Sad Days, Promise Days and Blessed Days
March 2, 2010 by Lee
Sometimes I have a “sad day.”
Those are days when I am faced with Romans 3:23:
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
It is on those days I recognize the small or large problems with my now-grown children. Did I really forget to teach them that sleep is important? Have I failed them completely because they throw out Tupperware instead of washing it? “Sad days” are a good time to reflect a bit, fast, and pray. “Sad days” are usually followed by a promise from the Lord.
A “promise day” is when I hold to the promise in Proverbs 22:6:
Train up a child in the way he should go, and WHEN HE IS OLD he will not turn from it.
Sadly, there is no mention of regular sleep OR Tupperware in the verse. Perhaps that means it’s optional or even not required at all. Maybe what it means is that our children get to grow up and make their own decisions. They get to choose when to sleep, and what to throw out. In fact, there are a HUGE number of things they will choose to do or not do, regardless of how well we train them in the way we should go. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that their decisions won’t always be my decisions.
My friends with older children tell me there is yet another kind of day I will face, a “blessed day.”
A “blessed day” is mentioned in Proverbs 31:28:
Her children arise and call her blessed.
I confess. There are gaps in my children’s education.
I may have skipped the unit study on sleep. I think I only demonstrated the washing of Tupperware, without actually mentioning circumstances when it is appropriate to throw it away. We have to get used to gaps like that. My husband once had an enthusiastic young engineer who was really trying to do a good job. When Matt asked him one morning how he was doing, he replied. “I’m diligent, sir. Diligent and dedicated!”
I can relate to this. I always wanted to homeschool in a diligent and dedicated way. But the truth is nobody can really be diligent enough because children will grow up to make their own choices. As parents, we can’t possibly think of everything and every situation that our children may get themselves into.
It’s a sad day. Tomorrow will be a promise day. One day I’ll get to that blessed day. That will be fun!
Lee Binz is a veteran homeschooling mom of two and the owner of The HomeScholar, “Helping parents homeschool through high school.” She has a new free minicourse called “The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School”. You can sign up for her free email homeschool newsletter, The HomeScholar Record and get your daily dose of wisdom via e-mail from her homeschool blog, The HomeScholar Helper.
Great Homeschools have Socratic Dialogue…or Maybe Not
I always believed that great homeschools practiced great Socratic dialogue. After reading, families would enjoy deep and rich conversations about the nuances of famous literary works. They would have meaningful discussions about historical perspective and relevant insights contrasting classical and modern literature.
Meanwhile, I got comments like “Great book, mom…. What’s next?”
True confession: I really admire people who do literary analysis, but I simply wasn’t capable. I used a literature-based curriculum, so it seems strange to say, but I hate literary analysis.
We read books all the time. I used Sonlight Curriculum which requires a lot of reading, and I fed my book-hungry children even more literature from The Well-Trained Mind, and other reading lists for the college bound. Much to my chagrin, we didn’t do any “literature analysis” we just enjoyed the books.
The truth is I always felt guilty about not doing literary analysis. Every homeschool mom has her “thing” that keeps her awake at night, and literature analysis was mine. On tests and worksheets my children seemed to do terrible in reading comprehension, and yet they were reading all the time. They read all day long and late into the night. The laughed and cried and gasped when they read silently to themselves. They begged me to continue when I was reading aloud to them. How could they do so poorly in reading comprehension questions when they seemed to understand what they were reading?
How do you know when you have succeeded in teaching your child English? I knew my kids loved reading but still I was stressed. Every year, I spent an inordinate amount of time looking at Progeny Press, Learning Language Arts Through Literature, and other curriculum choices. Why was I failing? Why couldn’t I teach literature analysis? Every time I asked my kids “how did you like the book?” all I ever got was: “it was great” or “it sucked.” So much for insightful dialog about the deeper meanings of literature.
