Guest CrystalCamp Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 My DD recently told me she would like to try homeschooling for high school, this has come as a total surprise to me and I am confused by what direction to go with this. I am finishing up my younger children's first year homeschooling and feel a bit unprepared to teach high school. She loves English Lit. and writing and would love to be an author, so I was thinking maybe Sonlight Core 200, or possibly doing an online school like Keystones Academy or The American Academy. Please help me out! What do I need to keep in mind in starting high school? Any Advise? Maybe I should look into something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 My DD recently told me she would like to try homeschooling for high school, this has come as a total surprise to me and I am confused by what direction to go with this. I am finishing up my younger children's first year homeschooling and feel a bit unprepared to teach high school. She loves English Lit. and writing and would love to be an author, so I was thinking maybe Sonlight Core 200, or possibly doing an online school like Keystones Academy or The American Academy. Please help me out! What do I need to keep in mind in starting high school? Any Advise? Maybe I should look into something else? Welcome. :-) As much as I would love to encourage y'all to jump in, y'all should remember that public schools don't always accept credits earned at home, so if y'all decided after a year that homeschooling wasn't best after all, it's probable that there would be great wailing and gnashing of teeth in the school office because they wouldn't count this year at all. Yes, even if the credits were earned through a school like Keystone. In other words, if you start down this path, it needs to be a permanent choice. (There are exceptions, of course, but you shouldn't count on it.) I think Sonlight would be far more enjoyable than Keystone (even though I never used either one). I tend to go for the things that are more homeschool-y, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mschickie Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 High School is not as scary as you think...really it isn't. First I would check to see what the state regs are for high school, are there any particular things that need to be taught? Sonlight is a good choice for someone who loves to read. Another choice would be to select a bunch of Progeny Press or Novel Unit lit guides and use those with the books of your choice. I personally do not like the online school options. They are too locked in for me. I like the freedom to change things up as I want to. There is alot of great curriculum out there for high school. Once you determine what courses she will take you can go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Definitely check into the rules for your area. Where I live, high school is pretty much all-or-nothing. Principals can make the decision to take your hs credits or not. It is extremely rare for a principal to accept hs credits here. So starting off by hsing high school would mean that your dd would likely have to start over if she decided to go to ps. Having said that, I will be hsing all three of my girls through high school. My oldest went to ps for 6th and 7th grades only and graduated last year. My middle dd never went to ps and is starting her senior year of high school. My youngest went to ps for 2 weeks in 5th grade and is starting her freshman year of high school. I think hsing through high school is wonderful. I just want to make sure you have your eyes wide open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhschool Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Public schools won't necessarily make you start over again. Many schools have a "test-out" procedure. Our local high school has tests on all the subjects they have (all the maths, English, and Social and Natural Sciences). If you wanted to take all the tests and did well you would have no problem getting into the sophomore classes. The only thing is the grade you will show for your tested out courses will say "TO" which means Tested Out. It doesn't look bad for colleges or anything, but the A you earned at home won't show up. But it's no big deal, since you'll get more As in public school! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 High schools here willingly accept transcripts from homeschoolers for placement. They may ask for a portfolio too if the courses or level seems questionable. Every state and sometimes even districts within a state will be different on this though! That is why so many are advising to double check. We are starting our second year of homeschooling high school and are very happy. Ds will never go to ps high school. I hope you and your dd are able to try it and enjoy it. Do make sure you are well informed legally and with your homeschool options before you start so there are no surprises. Welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallorie Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Hey, you're not alone. :) We're heading into our third year homeschooling, my first year with a high schooler. While I wouldn't say we've "aced" this homeschool thing, I cannot deny that it's been wonderful for my kids mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Academics are just one part of the picture, and with all the wonderful curriculums out there, it certainly can be done, and done well. My ds also wants to be an author, so we've decided on MFW AHL for this year. There are LOTS to choose from, though, that are all good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Homeschool at home is do-able and really, honestly, FUN! :001_smile:(most days). RE: "being" and author- it's about more than writing. It's about understanding words and tropes and language. Read voraciously. Read book by authors on writing, Anne Lamont, Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Madeline L'Engle, etc. Learn a 2nd, or 3rd, etc language. Study poetry. Learn logic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Welcome! Here are a few beginning steps to guide you: 1. Find out your state regulations regarding homeschooling and also specifically about high school. It looks like you are in Illinois; here is the Illinois State Board of Education webpage on homeschooling, with additional links to more informaton. And here is the HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) page on what it takes to homeschool in Illinois 2. Talk to local homeschoolers in your area, especially those with high school students or who have graduated students from homeschool high school. They will be able to answer a lot of your questions, plus help guide you through finding local programs, online programs, choosing curriculum, etc. Also, attending your state's annual homeschool convention is very helpful, with lots of speakers to encourage and a room for vendors -- however, it looks like the Illinois convention happened back in June... Here are links to Illinois homeschool groups: Homeschool World: Illinois homeschool groups Homeschool Classifieds: Illinois homeschool groups and activities 3. Do some reading/research to learn more about homeschooling high school; your local library may have some of these: - The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Teens (by Debra Bell) - Homeschooling: The Teen Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 13- to 18- Year-Old (by Cafi Cohen) - Homeschooling High School (by Jeanne Gowen Dennis) And if you feel like reading some past threads on the topic of starting to homeschool high school, get a cup of coffee and a comfy chair, and enjoy: What do I need to know about homeschooling a high schooler? Homeschooling high school: where to begin? Transitioning into high school: how do you know where to put the focus? High school "time table" (what needs to happen and when) Again, welcome! You can do this! It just takes some research and some organization -- you've got your student's "buy-in", which is huge! BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CrystalCamp Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Oh my! Thank you everyone. :grouphug: Looks like I have a lot to think about and read over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I would look at a couple of college sites and see what they recommend for courses. It's very doable. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaG Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Check out https://www.facebook.com/thehomescholar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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