What advice would you give me? Dd will be a <gulp> high schooler next year

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I am already in a panic. I can NOT believe I will be the mother of a high schooler next year :blink: :eek: :crying:

 

 

 

I know what curriculum we will be using for the most part:

MFW AHL

Video Text Algebra (I am 75% sure)

MC for writing

BJU English 9 for English (we pick and chose what writing assignments we do from BJU and MC- we do not do both completely)

VV Science roots- following the 2 year teaching schedule starting this year & continue with Vocab Cartoons SAT power book 1 (1-2 words a day)

Apologia Biology

Art of Argument, Discovery of Deduction (elective)

Probably an outside computer class for another elective

 

 

 

What advice do you have both academically and any other areas you feel are important? What do you think about her high school plans? Am I missing anything for high school?? I am so nervous about this! I know how nervous I was when she began middle school- but this is HIGH SCHOOL :eek:

[Momto3indians]

I do have a question for ya. Does she have a foreign language in place? That I feel is a 'bear' for homeschoolers but maybe thru an online program or tutoring, etc...?

 

We used Teaching Textbooks for the high school years....my oldest, in being our first guinea pig did Saxon all the way thru! The others left Saxon for Teaching Textbooks in their final years of schooling.

 

For language each had their own foreign language choice...we had french...then spanish which turned to ASL signing and my youngest fell in love with ASL signing and latched onto it for her foreign language. (we had tutors privately teaching them...as a book just wasn't enough)

 

Co'ops and private tutors for a given subject they might struggle with were bigges for us in their high school years. I depended on both venues lots although cannot say I 'raised' my kids via co'ops. We just used them as the need came in for one that year....or even two.

 

Get excited...it's a whole new ball game and they're learning to now be more independent! (PS....community colleges also offer wonderful 'enriched' education programs for highschoolers...just need to take a placement test and at our community college you can be in the 11th grade taking courses that might get you transferable credit for college besides high school credit!

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

Yes we will be doing Spanish. We started this year, I just don't know where to go with it. I forgot to add that to my list :blush: This year we are doing Getting Started with Spanish. I don't know how long that will last us but I know I need to decide where to go after, I am thinking Visual Link Spanish then I don't know for next year. I will be doing this with both her and her sister. She also wants to learn french so we are either going to do French with Spanish 2 next year or Spanish 3 in 10th, not sure. Any recommendations on when to start the 2nd language??

 

 

I am trying to relax but I am so nervous!!! I just feel like I am going to mess her up or something (too many comments from non-homeschoolers about trying to homeschool high school and how I am going to ruin her :blink:) I don't believe them one bit, but it has made me nervous to make sure I get it just right, know what I mean??

[elegantlion]

Does MFW or BJ include literature analysis? I'm not familiar enough to know.

 

We're headed in that direction too. I'm already planning for next year, I have some self-ed to get done.

 

I try not to listen to others. I'm trying to pencil in a path we'd like to take and see what fits where. Lori D has an excellent packet with some details on high school. You could PM her and she'll e-mail it to you.

 

I have outlined (in pencil, all subject to change) the basic courses I would like ds to have, 4 years of Latin, history, science, English, and math. I'm looking at required electives (required by me;)), electives to fit interests, etc.How all of that will be achieved is mostly unwritten.

 

We're keeping grades this year so I have a year to work out the kinks in my system. We're required by the state to log hours, so I'll know potentially how long a one credit class will take.

 

I keep a binder specifically with details I'm likely to forget. Great recommendations from here, stuff I find online. I had it broken down into sections and I periodically flip through it to remind me. That way I don't have to remember EVERYTHING. I take so relief in knowing that I have most of the information I need in one place.

 

I also have a spiral notebook that I take notes in. They're messy, but it's good for information I don't have time to file right then.

 

One day at a time. It won't seem so :confused: by the time we get there.

[dhudson]

Remember that AHL has a lot of grammar and writing. I thought I would supplement more than I have ended up doing. I have added a couple of writing assignments and a few grammar assignments but have found that my ds hasn't had as much free time as expected.

 

I do really like Stobaugh's SAT and have added a book a week for reading from that.

[laughing lioness]

My .02 on video text- not enough practice.

Also, what extra stuff are you doing? What does your student like to do? There was a great thread a couple of weeks ago on extra stuff.

High school is hard work, so we try to balance it with lots of stuff that is rewarding beyond just classroom stuff- ballrm dancing, drama, TP etc.

I list all of that along with academics.

[clementine]

This is our first year with a high schooler. :) This summer, I went through my moments of panic and began to question our ability to see it all the way through. But, thankfully, the panic passed and the excitement set in!

 

I penciled out our tentative 4-year plan, so I could see the direction we were headed and the subjects we wanted to cover within the next 4 years. Nothing is set in stone, but it gives me direction. ;)

 

Our year looks like this:

 

Math - Algebra 1 BJU (she is not a mathy kid) 1 credit

English - Lightning Lit - Early to Mid for 1st semester & Mid to Late for 2nd 1 credit

Science - Apologia Biology 1 credit

History - Oak Meadow American History 1 credit

Computer Skills .5 credit

Health/PE 1 credit

Sign Language 1 credit

Art History/Studio .5 credit

 

Don't panic, you can do this!!!!