I finally decided that my goal for literature would be the same as my goal for Bible study. I decided that my goal in teaching the Bible was for the kids to LOVE their Bible, not analyze their Bible. Therefore I would teach them to LOVE literature instead of analyze it. I didn’t want to “beat the love of books out of them” by analyzing everything.
In retrospect, it all ended up great. Ironically, they both ended up in a “Great Books” honors program, analyzing literature at a college level by their own choice! They are able to do college literary analysis in their honors class without a problem, getting great grades. Their only frustration with the class is reading the occasional book synopsis. “I would rather read the whole thing – they miss the best parts!”
I failed at teaching literary analysis, so in that sense I may have lost that battle. But I won the war. My children LOVE reading. When the kids came home from college, I felt like I could finally say I had succeeded in my goal. “For fun” they went to the library to get some reading material. My son Alex read the entire Shakespeare collection, my son Kevin read CS Lewis and some Dostoevsky. I may have been stressed out when they were in high school, but I can honestly say that I achieved my goal: they LOVE reading.
With my hard-earned 20/20 hindsight, I look at my college children and feel successful, but at the time I stressed over “reading comprehension” more than almost anything else. Keeping the focus on “love of learning” is hard though, when you are faced with a kid who may only answer “fine” when you ask them about their reading. Remember, it is the love of reading that matters, not literary analysis.
Lee Binz is a veteran homeschooling mom of two and the owner of The HomeScholar. Her mission is “Helping parents homeschool high school.” Her DVD Preparing to Homeschool High School will remove your fear and teach you what you need to succeed in homeschooling high school. She has a free mini-course called “The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School.”
9 Homeschool Resolutions for Parents of High School Students
January 25, 2010 by Lee
Work on these easy resolutions and in only a few minutes you can feel confident in your ability to homeschool high school!
1. Start Record Keeping!
You can initiate a record keeping system in 5 minutes or less. Just grab box, and put it in an out of the way corner. You can use the box as a record keeping system, just by remembering to put things in it. Sure there are better and fancier ways to keep records, but ANYTHING is better than nothing.
2. Mark your Calendar!
Mark your calendar with important dates now, while this year’s calendar is still looking empty! Find the dates for important tests on the College Board website. Most high school kids take the PSAT in fall of 10th grade and again in 11th grade. The SAT or ACT test is taken in the spring of junior year.
3. Have a Parent-Teacher Meeting!
Go ahead, talk to yourself! Review your high school plan with your spouse and students. Every college has different requirements, so check with a possible college to see what is required. Usual requirements are: English 4 years, Math 3-4 years, Science 3 years,Social Studies 3-4 years,Foreign Language 2-3 years, PE 2 years,Fine Arts 1 year, Electives enough to make 24 credits.
4. Adjust Curriculum!
While you are looking at your high school plan, think about what is working for you. If it doesn’t work, throw it out! Try a different strategy that may work better. It doesn’t matter how wonderful the curriculum is, what matter is if you children are learning. Out with the old, and in with the new!
5. Try a Transcript!
You don’t have to finish, your goal is to just START your transcript. The way to make your transcript accurate and professional-looking is to work on it regularly. Spend just a few minutes writing down what you have already done.
6. Identify Specialization!
Check your annoy-o-meter and in 5 minutes or less you can determine your child’s area of specialization. What is your student most likely doing when you say “Will you PLEASE put that down?” Is it possible that is your child’s specialization? Their interests may be annoying, so look closely at what they are doing when you feel frustrated.
7. Estimate SAT score!
Quickly estimate an SAT score from PSAT results. In each subject area on the test, add a “zero” to the end of their score. For example, a 50 on the PSAT math section would be approximately a 500 on the SAT math. Knowing this number can help you determine what college would be a good fit, and if SAT preparation is important.
8. Make a Reading List!
On a piece of paper, print “Reading list.” Then have your students collect books they have read in the past 3 months. They can practice typing skills while listing the name and author of each book.
9. Sip Tea!
Each of these resolutions is is very quick and easy, and you could get through this list in a few hours. Once you have accomplished these resolutions, and now it’s time to take a break. Your job is to sip some herbal tea and relax.
