What if... you had to live in a "box"?

[Jean in CA]

If you had to live outside the US for a couple years, and didn't have access to internet or libraries, and couldn't purchase any additional homeschool curriculum, what would you bring with you to teach multi-age kids (15, 13, 7, 5)? So you have one rhetoric stage, one logic stage and a couple grammar stage students. The books you brought with you would have to fit into one large suitcase.

 

You'd have a couple years to prepare yourself, to read up, self-educate on methods and/or content. Then you could bring 2-3 resources for each subject, like How To Teach Spelling, or Spelling Power, something that would work for grades 3-12.

 

You wouldn't have access to all 12 levels of something (like all the R&S grammar books, and all levels of Singapore Math). So as much as I love those resources, it would not be practical to bring them.

 

What would you bring for language arts? What about history and science? How about math? Critical thinking? (I'm guessing we'd not have access to newpapers, magazines).

 

Would you even need curriculum for some subjects? How can you teach classically with a minimum of materials?

 

This scenario might be reality for us in a few years and I would love to hear especially from veteran homeschoolers how you might get along without using the grade-specific, parent-intensive curriculum that is marketed to the HS community nowadays.

Edited June 20, 2011 by Jean in CA

[Laura Corin]

We lived like that in China, but it wasn't like that really. We were able to get deliveries of books by post, and wrote into our budget a large allowance for books. There was no local library, but any time I went overseas I took an empty suitcase with me, bringing it back brimfull of second hand books. We did have the internet, but we didn't use it much for learning.

 

If I really had to do it on the terms you mention, I would go for a good comprehensive programme. I think that you would not go far wrong using the Galore Park programmes from age 7 to age 14: it's one slim text book per pupil per year per subject. For younger than that, I'd take a good reading scheme, some good read-alouds and one maths curriculum. I don't have experience of teaching beyond 14.

 

Good luck!

 

Laura

[regentrude]

What would you bring for language arts? What about history and science? How about math? Critical thinking? (I'm guessing we'd not have access to newpapers, magazines).

 

Would you even need curriculum for some subjects? How can you teach classically with a minimum of materials?

 

This scenario might be reality for us in a few years

 

What do you mean by "no access to libraries"? A lonely island? No books and newspapers available at all in that country? What kind of illiterate society are you thinking about?

(No, I don't mean to be snarky, I am trying to understand the question so I can think of an answer)

[regentrude]

The one thing I would make sure to bring is the math program of my choice. Anything else, I think I can make do without in a pinch - but when I started homeschooling, I first tried to make up my own math resources and it was an insane amount of work.

I think I could teach spelling and reading with just a couple of "normal" books, no specific curriculum

[Jenny in Florida]

What would you bring for language arts? What about history and science? How about math? Critical thinking? (I'm guessing we'd not have access to newpapers, magazines).

 

Would you even need curriculum for some subjects? How can you teach classically with a minimum of materials?

 

I think I could work it out except for literature. For that, I'd really, really need books.

 

Otherwise, I'd probably start with some good, non-homeschool-specific encyclopedias, maybe two sets. (Obviously, I'd have to go for condensed versions, not full WorldBook sets.) I'd get one set that was targeted for logic stage but readable with help for grammar and another aimed at adults. Before leaving, I'd peruse whatever resources I could to make lists of subjects I wanted to teach for history and science and would draw information for both out of those encyclopedias.

 

For the logic stage materials, I might go for single volumes, one each for history and science. I'd think there'd be enough in those to get you through a couple of years.

 

Since math isn't my subject, I'd have to bring texts or workbooks for that. I'd try for the fewest number possible and select in favor of smaller books or ones that span a couple of years. But I'd have to take them.

 

For just a couple of years, I probably wouldn't worry about critical thinking (or music or art in a formal way). Honestly, the experience you're describing would be so rich and exciting that I would let other things go in order to enjoy it.

 

Now, literature. Okay, I guess if I really HAD to do this, I'd probably stuff that suitcase (around the edges of the encyclopedia) with as many classics as I could, things that could be read aloud to younger kids and "studied" by older.

 

If we're assuming you have electicity, in that situation, I might indulge in one or more e-readers pre-loaded with lots of good books.

 

Either way, I think that it would be entirely possible to teach all of "language arts" with some good books, pencil and paper and determination.

 

Reading, discussing, writing, revising. That's all that's really required.

[MyThreeSons]

Could you get some resources in digital format? Flash drives hold lots of info and take up very little room.

 

And with something like a Nook, you could have access to lots of great literature that you download before heading overseas.

[Jean in CA]

What do you mean by "no access to libraries"? A lonely island? No books and newspapers available at all in that country? What kind of illiterate society are you thinking about?

(No, I don't mean to be snarky, I am trying to understand the question so I can think of an answer)

 

 

Sorry to be cryptic, in the original post!:) I didn't want to overload with details. We might not have a home base, such as a house to return to, but would be travelling for a good part of the time, changing locations every 3-4 months. Some areas might be less industrialized than others. We wouldn't get a magazine subscription because we wouldn't have a permanent address, not because local residents can't read. And they might not necessarily be English-speaking.

[Mom22ns]

Could you get some resources in digital format? Flash drives hold lots of info and take up very little room.

 

And with something like a Nook, you could have access to lots of great literature that you download before heading overseas.

 

This is what I was thinking. I would find as many books as possible to correlate with your planned studies and load them on the computer, iPod, iTouch, iPad, Nook, Kindle, or whatever you have that can read an eBook or pdf. That way you can save your suitcase space for math, spines and other resource materials.

[Jean in CA]

The one thing I would make sure to bring is the math program of my choice. Anything else, I think I can make do without in a pinch - but when I started homeschooling, I first tried to make up my own math resources and it was an insane amount of work.

I think I could teach spelling and reading with just a couple of "normal" books, no specific curriculum

 

 

I would love specific titles. I own the Blue Back Speller, and the full set of McGuffey's Readers. Do you mean something like that? And (briefy) how would you use them?

[Laura Corin]

What do you mean by "no access to libraries"? A lonely island? No books and newspapers available at all in that country? What kind of illiterate society are you thinking about?

(No, I don't mean to be snarky, I am trying to understand the question so I can think of an answer)

 

...no access to libraries in the children's native language. That was our situation in China. They were learning the language, but in the mean time they needed books in English.

 

Laura

[regentrude]

I would love specific titles. I own the Blue Back Speller, and the full set of McGuffey's Readers. Do you mean something like that? And (briefy) how would you use them?

 

No, I mean fiction books and literature. If space was at a premium, I would just bring books we could read aloud or that the kids could read by themselves, and use these to discuss spelling and grammar and literature.

An e-reader would be very handy for storing lots of books at minimum space.

[regentrude]

Sorry to be cryptic, in the original post!:) I didn't want to overload with details. We might not have a home base, such as a house to return to, but would be travelling for a good part of the time, changing locations every 3-4 months. Some areas might be less industrialized than others. We wouldn't get a magazine subscription because we wouldn't have a permanent address, not because local residents can't read. And they might not necessarily be English-speaking.

 

In that situation, I would try to take the resources needed for the kids to learn the local language - and possibly get them a head start before leaving. Then you would be able to pick up books and magazines in that country as you go.

