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Do you let your High School students choose their own curriculum?


Guest momk2000
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Guest momk2000

I'm not quite up to high school with my students yet, but wondering how many let their high schoolers choose their own curriculum.

I have been trying to think ahead in my planning, and pretty much know what I want to do up to 8th grade. I started to panic thinking about HS, and then thought maybe I will just give them several choices, and let them choose what they want to do at that point. How many do this? Does it work out well?

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I let my kids have some input in deciding which subjects to study. For literature, I also consider their wishes - some books they love, some they try and abandon, which is OK with me.

I do not let them decide which science and math curricula to use, because they do not have the expertise to compare and evaluate the different options. I will make those choices for them.

 

They can freely pick their electives, but I will assist in choosing the appropriate resources.

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If I don't have any clear idea in mind about what will work best, then I will lay out the choices for them to decide between.

 

I had no idea what would be the best program to use for precalculus with my oldest and let her choose between Foerster, Lial, and Larson. She said that Foerster didn't make any sense to her and that Lial and Larson looked equally good. I ended up choosing (and regretting) Larson. I'm using Lial for my middle dd.

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Not really.

I have a basic course of study grid in mind and fill in the blanks. I take in to consideration the person and what they will be doing after high school, etc.

If there are good solid h.s. classes at co-op or class day that make it worth the drive and money those get added in.

 

With my oldest, she went to Europe alone her Sr. year. That wasn't really my plan, and didn't fit into my "grid." Circumstances caused her dad and I to say, "go" and "forgive" any school she didn't "finish."

 

Extra curriculars we talk about and they have a lot of input into those (like TeenPact, the One Act Play competition, etc).

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I have a list of graduation requirements.

The boys can choose what curriculum they want to use if its affordable.

 

Example My oldest son likes textbooks and reads dictionaries for pleasure.

:001_huh: He has been doing this since 2nd grade. He hates fiction. I really wanted him to do a literature based school but it just didn't work for him..TOG, sonlight, beautiful feet non worked for him.

 

My younger son does Sonlight and loves reading historical fiction.(most books come from library)

 

They don't have a choice with Science because it is just to expensive to have multiple lab/science courses.

 

They do choose electives they find interesting. My oldest loves Spanish, Music, Art. My youngest like Latin, carpentry, and computer.

 

They both use different math curriculum my oldest has a hard time with math and my youngest finds math easy and needs more challenge

 

I know this wouldn't be practical for those families with more than a couple of kids. I would figure it may put to much stress on the mother/teacher but I only have 2 students and it makes life easier for me because the boys are not stressed, unhappy, or overwhelmed with their school work. They enjoy the work and get through without me hounding them

 

I

Edited by Cafelattee
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No! We do not believe that high schoolers possess the maturity, life experience, and discernment required to know what they need to learn, whether or not this is adequately covered, to discern the potential agenda of the author or publishing company, or to understand the educational methodology of the curriculum.

 

Faith

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I guess "picking their own curriculum" may mean something different to some, but here's my take on it.

 

I DO think high schoolers have enough sense and knowledge of what works for them, combined with what dh and I know about their learning styles and what knowledge we have ourselves, that I let them have a say in what we end up choosing for their curriculum! WHen they were in gradeschool, no, not so much. But in high school? Yes!

 

Oldest ds: we started Saxon, he hated it, it frustrated him! So I didn't force him to do that curriculum when it obviously didn't fit with him, just because I sad so! We switched to VideoText, and he settled right in just fine! He is not a whiner, so I knew he meant what he was saying re: Saxon. We did research together to come up with the VT, and also to choose BJU complete program for 10th grade. That curric. had some struggle moments, but he worked through them and did very well!

 

Middle ds: Struggled with grammar, so we researched together and with his help on what he liked and didn't liked about some curric's, we picked Rod & Staff. It was GREAT for him, he blossomed with it!

 

DD: Was ahead in math, but hit a wall, and has struggled. She does not get anything out of just textbooks, so prefers subjects on dvd/cd, so we researched together and, since she's struggling, she ended up picking TT Algebra 1. It's worked well for her. She's getting it. If I pick an Algebra that you just work through the book, and force her to do it because I said so, it'd fail, and she'd feel like she hated math, when really she doesn't! She helped pick her Spanish as well.