Lee Binz is a veteran homeschooling mom of two and the owner of The HomeScholar, “Helping parents homeschool through high school.” She has a new free minicourse called “The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School”. You can sign up for her free email homeschool newsletter, The HomeScholar Record and get your daily dose of wisdom via e-mail from her homeschool blog, The HomeScholar Helper.
Free Webinar: Credits and Grades and Transcripts
December 4, 2009 by Lee
Lee Binz, The HomeScholar, held her first ever webinar on Thursday and it was a HUGE hit! A number of people, however, wrote to say they were unable to attend because of last minute interruptions.
Good news! They have decided to hold this webinar again on Saturday from 9 – 10 AM (Pacific Time). “Credits and Grades and Transcripts, Oh My!” will be repeated this weekend at this time:
9:00-10:00 Pacific
10:00 – 11:00 Mountain
11:00 – 12:00 Central
12:00 – 1:00 Eastern
Find your time zone
The HomeScholar Total Transcript Solution is available for purchase online! http://www.thehomescholar.com/easy-truth.php
The Santa Scandal
December 3, 2009 by Lee
“No one would see him. These, and numerous other seductive thoughts flew threw Andrew’s brain like arrows. It was Christmas Eve, and his parents were out doing a little last minute shopping. There was a choice; be a good boy and go to bed, or sneak into his parents’ room and hunt for presents.” ~The Santa Scandal
In our family, each December we did a version of “homeschool-lite” that we called Christmas School. By my way of thinking, it must have been a homeschool mom who decided the Christmas holiday would be in December. After 3 months of homeschooling, it was time for a break! My favorite Christmas school project was our yearly creative writing assignment based on Norman Rockwell art.
I asked my boys to choose any picture in Norman Rockwell’s Christmas Book. Their assignment was to write the story behind the picture. They came up with some GREAT creative writing ideas, and the pictures really helped to get those creative juices flowing. That was how my son Kevin came to write “The Santa Scandal.”
During December, we would only do subjects that required us to be consistent in order to finish in one year. That usually meant math and foreign language. We did a writing assignment like the one above, but they would also write their Christmas cards and letters to friends. We listened to Handel’s Messiah, and other Christmas music, and talked about the words and the composers. Then the boys would work on making presents for family and friends.
They would finish their schoolwork at about noon. We had strict rules limiting TV and computer time during our “homeschool-lite” season. The kids normally helped me with all the shopping, baking, cleanings, decorating and preparing. Then they spent the rest of the day pursuing their areas of passion.
By the way, Kevin’s story about “The Santa Scandal” ends this way:
“For a moment, the drawer seemed to contain nothing of importance. There was nothing but dusty, red clothes. Andrew dug deeper and uncovered a pointy fur hat. “Now that’s odd. Why would Dad have red clothes and a hat. Unless…
As his thoughts slowly caught up with him, his parents barged in from the living room – early. Andrew let out a strangled cry and whirled about. In his hands was the incriminating evidence, and on his face was written a mixture of horror, disbelief, and betrayal. Shaking with tears, he finally cried out, “You STOLE Santa’s clothes?!?”
Lee Binz is a veteran homeschooling mom of two and the owner of The HomeScholar, “Helping parents homeschool through high school.” She has a new free minicourse called “The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School”. You can sign up for her free email homeschool newsletter, The HomeScholar Record and get your daily dose of wisdom via e-mail from her homeschool blog, The HomeScholar Helper.
College for Struggling Learners
Learning to Compensate
Dealing with learning challenges is difficult, but in high school, it can become seriously concerning. You don’t have to be afraid! With the great student to teacher ratio of homeschooling, and the love for your child, you have what it takes!
