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Help with High school history please...


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Has anyone successfully completed a high school program like illustrated in the WTM? In my heart, I would really like to do such a study - mostly due to the great books study. However, I am really concerned about my own personal educational level (to ask the right questions, etc) to do this well.

 

Is there any other program that uses the great books? I know about Omnibus, but I really wanted to start with Ancients since I have both a soon to be 5th grader, and a soon to be Fresh. Seems like the perfect time. Omnibus has a 3 year rotation that doesn't start over until grade 10. We would have to do moderns (which would probably be ok, due to the fact that we only got through American hist. this year.

 

I also really like the looks of OaK Meadow for my 5th grader. Please kick in any suggestions you can think of. Also, I would really like to incorporate writing into our program and like the idea of having prompts that don't come from me. Thanks for the suggestions.

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Hi Shelly,

Have you looked at Tapestry of Grace? I don't know how it compares to the WTM outline of how to study history in high school, but TOG covers history in a four-year rotation at a variety of levels. TOG incorporates history, literature (chronologically), writing, church history, government (at the high school level), philosophy (again, at the HS level), and fine arts (art and music appreciation, mostly). You don't have to do all of it, but all the options are there for you. The high school level is quite rigorous, and also quite engaging. The teacher's notes are quite extensive and provide you with discussion scripts for dialectic and rhetoric levels (jr high and high school). We are finishing up year 4, 20th century world and American history. My older son will have completed all 4 years at the rhetoric level when he graduates in June. If you have any questions about TOG or how it works (at least at my house!), please ask away!

Blessings,

April

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My son will be taking an online class from Memoria Press that uses SWB's History of the Ancient World. He is really excited. For literature, I have struggled and searched and cussed (haha), and finally decided on SMARR Ancient Lit with some discussion guides from The Great Books Academy thrown in and some WTM/WEM stuff thrown in too. I finally decided that we are not going to focus on a lot of lit analysis for this year because it is just too difficult with the ancients. We will work on discussion more, and plan on using Windows to the World from IEW for more analysis probably in 11th grade.

hth

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We have been using it this year for Am. History - maybe it would work for us again, but for some reason, I haven't enjoyed it. It still seems like a lot of work for me - and to be honest, this year, I have just been having him do the readings and answering the questions. I do not like the fact that I have to dig for the answers when he is answering questions. I guess that is my biggest beef - I really have to search for the answers more than I want to. It is something that I would consider doing again, but I would have to do a better job. I didn't enjoy the upper grammar level at all - didn't think it had enough to it.

 

The Omnibus program makes me interested as well as Oak Meadow for my 5th grader. Anyone care to weigh in further. Thanks.

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Has anyone successfully completed a high school program like illustrated in the WTM?

 

A number of people on the high school board are doing this! Our family is in the midst of high school (gr. 10 and 11 DSs) and very much enjoying doing history and literature based on the Great Books WTM ideas. :001_smile:

 

 

In my heart, I would really like to do such a study - mostly due to the great books study. However, I am really concerned about my own personal educational level (to ask the right questions, etc) to do this well... Is there any other program that uses the great books? ... I would really like to incorporate writing into our program and like the idea of having prompts that don't come from me. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

For our history, we use the history textbook SWB recommends (Spielvogel's Human Odyssey), and add some readings from source documents and authors of the times, plus some other resources.

 

For our literature, we pick selected "Great Books" and use study guides with work, so we have lots of background info, discussion questions, writing assignment ideas, etc. For more details on how we -- and others -- create your lit. course, check out this past thread: "If you make your own literature course/list"

 

And yes, packaged programs can also fit right in with a Great Books or WTM style of education. People here often use Omnibus, Tapestry of Grace, Sonlight, and others very successfully in a "WTM" way. Some one-year or one-semester long literature programs that work in a "WTM" way include: Windows to the World (from IEW); Excellence in Literature; Learning Language Arts Through Literature: Gold (American Lit; British Lit); Lightning Literature & Composition (from Hewitt Homeschooling)

 

Just want to encourage you as you consider a Great Books / WTM style of education through high school with some past conversations on this same topic. Take your time and enjoy reading these past threads with a cup of coffee or tea in hand, and see the many different ways families "do" a WTM / Great Books study! Welcome to high school! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

Do you follow the WTM for high school

 

Does anyone do high school history & lit. ala WTM/WEM?

 

What are the benefits of doing a Great Books study as opposed to a traditional route?

 

Tell me about your traditional lit./history high school course

 

Is boxed curriculum not sufficient for high school anymore?

 

I don't think we're cut out for the Great Books

 

Tell me I really can do WTM at home for high school

 

Doing the WTM with a high school student who isn't ready for rhetoric level

 

 

And here are two past posts in which lots of ladies contributed to almost "online versions" of a Great Books discussion, so you can see how we parents learn right alongside our children -- and how fun, interesting, and helpful a Great Books study can be for US, too!

 

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight -- Need Input Please

Jane Eyre and boys

Edited by Lori D.
fixed typos
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