Advice for me, DD applying for Aviation Highschool

[JenniferB]

We are completing the application today for DD to attend Aviation Highschool next year. I would like to prepare myself and her as best as I can. For those who have sent their kids to Highschool, what advice can you give me for preparations and then in helping her get the most out of her school experience. The environment is very academic, lots of sciency and mathy nerd types. DD will fit in with this type but the academics might lean on the difficult side. Advice? I want to remain hands on and helping while also allowing freedom for her to thrive and experience difficulty. I'm entering this experience with trepidation.

[Lori D.]

Congratulations to you and DD! What a wonderful opportunity. :) Below are some thoughts to consider. Wishing your family all the best as you transition into a new phase and new way of schooling! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

Academically:

 

- Writing

Be sure your DD is rock-solid in writing, and can write timed and untimed 5-paragraph essays (with thesis statement and introductory paragraph, transitions, supporting examples/facts, conclusion, etc.) without breaking a sweat. Doing one or two 3-page to 5-page research papers with citations in MLA format would be a good idea, so if that is called for, DD will already be slightly familiar with the process and format, so having to do one under a time deadline at school won't be so stressful. Journal writing and reader response papers may also be writing assignments to be familiar with. Consider calling the school and find out what kinds of writing assignments and length of assignments DD can expect  from the 9th grade classes, and practice those at home this semester for your 8th grade writing.

 

- Literature

If you haven't already, start reading some of the classics, to get used to the language, vocabulary, sentence structure, and use of literary elements. Begin practicing how to analyze / discuss / write about the themes and literary elements in the Literature. (IEW's Window's to the World would be a great program to get through before high school.) Consider asking the school for their summer reading list (i.e., what they expect the in-coming 9th graders to read over the summer before classes start in the fall), and make that your spring semester of 8th grade Literature.

 

- Math

Since it is a STEM school and your DD is academically advanced, I assume she's doing Algebra this year in 8th grade. Make sure she's really solid and understands it thoroughly. Possibly consider supplementing this spring with something like AoPS, LoF, or Singapore NEM that requires more "heavy lifting" with problem-solving and math thinking. Consider finding out what textbooks are used at the school, and supplement your Algebra with that publisher's Algebra to get used to that teaching style for math.

 

- Science

Hopefully, DD is already taking a high school-level science course this year at home. If not, find out what texts the high school uses for science and beef up your home studies with the more advanced material, which has the added bonus of getting DD used to learning from and studying from the high school textbooks she'll be seeing next year. Make sure DD knows how to write a solid lab report; see if you can find a sample of what the high school expects and practice writing those up for the rest of the year. Do lots of experiments and esp. engineering types of hands-on problem-solving. If this is the NY Aviation H.S., it looks like they use PLATO -- you may want to consider using it with DD for the rest of this year to prepare.

 

 

Public School Skills:

 

- Computer/Tech

If there is heavy emphasis on computers and computer programming, include that in your spring semester to help DD more easily transition. Again, if it's the NY Aviation H.S., it looks like they use online homework, teacher interaction, and eChalkboard -- do what you can to help DD become familiar and comfortable with these technologies: how to access, interact, upload documents, etc.

 

- Study Skills/Time & Organizational Management

Practice note-taking from lectures; studying from textbooks; and taking timed tests. Learn tips and strategies for test-taking. Practice using an organizer and calendar/date planner to track assignments AND TURN THEM IN. Practice putting full name, date, and class on every single piece of work for the rest of the semester.

 

- School Orientation

Try and get familiar with the campus (see if DD can sit on classes for a day and shadow alongside another student). Learn how to use a locker and combination lock. Learn how to navigate from one class and use the bathroom in the short passing periods between classes.

 

 

Helpful past threads on this topic:

How to prepare a homeschool kid for [going to a] high school?

Preparing to transfer to a public high school

Hypothetical question: what to do ... before public high school?

[JenniferB]

Wow! This is so helpful. Thank you. I think we are in good shape in some areas the three RRR's but should implement the organization management, and the lab science. We are doing a rigorous study of astronomy in the input sense, but I think output can be beefed up. Her study of Algebra is solid, but we could beef it up with more difficult problem solving. Thank you for the specific resources and the links too. I will read those.

[JanetC]

If you have time, do a science fair project.  Aviation High brought a lot of kids to the Central Sound Region science fair last year.  If you don't have time to enter a science fair yourself, at least go to CSRSEF (at Bellevue College) to see what the kids are doing. 

 

CSRSEF is for grades 9-12 only.  To enter your own project, there is the Washington State science fair in Bremerton, or the Washington Homeschool science fair in Kent.  (Note: about 75% of the homeschool fair is in the K-6 grade level, but there are a few middle and high schoolers.  My DD has been doing the homeschool fair since 3rd grade, and state since 4th.)

[plansrme]

Does she know how to use PowerPoint?  One of her first assignments will be to produce something in PP.  Can she edit videos?  Also might be worth an afternoon tutorial.