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Is this all there is to High School


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My last child is about to start 9th grade. I have been through this before, but my youngest is 7 years younger than his next sibling. He is not academically minded, unlike his sisters.

 

All I see ahead is 4 years of textbooks and grind for him and for me.

 

I am fed up. we live in Christchurch NZ, although we have no structural damage we did break a lot of things in the house. The aftershocks still continue. I have 3 close relatives with cancer. I am wondering what is the point of all this slog. Do great academics really matter anyway?

 

I started a thread on unschooling wondering if that was the way to go but right now all either of us want to do is no school at all. There seems to be no point to it at all.

 

9th grade starts in February. I am struggling to finish up this year (5 weeks to go), let alone plan and prepare for High School.

 

Not sure what I need here, just reassurance that it is worth it I suppose. I think I am ready to through in the towel right now, and ds does NOT want to go to school. He has great hs friends, and normally enjoys homeschooling.

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:grouphug: I don't really have advice, but I'm praying for you.

 

Does he know what he'd like to do after high school? Is he interested in a trade? Maybe doing just basics like math and English with textbooks and then studying more practical skills helping him in whatever direction he'd like to go would be better for him. But his interests could always change - from what I've read here boys especially can mature academically later than girls - and if he's got the basics solidly, at least he'll still have the option of college or other training after high school. It sounds like you're going through such a difficult time right now. I don't think you need to plan 4 years right now. Maybe it's better to just get through the few remaining weeks of his 8th grade education, take a break, and then think about 9th grade. :grouphug:

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Do the high school subjects, because no matter what your son does as an adult, he'll need to know the basics (or be thought a fool).

 

Then, for all the extras, look into skills. Locksmith, plumbing, mechanics, &tc. Help him to have a sound skill (and some paper saying he did well in the class would help too, like a certification) so he can take care of himself after school is all done :D

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Physically he is very immature, he has yet to start puberty (age just turned 14) emotionally he is young too, his great friends are mostly a year or so younger (although he is smaller than them!). Academically he does well, but does not particularly enjoy the work. His great hobby is making movies. He would like to be a film director, but he is also a realist! So we are not too sure where to go from here. I am not wedded to him going to college, but I would like to keep that option open.

Edited by Willow
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Physically he is very immature, he has yet to start puberty (age just turned 14) emotionally he is young too, his great friends are mostly a year or so younger (although he is smaller than them!). Academically he does well, but does not particularly enjoy the work. His great hobby is making movies. He would like to be a film director, but he is also a realist! So we are not too sure where to go from here. I am not wedded to him going to college, but I would like to keep that option open.

I have a friend from high school that did move out to Cali and become a director/producer. He got excellent grades in school, did all the academics and then some :p Now, even though our school was really not great, he had a good footing, got good SAT scores and went out west for college.

 

I would recommend, if movies are what he wants to do, that he digs very deep into academics. There are gobs of terrible movies out there, the best movies come from people that know what they are doing. :D That's a great goal.

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For 9th grade Literature, how about using Movies as Lit? My DD is doing this course at a co-op and she really enjoys it.

 

"Good storytelling teaches---whether heard, read, or seen. Through cinema, your students can learn to critique narrative content and form, identify underlying messages, and analyze from a moral standpoint. The Stouts' guide includes plot summaries, discussion and composition questions, extended-study activities, and teacher's guide for 17 movies (chosen for literary merit and effective filmmaking). Use as a one-year high school course or supplement to grades 7 to 12 English. 335 pages, softcover from Design-A-Study."

 

And science could be movies related too. Myth Busters classes and Forensic Science classes are all the rage in our area right now.

 

Does he have a favorite time period in history you can focus on for 9th grade? If you do movies for literature, maybe you can do literature for history? Beautiful Feet Guides are somewhat classical in approach, but not overwhelming for a non-academic child. Or keep it simple and use a textbook.

 

Then you just need to cover Math and maybe a foreign language. My DD is into Manga and wants to take Japanese - would that interest your DS?

