No Regrets: How Homeschooling Earned Me a Master's Degree at Age Sixteen

[mommaduck]

I don't have an Amazon acct. Would anyone be willing to send this to me (I'll have to see if Calibre can convert it).

anyone?

[Nestof3]

Thanks! I ordered it.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

anyone?

 

 

You can set up an Amazon account for free. I don't know how to send something like this?

[mommaduck]

You can set up an Amazon account for free. I don't know how to send something like this?

They don't ask for cc number or anything?

[catz]

I've read it and actually considered implementing her approach, however.....

 

I simply DO. NOT. BELIEVE that the kids who were educated using this approach had significant advantage over kids who were schooled more slowly. IMO, for MY family I just prefer a "slow and steady wins the race" rather than "4 hours every day go, go, go". I stand by a previous opinion of mine that, again, IMO, a teenager with a Master's degree just isn't as ready to make decisions/work out in the world as a 20-something with a Master's degree, all things being equal.

 

I also believe that just because you CAN do something that quickly doesn't mean that you SHOULD do something that quickly.

 

:iagree: My oldest certainly could be in a position to start college in a couple years (he's 11 now). But if we were to do that, HE would need to drive the effort. I challenge him and keep him busy. AND let him enjoy and have a childhood with friends and activities and play dates and riding his bike. Every kid is different, so a more driven GT kid might need to move on faster.

 

If you had a masters at 16 what would you do then? Write a book evidently. I do think the interview process to get a job in your field would be harder for a 16 year old than a more mature adult. If you're employed in a family business, that's probably not a true test of the process "working" IMO. I don't think it would work for the goals of our family anyway. If it's working for them, more power to them.

 

I thought their high school transcript looked weak too. I graduated (in 88) with AP Calc, AP World History, 4 years of science (chem, bio 2, physics, earth), AP English, etc. I went to a competitive tech program and earned 2 BS degrees after graduation. You wouldn't get into the college program I attended with this transcript, even for a more liberal arts degree (and I did not attend an Ivy). Definitely has a "get it done and get 'em out the door" feel to me.

[sunflowerlady]

I read the book and still own it.

 

First of all, she (the author) is my age. About 42 now. So, she was being homeschooled starting in the early/mid 70's. It would have been very rare. She discussed her parents trying to find a curriculum program for them and how they found Calvert. There were hardly any options then, so the fact that they used Calvert is no surprise. I have never used or seen Calvert, but from what I read in the book, it sounded like a thorough and rigorous program.

 

Her high school was through American School which is a regionally accredited program still used by many homeschoolers today. Again, at the time, she did not have a lot of options. American School has two diploma tracks. One is traditional and one is College Prep. She did the College Prep track. Apparently, she was prepared for college. Her BYU college courses did not sound "light" or "easy", so her Calvert and American School courses obviously prepared her just fine.

 

Also, American School has similar requirements today in their College Prep diploma track. People are getting into college after using this program, so I don't see why it wouldn't be "enough". :confused:

 

Oh, and her mom put a lot of effort into their education. She didn't just sit them at the table and answer questions as they came up, although that may have been part of the way it was done. She talks in the book about her mom working ahead of her in her school books so that she would understand and be able to explain and help with the lessons. She also refers to her mom throughout the book as her "tutor" and says that her mom actually taught her.

 

Oh, and as for the cover picture, it was the eighties. I just checked my copy and the copyright date was 1989, so I don't see why it's so shocking or hilarious that the photo has big hair and an eighties look.:confused:

[6packofun]

Yep. Her (and her family's) goals are very different from mine so I'm not really interested.

[mommaduck]

She was awful young to go away to college, so did BYU offer distance courses?

[snowbeltmom]

I

Also, American School has similar requirements today in their College Prep diploma track. People are getting into college after using this program, so I don't see why it wouldn't be "enough". :confused:

 

 

That high school transcript would not meet the entrance requirements for my state college today. These are the minimum requirements according to the website:

4 units of English

3 (4) units of math

3 units of natural science with significant lab experience

2 (3) units of social science

2 (3) units of the same foreign language

1 unit of a visual or performing art

1 additional unit of the above courses

[sunflowerlady]

She was awful young to go away to college, so did BYU offer distance courses?

 

Yes, she did distance education. She was required to go to the campus a few times for examinations or something. Her mom went with her.

[Mommy22alyns]

I just can't get past that photo! :001_huh:

[Murphy101]

There are over 200 4 year universities that have open enrollment. You could barely graduate with those credits and still go to college. Not an ivy college, but certainly still go.

