Mom28kds Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 My 2 boys (one going into 9th and the other 7th) has decided to start a lawn business this summer. They already have some customers and word is spreading in our neighborhood. Are there any books that we can get or ideas as to how to make this a class/credit for school regarding starting or running a business? They are saving and planning on purchasing their own equipment. They've bought shirts and my older daughter has set up a spreadsheet to keep track of their accounts and keep track where their money should go into the business. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 This will stand out far more as an extracurricular, imo. Jobs are great ECs, even more so when it's your own small business. You can certainly create a class also if they want to delve into some books on entrepreneurship, money/finance, and so on. I'm not entirely sure I would want to do this, though, because it sounds like they are the ones making this business happen, and a homeschool class connected to it would probably make me think it was more of a parent-driven activity. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 Totally agree with katilac — it will be much more impressive as an EC than a "course." Putting it on the transcript as a class implies it was parent-directed, and it will look much better as a self-directed EC. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom28kds Posted July 13, 2019 Author Share Posted July 13, 2019 Thank you! I'm new to this high school thing and direction is what I need :) I was under the impression that it was fine to take things that the kids were interested in and allow them to pursue it further and get high school credit for it. I've seen kids do music or art on their own and get credit for it. I'm just trying to understand why business is different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 It IS fine for kids to pursue their interests and for you to give credit. The thing that they're advising against is "double dipping" - putting it down as a class AND an extracurricular. Kids who are interested in the arts typically have some things that are art/dance/theater classes for credit and some things that are art/dance/theater extracurriculars. So, for example, "Modern Plays" or "Characters in Acting" might be a class. Playing Ado Annie in Oklahoma at the student theater or designing lighting for Our Town at the community theater might be more like an extracurricular. The lines aren't solid. You get to pick and choose how to put things down (benefits of homeschooling!). And some people DO think it's okay to double dip and list things twice. Also, if a student is doing a ton of something, then you might mentally mark out part of it to satisfy a credit. For example, I counted my ds's pilates and strength and conditioning stuff that he does as part of his overall dance program as his PE credits, which he needs to have here (not everyone gives PE credits, so that's another story). But the rest is his extracurricular. For the business, you can break it up some. The actual business and running of it is probably better as an extracurricular, but maybe they'd like to do an entrepreneurship or economics class to go along with it - that would add to their understanding of business and complement the extracurricular. Or maybe you want to give time during math class for them to do their books. Or maybe they need a half of a fine arts credit and you want to make it "art and design for advertising" and have them create logos and a website for themselves, which they might not have done otherwise. Things like that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 2 hours ago, Mom28kds said: Thank you! I'm new to this high school thing and direction is what I need 🙂 I was under the impression that it was fine to take things that the kids were interested in and allow them to pursue it further and get high school credit for it. I've seen kids do music or art on their own and get credit for it. I'm just trying to understand why business is different? You most certainly can turn the business into a class. However, if they are planning on going to college, you are going to need to decide whether it is going to be a course that gets credit OR an extracurricular (not both). What people are suggesting (and I am also suggesting) is that it would be an awesome extracurricular. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 If you want a class in small business, Monarch has one. https://www.aop.com/curriculum/shop-monarch/small-business-entrepreneurship In my opinion, doing a separate class should not mean you can't list their job/business expereince on a resume. (I"m agreeing with how Farrar explained it and adding one specific option for curriculum materials). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 I agree with all of the above. You could add something like the Monarch thing or IEW's Lemonade to Leadership. Or, just count it as an extracurricular on its own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 I will give two examples. My dd#1 who is a rising college freshman, did karate for several years. I counted zero of it for PE (as I made her complete a separate Health & Fitness credit) but she listed it as a long-term extra curricular activity. My dd#2 incorporated a non profit in our area and serves on its Board of Directors. She could turn it into a credit in so many ways as she's had to learn a lot about the process on the non-profit side; worked on her public speaking, fundraising, and design/marketing skills; and done a ton of research and hands on work with felines (her non profit is a feral cat TNR). Instead, it will be listed as an extra curricular. The skills she's learned are bonuses & will help in her other schoolwork & life. On the other hand, she is also an author/illustrator. I gave her credit for creative writing her Freshman year - counting her writing time with the Novel Writing classes she worked through (not live) to get the "instruction" part of the credit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 1 hour ago, cbollin said: In my opinion, doing a separate class should not mean you can't list their job/business expereince on a resume. You can. My concern with doing so is that an EC that is partnered with a class makes me think that the EC is parent-driven and I wouldn't want to give that impression. This is going to be more important if the student is aiming for scholarships, honors programs, or more selective colleges. Mostly, I don't see an upside to doing so unless you are short on credits. It's just more work, lol. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom28kds Posted July 13, 2019 Author Share Posted July 13, 2019 Thank you all!! I think I'm hearing that in the end to just use it as an extra curricular and enjoy the process of learning. It might be useful on a resume as to the quality of the individual. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.