I would think in most countries nowadays there would be opportunities for internet connections - not a private one, but internet cafes etc. So, maybe you could stop somewhere once a week or once a month for internet access and download a few e-books or read English news??

[Jean in CA]

Honestly, the experience you're describing would be so rich and exciting that I would let other things go in order to enjoy it.

.

 

 

That's just it. I'm wondering if my entire perspective on "homeschooling" might change altogether. What if "history" ends up being a shared-meal with an elderly woman in a country half-way across the world? And learning about her family history and culture?

 

This is so "outside the box" for me, that I'm asking for creative help from this board!

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

Definitely an ereader per kid. I would bring a paper math curriculum, and let the kids read for the rest. Amazon supposedly delivers books to their Kindle pretty much all over the world, so you wouldn't get stuck with what you put on it at the beginning of your trip.

 

On those ereaders, I would have science books, classics novels, history books, most of them you can find free btw.

 

If the kids are well read, and you discuss books with them, you will cover lots of history, sociology, psychology, etc-ogy . Do dictation from the books they read.

[momofkhm]

I haven't used it, but what about a curriculum like Robinson? Get the books on e-readers and then bring Saxon for math. I'm sure there are lots of reasons for and against, but it seems like what you'd need. I looked into it when I started. If memory serves, they read every day, do math every day and write every day. So you'd need paper or a laptop for the writing, and whatever *you* need to teach and grade the writing. But it would all fit into a large suitcase.

[FaithManor]

Well, if I was in an area in which I could receive packages, even if it was only once or twice per year, I'd be likely to purchase ahead and leave with a relative (with money for post of course) and ask them to ship to me.

 

But, assuming I'm in some rainforest or something in which I'm too far from any kind of civilization to receive posts, then I know I'd take math courses for algebra 1 and higher. What I would be inclined to do for the youngers is take Lial's Basic College Math and I would use it as a guide for the progression of math topics I need to teach. Lots and lots of paper, pencils with sharpener, and probably chalboards and chalk. This way only work that needed to be kept (a portfolio per se) for college or re-entry into a traditional educational setting upon leaving "the bush" would be on paper. Much of what was daily work, especially for the youngers, could be accomplished on lap size chalk boards.

 

I'd want to take a couple of boxes of classics and I'd take what is considered high school and adult level reading or late middle school and up. I'd read aloud and discuss A LOT and though Shakespeare and the Odyssey may be "over the heads" of my youngers, I'd take time to explain vocabulayr and let them ask NUMEROUS questions. They will learn and in time mature into the material. Given that you have to limit what you take, I would be careful to choose very carefully in the elementary reading realm. Mr. Popper's Penguins, etc. for the youngers to practice their reading. But as part of my writing assignments to the older kids who are working more with the limited paper resources, I would make them write stories for the youngers to read. The olders can practice their writing and editing skills, use of imaginative language, etc. while benefiting the littler children who will not have much literature for their age and maturity range.

 

I would be tempted, if space permitted, to take a year's worth of National Geographics and Popular Science or Scientific American with me for the older kids and use it creatively for writing, research, and science studies. But, I would also take very nice, high quality journals and pens/art pencils and expect my kids to learn as much as they could about local flora/fauna/animal life, ecology, etc. and journal their findings. I would take a biology and a chemistry text with me so that I have two high school level sciences even if we couldn't do the labs for lack of supplies.

 

I'd teach literature without study guides or curriculum by discussing exhaustively on those classics I brought and then making my own writing assignments.

 

I'd take Rod and Staff English 5th grade, study it carefully, and self-design my own English assignments for the younger children to help them get to that level. Once achieved, I'd be tempted to use Rod and Staff grade 9/10 (I think it's a combined two year text) on hand for all of the rest of the children, and again, self-design assignments and coach the kids to get from level 5 up to level 9.

 

I would take SOTW all four volumes, History of the World Encyclopedia by Kingfisher, and History Timetables with me and teach everyone history together. The younger children will benefit from the discussions you have with the older children even if they don't understand it all.

 

I would not worry about other kinds of electives although I would try to pack art supplies for the younger children so they can do a lot of drawing of what they see around them and all the children can attempt to reproduce the artwork of the culture.

 

All of this is very hard to say with any certainty because so much of what I would take would depend on how many boxes I could take.

 

Faith

[elegantlion]

I would look at the learning opportunities you'll have in your local area. Things you'd never be able to recreate at your current location. Nature study of the area would be a big thing for me, also anything cultural or historical.

 

Art pads and pencils, colored pencils for all would be a priority.

 

I would downsize to a netbook or two or three. The new ones have much longer battery life, I can get 7-9 hours out of mine. I might invest in a tablet computer, but at least get e-readers and load them up. If you're going to be internationals make sure you can access your accounts at that level, IIRC the Kindle had some issues with international accessibility, I could be wrong though.

 

I would download as much as possible onto the digital and have them saved on an external hard drive stored in safe, just in case of issues.

 

I agree with the encyclopedias for certain subjects. Also something like Natural Speller

 

My biggest concern would be making sure your high school student is getting enough done to count as credit. I would also incorporate as much non-traditional learning into their everyday, requiring written work more than the younger kids.

[Ester Maria]

Honestly, as in brutally honestly?

 

Rhetoric stage student, NO WAY, absolutely no way I would put them in that situation for high school if there was ANY way of NOT putting them. If I really, really HAD to go with the other children, I would at least try to make something else work for the eldest - for example, a solid boarding school, whether "abroad", i.e. home, or, depending on where you are heading, maybe even somewhere in the proximity. Or I would have them stay with family and attend a traditional school, or whatever other arrangements I had to make to have the student remain on the traditional path. High school is NOT a time for the experiments of that kind and that duration in my view (I would have zero issues with a few months or even a single school year in early high school of such a lifestyle - but years, nope), unless you will be able to travel frequently or regularly get additional books via mail, and only in extreme cases where you have literally no other workable solution for this student would I have them go with us.

 

Grammar stage students are fairly easy, as we are talking about basic knowledge that you yourself certainly have and you can improvize a lot there. Grammar stage materials would be my lowest priority, as if need be those children can learn a lot via osmosis from others, practice reading on any type of text (I would include some easier readers and, if possible, arrange a situation in which you can change them all the time - such as by mail, or travelling to the near town with English books, and meanwhile getting rid of the old ones, donating to some library or something), even math is improvizable and you can basically treat it as semi-unschooling of a kind, in the early years it will not matter that drastically.

 

It is the logic stage which seems more demanding, and here I would prioritize getting materials - I would get some kind of a compact English grammar (for LA), adult-level written so you can water it down as necessary, a math program of your choice, some kind of a history spine and general science text (are there any age-appropriate integrated ones?), and as many high quality classics as you can squeeze in. Take realistically your own abilities and knowledge into account: how much can you improvize with this age group? Plan according to that. For example, I personally can handle most of humanities, barring history facts, if a situation were such, off the top of my head. If there are any areas of special interest or family focus (classics, Bible, whatnot), take that too.

