Help adjusting high school expectations

[Nemom]

My dd has several chronic health issues.  One of them caused a flare in her symptoms the second week of school and we are now about a month behind where we should be to continue following the local PS schedule. We do this because my older son is in PS and it is just easier to keep them somewhat on the same schedule. 

 

This is really causing me to think about what is important in the overall planning for the next four years and what we really need to accomplish.  I sincerely doubt that she will be attending a four year college and community college may or may not happen as well.

 

I feel like a lot of high school is teaching the kids how and what they need for a four year degree (writing papers, research, memorization of facts).  Knowing that this will not be her reality, I think I would like to dial things back a bit and not focus so much on what she needs for success at the University but what she needs to succeed in life wherever that may be for her. 

 

With that said, I do not want to sell her short; I need to prepare her for CC; and I want to be able to give her a diploma that meets the states requirements.

 

I feel like I am in need of some advice on what I can start weeding out that would be considered prep work more geared towards college.  Maybe that still incorporates touching base on the same topics but just not as in depth.  Maybe we just exclude some things (Calculus).

 

Anyone done anything similar and have any advice they are willing to share?  TIA

[PeterPan]

I would drop her to three subjects at a time, work year round, and use the rest of the time in the day for apprentice and delight-directed studies.  That way she's not under pressure physically (which caves LOTS of people's bodies!) but can still do whatever academics her mind is able to do.  And the apprenticing and delight-directed will give her experiences to direct her toward where she might want to go farther.

 

As far as the math, the summer, done regular pace, is another semester.  So if you count her delight directed studies, then you're saying 1-2 of those a semester.  Let's use 1/2 units for each semester, since we're doing carnegie units (time spent) not credits (material covered).

 

So 

math

science

english

delight directed pottery

delight directed history of music (1/2)

 

She does that for two semesters and you have 4 1/2 really solid credits.  I was assuming music two days a week, pottery (or handicrafts or whatever she's into) in longer chunks also two days a week.  

 

Then in the summer she switches to

math (because maybe she didn't actually finish that)

history (let's say she really likes it and does it two hours a day, using a combo of books, TC courses, videos, discussion)

walking/gardening/biking/swimming=PE (1/2)

 

Let's just posit the math was carryover from the school year.  She just got another 1 1/2 credits, for a total of 6,  which is a really respectable freshman year, kwim? And she got to mentor, do things she enjoys, learn under someone, volunteer.  Found ways to build into the transcript things she enjoys doing.

 

You can take it a lot farther, obviously, with delight-directed.  I'm just saying if she's AWAKE, she's doing SOMETHING.  And whatever it is she's doing, tally, put the hours on post-it notes, have her keep a reading log, and work backwards to tally those into credits.

 

Edited September 27, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[OneStepAtATime]

What OhE said above...

 

Plus, does she HAVE to follow the public school time line?  Is there something in your state that would allow for extended time for graduation from High School?  Even when I was in public school High School there was a boy in my class that was quite bright but struggled academically (probably an undiagnosed severe dyslexic but the term didn't really exist in schools at that time).  He ended up taking 6 years to graduate but he DID graduate with a High School diploma and went on to college.

[RootAnn]

If the OP lives where I think she does, the homeschool regs aren't crazy and she can take longer to graduate if she wants. Also, there are no graduation requirements because each school district sets their own. There are recommended credits and she has to cover certain subjects every year, but there is wiggle room. (It is actually one of the only states that doesn't specifically require Alg 2 to graduate.)

 

Nemom: I would take it month by month and not plan too far in advance. You don't want to close doors for her, but educating the whole child for her future is important!

 

My dd#2 will have a completely different looking transcript than dd#1 and that's the beauty of homeschooling.

[Nemom]

We do not HAVE to follow the PS schedule but have found that even with the best of intentions that stepping outside of this set schedule does not seem to work. DD was in PS until 5th grade and has it in her head that school is done at 3 pm and not during the summer. We did intend to do some school last summer including math and getting the health requirement out of the way but it never happened. A large part of that is because I also have chronic health issues and I needed a break. DD is not self motivated when it comes to school so school for her is school for me.