Debbie was at her lowest point when she realized her 12 year old son, Dan, could not read or write in his Sunday school classes. She had to carefully shield him from the judgment of others. Her homeschool friends were very understanding, but she worked hard to keep him away from situations where he would have to read aloud. She was distraught. Again and again they changed curriculum, hoping each time that a new curriculum would change everything. It seemed like nothing would ever work. He struggled with learning all the way through high school. She never had him officially tested, because she didn’t want him to be labeled as an adult. Dan has achieved wonderful things since graduating homeschool!
When Dan turned 18, he started working at Starbucks. An excellent worker, he received nothing but positive feedback which motivated him to continue his education. He decided to attend college. He didn’t score well on the SAT, so they did not report his scores to colleges. He entered college “through the back door” his mother said, by attending community college first. His excellent work ethic and love of learning helped him thrive where others felt adrift. Dan transferred from community college to the university with a 3.89 grade point average. There were 300 applicants to the business school this year, and Dan was one of only 100 admitted. Debbie says “He finally realizes he can do it!”
Debbie has some great advice for parents. Don’t push them before they are ready. She was glad she kept him home, so that he could avoid the negative feedback from a public school setting. She read aloud to Dan constantly – even his high school textbooks, when necessary. She used verbal assessments in all his classes, and didn’t introduce essay writing until much later.
She recommends books by Dr. Raymond Moore, including Better Late Than Early: A New Approach to Your Child’s Education and Grace Llewellyn, The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education and Cynthia Tobias, The Way They Learn. She says, “You feel like you’re failing – like you didn’t do something right.” Don’t be deterred, though. It takes a lot of one-on-one time, but that’s the benefit of homeschooling. Read to them their textbooks, and the classics. Even in college they can be allowed help with reading.
In her lowest moments, Debbie would remember her grandfather. He also could not read. His wife would read blueprints to him each night so he would be prepared for work the next day. Still, he grandfather was a successful businessman. He was able to compensate. Her son Dan is able to compensate now.
Her biggest surprise was realizing that Dan wanted a college degree. She had never thought he would go to college, and only vaguely considered a technical school. But when he worked at Starbucks, he identified his gift in business. So her additional advice is the same as mine. She says, “Even if you think they won’t go to college, they may – so always be prepared!”
Dan is so thankful he was homeschooled. He has said he would never put his own children in public school. He knows that if he had been in public school, he wouldn’t be where he is today. Nurturing is critical, and homeschooling can provide that best. Debbie says, “I remember the hopelessness. They CAN succeed and excel – just give them the tools.”
Learning to Teach
JoAnn homeschooled her two daughters, feeling extremely unsure of her abilities – until her girls were officially diagnosed with learning disabilities. Once she had the diagnosis, she realized that homeschooling was the best option. She didn’t want her girls ostracized and placed in a “special” group that would have a negative effect on their socialization skills. Even her mother became increasingly supportive of homeschooling after the diagnosis was made.
Her two girls could not read until half-way through 5th grade. They struggled in reading, writing, and spelling. Joann took her children to The Slingerland Institute. She recommends two pamphlets that really helped her cope. One is Why Wait for a Criterion of Failure. The other is An Adaptation of the Orton-Gillingham Approach for Classroom Teaching of Reading, both by Beth Slingerland.
JoAnn’s advice is “Never despair! The timing of brain growth is on your CHILD’S timetable, not yours. Accept it, because you certainly can’t change it!” She wishes she would have dropped more academic subjects when they were in elementary school. Still, she is so glad she homeschooled. “Homeschooling is better for dyslexic kids for the positive encouragement and socialization.”
She taught with multi-sensory input and multi-sensory output. In every subject she worked to provide lessons with audio, visual, AND tactile input. She would supplement courses with drama, hands on projects, and verbal assessments all the way through school. Her daughters were especially helped by the use of color. Her daughter still color codes her college lecture notes to improve her retention.
JoAnn’s older daughter went directly into the University and majored in biology with a minor in chemistry. She has recently graduated with an advanced degree as a Veterinarian Technician. Her younger daughter also went directly into the University. She will graduate with a degree in interior design, and has already done some design work for Bill Gates as a college intern. Both girls were very successful in college.
