tell me the things you do to give your homeschooler a unique experience

[anne1456]

I have found in NY that it helps if I make my course descriptions on the IHIP vague and sweeping. Here is my 9th grade history description (which I am sure I copied from somewhere) 

 

"This course will explore the key events and global historical developments that have shaped the world we live in today. The course will widely across all aspects of human experience including economics, science, religion, philosophy, politics & law, military conflict, literature & the arts. [son's name] will uncover patterns of behavior, identify historical trends and themes, and explore historical movements. "

 

So based on this description I can cover almost anything I want in history and go off on rabbit trails based on our interests.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I have found in NY that it helps if I make my course descriptions on the IHIP vague and sweeping. Here is my 9th grade history description (which I am sure I copied from somewhere) 

 

"This course will explore the key events and global historical developments that have shaped the world we live in today. The course will widely across all aspects of human experience including economics, science, religion, philosophy, politics & law, military conflict, literature & the arts. [son's name] will uncover patterns of behavior, identify historical trends and themes, and explore historical movements. "

 

So based on this description I can cover almost anything I want in history and go off on rabbit trails based on our interests.

 

Yeah ya know one year they told me they wanted book titles.  Now I know they don't really have a right to ask that.  I did give them book titles because my thinking was well ok if you don't want my detailed descriptions then book titles would certainly be easier. 

 

Another concern I have is I really do want to try for the letter of substantial equivalence.  So I want to make sure they will consider it as such. 

[anne1456]

Yeah, you have to know your district. I am pretty sure mine doesn't even read the IHIPs, and I have had no problem getting superintendent's letters. It helps a lot if you know someone who has already gone all the way through high school in the district.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Yeah, you have to know your district. I am pretty sure mine doesn't even read the IHIPs, and I have had no problem getting superintendent's letters. It helps a lot if you know someone who has already gone all the way through high school in the district.

 

I have lived in the district for about 10 years and within that time they have changed superintendents 3 times.  The actual person who deals with the paperwork has changed 5 times.  They have all been different.  Whoever does it now does not respond to any of the paperwork ever.  They are supposed to.  I have not heard anything in 2 years now.  No response to my notice of intent.  None to my IHIP.  Someone else called them to ask and she said they don't respond unless there is a problem (that's not in line with the regs though).

 

Maddening.....

 

And of course I don't want to put up a stink because I certainly don't want to make my life more difficult.

[SparklyUnicorn]

This past year I even got a registration and welcome packet for my younger kid only (he is 10).  He has never been to school.  I called the super's office to ask what is going on and why they are under the impression my always homeschooled kid ended up on their regular student list.  Not only did they not know, they knew nothing of the homeschool stuff.  They have a high school principle somewhere else do the paperwork.  So I e-mailed.  They said they do have my kid listed as a homeschool student and they have no idea why I got that packet.  Ok.  Then several months later I got a letter in the mail for my older kid (who has also never been to school) telling me that the yearbook was available for purchase for his class.  This is a letter they send out to students.  Not homeschoolers.  I don't get it.  I really don't.

 

 

[Reefgazer]

Based on a previous post of yours to Regentrude, it seems you will have to keep the transcript to colleges and the paperwork to your district in agreement; that is, design 1 course for history and 1 separate course for literature.  But I would implement the two in an integrated fashion and keep that records separate.  Just keep scrupulous records.  The more I see of history and literature, and of American and World history, the harder it is for me to separate those pairs in my head.

I don't know if I "can", but I probably will.

 

Edited January 19, 2016 by reefgazer

[8filltheheart]

Hi Sparkly,

 

I haven't been on here in ages b/c our life has been crazier than even our normal crazy, but I sat down to eat lunch today and decided to indulge and your thread grabbed my attention.  I didn't have the opportunity to read all of the responses, so sorry if this has already been mentioned.

 

On the surface, my kids' transcripts often look pretty standard, but what makes up those courses is often very "off the beaten track."  For example, this yr for the 1st semester my 11th grader's lit was fairy tales.  We had a fabulous time reading fairy tales, studying various methods of interpretation (let's just say she had a crash course in Jung and Freud), and researching symbolism.  (Every flower has its own meaning!)  We expanded the study to include her reading Perrault's fairy tales in French.   She wrote essays in French.  She wrote essays in English.  It was win-win all the way around.

