Anyone homeschooling a high school aged child?!

[teastaigh]

If you're out there, I'd love to hear from you ... how it's going and what it's like for you as a mom and your child.

My oldest is in 9th grade. We've been homeschooling since kindergarten. It's been a great path for us despite

not always having great support outside of the home for what we're doing.

I feel like he's learning very well, that I'm over-taxed and struggling to keep up although we have hours of wonderful

time reading and discussing together. Mostly, I'm feeling wistful because he's bigger than me and needs to shave.

How about you?

peace,

teastaigh

[sewchris2642]

I will be next year.  Dylan is in 8th grade this year.  Ninth grade starts high school here.  He will be my first to home school for high school.  The girls were all in public school by then.  Dylan became bigger than me this year.  He is now taller than his much older sisters as well.  By the time he stops growing he will be bigger than dh.  Since he is a clone of his dad, he probably won't have to shave until he is in his 20s, at least not every day.  When we get to the point when I can't teach, then we will learn together.  He has always known that his parents don't have all the answers but we are always ready to find out the answers together.

[DBZ]

I just started homeschooling my 9th grader. She isn't taller then me and I am guessing she won't be shaving any time soon (her face that is). One of my doulas (she was at my 3rd birth) has homeschooled and her oldest is 17 now. They are planning how "graduation" will work.

[moominmamma]

I have two teens who have been exclusively homeschooled through the end of 9th grade, then part-time homeschooled thereafter. My eldest just turned 18 and is living on her own and studying in a city thousands of miles away. It sounds like you're much more involved in implementing your ds's homeschooling than I've been. My kids' homeschooling has been very independent from about age 11-12 onwards. They've not only shaped and plotted the course of their education during their teen years but done most of the day-to-day work on their own. If you're feeling over-taxed already, perhaps you could move towards a more independent model of learning for your ds.

Miranda

[Queen Gwen]

I have a sophomore and a 6th grader.  Wow, that's hard to believe.

These days we're trying to figure out things like dual enrollment, and pondering college applications in the (relatively) near future.  The high schooler has done the ACT once so far -- next year she'll have to really get serious about ACT and SAT.  I'm sort of weirded out by all of this, because it all seems so REAL now.  Years ago when we were mummifying a chicken it was just fun, but now I can really see a lifetime trajectory forming (okay, I know it was forming way back then, but it was less obvious -- EVERYONE mummifies a chicken, right? so it didn't seem like the daily choices we made were deliberately opening and closing various doors).

She's taking a couple of classes in a co-op -- science and history.  I have to grade tests for those, but that's about it.  Actually, that's about all I do for math -- she's using one of the Lial's algebra books(I think it's Intermediate Algebra, which is equivalent to Algebra 2), which is pretty much set up to be self-taught since it's more of a college textbook. The big struggle is getting her to actually complete her work for English composition.  She'll do grammar just for fun, but getting her to write is like pulling teeth.

Heh, I was just thinking that I rarely post here anymore because no one has high schoolers on this board.  Then I happened to cruise by and see your post.

[greenmama]

My 12 yo is planning to homeschool again next year, but she wants a curriculum which clearly outlines what she will do so she can do it herself without me deciding what she should be doing. Her preference is for an online school. It seems we will end up doing K-12 which we are ok with, but not crazy about... I just wish we could find other choices.  I strongly want whatever she chooses to be college prep, many things I find with internet searches are really GED equivalent not college prep, and that is not what I want.  A complicating factor is that we are not christian and do not want a christian curriculum.

[zebra15]

I seem to be 'late' to a number of threads these days.

My ds 11 is doing high school work in a number of classes but we unschool for others.

He is taking classes via CTY at Johns Hopkins and is self paced for Math, Science and Computer Science.  

If he was in public school he would be in 5th grade but we all know that's just not going to work.  Right now he is finishing up Algebra1, and this is the 1st course that I was totally unable to help him with.  He is also taking French via Rosetta Stone and again, I'm not taking it along with him so I'm useless right now.