 

In short, I would organize the materials around my logic stage student, and have the younger ones step in when/if applicable and practice reading with them and improvized math (if possible - if not, then get them too a math curriculum). It would be a bit unschoolish and hectic for the little ones, but the logic stage kid could pretty much get the equivalent of what they would be getting anyway, assuming even a very rare communication with the outside world.

 

If you have electricity, ereaders solve easily most of these issues - but still not enough in my view for the rhetoric stage student (who in my view needs to "circle" in society, use internet, write papers on computers, have solid science education with lab components, learn useful and big foreign languages etc. - basically all of that which would be impossible in such a situation).

 

In addition to all of that, of course, use learning opportunities - whether structured or informal - where you are, which includes socializing and langauge, if applicable. I could see it being a very enriching, fun experience.

[Jean in CA]

No, I mean fiction books and literature. If space was at a premium, I would just bring books we could read aloud or that the kids could read by themselves, and use these to discuss spelling and grammar and literature.

An e-reader would be very handy for storing lots of books at minimum space.

 

 

OK, I am not familiar with the world of the e-reader. Please educate me. I must admit, I have shied away from kindle, because I much prefer real books that I can carry with me to appts, all around the house, etc. Would you briefly describe what this is, and how you'd use it?

 

Thanks!

[regentrude]

OK, I am not familiar with the world of the e-reader. Please educate me. I must admit, I have shied away from kindle, because I much prefer real books that I can carry with me to appts, all around the house, etc. Would you briefly describe what this is, and how you'd use it?

 

 

My DD got one for her birthday - and despite my reluctance, and love for real books, I must say it is amazing.

You can carry it around - it is the size of a paperback, just slimmer.

She can store 1,500 (non-illustrated) books on her Kindle. Most older books (author dead more than 70 years or so) can be obtained for free.

Which means, every classic can be read for free!

The battery lasts long - with average use, a month.

The quality of the screen is fantastic; it does not feel like a computer screen, but looks really more like paper, and it can be read in broad sunlight.

 

So, if you plan on being on the road for extended periods, I would highly recommend a Kindle (or other brand).

[Jean in CA]

Well, if I was in an area in which I could receive packages, even if it was only once or twice per year, I'd be likely to purchase ahead and leave with a relative (with money for post of course) and ask them to ship to me.

 

But, assuming I'm in some rainforest or something in which I'm too far from any kind of civilization to receive posts, then I know I'd take math courses for algebra 1 and higher. What I would be inclined to do for the youngers is take Lial's Basic College Math and I would use it as a guide for the progression of math topics I need to teach.

 

Great, this is helping me to see that I need to focus on the oldest child's needs. Unfortunately, the first child is always the guinea pig, and as I haven't taught her level, there's quite a bit of trial and error... both in method and content. I appreciate advice from those a few levels ahead. You've piqued my interest in Lial's Basic College Math.

 

Lots and lots of paper, pencils with sharpener, and probably chalboards and chalk. This way only work that needed to be kept (a portfolio per se) for college or re-entry into a traditional educational setting upon leaving "the bush" would be on paper. Much of what was daily work, especially for the youngers, could be accomplished on lap size chalk boards.

 

Perfect... we won't have the luxury of keeping binders for each kid for each subject, for each grade level. The less paper/workbooks we have to lug around, the better.

 

I'd want to take a couple of boxes of classics and I'd take what is considered high school and adult level reading or late middle school and up. I'd read aloud and discuss A LOT and though Shakespeare and the Odyssey may be "over the heads" of my youngers, I'd take time to explain vocabulayr and let them ask NUMEROUS questions. They will learn and in time mature into the material. Given that you have to limit what you take, I would be careful to choose very carefully in the elementary reading realm. Mr. Popper's Penguins, etc. for the youngers to practice their reading. But as part of my writing assignments to the older kids who are working more with the limited paper resources, I would make them write stories for the youngers to read. The olders can practice their writing and editing skills, use of imaginative language, etc. while benefiting the littler children who will not have much literature for their age and maturity range.

 

What a fantastic idea. My dd especially loves to write short stories.

 

I would be tempted, if space permitted, to take a year's worth of National Geographics and Popular Science or Scientific American with me for the older kids and use it creatively for writing, research, and science studies. But, I would also take very nice, high quality journals and pens/art pencils and expect my kids to learn as much as they could about local flora/fauna/animal life, ecology, etc. and journal their findings. I would take a biology and a chemistry text with me so that I have two high school level sciences even if we couldn't do the labs for lack of supplies.

 

Why not physics? Not being snarky, just wondering? Do you have a couple of favorite texts you'd like to share. I've only used middle school texts - Science Explorer and not familiar with high school level materials. We prefer secular for science.

 

I'd teach literature without study guides or curriculum by discussing exhaustively on those classics I brought and then making my own writing assignments.

 

Is this something you've learned to do over time, creating your own writing assignements? We've used WriteShop, Put That in Writing and Classical Comp over the years, as well as R&S Writing exercises. I'm not confident I'd know the scope and sequence for high school level writing courses. I do own Strunk and White, and Writing Worth Reading, from my high school English class.

 

I'd take Rod and Staff English 5th grade, study it carefully, and self-design my own English assignments for the younger children to help them get to that level. Once achieved, I'd be tempted to use Rod and Staff grade 9/10 (I think it's a combined two year text) on hand for all of the rest of the children, and again, self-design assignments and coach the kids to get from level 5 up to level 9.

 

I really like the multi-level teaching ideas you're offering!

 

I would take SOTW all four volumes, History of the World Encyclopedia by Kingfisher, and History Timetables with me and teach everyone history together. The younger children will benefit from the discussions you have with the older children even if they don't understand it all.

 

I would not worry about other kinds of electives although I would try to pack art supplies for the younger children so they can do a lot of drawing of what they see around them and all the children can attempt to reproduce the artwork of the culture.

 

All of this is very hard to say with any certainty because so much of what I would take would depend on how many boxes I could take.

 

Faith

 

 

Thanks for these great ideas!

[newbie]

Do you have internet, I would do K12. Not many books, especially when they reach high school.

[laughing lioness]

IEW. SOTW CD's.

Pick up maps where ever you go and check out the American Embassy's wherever you are for whatever info/resoureces they have to offer. Not sure if you could access DOD schoools for their libraries, but it might be worth checking out.

I would bone up (as the teacher) on socratic questioning and lit analysis.

[FaithManor]

Hi Jean,

 

The reason that I wouldn't choose physics is a. that chemistry is integral to biology and upper level biology/ecology/environmental science...topics that your children will likely be learning "hands on" in their environment. It also only requires algebraic skills and b.physics needs some trigonometric skills or should be taken concurrently with trigonometry. Given that you have limited resources and didn't say exactly how high you would be getting into high school material before coming back home, I thought chemistry was a better choice. If you are getting home before your high schooler's senior year, then physics can be accomplished at home. But, I just felt chemistry was a better fit for what they might learning "in real life" than physics. Of course, without knowing the location, it can be sooooo hard to say. If I was being sent to man an astronomical outpost on some mountaintop, then I'd be likely to take high school astronomy and physics and leave chemistry at home if I didn't have room to take it. The other caveat is that some physics programs presume some chemistry background as these things go hand in hand. The motion of liquids has a great deal to do with molecular structure and external forces upon the liquid (temperature, humidity, etc.) and those topics are studied in chemistry. So, a student with no chemistry background might need remediation on some topics in order to be successful on a few topics in a physics course.

