I don't know if I can do this

[Halcyon]

..homeschool high school, that is.

 

DS13 will be entering 8th next year, and this is 'make a decision' time. We are going to visit some local schools over the year, but none of them have a great reputation. He says he would like to continue HS-ing if that's the best fit--he doesn't feel a "need" to go to high school, but I just don't know if I can do it. DH has high expectations that he will go to a "good" college and I just don't know if I can cover all the bases. Plus, both DH and I are worried about the social aspect. He goes to a project school 3 days a week now, but doesn't want to continue past 8th, as he says the few highschoolers in the program basically are not impressive at all.

 

I feel like I have been homeschooling for so long that I can't see the outside perspective, that maybe it would be a good idea for him to go to school. I know this is a homeschooling board, but what if hs-ing high school is a mistake?

[merylvdm]

I homeschooled my oldest 3 all the way through high school - my oldest was in 8th grade when I started homeschooling as that was when we moved to the US from South Africa. I had no idea what I was doing and didn't even understand the US school and university system of credits and APs and ACT and SAT and all the rest. I felt a lot more daunted than you can every imagine - but the local schools were just not going to challenge my kids.

 

I took it one year at a time and got through by doing a lot of research. My kids all wanted to try for the harder to get into colleges so that scared me. So I understand how you feel. But I managed - and now there are so many more resources available than I had at my disposal. Online classes were unheard of then so my only options for outsourcing were our local co ops or the local community college. We chose the largest local co op - and then got the kids involved in 4-H, sports and our local homeschool group (they participated in Quiz Bowls, Science Olympiad and lots of other contests through our group).

 

They all got into colleges with less than 25% acceptance rate - and I was just feeling I had it more-or-less figured out when my youngest decided she was lonely at home (she is 5 years younger than her closest sibling) and so last year she started high school at a local public school. This school now offers the IB program which they didn't when my others went through high school - so my husband and I felt confident she would be challenged and well prepared for university. The students from this school do get into a lot of really good colleges so we felt comfortable sending her. I must admit - she is not learning nearly as much as her siblings did at home, and there is a lot of wasted time and "stupid" stuff - but she is happy and we know this was the best option for her.

 

Remember, whatever you choose can be changed. A friend of mine is letting her son go to a STEM school this year - and he is in 10th grade. At the same time her sister-in-law is bringing their 10th grader home for the first time. 

 

Nothing is ever perfect. I would suggest as the year goes on you draw up a list of pros and cons and most likely it will become obvious which is the way to go. And then if you do that and it doesn't work - try the other way :) 

[Mom22ns]

There are many families on this board who have had their kids go to school for at least part of high school. It is a very personal decision. I do think homeschooling high school and preparing for a competitive college is very doable, but that doesn't mean it is the right decision for your family.

 

There are two things I would look at carefully to make the decision.

 

First, can you change your mind? If you homeschool part of high school, will your local schools accept his credits? Some will some won't. The flip side is that if you start in public school and decide homeschooling would have been a better choice you can always make that change.

 

Second, I would make a tentative course list for the next 4 years. Then I would figure out what you can teach, what you need to outsource (if anything) and identify the possible stumbling stones. Often the idea of high school is more intimidating than the reality. Also include in this the opportunity for dual enrollment. DE classes could provide some of the social opportunities you are concerned about for high school. 

 

If your concern is less academic and more social, I guess only you and your ds can answer that. But I would consider what it is you are looking for socially. Is it friendships and just getting him out of the house? Is he lonely? Is he not socially adept and you think he needs practice? Volunteering, a part time job, interest based clubs or activities, DE and even online friendships are just a few of the things that can fill the social needs of homeschoolers. 

 

Homeschooling high school isn't for everybody, but having completed it for one kiddo and being almost done with the second, I am completely biased toward it :). It was the best decision for our family. I wouldn't put a kid in ps against their will. While I think school choice is still the parents, I wouldn't try to force a high school student in either direction, but would make sure they were in agreement with whatever decision was made.

[Starr]

Yes you can home educate high school!

