How to prepare for WHA high school courses

[ByGrace3]

My oldest will be in 8th next year... we have always been ... classically eclectic. I am content with where she is academically. We have been consistent and diligent...She can read, outline, take notes, write basic essays. She will finish prealgebra this summer. She is independent and diligent. Now, as most homeschool moms are familiar with at some point...I have this fear in the back of my mind that we are not doing "enough." Particularly, if we decide we want to go the WHA route for high school (a strong possibility) will she be ready? How important would it be for her to take a class in 8th grade? (thinking FOEW if we did 1). (If she doesn't take FOEW, I think I will have her take a logic course with Schole Academy since I feel I can do a better job teaching writing than logic) ?

(in particular I am considering WHA for GC and high school English)

and then on a completely separate line of thought... is WHA worth the $$$ (compared to cheaper options) ???? ?

[RootAnn]

2 hours ago, ByGrace3 said:

My oldest will be in 8th next year... we have always been ... classically eclectic. I am content with where she is academically. We have been consistent and diligent...She can read, outline, take notes, write basic essays. She will finish prealgebra this summer. She is independent and diligent. Now, as most homeschool moms are familiar with at some point...I have this fear in the back of my mind that we are not doing "enough." Particularly, if we decide we want to go the WHA route for high school (a strong possibility) will she be ready? How important would it be for her to take a class in 8th grade? (thinking FOEW if we did 1). (If she doesn't take FOEW, I think I will have her take a logic course with Schole Academy since I feel I can do a better job teaching writing than logic) ?

(in particular I am considering WHA for GC and high school English)

and then on a completely separate line of thought... is WHA worth the $$$ (compared to cheaper options) ???? ?

I'm eclectic without being classic enough to call myself classically eclectic. My oldest fit the Hive's definition of "behind" in writing in 9th grade. She was on track as far as Hive math level (not crazy advanced - Algebra in 8th, Geo in 9th, etc.) going into high school. We haven't chosen to use any one provider as our end-all, be-all. I continue to be eclectic in outside class choices by choosing the classes & providers that my kids need for different subjects. (I've certainly chosen some lemons in my time. But, I try to do my homework & match kid's needs w/what the provider is offering.)

I had a kid in FOEW last year (with a different teacher than who is doing it this year). It was an amazing class for a kid who knew how to write but hadn't done many essays or much literary analysis. There was also an emphasis on cutting down on errors like comma vs. semi-colon use, frequently confused words (your/you're, their/there/they're, lay/lie, its/it's), and other misc. items. The teacher took my (dd#2) good writer & kicked her writing up a notch. It was well worth her taking the class.

 I had a kid in Fundamentals of Academic Writing (FOAW - used to be "honors composition" / WHA's version of 9th grade English) the same year. FOAW was much less rigorous in terms of # of essays & homework time, much less organized, but it was exactly what my oldest needed to get her on track in writing.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that WHA gets all kinds - those who are below where they need to be, those who are exactly where they need to be, and those who already know the material & need challenged at a higher level. I don't think there is anything special you need to do (other than what you are already doing) to "prepare" for a WHA high school course.

It is helpful to have a kid take an outsourced class before it "counts" for the high school transcript because often there is a learning curve to the (class meeting) technology, outside deadlines, and the Canvas/Blackboard/etc. interface.

WHA doesn't really have a standard "english" class - even FOAW is considered somewhat 'remedial.' They count GC classes as English & History credits, I think. (We don't do GC classes.)

Is it worth the $$$$$$$? Depends. IMO, it isn't worth it if you are doing the class because WHA is "accredited." IMO, it is worth it if you don't feel like you can teach <insert subject> and WHA has a great teacher that can make the subject come alive for your kid. IMO, it is worth it if the class(es) you pick are the ones that you are having trouble getting your kid to do for you at home and that same kid responds 200% for a live teacher in a live class.

Do other providers have better classes in certain subjects? Maybe. It is a matter of fit. Goals of the class vs. your goals. Teacher personality & style vs. what your kid responds to.

My kid is taking two classes there this year. If I could rewind the clock, she'd definitely take one of them again (and I'd probably have sent her to WHA for this subject two years previously). She wouldn't be in the other one. We would have found a different provider because the class has not been worth the $$, and she might actually have lost ground in that subject this year. Your mileage may vary (YMMV). What one person loves might be another person's bottom of the barrel!