 

Faith

[Sebastian (a lady)]

If you had to live outside the US for a couple years, and didn't have access to internet or libraries, and couldn't purchase any additional homeschool curriculum, what would you bring with you to teach multi-age kids (15, 13, 7, 5)? So you have one rhetoric stage, one logic stage and a couple grammar stage students. The books you brought with you would have to fit into one large suitcase.

 

You'd have a couple years to prepare yourself, to read up, self-educate on methods and/or content. Then you could bring 2-3 resources for each subject, like How To Teach Spelling, or Spelling Power, something that would work for grades 3-12.

 

You wouldn't have access to all 12 levels of something (like all the R&S grammar books, and all levels of Singapore Math). So as much as I love those resources, it would not be practical to bring them.

 

What would you bring for language arts? What about history and science? How about math? Critical thinking? (I'm guessing we'd not have access to newpapers, magazines).

 

Would you even need curriculum for some subjects? How can you teach classically with a minimum of materials?

 

This scenario might be reality for us in a few years and I would love to hear especially from veteran homeschoolers how you might get along without using the grade-specific, parent-intensive curriculum that is marketed to the HS community nowadays.

 

How many resources could you get onto CD rom so that you didn't have to rely on the internet? For example, we have World Book Encyclopedia loaded onto out computer via a CD.

 

I will have a .pdf of Writing With Skill this fall for writing (which I'm using with my rising 7th and 8th graders, because they still need a lot of specific work on outlining and narrative writing).

 

When we lived in Germany, we had dial up. It wasn't too expensive, but it was rather slow. You might be able to do better using internet cafes, but there would be places where I would hesitate to be purchasing things online (ie, not wanting to put my credit card info onto a computer I didn't know).

 

But pretty much anything that is in a .pdf format could be saved to a CD (so you would have it, but wouldn't have to have it stored on the computer's hard drive). That could include things like out of copyright books like Handbook of Nature Study (nature info is something that can be hard to get overseas, where the best books are only in the local language). Lots of primary source documents and lesson plans (like those available at Archives.gov).

 

I am planning on doing MIT's Kitchen Chemistry Opencourseware in the near future. I was able to download most of the extra readings and class assignments and put them onto a disk. In a situation like yours, I would also scan the pages in the reference text and add them to the disk, since that book is incredibly heavy and isn't used enough to take the whole thing.

 

I think that some of the Holt high school level science books are only available as a CD for student editions. That ruled them out for me, since I really need my kids to have a physical text. But it might make them just the thing for you.

 

Do you know where you will be in different segments of your sojourn? Or will it really depend? Will you be working with an office or other families who can receive books for you? It might work for you to box up topical sets of books and leave them with a friend stateside with directions to mail them to you when you needed them. Though I'm not sure if this would end up being more expensive than you are comfortable with.

 

You might want to look at some of the blogs of families who are sailing or cruising around the world. Several of them homeschool and you might glean some good info from them. Try searches like "round the world travel homeschool".

 

I should add that one of the biggest book challenges for us homeschooling overseas was having books for emerging and developing readers. We had access to one library for our first two years in Germany. It had a great selection of picture books and then of good classic chapter books. But that left a big hole in the doughnut for leveled readers. I spent a lot of my book money on buying readers and entry level chapter books. I also had both grandmothers back in the states combing used book stores for appropriate books for us. But we were blessed with having great mail service and no customs requirements or restrictions.

Edited June 20, 2011 by Sebastian (a lady)

[FaithManor]

Jean, I'd also like to add that if part of your high schooler's learning will be the assimilation of the local language and that local language has a written component that someone in a nearby village could teach my child, then if at the end of three years my child could speak and communicate well, plus write and even translate some English into the language or vice versa, then I would absolutely award my child three years of foreign language credit. It sounds like you will be in an area of the world in which the language will be unusual to the mainstream choices of most western educated kids, ie. (Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, and other European languages) and therefore, very few standard curriculums for teaching that language will be available. This means that there isn't an easy way to quantify exactly what level of achievement was attained. But, having lived it, if they can communicate effectively, write it if that is available, and even translate either spoken or written language into English, then given that your child will have a more extensive knowledge of the culture and history than any American or European student who studied the language but didn't live it, I'd definitely be awarding three years of credit!

 

Faith

[regentrude]

If I may comment on that - since phsyics is the one thing I know something about:

 

The reason that I wouldn't choose physics is a. that chemistry is integral to biology and upper level biology/ecology/environmental science...topics that your children will likely be learning "hands on" in their environment. It also only requires algebraic skills and b.physics needs some trigonometric skills or should be taken concurrently with trigonometry.

The amount of trig needed for success in an algebra/trig based physics course can be taught in a single afternoon. It's basically SOHCAHTOA, and the Pythagorean theorem. you don't need any complicated trig identities etc.

 

Given that you have limited resources and didn't say exactly how high you would be getting into high school material before coming back home, I thought chemistry was a better choice. If you are getting home before your high schooler's senior year, then physics can be accomplished at home. But, I just felt chemistry was a better fit for what they might learning "in real life" than physics.

But there is plenty of physics in real life! Objects move, energy is transformed, things roll, collide, slide etc.

 

One argument in favor of physics would be that you need virtually no specialized equipment to do high school level labs -with a scale, a tape measure and a stop watch you are all set. To do a high school level chemistry lab, OTOH, requires specific equipment and chemicals which will be much harder to come by on the road.

 

The other caveat is that some physics programs presume some chemistry background as these things go hand in hand. The motion of liquids has a great deal to do with molecular structure and external forces upon the liquid (temperature, humidity, etc.) and those topics are studied in chemistry. So, a student with no chemistry background might need remediation on some topics in order to be successful on a few topics in a physics course.

 

I have not seen a college physics text that assumes knowledge of these topics - they are covered as part of physics. They are needed for chemistry, which is why they are often included in chemistry curricula. But thermodynamics is an important discipline of physics and covered in all introductory textbooks I have come across.

[coralloyd]

Spelling-I wouldn't use a spelling program. I would do spelling through copywork and dictation. Taken from the other books I would bring along.

 

Math- I would use Ray's Arithmetic series. Then something for my high schooler (digital).

 

Grammar- The Blue Book of Grammar and Puncuation

 

Writing- would be through written narrations. Essays for high school.

 

History, Science, and Literature- The rest of the space would be dedicated to good books for these subjects.

Edited June 20, 2011 by coralloyd

[Jenny in Florida]

Honestly, as in brutally honestly?

 

Rhetoric stage student, NO WAY, absolutely no way I would put them in that situation for high school if there was ANY way of NOT putting them. If I really, really HAD to go with the other children, I would at least try to make something else work for the eldest - for example, a solid boarding school, whether "abroad", i.e. home, or, depending on where you are heading, maybe even somewhere in the proximity. Or I would have them stay with family and attend a traditional school, or whatever other arrangements I had to make to have the student remain on the traditional path. High school is NOT a time for the experiments of that kind and that duration in my view (I would have zero issues with a few months or even a single school year in early high school of such a lifestyle - but years, nope), unless you will be able to travel frequently or regularly get additional books via mail, and only in extreme cases where you have literally no other workable solution for this student would I have them go with us.

