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Across the Fence:  High School Homeschooling Question  |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
 Posted - May 05 2011 : 3:54:06 PM
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Hi girls -
Are any of you homeschooling through high school? What program(s) are you using? We used Veritas Omnibus in 7th grade, and were a little overwhelmed, but our son has come to us and wants to go back to it for high school. We were leaning toward returning to that for 9th grade.. but then I found Kolbe Academy's program and am now not sure which to use. If you have any experience with either curriculum during high school, I'd really appreciate your feedback. And if you have insight into any of the other high school curricula out there, I'd really be interested to hear your thoughts on those as well!
Thanks so much! I really, really appreciate your insight!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2011 : 8:57:13 PM
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Nini, we homeschooled my two through high school and they were very prepared for college and did great. We used Abeka for English/comp and Science and I wish we had used Abeka for math too but used Saxon (very difficult and dry). We used Christian Liberty for History, both American and World. Loved their program. I kept the books because they were so amazing. I still use them today for reference. I taught them art and then they got music through the home school choir, orchestra and our state orchestra. The oldest took ballet. So they were pretty well-rounded. I think that you go with the curriculum that best suits your students' styles of learning. One may work for one family but won't work at all for another. I know a lot of people who thought Saxon was amazing and that's why we used it. But if I had to do it over again, I would have gone with Abeka because of the different style of teaching. Hope that answers some of your question!!
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
www.Oklahomapastrycloth.com/blog
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
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gypsy goat
True Blue Farmgirl
673 Posts
mary jo
michigan
673 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2011 : 06:08:40 AM
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we use pearblossom private school out in california. he does all of it online except physical education. it's kinda pricey but they have payment plans, it works for us
farmgirl#1362 whatever you are be a good one-abe lincoln |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2011 : 7:15:47 PM
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Thanks, girls!
Mary Beth - we used A Beka math through 7th grade and then ended up switching over to Saxon. I wasn't too thrilled with either, to be honest, but my son really did well with Saxon, thank goodness. My concern with Saxon is that they incorporate geometry into their Algebra II and Advanced Algebra courses, instead of having one full year dedicated to geometry alone. I think he's really going to need ALL of that come time for physics, you know? We use Apologia science and absolutely love it; but his private evaluator said that Apologia physics is extremely math-intensive, probably moreso than any of the other physics curriculums she has seen. She also said he needs to show a full year of geometry on his high school transcript. Although we can pull from both years to show he has learned geometry, it's still not the same as showing a dedicated year to it. I'm actually hoping that by his junior year he'll be able to qualify to take some of his courses at the Community College, and physics is at the top of the college course wish list! ;) He is going to continue with art history at home, as well as woodworking and shop (industrial arts) with his dad. Our public school evaluator informed me last summer that his foreign language will also count as arts now in Pennsylvania. For music, he would like to continue with his private guitar lessons for now. I was thinking maybe there would be something more interesting available to him in both art and music at the community college, too - we'll just see how the next year or so goes. I love Christian Liberty, actually. We are going to use that for his civics in 9th and 10th grade (The Story of the Constitution and Land of Fair Play), as I already have the books, but they also came as highly recommended electives by our private evaluator. We'll also be doing Logic I and II, as well as Rhetoric I and II. He is an avid reader (LOVES to read, thank goodness!), and actually learned SO much through Veritas Omnibus last year despite the intensity of the program (I myself was ready to pull my hair out because of all the work involved). I think his maturity level is better suited to handle that challenge now that he's older, though. And truly, he came to us asking to return to it. My husband and I about fell over when he told us. He said he knew that he received a much better education through that program last year -that this year was "boring" in comparison. I just really hope someone will be able to give me a better view of what Kolbe's program is like because it sounds so similar to Veritas' program. I think he'll be okay either way, but I am not sure which would be better suited to his abilities, you know?
Mary Jo - how do you like the online courses? We're not going to do the Pennsylvania online charter schools or anything, but I have always been intrigued by that type of program as a whole. Some of the curricula we have been looking into actually offer online education along with a diploma program. I'd really love to hear your thoughts on that!
Thanks again SO much for sharing your insights, ladies. I really, really appreciate it!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2011 : 8:19:00 PM
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Pear blossom is on our list as well for high school. Would like to know more about it as well. It's at least cheaper then Calvert. and yes I know Calvert doesn't go to high school, but I mean grade to grade (7th grade versus 7th grade) pear blossom is cheaper.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
Edited by - MagnoliaWhisper on May 06 2011 8:19:46 PM |
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Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2011 : 8:35:44 PM
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Nini, does Saxon not have a geometry course anymore? When the kids were in school, we had a full year of geometry through Saxon. It's a hit and miss kinda thing but the point is to keep at it. Even when a curriculum didn't seem to be the best in the world, they still learned something. I remember that one year, I let a group of friends talk me into using Rod and Staff and my children hated it. Very bland. Lots of good stuff in it, but the kids were bored to tears.