 

There are so many college options in our world. Have you looked into what he means by  good colleges? What are their requirements, test scores, APs etc. Coming from a not so great ps has it's own limitations. Our home school world has all gone to good colleges. Some families use online classes , college classes, tutoring, or all on their own at home. I found colleges do like some outside proof that a child has a brain through outside courses or test scores. Do you have any local universities or community colleges? Students here are able to audit or take classes for credit at 16. Each of my children did this differently.

 

You don't have to plan curriculum for 4 years now but a general list of classes should be done based on college requirements. Electives can be changed. And it's still one year at a time. 

 

If you decide to go this route you have access to a lot of wisdom here on the boards.

[JanetC]

I would have a good long talk with DH about his high expectations -- what does he mean by a "good" school? If he means an Ivy League school or the same top-20 schools on USNews that everyone applies to, then this is a tall order regardless of whether you homeschool or choose a brick&mortar school. You can do everything "right" and still not get into Harvard. On the other hand, there are lots of good-by-other-definitions-of-good schools where 50% or more of applicants are accepted where your DS can get a great education.

 

Homeschooling HS is tough -- and the periods of self-doubt are frequent -- you really don't need DH making this more difficult or stressful.

 

Looking at your sig, if you're in Algebra II in 8th grade, you are probably going to outgrow the math offerings at a brick&mortar high school, so you may be looking at either dual enrollment or early graduation. Is that going to be an option? At home, you have more choices for a kid who is not on the "usual" age-grade-level track, simply because you can create your own courses and have a choice of depth or breadth or some combination.

 

[Jilly]

Obviously many people successfully homeschool for high school and you could too. The question, as I see it, is whether homeschooling high school is right for your son and for you. If you are going to be stressed for the whole four years then I would advise not to do it. There is nothing wrong with sending your son to high school, and he may end up enjoying it. I guess if I was you I would tour some schools and get a feel for them and see what your son thinks. If it feels right then I would enroll him. You can always pull him if it turns out not to be the right decision for your family.

[MomatHWTK]

I took a look at our local high school's website for ideas on what classes and curricula they offered and use an online program as a crutch.  I chose an independent all access program with high school classes.  I either follow the program's day to day schedule or make a suitable replacement so I feel I'm doing something equivalent (with accomodations as needed).

 

I think if you look at some of the online high school offerings and take a look at available ps high school information, you may be reassured.  You can always do an accredited online high school program like the one offered by Indiana University.   

[texasmama]

You can do this.  But you don't have to.  Either choice is fine and good.

 

I've not done high school yet, but I will tell you that I was very intimidated by the prospect until I did the research, made the plan, signed them up for the online or co-op classes and made a schedule.  I am no longer intimidated.  I can do this.  You can do this.  However, I will tell you that there exists a possibility of me sending little dd to a university model private, Christian high school once I get my boys graduated and moved on and little dd moves into 9th grade.  She is amazingly social and would thrive there.  

 

It is good to examine all possibilities closely.  One will rise to the top.

[Ellie]

If I did it, then you can do it. :thumbup1:

[J-rap]

I think anyone can do it if they want to.  For us, it worked out to take sciences and foreign language at our local high school (or online school).  That took away so much stress!  We did history, language arts, art, and math at home.  They were all involved in various community or school sports, so that counted as gym most of the time. 

[texasmama]

For fun reference, Halcyon, this is what my ds's 9th grade line up looks like:

 

English (Windows to the World/Teaching the Classics combo) - co-op, taught by me

Biology - co-op, taught by someone else

History/Geography - The History of the Ancient World - SWB - with the student book/study guide/whatever it's called. - done independently at home

Spanish - Landry Academy online class

Geometry - AoPS (ds12) - self-teaching at home; Jann in TX's online class (ds14)

P.E. - competitive basketball on a homeschool team

 

We are not trying to knock it out of the park and have a killer line up which would guarantee acceptance into all Ivies and MIT, but this is a respectable 9th grade year.  I have decided less is more during this transitional year.  And much of it is independent or outsourced.  

 

I wonder how much the "pressure" of your dh contributes to your questioning.  Sorry for the word "pressure".  I could not think of another one.

