Pros and Cons of homeschooling high school

[8filltheheart]

Thanks for the info and link. I had read through many of her posts a while back. Re-reading them is always useful too. :)

 

I know we have the science down--he pursues it independently and voraciously. He has struggled with math in the past (he had a lot of reading struggles until 8th grade). Now he is on a good path for math and zipping through AoPS Geometry while concurrently working on Alg 2 and watching calculus lectures for fun (he decided to do this on his own). It is definitely the LA/SS part that has me worried. I have been looking through some online LA syllabi and I feel as though there is no way I can provide that much diversity and interconnection of ideas. He is using Oak Meadow 9th grade English because I wanted some kind of weekly guidance, but the program is very light. In fact we both thought it was a semester long course and I had to call them to verify it was for an entire year. This has given him plenty of time to do other things--for example he is also listening to Teaching Co. lecture on Herodotus. High school suddenly does seem so daunting! I think I will spend some time over the break working on a long term plan and post it in the forums for feed back.

thanks so much everyone for your comments and support. Great group. :001_smile::001_smile:

 

Your post had me laughing. My ds had a lot of reading struggles as well. He didn't read on grade level until 4th grade and is still a very slow reader. He did OM's 9th grade English last yr, too. I couldn't believe it was supposed to be a full yr either! He finished it by Christmas break last yr. That was wonderful b/c we spent the 2nd semester doing other things as well as an Inception study that I put together.

 

Ds is thoroughly enjoying Smarr's literature this yr. We have not been following it exactly b/c he had already read a couple of the items and it allowed him to slow down the pace of their readings. (He couldn't have kept up with the reading w/his current schedule. He is carrying a really full load this yr.)

 

FWIW, we have combined TC's Foundations of Western Civ lectures w/the textbook by Noble (the lecturer for FiWC)

http://www.amazon.com/Cengage-Advantage-Books-Civilization-Boundaries/dp/0495900737/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324590444&sr=1-2

and added in http://www.amazon.com/World-History-Activities-Marvin-Scott/dp/0825128803/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324590379&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Critical-Thinking-Primary-Sources-History/dp/0825150094/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324590418&sr=1-1

 

He is really enjoying this combination. That says a lot for my science/math guy! It is not light in any way. FWIW, his sister is using the exact same text at her LAC for her freshman history course. The main difference is that we are splitting Western Civ over 2 yrs and they are completing both volumes this yr.

[Ellie]

Someone posted this on an Internet forum many years ago:

 

You Should Homeschool Through High School if:

 

1. You want real education, a liberal education. You desire the full-orbed perspective of a free mind that can interpret all angles of an issue, event, or idea. You want to teach him your views, your values, your heart.

 

2. Your expectations have diminished. While you enter high school with lots of plans, you adjust and modify as you go along, and that s okay. You consider what is available to you, and then carefully craft a course of study to suit the specific unique needs of your young adult. You re flexible. Even though you may not get to Menander or Juvenal, you decide you don t need to anyway. You sift the good and savor the great. You know he will read and study the Aeneid and The Wealth of Nations. He can discuss the stuff of great ideas.

 

3. You can t teach calculus, but it is okay because you know there are resources ready online coursework, excellent books, local programs, DVD courses, community college, or co-op classes. You shouldn t teach everything any more but you can teach some. You may not have unlimited resources, but you have time. You can trade instruction, or find a tutor. And you know you can teach most of the subjects, or learn it. You taught him to read. You taught him cursive, fractions, and faith. Together you can do this too. He learned trig himself; you trust him to learn calculus.

 

4. You want your child to participate in and appreciate great music and art, theology, politics, and philosophy. You want him to explore museums and travel, to develop strong habits and hobbies, to become a master violinist, or a master at something. You want family time and still have time for strong academics.

 

5. You want him to get *leadership* education, to be a free-standing citizen with unique views which address the needs of our future society.