[ByGrace3]

9 hours ago, RootAnn said:

I'm eclectic without being classic enough to call myself classically eclectic. My oldest fit the Hive's definition of "behind" in writing in 9th grade. She was on track as far as Hive math level (not crazy advanced - Algebra in 8th, Geo in 9th, etc.) going into high school. We haven't chosen to use any one provider as our end-all, be-all. I continue to be eclectic in outside class choices by choosing the classes & providers that my kids need for different subjects. (I've certainly chosen some lemons in my time. But, I try to do my homework & match kid's needs w/what the provider is offering.)

I had a kid in FOEW last year (with a different teacher than who is doing it this year). It was an amazing class for a kid who knew how to write but hadn't done many essays or much literary analysis. There was also an emphasis on cutting down on errors like comma vs. semi-colon use, frequently confused words (your/you're, their/there/they're, lay/lie, its/it's), and other misc. items. The teacher took my (dd#2) good writer & kicked her writing up a notch. It was well worth her taking the class.

 I had a kid in Fundamentals of Academic Writing (FOAW - used to be "honors composition" / WHA's version of 9th grade English) the same year. FOAW was much less rigorous in terms of # of essays & homework time, much less organized, but it was exactly what my oldest needed to get her on track in writing.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that WHA gets all kinds - those who are below where they need to be, those who are exactly where they need to be, and those who already know the material & need challenged at a higher level. I don't think there is anything special you need to do (other than what you are already doing) to "prepare" for a WHA high school course.

It is helpful to have a kid take an outsourced class before it "counts" for the high school transcript because often there is a learning curve to the (class meeting) technology, outside deadlines, and the Canvas/Blackboard/etc. interface.

WHA doesn't really have a standard "english" class - even FOAW is considered somewhat 'remedial.' They count GC classes as English & History credits, I think. (We don't do GC classes.)

Is it worth the $$$$$$$? Depends. IMO, it isn't worth it if you are doing the class because WHA is "accredited." IMO, it is worth it if you don't feel like you can teach <insert subject> and WHA has a great teacher that can make the subject come alive for your kid. IMO, it is worth it if the class(es) you pick are the ones that you are having trouble getting your kid to do for you at home and that same kid responds 200% for a live teacher in a live class.

Do other providers have better classes in certain subjects? Maybe. It is a matter of fit. Goals of the class vs. your goals. Teacher personality & style vs. what your kid responds to.

My kid is taking two classes there this year. If I could rewind the clock, she'd definitely take one of them again (and I'd probably have sent her to WHA for this subject two years previously). She wouldn't be in the other one. We would have found a different provider because the class has not been worth the $$, and she might actually have lost ground in that subject this year. Your mileage may vary (YMMV). What one person loves might be another person's bottom of the barrel!

This is very helpful. Thank you. It's so hard to learn second hand about teachers and class expectations. I feel like I am taking a shot in the dark...and it is such an expensive shot.... not only fiscally but also an entire year commitment. 

We have an opportunity for a co-op writing class taught by a writing teacher, 1 hour a week for a fraction of the cost. I can commit to only the semester in case it doesn't work out... but then she will miss out on the opportunity of a solid online writing course.

Another option I have is sign up for logic through CAP which is a writing heavy course, alongside the in person writing course.... both of those would be cheaper than just WHA FOEW. 

I also considered Lux Writing. Maybe signing up for 1-2 months per semester. 

I feel like we have a lot of options, but I just want to make the right ones. LOL 

[olan719]

My DDs took a class with WHA this year in the 8th grade in preparation for their GC courses and possibly others in HS. We choose to do Don't Miss These Books 2, and it was a wonderful decision with a wonderful teacher. There is a pretty big learning curve with the technology of online classes plus dealing with accountability and deadlines, and I am so glad all that has been mastered ahead of time when it doesn't count for transcripts. I realize everyone has different experiences, but I can't sing the praises enough of our experience with WHA. This year my girls have mastered the technology, read numerous books and learned to deeply analyze them and discuss, did projects with live presentations and a few essays, interacted weekly with peers on discussions boards, and have grown leaps and bounds in their writing. Just last evening, as they were working on their final project using Power Point (a new skill for them this year), we were talking about all they have learned and how much they love WHA. They truly will miss their "friends" they have made. I must confess as I read their discussion board posts sometimes, I almost want to cry with pride at how deeply they analyze the books and express it so beautifully with their writing. As a homeschool mom, they have taken what I have taught them and WHA has bumped it up into a whole new level that I can't replicate at home. So yes, all that to say, for our family WHA was worth it money-wise and I'm thankful we did a class "ahead of time". We are looking forward to GC3 now!