 

Personally, I think it is definitely worth it to keep going and give your son the best education possible. I was not a highly academic student, but attended a highly academic high school and graduated from university. I'm so glad I have a good education in a variety of subjects. I feel confident in my ability to converse with others about numerous topics and I was competitive in the job market when I graduated from college.

 

It sounds like you have spring fever in your house, on top of the other events going on in your life. We have holiday fever here - we're going on week 16 of our school year and I'm definitely ready for a holiday. You may feel better after a break from school.

 

Sending you hugs and best wishes.

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Thank you, thank you, thank you, Ann! I have just looked at the movies as Lit book. Ds saw and said 'buy it, click buy NOW!" He has never shown any interest in LA of any kind. So now I know what we will be doing for Lit next year!

 

Now History. He is fascinated by Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar, mainly because he loves all tall ships. He is trying to raise $1500 so he can sail on a sail training ship when he is 15.

Any ideas?

 

I have hope!

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Just some encouragement. My youngest ds hit his major growth spurt, complete with voice change, when he was about 14 and a half. It has been spectacular the amount he has changed in one year -- he went from being the short, elfin child to 6' tall! During that spell he mostly seemed to sleep and eat, keeping his higher brain functions to a minimum. I'll bet your ds is on the verge of this as well, in which case you may as well do school "lite".

 

I was wondering if there might be any apprentice opportunities now that the Hobbit has gotten the go ahead. I realize that Peter Jackson's headquarters are on the other island, but they filmed all over NZ for the trilogy and might for the Hobbit, too. It is a long shot, I know, but something to watch for.

 

My older ds had a cinematography elective. He made movies, read The 5 C's of Cinematography (an old book but is the Holy Grail among graphic artists and film makers), read some books on film lighting, and of course watched lots of classic movies. He was more interested in live theater production so didn't follow this lead, but we learned that the local news stations had high school age interns. Perhaps your ds could ask for some tours of area tv stations, start looking to intern -- even if it is just grunt work at the beginning.

 

Are there schools in NZ similar to our community colleges? These are sometimes called junior college as they cover the first two years of college, and offer specialized training in trades and allow high schoolers to take classes. Perhaps you can create some kind of mix of homeschooling, interning and outside classes?

 

It doesn't have to be a text book slog. It is awfully hard to get motivated when you have so much on your plate, as it seems you do. Unless you have to satisfy some state school requirements, could you just plan on doing math and lots and lots of reading for the first half of the school year? Audio books, fiction and non-fiction, watch good movies, read the newspaper and film trade magazines and just move forward in a math program. Once you are revived you can make a long term plan?

 

There is something to be said, too, for the life lessons your ds is getting from how you as a family handles life's difficulties -- whether illness, fires, earthquakes. The year my mom was dying was a lousy homeschool year, and yet we made time for me to read aloud together, to watch fun movies together, and just be together. In the long run it didn't harm my kids at all -- they picked right back up as if there hadn't been a good 9 months of disruption.

 

There you go -- some more ideas, and more encouragement! And my sympathies on the earthquakes. After years of solid ground underfoot here in Southern California, there was a major quake last Easter and many strong aftershocks. Nothing to compare to Christchurch, mind you, but for a while we'd take bets on the aftershocks -- "that felt like a 4.5" "OOOh a 5.0 for sure!"

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What about the History of Film, or Naval History, for history? My DS is doing a history of warfare and weapons, and he loves it. Or maybe he could focus on the Age of Discovery — lots of great "living books" for that one. For science he could do oceanography and focus on topics related to sailing, or make up a course like "Physics of Cinematography."

 

Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics is a fun book, and there are lots of "Physics of Star Trek/Star Wars" type books. I set up a public wishlist on Amazon with a list of all different kinds of resources related to science fiction, from literature to political science to physics & biology. You could literally put together an entire year's curriculum (well maybe except for math) around science fiction. There's also Literary Lessons from Lord of the Rings, if he likes Tolkien — he could compare the books to the movies and write about how he would have filmed the books differently.