Learning to Cope
Jill is hesitant about labeling her daughter in any way, but knew she faced some unique challenges even though she wasn’t formally diagnosed. Her daughter recently became a National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist. Here is what Jill says about her daughter’s struggles: “She worked hard and I’m very proud of her. She is the daughter that would fit into the statement ‘I could never homeschool my child because….’ She is very active, intense, dramatic and a joy to be around. I am convinced that if she were in the public school we would have been ‘encouraged’ to put her on medications (the standard line around here, when she is getting jumpy is to ‘run up to the mailbox and get the mail’ which is a mile round trip). She has forced me to think outside of the box and, well, it is an adventure I’m sorry to see come to a close.”
Like the other mothers, Jill was able to find a way to harness strengths and weaknesses, and teach her child to compensate for difficulties. With a parent’s close attention, unique coping mechanisms can develop. A homeschooling parent can see small successes, and learn to shape and mold new ways of coping with each challenge.
Joelle is right in the thick of things, with her young child. I asked her for some advice for others, and she emphasizes that coping comes from faith. This is Joelle’s experienced advice.
“A learning ‘disability’ (a word I hesitate to use for anyone who doesn’t have a severe condition) isn’t something you can just make go away if you have a clinic and a handful of web links. A learning challenge is best addressed with being sensitive to learning style and interests, which, as you know, vary from child to child.
A learning challenge is also a mindset, a lifestyle, and sore knees from prayer. A learning challenge means you’ll come face to face with your pessimism and lack of faith through tears of mourning for the child you don’t have. But lest anyone abandon hope, a learning challenge also means seeing God answer those tears by turning them to tears of what is, hands down, absolutely the most incredible joy when you see the triumphs. You will see those victories sooner or later on Earth or in Heaven.
A learning challenge leads to personal growth in the siblings of the challenged child. A learning challenge is a worldview, a lens, a perspective. It’s the fierce mother-bear love you have when you whisper to your child, ‘Don’t listen to the naysayers. I love you no matter what, and I’m still your teacher.’ I can’t put this in a box. I can offer a short list, but there’s only one resource on here that I can guarantee hands down will help everyone. The rest can be labeled ‘of interest.’
1) The Bible. Children are people – in fact, they are the most human of people. There are lots of passages on how we are to deal with our fellow humans. This is the only resource on this list that I can guarantee *will* help.
2) Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv – read this concurrently with #3
3) Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head by Carla Hannaford – which will probably lead to curiosity about #4
4) Brain Gym or similar therapies offered by #5 and #6
5) The National Association for Child Development
6) The Developmental Movement Center, Seattle (206) 525-8038″
Learning to Grow
Jay Smith of Linfield College says this, “The advice that I’d give to your students, is to simply be proactive in their college search process. The students shouldn’t be afraid to ask colleges if they offer support for students with learning disabilities, and what that support entails. We have high expectations of our students, but we also understand that we all learn in different ways.”
Some colleges have an extremely supportive environment for children with learning disabilities. Redeemer Pacific College is a small Catholic college in Langley, BC, affiliated with Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university, Trinity Western University. Admissions Coordinator Jennifer Friesen says, “All RPC students are able to use the services for students with disabilities offered through TWU, including access to the Learning Resource Centre and starting off their university career at TWU’s Freshman Academy.” The Learning Resource Centre offers services such as note taking, accommodated examinations and providing material in alternate formats.
Freshman Academy is a program for students who have not met the requirements for admission into university due to a low grade point average or missing academic courses. Friesen says, “Freshman Academy allows students to go through their classes in a small cohort with the support of their professors, a faculty Learning Coach, and their classmates. Once students have completed Freshman Academy they are able to directly enter their second year of university at Redeemer Pacific and Trinity Western.”
When I go to college fairs, I notice how many colleges truly specialize in students with learning struggles. They WANT your students, and they are ready, willing, and able to teach them.