 

If the grades were very good and or they also attained some other college credits (cc, testing, whatever) then the number of 4 year colleges that would accept them jumps by approx another 150 or so.

 

Colleges PREFER 4 x 4, plus 2, but given that what? Iirc 50-60% of students don't graduate with that standard or, worse, graduate with it on paper and still have to remediate those courses in college, I think it is very apparent that what colleges prefer is not what the many (possibly majority?) of their admitting students actually are unless they are ivy or near ivy private universities.

[Parrothead]

Yes. That was very much the norm or average for high school in the 80s and mid90s. I graduated with no foreign language, one earth science, and one personal finance course. And I was no where near the bottom of my 1000 something graduating class. My last two years of high school, weren't even at the high school for 1/2 the day. I went to computer programing tech school for the other 1/2.

 

Unless you showed an aptitude in maths and science and a desire to pursue that in college, if you showed a desire to attend college, then it was deemed unnecessary to insist on more maths and sciences.

Here too. In the mid-80s in the south that was all I had to have. My BF in New England had to have lots more math and science and a couple years of foreign language.

 

I didn't need any remedial classes in college so something at the time was done right.

[Kathryn]

This is BYU's checklist for entrance now:

 

Live the standards of the LDS Church

Attend and graduate from LDS seminary

Enroll in quality coursework (recommendations)

Four years of mathematics

Four years of English

Two to three years of laboratory science

Two years of history or government

Two or more years of foreign language

Take ACT/SAT in junior year and again the fall of senior year

Get involved with extracurricular activities

Keep in mind the cost—save money!

[TranquilMind]

As for the rest, if you actually read Joyce Swann's material, you'll find she didn't ride the kids like packmules at all. Most of their "advanced" work wasn't advanced at all. If you school with only a 2 week break for Christmas, Easter, and vacation, that leave 46 weeks instead of 36 for school. Which means the first year, you are ahead of the "pack" so to speak by an entire quarter. If you keep on that track, it will shave a few years off graduation without doing any more than regularly assigned work each day.

 

Really all she did was stick to her plan and use it consistently.

 

I remember reading an article about Joyce Swann written by her teen son years ago, before I even homeschooled. I was in awe then and still am. No, they weren't worked like mules; they simply were consistent, as Martha said. Every single one of them, as I recall, finished high school at like 11 years old. And there were 12 of them, I believe. This teen said he wasn't brilliant at all, but that this would work with any kid who worked as consistently (assuming no learning problems).

 

Yes, that is definitely 80's hair. We thought it looked good then. Oh, to have so much hair today....

[TranquilMind]

I sort of, kind of, just a little bit feel like I missed out on by having DD so young is the typical college experience. You know, dorm life, going out all night, barely staying awake in class because I'm so hungover.... :D

 

 

I don't feel that way AT ALL. I have three degrees, but I lived in my nice little apartment in a private home, and drove to the campus, all the while holding down pretty much full time hours at a late restaurant/bar.

 

I don't like to be around people so much that I would live in a dorm.

 

I did experience the barely staying awake and sometimes the hangover part but it certainly wasn't a highlight. I would have done even better in class if I had never done this. I haven't had a drink in 20 years, by the way.

 

I say all that just to say that this "dorm experience" and hangover business is not all it's cracked up to be, nor something everyone thinks is desirable.

[TranquilMind]

I haven't read the entire book, but imo, the high school program is extremely weak. I don't know how successful a student would be today come college application time graduating high school with the following transcript:

Understanding English I

Understanding English II

American Literature I

English Literature I

Biology (lab or non lab)

Psychology

U.S. History

Government

Essential Mathematics

Algebra I

Plane Geometry

Plus 5 electives ranging from courses in business to automotive design.

 

The author spent 18 months completing this program and received her high school diploma. No foreign language, no math beyond geometry, only 1 science class:confused:

 

Well, it sounds odd to us, but maybe the quality was much higher, just as the quality of public education was exponentially better 100 years ago. There is just no comparison. So while it looks weak, it may be stronger than all those classes with fancy names today.

 

I know that would be true at my daughter's previous high school. There is simply no comparison, though the labels are similar.