I still laugh about the oldest who spent her last two years in high school chewing her nails because she just knew she wasn't ready for college and wasn't going to do well. She started doubting her entire home schooling experience because she had nothing to compare herself to. Her first semester in college, she called home one day and said, "Wow. College is so easy!" I felt vindicated!! :-)
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
www.Oklahomapastrycloth.com/blog
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2011 : 9:47:41 PM
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Mary beth she would of probably of been biting her names in public school too but wouldn't of been as well prepared! lol
My sister was public schooled (well mainly, a little private school in primary school) and she is in law school and says the same thing, that people are overly intimidated by college yet it's really easy!
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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gypsy goat
True Blue Farmgirl
673 Posts
mary jo
michigan
673 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2011 : 5:07:17 PM
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i like the on-line courses and so does my son. you recieve the books in the mail and then take the tests on-line and they are graded and submitted instantly. i also the like fact that you can correct the wrong answers to increase the grade that way the grade point average stays up.we also decided to go with it because you do get a high school diploma when you are finished, i think in the situation we find the world in i feel that him having a actual diploma is very important. i also believe there may be some college classes haven't looked into that.
farmgirl#1362 whatever you are be a good one-abe lincoln |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2011 : 6:01:35 PM
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I agree Gypsy, that's why I like Pear Blossom and Calvert, is they keep the records, and give the diploma, same with MVPS/K-12. I think we will probably do pear blossom for high school for sure. I wish I knew which to do with my daughter though, Calvert or Pear Blossom. I wish Pear Blossom would put some pics of the cirr you get with them on their site like Calvert does. That's why I am in the dilemma of which to choose. I like that we can go through all the grades with just one school though! Does Pear blossom let you do year around schooling, or do you have to be done with their cirr in 9 months? Do you get to speak to actual teachers, is it a specific teacher that is assigned to your son? I do like do overs though, that was how my alternative high was, in fact you were to keep doing the wrong answers over till you got at least a C, other wise you could keep doing them over till you got a A. I always went for the A (it was easy enough!). Plus I feel after doing schooling that way myself, you learn more then if just marked wrong and go on. You have to research and find the correct answer and re-answer it. So then that usually makes it stick in your head more having to look it up the second time, at least for me it did.
PS Gypsy are you on Facebook? If so let me know there's a sisters only home schooling group I can invite you to. It's brand new, and there is 2 other sisters on there doing Pear blossom as well. They live in St. Louis.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
Edited by - MagnoliaWhisper on May 09 2011 6:02:33 PM |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2011 : 6:03:46 PM
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Hi girls!
No, Mary Beth - Saxon just incorporates the geometry into Algebra II and Advanced Algebra now. Our evaluator said that a lot of homeschoolers have complained about that, so maybe it will change. We'll see! :) I love the story about your daughter - I hope our son will find it the same way! How great is that?! :)
Mary Jo - you're absolutely right! I whole-heartedly agree with you about children needing a high school diploma, for the obvious reasons, of course, but also because when all is said and done, I think it's really important that our son has something to show for his achievements. "A feather in your cap," as my grandmother would say! :) We are actually enrolling our son in a PA homeschooler diploma programming. There are only a couple out there I am aware of for the State of Pennsylvania, but I'm sure more exist. The one we're enrolling him in is pretty rigorous. The thing that we like about it is that he has to read 24 books, perform one speech in front of a group, and complete 4 essays and 1 research paper every year through high school to qualify. He also has to do not only the basic requirements for graduation, but quite a bit more. At 14, he's nowhere near ready to select his career path, nevertheless, we are really trying to ensure he's prepared for anything. I like the concept of online education, truly. We've known several families who choose that option, and they are very pleased with it. With both of the curricula we are looking at, he will have opportunity to cyber-educate and earn diplomas through them, but for now we're going to homeschool in the traditional manner. :)
Decisions...decisions... I know I'm probably overthinking the whole process. Whatever we decide, it'll be okay, I know it will!
Thanks so much!