 

We have moved on this semester to renewed study on King Arthur (she read the Fall of Arthur, an incomplete work by Tolkien when we did an in depth Tolkien study.)  She is reading a non-fiction acct of research into the historical evidence of KA.  When she finishes it, she has chosen Le Morte d'Arthur as the key work she wants to read. (We discussed Parzival as an option.  She has already read most of Idylls of the Kings.)  

 

For us it all boils down to making sure we have a solid transcript and then letting them breathe life into the details behind the course construction.  

 

Good luck!  It can be a joyous journey to make with your kids!  (And I pretty much make it with them, b/c I am not familiar with a lot of the content we study before we start forging the path forward. I just don't let myself be intimidated by my lack of knowledge. :) )

[SparklyUnicorn]

Based on a previous post of yours to Regentrude, it seems you will have to keep the transcript to colleges and the paperwork to your district in agreement; that is, design 1 course for history and 1 separate course for literature.  But I would implement the two in an integrated fashion and keep that records separate.  Just keep scrupulous records.  The more I see of history and literature, and of American and World history, the harder it is for me to separate those pairs in my head.

 

I think having 2 would be difficult and problematic.  I would prefer to have one. 

 

Problematic in that some schools in NY will ask for the homeschool paperwork. How would I explain any discrepancy?

[SparklyUnicorn]

The difficulty is I need to give details beforehand and after.  So there isn't much leeway for letting things develop along the way.  However, my plan is to do something in the middle.  Give them enough details, but still allowing for a bit of free flow.  Of course one never knows how anyone who comes along will like that or not.  I can't do anything about that fact.  Frustrating.

 

 

[housemouse]

I'm not in the US, but I have read here that social science can often replace some (or all) of the history credits for university entrance.  So psychology, sociology, economics, law, anthropology, etc.  You could do an awful lot of cool things with those subjects.

It actually depends on which school you go to-most will require 1 year of US history and 1 semester of Economy and 1 semester of Government. The other 1 or2 years are up for grabs on what ever student interest is in social sciences. Many around here do Phych 101 and be done with it.

[8filltheheart]

The difficulty is I need to give details beforehand and after. So there isn't much leeway for letting things develop along the way. However, my plan is to do something in the middle. Give them enough details, but still allowing for a bit of free flow. Of course one never knows how anyone who comes along will like that or not. I can't do anything about that fact. Frustrating.

Why not design courses beforehand with your student's input? Unless your state is dictating exact details like lit must be British lit encompassing these titles, why can t you say we are reading x,y, and z? Just bc our contents might differ, it doesn't make them any "less acceptable."

[regentrude]

The difficulty is I need to give details beforehand and after.  So there isn't much leeway for letting things develop along the way.  However, my plan is to do something in the middle.  Give them enough details, but still allowing for a bit of free flow.  Of course one never knows how anyone who comes along will like that or not.  I can't do anything about that fact.  Frustrating.

 

How much detail do you need to give?

For example, you could specify "covering US history with xyz textbook. Here is list of topics covered.  Require 6 papers for output" and then in practice use the textbook as a spine only, select portions of the textbook, supplement with documentaries, TC lectures, have the kids come up with paper topics/categories of assignments. You still covered US history with xyz textbook and hit the topics on the list.

 

Or do they really want detailed syllabi listing every assignment for every week?

 

[GoodGrief]

I was more creative with my older daughter's homeschooling path in high school, but have settled into relatively traditional choices for my 2016 grad-to-be. There's less explaining to be done, and I prefer that at this point. :-) That said, I do find value in homeschooling, even apart from the opportunity to teach "outside the box".

 

The flexibility in scheduling allows for a much fuller range of extracurricular involvement, travel, etc, and even with very traditional choices, I am still able to individualize the program to the student via curricular choices. The student can work ahead if desired, and I have the discretion to cut out bits of the program that I view as busywork.

 

Of course, if dual enrollment and sports are added to the mix, as we did, some of the flexibility is lost :-) But that's our choice too.

[Miss Mousie]

I think the hardest part about planning for high school is understanding that  there are some important skills that have to be learned before the student can really fly. The ages of 13-15 seemed to be the time when my kids really struggled with

1. learning to read non-fiction critically and analytically for specific information

2. learning to read fiction critically and analytically, and not just float along following the plot

3. learning to write coherently, making an argument and using evidence from what you read.

