What is the Absolute Minimum Necessary for a Middle Schooler

[Ummto4]

If you had a child who is in middle school level and for some reason can only homeschool as follows:

- 2 hrs/day Mon-Thurs

- any hour Fri-Sun w/ 1 day off (e.g. Saturday off),

what subject you prioritize in order to be able get into highschool level on a solid footing ?

 

How would you do that ? What curriculum is the most efficient ?

PS:

- once in high school, the child will hopefully be able to resume to normal school hour.

- the aim is to get into a good local university, but not the ivies or most competitive colleges.

 

Thanks

[Chris in VA]

Hypothetically, I'd say use the time on math, history, and writing instruction, and let the child do a lot of reading.

ETA: Is the 2 hours the time YOU have, or the time the student has? B/c you can let the kiddo do a lot of self-paced learning if you can meet for discussion once a week. I'd want to give direct instruction for math and writing, tho. The practice problems and actual writing can be done on their own time.

[Ann@thebeach]

I agree with math and writing. If grammar and vocabulary need work, I would weave that into the writing instruction.

Depending on their goals I'd then focus on science or history. If science was the other subject you could use a lot of historical fiction or biographies for reading and that would help with history.

[Ummto4]

Hypothetically, I'd say use the time on math, history, and writing instruction, and let the child do a lot of reading.

ETA: Is the 2 hours the time YOU have, or the time the student has? B/c you can let the kiddo do a lot of self-paced learning if you can meet for discussion once a week. I'd want to give direct instruction for math and writing, tho. The practice problems and actual writing can be done on their own time.

 

The student.

So may be Mon-Thurs: math and language art , then another 2 days for content subjects (aka reading and discussion) ?

[redsquirrel]

If you can only meet with the student for 2 hours, but the student can read etc on her own, then you can get quite a lot done. If the student only has 2 hours total for work then it's going to be harder.

 

If you have 2 hours of instruction time then start with math, then writing and grammar and history and then lit or science. I would listen to SWB audio lectures about writing in the middle years and use history as the subject to teach writing. If you are very clever you could combine math and science. I am not that clever, but I am quite sure that many others are.

 

If the student only has that time available for learning I guess I would focus on math and writing.

 

I really hope that it is that you have limited instruction time and the student has more time to do the work. If the student is limited to those times only, it is going to be very difficult.

[Ummto4]

If you can only meet with the student for 2 hours, but the student can read etc on her own, then you can get quite a lot done. If the student only has 2 hours total for work then it's going to be harder.

 

If you have 2 hours of instruction time then start with math, then writing and grammar and history and then lit or science. I would listen to SWB audio lectures about writing in the middle years and use history as the subject to teach writing. If you are very clever you could combine math and science. I am not that clever, but I am quite sure that many others are.

 

If the student only has that time available for learning I guess I would focus on math and writing.

 

I really hope that it is that you have limited instruction time and the student has more time to do the work. If the student is limited to those times only, it is going to be very difficult.

 

Well, the student's time is limited Mon-Thurs (2 hrs/day), but willing to work on weekends (Fri-Sun). Say, if he puts a full time work on Fri (6-7 hrs), 2 hr on Saturday, and 4 hr for Sun, then in a week he would have 20 hours of school time which I think is less than his middle schooler peers, but I hope can still work provided the core subjects are covered.

 

I know that language art and math should take a priority.

But I'm worried about science and history.

How do you teach science and history adequately / at bare minimum at this stage ?

 

I'm actually thinking like this:

- language art: vocab as WTM suggestion, grammar (Saxon and an editing program ?)

- math

- history and writing combined ala SWB --> core textbook only, to be done in 3 years instead of 4 years ?

- science --> unschool ? or doing story of science approach using Joy hakim books + teacher's guide so it reinforces the history he studies while getting some physical science done?

Edited May 2, 2012 by mom2moon2

[fiddle]

Just wanted to chime in and say that homeschooling is meant to be flexible... that's the wonderful thing about it. Not everyone has a "Monday through Friday" homeschool! Our family is non-traditional.....

 

In my household, I work full time outside the home and approximately 30% of our homeschooling is done on weeknight and weekends when I teach!! The rest their dad handles. This works out well for our family, because school really becomes more a way of life, rather than set schedules. We've also decided to homeschool all year, so that we have more time to cover the various subjects without feeling rushed. I will have a middleschooler next year so I'm with ya there;)

 

My advice: Focus hard on the math and writing/literature, and see how much time blocks those take up. Then add in history and science as they fit in. Remember that field trips are education, too- so that can help to keep the weekend school from being too "dry". And you're right- you absolutely could combine subjects like history and language arts (think TOG, MWF, WTM) to cut down on time. I'd just make sure you're not shortcutting the writing/grammar, etc. because these will be critical building blocks for high school and college. Another thing you can do is aim for a texbook type science and instead of covering the entire book, pick specific subject or chapters to complete for the year. Public schools often don't cover everything in the textbook, so I don't feel like we do, either:D

[Deb in NZ]

Are you able to assign "homework" or is the student training / practicing all other hours (i.e.an elite athlete, gifted musician, etc.)? If the student is limited to 2 hours on M-TH because of the HS/ing teacher's outside commitments I would suggest:

 

M-TH =

45 minutes Maths (at least 1 standard lesson, finish as homework if necessary)

30 minutes Grammar / Spelling (alternate as needed by day / week / term / etc.)