 

ETA:  I plan to use CC courses in a couple of years.  I actually feel relieved about next year as compared to years past.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Probably a completely normal worry.

 

I'm in the same boat except my son is vehemently against going to school.  So I have no choice but to make this work.

 

 

[katilac]

I will echo some of what has been said already. 

 

What does dh mean by a good college? 

 

What do the local schools offer? If they don't have a lot of advanced courses, they're really not even an option for your son.  

 

Check into dual enrollment - we were able to do this through the local university, so it's not always just community colleges. 

 

The single biggest factor for getting into more selective schools is standardized test scores. Give him a sample ACT and see how he does (keeping in mind that he has years to go before the real one). If he's in algebra 2 now and doing well, he can likely get a nice solid score that will alleviate some of your dh's worries. 

 

The next biggest factor is rigorous courses. Again, check into dual enrollment, along with online classes. If he hasn't tried any online classes, you might go ahead and do that in 8th, just to see if they're an option. 

 

Start poking around college web sites to see what their actual requirements are. 

 

The social aspect can be tough, but it can also be tough for kids in school, particularly if you have a loves-to-learn kid but not a school with a loves-to-learn atmosphere. Or a kid who's a bit less social, a bit more mature, or any combination thereof. Some kids just aren't the type to dive into the crowd.

 

If your ds isn't that impressed with the teens at his project school, is he going to be any more impressed with the teens at the local school? Yes, there are more kids to choose from, so to speak, but some types of personalities are just always going to find it harder to build a social circle. 

 

My dd has really enjoyed volunteering since she turned 16 - it's tough to find opportunities for younger kids around here, but I know that isn't true everywhere. 

 

Another important variable - are you, your husband, and ds prepared to deal with the rules and procedures that go along with school? For example, lots of schools have strict dress codes, with even certain haircuts being against the rules. Others require work to be done over holidays. Some push fundraisers. All of them require a lot of testing. All of them have teachers with difficult personalities (along with the many great ones that are at almost every school). All of them mean you lose control of your time and schedule. 

 

That type of stuff doesn't bother some people much, while it drives others crazy. You have to deal with a certain amount of inanity and bureaucracy in college, but nowhere near the level of high school. 

 

Before going any further, I would check out what and how many advanced courses are offered by the local schools. If they don't have adequate rigor, I would just move on to figuring out the best ways to make high school at home work. There are a lot of things you can do to address issues with your own home schooling. There's very little you can do to address shortcomings at the local school. 

 

[almondbutterandjelly]

I don't know if this helps, but I will share my story:

Last year, my dd was an 8th grader.  I had decided that she needed more friends, and I would love to not have to teach all her subjects, especially science.  We enrolled her in a classical Christian school.  They make you sign a contract that you will still owe them, even if your kid stops going, so it was all-in the whole year.

 

We hated it.  She did meet some nice kids.  Her expanded social life consisted of exactly 4 afternoon parties.  Now, she did meet a couple girls she still keeps in touch with.

 

However, there was a ton of pressure on the kids.  They already started talking to them about how to look good to colleges.  

 

Plus the work was extremely "rigorous" which means they make you do a ton of work and don't help much with it other than to pressure you about due dates.  My dd had about 2 hours of homework most nights and then about 2-5 hours on the weekend.  

 

Did I mention that we hated it?

 

YMMV, but we are back to homeschooling for 9th grade and plan to continue for the remainder of high school.  I don't mind teaching all the subjects, my way.  And my husband will take science, as he did such an amazing job helping my dd with all her science homework this past year.  At least now, we get to choose what and how much.

 

Best wishes in whatever decision you make!

[SparklyUnicorn]

Same here. Ds's only request was no B&M. Online school is working for him now. We have plans to reevaluate before junior year. The plan is to bump up the difficulty for junior and senior by entering an early college program. They provide a ton of support. If he decides he's not interested, then we may continue online school or I may homeschool him at that point. They can change a lot between freshman and junior year and who knows what his priorities will be then. 

