Kathie in VA Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 We are considering allowing our dd to take a course or two at our local public High School. Our county allows homeschoolers to enroll part time and take up to 2 courses. She would take Biology and maybe an art or foreign language class. Has anyone else considered or done something like this? Any words of wisdom on this? TIA Kathie in VA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpupg Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 ... but we plan on doing this with our ds14 in the Fall. Assuming the schedule is workable, he'll take Biology and German at the public high school. I really do NOT want to teach a foreign language I never learned, and outsourcing the Bio course will take a huge load off my shoulders. We have all our fingers and toes crossed that it will work out well :) Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 We're hoping dd can take Latin at the local hs. It's not commonly done, and I called Friday to start the wheels going and was forwarded no less than three times. Then I left a message for the woman I actually need to speak with. Of course, they'll be tied up with state testing next week (one of the many reasons we homeschool), so it may be a while before I hear from her. I know it should be allowed, since it's allowed for band, etc, but that doesn't mean that everyone knows that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Dd will take Spanish 1 at our local school district in the Fall (high school level) 3 1.5 hour classes/wk. I'm so excited to get something for free for a change! She will be in a class of mostly freshmen. She is currently in a fun Spanish class for middlers and a vocal ensemble class. Again -- free! This is our first real experience w/ the public school system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoriM Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 If it's available in your county, then it's a nice compromise. For one year, we enrolled in a local private school (10th grade for my older dd, 7th grade for my younger dd), and did school from 8 a.m. -11:30 a.m. each day. (Five subjects, plus Bible in 3.5 hours!). I taught Algebra 1, Algebra 2, PreCalculus and Ethics (from the Trinity Forum books) at the school, so my girls continued to have me for math. :) Anyway, it was a nice compromise to fulltime homeschooling, and built a nice relationship with friends for my younger dd particularly. Neither of them complained *at all* when we resumed fulltime homeschooling the following year, because they were better able to judge the pros and cons of classroom study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary in MN Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Neither of them complained *at all* when we resumed fulltime homeschooling the following year, because they were better able to judge the pros and cons of classroom study. My ds, 13, has done band at the school for two years now, and enrolled in science this year. I agree with the above post--it gave him a great way to evaluate the pros and cons of school--and he came away with much more respect for what we've been doing all these years. He's been mightily disgusted by all the behavior of the average classroom student (and I'm far from a strict disciplinarian!). He doesn't want to take science next year, but I think we'll try algebra. The one positive I noticed was that having other students to test himself against and a teacher other than his mother made him push himself harder in science than he would have otherwise. I'm not sure if that will last--I'm hoping it will work for math! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie in NE Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 It was only the Junior High this year, and she took two classes, Art and French. She has had a wonderful experience. Like Beth in SW WA said, it's nice to get something "free" (or at least get what you already paid for ;)) for a change. I have been very happy with the situation. Here are the pros and cons for our situation: Pros: 1) Dd was trending toward being a hermit. She was withdrawing, really, and we didn't think that would be very good preparation for "sending her off to college" in a few short years. We've all been pleasantly surprised by how much she likes being around the other kids. 2) Her teachers seem to be very good. She is getting a couple of subjects that she really likes, and that I never had time to teach her at home (with 3 other dc at home). We just never seemed to get to French or Art..... 3) She has gained energy and motivation from the situation. Cons: 1) The interruptions to our homeschooling day with having to run back and forth to the Jr. High. 2) It takes so much time! She is spending almost 4 hrs. per week in each class (total of almost 8 hrs./wk) for classes that would take a fraction of that time at home! 3) There will doubtless be some bad influences there that we will have to contend with. But at this age, I think dd will be able to handle it. That's all I can think of right now. Next year, she'll be taking Geometry, Biology and French in 9th grade. She is following the Veritas Press Scholars Diploma program, so we still have to make sure that the High School's classes will be approved by VP. One thing we've learned for sure is that dd is more motivated to perform for teachers other than her mom. :001_huh: Better to know now, than in her Jr. year, I guess...... HTH, Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Sign up as early as you can (we are in Fairfax--and the first app date is April 15) and be prepared that you may not get in to your local school. We tried to take French and Chem at our nearest school, but only French was available (signed up late) and it was at a different school. We didn't end up doing it after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathie in VA Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 Thanks everyone. I was thinking of having her take Biology with the local homeschooling co-op but I really think this will be better. It's a full class, the local co-op is really just for the labs. She is thinking of becoming a doctor so Bio should get done right. Sign up as early as you can (we are in Fairfax--and the first app date is April 15) and be prepared that you may not get in to your local school. We tried to take French and Chem at our nearest school, but only French was available (signed up late) and it was at a different school. We didn't end up doing it after all. Hi Neighbor: oh! April 15! That is sooner than I was thinking. I'll have to check out the dates here in Loudoun Thanks for the heads-up! I really do hope we get in with the local HS as it is right off our backyard! --Kathie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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