How did you get your head around planning for h.s.?

[Erica in PA]

My son is starting 9th grade this fall, and I'm floundering. I just don't know what to do or where to start planning. I'm scanning the thread titles for inspiration, and I just keep wondering how you all got to the point where you are. How did you come up with that book list for ninth grade, or that list of history programs you are considering, or that list of videos that you plan to have your student watch that correlates with your history. etc....? I'm so far from having all of that together, and I don't know where to start.

 

I think a big part of the problem is that it's been a long time since I haven't had a guide to follow. Throughout our homeschooling, I've used TWTM as a guide, and used suggestions from the curriculum boards to substitute programs and books where they fit better than TWTM in that area. However, I reread the high school portion of the book, and the classical model doesn't really fit my ds anymore (or appeal to me, for that matter.) I want ds to have a rigorous college prep education with a strong Christian/biblical emphasis, but I don't know of any books that would help guide me in planning that. So I just feel like I'm going on nothing, with no safety net to help me make sure I am covering the bases... as though no one has ever done it this way before, and I need to totally come up with it on my own-- when I know that's not true, and I'd really be reinventing the wheel to do so.

 

Some things I do have figured out... I have a book that tells me how many credits are needed in which subjects for college. I have a good idea of which books we're using for math, and science. But other than that, I really don't know what to do.

 

So I guess what I'm asking is, how did you get your bearings and come up with a plan for high school? Was there a book that you used as a resource? Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[AngieW in Texas]

My group has a college admissions seminar every year held by a real college admissions officer.

 

She has told us that colleges are starting to look for 4x4 (4 years each of English, history, science, and math). They also want to see at least 2 years of the same foreign language, preferably 3. Aside from that, they expect to see courses that reflect the student's interests. They would like to see some verification of "mommy grades" whether it's through dual credit classes or testing like AP or SAT-II. Many scholarships are based on g.p.a., so it is very helpful to give grades so that a g.p.a can be calculated.

 

My oldest will have 4 years each of English, history, and science. She will have either 3.5 or 4 years of math. Her foreign language is Japanese and will either be 3 or 4 semesters at the cc (each semester counts as a full year of high school credit). Her electives have been personal finance (required by me), psychology (only took it because it was the least heinous course offered for the 5.5 week summer session), Drawing I and II, and Digital Imaging I. She will probably also take Web Design I. The last four courses are definitely things that she has high interest in.

 

My middle dd's electives show her personal interests: personal finance (again required by me), psychology (huge interest), philosophy of mind (she LOVED it), and she'll probably do some courses like ethics or logic or ethics in criminal justice.

[rwjx2khsmj]

I've got a list of what our state requirements are for an academic diploma with honors and I'm using that to help me make sure we are meeting those minimum requirements each year in some fashion.

 

This won't help you but WTM is a great fit for our goals so we'll be following it pretty closely.

[Chris in VA]

I read WTM. I realized I needed more hand-holding. Then I found Omnibus.

When ds was telling us about his desire to be homeschooled, one of the things he said was, "I want to read things that matter."

So, I looked into Great Books, and realized I hadn't read nearly enough of them, nearly well enough, to provide that without a great deal of help.

 

Omnibus allowed me to start my son on a GB track that helped him in so many ways! He read things that mattered, all right. Because he read so many Great Books, he was introduced to the most wonderful stories, characters, use of symbols, etc--it gave him a terrific sense of what makes a great story, what is a great idea, and so on. It influenced him in his quest to become the director of a meaningful film someday. He appreciates the subtle, the turn of phrase, the secret symbol--he didn't go very deeply into the Great Conversation, but he got a taste of it thru such excellence.

 

And we did get to cover so much about his beliefs and compare them to scripture. We got to look at the worldviews present in a lot of the GB's and compare them to each other, to our own thoughts, to scripture.

 

Using Omnibus opened up so much for us! I did incorporate other materials--we used Spark Notes for some discussions, we used some Sonlight stuff, I assigned context pages ala WTM--but it was a huge influence, and worked, with tweaking, for us.

