HappyGrace Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 This would be for an advanced student. I'm not sure what goals I should be setting; this yr (5th) has been way too easy for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 There really isn't a specific answer to your question. You need to assess this based upon your dd's current skill level and your priorities. Instead of what grade level she is or isn't working at, think about what skills you hope for her to develop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevilla Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 For Writing, I would expect strong 3 paragraph essays in each category: Expository, Descriptive, and Narrative. I would also expect her to be able to produce 2 page (typed) research papers with 3 sources in a proper bibliography. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 Stacy, thank you, I know what you're saying. I know it could be all over the map. But just generally, like what you'd see at a really good prep school so I have some idea of what would be expected. Thanks, Sevilla, that's exactly what I mean; that type of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 (edited) My 6th grade dd that is advanced will be writing supported literary essays in MLA format (not quite as strict on the formating issues as I am with my older students), will have started AoPS's alg 1 (she started it this week after breezing through 2/3 MUS's classic alg/geo combo book), and is working on 2 languages in high school level materials. She is gifted in languages and is taking the courses w/her 9th grade brother. I have never had another 6th grader on this level. I have had 1 child that was ahead of this in math, but behind her in writing. Would I ever attempt to duplicate this with another child? No. I don't see this as being what is available at a really good prep school. It is what she is capable of achieving. It is really irrelevant what is going on at a "really good prep school," b/c I can guarantee you that 1 of 2 things happens......1- student skills vary widely w/in the school or 2- the school screens applicants and only accepts very high performing students. It doesn't occur any other way. You can't create a scenario where children achieve that which they are not mentally mature enough to master. I would never compare my homeschool to a ps unless sending them to school was a goal b/c my path from k-12 is so different than theirs. My academic goals are different in scope, sequence, and ultimate objectives and I like my outcome better than theirs. ETA: I started thinking about it and I thought I should add that I did not set out to provide her a "rigorous course of study." All I did was provide her an education that was equivalent to her abilities. I don't make her work harder than any of my other 6th graders. It is simply who she is. I could have attempted this with my oldest, and all I would have gotten for it was a headache and a child that would have felt dumb and incapable of doing what was requested. Just more thoughts. Edited February 26, 2011 by 8FillTheHeart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 (edited) . Edited February 26, 2011 by HappyGrace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 (edited) Yes, this is what I meant. I was using the prep school thing to try to show where I feel her abilities are, not because I want to try to match a prep school or any other school. She is ready for more than I am apparently giving her and I have no idea what type of thing I should be doing with her to give it to her. Edited February 26, 2011 by HappyGrace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Yes, this is what I meant. I was using the prep school thing to try to show where I feel her abilities are, not because I want to try to match a prep school or any other school. She is ready for more than I am apparently giving her and I have no idea what type of thing I should be doing with her to give it to her. I read your other post before you deleted it and I want you to know that I don't think it is a dumb question. ;) I am confused by this comment though. Are you using a 5th grade in a box type curriculum? Have you made a list of mastered skills and a list of objectives that are not grade level based but simply skill based? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 Thanks, 8. :grouphug: No, I'm sure she is at or above 5th grade level because I do know about what that would look like. It's 6th and up that I'm not sure what skills are commonly taught, in any form of middle school (homeschool or otherwise). In other words, I know where she is, I know it's above level, but I'm not sure where to head next. I think what I may need is to look at a progression of skills. Where would I find that, if there even is such a thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Here is the curriculum by grade for a local classical charter school. Their site also includes a reading list and a chart that maps out 6-12th grades. I think comparing to challenging, non-homeschool places is good for perspective. I've found that some years the kids leap forward in ability while some years they achieve far less than you thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 I'm looking at the link posted above. It has 8th graders writing paragraphs and 9th graders learning 5 paragraph essay. Is this a typical course of study for writing? I asked a teacher friend about what is expected in our district by the end of 5th grade and she said a 5 paragraph essay w/ thesis and supporting details w/ proper spelling and punctuation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevilla Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Reading-wise, I would expect her to be able to read chapter books that are 180+ pages and written for the middle school level (if she is an advanced reader). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 I'm looking at the link posted above. It has 8th graders writing paragraphs and 9th graders learning 5 paragraph essay. Is this a typical course of study for writing? I asked a teacher friend about what is expected in our district by the end of 5th grade and she said a 5 paragraph essay w/ thesis and supporting details w/ proper spelling and punctuation. Yes, it is like that here too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Yes, it is like that here too. Here is a link to the curriculum of one of the top private boys' schools in the country. http://www.mccallie.org/podium/default.aspx?t=103812 More importantly, the site includes lists of academic goals. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevilla Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 I'm looking at the link posted above. It has 8th graders writing paragraphs and 9th graders learning 5 paragraph essay. Is this a typical course of study for writing? I asked a teacher friend about what is expected in our district by the end of 5th grade and she said a 5 paragraph essay w/ thesis and supporting details w/ proper spelling and punctuation. I have former students who came out of the public schools where '5 paragraphs with thesis/details/correct mechanics' was the standard...but the students weren't actually great writers. A 'good essay' might have only simple sentences (technically correct, but not good style) and display limited creativity and scope of description. It might have very limited details. Ex. "John was a great man. He had brown hair and was tall. He loved his family." (that's it for supporting details). If a student of mine (who is only required to do 3 paragraph essays) submitted that in an essay, it would be marked for style upgrade and they would change it to something like this, "John was a tall man with brown hair. He loved his family deeply and showed this was by walking ten miles in the winter to visit his sick mother." The length of the essay isn't as big of a deal to me as the quality of it - and that is what I have found very lacking in certain types of writing programs (and honestly I believe this is because many teachers are not themselves strong writers and don't know how to guide student work once they're not making obvious grammatical errors). Also, I have found that the subject matter of the writing can make a great deal of difference in writing skill. If a student is only asked to write about familiar topics, it is not as challenging as being asked to stretch themselves in terms of topic and theme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 I am enjoying looking through the courses of study linked, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 I asked a teacher friend about what is expected in our district by the end of 5th grade and she said a 5 paragraph essay w/ thesis and supporting details w/ proper spelling and punctuation. My kids attended ps till 5th /6th grade (good school - rating 8 on the Great school ranking). They were NOT writing 5 paragraph essays in 5th, and not in the first semester of 6th either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 Sevilla - Do you have any recommendations for teaching writing? Ok, if that is what they are looking for, we've got that covered. WHEW! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 My kids were in ps until the end of 5th and the end of 4th. Their school was rated a 10. They did 5 paragraph essays and even one research paper and oral presentation that was longer than that in 4th. In fifth I think my ds wrote about a 3 page paper and several 5 paragraph essays. The description that someone gave of the simple sentences is what I would have expected in 3rd and 4th. They would have been marked down or sent back to revise for that type of work by 5th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevilla Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 Sevilla - Do you have any recommendations for teaching writing? These are a few that might be helpful: Institute for Excellence in Writing Elements of Style, Strunk and White The Lively Art of Writing, L. V. Payne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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