 

That viewpoint surprises me, honestly.

 

I would think that kind of adventure and experience of the larger world would be simply wonderful for a young adult.

 

In fact, I'm willing to be tthere would be a lot of colleges who would be more interested in an applicant who had done that than just another typical student from a good school.

 

I would also (and yes, this sounds funny coming from the woman who sent her 12 year old away to college) not separate my teen from the family unless there was an especially good reason to do so. (In our case, there was.)

[Jean in CA]

Could you get some resources in digital format? Flash drives hold lots of info and take up very little room.

 

And with something like a Nook, you could have access to lots of great literature that you download before heading overseas.

 

 

Yes, we should have electricity, but only occasional internet access. I can probably download things once in a while from an internet cafe. I like the idea of downloading literature to flashdrives.... that would take care of literature.

 

I am wondering what to bring that is not available via internet, or cannot be stored in electronic format. Like teacher manuals and textbooks.

[Jean in CA]

Honestly, as in brutally honestly?

 

Rhetoric stage student, NO WAY, absolutely no way I would put them in that situation for high school if there was ANY way of NOT putting them. If I really, really HAD to go with the other children, I would at least try to make something else work for the eldest - for example, a solid boarding school, whether "abroad", i.e. home, or, depending on where you are heading, maybe even somewhere in the proximity. Or I would have them stay with family and attend a traditional school, or whatever other arrangements I had to make to have the student remain on the traditional path. High school is NOT a time for the experiments of that kind and that duration in my view (I would have zero issues with a few months or even a single school year in early high school of such a lifestyle - but years, nope), unless you will be able to travel frequently or regularly get additional books via mail, and only in extreme cases where you have literally no other workable solution for this student would I have them go with us.

 

If you have electricity, ereaders solve easily most of these issues - but still not enough in my view for the rhetoric stage student (who in my view needs to "circle" in society, use internet, write papers on computers, have solid science education with lab components, learn useful and big foreign languages etc. - basically all of that which would be impossible in such a situation).

 

In addition to all of that, of course, use learning opportunities - whether structured or informal - where you are, which includes socializing and langauge, if applicable. I could see it being a very enriching, fun experience.

 

 

Hi Ester Maria,

 

I have not been a part of the high school board as long as the k-8 boards, and so don't know much about your philosophy, educational priorities. I understand your point about lab science (I think it will be quite difficult to accomplish this without a permanent home.) We will have intermittent internet access and most of the time will have electricity. We will most likely have one laptop. We will also spend some time travelling, bus, boat, train, etc... so whatever we bring needs to be portable for a family of 6. That's the reason for the limited curriculum. I would have most of my day free to learn/live with the kids.

 

I am curious to know more in depth why you would not advise this for a rhetoric stage student.

[Jean in CA]

Nature study of the area would be a big thing for me, also anything cultural or historical.

 

Art pads and pencils, colored pencils for all would be a priority.

 

YES, I'm looking to being a bit removed from the city, and expect opportunities to draw (at least my kids will, I'm not sure about my own abilities).

 

I would downsize to a netbook or two or three. The new ones have much longer battery life, I can get 7-9 hours out of mine. I might invest in a tablet computer, but at least get e-readers and load them up. If you're going to be internationals make sure you can access your accounts at that level, IIRC the Kindle had some issues with international accessibility, I could be wrong though.

 

I would download as much as possible onto the digital and have them saved on an external hard drive stored in safe, just in case of issues.

 

Great suggestions!

 

I agree with the encyclopedias for certain subjects. Also something like Natural Speller

 

My biggest concern would be making sure your high school student is getting enough done to count as credit. I would also incorporate as much non-traditional learning into their everyday, requiring written work more than the younger kids.

 

 

I need to take a look at what high school requirements are, and how our situation will impact the kind of education my (then) high schooler will have.

 

Can you think of any requirements that might be harder to fulfill than others? Lab science comes to mind... also, discussion groups for classic literature (unless I read all the material too) would be hard to find.

[Jean in CA]

My DD got one for her birthday - and despite my reluctance, and love for real books, I must say it is amazing.

You can carry it around - it is the size of a paperback, just slimmer.

She can store 1,500 (non-illustrated) books on her Kindle. Most older books (author dead more than 70 years or so) can be obtained for free.

Which means, every classic can be read for free!

The battery lasts long - with average use, a month.

The quality of the screen is fantastic; it does not feel like a computer screen, but looks really more like paper, and it can be read in broad sunlight.

 

So, if you plan on being on the road for extended periods, I would highly recommend a Kindle (or other brand).

 

OK, if it weren't for this very positive review of e-books, I would never even consider using them!!!! Battery life of 1-month???!!! You've got to be kidding! I will definitely begin researching this option.

 

Do you pay a subscription and get unlimited books, or do you pay per book? What are your favorite sources to buy from, with a good selection of classics?

[Tarreymere]

I would download every free classic book I could get onto my Kindle, including novels. poetry, ect. I would download a good selection of the free grammar, composition, spelling, and phonics books from google books. I would download Scott Foresman Grammar and Writing onto my kindle or my laptop, along with MEP math. There are also several free science textbooks on google books and then there are those free science textbooks and just about any other free stuff I could download from www.freelyeducate.com

 

I would be looking up all of the ebook threads on this forum with ideas to find even more free ebooks.

 

I would download and save a ton of free worksheets too. I could call up the worksheet on my laptop or kindle and have the child fill it out on paper or on a whiteboard.

I would look into the Ambleside Online curriculum, which is free and uses a lot of free books, for some structure and schedules. I would snoop around the Ambleside Online blogs for even more ideas on where to find free ebooks.

 

I have a kindle and yes, with the wireless turned off it does have a battery life of one month. Once I couldn't see the point of such a thing, but now I would not part with. I love it, it is like holding a third grade chapter book yet I have over two thousand books on mine already.

 

I haven't heard of a subscription service for ebooks but there may be one. Nooks can 'borrow' library books and kindles are supposed to be able to do that this summer. There are libraries in the USA that you don't have to be a resident of their area if you purchase a nonresident subscription and you can 'borrow' ebooks from those libraries.I get most of my free ebooks from Kindle and from google books and sometimes just from a google search or Project Gutenberg. www.mainlesson.com has the text of a number of ebooks online to read but if you want to save them to read later you have to cut and paste into your word processing program and then save it as a .pdf file.

 

I can also put .pdf files on the kindle so I have my schedules, recipes, and even little books that I made up and put together for my kids on there. DD age seven is saving up for one of her own since I won't let her borrow mine as much as she likes. There is free software out there to convert just about any file type to a kindle-compatible file, and the kindle already does .pdf. You could use Math Mammoth or any other downloadable curriculum. I think SOTW is downloadable if you buy it from the publisher, and I know there are others. Lively Latin comes to mind.....

