How many students & are you doing the courses?

[Murphy101]

How many high school students will you be home schooling this year?

How many of them are you making curriculum for?

 

Last year, I had one and I bought all lesson plans.

 

This year I will have two and am making nearly all my own plans or doing major tweaking.

 

Seems once again I've hit a trifecta of differentness.

 

Few I know home school high school.

Fewer do it for more than one dc.

Even fewer plan any, much less all, courses themselves.

 

So I'm curious to know if that's just the way it seems or if that is really the way it is.

[Guest]

I have just one, an entering 9th grader, but I'm making all her courses myself -- she is 2E and a regular curriculum will just not work at all for her. Fortunately researching and planning (and buying books) are some of my favorite things to do. It's a continual challenge finding materials that will suit her needs.

[Michelle in AL]

I have 2 in hs this yr. 1 in 9th and one in 11th.

 

I am planning Biology and Chemistry, geometry, history for 9th, world religions and music for one, and English for both.

 

I'm outsourcing: Spanish 2 for both, Amer history for 11th (college credit), AP stats (go Blue Hen!), and Aviation science.

[Tokyomarie]

I have just one, an entering 9th grader, but I'm making all her courses myself -- she is 2E and a regular curriculum will just not work at all for her. Fortunately researching and planning (and buying books) are some of my favorite things to do. It's a continual challenge finding materials that will suit her needs.

 

:iagree:

 

I have an entering 10th grader who is 2E. He is my last one at home.

 

I marked the last option, only because that's the only one that seems to kinda/sorta fit.

 

For history and literature, we will be using Sonlight. We'll roughly follow their schedule for reading, but written work will be completely adjusted.

 

I will be scheduling all other LA that we do at home, math, and foreign language.

 

I am outsourcing Biology but will have to stay on top of accommodations necessary for him to be successful.

 

And, lastly, this year I am outsourcing some tutoring in reading, writing, and learning strategies. Oh, and probably outsourcing "PE" because he needs the exercise but we haven't found a workable strategy to make it happen.

[Quiver0f10]

I have 3 highschoolers this year. My 12th grader will be mostly outsourced but is using Notgrass for economics.

 

My 9th and 10th graders do the same courses and we are using TOG, Apologia Biology with a co-op, Saxon Alg 1/2&1 with Art Reed DVDs, R&S English, IEW, MCT's WWTW, Henle and Traditional Logic.

[Susan C.]

I didn't vote correctly, I put one, but didn't fill in the other. I/dd make all of our lesson plans. I have one ds graduated, made all of his as well. Well, except for BJU math from Algebra 1 on, the dvds have plans that come with them. Most of my curriculum is just work through it and do what it says. I don't get anything high maintenance.

[Nan in Mass]

KarenAnne, I keep meaning to tell you... My children explained how exactly we follow their interests homeschooling. It is pretty simple and it works well. It might also work for you, especially if your daughter already has most of the skills. It is sort of a division of labour. I make sure they learn the skills they need (you might be able to ignore that part) and I try to figure out what they will need to get where they say they want to be in the end. I say things like, "If you want to go to engineering school, you will have to have at least four sciences on your transcript. They are going to want two to be physics and chemistry. What do you want to do for the others?" They tell me what they want to learn and I tell them what they have to do. This part sounds like:

You need to do produce some sort of written work for Beowulf.

I want to research what they wore.

Ok, but you can't do it all on the internet. Some of your sources need to be from the library. You need to cite them properly. You need to have coloured pictures. And you need to tie all the pictures together with writing. It has to have some sort of obvious organization.

 

Or: (once they have the idea)

For my project for Dante's Inferno, I want to draw all the circles of hell.

Ok, but you need to go back through the book first and make notes first of what you are going to include, and I want you to use watercolour.

I don't know how to paint!

That's ok. I'll show you how. Leave the background white and just colour in the things in your drawing. It needs to be a longish project that takes you all week, ok?

 

Or:

You need to do another experiment.

I want to see if I can break a waterbottle by freezing it.

It needs to have to do with the book you were just reading about birds.

Oh. Then I want to see if humming birds are colourblind.

Ok. How are you going to do that?

(Discussion of ideas.)

Ok. You have to write it up properly and get your father to review the experiment design before you actually do the experiment.