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2011 : 7:12:07 PM
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I'm not saying your son is ready to pick a career but it may be time to at least try with him. My husband was raised by his grandfather, in our religion it's kind of stressed that parents help their children seek a career that will not only meet their financial needs but won't take over their spiritual lives. Any way, my grandfather in law helped my husband pick a career by the time he was 14 (but my husband was kind of like me in that way, we both knew what we wanted to be by the time we were 5 years old, literally we just knew! lol) and he had decided he wanted to work with electric on trains, so his grandfather enrolled him in a electrical high school in NYC, when he graduated he didn't have to do any further education, and he got his electrical license totally free through NYC public school system. He was able to be hired right away by NYC Transit to work on the subway trains. All his co-workers couldn't believe how young he was. He ended up usually having a higher ranking, or more time on the job then older guys, cause of such. Which was good for us! lol ;o)
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
Edited by - MagnoliaWhisper on May 09 2011 7:13:11 PM |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2011 : 9:22:52 PM
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Oh, yes, of course it's always a discussion on the table, Heather. But he's not ready. He excels in history and religion, but he also loves working with his dad doing plumbing, pipefitting, handyman type-work. When he was little, he wanted to be "the BAM man" - Emeril Lagasse. Then he wanted to be a fireman in the worst way (post-911). After that, he wanted to join the military. Next he wanted to be a pro-golfer. That one has kind of stuck over the years, as well as his desire to work full-time with his dad. Then OMGosh, last year, he'd "joke around", telling us he wanted to be a professional video game tester. An older friend of a friend had been boasting that he was making "good money" doing this on the side, and all the boys were starry-eyed thinking about it. Then we had him do a research paper on it. Thankfully, after all was said and done, his last words in his closing paragraph were, "In other words, don't quit your day job!" LOL! He's just still a kid, that's all; he doesn't know yet. Everything seems interesting to him right now - well ALMOST everything. I didn't either at that age, truthfully. I think people who know their calling at a young age are both amazing and extremely blessed! :) My husband got his start early in a similar way as your husband, working with his dad, so I do understand where you're coming from. Maybe that's what our son will do, too. Who knows? I think, though, once he experiences life on his own at college or working out there in the real world, he will fall into things, just like I did. My instincts tell me, however, he'd be great as a history or religion professor or in communications. Whatever he decides to do, he'll definitely have our support. :)
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2011 : 9:44:23 PM
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Yeah every child is different for sure! ;o) I have siblings the same way! haha
About the video game tester, believe it or not I have a uncle who did that. But, it as a long time ago, he did it for about 50 years though and made good money in LA doing it. But, then came the 90's and they laid him off cause there was cheaper and younger people to pay to do it. And now they use facebook and get people to test them for FREE! And actually make money off the FB people because those people will PAY to test their games! Oy ve!
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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gypsy goat
True Blue Farmgirl
673 Posts
mary jo
michigan
673 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2011 : 05:37:27 AM
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you are given a year to complete the schooling,except if you combine 2 years into 1 like we are for 11 and 12. when they are little you will not need a teacher or alot of help it is pretty self explaintory. the books are wonderful and by the end of kindergarten both my boys were reading which i thought was amazing-we didn't really push real early learning with the boys besides the basics we felt it was more important for them to play and do active things. hope this helps
farmgirl#1362 whatever you are be a good one-abe lincoln |
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Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2011 : 06:00:22 AM
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Nini, in hopes of encouragement, the story of our 2nd son is pretty amazing. He was so like what your son sounds like. EVERYTHING interested him. People would ask him what he was going to be and it just depended on his time of life as to what answer they got. At one point, he was going to be a professional percussionist for an orchestra and then he was going to be a drummer for a band. He was going to be a rancher, then have a music recording studio, then fly helicopters. He also went through a moment of wanting to join the military so that he could learn to fly. Here in OK, we have a Vo-Tech system that is awesome and so while doing his last two years of high school here at home, he also went half a day to the vo-tech for free and got an A&P license to work on airplanes. At that point, he THOUGHT he was going to go to work for our air force base as an aviation mechanic. Then he decided to go to college so tried our junior college.
While home schooling, he enjoyed math, but it wasn't one of his favorite subjects. However, when he got to the college, majoring in Music Recording, he had to take several college level math classes and loved them. He got an associates in Music Recording and also in math and transferred to a 4 yr college where he majored in mathematics!! I'm wondering the whole time what in the world you do with a mathematics degree, but oh well. He put himself through school working for an aviation company that makes and installs the interiors of small aircraft and since he had his A&P license, he was a hot commodity. He graduated from college and is now a supervisor in the firm and gets to travel to airshows, is getting his pilot's license and is in fact, at 27, buying an airplane. (Trust me - I ask no questions and want no information when he is flying!!! Just tell me when he gets on the ground) But he's happy as a clam. And who'd a thunk it when he was planning on raising cattle and being Lynyrd Skynyrd's next greatest drummer.