[PeterPan]

Is it an option to hire someone to work with her?  A high schooler should be able to work with a tutor once a week and do the assignments independently.  She can check in via email or skype as she has questions.  

 

Adding: I've had some pretty nasty health problems and still have headaches, etc., so I get how your own body/health slows things down.  I bring in help with my ds and outsource with my dd.  It's what works for us.

Edited September 28, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[Heathermomster]

Well, if you want her to earn a diploma that meets state requirements, look up the requirements and assign the classes. Accommodate those classes if necessary. DS has what I refer to as get 'r done classes, and then there are the subjects where he has to dig in. For composition, DS tends to write across subjects that he enjoys. We don't work very well over the summer as I need a break.

 

Maybe sit down, come up with a 5 year plan and assign the work. You can't get back the previous weeks, so put all that behind you now and move forward.

 

This year for the first time ever, DS and I sat down and reviewed our goals for each class. I laid out how much time I expected him to work weekly on a subject. Some subjects are daily while others are not. Whatever is not completed through the week is picked up on Saturday morning. Our school emphasis is time management/goal setting, math, and writing because he will need those skills for either voc training or university.

Edited September 28, 2016 by Heathermomster

[Nemom]

Is it an option to hire someone to work with her? A high schooler should be able to work with a tutor once a week and do the assignments independently. She can check in via email or skype as she has questions.

 

Adding: I've had some pretty nasty health problems and still have headaches, etc., so I get how your own body/health slows things down. I bring in help with my ds and outsource with my dd. It's what works for us.

Honestly, this is not something that I have even thought about at this point. It may be something to consider and research.

[Nemom]

Well, if you want her to earn a diploma that meets state requirements, look up the requirements and assign the classes. Accommodate those classes if necessary. DS has what I refer to as get 'r done classes, and then there are the subjects where he has to dig in. For composition, DS tends to write across subjects that he enjoys. We don't work very well over the summer as I need a break.

 

Maybe sit down, come up with a 5 year plan and assign the work. You can't get back the previous weeks, so put all that behind you now and move forward.

 

This year for the first time ever, DS and I sat down and reviewed our goals for each class. I laid out how much time I expected him to work weekly on a subject. Some subjects are daily while others are not. Whatever is not completed through the week is picked up on Saturday morning. Our school emphasis is time management/goal setting, math, and writing because he will need those skills for either voc training or university.

I'm still trying to find exactly what the state requirements are. I can find the public school districts graduation requirements (240 some hours) and the local university's minimum requirements (16 credits) for a homeschooler but I am having difficulty finding detailed info for the state. What I have found states 200 credit hours with 80% being in the core curriculum classes. A full year course represents 10 credits so a minimum of 50 credit hours a year.

 

We are also required to complete 1080 hours a year of instruction. With only five courses that means over 200 hours for each. Yikes! Seems like one rule is contradicting the other but maybe I'm just not understanding. Which is why I am still searching...

[RootAnn]

Nebraska's minimum requirements to graduate for public schoolers (doesn't have any for homeschools) are found in Rule 10.003.05 (starts on pg 10 of the link). 
 
Briefly, they require:
4 credits of language arts with course content that includes composition, verbal communication, literature, research skills, and technical reading and writing.
3 credits of mathematics including algebraic, geometric, data analysis, and probability concepts. (No specific requirement for Algebra 2.)
3 credits of science including biological, earth/space, and physical science concepts and corresponding science inquiry skills and laboratory experience.
3 credits of social studies/history including civics/government, geography, United States and world history, and economic concepts.
 
Twenty credits are required for graduation, a minimum of 16 of which need to be from the above four categories. (That's the 80% thing you found.)
 
These are the minimum requirements and school districts can set their own as long as they include at least this much.
 
However, as I said, this is only for the public schools. Homeschoolers don't have to follow these exactly. There is a paragraph above this area that mandates multicultural education & certified employee evaluation requirements. None of it is applicable to homeschools. The only thing homeschoolers have to do is contained in Rule 12 or 13  (well, now only 13 since they did away with 12). That's the 1,080 hours of instruction a year (high school) & "a sequential program of instruction designed to lead to basic skills in the language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and health."
 
