9th grade anxiety for mom

[AliciainNC]

I am having some or a lot of anxiety as I begin to plan for highschool. Some days I am completely sure as to what I would like to cover. Then other days, I feel the anxiety returning. Why am I second guessing myself?? There is so much to choose from and I don't want to make the wrong choice. How do you guys get thru this valley? Help clam my nerves.

[MorningGlory]

:grouphug: I can't help you...I'm in the valley, too!

 

One thing that has really caught me off guard as I've started planning for my first high schooler is the lack of FREEDOM. There are so many requirements! Our state requires 22 credits and our umbrella school adds 4 credits of Bible and 1 credit of computer literacy (? :confused:) to that so that my son has to have 27 credits to graduate...without adding in anything "outside the box" that interests him.

 

I know that sounds kind of whiny. But I had all of these grandiose ideas of COOL things for my son to study in high school. It will be nearly impossible to add in more than 1 or 2 truly elective courses to his load.

 

Needless to say...I read that "get it done" thread with much interest!

[Lori D.]

(((empathy!))) I spent all of older DS's 9th grade year running in panic circles -- I felt like I was starting all over again with homeschooling (and that was year *8* of homeschooling!), and was overwhelmed with fear that I was screwing up my children... What helped me immensely was the following summer, hearing Mary Schofield speak at our state homeschool convention. The point she made that helped me was:

 

- You now have a very limited window of opportunity to pour into your student, so you CAN'T do everything on your "wish list" -- so stop trying to! (you'll just burn out your student and yourself)

- You need to prayerfully, thoughtfully make a SHORT list of your top priorities -- what do you REALLY want to see accomplished, or for your child to know by graduation -- and the academics (what specific programs, textbooks, etc.) mostly tend to sort themselves out under your priorities.

 

 

These two threads may be of help in thinking through the "big picture" of what you want to accomplish with homeschool high school:

- Transitioning into High School -- how do you know where to put focus?

- Planning High School (in my post, a list of questions to help you think through your "big picture")

 

 

The amount of curriculum out there has just exploded, making choosing materials for each course mindblowing. However, it doesn't have to be! When it comes to how to pick a curriculum, realize that most of the information is very similar/overlapping from one program to the next; it is just presented in different orders or in different formats. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help in selecting which curriculum:

 

- Is it already working for us? Then just go with the next level! (i.e., just because it's now high school, don't feel you have to go with all new publishers and materials!)

- Do we need a rigorous program for this subject, or will a "get 'er done" program be fine?

- Does it help us accomplish some of our "big picture" goals?

- Does it match with student's learning style?

- Does it match with my teaching style?

- How much teacher time will be required weekly -- and do I realistically have that much time to give to this subect?

- If I need a lot of teacher support, does it offer that?

- Would it be better if we outsourced this subject?

- If I need student to work more independently, does it assist with that goal?

- How flexible/adaptable will it be, if we need to schedule it differently, or adapt it for our needs?

- If it totally "bombs" for us, what is my 2nd choice, or back-up plan?

 

 

Once you pick a program, just go forward with it with confidence. Give it a fair trial -- 9 weeks or so (unless it is a TOTAL disaster at the end of a month). If it is not working, try tweaking first -- just use parts, add a supplement). Sometimes it is a matter of a student not being ready for the level of material -- possibly consider setting the course aside and going with a different class entirely to finish the year, and come back to the first course later in high school. That way you still get in a full load of coursework, and can try to use the material you thought would work a second time when the student is more mature. If it just isn't working, then list specifically WHY, so you will have a very clear specific picture of what to look for as a replacement.

 

Trust yourself! You know your student, and you know homeschooling. Once you get out and swim around a little in the high school waters, you'll realize you're fine! :)

 

 

It may also be helpful to have a brief, VERY general overview of what kinds of things you'll need to decide about and when throughout the high school years. Hopefully, that helps you realize you do NOT have to know everything right now, or make all your decisions right now -- just take it one step at a time. :) (Below is a VERY abbreviated "time table"; for a longer one, with lots of additions from other BTDT moms, to this thread -- but DON'T go to this thread if it will just panic you more!)

 

And finally, Take learning about high school in small bites. A little at a time, maybe over the next 2 summers, read a few books on homeschooling high school topics to learn about all those scary tests (AP, CLEP, PSAT, SAT, ACT); how to prepare for college; transcripts, GPA, and recordkeeping. Or, as you have a little time, do a subject search or a tag search on the high school Board for a specific topic, and sit down with a cup of tea and read the wisdom of all these wonderful BTDT ladies. :) Hope something here is of help! WELCOME to high school planning! Best of luck, and warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

GRADE 8 -- Summer AFTER grade 8

1. Make your high school plan

2. Set up systems for record-keeping and making a transcript

3. Register at College Board website for a free account, receive free email reminders of important dates

 

OPTIONAL: if interested, research possibility of outside-the-home classes (dual enrollment; co-op classes; online classes; local high school classes; etc)

 

 

GRADE 9 - throughout the year

1. General: a little at a time, incorporate learning life skills and/or "big picture" goals

2. Extracurriculars: be looking for and having your student trying out extracurricular opportunities

 

OPTIONAL: AUTUMN (Research Standardized Testing)

- Research/decide whether or not this student would benefit from multiple ACT or SAT tests throughout high school years

- If not doing SAT/ACT testing, consider other standardized tests (Iowa Basic, Standford, CAT, etc. -- usually administered in late spring), just for practice, and to show you any weak areas you want to work on

- Register in January or early Spring for late Spring test dates

 

OPTIONAL: SPRING (Summer Activities)

Research possible summer camps, academic camps, internships, or extracurriculars of interest.