We are also doing some read together time, and 'Alice in Wonderland' is probably next on the list.  yes DS there is another version besides Disney lol.  He also reads for hours a day on his own accord.  A couple years ago he set a weekly goal of 1k pages a week. He seems to meet that goal almost every week.  (I want to personally thank the inventor of the e-reader concept)

I am starting to really keep track of what DS accomplishes and create something of a transcript for admissions reasons and well... scholarship reasons too.  Algebra is going to be our 1st official 'credit'.  GO TEAM!

I am dealing with a child on the 'gifted' spectrum, asynchronous development and family issues as well.

[tankgirl73]

My son is "in grade 8" right now - if he were in school anyway.  We don't pay much attention to grade levels at home (a bit, but not a whole lot).  He participates in the middle school band program, so knowing his school grade level is important for that.

Next year will be 'high school' for him -- we'll need to set things up with the high school band program. I actually was going over the high school courses manual with him the other day, to encourage him to think about what his preference would be -- it's not a bad school, as public high schools go, and there are a LOT of interesting courses in there he'd really enjoy.  But he still says he definitely wants to still homeschool next year.  We'll take it a year at a time at this point.  

He's never been to school.  He's ADHD and Asperger's, and learning at home is a lot less stressful for him than a classroom. Now that he's getting older though, and learning his 'coping mechanisms' and he has many good friends through music programs and is starting to mature a little bit -- if he chose to go to high school that would be okay with me.  :)  

Oh and he's still a skinny shrimp (only 75lbs) nowhere near shaving.  He'll be 14 in May.  :)

[greenmama]

So what are you home high schoolers doing curriculum wise.  I'm considering K-12 for next year, but really looking for more choices and not finding much.

[moominmamma]

We're pretty unschooly.

For math and science, we've used what the local (Canadian) public school uses. Basically solid curriculum, though the science is a little light-weight, so we supplement liberally with hands-on stuff, DVDs, etc. I like the focus on regional ecology and technology, though. My youngest is almost ready for high school math and I think I'm going to do something different with her. Probably Singapore New Syllabus Math.

English/language arts is just as you'd imagine unschooling to be: reading self-chosen literature, creative writing for fun, for communication, blogging from inspiration, watching movie adaptations of books, reading magazines, newspapers, on-line articles, family discussions about literature, reviewing books on-line at Goodreads.com or Amazon, attending plays, etc. etc.

PE is just what we do as a family. Hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, weight training, running, downhill skiing, skating, swimming.

Creativity/arts, again, no curriculum, but plenty of robust experiences through choral and instrumental music learning, ensembles, workshops and such. My kids do digital artwork, stop-motion animation, music editing. And occasional arts and crafts forays: pottery workshops, knitting projects, outdoor sculpture, etc.

For second language learning we've primarily used Rosetta Stone. 

History/geography/civics/"social studies" again, unschooled: historical fiction, foreign and domestic travel, history and geography-focused DVD documentaries, following politics and economics in the media (podcasts, blogs, vlogs, TV, magazines, newspapers). Participation in local community activism. 

My three older kids have eventually all done some of their academics at our local public school and they've had almost no difficulty transitioning from our very "loose" approach to the teacher-structured curricular approach in the classroom. We made no systematic effort to prepare them for the shift. Our loose approach gave them plenty of experience self-structuring and self-motivating, which has stood them in good stead in figuring out how to succeed in a high school where a lot of independent studying and project work are expected. Whereas their classmates were more accustomed to having everything laid out for them as in elementary and middle school, my kids had the independent study skills that high school (here, at least) expects.

Miranda

[tankgirl73]

Curriculum:

Math -- been using LiveOnline Pre-Algebra this year, will probably finish that sometime this spring and jump right into Algebra, so he'll be well into Algebra for grade 9.  We also supplement with Life of Fred, he's in "Pre-Algebra II with Economics" and will continue with Beginning Algebra.  Also using RightStart Geometric Approach -- this is their middle school program, which we started and are taking a break from only because we had too much on the go and he was actually more interested in Algebra right now.  It's a fantastic program so we're definitely going back to it when we have tie.

English/Formal Writing -- currently using IEW's SWI-B course, almost finished.  Will follow that up with SICC-B, the continuation course, which will take him well into grade 9.  Following that, maybe their "Elegant Essay" course.

Literature -- no formal program right now, occasionally we've done some BraveWriter unit studies (Arrow), not sure if we'll do more like that or not.  I just let him read lots of good books.  :)

Philosophy/Logic -- got some nice workbooks on philosophy and logic/argument for teens, I'll have to look them up if you're interested, I can't remember the titles off the top of my head.

