards.

 

Seton is Catholic. We are not. Our families are, we were raised Catholic, and I graduated from a Catholic high school. I can't say as I'm fond of the Catholic religion per se, but I can't see as it would be her undoing. ;)

 

I NEED a solution to high school. I have not yet committed to teaching Science on a regular basis. She would like to take a foreign language other than Latin. I feel we've given her an OUTSTANDING education up until this point. And I can honestly say I'm fairly certain I will utterly FAIL her in high school. I'm not afraid of what she'll learn... She's amazing and I could just hand her books and say, "Complete this," and it would get done. I'm much more afraid of keeping competent tabs for transcripts, deathly afraid if truth be told.

 

I know my weaknesses and consistency is probably my #1.

 

Seton. What do you know about it?

[Faithr]

I know of many high school homeschoolers who've done Seton. They all hated it. I'm talking about the students not the parents. I know two students (different families) who took 5 years to get through it because they dragged so much. I know another family that schools year round in order to get it done because they want to do other stuff like dance or sports. It is completely overwhelming. I know of two other families doing Seton and it was the cause of so much stress in their families! I'm talking kids running away, horribly fighting, out and out resentment, etc. I do not have a good impression of Seton at all. It is way too much busy work, it does not respect the intellectual growth or budding adulthood of individual learners. It is very cookie cutter and dry as dust. That's my impression of it. I think it is weak in the lit department. I think it values second class stuff that is Catholic in nature over a wider variety of greater literature. I think Seton squeezes any love of learning right out of a student. I do think it's approach to teaching the faith is close to propaganda which teens begin to resent and rebel against.

 

I'm not saying Seton doesn't have some good aspects to it. I've used bits and pieces, but there is something so heavy-handed and dry about the overall program, especially in high school.

 

Transcripts are nothing! You fill out a form on a college website or you fill in the common application. They are no big deal. Have your daughter keep the records. It sounds like she's good at that anyway. Or I'd go with Kolbe. I think their program is much deeper and yet more respectful of individuals and teens' intellectual abilities.

[Renee in NC]

I know a family who has used it for several children and it was fine. The two oldest girls are now at Ave Maria. I will *probably* use it for English in high school. We could probably use it for other courses as well - Spanish being another I have looked at.

[Murphy101]

Preface to say I have used to varies degrees and loved Seton for 8 years, so I am not a Seton hater.:D

 

But this was our first year with Seton high school and it's been horrid and I won't do it again and can't wait to be done with them for 9th grade.

 

Don't do it!

[cathmom]

If you are not Catholic and do not want to promote Catholic values to your dd, it is not a good fit. Every subject is completely Catholic, except for math.

 

My oldest did Latin 1 in 8th grade with them, and then we enrolled him FT for 9th grade. He did not like it, and because of a situation that came up, we ended up self-designing the rest of high school. I think it's great to pick and choose. I plan to have my other dc do their high school English (I disagree about the literature comments a PP made, but what Seton recommends will NOT be all they read!). I plan to use the 9th grade religion course but not enroll - I think a thorough reading of the Baltimore Catechism gives a solid foundation.

 

I know some families who use Seton for every dc for every subject - I honestly think I would shoot myself! I prefer a more individualized education!

[Teachin'Mine]

Well - you're going to get a real range of replies! We know a lot of Seton families who really like the program - parents and students. None of them say that it's easy though. It is a very rigorous high school program and doesn't leave a lot of time for other pursuits.

 

For a motivated student who likes organization, they can thrive. The lesson plans are easy to follow, very detailed, and can be done by the student themselves. It gives the parent more of a role as facilitator rather than teacher - well in our experience anyway. The parent still has the option to teach their student, but it's not necessary as they can learn from the texts and have teachers they can call for help.

 

In order to get the transcript from Seton, there are only three classes which must be done through them using their materials - they are religion, history and English. For the other subjects you can use the texts they suggest and have them do the grading, or do the class as independent study, and do your own grading. Those classes are listed separately and the grades aren't figured into the GPA.

 

We have not begun high school yet, so I do have some concerns about the time involved, but my dd had a very full 8th grade course load with some high school classes, so I'm hoping it won't be much different. It was never my intention to sign up with a school like this, but my dd really likes to know exactly what work needs to be done each day, and thrives on the structure of it all. She is almost entirely independent - we check the math lessons daily and review science before tests, and I grade whatever lessons or tests I need to do. Other than that, all papers are done by her on her own and graded by them. That was one of the main reasons I went with Seton. I didn't want to be the one doing that.

 

Most of the high schoolers we know say it's hard, but they do like their classes. What I see as a problem for some is when they get behind in some subjects and then try to catch up at the end. With their program, I think it's really important to stay on top of each of the subjects. I've heard that 9th isn't too bad, and 11th is the hardest. But I think that's true of almost any high school. We're trying to put more things into 9th to even out the four year schedule a bit.