 

We discussed on-line school options too.  He didn't choose that option.  Which is fine.  I'll figure it out.

[katilac]

One more thought: if dh's idea of a good school is "top ranked," make sure he understands the realities of both getting in and paying for it. Many top schools offer little to no merit aid, because all of their students have top stats. 

 

Don't go with any assumptions. Look at the web sites, run the calculators. For example, Vanderbilt says they will meet full need, but their idea of what we need is based on us paying them 35% of our income every year. That's not going to work for us. 

 

If he just means a good, rigorous, well-regarded school, then I don't think your ds will have anything to worry about. 

[Chrysalis Academy]

Probably a completely normal worry.

 

I'm in the same boat except my son is vehemently against going to school.  So I have no choice but to make this work.

 

Same here.

 

This is only sort of on topic, but I just finished reading the book How To Raise An Adult, and you might enjoy it.  And it might be good for your dh.  It's got a lot in there about the college application process and about how to help your kids be prepared to take ownership of their own lives as they grow into teenagers.  And how to let them.

[Sunshine State Sue]

..homeschool high school, that is.

 

:grouphug:  Oh the doubts.  BTDT.  I freaked out all through high school and the college admission process. 

 

We used a lot of CC, some PS, some online classes, and exactly 2 mom taught classes.  I don't think I would have hs'ed high school without CC/DE (free for hs'ers starting in 10th grade here).  It was academically the best decision, no doubt.  Socially, it probably would have been better to spend the $15,000/yr for private high school.  That's a lot of money for social reasons.

 

P.S. I think ds got into a "good" school.  According to collegeboard:

 

Very selective

36% of applicants admitted

but I wouldn't defined a "good" school by that statistic.  Previous posters raised some good points about the definition of a "good" school.

 

[Halcyon]

Same here. Ds's only request was no B&M. Online school is working for him now. We have plans to reevaluate before junior year. The plan is to bump up the difficulty for junior and senior by entering an early college program. They provide a ton of support. If he decides he's not interested, then we may continue online school or I may homeschool him at that point. They can change a lot between freshman and junior year and who knows what his priorities will be then. 

 

 

what online schools are there, besides indiana university? What i would like is the structure of an online school, but where i can mix and match certain courses (ie, throw in AoPS). Does such a thing exist?

[SparklyUnicorn]

what online schools are there, besides indiana university? What i would like is the structure of an online school, but where i can mix and match certain courses (ie, throw in AoPS). Does such a thing exist?

 

There is a list here:

 

http://www.thebestschools.org/rankings/best-online-high-school-diploma-programs/

[Halcyon]

Okay, so I know for a fact that the requirements//homework/drudgery/bureaucracy of a bricks and mortar school would kill me. But I would do it if I felt DS wanted it and it was in his best interest. So I think we need to check out some schools before making our decision. What I'd love is some sort of online school (not FLVS) which had structure and accountability but flexibility too. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Okay, so I know for a fact that the requirements//homework/drudgery/bureaucracy of a bricks and mortar school would kill me. But I would do it if I felt DS wanted it and it was in his best interest. So I think we need to check out some schools before making our decision. What I'd love is some sort of online school (not FLVS) which had structure and accountability but flexibility too. 

 

I think that's a great idea.

 

I offered it as an option.

[SparklyUnicorn]

double...

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I contacted a couple of schools to ask questions.  The "problem" I encountered the most is that they were not willing to be flexible.  For example, they tend to have very traditional common core curriculum that they follow strictly.  Probably this is so they can maintain their accreditation.  So I get it.  But they wouldn't allow me to substitute college courses for the math portion.  And the issue wasn't even about them getting less money. 

 

 

[AppleGreen]

I will sit next to you on this bench. We are embarking on 9th grade. My child had only one b&m HS option that was of interest. Our family is not the intended demographic for the program and were not offered a slot. There were appealing things about the program, but definite down sides. I wanted it for my child because he/she had a desire for it, and I think that goes a long way. We talked about other options, but my child really has no interest in the traditional high school experience and opted to forge ahead with homeschooling. 