[Maverick_Mom]

Joyce Swann contributed to Mary Pride's original Big Book of Homeschooling (which I have sitting next to me), and in it she says that she instituted a five-day-a-week, three-hour school day and a twelve-month school year. The only holidays they took were New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day (with school the day after), and Christmas Day (later she made Christmas Eve a holiday, too). Their other rules were:

 

1. No talking about anything not directly related to schoolwork

2. No timewasters like gazing out the window or daydreaming

3. No food or drinks at all during school

4. No breaks except absolutely urgent bathroom breaks

 

It sounds extremely stream-lined.

[Maverick_Mom]

That looks like a head shot from a Dynasty audition.

 

 

:lol:

 

Is she wearing shoulder pads? 'Cause that would clinch it. :tongue_smilie:

[TranquilMind]

Joyce Swann contributed to Mary Pride's original Big Book of Homeschooling (which I have sitting next to me), and in it she says that she instituted a five-day-a-week, three-hour school day and a twelve-month school year. The only holidays they took were New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day (with school the day after), and Christmas Day (later she made Christmas Eve a holiday, too). Their other rules were:

 

1. No talking about anything not directly related to schoolwork

2. No timewasters like gazing out the window or daydreaming

3. No food or drinks at all during school

4. No breaks except absolutely urgent bathroom breaks

 

It sounds extremely stream-lined.

 

I happen to think this is excellent practice for life and for the real world of employment. Imagine having employees who actually do this?

[Maverick_Mom]

Her updated photo hasn't changed much.....

http://www.amazon.com/Alexandra-Swann/e/B003IY0PE6/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

 

My eyes! My eyes! Ack!!!

 

I could forgive her original picture from the 80s because that was the way things were back then ... but this latest photo screams "Eva Gabor Wig."

[elegantlion]

Joyce Swann contributed to Mary Pride's original Big Book of Homeschooling (which I have sitting next to me), and in it she says that she instituted a five-day-a-week, three-hour school day and a twelve-month school year. The only holidays they took were New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day (with school the day after), and Christmas Day (later she made Christmas Eve a holiday, too). Their other rules were:

 

1. No talking about anything not directly related to schoolwork

2. No timewasters like gazing out the window or daydreaming

3. No food or drinks at all during school

4. No breaks except absolutely urgent bathroom breaks

 

It sounds extremely stream-lined.

 

We love daydreaming and window gazing here, both of us. It gives us time to process the information we're obtaining. However, I do think my extremely talkative, tangent-loving, always grazing son could do three hours of school year round. We also spend 90 minutes on one subject sometimes, so two subjects a day wouldn't cut it.

 

I also believe school and education is not always about eliminating the above. We make many connections in our classroom by doing those four things.

[elegantlion]

My eyes! My eyes! Ack!!!

 

I could forgive her original picture from the 80s because that was the way things were back then ... but this latest photo screams "Eva Gabor Wig."

 

I love the color of her hair, but I think she should embrace the curls. It looks like curly hair blow dried with a round brush (I'm having a flashback now, help me!)

[catz]

We love daydreaming and window gazing here, both of us. It gives us time to process the information we're obtaining. However, I do think my extremely talkative, tangent-loving, always grazing son could do three hours of school year round. We also spend 90 minutes on one subject sometimes, so two subjects a day wouldn't cut it.

 

I also believe school and education is not always about eliminating the above. We make many connections in our classroom by doing those four things.

 

:iagree:

[VeganCupcake]

I don't think a 16 year old is going to get as much out of undergraduate and graduate study as an older person is. Even a couple of years would make a difference. But I feel the need to re-read a lot of what I read in my undergraduate years because without life experience and a certain level of cognitive maturity, literature is simply not as meaningful as it should be.

 

A master's degree at 16 is not something I would want for my kids. I earned mine when I was 24 and I was probably still too young then to really "get" it all--and I was a great student.

[Murphy101]

I happen to think this is excellent practice for life and for the real world of employment. Imagine having employees who actually do this?

 

We love daydreaming and window gazing here, both of us. It gives us time to process the information we're obtaining. However, I do think my extremely talkative, tangent-loving, always grazing son could do three hours of school year round. We also spend 90 minutes on one subject sometimes, so two subjects a day wouldn't cut it.

 

I also believe school and education is not always about eliminating the above. We make many connections in our classroom by doing those four things.

 

 

I agree. We seem to get more done and done happier than many others and doing that it the only thing I can attribute it to.

[Kathryn]

I don't think a 16 year old is going to get as much out of undergraduate and graduate study as an older person is. Even a couple of years would make a difference. But I feel the need to re-read a lot of what I read in my undergraduate years because without life experience and a certain level of cognitive maturity, literature is simply not as meaningful as it should be.

