See, I was a bio major, so a lot of this is beyond me. I appreciate you explaining things to me. So, the AoPS Calc course in the fall seems to have started in Oct for the past 2 years, if I remember correctly. That would then put him behind on the math, unless he starts working through the text on his own this spring/summer (which he might be willing to do, since his Precalc class finishes mid-March). I just checked the AoPS class schedule, and they have a Calculus class starting end of June and will finish Dec 15 or so. I took a quick look at the topics, it looks like by the time the AP Physics starts, they would be finished with chapters on derivatives, and would start on integrals. At least that gives DS some options if he's really dragging on the chem. Yeah, outsourcing really locks in our schedule too. But our kids really like having some interactions with classmates and other teachers. It's their social entertainment. ;) We were thinking of AP Lang with PAH, not with Maya Inspektor, but with Kathryn Walker. He loves to read. Writing, not so much. But he wants to put in the effort to keep improving. I'll keep the workload in mind, and maybe look for other venues for him to accomplish his goals. He wanted to do APUSH because he likes history, and his PAH MacroEcon classmates were raving about what a great class that is. But one only has so much time...

OK. Makes sense. Thanks! So, should he be looking at 5 courses: DE math, AP Physics (or Chem if he insists on doing Phys first), AP English Language & Comp, Latin readings, and an elective? Or less? I'm so glad I asked about this. Together, you've pointed out issues that I hadn't thought of before. (thank you, thank you) By myself, I'd been spinning around trying to imagine how things might be on my own for a few nights without getting anywhere.

Glad to know that AP Latin is workable for gr11! I was thinking of trying the course at TPS, since the schedule is doable from Asia. (Not so excited about meeting twice a week, though). I did ask our current tutor. Although he's helped students with prepping for the SAT subject test, he's unfamiliar with the AP test. Also, he noted that he's not very good with literary analysis. But he'll be available for tutoring help as needed. DS will probably have to work a bit harder, since your kids excelled academically. :thumbup: But I'll factor in the fact that it still can be workable. I'll have to check the TPS policy, but our tutor will be fine to support DS if he needs to drop AP Latin after a few weeks.

That is certainly something that I hadn't considered before. I'm so glad that you (3) have brought it up! I'll talk to DS about your advice about taking AP Chem next year instead of AP Physics. He was kind of looking forward to doing some physics. (Maybe he can do a little work on it over the summer?) I can understand how being fluent with the Calc will make doing Physics C easier. So, when the teachers say that it is all right to take the two courses concurrently, is it because they think that the students can grind through it, even though not so smoothly?

As a reference, DS1 is taking the following this year: AoPS Precalc Pre-AP Honors Chem w/ TPS AP Macro & Micro Econ w/ PAH Hist using TOG English 10 using TOG Latin using Cambridge Latin books IV & V w/ tutor It was quite a challenge for him to get used to the workload in the fall, but he's adjusted to it after a few months. From time to time though, he'll still be a bit stressed with the amount of work. He's getting A's in his courses. His extracurricular are piano and chess (plays at a local club one evening a week, but not much studying) So, I'm trying to think of how to schedule the last 2 years of HS for DS1. Here is what are certain for grade 11: AoPS Calculus with AP Calc BC exam AP Physic C with PAH Advanced Composition (Honors w/ TPS) elective and grade 12: DE college math (depends on what is available and fits with schedule) AP Chem with PAH or Chem Advantage AP Eng Lang and Composition So, he'd like to take APUSH either year. For Latin, he has 2 options: 1) Latin readings for gr11, and AP Latin for gr12; or 2) AP Latin for gr11, and independent studies for gr12 or do another elective. He's not too fond of literary analysis (and there's a lot of that in AP Latin) even though he likes learning the language. So, I'm thinking perhaps another year will give him some more confidence to tackle the literary analysis in AP Latin and all the reading. If he does AP Latin and APUSH in gr12, then he will be carrying 5 college level courses. I worry that that would be too much. But then, if he does either APUSH or AP Latin in gr 11, I worry that it might be too difficult also, given that he will be taking AP math and science. These are courses that he's interested in, and would put work into. But I also want him to have some buffer time to think, and explore since he doesn't know what he'd like to major in, although STEM seems likely. I've been flipping back and forth in my mind, still no answer... DS1 is not sure which to choose either. Since we are overseas, and his friends attend local school, he doesn't have a reference point. What do you suggest? (PS - I would need to outsource Latin and APUSH...)