 

I have some reservations, namely because I have a large family and feel spread pretty thin, but I know we will grow into it just as we have with every stage. I think it is totally normal to feel apprehensive about the unknown! Right now, homeschooling high school is an unknown. I mean sure, we can think through the logistics and make plans, but until we are on the end of it or even in the middle, it is kind of heard to see how it is all going to come together. 

 

It seems like you and your DH need to have a clarification conversation. This isn't the first time you have expressed your DH's high expectations and desire for a "good" college, but he also seems to have some reservations about a number of other aspects of b&m school. I don't think either option offers guarantees. This has been a real shift in thinking for me. We are certainly planning on our children going to college, but I am increasingly aware that my plans may not match my child's plans. My job is to get my kids to the path, but they have to walk it. I think that's some wisdom from a poster here at WTM, but it really resonates with me, especially as we get closer to high school. 

 

I guess I am trying to say, there seems to be a great deal of expectations on you, and I am not really sure if I could make an sound decision with that over me. I think whatever path you choose, it would be good to have a heart to heart with your DH. 

 

Ok, that was really rambly and filled with distraction, so I am not sure there is anything useful in there! Just letting you know you are not alone. :) 

 

 

[clementine]

Oh, your worries are SO normal!  We weren't going to homeschool high school.  Nope.  Not a chance.  

 

We just graduated our oldest and have an upcoming junior - both homeschooled.  

 

You can do this - it's not as daunting as you are imagining.  My one suggestion:  If you start homeschooling in his 9th grade year, try your hardest to finish through 12th grade.  If you think you'll want to put him in school at some point, put him in school at the beginning of 9th grade.  It will make transcripts and credits so much easier.  

 

Good luck with your decision making!!

[regentrude]

I had the same worries. I was an accidental homeschooler, starting in 6th grade, and had never planned to homeschool. I had the same doubts and questions.

 

Fast forward a few years. DD graduated from our homeschool and got admitted to a top school that is extremely selective with an 8% admissions rate. MOre importantly, not only did she get in, but is prepared to succeed in college.

And the social aspect? Homeschooled DS has a large circle of friends from homeschool group, sports, and work. School is not the only source of friends.

 

If you want to, you CAN do this. There are many options for outsourcing individual subjects as well - I was, for example, incapable of tecahing French past Frech 1, and DD took five seemsters of French at the university from 10th to 12th grade.

 

Good luck. Homeschooled studnets go on to all kinds of colleges. Just read the yearly admissions thread.

[Halcyon]

 

Laurel Springs had some courses on his wish list (Gothic Literature and World Mythology). Stanford Online HS is $$$ and rigorous. That school is geared more toward gifted and still has a high acceptance rate. =

 

 

Stanford Online HS has a high acceptance rate? I thought it was a low acceptance rate. ?

[SparklyUnicorn]

Stanford Online HS has a high acceptance rate? I thought it was a low acceptance rate. ?

 

I doubt it.  But maybe relatively speaking they do?!

 

The price is astronomical.  Too bad because it looks really interesting. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

$18,350 for full time enrollment (4 or more courses)

 

That's just freaking insane.

 

 

[Halcyon]

Thanks all. I appreciate all the thoughts and will take everything under consideration. I am curious about Stanford Online High School because it looks challenging, which he wants. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I remembered 70% from an article I read last week, so that's what I was thinking of when I wrote that. That article is from 2011, but here it is. 

 

"There is no entrance exam, but a college-like application requires essays, letters of recommendation and standardized test scores. About 70 percent of the applicants were accepted this year, a far cry from Stanford University’s 7.3 percent acceptance rate in 2010-11.

 

For one thing they don't get a lot of applicants.  I saw a figure of somewhere around 600 applied last year.

[Halcyon]

$18,350 for full time enrollment (4 or more courses)

 

That's just freaking insane.

 

For that price, it had better do everything for you. My half-sister, however, is attending Milton next year--$50,000+++. Now THAT'S insane.

[Halcyon]

I doubt it.  But maybe relatively speaking they do?!

 

The price is astronomical.  Too bad because it looks really interesting. 