 

Jackie

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Thanks Jackie, I never thought of oceanography, or marine biology, silly really as we often visit the beach. Kikoura has whales, the Banks Peninsula has seals and penguins and the occasional sea-lions and sharks and of course our own lovely Hectors dolphin.

 

Jennifer, I'm glad to know your son did grow, ds is getting a bit worried at the moment! His dad keeps saying he didn't grow until he was 15, so perhaps these things are hereditary. Thanks for your suggestions. A year to grow on seems like a good idea, particularly as we often get shaken awake at night, so sleep is not easy.

Edited by Willow
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My ds is in the cinema program at VCU. They all have to double major, preferably a content-major; that's so they have something to write about when they do a screenplay.

 

So, content is really, really important, particularly in history (it is a story, after all!) and literature. He needs to be able to pick up on allusions from different cultural sources--the great films generally are like the Great Books, in that they incorporate/talk about themes that are Human, in the deepest sense.

 

I think the other suggestions you've gotten are marvelous--Also, have him watch LOTS of movies, and then rewatch, using the Director's Commentary on the DVD (sometimes it's not the director, but you know what I mean). Citizen Kane, one of the greatest American movies ever made, now comes with a commentary section that is absolutely phenomenal, and tells you why it's great. Ds was given the suggestion to do so, and it's helped him tremendously to get into the mind of the director/movie makers.

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Oceanography or Marine Biology is a great suggestion for science! How about Meteorology? If he wants to sail, it might be helpful to know a lot about the weather?

 

There is a company in Austin who provides special effects and stunts for movies and they offer science classes and field trips. Maybe this would spark some interest or provide a jumping off place for ideas? http://www.scienceinthemovies.com/steve/

 

Here's a link to their science resources related to movie making:

http://www.scienceinthemovies.com/links/

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My take on this--high school is high school. We do what we need to do. LOL! To get into college we need 4 years of English, 3 to 4 years of science, history/social studies, etc. etc. They need to be able to write well. They need the basics of science and math. They need to know how to use a computer/keyboard. etc. and etc. So we choose books that get the job done. Some are more interesting than others. For history, for example, I sat down and read several books for a half hour+ each to see which one was most interesting before deciding which ones to use--my highschoolers tend to want their work in texts or at least more "cut and dried" than the hands-on/unit studies of elementary school. Literature requirements change from child to child--I try to find some literature that will interest the child, but some are simply required (i.e. Shakespeare). If they want more free time in their day, then they need to get up early and get going--it takes around 6 or so hours per day, so if they start at 7 and take a break for lunch, they are done by 2:00. My youngest has crammed history/ss and English into 4 days/week so that he has shorter days on Fridays--works for both of us.

 

The fun begins with the extra curricular activities. My junior is in Civil Air Patrol and loves it. The homeschool group has a spring drama each year and in the fall, cross-country. He is in debate. My oldest organized the Senatorial race for our county her junior year and was very involved in politics. One son had the lead role in the homeschool play which took hours and hours of his spring semester.

 

There are ways to make school more interesting, but, IMO, there is the reality of the child growing up--and needing to simply do the work. It is always good to find a method that interests them...but some things are simply required.

 

That's my perspective, anyway. My kids did some complaining...but they are really, really appreciative now that they are in college and they see how they can excel simply because they had a rigorous high school. I've gotten a lot of thank you's in various forms since they've headed off to college! :D

 

Jean

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Movies as Lit, mentioned already, as well as another one: MovieLit that is quite nice.

 

Literary Lessons from Lord of the Rings if you buy the first edition TE, only, and hire a student or interesting young teacher to do this as a mainly discussion program, I think it would be very interesting.

 

What is wrong with taking a bridge year, now, instead of before college? He could take school part-time and work part-time. I'm not sure what the certification process involves, but it sounds like a serious way to learn about a career, and boost later education efforts. Apparently there are certifications and accreditation programs for all kinds of things "Who knew for example, that there are certifications for pet trainers, Tarot card readers, acupressurists, glassblowers, cake decorators, and biofeedback professionals?" 14 is a bit young, but you know, doing something that leads to a career may feel productive you your young man right now. He can go back to being a high school guy, but if he's 1/4 way to being a vet tech, or has gotten huge amounts of garden/yard experience (landscape architect), maybe some real life (while keeping up, say, two courses of study, roughly) would really gel with him. Also, maybe a more intense semester of fewer subjects might appeal to him.