DD is a freshman this year. She does well in her subjects across the boards. She will study, and from time to time she will find certain topics interesting. But she hasn't found a subject that has held her interest overall. She used to enjoy studying Latin. But as the material has gotten more difficult, she has lost much of that joy.

Will take a look at the course with Outschool. Thanks! Lori, Thanks for sharing about your sons. It's encouraging to know that the late bloomers will end up find their paths. I appreciate the links! Will be reading through them. My friends and relatives whose children are in public/private HS have heard from their guidance counselors that the students need to be thinking about their college majors early, and that the colleges really want to see candidates who know what they want to study/major in. For DS, who is strong in math, he's not sure if he's more inclined to majoring in math or engineering.... Is he interested in being an engineer? He's not sure... Should he then apply to the engineering department or arts & science?

DS 11th grade: English - TOG Y3 Math - AoPS Calculus, self-study for AP Calc BC Science - PAH AP Physics C History - TOG Y3 (I think I can call this US Hist I) Latin IV study with tutor (considering AP Latin, but will likely leave that for the following year) Elective ??? DD 10th grade: English - TOG Y3 Math - Alg 2 likely DO Science - Physics with DO or TPS Hisotry - TOG Y3 Latin IV study with tutor Elective ???

I've been wondering about this for a while. DS1 is a sophomore and DD is a freshman. Neither of them have any inclination towards any dreams of what they would like to do "when they grow up." They do generally well across the board academically. DS seems to love math over other subjects. DD cannot say if she likes one subject over another. And I haven't observed that there is anything that is particularly drawing them at this moment. So some kids grow up with a strong sense of direction. Others not so. Sometimes I wonder, did I miss something? Perhaps I should have them interview our relatives and friends about their respective professions and work? How have you helped your children "find their path" when there doesn't seem to be an overwhelming passion for something? How do you help them to explore the possibilities?

I found that our library has different editions of the Giancoli text in the stacks, So we're good to go if we need it. My DD will be doing Alg2 concurrent with Physics in the fall. So, right now thinking either DO or TPS.

I'm considering Derek Owen's Honors Physics for DD. I'm wondering, how many videos on average do the students watch each week? And about how long are the videos? DD works well with having someone teach her the math, but she also needs to have a textbook for reference. On Derek Owen's website, he states that the textbook is no longer required, but can be purchased if the student needs it. Is the textbook difficult to find? Thanks!

"She is one woman - a wonderful homeschool mom who teaches Latin classes online. ... She is doing what she does best, teaching classes and working with teens." I'm always appreciative of people who share their expertise and love for teaching with the wider homeschooling community. Sure, they need to make the cost analysis work for them and be financially compensated for their time and expertise. But I still see it as being out of a generous spirit that they teach. :thumbup:

Good to know! I'm currently looking for online courses for Latin IV / AP Latin. Thanks!

To add to the above, if/when your student studies chemistry and physics content, they will be making use of their algebra skills. My DS1 has done fine doing the sequence of Alg1, Geo, Alg2. If he had forgotten something from Alg1 while doing Alg2, a quick review was all that was needed.

DS took the AoPS course, which is over 24 weeks. I think he spent about 10 hours a week on it. He read the chapters and worked through all the problems, including the challenge problems before class, and then worked on the problems assigned for class afterwards. So I think it is doable on your own over 10-12 months. DS also took the AoPS Intro to Geometry course, which he loved. His feeling is that the Intermediate Algebra is easier than the Geometry, FWIW. So, maybe your DS will find this to be the case as well. :001_smile:

Thanks for writing! I sent the link for this thread to DH so that he could read too. That way, we can things to refer to when we discuss the decision together. It seems too obvious to say that everyone is different. But indeed that is the case - and that is what we read in your replies. When we first started applying to the private school, I was panicking because I couldn't see a solution to my son's need for community. At the same time, I was also feeling inadequate about my ability to provide him a solid high school education. But reading your sharings - both the ones whom kept homeschooling, and those who switched to traditional school, I find echos of familiar sentiments. It good to know that I'm not the only ones who experiences these concerns. I just finished reading a couple of older threads about the struggle with the social piece of homeschooling teens. I didn't know that it is common for the number of homeschooling students to thin out in the teenage years. And that makes some teens feel awkward about going to homeschool activities. I've heard that feedback from moms of the teens in our homeschool group here (the few that there are). And I noted a good number of people mentioning that for teens, their social involvement can shift from being with fellow homeschoolers to community groups/activities and sports. That's given me some food for thought.