 

IMO, the cost is very reasonable for a complete program. We do have extra costs since we do our own science and supplement as well. As you are open to her learning about the Catholic faith, I don't see that as a problem. You can always give it a try for a year, and decide what to do from there. I'd suggest starting the program at least a couple of weeks before you start home schooling the others, just to have time to familiarize yourself with their system. Get the books and lesson plans ahead of time, and she can also get to know what's involved.

 

Your dd's writing ability will be a definite plus! If she's really struggled with algebra, you may want to consider having her repeat the course next year. They use Saxon, and from what I've heard from others, it's taught a bit differently in the text from other math books. You can also have her do the Saxon placement test to see where she should start. IMO it's so important to have a good foundation in the math, or the more advanced math can be so difficult. The math instructor at Seton is great! All the counselors are really nice, and very helpful. That's a definite bonus!!!

 

So, you've read the good, the bad and the ugly. :lol: Each family, and each student is different. Sometimes you just have to try something for yourself and figure out if it works. If you do go with them, be patient as it takes the first quarter to figure things out. :)

[BlsdMama]

Wow. Thank you everyone. A lot to think on. I went around and poked a bit at Kolbe & MODG.

 

Ana isn't thrilled with any of them. We sat down yesterday and had a long talk about what she'd do if given free range and her first choice is Ambleside.

 

I have to say the one thing I'm MOST uncomfortable with is grading her writing. However, for less than Seton or any of the other options I could buy IEW's DVD series brand new and use it.

 

I also have WriteSource & Writing Aids. I think this is just me, giving in, sucking it up, hitching up my boots, and wading in.

 

I have absolutely LOVED homeschooling my kids and for the first time ever, I'm feeling REALLY overwhelmed by something as silly as GRADING. Not TEACHING, mind you, but GRADING. How crazy is that?!

[Murphy101]

you could only enroll in the english course at Seton rather than the entire program?

 

would that help?

[BlsdMama]

you could only enroll in the english course at Seton rather than the entire program?

 

would that help?

 

I don't know... It's crossed my mind. But, like you, I have more kids up and coming. Would it be better to just bite the bullet now or pass it off and have relief? That I'm unsure of and I need to get sure one way or the other pretty quickly.

[Murphy101]

I don't know... It's crossed my mind. But, like you, I have more kids up and coming. Would it be better to just bite the bullet now or pass it off and have relief? That I'm unsure of and I need to get sure one way or the other pretty quickly.

 

Ways to help with grading..

 

Checklist for proofreading writing assignments.

 

I don't grade daily math. Just tests. If the test is less than 95%, then we go over the section again.

 

For most of their subjects, they grade their own daily work the next day before starting the next lesson. They come when they have a question. If they miss more than a few, they get more to practice on, so there's incentive to do their best the first go round.

 

Science and history is lots of experiement and discussion, with a smattering of writing assignments and exams.

 

No matter what high school is more work for both of you.

But it'll be okay.

Really.

 

I think.

I hope.

:D

[Mommyfaithe]

Wow. Thank you everyone. A lot to think on. I went around and poked a bit at Kolbe & MODG.

 

Ana isn't thrilled with any of them. We sat down yesterday and had a long talk about what she'd do if given free range and her first choice is Ambleside.

 

I have to say the one thing I'm MOST uncomfortable with is grading her writing. However, for less than Seton or any of the other options I could buy IEW's DVD series brand new and use it.

 

I also have WriteSource & Writing Aids. I think this is just me, giving in, sucking it up, hitching up my boots, and wading in.

 

I have absolutely LOVED homeschooling my kids and for the first time ever, I'm feeling REALLY overwhelmed by something as silly as GRADING. Not TEACHING, mind you, but GRADING. How crazy is that?!

 

My kids love Ambleside and I used it with my older 3 through High School...My 4th child used Omnibus 1-3 and then we free-wheeled last year. Next year...I think it is back to Ambleside upper levels for him with a bit of tweaking. My kids read and re-read their AO books and will not part with many of them, so I am forced to borrow back or re-buy...LOL

 

Faithe

[12Stars]

We decided to go with Kolbe for HS for our oldest daughter. We were initially going to go with Seton but after talking with them over and over it just did not feel like the right fit. I liked the idea of it, but ultimately they left me with a empty feeling, much to be desired.

We too have quite a few children, my daughter sounds very much like yours very A list personality.

We love our Catholicism and I wanted a curriculum that was going to nourish and mature her faith in a deeper way. Kolbe I know can do that with out going over board. Where as Seton most of their subjects are permeated with religion. It is not a bad thing if that is what you want. My opinion and experience with Kolbe is that it does respect the student, like it was said here. Over all though it is a provider and sets guidelines and suggests curriculum. You as a parent are open to change the courses around, just as long as you provide samples.