 

I do the research and come up with options I think could fit, then my kids would help choose the final one. That's just what worked for us, and I've found that my kids DO know enough that they've made wise choices, with our guidance with narrowing down the choices!

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Yes, we go to a curriculum fair and look at things together. I narrow each subject down to a few options, then I get the sample books, and let them sit and try to read them. If they don't like it right off, think about 180 days with that book! That gets you from a quick pick because of pretty pictures, or just not wanting to spend time with it. I remember dd picking a BJU history text (7th gr.) and saying she wanted to use that. She really liked the 6th grade one. The 7th gr. one was quite different, after sitting five minutes with it, she said she didn't like it after all. So I took her over to a booth with Story of the World, she LOVED it, so I got the set for her. Ds was somewhat attached to Dana Mosely (Chalkdust) but struggled.... so I showed him the next year's book..... he melted..... I took him over to BJU, the book was a better fit and he saw that. Last year, dd and I went. I even give a school day credit for going to fairs and looking at the books. I picked three US History texts. Notgrass, no. (I thought Notgrass would be fine...). Lifepak, no..... she picked All American. She had found it online before the fair. I'll have to say, it has been perfect for her. And she is pretty proud that she found it.

 

With high school being a lot of independent study, I think it is very important that the kids have some say in what they will have to read through and do.

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I had a basic list of requirements, plus a set of credits that I required my ds to complete, but I gave him a lot of leeway in choosing his course of study. I required 4 years each of English, Math, science and foreign language. I chose material for each of those classes, mostly. During high school, he discovered he had a passion for languages. So in his senior year, I let him skip calculus in favor of an additional language. He graduated having taken 2 years of high school Spanish plus 5 semesters of Japanese and 2 semesters of Italian at the local CC. I would have never chosen that path for him, but it was important that I let him follow it.

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No! We do not believe that high schoolers possess the maturity, life experience, and discernment required to know what they need to learn, whether or not this is adequately covered, to discern the potential agenda of the author or publishing company, or to understand the educational methodology of the curriculum.

 

Faith

 

This is basically how I feel about it too. And my kids are very content with what I pick, as they know I am the teacher/main researcher. They do have say in their electives and if something is just not working I listen to their input and go with their wishes if it won't impact their studies as a whole.

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Mine have input into what we study and what materials to use. I have shared my tentative 4 year plans with them, explaining what the goals are and why I made the choices I did. We discuss options and if they want to make changes or additions. So far, they have agreed with my choices and we have been in agreement about what has worked and what hasn't. They have not expressed strong preferences, but they do know that I will listen if they care to share an opinion.

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Subjects? No.

 

Materials? A bit.

 

Usually I select two or three options I think suitable and ask them what they think of the options.

 

Electives, I'm slightly more flexible. No choice about where I will select drivers education. But if they are happy with ballroom dancing and band and we can afford it - I'm fine with it. If they want aviation science or a small engine repair course and we can afford it - great.

 

However, I do insist we finish what we start. So it's rare I will let them decide 1/4 way through they want to switch or drop. And absolutely no deciding 1/4 way through on that that they want to switch again.

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We work it out together, but most of it is my decision. We have looked at the curriculum for private schools, state guidelines, the admissions requriements for some of our most likely college options, the AP list, etc. From those, I developed a basic plan with some input from dd. I made the decisions based on their needs, strengths and weaknesses, and goals, though.

 

Basically, I made the plan, but made dd feel like she had a say. :lol: I highly recommend it! My oldest is very mature for her age, though, and we can often discuss curriculum and books like peers, as she has the same tastes in rigor and worldview as I do. She often tells me when something is too easy or not clear enough or such, and that input is helpful.

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I am just planning my first year of high school. Ds had very little say. I showed him Literary Lessons from the LOTR and he wanted to do that. He and dh will work out what programming class he does, but otherwise, I'm making the decisions. I don't know if that will change any as we go along, but I doubt it with this one. My younger is more the personality to want to be involved. I will take more input from her, but I will still make the choices.