 

A master's degree at 16 is not something I would want for my kids. I earned mine when I was 24 and I was probably still too young then to really "get" it all--and I was a great student.

 

These are my thoughts exactly. I got my masters degrees in my mid-twenties. I would have been able to do the work as a teen, but I guarantee I wouldn't have gotten as much out of it. And I can look back, with even more life experience, and see that I'd get even more out of it now.

 

I'm just not interested in this sort of educational philosophy at all. It seems the point is to get through requirements as quickly as possible, not to enrich the mind and provide the kind of "classical" education that I'm looking to pass on to my children.

[melmichigan]

I found this interesting.

 

Where Are They Now?

After fourteen years of working in university correspondence programs, I am glad that my family opted for college the homeschool way. Because my children were only eleven when they entered the university, John and I decided that a good liberal arts program would be best for them. We believed that it would give them a broad educational base and prepare them for a number of career choices. As it turns out, we were right. Here is what the older Swann children are doing now:

Alexandra (26) worked four years as a history and remedial writing instructor at the El Paso Community College where she began teaching at age 18. She then spent sixteen months as a developmental editor for a publishing house which produces nursing and pharmacological texts. When the company moved to Denver, Alexandra turned down their offer to go with them. She now works for Cygnet Press and is the sales manager for the Canon dealership in El Paso.

Christopher (25) is a photojournalist and weekend director for the ABC television affiliate in El Paso. Several of his stories have gone national, and he was voted by the Associated Press as the best news photographer in New Mexico.

Francesca (23) began teaching history at the El Paso Community College when she was seventeen. She worked as an assistant principal at a private school in El Paso, and is now back teaching at the college level.

Dominic (22) is a photojournalist for the NBC television affiliate in El Paso, directing local programming and all local commercials.

Victoria (20) is interested in merchandising. She works as a supervisor for Wal-Mart Corporation.

Benjamin (18) became the Youth Sunday School teacher and assistant Youth Pastor at the First Baptist Church in Canutillo when he was sixteen. He has brought the True Love Waits program to several area churches and often preaches at our church when the pastor is out of town. Benjamin has always known what he wants to do - be a pastor. He also works as a substitute teacher in a local elementary school.

Israel (17) works as a news-type editor for the local ABC affiliate with his brother Christopher.

 

My question, are these jobs the standard for a masters degree? (Not to say you have to do a certain thing with it but as a comparison.) Did the masters at that age really help them move ahead that much more?

[Murphy101]

I found this interesting.

 

My question, are these jobs the standard for a masters degree? (Not to say you have to do a certain thing with it but as a comparison.) Did the masters at that age really help them move ahead that much more?

 

I'd hazard those jobs are typical of masters, if there is a typical. I've known people with masters who were perpetually unemployed, work below or with my dh (who has no degree), worked at various levels in retail or food, various types of self employment to different levels of success.

 

To ME the only questions I have are:

Did they receive an education that allowed them the opportunities they wanted to undertake?

 

It appears it has done that for them?

 

The assumption here is the main goal was to get ahead. It really wasn't. Just doing a days lesson 5 days a week for an extra 10-15 weeks a year is going to progress them faster than typical without any stress over pushing too hard, skipping, or doubling up on work.

[Catwoman]

Her updated photo hasn't changed much.....

http://www.amazon.com/Alexandra-Swann/e/B003IY0PE6/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

 

That's some big ol' hair there!

[Catwoman]

The author spent 18 months completing this program and received her high school diploma. No foreign language, no math beyond geometry, only 1 science class:confused:

 

Wow. I haven't read the book yet, so I was envisioning her having done something like the Robinson Curriculum kids did, with tons of math, science, and literature.

 

This girl did nothing that a lot of 8th grade WTMers haven't already done.

 

It sounds like the accelerated learning thing may have been more about bragging rights for that family, than it was about giving the kids a truly exemplary education.

 

I'm still going to read the book, though.

[Catwoman]

Oh, and as for the cover picture, it was the eighties. I just checked my copy and the copyright date was 1989, so I don't see why it's so shocking or hilarious that the photo has big hair and an eighties look.:confused:

 

Her current picture also has big (huge!) hair and an 80's look, too. :D

 

And the blouse she wore on the book cover was tragic.

