I have always been intrigued by unschooling though I have never embraced it. I have admired it, and have also feared it. I have found it intriguing and misguided all at once.
My personal fears towards unschooling are my own. I come from a highly motivated background where measurements and getting into college are of utmost importance... never mind if college is the child's actual goal... that is the benchmark as to whether I have done a good job or not. Reasonable or unreasonable as it may seem, I have never felt that unschooling was a good road to my intended goal.
Still, I have admired the freedom from stress, from the measurements, from society's guidelines that occur with unschooling. In many cases, unschooling has led to success beyond what can be achieved with rules and restrictions. Other times, it can go no-where... that is my fear. I fear that if I were to allow unschooling (past elementary years), that some serious slug-ness would occur.
That is probably my greatest fear.
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2011-2012 Curriculum Choices
I just updated our curriculum choices page.
As I see it, homeschooling will be pretty laid back and also pretty hands off next year.
My daughter will be a Jr. She will squeezing Geometry in over the Summer and into the fall, in time to take the PSAT, which she will also put some speficic effort into studying for it over the summer. She may take the College Math CLEP at the end of the school year, as it seems easy to pass after taking the SAT.
For language arts, I will count the work she does towards her PSAT & SAT studies and she will also take a fiction writing course at her homeschool program.
For science, she will take the online MIT course Kitchen Chemistry.
We are skipping history this year opting to study government during her Sr. year, an election year.
She will continue to work on Spanish (2a) and Mandarin (1b).
Then there's a slew of arts electives such as voice, drama, instruments, art...
*If she starts at a decent hour she will be done with her work by lunch and can work on her electives and independent stuff... not holding my breath. I am considering not regulating her sleep patterns next year to see what happens.
My son will be a SR. ACK!!
He has few requirements and has opted to take them as a dual enrollment student at the local college. We are working on his applications now, but it looks good. The dual enrolled classes will probably be:
In addition to that, he is taking a Journalism class at the homeschool program, and a few arts related electives.
*My job with my son is to ask questions and perhaps guide organization. Oh, and to make sure he gets his drivers license.
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As I see it, homeschooling will be pretty laid back and also pretty hands off next year.
My daughter will be a Jr. She will squeezing Geometry in over the Summer and into the fall, in time to take the PSAT, which she will also put some speficic effort into studying for it over the summer. She may take the College Math CLEP at the end of the school year, as it seems easy to pass after taking the SAT.
For language arts, I will count the work she does towards her PSAT & SAT studies and she will also take a fiction writing course at her homeschool program.
For science, she will take the online MIT course Kitchen Chemistry.
We are skipping history this year opting to study government during her Sr. year, an election year.
She will continue to work on Spanish (2a) and Mandarin (1b).
Then there's a slew of arts electives such as voice, drama, instruments, art...
*If she starts at a decent hour she will be done with her work by lunch and can work on her electives and independent stuff... not holding my breath. I am considering not regulating her sleep patterns next year to see what happens.
My son will be a SR. ACK!!
He has few requirements and has opted to take them as a dual enrollment student at the local college. We are working on his applications now, but it looks good. The dual enrolled classes will probably be:
- Intro to Physics (Fall)
- Personal Finance (Fall)
- Spanish 101 (Spring)
In addition to that, he is taking a Journalism class at the homeschool program, and a few arts related electives.
*My job with my son is to ask questions and perhaps guide organization. Oh, and to make sure he gets his drivers license.
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Homeschool Blogging A-Z:T is for Transcripts
At the end of the homeschooling journey, after the child has learned their math, to read, and to write and to think for themselves, it is important to put all of that information into a homeschool transcript.
Homeschool transcripts are used for college admissions and are essentially a substitute for a highschool transcript. Where a college would gladly accept the word of a traditional school that a student has completed a college prep scope and sequence, a homeschooler will use the transcript to show in detail that the same has been completed.
I highly recommend beginning the child's transcript in grade 8 or as soon as they begin taking high school level classes such as Algebra, Geometry, Biology, and Chemistry.
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Homeschool transcripts are used for college admissions and are essentially a substitute for a highschool transcript. Where a college would gladly accept the word of a traditional school that a student has completed a college prep scope and sequence, a homeschooler will use the transcript to show in detail that the same has been completed.
I highly recommend beginning the child's transcript in grade 8 or as soon as they begin taking high school level classes such as Algebra, Geometry, Biology, and Chemistry.
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Homeschool Blogging A-Z: S is for Summer Camp
Just because it is summer, does not mean homeschooling has to end. Summer camps should be an integral part of the homeschool plan. By picking your child's summer camps very carefully, you can move some subjects and extra curriculars to the summer allowing your child to have an easier school year.
Some of the cool summer camps available for homeschoolers are:
Grapic Design
Art
Theater
Computer Programming
Writing workshops
Space programs
Science Labs
Robotics
Even AP math classes can be found for older kids.
This will allow the child to concentrate on these areas of interest in the summer and perhaps give them a little break during the school year too.
FREE HOME EDUCATION WEBSITE
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WalletPop Contributor
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Some of the cool summer camps available for homeschoolers are:
Grapic Design
Art
Theater
Computer Programming
Writing workshops
Space programs
Science Labs
Robotics
Even AP math classes can be found for older kids.
This will allow the child to concentrate on these areas of interest in the summer and perhaps give them a little break during the school year too.
FREE HOME EDUCATION WEBSITE
MY BUSINESS WEBSITE
WalletPop Contributor
Brighthub Contributor
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12 grade year of homeschooling, Finishing Strong
We are almost done with my college prep series. There will still be a video on completing the transcript. Stay tuned... meanwhile, ...
