sheryl Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 (edited) I seldom post here but I need help for dd's electives. When I started homeschooling her in 2006 it was suggested only 3 electives were needed for graduation. I'm embarrassed beyond belief to say that somewhere along the line the minimum requirements for high school graduation from our state's public schools now show students earning 6 credits for electives. Right now she only has 3. She was supposed to have graduated this week but she is a year behind so she'll finish June 2018. With the bit she needs to make up, she'll also need 3 more elective hours, I guess. Right? So far she has: Bible 1.0Music 0.5 Cooking 0.5 That's only 2 credits, so she needs 4 more in electives! Yikes! Again, when I started homeschooling it showed 3 credits and I never even thought to doubt that going forward into her high school! ????? And, what to do with Geography? Ideas we are considering - she has NOT taken these: Spanish 3 (1.0) Photography (0.5) Sewing (0.5) Edited June 18, 2017 by sheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 From my perspective, everyone needs higher financial and emotional IQ, so that's what I'd be looking to. Does her photography class include IT stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted June 18, 2017 Author Share Posted June 18, 2017 Hey Rosie! My bad - I just eta the line "Ideas we are considering - she has not taken these". She hasn't had the photography, Spanish 3 or sewing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted June 18, 2017 Author Share Posted June 18, 2017 (edited) She's taken Econ for 1/2 credit (1 semester) that is recommended for seniors. I really like that idea though and need to consider financial planning for 1/2 credit maybe. Edited June 18, 2017 by sheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 Instead of .5 for Photography, why not bump it up to a full credit and make it multimedia or whatever cute young things today call all the computer designy, web publishing stuff? Financial planning, reading about entrepreneurialism even if she doesn't want to be one because it's a different perspective, play the Cashflow 101 board game. Other people who know about planning people's senior years will have better ideas than I do, I'm sure. Then maybe psychology or philosophy, something about people. That should fill up 4 credits, with the Spanish and sewing, no? If you want geography, make it politics and count that as being about people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 If your state (like mine) doesn't require four full years of math, science, social studies, and foreign language, but you insist upon them anyway, that's a bunch of electives right there. My state only requires three years of math, for instance, but unless my kids have a really good reason for doing otherwise, they'll have four years of math, so that fourth is an elective. A second language could be an elective. My rising tenth grader wants a separate creative writing elective next year, so that'll be a half or whole credit. Fine arts appreciation will also likely be a partial credit. There's also art, music, photography, economics, oceanography, psychology, Bible, home economics, child development, woodworking, a particular type of literature separate from the main lit (like a separate poetry or drama course). . . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 (edited) General Ideas for Electives: - Academic Electives (additional credits beyond the required credits for English, Math, Science, Social Studies or Foreign Language) - additional credits in Fine Arts -- performance, studio arts, visual arts, or appreciation courses Dance - folk, Irish, ballroom, ballet, tap, jazz... Theater - acting, stage crew, props or costume design... Music - instrument, chorus, composing, Garage Band compositions, etc. Film Appreciation studio arts - drawing, watercolor, oils visual arts - photography, filmmaking, digital arts - credits in non-traditional studio arts jewelry making woodworking stained glass fused glass - "traditional" school requirements as electives Health PE Driver's Ed Computer Bible/Religious studies Logic Career Exploration Study Skills - credits in life skill areas sewing cooking nutrition personal finance auto and/or home maintenance Family & Consumer Science (Home Ec) - credits in Computer/Technology (CTE) Web Design Computer Literacy Computer Science CAD Programming Networking - credits in topic of special interest to the student boat building blacksmithing... - credits in Vocational/Technical areas electronics culinary arts criminal justice skilled labor areas early childhood development agriculture emergency responder... Edited June 18, 2017 by Lori D. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 I seldom post here but I need help for dd's electives. When I started homeschooling her in 2006 it was suggested only 3 electives were needed for graduation. I'm embarrassed beyond belief to say that somewhere along the line the minimum requirements for high school graduation from our state's public schools now show students earning 6 credits for electives. Right now she only has 3. She was supposed to have graduated this week but she is a year behind so she'll finish June 2018. With the bit she needs to make up, she'll also need 3 more elective hours, I guess. Right? So far she has: Bible 1.0 Music 0.5 Cooking 0.5 That's only 2 credits, so she needs 4 more in electives! Yikes! Again, when I started homeschooling it showed 3 credits and I never even thought to doubt that going forward into her high school! ????? And, what to do with Geography? Ideas we are considering - she has NOT taken these: Spanish 3 (1.0) Photography (0.5) Sewing (0.5) I'm curious what state you're in. In most states that I'm familiar with that require a lot of electives, it's because a lot of what most homeschoolers provide (e.g. 4 years of math, or 4 years of history/social science) isn't actually a requirement. Is it possible that you've got some courses you think of as required that are technically elective in your jurisdiction? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 (edited) And, what to do with Geography? Geography is a Social Studies credit, just as History, Economics, and Government are all Social Studies credits. (Also, Philosophy, Anthropology, Sociology, Archeology, and Political Science are all Social Studies credits.) If DD has more than the required number of Social Studies credits (usually between 2-4 credits), then that Geography could be an Academic Elective in the Social Studies area. :) ...it was suggested only 3 electives were needed for graduation... ... somewhere along the line the minimum requirements for high school graduation from our state's public schools now show students earning 6 credits for electives... ...Right now she only has 3. She was supposed to have graduated this week but she is a year behind so she'll finish June 2018. With the bit she needs to make up, she'll also need 3 more elective hours, I guess. Right?... First, as a homeschooler, ARE you required to accomplish that same list of credits as the public school students? Check your state's regulations; a majority of states do NOT require homeschoolers to complete a particular set of credits for high school graduation. If not, then no need to worry about it. :) If not constrained to follow public school requirements, then YOU as the parent administrator of YOUR homeschool set the credit requirements for graduation. :) If there are no rules you have to follow about credits for high school graduation, then what would be more important is to accomplish the credits required for admission to a majority of colleges, in order to keep future doors open for DD, in case she will be heading towards college at some point in the future. That list of credits will look something like this: 4 credits = English 3-4 credits = Math -- Alg. 1, Geom., Alg. 2 -- and some colleges require a 4th math above Alg. 2 2-4 credits = Social Studies -- many colleges want 1.0 credit Amer. Hist., and some also want 0.5 credit each Econ and Gov't 3-4 credits = Science 2-4 credits = Foreign Language 1 credit = Fine Arts 4-8 credits = Electives** 20-24+ credits = total ...So far she has: Bible 1.0 Music 0.5 Cooking 0.5 That's only 2 credits, so she needs 4 more in electives... ... Ideas we are considering - she has NOT taken these: Spanish 3 (1.0) Photography (0.5) Sewing (0.5) It's hard to advise without knowing what has been completed in each year. :) Could you provide a list of credits for each year of high school? So, just guessing from what you mention in your post and from the materials listed in your signature, it looks like you have the following credits completed for this year: 1.0 credit = English (Abeka Grammar + American & World Lit + Vocab from Classical Roots) 1.0 credit = Math: Geometry (MUS) 1.0 credit = Social Studies: World History (Notgrass) 0.5 credit = Social Studies: Economics 1.0 credit = Science: Chemistry (Abeka + Apologia labs) 1.0 credit = Foreign Language: Spanish 2 (Learnables) 1.0 credit = Elective: Violin 2 -- if you have a Violin 1 credit, that can be your Fine Arts, so this can be an Elective 2.0 credit = Elective: PE -- signature says this is year 8 of Horseback Riding; surely that + other physical activities over the past 4 years accumulates to at least TWO credits of PE And you also list the following: 0.5 credit = Elective: Music 1.0 credit = Elective: Bible 0.5 credit = Elective: Cooking 0.5 credit = Elective: Photography 0.5 credit = Elective: Sewing All together from signature and your post, that looks like 6.0 credits = Electives. My suggestion for your "bonus" 12th grade year, rather than worrying about Electives, I would focus on getting solid amounts of academic credits to be "college prep" -- even if college is possibly coursework at a community college: 1.0 credit = English 1.0 credit = Math: Algebra 2* 1.0 credit = Social Studies** 1.0 credit = Science*** 1.0 credit = Foreign Language: Spanish 3 0.5 credit = Elective: Sewing 0.5 credit = Elective: Photography 6.0 credits = total * = since DD is just finishing Geometry, keep moving forward with Algebra 2 next year; OR, if that is not feasible for DD, consider a Math credit in Consumer