 

Sometimes creative is all it takes. Maybe, maybe?

 

Good luck,

LBS

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my youngest (12yos) is entering highschool here in NZ ;) next year as well. We've made the decision to send him to the local Boys High, but he wants to go to school. He's still tiny (only wearing boys 10-12 clothing), but as ds#1 didn't really start to grow until after turning 15, we aren't really worried. Ds#2 is only impatient to grow as he wants to play men's league in hockey & I'm relunctant to let him before he grow a bit.

 

We looked at PS for ds#1, but he didn't want to go to PS, so we decided to continue HS/ing.

 

If you want to keep your options open re: Uni, look at the current requirements for UE & work backwards to draft out a plan to make sure your ds is prepared. You can use the NZ Correspondence School to get UE or use your local polytech (or Open Polytech) to gain entrance. From what I've read its getting a lot harder to get into Uni from 2011 onwards, especially the "top" universities (i.e. Auckland University, etc.) Dd didn't have UE, but is working towards her Marine Biology degree by gaining a diploma of Marine Sciences at BoP polytechnic first & BoP has agreements with AUT for their students to do a 3rd year study to earn a degree.

 

To keep the basics covered with minimum time committment & expense, look at the ESA Learning Workbooks for English, Maths, & Science. They cover the same material as PS. You get them from PaperPlus or Whitcoulls or order directly from ESA (0800 372 266 or http://www.esa.co.nz) Add to this a unit study of your ds' choosing. He may be able to take some STAR courses at your local polytech. My dd & ds#1 really enjoyed the STAR courses they took. The STAR taster courses are for year 9-10 students & don't earn any NZQA credits. In year 11-13 students can take STAR courses for NZQA credits. Dd took the Foundation (level 3) course at polytech. This was a 6 month course that helped to get her accepted into her current course. I wasn't real impressed with the academic level of the Foundation course, but we were using it only to prove that dd could work at tertiery level. Ds#1 did the Youth Guarantee program this year & did so well the first half of 2010 that he was accepted into a level 4 Mechanical Engineering (Welding & Fabrication) course. If he passes all his unit standards this year, along with the NZ corr. sch. courses he taking, he'll earn at least NCEA 2, if not NCEA 3 :) Don't panic about the amount of courses people on WTM have their teens studying. The requirements to get into uni here in NZ is much different & the "how" to get into uni is different as well. If we didn't agree to send ds#2 to PS this is what I had planned for him:

 

Year 9:

English---ESA Learning Workbook English 9, Sequential Spelling for Adults, Literature from SL 6, finish Lively Latin 2

Maths---ESA Learning Workbook Maths 9, MUS: PreAlgebra, LoF: PreAlgebra 1&2

Science---ESA Learning Workbook Science 9, Apologia Physical Science + Science Roots

Social Studies---read the Uncle Eric books on government & ecomonics, Frontier of Dreams (NZ History), Trail Guide to World Geography

Technology---Practical Drafting, weekly work experience in auto mechanics

 

This looks like heaps of work, but in reality it would take ds#2 only about a hour each for English, Maths, Science, & Social Studies daily, leaving the afternoons for is interests (i.e. tech drawing, automotive engineering, etc.)

 

In your situation, I'd suggest look to using ESA Learning Workbooks for English, Science, & Maths (unless your ds loves what you're using currently). Look at Literary Lesson from Lord of the Rings & use that for a focus next year. With the Hobbit being made here in NZ, your ds may be more interested in this study than a textbook. It looks pretty meaty, so you could plan to take years 9 & 10 to finish LLfLotR. Give your ds the challenge of preparing a movie to submit in the FairGo Ad Awards in 2011. Set aside an afternoon or two a week for him to work on this. Maybe have him start my making a doco about the effects of the earthquake on the people in your neighbourhood.