Learning to Succeed
You can request accommodation for the SAT and ACT if necessary, which does require a doctor’s diagnosis. If you don’t want accommodation for the college admission tests, a diagnosis may not be necessary. You may feel comfortable with your homeschooling methods, and don’t need additional help or direction. Perhaps a specialist will not impact what you’re doing, and a diagnosis may not change anything or be worth your while. On the other hand, if you are completely baffled about how to teach your student in a way that makes sense, and the input of a specialist will help you and change what you are doing, then evaluation may be useful.
If you think a diagnosis will help YOU, then I think it will help your child. In that situation, testing would be worthwhile, even if it’s inconvenient. If testing will not help you, then it may not be necessary.
Keep in mind your long-terms goals. You want your child to grow up and have their own home. You want them to succeed and thrive in anything they choose. There are colleges that specialize in learning disabilities. There IS a great college out there for him, and they will understand and accept any learning issues without hesitation. Search and you will find just the right college.
Lee Binz is a veteran homeschooling mom of two and the owner of The HomeScholar, “Helping parents homeschool through high school.” She has a new free minicourse called “The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School”. You can sign up for her free email homeschool newsletter, The HomeScholar Record and get your daily dose of wisdom via e-mail from her homeschool blog, The HomeScholar Helper.
Gifted Education: Stress with Joy
November 30, 2009 by Lee
“Let’s get Kevin! He’s a reader!” From the earliest days of kindergarten, my child was labeled by teachers and others. At every birthday party he was called on to read birthday cards. No matter what the spelling words, they were always too easy. No matter what the math concept, he already knew it. Gifted education in the public school was a complete failure, so we turned to homeschooling.
To those on the outside, homeschooling a gifted child might look easy. Those with gifted children know it’s not! It can be incredibly difficult and stressful. Gifted children have their own challenges and unique needs.
There is wonderful news, though. Homeschooling can provide opportunities for gifted children that are simply not available in a traditional classroom environment. Homeschooling gives the best chances for a flexible curriculum, and it has the best chance of matching the interests of the student. Homeschooling is really the solution for gifted children!
Don’t Teach
The key to handling gifted children is to remember one concept. You don’t have to teach it, they just have to learn it. If your child already knows a concept, you’re done! Don’t teach it again, and just move on to the next thing. But how is that possible? Here are some strategies that can help you homeschool your gifted child with confidence!
Acceleration
Allow your child to go as fast as they want to go! Going faster through the curriculum can be as simple as working double-speed. For other courses you might want to pre-test each chapter to determine if you need to cover it at all.
Enrichment
Gifted children may go deeper into each subject. Instead of touching the surface, you can allow them to really dive into the topic with experiences and activities and reading, creating a thick and rich milkshake of learning in every subject.
Compacting
Gifted children may learn quicker, and could require less work that others. Eliminate busywork and repetitive tasks. Determine what they know, and if they don’t need require memorization or repetitive practice in order to learn a concept, then feel free to scratch those off your list.
Liberal Arts
Sometimes going deeper isn’t enough to keep a child interested. That’s not the only direction to go! You can also go wider, and expose children to a wider array of subjects. Explore Latin, logic, statistics, or piano at an early age. Think “Renaissance Man” and branch out.
Specialization
Gifted kids will often grab onto a subject with vigor, and work hard studying it for fun. Encourage them to follow their passion, and allow them free time so they can learn for fun.
Challenging
Keep their core subjects challenging but not overwhelming. It can help to assess them frequently. They may suddenly accelerate in math or spelling, so check to see if they have moved ahead without you, because they may not wait for formal instruction.
Mastery not Perfection
It’s important to allow them to work at their speed. As they are learning, be aware that mastery of a subject does not mean perfection. I have mastery over math, but my checkbook will testify that I’m not always perfect in math!
Multi-Age
If possible, choose a curriculum that is intended for multi-age homeschoolers. If you can choose the most challenging multi-age curriculum for a gifted child, then it may be age-appropriate. Using multi-age curriculum can help your child feel like they aren’t unusual.