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

My .02 on video text- not enough practice.

Also, what extra stuff are you doing? What does your student like to do? .

 

 

Is it simply not enough practice or is the scope and sequence not enough? I am planning on buying something for more practice, I just do not know what. If its a scope and sequence problem then I need to look around for something else!! I have a few ideas on what I want to use for extra practice but I have not made any firm decisions. (I will also take suggestions for this ;))

 

Does MFW or BJ include literature analysis? I'm not familiar enough to know.

 

We're headed in that direction too. I'm already planning for next year, I have some self-ed to get done.

 

I try not to listen to others. I'm trying to pencil in a path we'd like to take and see what fits where. Lori D has an excellent packet with some details on high school. You could PM her and she'll e-mail it to you.

 

I have outlined (in pencil, all subject to change) the basic courses I would like ds to have, 4 years of Latin, history, science, English, and math. I'm looking at required electives (required by me;)), electives to fit interests, etc.How all of that will be achieved is mostly unwritten.

 

We're keeping grades this year so I have a year to work out the kinks in my system. We're required by the state to log hours, so I'll know potentially how long a one credit class will take.

 

I keep a binder specifically with details I'm likely to forget. Great recommendations from here, stuff I find online. I had it broken down into sections and I periodically flip through it to remind me. That way I don't have to remember EVERYTHING. I take so relief in knowing that I have most of the information I need in one place.

 

I also have a spiral notebook that I take notes in. They're messy, but it's good for information I don't have time to file right then.

 

One day at a time. It won't seem so :confused: by the time we get there.

 

 

I actually just bought a notebook last night to start keeping notes, ideas, suggestions for high school :D That is why I decided to do this thread now. Literary analysis- Good thinking. Ha! Should be an obvious one as we are working on it this year as well. I need to check into that. Any recommendation just in case? We are working through figuratively speaking this year (started it last year)

 

Any recommendations on what to do next?

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

This is our first year with a high schooler. :) This summer, I went through my moments of panic and began to question our ability to see it all the way through. But, thankfully, the panic passed and the excitement set in!

 

I penciled out our tentative 4-year plan, so I could see the direction we were headed and the subjects we wanted to cover within the next 4 years. Nothing is set in stone, but it gives me direction. ;)

 

Our year looks like this:

 

Math - Algebra 1 BJU (she is not a mathy kid) 1 credit

English - Lightning Lit - Early to Mid for 1st semester & Mid to Late for 2nd 1 credit

Science - Apologia Biology 1 credit

History - Oak Meadow American History 1 credit

Computer Skills .5 credit

Health/PE 1 credit

Sign Language 1 credit

Art History/Studio .5 credit

 

Don't panic, you can do this!!!!

 

 

My daughter is also not a mathy kid. We did BJU math until 7th then switched because I got nervous (I am not a mathy mom :001_huh:) Do you like this program? I have considered going back because she did so well with it! Any thoughts on this?

[Sunshine State Sue]

This is a great time to read Nan's thread:

To all you people with 8th graders (or there abouts)...

[Book Nut]

Everyone's offering good advice. I would add to begin record keeping now so you're used to it and there's one less new thing to deal with next year.

[clementine]

I'll jump in the 'non-mathy-mom' boat with you! She did TT Algebra 1 in 8th grade and did fine, but I wanted her to get credit for Alg. 1, and I knew she didn't want tons of higher level math, so we're re-doing it using a different curriculum.

 

She is enjoying it so far, although we're only in week 3 ;). It is not super teacher intensive yet & I'm hoping she continues to like it.

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

This is a great time to read Nan's thread:

To all you people with 8th graders (or there abouts)...

 

 

Thank you so much!! :D

[G5052]

Unfortunately the biggie for me has been making sure that the credits and classes line up for college admissions. The choices get narrower in high school.

 

Also don't forget physical education. I'm keeping a log of the hours in martial arts (3-6 hours a week) there, and we may do a weigh training class this summer.

 

Thankfully the rest is pretty much worked out. Scarey though...

[MyThreeSons]

Keep good records!! And make sure you have a backup or two of all electronic data.

[creekland]

I started homeschooling when my oldest reached high school, so I suppose it's more second nature than the younger years for me. It probably helps that I've been working in our local public high school for 12 years.

 

The main thing I would say is to keep planning classes to match graduation requirements for your state and/or what colleges you may be looking toward, keep good records, and enjoy the time. In high school the students really start reasoning and can have some wonderful discussions about pretty much everything and anything. Give them more responsibilities and hold them more accountable. Make sure they have time for their extra curriculars - chosen based on their interests.

 

If there's one thing I would change looking back, it would be adding more classes that lined up with AP tests, then having them take more tests in May. When applying to colleges, many students from ps have oodles of AP classes... but that's specific to my academic type kids. It doesn't have to be that way (not even to get in to a college) if your kids lean toward a different path.

 

The years fly by way too quickly. Enjoy them.