Could you recommend a great resource for planning high school years?

[Mommy7]

I have: Homeschooling the High Schooler and Senior High: A Home-Designed Form+U+la. The latter book is annoying to me...a little too cutesy. I would like a bottom line, this is how you do it, kind of book.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Also, what works best for your family? Do you create course contracts, log hours or books read, or what? How do you decide on what is appropriate for college prep classes?

 

Thank you so much! :)

[sbaloue]

I have High School @ Home: You Can Do It! by Diana Johnson. I purchased this at www.CBD.com. This is a very helpful book.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

The Form U La book was annoying to me too!!! She needed an editor big time!!! But, among all that chatter there are lots of nuggets of GREAT information. I sold my book a couple of years ago. I wish I would have made a copy of some of the "forms". So, do take time to dig through it!

 

I have found great information on state dept of education websites. You can see how the state names courses and sometimes even see textbook reviews. I've found some great textbooks from there. You can usually see the courses that are typically taught each year, and titles of classes to use for "electives".

 

The main thing you NEED to know is your state's homeschool requirements for high schoolers. Does your state require a certain number of days? A certain number of hours to call it a credit?

 

You also need to know what your student will do after high school. Is he/she leaning towards an Ivy league school? Community College? Beauty school? College admissions requirements will also help you determine how to plan for high school.

 

All the homeschooling books give you good ideas, but I think that state and college requirements play the largest role in planning.

[Musicmom]

I have Homeschooling High School: Planning Ahead for College Admission by Jeanne Gowen Dennis. I found it very helpful. I kept thinking I also wanted to get the Form U La book, but when I finally had an opportunity to preview it, I didn't like it at all--I agree with you, too cutesy.

[Guest]

I am passionately fond of Rebecca Rupp's Homeschooling Year By Year and refer to it all the time. However, part of her point is that you tailor materials and emphases for an individual child, so I don't know whether that would give you the one-way-to-do-it approach you're seeking. It lays out a general plan, offers standards or lists of things your child ought to be able to do by the end of the grade, suggests many materials: many, many helpful things. But it is not DIRECTIVE, I guess that's what I'm searching for.

[Gratia271]

Thanks for the great recommendations.

[SusanAR]

I have Homeschooling High School: Planning Ahead for College Admission by Jeanne Gowen Dennis. I found it very helpful.

 

:iagree:this is my favorite

[Kareni]

Here's another thread with some good advice. My suggestions are listed there.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Gratia271]

Thanks!

[Donna A.]

I have Homeschooling High School: Planning Ahead for College Admission by Jeanne Gowen Dennis.

 

I have and enjoy this one, too. She talks a lot about college admissions and how to prepare your child not only academically, but morally and emotionally as well. Can the student work well with others in a group? Can she speak in front of people? Can she write a good paper? Is he a self-starter, or does he have to be told every single step of what to do?

 

There's also a lesson on the right way to disagree with a professor without arguing.

 

At the back there's a chart listing numerous colleges from around the country and what THEY expect from homeschoolers. The chart shows whether they accept a GED from homeschoolers, whether they have to list actual coursework (vs. just credits and course titles), whether they expect to see much outside service, and so on. It gives you a great overview of how to plan the "whole" high school experience, not just the academics.

[Leonor]

Countdown to College by Kim Anderson