 

Or:

I want to go to Japan this year.

Ok. You have to work on learning a bit of Japanese before you go, keep a journal while you are there, and read an adult-level book about the history of Japan. If you do that, I will give you half a credit for Japan Studies.

 

Or:

You are missing too many of the errors on your papers. I want you to do this kid's workbook on proofreading. Just do a page a day. It shouldn't take you that long to do each. Only do every other page.

No way. I am not doing that.

Do you have a better idea?

No.

Ok, then...

 

Or:

You seem to be having trouble with the word problems. I think you should do extra problems out of this other math book.

No. I know how to do them. I just don't like doing them so I was only half trying. (big sigh)

Ok, then what I want you to do is set the timer and stare at each of them for five minutes before you give up and move on.

That is going to be so boring.

I want you to do it anyway.

 

Or:

I want you to do this-and-such.

Why?

Because you need more work on blank.

Can't I just do this instead? Wouldn't that do the same thing?

No because ...

Well how about if I do blank. That would do it, right?

I guess so.

 

I decide what they need to do to fill out things out into a class or to get better at a skill and what needs to be on their transcript to get them into college. They decide what they want to learn, both in a big sense as in courses, and in a small day-to-day sense. The end result seems to be children who get to follow their interests but with someone to help make sure they are looking far enough ahead and with someone to bolster their still immature self-discipline.

 

HTH

-Nan

[Miss Marple]

I have 3, but will really only be doing a full load with the 2 youngest. Son #2 will be a senior and as such he is enrolled for 9 hours at our CC. He'll do a bit with us at home, but most will be "outsourced".

 

Dss3 and 4 are getting both barrels from me this year! We've quit our co-op (they've never NOT been in co-op) and I'm doing it all. And as I look at their schedule, I know they will quake in fear when they see it:lol: And they'll both be working on Eagle projects (BSA) this year.

 

I find that I am "doing" high school differently from those I know who continue to homeschool through high school. Hence, we opted out of co-op. This is a huge step for me and I'm finally getting over the guilt feelings but I also feel like a huge load has been lifted from my shoulders and I can finally concentrate on my own kids for a change.

 

I have bought a most of the curriculum, but find that I always tweak it. Our literature and history will be the areas where I'll do my own thing.

[AnitaMS]

I have one that will be part time at cc, and a 9th grader who will be doing some classes at our homeschool group's tutoring academy and some at home.

[Brindee]

KarenAnne, I keep meaning to tell you... My children explained how exactly we follow their interests homeschooling. It is pretty simple and it works well. It might also work for you, especially if your daughter already has most of the skills. It is sort of a division of labour. I make sure they learn the skills they need (you might be able to ignore that part) and I try to figure out what they will need to get where they say they want to be in the end. I say things like, "If you want to go to engineering school, you will have to have at least four sciences on your transcript. They are going to want two to be physics and chemistry. What do you want to do for the others?" They tell me what they want to learn and I tell them what they have to do. This part sounds like:

You need to do produce some sort of written work for Beowulf.

I want to research what they wore.

Ok, but you can't do it all on the internet. Some of your sources need to be from the library. You need to cite them properly. You need to have coloured pictures. And you need to tie all the pictures together with writing. It has to have some sort of obvious organization.

 

Or: (once they have the idea)

For my project for Dante's Inferno, I want to draw all the circles of hell.

Ok, but you need to go back through the book first and make notes first of what you are going to include, and I want you to use watercolour.

I don't know how to paint!

That's ok. I'll show you how. Leave the background white and just colour in the things in your drawing. It needs to be a longish project that takes you all week, ok?

 

Or:

You need to do another experiment.

I want to see if I can break a waterbottle by freezing it.

It needs to have to do with the book you were just reading about birds.

Oh. Then I want to see if humming birds are colourblind.

Ok. How are you going to do that?

(Discussion of ideas.)

Ok. You have to write it up properly and get your father to review the experiment design before you actually do the experiment.

 

Or:

I want to go to Japan this year.

Ok. You have to work on learning a bit of Japanese before you go, keep a journal while you are there, and read an adult-level book about the history of Japan. If you do that, I will give you half a credit for Japan Studies.

 

Or:

You are missing too many of the errors on your papers. I want you to do this kid's workbook on proofreading. Just do a page a day. It shouldn't take you that long to do each. Only do every other page.