 

 

They accept financial aid, so that might be an option. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

For that price, it had better do everything for you. My half-sister, however, is attending Milton next year--$50,000+++. Now THAT'S insane.

 

Uh yeah.  I can't afford something like that and if I were to borrow that kind of money I'd want it to be for something more than high school.  They have financial aid, but they say it's whatever they have year to year.  No guarantees.  No offer to support anyone who needs it. 

[Amira]

I imagine Stanford's tuition keeps a lot of people from even applying. I do know people whose kids use that school and dh's employer pays a lot of money for our homeschooling expenses when we're out of the country, but we'd still have had to pay $30,000 over four years for my oldest and $24,000 for my youngest and I can't do that for an online high school. And their hours don't always work with different time zones. But people who use it do seem to love it.

 

BYU has a mix of more rigorous and less rigorous classes and it's very flexible. My son is starting his third year and can now do university courses. It's a lot simpler to do that than deal with AP classes and tests and he can earn up to 21 university credits by the time he graduates. He's probably just going to do 12 because we're focusing on classes that meet university graduate requirements. Since he's going into engineering, he's not going to have a problem having enough credits to graduate from college.

[Amira]

I think BYU works for some people but definitely isn't right for everyone. My second son isn't using it because I don't think it's a good match- I wanted something more individualized for him. But for my oldest, he just needs something that marches him through high school and I wanted something that would get him some college credit. And the flexibility really helps our family.

[The Girls' Mom]

I just want to offer a bit of encouragement, if you decide to stick with homeschooling.  I don't have a college degree, and I graduated from a rural TN high school. That should tell you about my level of "preparedness" for homeschooling high school.  Yet, I have graduated one child, and have two more that are well on their way.  The graduated child is doing fine in college (a community college, but she had no grand ambitions at all and it is free for us).  One of my younger dds plans on entering a STEM field in Biology or Forensic Science.  She is on target for being able to pursue that.  The other dd is still undecided, but is exploring Video and Sound Production through dual-enrollment classes this fall.  

 

The girls, because of our homeschooling, have learned how to educate themselves.  This has been so important during their high school years.  After a certain point, my personal education level became irrelevant because they were studying independently.  We have outsourced certain things (foreign language and lab science) because I knew I couldn't teach them well at home, and those things are difficult to do independently.  We've used things like quality co-ops and dual enrollment to outsource.  

My younger two were recently given the choice to go to public school or stay home, and they both decided that homeschool was best for them academically.  Socially, they have plenty of friends through various activities and they feel very comfortable around all age groups.  

 

My oldest child, because of her ability to volunteer so much while homeschooled, currently has a job in her chosen career field, before she has even gotten her Associates degree.  She has networked so much through things she has done during high school, that she has great references and an open invitation from several people to come work for them if she finds herself in need of another job.  

I'm sure your son will thrive, whatever you choose.  

[Halcyon]

I think BYU works for some people but definitely isn't right for everyone. My second son isn't using it because I don't think it's a good match- I wanted something more individualized for him. But for my oldest, he just needs something that marches him through high school and I wanted something that would get him some college credit. And the flexibility really helps our family.

 

 

I know BYU High School is secular, but not sure DH will want to patronize BYU in any way. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Oh and I've read your posts regularly over the years.  You say this sort of stuff a lot.  LOL

 

But i know this is also what pushes you to find a solution and to get the job done.

 

 

[snowbeltmom]

what online schools are there, besides indiana university? What i would like is the structure of an online school, but where i can mix and match certain courses (ie, throw in AoPS). Does such a thing exist?

 

You could mix and match courses using multiple providers.  This approach has worked well for my family over the years. 

 

[chiguirre]

Halcyon, Kolbe might be a good fit for you. For less than $400 you get the paperwork done for you and syllabi for the high school classes you choose. They offer online classes too, although they're pricy in comparison with WTM Academy and even PA Homeschoolers AP classes. They will accept dual enrollment courses, classes from other online providers, home brew and modifications to their course work. Their accreditation is NAPCIS, not one of the major regional accrediting organizations, but the only hiccup I've heard about with that was Cleo in QC's son (and Quebec is crazy anti-homeschooling).