Edited June 20, 2011 by Rainefox

[Jean in CA]

IEW. SOTW CD's.

Pick up maps where ever you go and check out the American Embassy's wherever you are for whatever info/resoureces they have to offer. Not sure if you could access DOD schoools for their libraries, but it might be worth checking out.

I would bone up (as the teacher) on socratic questioning and lit analysis.

 

 

Hi Lisa,

 

Do you have a favorite teacher-education resource that teaches socratic questioning? Lit analysis? I have WEM and How to Read a Book. Do those count?

[Ester Maria]

That viewpoint surprises me, honestly.

 

I would think that kind of adventure and experience of the larger world would be simply wonderful for a young adult.

 

In fact, I'm willing to be tthere would be a lot of colleges who would be more interested in an applicant who had done that than just another typical student from a good school.

 

I would also (and yes, this sounds funny coming from the woman who sent her 12 year old away to college) not separate my teen from the family unless there was an especially good reason to do so. (In our case, there was.)

I think it is difficult. Doable, quite possibly, in some exceptionally good circumstances in such a lifestyle, but still difficult. I appreciate the educational value of an experience, but if I have in mind a 16-17 year old student, who will likely even graduate in those circumstances, I would probably not venture to do it.

 

Lab sciences would be a huge problem in my view (even if you order equipment, it would be just impractical to travel around with it); the need for a library for things such as papers would be another big thing (which may be tempered with e-readers, when starting to write a reply I did not consider that, it dawned me in the middle); foreign languages (other than the local one, as I assume one still "builds for the future" in high school, prepares for a more general academic path and chooses a traditional option too - the chances are also that a parent might teach that); appropriate peer interaction and dynamic (even if not in a traditional school setting) would be another one, I find it very important for those years, I would feel the need for a kind of stable peer dynamic and outside input a student of that age gets (friends, family, internet, etc. - you know, not being limited to one's parents and a selection of books). I suppose a lot would depend on the specifics - how frequently you travel, where exactly you are, ties with local culture, proximity of expats and culturally similar people, the frequency of going back, internet, mail service, etc. If all things clicked very well, I can see it working, but writing the response I had a less than ideal picture in my mind, in which I am just not sure how it could work.

 

For the sake experiences, months or even a single year (early high school) would be okay with me, but if that were a regular situation that extended to most of high school, *I personally* would feel more safe checking more traditional schooling options for that child and seeing what is available. Separating from the family would also, of course, depend on the psychology of a particular child and family dynamic, but I would consider education a reason good enough... in fact, I can picture a situation similar to yours when I consider this one :), where one just cannot get enough of that contact with others or quality instructional input on their level. I do realize that specifics might largely differ, this is a very general response to a very general question.

[regentrude]

OK, if it weren't for this very positive review of e-books, I would never even consider using them!!!! Battery life of 1-month???!!! You've got to be kidding! I will definitely begin researching this option.

Do you pay a subscription and get unlimited books, or do you pay per book? What are your favorite sources to buy from, with a good selection of classics?

 

The sites I know, you pay per book. If you have a Kindle, you can download the e-books form Amazon. You can find many classics at Amazon for free. There is also Project Gutenberg, which has free e-books in different format, some compatible with Kindle. (Maybe there are subscription sites - I don't know)

I have learned that there are websites with free Kindle books, but have not looked at them. There is also a network where people share Kindle books.

Lastly, you can BORROW e-books form some libraries (the file is good for a certain period) - again, no personal info there.

We travel a lot, and DD wanted it because of that.

 

As for the battery life: you have a charger and can always recharge it from any source of electricity. We have an adapter for the car.

Edited June 20, 2011 by regentrude

[Jean in CA]

How many resources could you get onto CD rom so that you didn't have to rely on the internet? For example, we have World Book Encyclopedia loaded onto out computer via a CD.

 

I own this too (from Sonlight 5) and will definitely use it.

 

I will have a .pdf of Writing With Skill this fall for writing (which I'm using with my rising 7th and 8th graders, because they still need a lot of specific work on outlining and narrative writing).

 

How did you get it?? I love WWE, but didn't know about the next level.

 

When we lived in Germany, we had dial up. It wasn't too expensive, but it was rather slow. You might be able to do better using internet cafes, but there would be places where I would hesitate to be purchasing things online (ie, not wanting to put my credit card info onto a computer I didn't know).

 

But pretty much anything that is in a .pdf format could be saved to a CD (so you would have it, but wouldn't have to have it stored on the computer's hard drive). That could include things like out of copyright books like Handbook of Nature Study (nature info is something that can be hard to get overseas, where the best books are only in the local language). Lots of primary source documents and lesson plans (like those available at Archives.gov).

 

Great idea - I own and use this book ocasionally, but would not lug it around with me.

 

I am planning on doing MIT's Kitchen Chemistry Opencourseware in the near future. I was able to download most of the extra readings and class assignments and put them onto a disk. In a situation like yours, I would also scan the pages in the reference text and add them to the disk, since that book is incredibly heavy and isn't used enough to take the whole thing.

 

What level is this for?

 

I think that some of the Holt high school level science books are only available as a CD for student editions. That ruled them out for me, since I really need my kids to have a physical text. But it might make them just the thing for you.

 

Do you know where you will be in different segments of your sojourn? Or will it really depend? Will you be working with an office or other families who can receive books for you? It might work for you to box up topical sets of books and leave them with a friend stateside with directions to mail them to you when you needed them. Though I'm not sure if this would end up being more expensive than you are comfortable with.

 

You might want to look at some of the blogs of families who are sailing or cruising around the world. Several of them homeschool and you might glean some good info from them. Try searches like "round the world travel homeschool".

 

I should add that one of the biggest book challenges for us homeschooling overseas was having books for emerging and developing readers. We had access to one library for our first two years in Germany. It had a great selection of picture books and then of good classic chapter books. But that left a big hole in the doughnut for leveled readers. I spent a lot of my book money on buying readers and entry level chapter books. I also had both grandmothers back in the states combing used book stores for appropriate books for us. But we were blessed with having great mail service and no customs requirements or restrictions.

 

 

Not sure of locations yet, but we will spend part of the time getting from place to place. Which is why is didn't want to be dependent on electronic source of information. But I just learned that ebooks have a 1-month battery life... so things are looking very positive in that direction.

 

I do own a ton of early readers; luckily they are very thin and I might stuff them all into a suitcase. It is helpful to know what libraries are like outside of the U.S. Thanks for posting!

[regentrude]

Lab sciences would be a huge problem in my view (even if you order equipment, it would be just impractical to travel around with it).

 

If it is not practical to do the labs on the road (although I think physics is extremely easy to accomplish because you don't need any specialized stuff), it is always possible to complete a lab class when you are back in the US. It is nice to have the lab accompany the theoretical part, but it is not absolutely necessary.

A lot depends on the learning style - some people are so hands-on, they must have labs to understand the stuff. For others, the theoretical material is just fine to understand the material, and the lab just serves to develop lab skills, not an understanding of the content. These separate lab skills can be developed separately.