4. learning new skills in chemistry, physics and math

5. learning to do all this quickly, with purpose and avoiding distractions.

 

That's why it seems all drudgery and no fun at the beginning--because they are still learning the skills to learn. I can't figure out a good way to learn these skills other than to just keep working at it. Sooner or later things will click, and they figure out how to be in charge of their own education, how to manage their own time, and they learn the skills they need to learn. Then, then, they take off.

 

Maria

 

Once my sons figured this out, then they just blasted off with their learning-- and THAT is why we homeschool through high school. My daughter is in the process of figuring it out, and, yes, it is drudgery for her and for me-- she seems to need a warm body to sit with her or she just loses motivation to get the work done. But she is making progress.

 

I have a feeling you are absolutely right with this.

 

I hope I still get to teach at least a couple classes in DS's last year, so that whatever CC/outside classes he's taking don't get all the fun - and all the credit!

[Miss Mousie]

Sparkly, have you searched the "out of the box" tag?  There are a lot of great discussions to read that you might find very helpful.

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

How much detail do you need to give?

For example, you could specify "covering US history with xyz textbook. Here is list of topics covered.  Require 6 papers for output" and then in practice use the textbook as a spine only, select portions of the textbook, supplement with documentaries, TC lectures, have the kids come up with paper topics/categories of assignments. You still covered US history with xyz textbook and hit the topics on the list.

 

Or do they really want detailed syllabi listing every assignment for every week?

 

For the IHIP (instruction plan):

(2) a list of the syllabi, curriculum materials, textbooks, or plan of instruction to be used in each of the required subjects listed in subdivision (e) of this section;

 

and for the quarterly reports:

 

     (1) the number of hours of instruction during said quarter;

 

     (2) a description of the material covered in each subject listed in the IHIP;

 

     (3) either a grade for the child in each subject or a written narrative evaluating the child's progress; and

 

     (4) a written explanation in the event that less than eighty percent of the amount of the course materials as set forth in the IHIP planned for that quarter has been covered in any subject.

[Reefgazer]

I was thinking of something along the lines of Regentrude's post, above.  Hand in to the state what they want (pick a textbook as a spine and list that as your textbook, which will keep them off your back) and add to your IHIP something along the lines of "and supplemented with TC lectures and related literature".  It's not lying; it's just de-emphasizing the textbook.  Then your transcript and high school records will not be in conflict, but the transcript/course descriptions will be more detailed.  You can elaborate on your course descriptions when you submit college applications without contradicting your district's records.  *How* you deliver the material (integrated or not) can be between you, your DS, and the doorhandle.

 

As for your quarterlies:  1)  List "X" number of hours completed (presumably 1/4 of the total required); 2)  A general description that covers what you did - but make it so general that it can cover your district records and your course descriptions to the college; 3)  As for grades, I don't don't see a problem with an honest grade, even if it were totally subjective on your part; and 4)  Not completing the hours required...Well, I wouldn't even admit to going there with the state, unless there is an extended illness or something. 

 

As you know, there is a possibility that I will move to NYS before my kids graduated, so I've turned this one over in my head for a while now.  I'd give the state what they want to hear, but make sure the language was worded in such a way as to accommodate my own vision for my kids.  Have you seen the NYHEN website?  It's pretty helpful in giving advice on this stuff, and the people on the forums are extremely helpful in wording things like this, and can even give you advice on a district-by-district basis.

I think having 2 would be difficult and problematic.  I would prefer to have one. 

 

Problematic in that some schools in NY will ask for the homeschool paperwork. How would I explain any discrepancy?

 

Edited January 19, 2016 by reefgazer

[theelfqueen]

You're making me very grateful for Colorado's very limited requirements!

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Why not design courses beforehand with your student's input? Unless your state is dictating exact details like lit must be British lit encompassing these titles, why can t you say we are reading x,y, and z? Just bc our contents might differ, it doesn't make them any "less acceptable."

 

Yeah that is possible.

 

And I could list topics.  I had one person in the district insist I needed to provide the books.  I did because I happened to be using specific books and knew that ahead of time, but really that is not what the regulation says.  It's this, that, OR the other.  Not all.  So I could just list topics and cover them anyway I want.