 

OPTIONAL: ALL YEAR (Scholarships)

Do web searches for scholarships to apply for -- yes, there are a some that are open to middle schoolers and young high schoolers!

 

 

SUMMER AFTER GRADE 9

1. Update transcript

2. Update records: decide on what work samples to keep in a portfolio; record hours for extracurriculars, community service, volunteering

3. If student has developed new interests or career ideas, adjust your high school plan and the student's course of study.

 

OPTIONAL: If interested, research possibility of AP coursework, or outside-the-home classes.

Edited April 25, 2012 by Lori D.

[Lori D.]

Jetta, just to encourage you, you still can get your student's interests into your high school schedule -- it just takes more creativity to figure out how to count those interests as part of the required credits -- but it is possible!

 

Count Your Hobbies/Intersts towards Credit

For example, if the student is really into history re-creation, or making chain mail, or sewing historically accurate period costumes -- let the student do that, and count those hours towards part of their History credit. If your student really enjoys tinkering with mechanical things or gardening or is in a robotics club, then create a Science course around that. Does your student love to write? Looks like you've got the Writing/Composition half of the English credit covered! Just write your course description to reflect what the student did in that subject area.

 

Use Your Summers, or, Spread Out a Credit

Also, some coursework can be completed in the summer. Or you can spread out 1 credit over 2, 3, or 4 years -- that means you just put in 1 hour a week each school year for the 4 years of high school and you've accomplished a credit! PE, Computer Literacy, Speech/Public Speaking, and Health are good subjects for spreading out.

 

Count What You Already Do towards Credit

Count sports team participation, martial arts class, dance, or that week of hiking/camping in the summer towards a required PE credit. The required Bible credit will probably not be hard -- Bible study is something you probably already do year-round, and with a variety of activities, so that may end up being pretty easy to check off the hours year-round.

 

Double-dip

- count history papers towards History AND Writing

- count involvement with an activity that requires teaching, demonstrating, speaking as extracurricular AND Public Speaking/Speech credit

- count creating a graph/spread sheet for a science lab report towards Science AND Computer Literacy

- count sports teams as an extracurricular AND PE credit

Example: some of the families involved in our Youth & Government Model Legislation program counted participation in the program as both an extracurricular AND hours towards Government credit... Again, just write it into your course descriptions.

 

Speed Up Credit Accumulation Thru Dual Enrollment

Speed up getting credits completed through dual enrollment courses at the local community college (CC), or online college coursework. DO check and see what your state allows, but here, a one-semester, 4-unit Spanish class at the CC counted as one YEAR of high school credit -- so in ONE year, DS received TWO years of high school foreign language credit from the two SEMESTERS of Spanish at the CC.

 

 

Hope that helps you "jump start" your creative juices! ;) BEST of luck in your high school adventures! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited April 25, 2012 by Lori D.

[AliciainNC]

LoriD- Thank you for sharing your insights on high school planning- you have helped me so much!!

[AliciainNC]

Would anyone like to share their plans for 9th grade?

[Mom22ns]

Would anyone like to share their plans for 9th grade?

 

Here is a previous thread where high school plans for next year were shared. Maybe that will help give you a place to start.

[AliciainNC]

Thanks.

[Paisley Hedgehog]

nm

[Monkey Island Academy]

Just joining in to say that I'm feeling overwhelmed facing high school planning right now too. Some days I make myself sick with worry about choosing the right courses. I too feel like there is no more room for fun and creativity in the checklist of required classes. I don't want it to be that way!

 

Lori D.-Thank you! I have enjoyed reading several of your posts recently. You input is very helpful!

 

 

Perhaps there should be a sub-forum for those of freaking out about this new chapter of home schooling; we could all just huddle together there for support...:grouphug:

[MorningGlory]

Thank you, Lori, for all of your great ideas!

 

it just takes more creativity to figure out how to count those interests as part of the required credits -- but it is possible

 

And I think it also takes experience. You are able to speak so freely with all of these wonderful ideas because you have done it...and survived...and your boys have survived. Homeschooling high school for the first time is nerve-wracking. I taught high school for nine years before having children, but that did not prepare me for this. That was one nice, neat subject...THIS is everything! Oh, my! Big difference.

 

I've tagged this thread "9th grade advice" so that I can come back to these suggestions.

[Nissi]

9th grade plans:

 

English 3 with Potters School Online plus supplemental readings from United States History in Literature by Scotts Foresman textbook

Spanish 1

Algebra II with Lials?

Physics - Apologia supplemented with Conceptual Physics at Co-op

US History - America the Last Best Hope by William Bennet or TC's US History Lectures

AP US Govt. and Politics.

 

Readings scheduled during the school year :

The Lost Virtue of Happiness by Moreland

How to Read a Book Slowly by James Sire

True for You but not for me by Paul Copan

Prayer by Richard Foster

[partyof5]

Just wanted to chime in to say that I'm in the same boat and I feel your pain!! My oldest is finishing up 8th grade and it has me up at all hours researching, compiling, thinking, and considering the hundreds of options that I need to somehow boil down to a workable plan by September!! Seems impossible...

 

Right now, I'm working on a simple filing system to house all the great ideas I find so I don't spend all this time online reading and searching, only to forget where to find them again and doing all the work twice.

 

For years I have relied on this board of wise parents who have gone before us, and I suspect it will be a helpful place to be for this new season of homeschooling as well. This high school board has been my visiting place of choice in recent weeks and I am astounded by all the helpful advice being shared here. So grateful!!