If it feels like you've been slacking...

[regentrude]

...it helps to write down everything you actually did!

 

I have occasionally written here that I struggled with homeschooling DS because, while he is as intelligent and capable as his sister, his priorities are of a non-academic nature. I have to consciously try not to compare siblings and to respect and honor his personal way and goals - whiles till balancing it with the wish to give him a solid college prep education to keep options open. Sometimes this left me feeling disheartened, because we did not accomplish all I had planned originally, and I had the nagging feeling that we really didn't do enough school and that it was my fault for not pushing harder or whatever.

 

I was writing course descriptions today. After the fact. Not the things we had planned to do, but the things we actually did. And found that it's not that shabby.

We finished 11th grade. We got through precalculus (even though review and exam are still to come). We did a semester of Dystopian literature with a solid reading list. He took his first college course, a literature class, and made an A - and had a great experience!. He learned about Modern history, mainly from Teaching Company lectures and independent research. We muddled through biology, something neither of us had an interest in; we did enough to cover the basics and check the box (almost, one more assignment still to come). I failed at teaching an actual foreign language, but he continued his education in our family language with studies in German history. A trip home later this summer will add an immersion component to make it a respectable foreign language credit.

The elective I had planned fizzled out and ended up not credit worthy - but he did a lot of independent learning in an area he is passionate about and read tons of books, so I will give elective credit for that instead. He is spending his money to buy non fiction books!!!

He has earned, and I mean really earned, strong credit for PE; I give a half credit each year so as not to appear to be padding.

We still have lose ends to tie up, some work for the cumulative credit in Fine Arts, which I am stretching over four years and give a quarter credit for each year.

He took the ACT, got a solid good score.

 

So, I am leaning back right now and call it "good enough". 

No, we have no SAT2 subject tests, no oodles of college credit, and the ACT won't elicit 40lbs of college mail. But the boy is ready for a solid four year university. We got the basics, he still has time for his extensive athletic activities, is competing at national level and doing well, and he does not hate me... I think.

Good enough.

Edited June 25, 2016 by regentrude

[LisaKinVA]

Man, I hope I can be as positive as you are this time next year!  

[regentrude]

Man, I hope I can be as positive as you are this time next year!  

 

Lisa, I read your planning threads and look at the amazing things you have planned for your kids. I think if they do even three quarters of what you have lined up for them, you can pat yourself on the back :)

If you're used to overachievers, it helps to sometimes look at what is "average".

Edited June 25, 2016 by regentrude

[LisaKinVA]

Lisa, I look at the amazing things you have planned for your kids, and I think if they do three quarters of what you have lined up for them, you can pat yourself on the back :)

 

Considering I look to you for guidance/input/and BTDT experience, that's high praise :D  

[8filltheheart]

Awesome, Regentrude! Glad **you** are happy. Truth is that means he is probably way ahead of the game!

 

In writing dd's course descriptions, even I am blown away by what she has done. I just hope admissions officers actually read through at least some of them.

[regentrude]

Awesome, Regentrude! Glad **you** are happy. Truth is that means he is probably way ahead of the game!

 

Yes, I can genuinely say that I am happy. I am happy to see the young man my DS has become. I am happy to hear that he feels he leads a rich life and to see that he is happy with himself.

We are on summer break, so while certain academic leftovers should still happen, his time is mostly his own. He works part time, spends a lot of time on his sports (trains twice a week in town and drives to the city three times a week), has a girl friend and a nice circle of friends. Last week, he met a friend to spend the day at the university library working together on creative writing!

Productive pursuits, wholesome interactions, engaged in life. That weighs heavy, too.

Edited June 25, 2016 by regentrude

[Momto6inIN]

 

 

 

I was writing course descriptions today. After the fact. Not the things we had planned to do, but the things we actually did. And found that it's not that shabby.

 

 

I found this out too! My DS and I read over the course descriptions and just kind of looked at each other and said, "Whoa. We did a lot!"