[Catwoman]

Joyce Swann contributed to Mary Pride's original Big Book of Homeschooling (which I have sitting next to me), and in it she says that she instituted a five-day-a-week, three-hour school day and a twelve-month school year. The only holidays they took were New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day (with school the day after), and Christmas Day (later she made Christmas Eve a holiday, too). Their other rules were:

 

1. No talking about anything not directly related to schoolwork

2. No timewasters like gazing out the window or daydreaming

3. No food or drinks at all during school

4. No breaks except absolutely urgent bathroom breaks

 

It sounds extremely stream-lined.

 

It also sounds :ack2: :ack2: :ack2:

 

Strict much???

Edited August 11, 2012 by Catwoman

[Catwoman]

My eyes! My eyes! Ack!!!

 

I could forgive her original picture from the 80s because that was the way things were back then ... but this latest photo screams "Eva Gabor Wig."

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[snowbeltmom]

It sounds like the accelerated learning thing may have been more about bragging rights for that family, than it was about giving the kids a truly exemplary education.

 

I'm still going to read the book, though.

 

I don't think it was for bragging rights, although I am sure that helped to sell the books. The parents had a calling to homeschool. They even moved to another state to help safeguard their ability to teach the kids at home.

 

The options were so much more limited back then. Once one of their children finished the elementary program, the child simply moved on to the next available option that would provide the student with a nationally recognized high school diploma. Once the student had the high school diploma, the parents seached for the next program available.

 

I agree that many TWTM kids are doing this level of work in middle school, but we have way more options for our kids.

 

I haven't finished reading the book yet, but my take on the book so far is that the parents were very resourceful and the mom worked very hard outside of "school hours" to master the higher level material before she presented it to her kids.

[Soror]

It also sounds :ack2: :ack2: :ack2:

 

Strict much???

 

:iagree: It sure doesn't sound like what I want for our family life. 5 days off in a year or so, what about vacations, field trips, etc. To each their own.

[missmoe]

Haven't read everyone's response, but wanted to add my two cents anyway!

 

I read it many years ago, and it did hold some appeal for me.

 

After many years of homeschooling, I have to say I don't feel that kind of education is good for most children.

 

Educating kids isn't about covering information. One has to consider maturity and developmental stages. One doesn't teach a grammar stage student the same way one teaches a logic stage student. So although the child may have learned "the facts" at an early age, was the student able to think, reason, and "play" with the information in the same way an older student would have?

 

I don't think this kind of program allows a child enough time to learn to think.

[TranquilMind]

:iagree: It sure doesn't sound like what I want for our family life. 5 days off in a year or so, what about vacations, field trips, etc. To each their own.

 

But I think they only did it three hours a day in the morning. You can do that and almost anything else too.

[melmichigan]

:iagree: It sure doesn't sound like what I want for our family life. 5 days off in a year or so, what about vacations, field trips, etc. To each their own.

 

The author stresses additional enrichment activities that don't take on away from home.

Edited August 11, 2012 by melmichigan

[Mommy22alyns]

I don't have an Amazon acct. Would anyone be willing to send this to me (I'll have to see if Calibre can convert it).

 

No Amazon account??? :svengo:

[Guest]

Yeah - not a believer in getting a master's at 16, even if it's possible. I still find this interesting, though and appreciate the link. For free, it's worth looking at.

 

She really should get acquainted with thinning shears. :leaving: Good gravy.

[homeschoolally]

:001_huh: It's a matter of perspective, yes?

 

You see inflexibility.

 

Many others see that she didn't curriculum bounce, which there is much positive to recommend. Many home schoolers choose what they feel is best and simply stick with it.

 

You see inflexibility, but truth is there isn't much flexibility for most kids k -12 in this country. They use what the school says and that's it. Extraxurriculiars are completely based on parental income and desire to fund it. Most kids don't get much flexibility in their classes (and never in materials) until high school. And with so many required courses now, that might be only one class or two.

 

Just another POV to consider.

 

From the books, my impression was that at the time Calvert set all the curriculum and had strict requirements for completing each grade. I don't think that's flexible by homeschooling standards.

 

I could understand your point in the context of average American public/private school students...but on the WTM board, I'm thinking in the context of homeschooling, rather than kids in the school system. When I think of flexible, I'm thinking of my being in control of the curriculum without being tied to an institution. Agreed with your point in comparison to students in traditional schools though.

 

In the context of homeschooling, I see plenty of positives in the Swann's methods--but I don't think I'd count flexibility among them.

