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Should I get him get him a tutor or is self teaching curricula enough?


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Assuming the instructional material is quality (which I know is up for discussion here quite often).

 

I'm not referring to a particular text, I mean in general.

 

I knew we'd arrive here someday, I'm just humbled that it's so early in 9th grade (boy do I feel dumb).

 

Of late, I've been thinking ps's are better, he'd be better served in a co-op, taking cc classes, etc. Maybe I should have looked more into an online academy.

 

This isn't the route we settled on so that previous statement is definitely fear based. I also know homeschooling works.

 

I'm just askin' -

assuming quality hs material, can a motivated (well, fairly motivated) hs student be adequately prepared for college by doing self study???

Thanks for your thoughts.

(maybe this is a post for the general board, and just for info, this isn't my first year homeschooling but it is our first year of highschool)

using 1 math credit - TT Alg, TOG yr 1 (1 Eng 9 credit, 1 honors hist credit, 1/2 gov't credit, 1/2 wldvw credit), Apol Biol, OSU German online, and 1/2 music credit

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I believe that most high school students need guidance. Some (a VERY few) are able to self-study in all subject areas. This does not mean that a homeschooling parent needs to teach every subject--but they should be aware that their student may need to have his hand held in some areas.

 

I also believe that students will retain more information if they have someone to discuss it with. Most will not retain much if all they do is read the text, answer questions and take a test (rinse and repeat).

 

We use a variety of methods. My dds both self-study History--they get 'bored' when I try to discuss it with them--and they do fine on tests and such so they are 'learning' something. One dd uses a video program (Thinkwell) for Biology. She LOVES listening to a 'teacher' and she is retaining so much more than when she tried to self-study. My other dd uses a combination of a text with computer support for Chemistry (Prentice Hall). I usually teach Math--but they still work fairly independently with just the text (Lial). Both prefer to have some type of discussion about Literature...

 

Tutors can be a good thing if your student needs to discuss material with someone who knows what is going on. (I'm out of date when it comes to Chemistry and writing). Not all tutors charge $$$. I tutor for $10-15 an hour--and there are others who do too. Tutors can also be used occasionally or in the place of a teacher. Co-ops and other homeschool groups or community colleges are other great options. (Video lessons are good too--but they do not address individual questions)

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We use Self-learning, self-teaching methods and adapt materials to this method.

There's a lot that can be accomplished self-teaching/self-learning when Mom holds the answer key.

 

can a motivated (well, fairly motivated) hs student be adequately prepared for college by doing self study???

 

Oh sure, and even an undermotived, uninterested, and disinclined young male can be adequately prepared for college doing self-study.

 

It kind of depends on what you mean by self-study.

 

Does this mean Mom Doesn't Teach?

Does this mean Mom isn't around/available/home?

Would using 2 months of http://www.WriteAtHome.com every year for five years count as "self-study"?

Is anyone around to hold the answer key (or a duplicate textbook) to conduct Oral Recitation with the student?

 

 

 

:seeya:

Edited by Moni
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  • 3 weeks later...

I do think this is an important discussion as I have seen a lot of growth in my 9th grader from having an online composition course where he has to critique the papers of other students (and the teacher deducts for negative meaning nasty criticism, so they have to work at how to present their opinions and get graded on their criticisms). This is something that no book can really teach.

 

Then someone above mentioned discussions. This is invaluable for literature and history. The British grade people based on how they can present their ideas. While writing is good and part of expression, formulating ideas on the spot is so necessary. I happen to have a very timid young man when it comes to verbal self-expression. I cannot imagine what would happen if there was no discussion...He will need this to be able to deal with his wife, let alone all the other times when he will need to communicate with coworkers, etc, etc.

 

Science - I don't think I'd want my son doing the labs by himself - he might blow up our house.

 

I have to go teach but if there is something else, I'll write again.