45 minutes Composition (do any teaching first & the student can finish any assignment as homework if necessary)

 

***assign an hour's reading daily as homework. Give a weekly reading list that covers History, Science, Literature, etc.

 

 

F-Sunday =

Over the 3 days plan to spend 2-3 hours each on History, Science, & Literature. This would cover discussions about the week's assigned readings, projects, labs, field trips, etc. M-TH Composition assignments could be from topics studied in these subjects.

 

 

Choose a couple electives to focus on each term for 1-2 hours on the weekends (F-Sun.) Possible subjects are Art Appreciation, Geography, Music Appreciation, Religion, Cultural Studies, Computer Studies, Poetry, Photography, Fabric Technology (i.e sewing, knitting, etc.), Food Technology (i.e. cooking, nutrition, etc.), Materials Technology (i.e. woodwork, metalwork, etc.), Graphics / Tech. Drawing, etc.

 

That adds up to just under 20 hours of study a week, not counting "homework."

 

If the student only has 2 hours free of other commitments on M-TH, I don't see how you can get in the needed study time as cramming on the weekends isn't usually effective for that young a student.

 

 

JMHO,

Edited May 3, 2012 by Deb in NZ

[Crimson Wife]

I would definitely school year-round if the student can only do 2 hrs/day worth of schoolwork M-Th.

[Janice in NJ]

Does the child have car (travel) time available during the week?

 

My youngest spends time every day in the car. We have Teaching Company lectures on a laptop that we work through. He watches (I listen :001_smile:), we pause, we discuss, we rewind, we look things up. We are currently working through a history series. It's effective face-time even though we are both facing forward. :001_smile:

 

It adds about 40 minutes of productivity to the boy's schedule every day. You still need reading, writing, and arithmetic time. (And my guy still spends non-car time working on history.) But content can be handled in a wide variety of ways if the schedule demands it.

 

Just a thought.

 

Peace,

Janice

Edited May 3, 2012 by Janice in NJ

[BlsdMama]

I'd use a self-teaching math curriculum if possible with plenty of parent checking-in... Something like TT, perhaps? That would free up time.

 

Is the parent limited to this time allotment or the child? This is pretty relevant because two hours per day of parent/child interaction is quite a lot whereas only two hours for the child is really quite bare.

 

I'd have them reading interesting books, historically based and with a spine and then use my time on Fridays for discussion on literature and history.

 

I'd use the majority of my time through the week on the language arts - especially writing as in the middle years that really needs to be daily. Then take the Friday off to focus on discussion in the areas of history or science or literature discussions.

 

M-Th - Focus on writing and grammar

F - Focus on discussion in all subjects except writing

Math - Doing daily but self-teaching as much as possible if it works.

[Ummto4]

Thanks for all of your suggestion. HS-ing year round will definitely help to bridge the gaps.

[Mom22ns]

Math and Language Arts, both reading and writing would be my priority. I would do those every day. Spend the extra time on weekends on science and history. I agree with looking for more time. Schooling year around would be a must, but also looking for those extra minutes. My kids always have a book with them when we are in the car going to and from band, gymnastics, drum & guitar lessons. We also use car time for discussions. I would look for ways to squeeze in extra learning. As they get near to high school, it will be tough to keep up.

[PeterPan]

BTW, I'll just throw this out. Pudewa gives a talk where he says a dc could even take a whole year, live on a boat, and do read alouds. I would throw some math in with that and writing something each day (just to remember how to form letters), but when you're talking this 5th/6th grade range, you really do have some flexibility. Hopefully his reading is taking off. Means it's a level where they can expose widely with their reading. He might be ready for LotR or Muse Magazine or doing some science kits on his own. A really tight structured time doesn't mean you don't create a rich ENVIRONMENT, kwim? Sure you can cut back to 2 hours a day IF he's doing worthwhile stuff the rest of the day. And picking that worthwhile stuff is a matter of looking at your kid. We did odd things at that age like work through a book on napkin folding. We did Snap Circuits, quilting, etc. Anything he's engrossed in, engaged in, and can get good at will do. Then he might find himself read about it or talking with others about it or going to stores to learn more about it. It just builds. And being GOOD at one thing (making birdhouses, whatever) builds this expectation that he can be good at OTHER things.