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I have always let my children have a say in choosing some of their curriculum; not everything--sometimes I just want to go with something and do. Other times though, I choose several alternatives that I would find acceptable, and then I talk about them with my kids, show them samples, talk about pros & cons, and find out what they think. I find this feedback very beneficial. This is their education, and I tell them that frequently. My job is to make sure it's a good education, but there are many ways to meet that goal. Allowing them to decide what will meet their learning style the best means they have ownership of the program, and they are more invested in their education.

 

They don't get to decide things like "no math," or "only easy math," etc... This year for prealgebra, I talked with my son to find out the style he would like--he thought he'd like something with video or computer instruction. I researched, found a few programs I would be ok with using, then let him watch demos online. He chose the program.

 

For science, my dd has chosen her own books for the last two years out of a selection I provided. It's been our best years yet with science.

 

For history next year, I plan to show my son several options before making a final decision. History isn't optional, but he has decided that he really wants to cover the middle ages, and that affects the selection I will show him.

 

I'm glad my kids can take part in their education in this way. By college they will be choosing all of their own classes. This is good training ground for that.

 

Merry :-)

Edited by MerryAtHope
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I have always let my children have a say in choosing some of their curriculum; not everything--sometimes I just want to go with something and do. Other times though, I choose several alternatives that I would find acceptable, and then I talk about them with my kids, show them samples, talk about pros & cons, and find out what they think. I find this feedback very beneficial. This is their education, and I tell them that frequently. My job is to make sure it's a good education, but there are many ways to meet that goal. Allowing them to decide what will meet their learning style the best means they have ownership of the program, and they are more invested in their education.

 

They don't get to decide things like "no math," or "only easy math," etc... This year for prealgebra, I talked with my son to find out the style he would like--he thought he'd like something with video or computer instruction. I researched, found a few programs I would be ok with using, then let him watch demos online. He chose the program.

 

For science, my dd has chosen her own books for the last two years out of a selection I provided. It's been our best years yet with science.

 

For history next year, I plan to show my son several options before making a final decision. History isn't optional, but he has decided that he really wants to cover the middle ages, and that affects the selection I will show him.

 

I'm glad my kids can take part in their education in this way. By college they will be choosing all of their own classes. This is good training ground for that.

 

Merry :-)

:iagree: YES! This is what I was trying to say! I'd never give them the choice NOT to do math or history or science. I didn't think that was what the question was asking. Obviously they need to do certain work to move onward and upward!

 

But having options for math, options for science, etc., as Merry said, is what we do here. They do much better when they help choose the program, because it fits them better! And they DO help me do the research. I think it's been good for them to see the differences and options!

 

Sometimes they don't care, so I'll choose something that I feel fits them well, and it usually goes fine. My kids have never been very picky....except for realizing that Saxon did NOT work for them, and asking for something else when it got to a point that they had hit a wall and were so wedged that continuing on wouldn't be a good thing at all! That's the only time we ever switched a curriculm during a school year.

 

We start in January looking at how the year is going, what they like and don't like, what really helps them and what just seems like busy work. Then we go from there......

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My daughter had some choice within parameters that I set. So, for example, when we saw that an out of the home Geometry class was not totally successful in 9th grade, we withdrew her. We then gave her the choice of Jacobs' Geometry 2nd or 3rd edition. (She chose the 2nd.) In 9th grade literature, I offered her the choice of Les Miserables (unabridged) or two shorter classics. (She chose Les Miserables as she was a fan of the musical Les Mis.) Starting in 8th grade, I required that she take a foreign language, and she chose Latin from a variety of choices.

 

When she began taking community college classes in 11th grade, I required that she take three quarters of science but she was able to choose from the available courses. Similarly, I required that she take three quarters each of literature and composition in 11th and 12th grades, but I allowed her to choose which of the literature classes she would take. (She chose Latino/a Literature, Survey of World Literature, and Folklore & Mythology.)

 

Also, prior to 12th grade, I allowed her to choose whether to take Calculus (at home with Life of Fred or at the community college) or Statistics (AP level with PA Homeschoolers or Life of Fred). She chose AP Statistics.

 

Regards,

Kareni

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