Homeschooling with an infant? Curriculum?

[organicmom3]

The baby is due in March....I have a 9th grader (10th grade next year) and a 5th grader (next year 6th)...this year with the unexpected pregnancy was really difficult, especially with it being my 9th grader's first year of 'high school' and my attempts to get her to be a little bit more organized and independent (not going well) and courses she really had to study for and was not used to having to do so after school hours (like biology).....

I can't imagine what next year will be like with my limited time to each of them...besides the baby, we eat nothing but whole foods so a lot of my time is spent in the kitchen too....

So I'm searching ( a little frantically) for curriculum that will at least take planning time away from me and be something they can usually work on independently....I want to be involved...but I can't sit there for hours every day. I'm looking for something that will maybe only require an hour or so of my time each day if necessary. I've even considered a cyber school but that is not really what I want. I've considered SOS for some courses, or lifepacs.... We do teaching textbooks for math and that I'm NOT switching...

does anyone have any other suggestions as to what I can look at for the other academic subjects? I'm mostly concerned about my daughter, who will be the tenth grader...I want good solid curriculum for her as we want a good trasncript in the end in case she ends up wanting to go to college......

[Smithie]

Hmmm, interesting problem...

1. You've got a math program that works for you, that's awesome!

2. What has been your approach so far to history/literature/language arts? Are you doing the 4-year classical cycle? The first thing I'd do if trying to minimize my teaching time and encourage independence is to integrate the daily work in those three subjects - and then present them as three separate subjects on the transcript.

3. I'd also start requiring daily written reports/notebook pages/journaling on readings that you assign. That's some that can be done under your eagle eye, but without your undivided attention. And a year of that would certain add up to "English II: Intro to American Literature" or something like that on the transcript!

4. If you can afford it, I'd buy virtual courses for your high schooler in a science and a foreign language for the next three years, and depending on her mathematical aptitude, maybe Calculus in her senior year? You want her to be prepared to take the AP test in several subjects, if an impressive transcript is your goal. I plan to also have my kids take a AP US History virtual course, even though our work is very history-focused, because I want them to be specifically prepped for the material on the APUS exam.

5. And on that note - I'd sign your elder daughter up to take the PSAT in tenth grade, so you can see where she's at in the estimation of the College Board, and she can practice the esoteric art of test-taking.

[zjande]

I'm not familiar with the laws in PA, but will your DD be able to graduate soon? Here in OR my DD took the GED test when she was 16. She passed & was able to go on into college. She's 18 now & enjoying college. Perhaps you won't need to be "the teacher" for that much longer... Although it sounds like you feel she still needs some work in a few areas (like spelling) so she may need another yr or 2 before she's ready for graduation. ? I thought I'd throw that idea out there though.

As for what we used curriculum wise, we didn't so I'm totally unhelpful there. My DD resisted schooling soooooo veryvery much. It was such a struggle. Very long irrelevant story cut short: we unschooled. I did provide her with the book Teenage Liberation Handbook, hoping she'd be interested in helping me put together some schooling for herself, but she was never interested.

As for my 6th grader this yr, I love Story of the World for history. I put all the suggested books on hold at the library (a HUGE time saver for me! I love that I can put books on hold online & then run in & pick them up at my convenience), & he's able to do the reading & many of the activities all on his own. We use Growing with Grammar & a mix of Challenge Math & Saxon. That's my core. Those 3 he's able to do mostly on his own & they all have nice answer keys- another time saver. Back in the day before I had a pile of kids I used to just put school work together myself, no curricula or answer keys. I don't have time for that now!

We briefly tried a cyber (like) school for my DD when she was about 14, but the workload was enormous. It didn't work for us.

Regarding homeschooling with an infant, don't worry! It can be done. Just like in all other areas of your life, you will slowly ease into a new routine with Baby. And actually, it's much much easier with a newborn than with a busy toddler! So you will have plenty of time to ease your way into things. You'll just do a lot of schooling while breastfeeding. Sometimes, when I feel myself starting to totally freak out over the years ahead- someday I'll be homeschooling at least 4 kids at once- I just think of the Duggars! If they can homeschool their huge herd, I can homeschool my small herd!

[ChristaN]

Your title left me concerned that you were trying to homeschool your infant - lol!

I really like this science program: http://www.superchargedscience.com/escience-intro.htm and she offers a free one month trial for $1.

[Mamax3]

I know how you are feeling. I just began homeschooling my middle schooler (7th grade) and had a baby 2 weeks ago. I was a bit overwelmed by the whole idea. I chose Calvert curriculum because everything is planned out for me and all the books/supplies came together in the box. I know Calvert doesn't go beyond the 8th grade so that won't help you, but perhaps you can find something similar. I am very new to all of this, so not very helpful, but really just wanted to offer moral support.