[ByGrace3]

2 hours ago, olan719 said:

My DDs took a class with WHA this year in the 8th grade in preparation for their GC courses and possibly others in HS. We choose to do Don't Miss These Books 2, and it was a wonderful decision with a wonderful teacher. There is a pretty big learning curve with the technology of online classes plus dealing with accountability and deadlines, and I am so glad all that has been mastered ahead of time when it doesn't count for transcripts. I realize everyone has different experiences, but I can't sing the praises enough of our experience with WHA. This year my girls have mastered the technology, read numerous books and learned to deeply analyze them and discuss, did projects with live presentations and a few essays, interacted weekly with peers on discussions boards, and have grown leaps and bounds in their writing. Just last evening, as they were working on their final project using Power Point (a new skill for them this year), we were talking about all they have learned and how much they love WHA. They truly will miss their "friends" they have made. I must confess as I read their discussion board posts sometimes, I almost want to cry with pride at how deeply they analyze the books and express it so beautifully with their writing. As a homeschool mom, they have taken what I have taught them and WHA has bumped it up into a whole new level that I can't replicate at home. So yes, all that to say, for our family WHA was worth it money-wise and I'm thankful we did a class "ahead of time". We are looking forward to GC3 now!

Thank  you! So helpful!

Were you doing any "writing instruction" outside of/in addition to that class? I had considered those at one point and had forgotten about it...

[olan719]

1 hour ago, ByGrace3 said:

Thank  you! So helpful!

Were you doing any "writing instruction" outside of/in addition to that class? I had considered those at one point and had forgotten about it...

In the beginning of the school year, we did continue with IEW but it quickly became too much with everything we were doing. However, my DDs are natural writers with a strong background in IEW, Essentials from CC, and some WWS. So we just incorporated the skills they already had into their writing assignments and discussion boards in the literature class. We did continue to use CLE grammar at home though. DMTB2 is not a writing class, but some general writing instruction is incorporated (no grammar) along with a lot of presentation skills. The teacher also teaches Fundamentals of Research and Presentation, so those skills were an added bonus. 

It really depends on if you are looking for a literature analysis class with some writing, or a writing instruction class with some literature. I was looking for the former because books weren't getting read and discussed as much as I had hoped. FYI - I have heard that FOAW is required to graduate with WHA (but I'm not certain), so if that is your long-term plan, I would definitely check with WHA and do that class instead of literature. I imagine taking FOAW and GC at the same time is a LOT of reading and writing, but I know some do it.

[RootAnn]

FOAW doesn't have much reading at all. Most work is done inside of class. Outside class is maybe 30 min a day on non class days (if that) except when an essay is due (4-5 for the whole year, roughly). It is sooooo minimal time-wise, IMO. They designed it for kids who are taking a GC class at the same time.

The 8th grade class (FOEW) has more reading, more homework, more essays and not designed for kids who are also taking GC classes.

[olan719]

15 minutes ago, RootAnn said:

FOAW doesn't have much reading at all. Most work is done inside of class. Outside class is maybe 30 min a day on non class days (if that) except when an essay is due (4-5 for the whole year, roughly). It is sooooo minimal time-wise, IMO. They designed it for kids who are taking a GC class at the same time.

The 8th grade class (FOEW) has more reading, more homework, more essays and not designed for kids who are also taking GC classes.

Thanks for explaining the difference. With the LA course name changes in the last couple of years, I did not realize this.

[RootAnn]

While I think the FOAW (academic writing) name is much clearer and more accurate than "Honors composition," it does mean it is harder to figure out what people are talking about.

I think FOEW (expository writing) should be renamed, too. Perhaps "Intro to Literary Analysis" (ILA) or "Fundamentals of Literary Analysis." (FOLA)