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Edited August 12, 2012 by homeschoolally

[Pamela H in Texas]

my impression was that Calvert set all the curriculum and had strict requirements for completing each grade. I don't see how that could be called flexible by homeschooling standards.

 

It is 3 hours per day. Say the kid sleeps 12. That leaves 9 hours (longer than most school days!) for plenty of flexibility from playing outside to studying Spanish to following interests to whatever.

 

We used Texas Virtual academy for almost a year and a half. A lot of people bemoan the "public school" accountability parts of such a choice. However, we were thankful for the structure, accountability and support at the time (we needed it!); AND we felt we still had lots of opportunities for individualizing it as we deemed important for us. THen of course, you add that it was 6 hours per day. My kid wasn't sleeping 12 hours per day, but even if he had, that still gave us another 6 hours per day for following interests and doing what we wish. But there was flexibility within the 6 hours of school also (though my understanding is that the Swanns did every part of every single lesson instead of choosing any sort of adjustment).

 

Just a little more consideration. Very few things are set in stone. It isn't like every single piece of daily work in every subject is turned in. One could choose even more flexibility even within their 3 hours of schooling daily.

[Catwoman]

But I think they only did it three hours a day in the morning. You can do that and almost anything else too.

 

I couldn't.

 

I need time off as much as my ds does.

[Murphy101]

I couldn't.

 

I need time off as much as my ds does.

 

:confused:

3 hours a day for formal lessons leaves a LOT of time off?:001_huh:

[Catwoman]

:confused:

3 hours a day for formal lessons leaves a LOT of time off?:001_huh:

 

But every day is still a school day.

 

Who wants to do schoolwork on vacation, or never sleep in and lounge around all day, or just take a few months off in the summer to have no responsibilities whatsoever? Who doesn't want a Christmas break, or some time off during mid-winter to get away from the house for a while without worrying about school? Maybe some people don't care about having days, weeks, or months when they are completely off from school, but we are not those people. At all.

 

We take a lot of time off, but we still get plenty of schoolwork done. I am not so obsessed with being years and years ahead of schedule that I'm willing to sacrifice my family's fun times in order to do it.

 

I know that kind of schedule works for some people, and if they're happy with it, that's great, but we would be miserable if we tried to follow that kind of schedule.

Edited August 12, 2012 by Catwoman

[AdventureMoms]

:confused:

3 hours a day for formal lessons leaves a LOT of time off?:001_huh:

 

It doesn't leave very many DAYS off. Or weeks. I can't imagine never going on vacation, or spending a week at the public pool, or taking a few days off for a big event...

 

I'm looking forward to homeschooling in part because it will give us the schedule flexibility to take time off when we most want or need to. For travel, for rest, for family time, for a big event, etc.

[Soror]

It doesn't leave very many DAYS off. Or weeks. I can't imagine never going on vacation, or spending a week at the public pool, or taking a few days off for a big event...

 

I'm looking forward to homeschooling in part because it will give us the schedule flexibility to take time off when we most want or need to. For travel, for rest, for family time, for a big event, etc.

 

:iagree: IMO it isn't much of a vacation if everyone still has to do school 3 hrs a day, all year except 5 or so days. It would be stressful to me to have to try and do school and then wrangle all the children for any kind of field trip or such in the afternoon. We do not do a ton of activities by any stretch but I want my kids to do more than activities just at home.

[dinosaur]

WARNING: Snarky post!!

 

Apparently the master's degree wasn't in cosmetology. :lol:

[Dmmetler]

And, with multiple kids, each child doing school 3 hours a day, all year, is going to end up with mom managining schooling all day, everyday, particularly since Alexandria relates tht her mother read/studied beside her all the way through.

 

That and I know what the "BUS" (Bachelor's of University Studies) was considered at my college-basically, it was a consolation prize for someone who couldn't decide on a major, with the joke being that it might qualify you to drive one.

 

One thing that does strike me-the Swann kids must all have been very synchronous in their development. I could probably, based on academic levels, consider my 7yr old a 6th grader pretty easily ( and that's with going broadly and taking breaks-but it also includes outright skips and a lot of compression, not doing everything expected for every grade at a fast pace), but there's no way that she's able to handle the amount of writing that was expected when I was in 6th grade ( and I'm about Alexandria's age)-and I think more was expected on my generation in that area than in the current one. One reason I haven't considered TNVA is because while DD could be placed at her level, the expected output wouldn't be altered, and she's not ready for that yet.