xpost: Resource question--would like some input

[Musicmom]

Hi all,

 

I’m wondering if you all can help me analyze something.  I’ve had IRL friends and acquaintances come to me with questions about homeschooling high school and about college testing (SAT etc.)  As I’ve answered questions and tried to point people to resources where they can get all the information they need, I’ve realized that on both topics there is a LOT to know (watching people’s eyes glaze over was kind of a clue) and there’s a tremendous amount of information out there these days to sift through to gain the necessary knowledge!  For instance, we have a tremendous wealth of info here on the forums alone, and I always recommend them (and TWTM book) to friends.  But for someone who’s never homeschooled before, or someone new to high school, it can be like taking a drink out of a firehose!  I started my research (months of it!), using books from the library and I suggest this to others as well, but again, there quite a few books out there, all of which go into quite a bit of detail. Especially for someone who needs to figure out a path quickly, it can be hard to know where to start.

 

I know what I would tell people, but am considering writing it down in a more organized fashion.  So, my question is:  if there were a short, easy to follow guide that would help newbie high school homeschoolers get up and running on a solid viable path, while pointing them in the direction of resources to research further as they have time, do you think people would find it worthwhile?  Would you have found something like that helpful going into the high school years?  If so, would you have been willing to pay for it, or would you expect to find it for free?

 

I have the same question in regard to college testing.  There are tons of test prep books out there and lots of insider knowledge (many threads here) on how it all fits together.  But if there were an overall guide to the what, when, where, why and how of the various tests plus syllabi on how to prepare well using existing books, do you think homeschoolers would find it useful? Or do you think such a thing would be too redundant with what’s already out there?

 

Please share your honest thoughts, opinions, criticisms, flaming arrows :D , etc, with me—either here or via pm.

 

Thanks so much.

[regentrude]

.  So, my question is:  if there were a short, easy to follow guide that would help newbie high school homeschoolers get up and running on a solid viable path, while pointing them in the direction of resources to research further as they have time, do you think people would find it worthwhile?  Would you have found something like that helpful going into the high school years?  If so, would you have been willing to pay for it, or would you expect to find it for free?

 

If there were a short, easy to follow guide for a solid viable path, that would be wonderful - but I am afraid there is none possible!

Any short, easy guide can not take into account my individual student's abilities and goals - what may be solid and viable for one student may be insufficient for another or completely overreaching and impossible for yet another kid.

It is precisely because designing the right high school education for a student and his goals is so difficult that there is such a vast amount of information.

There may be a short and easy guide for "good enough for the average neurotypical student with no special interests/talents". There can be none for students whose abilities, interests, and goals deviate from the average.

 

 

I have the same question in regard to college testing.  There are tons of test prep books out there and lots of insider knowledge (many threads here) on how it all fits together.  But if there were an overall guide to the what, when, where, why and how of the various tests plus syllabi on how to prepare well using existing books, do you think homeschoolers would find it useful? Or do you think such a thing would be too redundant with what’s already out there?

 

The how-to information is already available. I found the College Board website to give very clear info on the tests they administer.

And for determining whether a particular test is necessary, there is a very short easy answer: ask the college.

 

In general, I am not inclined to pay for tasks I can do myself. Compiling information that I can obtain for free is one such task.

 

ETA: the only info I needed as a beginning homeschooler about homeschooling high school was: yes, homeschooled student can get into college of any caliber without using an accredited umbrella school or similar organization. Homeschooling does not mess up any chances. With that reassurance behind me, I can figure stuff out.

[Kareni]

I'm someone else who is reluctant to pay for information that I can obtain myself.  (Add to that, when we began homeschooling my daughter in 7th grade, we had NO money to pay for anything even homeschooling materials/curriculum.) I did spend a lot of time doing my own research.  Those with more money than time may be willing to pay for such material.  I agree with regentrude though that it's impossible to create materials that would be appropriate to all students.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Musicmom]

Thank you for the input, Regentrude and Kareni.  Good food for thought.  I'm one to go off and do my own research also, which is ultimately what we all have to do in order to meet the needs of our unique children.  I was just wondering if there were folks out there who might be looking for a stepping stone to get from knowing very little to diving into the world of researching homeschooling options.  But perhaps this kind of a guide is either unnecessary or not really possible--which would explain why I don't see one out there already.

 

If anyone else has comments, I'm all ears. :)