No way. I am not doing that.

Do you have a better idea?

No.

Ok, then...

 

Or:

You seem to be having trouble with the word problems. I think you should do extra problems out of this other math book.

No. I know how to do them. I just don't like doing them so I was only half trying. (big sigh)

Ok, then what I want you to do is set the timer and stare at each of them for five minutes before you give up and move on.

That is going to be so boring.

I want you to do it anyway.

 

Or:

I want you to do this-and-such.

Why?

Because you need more work on blank.

Can't I just do this instead? Wouldn't that do the same thing?

No because ...

Well how about if I do blank. That would do it, right?

I guess so.

 

I decide what they need to do to fill out things out into a class or to get better at a skill and what needs to be on their transcript to get them into college. They decide what they want to learn, both in a big sense as in courses, and in a small day-to-day sense. The end result seems to be children who get to follow their interests but with someone to help make sure they are looking far enough ahead and with someone to bolster their still immature self-discipline.

 

HTH

-Nan

:thumbup1: Great examples/explanations! If I was on Facebook I'd "like" this! :D Thanks for sharing!

[memphispeg]

The reason I am homeschooling this year (jr. year in hs) is that I want to know what the dd is capable of doing. She needs constant and instant feedback. I want to know how she writes and thinks and manages things so I can get her to study and work with what she does well and develop skills in what she doesn't do well. We are doing only a language course on-line. For the rest of the classes(pre-calc, US hist, bio, bio lab, eng - rhet. and am. lit) it is just the 2 of us sitting across our big den table. I used teacher's guides and study guides that came with the textbooks and got test banks and questions off the internet. The am. lit. essays/tests/assignments are governed by the rhet. skills that are to be practiced (at least for the 1st semester) and some questions found here and there.

I spent several months putting this all together so the dd and I will be able to have a fun and interesting year (or at least 1st semester). She expects "school" will be easier but, I expect a lot of "product". We shall see how this goes.

[stephanier.1765]

2 down, 1 to go.

 

I am doing everything. More for financial reasons than anything else but I have found that I have a better grasp of the materials by doing so. Later in the year if I'm feeling confident about our time and our schedule, I might have him do a 0.5 credit with the virtual school. I do like to have outside classes to help "legitimize" transcripts but if that doesn't happen until next year that's fine too.

[AngieW in Texas]

How many high school students will you be home schooling this year?

I had two high schoolers last year (9th and 11th) and will have two this year also (10th and 12th). My 12th grader will be doing everything except Thinkwell Government/Economics at the cc, so I won't really be doing much at all with her.

 

How many of them are you making curriculum for?

I'm really only going to be working with one of my high schoolers this year.

 

Last year, I had one and I bought all lesson plans.

I nearly always buy lesson plans. In fact, everything except math that I did last year for my high schoolers had lesson plans. This year I am doing math, physics, programming, and piano without lesson plans. They're mostly do the next thing though.

 

I only know a few doing high school at home. Most switch to ps some time between 7th and 9th grade. A lot of people who do continue to hs use a lot of paid classes.

[Julie in MO]

but in a couple of years I'll have two high schoolers! I am making our own worldview class and an elective of movies as literature (an interest of ours). I'll be tweaking TOG to make it work for us, but everything else is purchased (Saxon, analytical grammar, etc...)

Blessings,

Julie

[TravelingChris]

I have my final two both in high school this year. I chose outsourcing or combo of 4 and 5. I am not purchasing any lesson plans but dds go to a co-op and older dd is also doing a separate literature class and also taking college classes.

[Cinder]

I will have 1 highschooler--ds1 will be in 10th. I will have only 1 year when I have 2 highschoolers--when ds1 is 12th, ds2 will be in 9th. And by then dd will be in 2nd.

 

We're outsourcing all of ds1's courses. He's taking 5 classes at a private school and one online. (Here in GA this particular private school--University Model--is considered a homeschool resource unless the student is taking 6 classes there.)

 

Last year was ds1's first year at the private school. At first it was hard to relinquish control over the planning and teaching. But as the years go by I find I have less energy and enthusiasm to do the work required to homeschool well.

 

Cinder

[dtsmamtj]

Making my own lesson plans here also.

 

 

T