I found that we parents, pressured by well-meaning relatives and friends, feel angst if our children don't have a "plan" for their livelihoods from day one. God has wonderful plans for our children that are so much better than we can ever come up with. When we teach our children to 'wait on the Lord' in all things, those plans turn out to be just amazing!!! Give your son a hug. He sounds really special. :-)
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
www.Oklahomapastrycloth.com/blog
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2011 : 07:25:27 AM
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I just love you, Mary Beth! Thank you for sharing about your son - made me feel really great for both you AND me - AND our boys!!! I will definitely hug him! PLEASE give your son a hug, too, with a little bit tighter squeeze for me, okay? :) I'm proud of him and I've never even met him! :)
We have two nephews the same age as my son. One is homeschooled, and being groomed for professional baseball; the other is traditionally educated in public school, and is scientifically inclined - uber techie. Our son is the one who is most concerned about doing the right thing, speaking out against injustice, taking care of neighbors, making sure people's needs are met, making sure they know they are important and loved. A few people, including his evaluator, have suggested he might go into politics one day, which made me silently grip my heart and roll my eyes in my head, LOL! One person really feels we have a future priest or lay minister in the making. A couple others see a budding doctor in him. I just still see a very sweet, sometimes overly outspoken, but always kind-hearted, loving boy who always amazes by doing the right thing, making sound decisions, and going the extra mile for others. (Tomorrow, he's actually taking a five hour safety and CPR class with my husband in a seminar provided by my husband's employer! I think that's pretty awesome that a 14-year-old would want to do something like that!) He has always spoken of being in the military since he was wee little. He even told me once he would die for me in service (talk about shaking up my mother's heart!). He is fascinated by WWI and WWII, knows a lot about military history, tactics, weaponry, machinery, vehicles. He gets so excited when he talks about it - so I can actually see him in a military role one day. I just cry to think, though, that he's 14, that he'll be 18 before you know it, and that, the way the world is today, he might end up going to war. Whatever happens, I know the Lord will be with him, and my mother's heart will have to really press into the Lord with that knowledge, should he opt for that most important and noble role. He really is such a great kid and is becoming a wonderful young man, and I know things will fall into place. I will support whatever decision he makes. I trust him, and I trust Him; that gives me a lot of peace. :) I just hope his faith and education will provide a strong foundation for his transition into adulthood.
I tear up sometimes... To think that just yesterday he sat in a bouncy seat staring up at me with his bright, blue eyes, grinning from ear-to-ear as if I was everything - the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars... Now he is much taller than me, soon he'll be driving... I still see that look in his eyes from time to time, but it's no longer me that he focuses on. He looks at his future that way, and more often than not, I feel I am merely standing in his shadow. It's okay, it's good, really. I know that this is how life is supposed to be. He's growing up; naturally he's going to move on. I truly believe we have well-equipped him for the world. I truly believe he will do great things in whatever place the future holds for him. It has just happened so fast, that's all. At least, it seems like it to me. :)
Hugs - and so many thanks again, Mary Beth -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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Edited by - Ninibini on May 13 2011 07:28:39 AM |
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Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2011 : 08:22:44 AM
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Oh, Nini, your open heart and feelings are just amazing. I so know how you feel. My daughter and son who were still at home both moved out of the house on the same day to live in an apartment together and for three weeks I wandered around the house and avoided their rooms because I missed them so much. And then, I jumped in, cleaned, rearranged, made projects and to be honest, today I can truthfully say, "Move back home? Uh. No!!" Two have their own homes, all have jobs and one is married so that hasn't even been an issue, but I'm just saying that I am content with my new roll. :-) Your son sounds really neat. I am thinking that like me, you will find that even though your roll changes as the "woman of his life", you will still hold a really important and precious roll. It will just be different and you will love it too!!
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
www.Oklahomapastrycloth.com/blog
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
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Old Spirit
True Blue Farmgirl
1498 Posts
Rae
MN
1498 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2011 : 09:06:57 AM
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I used ABEKA. I was very happy with the quality of the material.
Rae
Farm Girl #647
...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles:...
Isaiah 40:31
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2011 : 11:47:07 AM
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I just wanted to say my husbands grandparents nor my parents pushed us in a direction "they" wanted, but rather helped us find what "we" wanted, and what would be most advantageous for our goals in life.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
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Across the Fence: High School Homeschooling Question |
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High School Homeschooling Question