 

6. You want him to be distinctive, desirable, and determined rather than peer dependent. You want him to be able to stand alone, to stand above, to stand strong. You want to help him discern his strengths, to know himself, to know he can.

 

7. You want your child to make friends with his siblings and cousins, with his grandparents while you still have them, with his debate partner, and his new boss. You want him to learn how to perceive people s needs, how to reason through situations rather than react, how to problem solve and work with others, how to comfortably communicate his values and views. You want him to be accepting of others, to understand their unique needs and to know his niche.

 

8. You want him to be acceptable. He has rough edges and you want him well-rounded. You think that more time with mom, men, mentors and mission trips will improve his character.

 

9. You like your child, nearly a man. You want time with him, to see him lead small groups, to give speeches, and to try new things while you are still nearby. You want those next few years, those last four, which you ll never have again.

 

10. You aren t done talking with your child. You are still discussing world events, your values, and your opinions and you want him to codify, embrace, and share his. At this prime rhetoric stage, when young adults can reason and think and begin to embrace and articulate their own views, you want to be there to hear them.

 

You don t have to homeschool through high school, but you can. We re here for you, beside you. We have experiences to share. We ve been through it all in these last several years death and sickness, aging parents, newborn babes, disasters, diatribes, and duties. But it all works together for our good.

 

It is only four years, four more years. It is only a few weeks, wonderful weeks. It is grueling, great, and grand. It is hard to graciously guide a teen at puberty when you re menopausal! It is scary to slam against the algebra wall and relearn what you never knew before. It is great to see your tottering teen show talent, the promise that he ll truly turn out.

 

And you turn into a gentlewoman. You find deep within you that perseverance you didn t know you had, the faith to believe in the unseen, the knowledge you can know more.

 

You can choose those four years, those last years with your child. Last week she was learning to walk. This week she s walking the aisle, a young woman. When she nods her head and the gold tassel glistens, when she gives you your single, long-stemmed rose with the ribbon bow wrapped around it, with eyes sparkling and smile shining, she says, Thanks mom for teaching me you ll know the weight of those words. They re worth it. They are 18 years together precious and priceless. Wrap your arms around them and embrace them.

 

Cathy in KY

[Teachin'Mine]

Awesome post Ellie - thank you!!!

 

I hadn't posted on this thread because there are a few cons, but so, so many pros. Once I began homeschooling, I always knew we would continue through high school. It's been amazing. I just wish I could slow down time as it's all rushing by so quickly.

[TheApprentice]

Love that post Ellie.:001_smile: Now if I could just talk my son into believing it will be o.k. He wants the peer interaction, but he does not have anything against homeschooling (which he has done for the last 3 years).

[Trilliums]

Aw, that is such a sweet post about high school! Need a tissue here. :)

 

During a phone conversation with my dad yesterday I expressed my anxiety over home schooling the kids through high school. He replied, "I cannot imagine why." in a deadpan serious voice. I felt so aggravated and misunderstood! But then he began to detail all the positive attributes the kids have especially as self-motivated learners. He encouraged me to continue to do whatever we have been doing up until now. So in the end I did feel a measure of re-assurance, especially since he often received *Educator or the Year* awards during his medical career.

 

Also, thanks so much for the links 8 to the Critical Thinking Using Primary Sources, the text and map booklet. I can see using some resources such as this to round out Social Studies for the boys. Also going to check out the Smarr literature offerings. They do look like comprehensive studies! Need to spend some time narrowing down what the kids will be doing for sure. At lease it is a question of having too many options, not of having too few.

Also, yes so funny the similarities in our kids! If your son is a 10th grader and mine is a 9th grader, can we just mirror his course load each year? :tongue_smilie: Simplify my life considerably. :):)

[luvnlattes]

Someone posted this on an Internet forum many years ago:

 

You Should Homeschool Through High School if:

 

Thanks for sharing this Ellie! I'm going to print it off and keep it in my binder for those days when I panic and "know" he would probably be better off going to high school.