 

So yeah that makes the most sense to me.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I was more creative with my older daughter's homeschooling path in high school, but have settled into relatively traditional choices for my 2016 grad-to-be. There's less explaining to be done, and I prefer that at this point. :-) That said, I do find value in homeschooling, even apart from the opportunity to teach "outside the box".

 

The flexibility in scheduling allows for a much fuller range of extracurricular involvement, travel, etc, and even with very traditional choices, I am still able to individualize the program to the student via curricular choices. The student can work ahead if desired, and I have the discretion to cut out bits of the program that I view as busywork.

 

Of course, if dual enrollment and sports are added to the mix, as we did, some of the flexibility is lost :-) But that's our choice too.

 

This is similar to the conclusion I've come to as well. My daughter prefers to take a mix of outsourced classes with only a few at home. The uniqueness for her comes in the ability to choose from many providers in various formats. Uniqueness also comes from what she does outside of class.

 

The flexibility of homeschooling allows her to have a very different high school experience than she would have had at a brick-and-mortar school. She has little interest in creating classes at home. She would rather take an outsourced class taught by someone in the field and then be free to study the subject in further depth outside of class with no strings attached. Or study something else or many other somethings with complete freedom to change on a whim...

 

Her educational path will be solid, her extracurricular life will be rich. Uniqueness is the cherry on top. 

Edited January 19, 2016 by Woodland Mist Academy

[SparklyUnicorn]

And it's weird because if I lived in the state I started homeschooling in, most of these things wouldn't concern me.  I wonder if I would have chosen to homeschool had we always lived here.  NY is such a pain in the arse.  And I don't get it because they certainly do not have the results to show for it.  In fact where we used to live they had better results (and no homeschooling regs).

 

 

[FriedClams]

Travel. As much as we can to as many places as we can. I can't think of a better education.

Edited January 19, 2016 by FriedClams

[SparklyUnicorn]

Travel. As much as we can to as many places as we can. I can't think of a better education.

 

dreamy idea, but not going to happen

[MerryAtHope]

I looked at the regs for our state and for college admissions (college admissions is usually the stricter reg, but there may be some requirement that your state has that you want to follow). Then I listed out the most common ones:

 

3-4 years of math--pretty straight-forwards. Colleges want to see Alg 1 & 2, and Geometry at least, more if you are looking at STEM majors. My history-lover did 3 years, science lover will do 4 years of math. 

 

3-4 years science. I notice that some schools specify at least 1 lab. Some specify biology or chemistry--and some specify both. We weren't looking for elite schools, so my non-stem student did physical science, robotics, and biology (I insisted on that or chemistry). Robotics gave us some flexibilty/creativity for my non-science child. Stem child was given choices, but chose the traditional route--biology, chemistry, physics, and next year will do advanced biology. Doesn't feel inflexible to her--she likes science and math.

 

3-4 years history--some schools specify world or US or both. Some specify government or econ. Based on schools in our region, I ended up requiring 1 year of US, 1 year of World, Government, and an elective. History lover did 2 years of world, 1 year of US, 1 semester Government, 1 semester Japanese History (elective, based on his foreign language). We did a combination of history spines, biographies, and historical fiction, and he really enjoyed the choices. Science lover did 1 year US, 1 year world, 1 semester Psychology (elective) and 1 semester of Government. So, some choice/creativity for my non-history lover.

 

4 years English--we typically do a combination of literature and composition, and 1 semester of speech. All kinds of room for creativity here--you can vary the style of writing, the style of lit, do poetry units--we joined a co-op for speech one year--really you can do a lot of things and combine it together for English credit. One year we did some grammar as needed. 

 

2-4 years foreign language--history lover chose Japanese, did 3 years. Science-lover chose Spanish, and will do 3 years. 

 

Then we did PE each year, and electives each year--theatre or music-related often, but I'm hoping my dd gets an art elective in too. We've also done Personal Finance, College and Career Prep, Health, World Views, and Bible classes. Oldest had 24.5 credits, so an average of 6 credits per year. When they chose less than 4 years of something, we always filled that time with electives of some kind. 

 

Remember that even within requirements, how you fill those can be creative. Have fun with it!