 

Best,

Joan

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I think a mix probably works best for most families. Mom and teen discuss literature. Teen goes to co-op for science. Teen does Spanish with a neighbor. Dad handles history. Family uses an online class for Latin. Kid self-studies computer programming. Mom works with kid on grammar and vocabulary. A video program for math. Whatever.

 

My son, next year (9th), has a complete mix. My daughter did too at his level. Lots of self-study, co-op, online classes but some mom was still a bit involved with.

 

I think very few kids could do all self-study and even if they could, it's probably not BEST. And mom can't teach everything. But I seriously doubt schools have most conscientious homeschools beat.

 

HTHs,

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Even the most motivated adolescent seems to need the proverbial kick in the pants periodically to remain on task. I have a fairly independent student but I still check in with him frequently to see if All is Well in his universe. There are days when he is happily immersed in work and rarely comes up for air. Then there are the days of day dreaming in which nothing would happen without some poking and prodding. These walking bundles of hormones have a lot going on already!

 

I agree with the other posters who commented on the importance of discussion. This would be on literary works, compositions, historical events, current events, why the staging of last Saturday's Metropolitan Opera just didn't work---we're an overly opinionated bunch on this end. But sharing ideas is important.

 

From the original poster's list, we see that German studies are guided. Perhaps music as well? Does your son ask math questions to you, your husband or a family friend? Is he doing those biology experiments alone or with a sibling watching (and learning)? I don't know how TOG works, but I suspect that students need some guidance in tying together the ideas. Do you lead those discussions?

 

Is he happy?

 

Jane (who understands self doubt but realizes the richness of our homeschool outweighs its inadequacies)

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I think another benefit of having some "outside" classes is that there are grades on the transcript by someone other than you. This, I believe, helps validate the at-home grades.

 

Personally, I had ds take some group classes (co-op or cc) as much for the experience as for the material. And, honestly, it was nice to give up the planning/implementation of those courses. DS rarely took more than one or two subjects outside the home but taking those off my plate allowed us to better concentrate on those subjects we were responsible for.

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We found that outsourcing some classes helped family relations. By having outside teachers who also assigned difficult work that was due at a certain time, the kids found out that Mom wasn't totally nasty, unrealistic, or overly demanding when she gave out assignments and deadlines.

 

:iagree:

 

Latin gets done -- and done well -- because Mr. Spotts assigns/grades/tests, etc.

Edited by Beth in SW WA
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I try to do a mix, just because I am available and I'm hoping a mix will give us the best of both worlds. But in general, the way I look at it is that self-teaching has some advantages that are worth the probably inevitable gaps and other disadvantages, advantages like being better at learning to do things for oneself, applying one's self-discipline, figuring out how to get help, learning to find resources in the community, knowing how one learns best, knowing one's interests, and scheduling one's time. This assumes, though, that the student has a true reason for making themselves learn something, either interest or as a means to an end. It assumes there is someone around to help the student see themselves clearly and not let them slide along fooling themselves. It assumes that they are out and about in the community enough that they develop those important presentation skills, especially the oral ones. It assumes someone has helped them to look ahead and develop a plan so they don't find out too late that how much work something is (like beginning early to learn the whole body of math needed to complete calculus by the end of high school). It assumes quality materials are available that work independently for this particular student, and someone helps them distinguish between teenage low-energy "laziness" and truly not working. And it assumes that someone is around to help them if they get stuck. Lots of assumptions. I'm not at all sure that you can just shut a child in a room with good materials and let them out four years later. Not that I am at all suggesting that that is what you had in mind. I just find that sometimes by taking something to an extreme, I see what needs to be done. Or not done.

Anyway, I think self-teaching has lots and lots of value, but not the same value as being taught by a good teacher. A better question for you is probably whether you think your child would do a better job of teaching himself, given the amount of resources and help you can give or find for him, or whether the public school teachers, who are also only human beings, would do a better job. Realistically, how many of his classes are going to be taught well at ps? Does that balance how many he could teach himself well?

HTH

-Nan

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