[Teachin'Mine]

I would start out simply by coming up with a plan of what subjects you will be covering each year. It doesn't have to be anything set in stone, but just an idea. The minimum requirements set by your state are just that, the minimum. If your son is planning on college, then you'll probably want to do more than the minimum.

 

Once you have an idea of what you'd like to cover during the four years, then make a list of the subjects to be covered in 9th. Math, English, etc.. Then once you have that done, you can begin to research each subject and see what texts or books, or other resources you want to use for that subject. You have time before school begins in the fall, so read as much as you can to get an idea. When choosing curricula, consider what works best for your son. Does he learn best from texts, or from watching DVDs, or from reading various books on the subject? Try to go with things that have worked for him in the past, but at the same time, it's also a time to prepare for how they will be taught in college - if that's the plan.

 

If you look up each individual subject, you will find great information here using the search function. I think it's also good to remember that if there's something that isn't your strong point to teach, you can outsource that subject to a co-op or an online course, or whatever is available.

 

We're prepping for 9th grade too, and a few days ago, I would have told you our plan is all set. But now I've learned about new opportunities that I didn't know about before, and I'm thinking the plan may need to be reworked. :tongue_smilie: This isn't the first time, and it won't be the last either.

[Hunter's Moon]

What the PPs have said was great advice.

 

If your state has requirements that your child needs to complete then implement those, but otherwise, you're free to do what you and your son want.

 

Just make a general list of courses your son will take. For example:

 

Science:

Biology

Chemistry

Advanced Chemistry

Astronomy

 

Then, you can figure out which classes will be for which year. Obviously you would need Chem. before Adv. Chem., but you can decide when you'll take them. You can take Adv. Chem. right after Chem. or take Astronomy in between. Also, look at possible colleges your son might attend. Even if he doesn't have the slightest idea, look at a really good college and go by their suggestions.

 

Most colleges want one advanced science course from a previous course taken. Most colleges recommend 4 years of foreign language, but require only 2 or 3. I would go with the recommendation if possible, it will make your son stronger in the application process. Most colleges want at least 2 years of advanced math.

 

Just make general lists and make sure to ask for your son's input.

 

Know what subjects need to be covered: History, English, Math, Science, Foreign Language, etc etc and then build courses from those.

 

Good luck!!

[Bev in B'ville]

At the high school level, I think it's very important to get your child involved in the process of choosing materials and subjects. Yes, the basics must be done, but there are many varied ways to accomplish the goals. Every year in January/February, I sit down with my dc (separately) and start talking about what they want to take next year. We talk about each subject individually and go from there. They both have their own copies of what it takes to graduate, so they know which areas they have to fulfill. For example, this year my ds and I talked AP HG vs. Gov't. He chose Gov't. He decided to take AP Comp. Sci. as well. With math, he'll be taking Precalculus, but I gave him choices as to which program he wanted to use.

 

Involving your dc in the process also has the added benefit of having him invest in his own future. For my dc, at least, it's made them more committed to the programs and/or subjects they've chosen.

 

Just my $.02.

[Teachin'Mine]

That's a very important two cents!!! :)

[dkholland]

I went to http://www.donnayoung.org and printed out a 4-yr. plan form and began filling it in. It was a good way to put it on paper so I could see it.

 

She has a form that lists by subject. It was a great help at the beginning for me.:)

[Carol in Cal.]

Look at the college requirements and also the college norms. For instance, the requirement for UC is a 3.2 GPA, I think, plus fulfilling the A-G requirements. But the normal student has a much higher GPA than that and has exceeded the A-G requirements, and for some majors the norms are tougher than others.

 

Also, look at the courses of study and book lists for good academic high schools. There is so much information online covering that, and it can give you a really good starting point.

 

Then customize from there, thinking about your goals--are you all about flexibility? About specialization starting now? About specialization starting at some later point (when)? What do Christian high school do that others do not? What do they avoid? What will distinguish your child from others, and what documentation will assist him in reaching his next goals?