Mentors
Try to find a mentor for your child who will understand their unusual interest. At first that may be a tutor, but as they grow older you may find that a college professor is the most helpful mentor.
Love
You love your child, and the Bible says that “Love covers a multitude of sins” (1Peter 4:8). Nobody is perfect, but you need to know that when missteps occur, it’s still going to be OK. Know your child, trust yourself and your judgment, and trust God to cover the missteps that occur.
God has made this child for you, so He must believe you are the right parent for the job. Don’t be anxious. You are the parent who has what it takes! Remember God’s promise:
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13
Lee Binz is a veteran homeschool mother of two gifted children, and owner of The HomeScholar. Her mission is “Helping parents homeschool high school.” She has a web page devoted to homeschooling gifted teens, and an audio course called “Gifted Education at Home”. Please visit her website, www.TheHomeScholar.com.
High School without Tests
October 15, 2009 by Lee
Does everything change when you start the high school years? Will homeschooling look completely different in 9th grade then it did in 8th? What about grades? Do you have to “do grades” when you start high school? Here is how one anxious mom said it;
“This is the first year of homeschooling for my 4th and 8th graders. I really do not want to do grades. I want them to master and move on. We had to really deschool from the public school system and I needed these boys to know it wasn’t just about grades but learning and understanding. My questions is this: Do I need to show a grading system for a portfolio?” ~Karen
What a great question! When it comes to high school, there are a few key lessons that lead you to homeschooling freedom. You do NOT have to do things differently! Here is what you need to know:
1. Whatever has been working before, keep doing it.
Since you have been successfully homeschooling all this time without grading, don’t start now. Like you, mastery was important to me. I did grade a few classes, but only math, science, and foreign language – and only because my curriculum choices included tests! My boys had a great-looking transcript even without “grading” and they were admitted to every college they applied to.
2. A grade on a transcript is not the same as “grading” with a test.
The grade on your transcript should represent all of the different ways you EVALUATE your children. Evaluation may have nothing to do with tests, or it might include some tests. Testing is optional! But providing a grade on your high school transcript is a good idea. Just remember that your transcript grade doesn’t have to include tests. It may be just a function of other ways you evaluate: papers, oral presentations, completed assignments, etc.
3. Homeschooling is not the same as a “school system.”
Because we have that great one-to-one tutoring system, we don’t NEED graded tests and quizzes. In a classroom setting, those things are necessary, because it’s the only way to evaluate large numbers of children all at once. Homeschoolers are aware (possibly even “too aware”) of how our children are doing, so tests may be redundant. That’s why it’s a good idea to get homeschool information from veteran homeschoolers, so they can encourage you in freedom rather than tie you up in a school system.
4. Invest in yourself
As a homeschooler, it’s important to remember that record keeping in high school is part of your job. You are the “High school registrar and office staff” you know! Record keeping is not the same thing as grading, but it’s important to get the information that you need about homeschooling high school so you feel confident. Preparing to homeschool high school is a big part of your job!
I wrote an article called “How to Assign Grades without Grading” that may help to calm nerves.
http://www.thehomescholar.com/how-to-assign-grades-without-grading.php
Have fun homeschooling high school the way you know will work for your children!
Lee Binz is a veteran homeschooling mom of two and the owner of The HomeScholar, “Helping parents homeschool through high school.” She has a new free minicourse called “The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School”. You can sign up for her free email homeschool newsletter, The HomeScholar Record and get your daily dose of wisdom via e-mail from her homeschool blog, The HomeScholar Helper.
News Flash! Teenagers Will Change Their Mind!
October 8, 2009 by Lee
Why bother with getting your kids ready for college when you feel certain they won’t go?
Because sometimes, when you least expect it, teenagers will change their minds. Stop laughing! You know it’s true!
College preparation makes a lot of sense for students who plan on going to college. College-bound students need course work that will prepare them for their college studies. Students need to take college admission tests, and parents need to learn about grades and credits. College-bound students need a homeschool diploma and a homeschool transcript. College preparation for college bound students is expected.