History -- he's currently working through Intellego's WWII unit study, which is quite in-depth.  We're likely going to go into History Odyssey level II Medieval History next, then work forward and go up to level III in another year or so.

Science -- currently about halfway through NOEO Physics III.  We have Chemistry III ready and waiting, he's quite keen to start that.  He's really enjoying the science stuff (we're going through Physics at double pace, two lessons per day, every day).  Hopefully by the time we're done Chem they'll have their Biology III course ready, otherwise I'm not sure what we'll do next.

Computer -- he finished the KidCoder course last fall.  When we have time in the schedule again, we've got the TeenCoder course ready to go.

Arts -- Ancient Art and the Orchestra is serving as music history/appreciation as well as art history.  Also have Meet the Masters -- currently on break, looking forward to having time for it again.

French -- he's in book 5 of l'art de lire (which I would NOT recommend buying new, since she's become completely unresponsive and you're not likely to get your materials, but it's fine if you can get a used copy) which goes to book 6.  Considering trying First Start French level 2 as a followup, not quite sure yet.

We've also got dribs and drabs of various other 'elective' kinds of things.  More Intellego unit studies on topics he requested, music theory, music lessons (he's a wee bit of a musician), etc etc.

[Queen Gwen]

We used RightStart Geometry, too!  Our sixth grader is currently somewhere in the midst of it right now.  She alternates with the Key to ... series, reviewing decimals right now.

Okay high school curriculum:  

Math has been Jacob's Algebra 1 (in 8th grade), Jacob's Geometry (she thought RightStart was an excellent preparation, by the way) and is now doing Lial's for Algebra 2.

Science this year is Kinetic Physics, Principles of Physics, which is prep for the AP Physics-B exam.  I think there's some issue with homeschoolers getting the test answers if you want to do it yourself at home, but the co-op was able to get all the bits and pieces. Last year she took Apologia Biology -- excellent teacher at a different co-op, but dd scorned the text.  We will never use Apologia again.  Next year a friend has lined up a PhD chemist to run classes, including labs, in his home for a handful of kids.

We've teamed up history with literature.  Last year she read Susan Wise Bauer's History of the Ancient World, writing essays about various chapters; in the meantime, we listened to the Iliad and the Odyssey, read Gilgamesh, etc., watched lectures from The Teaching Company on the works we were studying, watched "O Brother, Where Art Thou" to compare and contrast, etc. etc.  this year she's doing Notgrass World History, which I wouldn't recommend to anyone (it's in a co-op, and an easy way to get a credit), although some of the lit selections aren't horrible. She does Analytical Grammar for fun, zipping through the main text and now working her way through the review books.  We're also doing Jensen's Format Writing this year.

I think those are the biggies most people talk about, right?  Then there's a bunch of other stuff -- lots of theatre classes, technical theatre, Harmony Fine Arts (I think that was the name of it) along with classes from an art teacher, personal finance (required by our state -- we used Dave Ramsey). And lots of extracurricular stuff -- things we won't bother putting on a transcript -- musical theater, dance, Shakespeare workshops, piano, voice lessons, choral groups, etc. etc.

[sewchris2642]

LA--McGuffey's 4th Reader, Progressive Speller, and Harvey's Grammar.  Also books from the library--we will be starting Uncle Tom's Cabin as part of US history leading up to the Civil War.

Math--Saxon Algebra 1/2.  Dylan is redoing algebra 1/2 because of the crappy book he had last year in 7th grade at the charter school.

History--The Americans (McDougal Littell, a high school history book), books, DVDS, online websites, and current events

Science--Focus on Physical Science (Prentice Hall, CA edition) with hands on investigations, DVDs, websites, online research, library

Spanish--through an outside class; meets once a week with homework supervised by dh.

PE--walking, hiking, bike riding, weight lifting, discussions on nutrition, health effects of foods, drinking, and drugs, cooking, healthy habits, personal hygiene, sex and puberty.

I tie LA, history, and science together as much as possible.  So we are using Uncle Tom's Cabin in LA and researching inventions during the time period between the War of 1812 and the Civil War in science.