[Jane in NC]

Here is another vote for establishing a bare bones four year plan. Just be prepared to adapt.

 

My son started high school with a general plan of four credits in each of the following: English, Latin, French, Sciences, Mathematics and History. Along the way, we realized that four years of French would not become reality. We realized that planned exercise and nutrition lessons were a good addition to his life in 9th grade. I never expected my son to take Microbiology at the CC. So he ended up with five credits in science, not four.

 

Write that general plan in pencil. Look the minimal requirements for your state university system, then get the real scoop on who is accepted at the best school in your state. Many students and parents do not realize that a minimal list is not a guarantee that your student will be accepted at a particular college or in a particular program. Be aware that today's future novelist may want to become a nurse. It can be hard to get caught up with math and science at the end of high school.

 

We felt that TWTM offered the background for my son to go in any direction, humanities or science. There is something to be said for that.

 

I concur with Bev that student involvement in planning is critical. I would let my son look at two or three texts and then choose. Ownership of the process is good.

 

And remember that your future 9th grader will not be doing 11th or 12th grade work in the beginning of 9th grade. Students grow into high school. Amazing how that happens.

 

Jane

[distancia]

She has told us that colleges are starting to look for 4x4 (4 years each of English, history, science, and math). They also want to see at least 2 years of the same foreign language, preferably 3....

 

My oldest will have 4 years each of English, history, and science. She will have either 3.5 or 4 years of math.....

 

 

Are you saying she will have all these classes (credits/years) by the time she applies to college in the fall of her Senior year? Or can I assume some of them will be earned in the spring of her Senior year?

 

If the answer is yes, how do you incorporate that into a transcript? "Intended" or "Projected"? Would you make a "dummy" transcript for those classes?

[Jane in NC]

Are you saying she will have all these classes (credits/years) by the time she applies to college in the fall of her Senior year? Or can I assume some of them will be earned in the spring of her Senior year?

 

If the answer is yes, how do you incorporate that into a transcript? "Intended" or "Projected"? Would you make a "dummy" transcript for those classes?

 

Yes to earning the credits by the end of senior year.

 

The transcript that I sent in the fall to colleges had an X to indicate that course was currently being taken. In December, after the CC grades were sent, I updated the transcript with the appropriate grades. At the end of January, when the virtual school through which my son took Latin issued a semester grade, I sent out yet another transcript. This might seem like overkill, but I called the Admissions department and asked if they would like the December update or should I wait until the end of January? Since my son was applying to several colleges under Early Admission, they wanted information in December to help them with their decision process. (This paid off--his early admission letters all came with nice merit aid offers.)

 

The Common App allows you to upload an initial transcript, a mid-year and a final.

 

Does this help?

 

Jane

[AngieW in Texas]

Are you saying she will have all these classes (credits/years) by the time she applies to college in the fall of her Senior year? Or can I assume some of them will be earned in the spring of her Senior year?

 

If the answer is yes, how do you incorporate that into a transcript? "Intended" or "Projected"? Would you make a "dummy" transcript for those classes?

 

She'll have all those classes by the time she finishes high school. The transcript she sends with her applications will have the courses that she's taking in the fall listed and her planned courses for the spring listed with no grades since she'll still be taking the courses.

[Vida Winter]

So I guess what I'm asking is, how did you get your bearings and come up with a plan for high school? Was there a book that you used as a resource? Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

I use many resources from Lee Binz, http://www.thehomescholar.com

A year into high school I finally have the hang of it.

[Josie]

Take a look at HSLDA.org under the high school section. You will find a lot of information including general graduation requirements for general, academic, and honors diplomas. If you are a member you can call them for assistance.