Math, or Bookkeeping, or Accounting that would give her real life practical Math helps for her future ** = if you've not already done American History or Gov't consider doing that; otherwise, if you have done those topics, then either do a Social Studies of interest, or drop Social Studies and do an Elective of interest or that will help prepare DD for the future *** = if you have only completed 2.0 credits of Science total in high school, then pick a Science area of interest and complete a third credit; otherwise can drop Science and do an Elective of interest or that will help prepare DD for the future I would probably count the Spanish 3 as another Foreign Language credit, rather than as an Elective, as some colleges do require 3 rather than 2 credits of a Foreign Language. OR, if it is unlikely that DD would head to a 4-year university at any point, and iIf DD has most of her core academic credits covered (English, Math, Social Studies, Science, Foreign Language), then one option is to use some of the Elective credits to pursue either additional coursework to prepare DD for real life, or to do some Vocational-Technical types of courses -- possibly as dual enrollment at your local Community College. Some areas offer FREE dual enrollment classes, so that might be worth checking into. Ideas of courses that would be very practical and useful: - computer literacy - personal finance - public speaking - driver's ed - other home ec / family consumer science topics Vocational-tech courses can also be very helpful in getting a jump on working on an Associate's degree or a 1-year certificate that would help DD with future work/career options -- and those make great Electives. :) BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D. Edited June 19, 2017 by Lori D. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 I have looked online at what many private schools offer for electives. I, personally, find that interesting to look at, but it also has given me ideas for electives my DS could do, along with sample course descriptions. My DS will be doing a "culture and history" elective for the foreign language he is studying. If your daughter is at Spanish 3 level, she should be able to read some books in Spanish, maybe read and follow recipes written in Spanish, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnMyOwn Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 (edited) How about something like accounting or psychology? Either one of those might lead to a career interest. Potter's School offers an Intro to Nursing course that always looked interesting to me. FundaFunda offers Programing courses at different levels and a course on computer applications. Edited June 18, 2017 by OnMyOwn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 "Electives" simply means "courses of the student's choice beyond the specified graduation requirements." So, if your state requires two years of science in the minimum graduation requirements, but you did four, that's two electives. Whether you are missing credits depends on which requirements you are trying to meet and what classes you have already done. There are many different requirements. For example, in high school counseling, we have a chart that shows 1. Minimum requirements for a state public high school diploma 2. Minimum requirements for state public university admissions 3. Minimum requirements for NCAA division I scholarships None of these are the same as the requirements of our homeschool law. Make sure that you're not chasing elective credits you don't really need. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 Make sure that you're not chasing elective credits you don't really need. How many total credits do you need? If you've taken more math or social sciences or science, or anything else, then you've already fulfilled the # of electives. You've had lots of good suggestions for electives. My kids have done PE, Health, Personal finance, and fine arts electives. In addition each will have a number of non-required courses in academic areas that they are interested which all count as electives. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 :iagree: I once commented that my dd#1 had very little in terms of electives. Lori D correctly pointed out that dd#1's excessive foreign language credits WERE her electives. I have way more ideas for electives than my dd#1 has time for. Luckily, I have four more kids to try to use them on. :thumbup1: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted June 19, 2017 Share Posted June 19, 2017 ...Lori D correctly pointed out that dd#1's excessive foreign language credits WERE her electives... [whispering so as to not sidetrack the thread -- actually that was happypamama who pointed that out ;) ] I have way more ideas for electives than my dd#1 has time for. Luckily, I have four more kids to try to use them on. :thumbup1: lol. Ain't it the truth -- always way more cool classes to do than we would ever be able to do, even if we did homeschool high school for TEN years. ;) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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