[Jean in CA]

Jean, I'd also like to add that if part of your high schooler's learning will be the assimilation of the local language and that local language has a written component that someone in a nearby village could teach my child, then if at the end of three years my child could speak and communicate well, plus write and even translate some English into the language or vice versa, then I would absolutely award my child three years of foreign language credit. It sounds like you will be in an area of the world in which the language will be unusual to the mainstream choices of most western educated kids, ie. (Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, and other European languages) and therefore, very few standard curriculums for teaching that language will be available. This means that there isn't an easy way to quantify exactly what level of achievement was attained. But, having lived it, if they can communicate effectively, write it if that is available, and even translate either spoken or written language into English, then given that your child will have a more extensive knowledge of the culture and history than any American or European student who studied the language but didn't live it, I'd definitely be awarding three years of credit!

 

Faith

 

Hi Faith,

 

Our itinerary is not yet set. But it might be a combo of European and Asian locations. I wonder if we'll be in any set place long enough to actually learn the language from the locals. That would be ideal!! I took 4 years of high school Spanish, and I still cannot understand the Spanish TV station shows or comprehend the news! So I definitely would welcome the chance to learn a foreign language from a native speaker and be steeped in that language.

[Jean in CA]

If I may comment on that - since phsyics is the one thing I know something about:

 

 

The amount of trig needed for success in an algebra/trig based physics course can be taught in a single afternoon. It's basically SOHCAHTOA, and the Pythagorean theorem. you don't need any complicated trig identities etc.

 

But there is plenty of physics in real life! Objects move, energy is transformed, things roll, collide, slide etc.

 

One argument in favor of physics would be that you need virtually no specialized equipment to do high school level labs -with a scale, a tape measure and a stop watch you are all set. To do a high school level chemistry lab, OTOH, requires specific equipment and chemicals which will be much harder to come by on the road.

 

 

 

I have not seen a college physics text that assumes knowledge of these topics - they are covered as part of physics. They are needed for chemistry, which is why they are often included in chemistry curricula. But thermodynamics is an important discipline of physics and covered in all introductory textbooks I have come across.

 

 

SOHCAHTOA... HA, haven't heard that mentioned in over 20 years! Thank you for this discussion on whether chem or physics might be easier to teach in the absence of a classroom lab... and what order to teach them in. I must say, I love love chem (took adv. chem in high school, o-chem and p-chem in college) and have no interest and not much understanding in physics.

 

But unfortunately, don't have much thought on how to do chem labs at home, let alone while travelling in a foreign country.

[Ester Maria]

If it is not practical to do the labs on the road (although I think physics is extremely easy to accomplish because you don't need any specialized stuff), it is always possible to complete a lab class when you are back in the US. It is nice to have the lab accompany the theoretical part, but it is not absolutely necessary.

A lot depends on the learning style - some people are so hands-on, they must have labs to understand the stuff. For others, the theoretical material is just fine to understand the material, and the lab just serves to develop lab skills, not an understanding of the content. These separate lab skills can be developed separately.

As somebody who prefers theory to any kind of practice, I agree with you :D, but I think that at least one lab science is a graduation requirement in many places? What if they move, for example, when the kid is 15, having completed one general non-lab science in 9th grade, and the living situation persists until diploma? What if they cannot go back to take some sort of summer class or something?

 

I pretty much thought of the worst of all options when replying, true :tongue_smilie:, now when I am reconsidering it, I do see that it may be actually fairly doable in circumstances with e-readers, electricity, possibly some kind of a civilization in the proximity, etc., but I am still not sure about the timing... for example, if it is 8th-10th grade, I have much less issue with it than if it is 10th-12th grade. The former type, if a situation is good, I would probably not even specifically consider separating from family, but the latter type... Not sure, I would really have issues with the absence of labs, libraries, some kind of a metropolitan area to go to, regularity with terms of peer contact and other educational input... But possibilities are numerous, a lot of it would depend on the exact locations and the specific child.

[regentrude]

As somebody who prefers theory to any kind of practice, I agree with you :D, but I think that at least one lab science is a graduation requirement in many places? What if they move, for example, when the kid is 15, having completed one general non-lab science in 9th grade, and the living situation persists until diploma? What if they cannot go back to take some sort of summer class or something?

 

Then you just graduate them as soon as they managed to complete this requirement in a summer course.

Or - since the poster mentioned Europe and Asia - she might find an opportunity for a science lab course in some location where they happen to be for a few months - does not have to be the US.

 

And again, physics lab is absolutely doable on the road.

[FaithManor]

Hi Faith,

 

Our itinerary is not yet set. But it might be a combo of European and Asian locations. I wonder if we'll be in any set place long enough to actually learn the language from the locals. That would be ideal!! I took 4 years of high school Spanish, and I still cannot understand the Spanish TV station shows or comprehend the news! So I definitely would welcome the chance to learn a foreign language from a native speaker and be steeped in that language.

 

 

Wow, Jean! That is a lot tougher if you are going to be traveling around and not in a set location. Hmmmm will you be in more than one location in which the indigenious populations speak the same language? If there was going to be significantly more time in one locale than another, maybe you could begin language preparation now and then focus through the three years on that language alone.

 

I'd also consider a social studies credit based on comparative cultures. Again, without knowing locations it's hard for me to make specific recommendations though my mind wanderers around the possibilities like I've been transported inside a year of National Geographic research assignments! :D

 

I should never complain about designing a plan for homeschooling two years in Bankok. There is a small, but real, possibility dh may take a two year position there. I am trying not to get my hopes up. But, dh won't explore this option at work until I have a working plan for homeschooling there or homeschooling half-day and half-day at an international school in place. So, I'm doing a lot of work on this just so that he'll know if he feels comfortable carting us off to Thailand (I hope, I hope, I hope) because we already have a 9th grader and will add another high schooler while there and a middle schooler who is accelerated in math and science.

 

You definitely have more and harder planning to do than I do. So, if I ever come on here moaning and groaning, you have my permission to give me a virtual bump in my rump! :biggrinjester:

 

Faith

[Jean in CA]

I would download every free classic book I could get onto my Kindle, including novels. poetry, ect. I would download a good selection of the free grammar, composition, spelling, and phonics books from google books. I would download Scott Foresman Grammar and Writing onto my kindle or my laptop, along with MEP math. There are also several free science textbooks on google books and then there are those free science textbooks and just about any other free stuff I could download from www.freelyeducate.com

 

I would be looking up all of the ebook threads on this forum with ideas to find even more free ebooks.

 

I would download and save a ton of free worksheets too. I could call up the worksheet on my laptop or kindle and have the child fill it out on paper or on a whiteboard.

I would look into the Ambleside Online curriculum, which is free and uses a lot of free books, for some structure and schedules. I would snoop around the Ambleside Online blogs for even more ideas on where to find free ebooks.

 

I have a kindle and yes, with the wireless turned off it does have a battery life of one month. Once I couldn't see the point of such a thing, but now I would not part with. I love it, it is like holding a third grade chapter book yet I have over two thousand books on mine already.

 

I haven't heard of a subscription service for ebooks but there may be one. Nooks can 'borrow' library books and kindles are supposed to be able to do that this summer. There are libraries in the USA that you don't have to be a resident of their area if you purchase a nonresident subscription and you can 'borrow' ebooks from those libraries.I get most of my free ebooks from Kindle and from google books and sometimes just from a google search or Project Gutenberg. www.mainlesson.com has the text of a number of ebooks online to read but if you want to save them to read later you have to cut and paste into your word processing program and then save it as a .pdf file.