[weyland]

I agree with the idea of doing things in the car - I try to have a book or lecture on in the car most of the time because we spend so much time in it!

I wise homeschool mom told me once not to worry until 9th grade. Most of it can be made up for in high school. Practice math, practice writing, read a lot, watch documentaries, get out into the world in experience it. You will be going through history and science much more thoroughly in high school - hit the highlights now with some books and movies.

Not necessarily how I planned my kids to be homeschooled, but because of health issues and other things I have not been able to really do what I used to do as far as homeschooling goes. My 11 year old just tested far above her grade level in all areas despite the last few years being really just some math, some writing, LOTS of reading, lots of activities, and Mythbusters ;) And LOTS and LOTS of talking as often as I am able. Discussion can do so much more than we give it credit for sometimes. We still go chronologically, I try to find stuff for her to continue on her history journey, but nothing like what we did in her earlier years.

You do what you have to do and trust that it will be enough.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Yes. My eldest loses some time every week to swimming. I try to make sure he has flash cards or a grammar worksheet or an audiobook to work with. That is an hour of reclaimed time.

 

Now if I could only get him to study some at meets

[Pat in MI]

Could it be reading, writing, and arithmetic? A math program each day, reading would be science or history related, and writing could be written narrations of the readings.

Blessings,

Pat

 

P.S. You may want to add in a grammar program like Easy Grammar.

Edited May 7, 2012 by Pat in MI
to add grammar

[justasque]

~ Consider audio books of classic literature if possible to use in the "off" time, if possible. Historical fiction, especially, can be used to at least get a general sense of time periods and cultures, which is about all you'll be able to manage history-wise. Books could be selected to go through, say, American history in roughly chronological order over the course of a year. The advantage is that this will be both history and literature, as well as vocab and the background needed to pick up formal grammar and writing later on. Comparative literature and themes can be used ~ for example listening to three different take-offs of the Cinderella story. (If the student is willing and able to read, of course, that would be even better than audio.)

 

~ Podcasts of Grammar Girl will be interesting little digestible snippets, which will help keep up with the basic ideas involved in grammar. I would listen to each more than once. If these can be combined with some grammar exercises to reinforce the lesson once a week or so, all the better.

 

~ Math year-round, at least four days a week, for 45 minutes to an hour a day. Math really builds, and this is probably the subject where skipping creates the most damage. In addition, it will be needed for high school science, so holding off with math will also put the student behind in science.

 

~ Science could be done through formal curricula (I like Prentice Hall Science Explorer with the workbooks), or through library books selected as "unit studies", depending on the student's interest and ability. The goal is mainly to get basic concepts and vocabulary before high school, as well as the ability to read non-fiction and answer questions/write about it.

 

~ A lot will depend on the student's goals and current abilities, as well as what the student will be doing in the "off" time. If the student is ill, vs. working in a business, vs. working as an actor, vs. studying music, vs. ice skating or ballet ~ with the exception of illness, each of these pursuits will have some built-in learning that can be taken into account. As an example, a ballet student will be spending several hours a day listening to a variety of music; this can be built on by learning about the various composers, the various styles (waltz, etc.), the historical era when the music was created, in some cases the story being told, and so on.

 

~ Depending on the circumstances, and how well it goes, it might be wise to do a full "pre high school" year to get the basic skills needed before attempting high school level work, instead of plunging into the deep end after a limited middle school experience. It's not a race. :-)

[EKS]

Well, the student's time is limited Mon-Thurs (2 hrs/day), but willing to work on weekends (Fri-Sun). Say, if he puts a full time work on Fri (6-7 hrs), 2 hr on Saturday, and 4 hr for Sun, then in a week he would have 20 hours of school time which I think is less than his middle schooler peers, but I hope can still work provided the core subjects are covered.

 

If you have 20 hours per week, I'd do:

 

Math (5 hours)

English (7.5 hours; grammar 2.5 hours, writing 2.5 hours, literature 2.5 hours)

History (3.75 hours)

Science (3.75 hours)

 

And I would have writing assignments for history and science count as writing for English. Also, if you can work directly with him the entire time, you can be extremely efficient. Lots of math can be done orally, which really speeds up the process. Same with grammar. History and science comprehension questions can be done orally too. Save all writing for real writing assignments (and you should be sure to always have one going). A program like Hake Grammar will give you vocabulary right in the program. And literature and history can mix it up too.

[AngieW in Texas]

I would say that the absolute minimum is

math every day

reading every day (can do audiobooks if necessary)

some time spent on history every week would be nice, but that can be just reading or videos

science every week but that can be just reading or videos

writing at least 2x/month