I have heard many great things from Seton, many students have been very succesful in their education through Seton.

In the long run it was not going to work for us.

 

I am curious as to why you would choose a Catholic curriculum, when there are hundreds of other options.

[Murphy101]

I really don't question why she would use a catholic program if her family, although not her personally, is catholic.

 

Even if that wasn't the case, I would't question it.

 

Given that 60%+ of students at our local catholic private schools are not catholic, I would wager she is looking at it bc it's familiar and or comfortable to her or here family, a reputation for excellence, and over-all they appeal to her better than the many other option out there.

 

No big deal to me..:)

[12Stars]

I can see your point in that it isn't a big deal. I am not wagering, as to why she would choose it though.

I was just curious, there are other excellent curriculums that are not Catholic.

 

As far as the Catholic schools go imho they are so watered down, and many are funded by the states that in reality anyone can go to one and not learn the depth of the religion. That is the case with the Catholic schools in my area.

 

If she doesn't want to answer that is fine as well, just wanted to ask. :001_smile:

[Murphy101]

I can see your point in that it isn't a big deal. I am not wagering, as to why she would choose it though.

I was just curious, there are other excellent curriculums that are not Catholic.

 

As far as the Catholic schools go imho they are so watered down, and many are funded by the states that in reality anyone can go to one and not learn the depth of the religion. That is the case with the Catholic schools in my area.

 

If she doesn't want to answer that is fine as well, just wanted to ask. :001_smile:

 

I undertstand.:) They aren't funded by the state here, but yeah way watered down.

[Tiramisu]

Dd15 is registered with Kolbe but we do Seton English. I've always heard how hard Seton is, and dd is not an especially motivated student, but she did very well with Seton English 9. The structure of it was very helpful for her. The books in English 9 are not difficult but each year you can see how it will ramp up. The student can pick which books to read for the quarterly book anayses from a list that Seton provides so there is some opportunity to gear it to your dc's interest. There are also assignments that are parent-graded and do not have to be handed in so there are ways to adjust the workload to your needs.

 

The few students that I've met who got through Seton have seemed very well-educated, were prepared for college, and seem know their faith well and think deeply about it, mature in their faith and definitely not brainwashed, but I think that has more to do with their families than the curriculum.

 

I decided to do Seton English after looking at their 11th grade plans and thinking, "This is where I'd like dd to be in a few years." I particularly like the level of analysis and the writing.

[cathmom]

The books in English 9 are not difficult but each year you can see how it will ramp up.

 

The books aren't difficult so that, rather than struggle to understand them, the student can focus his energy on learning to analyze them.

[12Stars]

I really contemplated doing the same with English.

In the end we chose Kolbe only because it ties history and literature together.

I am not too thrilled about the Saldlier series so we will see if we will change that.

[Murphy101]

I really contemplated doing the same with English.

In the end we chose Kolbe only because it ties history and literature together.

I am not too thrilled about the Saldlier series so we will see if we will change that.

 

:iagree:

 

However seton grading and support for high school has been shockingly useless, so instead I've decided to use Jensen format writing with either kolbe's 10th history and lit or kolbe's 11th history and lit, which I am lean if towards because I think it would dovetail with LLfrom LotR very nicely. I might combine my two oldest and I can see that working very well.

 

Still percolating ideas right now though....

[Faithr]

I really like the Sadlier stuff! I think it gets the basic ideas out there, but most of the writing comes out of the different subjects, Religion, History and Lit. I think it would be overkill to have a heavy duty composition course in addition to all the other writing that goes on in the curriculum. I like its succinctness and directness. My son actually enjoyed using it which was huge as he hates writing.

[Tiramisu]

I really contemplated doing the same with English.

In the end we chose Kolbe only because it ties history and literature together.

I am not too thrilled about the Saldlier series so we will see if we will change that.

 

I really didn't think Dd would have done as well with the Kolbe history and lit. as much as *I* would have loved it. She couldn't have managed the essays without a lot of guidance. Seton offers more in that way and works for her in helper her organize her writing. I've seen how things have really clicked for her this year and she can get those outlines and essays done relatively quickly. Maybe that means we could possibly make more use of the Kolbe plans in the future. I would really like to see her have more writing experiences outside of literature.

 

I once had a Sadlier composition book but I didn't think much of it either. The ideas are good but it would be a jump for dd to integrate them into actual writing for another subject. I think she would need to have the connection made for her. KWIM?

 

She likes the Sadlier Vocabulary Workshop, but I decided to try Vocabulary for the College Bound this year since I found it at a conference. I hate to pay shipping.