Seventh grade?

[annettemarie]

My oldest is going to be starting seventh grade, and I have realized that I've officially reached the end of my knowledge. What do seventh graders do? What do you use? What do you love What do you hate? What do you see as the main focus on the seventh and eighth grade years?

[moominmamma]

I have a 7th grader this year, my third. I love this age. They're ready for high school type learning in areas of interest, they are competent researchers and implementers of their own programs and when keen they tend to be welcomed into activities intended primarily for adults. They often develop strong academic interests at this age, as they're starting to see themselves as having a role in general society and so they seek out challenge and direct teaching in areas where they want to improve their competence. It's not like a switch suddenly gets thrown, but in my experience you start seeing these things take hold at about age 12.

In terms of resources we're fairly unschooly, but this year my dd has really enjoyed Singapore's secondary math curriculum "New Math Counts" supplemented by Khan Academy, Rosetta Stone French, and a general science course used in the high schools here in BC, Canada. She's also taken courses in First Aid and pottery, taught herself a bunch of different digital animation techniques and skills, read a ton of ancient history, joined the local cross-country team, joined an adult choral ensemble and vastly improved her violin playing and ensemble skills.

Don't know if this is helpful.

Miranda

[Rebecca2009]

We just started 7th grade using  Catholic Heritage Curricula and my daughter and I both are loving it.  We just returned to homeschooling after her having been in public school for 2nd through 6th.  It's so great to have her home again.  She is really enjoying her studies, whereas at school she was just stressed out.  

Math is not my strong point at all, we are using Saxon Math and it's very incremental and well laid out.  So far it is going well for us. 

[Rebecca2009]

moominmamma, how do you like the Rosetta Stone French....I was thinking about using that at some point.

[annettemarie]

It really does help, thank you! I don't know why I am feeling kind of panicky over this.

[moominmamma]

Originally Posted by Rebecca2009 

moominmamma, how do you like the Rosetta Stone French....I was thinking about using that at some point.

I think it's quite fabulous. The challenge for us is just making sure it gets used often enough (at least 3-4 times a week) that things stay really fresh and ready to be further built upon.

Miranda