 

I don't think I'll need to use them because the TX rules are very clear, but I've looked at them longingly every year.

 

 

[Halcyon]

Oh and I've read your posts regularly over the years.  You say this sort of stuff a lot.  LOL

 

But i know this is also what pushes you to find a solution and to get the job done.

 

 

Yea, I do. At times, I get nervous about my ability to make the right choices, to provide my children with what they need. I think it's a good thing that I am not absolutely sure I am always on the right path--maybe not a good thing that I am anxious about it, but there it is.  I tend to voice my concerns here, as there is nowhere else where I would find anyone who would understand. 

 

But I'm sure you get that--we all need encouragement, some more than others, and I see this board as my 'safe place'.

 

Anyone who wants can feel free to ignore my "i feel nervous" posts in the future!

[yvonne]

Why not pick the best courses/instructors from a variety of providers rather than going an all-in-one route with all classes from one provider?  With a student advanced in some areas, it seems like that would give the most flexibility and still provide you/him with the accountability you're seeking.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Yea, I do. At times, I get nervous about my ability to make the right choices, to provide my children with what they need. I think it's a good thing that I am not absolutely sure I am always on the right path--maybe not a good thing that I am anxious about it, but there it is.  I tend to voice my concerns here, as there is nowhere else where I would find anyone who would understand. 

 

But I'm sure you get that--we all need encouragement, some more than others, and I see this board as my 'safe place'.

 

Anyone who wants can feel free to ignore my "i feel nervous" posts in the future!

 

:lol:  I love those posts - from everybody, not just you.  They make me feel normal!  ;)  :D

[AppleGreen]

Yea, I do. At times, I get nervous about my ability to make the right choices, to provide my children with what they need. I think it's a good thing that I am not absolutely sure I am always on the right path--maybe not a good thing that I am anxious about it, but there it is.  I tend to voice my concerns here, as there is nowhere else where I would find anyone who would understand. 

 

But I'm sure you get that--we all need encouragement, some more than others, and I see this board as my 'safe place'.

 

Anyone who wants can feel free to ignore my "i feel nervous" posts in the future!

I think it is healthy to reevaluate and look at previously held beliefs, especially in light of new information or at natural crossroads (which I think homeschooling HS is).

 

I have felt sort of paralyzed by this, "Am I good enough?" question at times, and I think it is easy to become stuck there. For me, being stuck there stinks! That's why I think it is important to keep in mind that there are no real guarantees with any choice we make. Explore, ponder, grapple and then move forward, knowing that there are always other options, no path is set in stone.  (And I am not saying you are at the move forward stage at all. I think I spent most of 8th grade in the grapple stage! I am more reminding myself to move forward, onward and upward.  :tongue_smilie: )

[Halcyon]

I did find a record keeping excel program which is free and quite nice. I think I will use it for 8th just as a trial--maybe this will give me more confidence. I get very self-conscious about my anxiety.  :mellow:

[AppleGreen]

I did find a record keeping excel program which is free and quite nice. I think I will use it for 8th just as a trial--maybe this will give me more confidence. I get very self-conscious about my anxiety.  :mellow:

Please share! I am very intimidated by the record keeping in HS. 

 

Hugs on anxiety. Be gentle with yourself. 

[Halcyon]

This is the one: http://fivejs.com/homeschool-gradebook-free-download/

 

I have been fooling around with it and like it. I like that it's simple and excel based (rather than its own freestanding program, which could get buggy, or not get updated). I like that I can export pdfs and print them. I am going to use it for his 8th grade year and see if it works. The day to day assignments will be done in Word--just simple lists of what he needs to do each day.

[quark]

If you take the Stanford OHS route, you can choose the 3-subject option and throw in AoPS as the 4th. Their schedule is 4 days of classes/ group project work with Fridays for club days/ socialization (and yes, all online). I have heard many good things about the program. PM me if you need more info.

 

Oh, and please keep writing your I am nervous posts...they are very helpful to the rest of us with the same doubts. Good luck!