Thank you ladies, for taking the time to write. :001_smile: Julie of KY, it's reassuring to know that it is possible to have a challenging course of study while homeschooling. I feel like you've correctly pinpointed that the social aspect would be the key determining factor. It would be great to have a situation in which we can have both the family closeness and the peer social interactions for my son. I haven't been able to get a good sense of what teens do outside of school here. I know that many go to tutorials and practice learning musical instruments. Many teens participate in school based teams sports here. But there are classes and training lessons for more individual sports. So, that could be something to explore. Other than that, I'll need to go and do some investigating. merylvdm, thanks for sharing candidly about your daughter. I'm glad to hear that she has a few good friends. I'll have to remember that the social scene at school is a mixed bag, and so if he goes to school, my son will have to find his niche.

We’re at a decision point right now as to whether to continue homeschooling high school till graduation, or send our son to a private brick and mortar school. I’m having a hard time figuring out what to do. My husband and son are both also undecided, and could go either way. We’ve been homeschooling since my oldest son was in kindergarten. We have enjoyed homeschooling immensely. Our kids (we have 3) have a love of learning as a result of homeschooling, and we appreciate that the children can learn for mastery at their own pace. Our kids have close relationships with each other. Sure there are conflicts and bickering, and some fighting. But generally, they love spending time with each other. We were part of a vibrant homeschool co-op that met weekly September through May. But about 2 years ago, we moved overseas to a country where very few families homeschool. We have found a group of homeschoolers (expat and local families) that meet every 2 weeks or so for field trips and different activities. And we’ve been quite active in the group. In recent years, the number of homeschooling families has been increasing, but most of them are with children in preschool through the early elementary years. So it’s been a bit challenging to find peers for socializing form my 2 teenagers. We are considering sending our son to a private American school (American curriculum) for Gr. 10 -12. We’re thinking about it for two reasons: 1) Social: my son has been having a hard time finding peers with whom to socialize. He likes interactions with people, though he’s not an extrovert. So, we think going to school will give him the environment to socialize that he hasn’t been able to find here. 2) Academic: in the region where we first lived, there were many group high school classes for homeschoolers taught by expert teachers. However, where we now live, such resources are not available. Because homeschooling is not officially recognized, the local colleges specify that students must be attending brick and mortar school students to qualify to take DE courses. The American school we are considering has about 20 AP courses available. However, there are a number of reasons that we would want to keep homeschooling: 1) Family lifestyle and relationships: Our children love spending time together. I’m concerned how our family dynamics might change with the oldest attending school. Because our daughter is close in age with our oldest, the two of them are classmates in a couple of courses that they study. I worry that my daughter will miss having her brother around, and that she might feel lonely. We live in a very busy city. And our homeschooling lifestyle has allowed us to carve out a quieter, and slower (more sane, if you will) rhythm of life in comparison. Having one child in the “school system†will suck us into a busy schedule and routine. That is something that I am not so keen about. Also, my husband works on weekends and has an off day during the week. Because we’ve been homeschooling, we’ve been able to adjust our schedule to his, so that we can have a “family off day†together. We really treasure that time we have together. 2) Time to explore interests: My son loves math. He would love to have the time to go through all the AoPS books and take all of their online classes. He would like to prepare for math competitions. And he has been thinking about starting a math circle for the younger homeschoolers. He also loves playing chess, and has recently started to “cube.†Although I’m not so sure I can find anything “productive†in these latter 2 interests of his, I appreciate how he has a lot of fun doing them. 3) Attitude towards learning: I’ve been told that in most of the local schools here, the students do a lot of studying, but there isn’t a corresponding love for learning. At the American school, it is the same way. The kids are also quite driven academically. Would my son then become competitive, and be driven for grades rather than enjoy the learning? Would he become preoccupied with comparing himself with his classmates? One of my homeschooling friends here tells me that attending a brick and mortar school might not provide the social piece that we find missing, and may bring more “thorny issues†into the pictures. So, rather than imagining how things might be, I figure that it would be better to ask the “hive†what your children’s experiences have been like. I would appreciate your sharing these things with me! So, for those of you who have children who were homeschooled through middle school, then finished high school in brick and mortar schools, can you please share the reasons your families made the decision? Also, how did things turn out for your children? Did your expectations of attending school turn out like you had thought? What were the social aspects of attending school like? Did attending school open up opportunities for learning that might not have been there if you continued homeschooling? How did going to school affect your child’s relationship with siblings and parents? For those who homeschooled all the way through, can you please share the reasons your family decided to continue homeschooling high school? How did your children find friends (or, how did they meet their needs for socializing?) What kind for interests were your children able to pursue? Thanks for taking the time to read my long post! Thanks also for taking the time to write and share with me your thoughts.