If you do the math on the 1,080 hours over 36 weeks, you get 30 hours/week. Spread that over 6 classes a year and you get 5 hours per class, a reasonable number to complete the work required. Those hours of instruction can include field trips and PE, too.
 
I don't think the graduation requirements for Nebraska are going to be a problem. You'll want to shoot for the homeschool requirements for the CC, state college, or possibly state university to make sure to not close any doors.
 
ETA: The state college requirements I linked to were the same as Nebraska's public school minimums. I couldn't find any CC requirements listed for homeschoolers. The state U said: 

4 units of English including intensive reading and writing experiences
4 units of math including Algebra, Algebra II, Geometry, and 1 additional unit that builds on knowledge and concepts learned in Algebra II.
3 units of social sciences including 1 American and/or world history, 1 additional unit drawn from history, American government, and/or geography, and a 3rd unit drawn from any social science discipline
3 units of natural sciences with at least 2 from biology, chemistry, physics, or earth sciences & one of those has include a lab
2 units of foreign language with both units in the same language.

Also, old Nebraska high school thread - which you posted on!!

Edited September 28, 2016 by RootAnn

[Nemom]

Nebraska's minimum requirements to graduate for public schoolers (doesn't have any for homeschools) are found in Rule 10.003.05 (starts on pg 10 of the link).

 

Briefly, they require:

4 credits of language arts with course content that includes composition, verbal communication, literature, research skills, and technical reading and writing.

3 credits of mathematics including algebraic, geometric, data analysis, and probability concepts. (No specific requirement for Algebra 2.)

3 credits of science including biological, earth/space, and physical science concepts and corresponding science inquiry skills and laboratory experience.

3 credits of social studies/history including civics/government, geography, United States and world history, and economic concepts.

 

Twenty credits are required for graduation, a minimum of 16 of which need to be from the above four categories. (That's the 80% thing you found.)

 

These are the minimum requirements and school districts can set their own as long as they include at least this much.

 

However, as I said, this is only for the public schools. Homeschoolers don't have to follow these exactly. There is a paragraph above this area that mandates multicultural education & certified employee evaluation requirements. None of it is applicable to homeschools. The only thing homeschoolers have to do is contained in Rule 12 or 13 (well, now only 13 since they did away with 12). That's the 1,080 hours of instruction a year (high school) & "a sequential program of instruction designed to lead to basic skills in the language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and health."

 

If you do the math on the 1,080 hours over 36 weeks, you get 30 hours/week. Spread that over 6 classes a year and you get 5 hours per class, a reasonable number to complete the work required. Those hours of instruction can include field trips and PE, too.

 

I don't think the graduation requirements for Nebraska are going to be a problem. You'll want to shoot for the homeschool requirements for the CC, state college, or possibly state university to make sure to not close any doors.

 

ETA: The state college requirements I linked to were the same as Nebraska's public school minimums. I couldn't find any CC requirements listed for homeschoolers. The state U said:

Also, old Nebraska high school thread - which you posted on!!

Thank you. Something was causing me to doubt the info that I had and panic. Good to know I am on track with my thinking.

[PeterPan]

Even though the state law says credits, when you make a transcript you're actually marking *units*.  They aren't exactly the same, so research that.  A credit is material covered.  A unit is time spent.  So your state mandates that you spend time doing with your kid.  It mandates that you cover material.  It doesn't mandate how long you have to spend covering particular material.  There's a gap there.  

 

So, for instance, if whiz kid junior covers Algebra 1 in a semester (which I had come through when I eval'd transcripts for a university), then that's 1 credit.  But if he was super fast and only working an "hour" a day, then it's 1/2 unit.  

 

So there are ways to work this to your advantage.  You can take non-traditional work, compile hours over the course of 3-4 years, and when you add those hours up you have a unit or a 1/2 unit or whatever.  You can take her hobbies, her recreation, her delight-directed pursuits and keep track of those hours and turn it into things for her transcript.

 

You do not have to be persnickity tight about hours either.  Most schools are going to have 40-50 minute periods.  That's an hour.  If your kid sat down and worked on it, that's an hour.  It includes transportation, pulling out the books, etc. etc.  If you go bowling and bowl 20-30 min, it still took you time to drive there and back.  That's an hour.