Planning our last year

[KAR120C]

2012-13 is going to be our last homeschooling year, and DS is going to finish out high school at a public or private school. Just to make it more interesting, we're moving 600 miles this spring, from NC to northern OH. (Cross your fingers that the house sells fast...) So I have a bunch of goals, a bunch of complications, and not quite enough brain cells left to really think this through - any suggestions or reminders of whatever I'm forgetting would be more than welcome!

 

My general plan is to continue what we're doing this year (recognizing that the move increases the likelihood that we'll not finish on time), while adding enough that by the end we'll have done two years' worth.

 

This year we have:

AoPS Problem Solving (the original two books)

Field Ecology - river studies

Electronics (not getting done)

North American History & Lit, with a focus on immigration and identity

Shakespeare

Spanish 2 (about to be 3)

Latin 2

 

Through all of that we're working on composition with the Lively Art of Writing, he's working on a large independent research project for ecology (science fair project - research, reading, experiment, statistics, writing), he's reviewing the statistics course we did previously, to prepare for the AP Stats exam this coming May, and he takes flute and voice lessons.

 

Next year....

Finish the second book of AoPS Problem Solving, and if we have time add in either Intermediate Counting & Prob or the Intermediate Number Theory class.

Follow the river study with a second Field Ecology year focusing on the Great Lakes... and add in enough reading to make it AP Environmental Science.

Finish the Electronics we're not getting to now.

Finish North American History & Lit, adding in a Great Lakes study - kind of an orientation to our new home as well as a good excuse for this being a two year course.

Finish Spanish 3 and hopefully Spanish 4

Latin 3

 

I don't think we'll continue Shakespeare as a course, but we might do Theater in some way - extracurricularly or just on the side as a family. He's interested in the stagehand aspects especially, and there might be an opportunity to be involved in community theater or something in that regard... and of course we'll go see whatever's good whenever we can.

 

And then next fall we'll spend some time checking out the options for schools. I'm guessing he'll end up at a private school with some flexibility, and hopefully with a strong science and math program and AP languages.

 

What am I missing? What will I wish I had done when I had the chance?? :) I'm trying to strike a balance between doing what we want because we have the flexibility of homeschooling and doing what makes him look good (strong skills, test scores) so he'll be a good candidate for whatever school he wants to apply to, and so if he lands at a school with some really good options he's got the background to take advantage of them. Thoughts? Suggestions? What would you do if you had only one year left?

Edited January 3, 2012 by KAR120C

[lauracolumbus]

Not much help to your original question, but wanted to give you a bump and to let you know that Ohio has a new program called flexi-credits. I'm just starting to investigate it now, but essentially your student (private, public, home schooled) can receive credits for programs outside the school, such as a zoo school program. It helps students delve more deeply into their areas of interest. You might want to ask your local school district for more info.

 

Best of luck,

Laura

[KAR120C]

Not much help to your original question, but wanted to give you a bump and to let you know that Ohio has a new program called flexi-credits. I'm just starting to investigate it now, but essentially your student (private, public, home schooled) can receive credits for programs outside the school, such as a zoo school program. It helps students delve more deeply into their areas of interest. You might want to ask your local school district for more info.

 

Best of luck,

Laura

Thanks! I'll have to look into that!