I see. Thanks!

Thanks. That's good to know that I can fold it into English I! Julie of KY, the example you provided is soo helpful! It gives me a better idea of how to incorporate the online courses. Okay, this may be a silly questions, but I would feel better if I ask. I'm planning to report letter grades A,B,C, etc. without + or -. But the teacher from the course has a grade with +/-. Should I just record her grade as she gave it in my course description? (I know, it's not that important, but better to ask than to keep wondering...) Thanks!

DS took an online Brave Writer Expository Writing course (6 weeks) last summer between Gr. 8 and Gr. 9. The teacher gave him a grade on a "transcript form" for 1/4 credit. I'm working on his transcript for freshman year. Rather than giving him 1/4 credit for the writing class, can I just consider it work for the writing component of an English I class, and calculate and average the grade that the Brave Writer teacher gave him with his other grades for that class? And then a related question, the course description for the course on the Brave Writer website is quite long. Can I cut and paste some of it into my English I course description, or should I just include the teacher's grade evaluation (which includes a course description) separately? Thanks!

Thanks pinelement! I've looked into Wilson Hill Academy, as it has many good reviews here on the hive. We live in Asia right now, so, we'll need something in the early morning EST. Although I would really like to have dd take a class, she's not really liking the idea. I've planned for her to take an online Chemistry class. And since it will be her first one, she feels that it would be too stressful for her to have to follow the pace of a second online class. (She would prefer to be doing math at her own pace. This year, in doing Algebra, there were some topics that she needed more time to master.) Docmom, I picked Jurgensen's because it does ask the student to write proofs, and folks on the hive seem to like it. The layout and writing are straight forward and clear. I I've considered Jacob's also. We have the Jacob's Algebra text. Dd thinks Jacob's is too wordy for her. We're using AoPS Intro Algebra right now. Though dd can work through it okay, she's not into math like her older sib. Older sib took AoPS Geometry course online. And dd thinks it would be too fast for her. And she would like to use something other than AoPS for her next math course.

Thanks RootAnn for the suggestion. I'll take a look. Any other thoughts?

I would like to try to teach dd Geometry by using Jurgensen's Geometry text. (I researched the online classes that use this book, but the times do not fit our schedule since we need some thing in the evening.) DD usually does better if she watches a video, and I explain the material afterwards. Also I might not be able to teach a lesson almost half of the time. So, I'm looking for videos that she can watch with each lesson. Does anyone have any experience or thoughts as to whether the video on Thinkwell will match well up well? Thanks! (Homeschoolbuyersco-op.org has a discount purchase deal that is 45% off now, that's why I'm thinking about this combo.)

DS will be in G9, and I would like to to use TOG Y1 Rhetoric level for Ancient history and Literature (to fulfill 1 credit of history, and 1 credit of English). We used TOG for 1 1/2 cycles. I will use WWS 2 for writing and somehow work in at least 1/2 of the writing assignments from TOG. Does that sound like an okay amount of work (i.e. not overwhelming)? Do you think I will need to get Writing Aids if we will be using WWS2 concurrently? Thanks!