 

JMHO,

Edited by Deb in NZ
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Sorry to hear about your frustrations! 14 is such a hard age for boys, they feel tired, hungry and unmotivated all the time. The reason for this is that all of their energy is being used in the growing process! They grow so much mentally and physically between the ages of 14-16. Everyone accuses teen boys of being lazy, but in reality, growing up is hard work! You do want to keep pushing them so that bad habits aren't formed (and then the laziness becomes real). All of the suggestions here are great! If you can get him excited about what he is doing, that will help motivate him to find the energy to work. That work ethic will then hopefully carry over into his adult years.

 

The Movies as Literature book looks amazing! I have been wondering how to teach my kids to see the deeper messages that can be found in movies. I might have to pick this up and add a film critique class to our schedule.

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Now History. He is fascinated by Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar, mainly because he loves all tall ships. He is trying to raise $1500 so he can sail on a sail training ship when he is 15.

Any ideas?

 

Is he a good reader? If so, he might enjoy the novels of Patrick O'Brian (first in the series is "Master and Commander"). They are very literary novels, and a fascinating look at the English navy based on real events in history.

Karen

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Hi Deb, my boy is a year older than yours using the American system, he would be going into 9th grade next year, here he is just coming to the end of ninth and into year 10.

 

I had heard that the discretionary entrance to uni was getting harder to get and we need NCEA, ACE or Cambridge. We had decided to do NCEA through correspondence at age 16, starting with level 2, just to keep his options open.

 

How do you get the Uncle Eric books? Learnex only carries Penny Candy and Liberal, conservative or confused. Fishpond doesn't have them and nor does the Book Depository.

 

I did just buy, via Harvest, LLLOTR, and I think we might do Movies this year,(I can buy once the HS money comes in) and that the following year, after that it will be correspondence, although maybe using the ESA guides would link in better with NCEA. I'm not sure as my (now adult) girls didn't do NCEA, but just went straight to CPIT, via discretionary entrance (one had to sit an English test i think). We have just started MUS Algebra, and I might try to find the ESA workbooks to keep in line with the NZ curriculum. Did you get yours from the website?

 

I think I just have to buckle down and get on with it, I think maybe I just have end of year blues....not made any better by the quake of course. I don't know where you live, are you out of the aftershock area? because if so if things don't settle down soon you may find us camped out on your doorstep! ;)

2600 aftershocks in 10 weeks or so is enough for anybody! :tongue_smilie:

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Is he a good reader? If so, he might enjoy the novels of Patrick O'Brian (first in the series is "Master and Commander"). They are very literary novels, and a fascinating look at the English navy based on real events in history.

Karen

 

He has read all the Hornblower books, we might try these next. Thank you.

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Hi Willow,

 

I thought your ds looked a bit old to just be beginning year 9 next year ;) I bought the ESA Learning Workbooks by phoning the 0800#. If you ask, you may be able to get "damaged" copies for a big discount. I think I paid only $10 each ($27 reg. price) & the only damage was a sticker on the front cover or a slight bend in the cover. You could easily add the ESA book to MUS as neither take tons of time & have your bases covered. I prefer how MUS teaches, but if you are intending to go onto Corr. Sch. then learning how NZ maths works will make the transition easier.

 

I bought my Uncle Eric books off someone on Harvest Swap. I posted a WTB & someone had the whole set to sell :D I was going to order from http://www.christianbook.com if I had no luck on Harvest Swap. I've ordered from them before & what with the high NZ$, it was a good option & they only take about a fortnight to arrive. I did not get any of the study guides as I only want my ds to read & discuss the books. Making the study too "school-like" sometimes takes away the impact with my dc.

 

I'm up in Northland, so no aftershocks for us. I'm amazed at how shaky things still are down your way! Ds#1's drum teacher leaves tomorrow to go help with the rebuilding in chch. Is your ds saving to go on the Spirit of NZ training ship? If so, he'll love it!!! My dd did a 10day voyage in 2008 & LOVED it. She has since volunteered as crew on day sails & a 5day voyage. She'd love to do more, but doesn't have the time with her studies & not being in AKL makes it difficult as well. I'd like my boys to do a voyage, but may look at them going on the R. Tucker Thompson Training ship, based in here Northland.