Such a great feeling!

I'm sure what we did is no big deal compared to many on here, including you regentrude, but it felt like a big accomplishment to us. :)

 

[Momto6inIN]

 I just hope admissions officers actually read through at least some of them.

 

LOL

Seriously, me too!

 

[Mosaicmind]

What does a course description entail. Despite homeschooling 18 years, this was my first year doing high school all by myself. I'm not quite sure what I'm doing and I hope I'm not screwing them up. Can anyone just give me an example? Moe and Curly are following their two oldest brothes into the military, but I still want a solid transcript for both of them if and when they do go to college.

[regentrude]

What does a course description entail. Despite homeschooling 18 years, this was my first year doing high school all by myself. I'm not quite sure what I'm doing and I hope I'm not screwing them up. Can anyone just give me an example? Moe and Curly are following their two oldest brothes into the military, but I still want a solid transcript for both of them if and when they do go to college.

 

you might want to check the sticky threads; I am sure the topic has come up every now and then.

 

I list course title, major topics covered, resources used, major works of literature studied, grading criteria, credit awarded. Any information that sheds more light on what the course entails. For courses from outside providers, I copy their short course description. For home designed courses, I provide more detail.

Other people choose different approaches.

 

Below some examples of my course descriptions.

Here's an example for a non-traditional home designed course which needed a longer description to do it justice:

 

World Literature: Medieval and Renaissance / Medieval and Renaissance History

1.0 credit English, 1.0 credit History

 

This is an integrated course combining history and literature of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, with a particular focus on England and Italy. Major works of literature studied include Beowulf, Canterbury Tales, Song of Roland, Nibelungenlied, Inferno, sonnets and various plays by Shakespeare. The student watched several live and recorded performances of Shakespeare’s plays. The course has a strong composition component; the student wrote essays about literary and historic topics and one research paper.

Textbook: Short History of Western Civilizations by John Harrison and Richard Sullivan

 

The student listened to the following audio lectures by the Teaching Company:

The Early Middle Ages, The High Middle Ages, The Late Middle Ages (72 lectures, Prof. Philip Daileader)

The Italian Renaissance (36 lectures, Prof. Kenneth Bartlett)

Dante’s Divine Comedy (15 lectures, Profs. William Cook and Ronald Herzman)

Each of these college level lecture is 30 minutes in length.

Shakespeare: The Word and the Action (selected lectures, Prof. Peter Saccio)

 

and here is one for a course which followed a more standard canon and required less explanation:

 

Chemistry with lab. 1.0 credit. 

Textbook: General Chemistry: The Essential Concepts by Raymond Chang

 

A comprehensive high school chemistry course, following an honors level syllabus.

Topics covered include stoichiometry, electronic structure of atoms, the periodic table, chemical bonding, covalent bond, molecular geometry and hybridization, aqueous solutions, gases, ideal gas law, thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, acids and bases, and nuclear chemistry.

The labs were performed with lab kit CK-S from Labpaq which, according to the manufacturer, is used with full year college chemistry courses and frequently used with full year regular and honors level high school courses. The evaluation was based on tests and lab reports.

 

and here a non-traditional language course:

 

 German Language and Culture. 1.0 credit

This is a course with a strong immersion component, designed for heritage speakers. The goals are to develop proficiency in German communication and to establish familiarity with German culture. In addition to interacting with native speakers throughout the school year, students spend 12 weeks in Germany living with a German family to facilitate total immersion.

Students use a variety of authentic audio, video and print media. They use German language in real-life settings such as family life, shopping, recreation and travel. Visits to museums and historic sites include the use of audio-visual equipment and guided tours.

Grade based on SAT II Subject Test.

 

 

ETA: Not all colleges require course descriptions. But some are glad for any additional information homeschoolers provide that gives them a better picture of the student's education.

Edited June 25, 2016 by regentrude