 

I can also put .pdf files on the kindle so I have my schedules, recipes, and even little books that I made up and put together for my kids on there. DD age seven is saving up for one of her own since I won't let her borrow mine as much as she likes. There is free software out there to convert just about any file type to a kindle-compatible file, and the kindle already does .pdf. You could use Math Mammoth or any other downloadable curriculum. I think SOTW is downloadable if you buy it from the publisher, and I know there are others. Lively Latin comes to mind.....

 

Thank you for the specific suggestions-I'm taking notes! I use Singapore math right now, maybe they'll be downloadable in a couple years...

 

I also love Ambleside Online, and although I felt their lit choices were a bit advanced, I love that almost everything is available online.

[Jean in CA]

I think it is difficult. Doable, quite possibly, in some exceptionally good circumstances in such a lifestyle, but still difficult. I appreciate the educational value of an experience, but if I have in mind a 16-17 year old student, who will likely even graduate in those circumstances, I would probably not venture to do it.

 

Lab sciences would be a huge problem in my view (even if you order equipment, it would be just impractical to travel around with it); the need for a library for things such as papers would be another big thing (which may be tempered with e-readers, when starting to write a reply I did not consider that, it dawned me in the middle); foreign languages (other than the local one, as I assume one still "builds for the future" in high school, prepares for a more general academic path and chooses a traditional option too - the chances are also that a parent might teach that); appropriate peer interaction and dynamic (even if not in a traditional school setting) would be another one, I find it very important for those years, I would feel the need for a kind of stable peer dynamic and outside input a student of that age gets (friends, family, internet, etc. - you know, not being limited to one's parents and a selection of books). I suppose a lot would depend on the specifics - how frequently you travel, where exactly you are, ties with local culture, proximity of expats and culturally similar people, the frequency of going back, internet, mail service, etc. If all things clicked very well, I can see it working, but writing the response I had a less than ideal picture in my mind, in which I am just not sure how it could work.

 

For the sake experiences, months or even a single year (early high school) would be okay with me, but if that were a regular situation that extended to most of high school, *I personally* would feel more safe checking more traditional schooling options for that child and seeing what is available. Separating from the family would also, of course, depend on the psychology of a particular child and family dynamic, but I would consider education a reason good enough... in fact, I can picture a situation similar to yours when I consider this one :), where one just cannot get enough of that contact with others or quality instructional input on their level. I do realize that specifics might largely differ, this is a very general response to a very general question.

 

 

DD will be completing 8th and 9th grade at home, and spending 10th and part of 11th (or all of 11th) outside the U.S. We will return for all of her 12th grade.

 

I'm wondering if it would be possible for her to get a lot of peer interaction and lab science completed in 8th, 9th, and 12th grades, and do less traditional academics in 10th and 11th, while we're abroad.

 

She has a December birthday, putting her ahead of her peers in age and maturity, and so I might consider ramping up the lab sciences this coming year. For instance do Biology and Chemistry with labs in the next 2 years... and save Physics (with lab) for 12th grade. Do you think colleges would accept that?

 

What is a good high school level Bio program for an older 8th grader? I have not researched anything for high school yet.

 

Also she is involved with a Classics lit and hist. group for middle/high schoolers reading and discussing classics from Middle Ages/Renaissance and early Modern history periods the next couple years.

Edited June 20, 2011 by Jean in CA

[Beth in Mint Hill]

... I would get some kind of a compact English grammar (for LA), adult-level written so you can water it down as necessary, a math program of your choice, some kind of a history spine

 

 

If you want the name of a few textbooks that are FULL of data for the basic subjects these come to mind:

 

For Grammar: The Harbrace Handbook of English I have one from my college days that is small and light but covers everything you could ever want to know about grammar. Be sure to get one of the 1955-1968 vintage, because after that they took out the sentence diagramming.

 

For Logic: Socratic Logic by Peter Kreeft. Again a very engaging, average sized text with everything you could ever want to know about logic, about all sorts of logic.

 

For History: A paperback Western Civilization (Brief edition) by Spielvogel ... The "Brief" version is just slightly edited down so it's not so big, but has all the important information.

 

For Latin: Wheelock's Latin, everything you could ever want to know about Latin, plus a lifetime supply of translation practice. Take the Key with you on your computer.

 

For Literature to have in tangible form: Bible, Fagles translations of Homer & Virgil, The Divine Comedy. Hopefully you can load up a Kindle, of course.

 

And for everything else, how about Barron's The Easy Way? They are great for subjects like arithmetic, algebra, biology, etc; they are comprehensive, lightweight, and provide plenty of exercises.

[regentrude]

For instance do Biology and Chemistry with labs in the next 2 years... and save Physics (with lab) for 12th grade. Do you think colleges would accept that?

 

 

Organize the transcript by subject - they won't know. Plus. you can always explain your unique situation in the homeschool philosophy/counselor's letter.

 

What is a good high school level Bio program for an older 8th grader? I have not researched anything for high school yet.

 

 

We used Campbell/Reece Concepts and Connections for DD's biology in 8th.

It is rather challenging. Miller/Levine is often used for highschool bio, as is Campbell's Exploring Life.

[Ester Maria]

DD will be completing 8th and 9th grade at home, and spending 10th and part of 11th (or all of 11th) outside the U.S. We will return for all of her 12th grade.

See why you need to state more information in the OP, this does not fit my catastrophic worst-of-all-options predictments that I based my response on. :tongue_smilie:

 

This actually seems a good timing to me: she could get a headstart in 8th and 9th and still have some of 11th or at least 12th to make up for the traditional academics if they got less attention during that year or two. Sure. Paired up with MUCH better conditions than I originally foresaw, this is basically a non-issue for me. All my drama for nothing. :lol:

 

I thought you would be, like (:tongue_smilie:), in a shelter without electricity somewhere in the middle of the desert for months at a time, in her crucial growing period, most or all of high school (you did not specify exact time period), communicate with the rest of the world via pidgeons...

 

She will be fine, things would probably be easily recuperable, organize the transcript by subjects rather than by years and maybe cram some things in summer after 11th if you feel like you missed out on too much, and no problems. Colleges will accept, AND she will stand out with this adventure.

[FaithManor]

[quote name=Ester Maria;2850613

I thought you would be' date=' like (:tongue_smilie:), in a shelter without electricity somewhere in the middle of the desert for months at a time, in her crucial growing period, most or all of high school (you did not specify exact time period), communicate with the rest of the world via pidgeons...

 

But, Ester Maria, don't you see the immense possibilities of such a catastrophe?.....designing your own solar power system, zoology - taming and training those zany pidgeons, and a crrrrrrrazy credit in nutrition and food management - candying those ants, slow cooking those grasshoppers, and properly preparing lizard shish-kabob! (Snicker, snicker, snicker) :biggrinjester:

 

:lol: My mind can go to some pretty looney places based on wild, unfettered, imagination!

 

Faith