Edited by Deb in NZ
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Now I am really in a panic! My son 13 will begin 9th grade next year. He has and was going to continue doing BJU DVD school. I was going to hook up with the Bridgeway Academy next year for accredation. However, we too live in NZ. I wasn't aware that they had to do NCEA. I was told that they didn't have to.

 

We go to the states every year so the chances of him going to NZ university or stateside university are equal. What do I do????? Now, I feel really unprepared. I must look into this furthur. I really didn't want to ACE and I def. don't want to NZ correspondence school. :willy_nilly: I am so glad that I read this post.

 

I am sorry for your worries down their in christchurch. It has been horrible to see the damage. Hope that it will settle soon and you can recover quickly.

 

Take care,

 

Jeana

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Hi Jenna, this link should help.

 

http://www.nchenz.org.nz/resources/qualifications/pathways-to-tertiary-education/

 

 

It says this amongst other things

 

There is a widespread belief amongst home educators that our students are eligible for the discretionary entry pathway, possibly by submitting a portfolio of work. This is incorrect. Currently there is no provision for alternative qualifications than the ones listed. Individual assessments can be done, but cost the university time and money.

ItĂƒÂ¢â‚¬â„¢s worth asking the enrolment officer for an interview, but the usual outcome is that the student will be directed to a foundation or other ground level course, prior to enrolling in the one they are aiming for.

 

The ones listed are

1. ncea

2 ACE

3. Cambridge

4. IB

5 possibly SATs

 

 

At least we still have a few years to sort things out...harder for those who are say 17 now.

 

Your child can of course do a access course at poly, but that takes time and money, which is why we have decided to do NCEA, via correspondence, when he is 16. You can go straight in at level 2, you do not have to sign off as a homeschooler, and you can still get the allowance.

Edited by Willow
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Jeana,

 

You don't need to do NCEA, but it does make it easier. Look at the websites of the universities that you are considering. This will give you a plan. My dd didn't do NCEA, but we did have to jump thru more hoops to get her in & to get her student loan & student allowance than we would have if she had UE. Ds#1 is doing NCEA only because he wants to enlist & it makes things much simpler to have NCEA as the recruiters understand NCEA.

 

Correspondence School is what many HSers use to get UE. You don't need to start with NCEA 1, but can start with NCEA 2 or even NCEA 3 if the student is capable of doing work at that level.

 

IF you are looking to keep your options open regarding university in the States, make sure you choose highschool courses to meet American requirements. You will also need to look at taking SATs / ACTs. Do you visit the States yearly or do you live there alternate years? My dc are dual citizens as well, but we decided that they would get their qualifications / degree here in NZ. Then if they want to go to the States to work or do postgraduate study, they could look at it. There is no way we could afford uni in America & as dd can earn her bachelors in 3 years in NZ, vs. 4 years in America it was no contest where she would study.

 

Blessings,

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Deb,

 

Hey, thanks for your detailed response. We go to the states every year for May, June, and July. As far as the university question, the only university we would be considering is Freed Hardeman University. The reason is that he can get half tuition because we are missionaries. Also, we would try for scholarships and grants for the rest. I have a friend whose son went to Harding Uni that is in the state of TN as well and her son attended totally on different grants. He was schooled here in PS.

 

I prefer him to study here, however as we all know our children make their own choices and it will be up to him. We are helping each of our children begin their own bee business. My husband is a bee keeper and we buy the kids two hives a year that they manage then put their earnings back into their business to buy more hives. Then we are encouraging them to take a year off from school to work their hives from 18 - 19 then go to university. This way they have more money saved and can go into university without having to go into much debt. Sorry this is so drawn out.