[ma23peas]

Here's mine:

 

4x4/Foreign Language/PE/Health/4 electives

 

English/Language Arts: IEW Writing courses...SWI-C, Elegant Essay, Teaching the Classics/Windows to the World focusing on one American Lit/English Lit and semester of C.S. Lewis/George MacDonald/Chesterton comparison...and whatever else floats our boat...pulling vocabulary from the books/ACT prep lists

 

Math: Algebra 1/Algebra 2, Geometry, Calculus

 

Science: Biology/Chemistry/Physics/Comparative Anatomy

 

Social Studies: year of Constitutional classes (local discussion group), US Government, Speech and Debate (he does this every year and the research alone into their affirmative cases goes a long way!), History studies tied in to English.

 

Languages (Rosetta Stone, Italian/German)

 

Electives: Latin

 

PE: Swimming

 

Arts: Not sure yet.

 

Computer: Free MIT design classes (Python and others)

 

I based this on our state's college bound senior guidelines...it seems to fall in to place with most college requirements....

 

HTH!

Tara

[Bev in B'ville]

Take a look at HSLDA.org under the high school section. You will find a lot of information including general graduation requirements for general, academic, and honors diplomas. If you are a member you can call them for assistance.

 

By comparing my state's graduation requirements to those of most of the nation (especially for highly competitive colleges/universities) I found my state's requirements were woefully inadequate (not a big surprise, really, considering my state is usually 49th or 50th in education). I incorporated the rigorous graduation requirements (for highly competitive colleges/universities) for my dc's graduation requirements so they would be more competitive with other dc across the nation.

 

HSLDA is a wealth or resources for high school planning.

[TXMary2]

When my oldest started high school I just looked at what the public school required for 4 years as my starting point. We did all the classes he would have had to do in ps and then some. The and then some being much more writing, field trips, educational opportunities, dvd's etc that he wouldn't have had at school.

 

High School at home does not have to be hard or scary. I am actually pretty exciting that I have my second high schooler starting next month. I have the benefit of experience under my belt now and I think this time around will go even better. Truly, don't stress yourself out. Take a look at what your local high school would require and make that your minimum and use it as a guide. You can do it!

[Savermom]

We're heading into 9th grade in the fall and I felt overwhelmed and lost a couple of months ago. All the advice given so far is great and helped me a lot.

 

I also bought the book Homeschooling High School: Planning Ahead for College Admission (New and Updated) by Jeanne Gowen Dennis

 

Probably the biggest help in trying to put together what courses my son needed was by searching this form for 9th grade schedules. Then I made a list of subjects listed and that gave me a great basis to start putting our own together.

 

Good luck!

[holdoll]

My son is starting 9th grade this fall, and I'm floundering. I just don't know what to do or where to start planning. I'm scanning the thread titles for inspiration, and I just keep wondering how you all got to the point where you are. How did you come up with that book list for ninth grade, or that list of history programs you are considering, or that list of videos that you plan to have your student watch that correlates with your history. etc....? I'm so far from having all of that together, and I don't know where to start.

 

I think a big part of the problem is that it's been a long time since I haven't had a guide to follow. Throughout our homeschooling, I've used TWTM as a guide, and used suggestions from the curriculum boards to substitute programs and books where they fit better than TWTM in that area. However, I reread the high school portion of the book, and the classical model doesn't really fit my ds anymore (or appeal to me, for that matter.) I want ds to have a rigorous college prep education with a strong Christian/biblical emphasis, but I don't know of any books that would help guide me in planning that. So I just feel like I'm going on nothing, with no safety net to help me make sure I am covering the bases... as though no one has ever done it this way before, and I need to totally come up with it on my own-- when I know that's not true, and I'd really be reinventing the wheel to do so.

 

Some things I do have figured out... I have a book that tells me how many credits are needed in which subjects for college. I have a good idea of which books we're using for math, and science. But other than that, I really don't know what to do.

 

So I guess what I'm asking is, how did you get your bearings and come up with a plan for high school? Was there a book that you used as a resource? Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I agree to getting a four-year plan together. There's a good one on donnayoung.org. I keep fine-tuning ours and actually had to change a few things when we moved to Utah as the universities here require more electives. Call your local universities and talk to the admission officers. They're usually pretty helpful as they want your student and your money. :)

 

Holly