Wondering how to challenge my child

[bethben]

I have a fairly bright child (don't we all?!?) that doesn't seem to be challenged by homeschooling. There are things that are hard for him, but he picks them up pretty easily. I am starting to see homeschool "fallout" from my friends who have noticed the same things about their kiddos and their solution is to send them to the public school for high school. I saw last year when he had an IEW class that his motivation to do well and do better increased because there were others to "compete" with. He just does better with competition.

 

All this to say- what do I do? We do have a TOG co-op that meets bi-weekly, but I don't see it being enough. My thoughts have been going to Classical Conversations because I feel like an outside group to influence him would be helpful. We live in a small town, so anything we do with outside classes requires quite a bit of driving and my family circumstances make that an almost impossibility. It would really have to be worth my time to make anything outside of our home be worth it. Any suggestions?

 

Beth

[Starr]

I would post this on the curriculum and advanced learner boards as well . You will probably get more answers. I have a child that likes competition and classes but we've been committed to home schooling. Once she was in high school she was able to audit some college classes and that kept her going with the occasional co-op class. Work through your curriculum choices and don't worry about high school. There are many options for curriculum out there.

[Jean in Newcastle]

National Latin Exam if he takes Latin.

 

Ds13 just entered 6 short stories in a local teen writing contest.

 

Ds13 is teaching himself electronics.

 

He is taking math and science at higher grade levels than other subjects.

[Cedarmom]

Have you read The Well Trained Mind? We started using it when my son was about 10 for this very reason. The great thing about Classical learning is that at each growth stage it actually delves deeper-thus more of a challenge. Now is the time your son can not only learn history facts, but discuss them, and begin to see differant views. The book has very concrete suggestions, for doing indepth studies.

 

Also what is your child interested in? Can he pick some of those interests and study them in school?

 

As for high school, I think homeschool is much more of a challenge than public school. We did the great books and my son (and I) learned so much. Not only that, but my son had more time to spend on things that he was passionate about. The areas that went beyond my, we outsourced. I know homeshooling high school isn't for everyone, but I have seen so many kid blossom, with time being spent on their passions, that I would hate to see someone not do it just because they were afraid their student wouldn't be challenged.

[....]

I have this problem with our 8 yro. In that situation, you've really gotta up your game. Is there an area of study that he's really interested in? Does he like science/math or is he mechanical, etc? You could really let him take off in the subject that he's most interested in...

 

Here's some examples of extra things I'll do to challenge her so she doesn't get bored:

 

---I'll have her tutor one of the younger kids in reading

 

---Sometimes, I'll print out a syllabus with her work for the day and send her off on her own. It'll include Internet Research on a topic and some unusual schoolwork (one time she had to google "Mondrian Art", learn about Mondrian Art and create her own painting inspired by his art)

 

---Unit Studies - have you looked at something like Konos? We come up with our own unit studies based on a topic they are interested in. One time, we did a unit study on German-speaking scientists, artists and writers...this was a Doosie...some people we talked about -Albert Einstein, Goethe (we also read Der Erlkoenig -which my kids thought was awesome), Mozart, etc...We also found out that a majority of these people were homeschooled :glare: lol.

 

---Other things we do: lots and lots of museums, one semester she spent afternoons in an art studio, composer studies (someone gave us a Mozart study that included 2 CDs), she's been to the symphony, yesterday we took her to a water sculpture park

 

Good luck!! You've really gotta be creative with some kids (and I'm not very creative -lol!). Also, things can really come to life for kids when they can see/experience it. For example, someone else was mentioning working steam engine models. If your son is really into mechanical things, that could be something he could work on for school - and learn some physics.

 

:001_smile:

[bethben]

I'm finding out he is frustrated (his words) because he feels like I'm expecting too much. And this is from a child who is done with school in less than 2 hours (as a 4th grader!!!). He has been zipping through his work so he can watch a certain TV show (which he will no longer get to watch) that came on at 10am. He starts at 8am. :confused1: He reads fairly fast and retains what he reads. He is just not motivated and doesn't want challenge. We have some attitude issues. Help!

 

Beth

Edited September 7, 2010 by bethben
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[Karen in CO]

I don't allow tv or computer during school hours for this reason. I give my bright dd lots of leeway with what she does with her freetime. As I'm typing this she announced, "Mommy, I made an electromagnet." She's working her way through an Inventions science kit and building a telegraph. She was supposed to do it after math, but I got distracted, and she got busy.

 

I try to avoid busy work and focus on indepth work and hands-on learning followed by research. I'd suggest reading both TWTM and LCC (the Latin Centered Curriculum) for different approaches to structuring your homeschool. My kids are thriving in the challenging work and expectations - once they got over being "bored" because there was nothing to do and grumping because the work was "impossible."

[Jean in Newcastle]

Provide opportunities for him to find out what else gets him excited, besides t.v. shows. Was the t.v. show on something specific? If it was on mythology, give him opportunites to explore that. Science, art, etc. can all be explored with books, kits, internet searches for neat ideas etc.

[bethben]

Do you go to the library a lot for research? Our library is not that great for a lot of research. It has a good system where you can order most any type of book, but it's not instant with the research. Do you do stuff on the computer? I've thought about doing history more TWTM way, but the whole going to the library every week is just not going to happen all that much. My life is already crazy enough.

 

Beth

[Tap]

Research methods used by gifted/talented educators. Regurgitation of facts is one thing, but by learning to ask more open ended questions, you can make a simple concept more engaging.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Do you go to the library a lot for research? Our library is not that great for a lot of research. It has a good system where you can order most any type of book, but it's not instant with the research. Do you do stuff on the computer? I've thought about doing history more TWTM way, but the whole going to the library every week is just not going to happen all that much. My life is already crazy enough.

 

Beth

 

I put holds on books a lot. And both of my kids know how to put holds on books. We do go to the library every week even if it is a quite stop to drop off due books and check out the holds that came in.

 

Just this morning dd8 asked to go the library website. She's looking for books on bicycling. She made 3 holds.

 

Ds13 has recently taught himself to solder using a library book. He's teaching himself simple electronics using books on Arduino boards (some kind of electronics board - don't ask me about the details!)

 

We do quite a bit of research on the computer. I have a pad that I keep next to the chair where we read history aloud. I will often jot down questions that the kids or I have on something I've read. Then every now and then in a free moment, I'll sit down to google the answers. We've found out interesting things about the history of Robin Hood that way, what a certain South American plant looks like, etc.

 

Dd8 esp. likes to google for ideas of things to do. She will google something like "rainy day activities for kids" or "free science ideas for kids" - there are tons of cool suggestions online. (I will supervise these searches to make sure she doesn't inadvertently bring up something questionable.)

[smrtmama]

Interestingly enough, my friend patchfire had just blogged about this very subject. She had some recommendations for it.