 

I think you are right that we need to focus on NCEA. I know absoletuly nothing about NCEA so I will need to quickly learn what we are going to do. What do the next 4 yrs look like for you? Thanks,

 

Jeana O'donnell

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Hi jeana,

 

I'm still not totally sure what the next 4 years will look like but it is some variation of this.

 

2011/NZ year10/US grade 9/age 14/15

At home doing home stuff (MUS Algebra/Geom, Movies as Literature, Teaching the Classics Co-op, Lively art of writing, Earth/Environmental Science, some other stuff...logic...practical movie making...study of the Georgian era with which he is fascinated at the moment etc etc)

 

 

2012/NZ year 11/US grade10/age 15/16

NCEA level 1 Maths, English, Science at home using ESA study guides and workbooks. Obviously we cannot get the credit for this but if we cover the work we can go straight in at level 2. Plus other stuff as we see fit, like carrying on with logic, NZ history, maybe marine biology or oceanography etc.

 

2013/NZ year 12/US grade 11/age 16/17

NCEA level 2 with Correspondence school, making sure we get UE. (certain credits in maths and English...normally got at level 1 but we won't have done that)

 

2014/NZ year 13/US grade 12/age 17/18

NCEA level 3 with correspondence school OR at Hagley community college, so he can do courses in film post-production, as well as academic ones, for level 3, as this is an area he would like to go into.

 

 

we are open to Hagley for level 2 as well if he prefers that to correspondence.

 

Hope this helps

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Willow,

 

You can't get UE at level 2 NCEA. 42 credits must be at level 3 NCEA.

 

 

 

To gain entry to a university, you must achieve a minimum of 42 credits at Level 3 or

 

above on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

 

These credits can be accumulated over more than one year and are made up of:

 

Ă¢â‚¬Â¢ 14 credits each at Level 3 or higher in two subjects from the Approved Subject List.

 

Ă¢â‚¬Â¢ 14 credits at Level 3 or higher from no more than two additional domains or

 

approved subjects.

 

You must also have at least:

 

Ă¢â‚¬Â¢ 14 credits at Level 1 or higher in Maths or Pangarau.

 

Ă¢â‚¬Â¢ 8 credits at Level 2 or higher in English or Te Reo Maori.

 

Four of these credits must come from Reading and four must come from Writing.

 

These English or Te Reo credits are selected from a schedule of approved unit and

 

achievement standards (**please see overleaf).

 

Summary:

 

14 credits at Level 3 or

 

higher in an approved

 

subject

 

14 credits at Level 3 or

 

higher in an approved

 

subject

 

14 credits at Level 3 or

 

higher in no more than 2

 

domains or approved

 

subjects

 

14 credits in Maths at

 

Level 1 or higher

 

4 credits at Level 2 or

 

above in Reading

 

4 credits at Level 2 or

 

above in Writing.

 

Meeting these requirements means you will be qualified for

 

entrance to a university, but universities may have other

 

entry criteria for particular courses.

 

 

By planning well, you can get UE in one year IF you take NCEA3 English & Maths. This would take care of the literacy & numeracy requirements as well as the NCEA3 requirements. Then you would only need to earn 14 NCEA credits in 1-2 more approved subjects to get UE. But the top universities are looking for more than UE some majors (i.e. engineering, pre-med, etc.) Many applicants have 80 credits of NCEA3. In most courses you can earn 20+ credits, so a full load of classes (4-5) would make it possible to earn UE in a year of study.

 

You can get more info on the NZQA website or the Correspondence School website. Also, check the current requirements with the uni you are aiming for.

 

HTH,

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I'm sorry. I explained badly, but thanks for all the info Deb, it really helped. I meant that if he took maths and english at level 2 he had got more choice at level 3 (all the approved subjects in fact)

 

The plan is level 2 at correspondence, and level 3 at Hagley community college, but because he wants to do film at Hagley we need to make sure he gets those minimum credits the year before. Personally I hope he will carry on with maths and english into level 3 but once he is at Hagley I expect I will have far less say in what he does.

 

I have copied the list you wrote out for me to show ds and dh when he gets home tonight. Then we can look at the courses and see where we go from there.

 

Thanks again

Willow.

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