But have you ever considered what a college preparatory home education could provide for students who will not go to college?
College preparation for the non-college bound
Rigorous academics can benefit children even if they are not heading to college. Without college, a homeschool education may be the only formal education a student will receive, and you should try to make it the best education possible. By focusing on requirements for the college bound, you will ensure your children aren’t doing the minimum, but are instead striving for excellence. They don’t have to achieve a certain prescribed level of excellence, because excellence boils down to keeping your children challenged, and giving them a wide body of knowledge and experience. Calculus does not make the difference between a college-bound and non college-bound teen. Instead, it is striving to learn that will ultimately prepare a child for college and for life.
Teenagers can be moving targets, and it’s hard to know exactly where they will end up in their lives. My good friend was convinced that her child was not college bound. Her child experienced some learning challenges, hated math, and loved working with anything mechanical. She thought it was a slam dunk that he would become a mechanic. That is, until the day he changed his mind. “Mom,” he declared, “I‘ve decided to be an engineer!”
Life would be much easier if our children would just make up their minds once and for all. Unlike changing dinner plans from enchiladas to spaghetti, changing from “vocational training” to “college preparation” is a little more challenging. By planning a college prep high school, you don’t have to worry so much about changing plans. You and your student will be ready for anything.
Ready to engage the culture
Some people wonder if Christians should go to college. After all, college is filled with faulty humans. Then again, somebody will need to build the airplanes we rely on, and care for us in the hospital – and I hope those people are Christians with integrity, values, and knowledge. College education is a requirement for some careers. For many people and for many reasons, college is the next step after high school.
We spend much of our homeschool years explaining to people the reasons we keep our children safe at home. Those reasons don’t change when our children grow up – it’s our children that change. In fact, they become adults. The Bible says:
“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.”
1 Corinthians 13: 11
Adults must interact with a fallen world on a regular basis. Firm in their faith, adult Christians are able to negotiate the contrasting world views with their own beliefs intact. At some point, your child will be ready to “become a man” (or woman) and move on into adult life – and that may include college.
Train up your children in the way they should go, and when they become adults, encourage them to engage the culture and change the world. Jesus said:
“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”
Mark 16:15
This is a command, directly from the Lord. That verse just screams for our attention. He doesn’t say, “Go into all the world, but not college.” If college is in your child’s future, prepare them to face it as a mature adult. Of course, you don’t have to throw your children into the lion’s den either. Responsible Christians don’t generally choose to hang out in bars or clubs for fun. So work with your students to choose their college carefully, weighing the options.
Our academic history vs. their academic future
College plans can materialize out of nowhere. As parents, we know what we know, and sometimes we forget that our children may have their own plans for the future. If college didn’t make sense for us, it’s natural to think it won’t be a fit for our child. But if college suddenly becomes the next step, you’ll be thankful their high school years prepared them. Instead of focusing on your academic history, focus on providing flexibility for your student’s academic future.
There is one trick I learned over the years. At some point along the way, teenagers will usually stumble on some career idea that might require some college. When they mention an idea like that, try to grab on to it. “You want to work in Finance? That’s a great idea!” Then explain how their goal might require some college. Even if they change their mind, you can still encourage them, “Honey, just in case you decide to work in Finance again, let’s get prepared for that.” Encouraging teenagers to focus on their loftiest career goals can keep them focused on college planning.
For maximum flexibility, always be prepared
Preparing your students for college can help them if they go to college; but it can also help them if they don’t. Some children waffle back and forth before deciding about future plans, and rigorous academics can help you be prepared. You can prepare your children for college as part of your homeschool, taking to heart the Boy Scout motto, “Always be prepared.”
Providing a college prep education is not terribly complicated. You can continue to homeschool the same way you always have, learning with reckless abandon. You don’t have to change your curriculum, or give tests in every subject, or chain your student to a desk. Homeschoolers of every stripe have been successful with college admission. Don’t change what has always worked for you, just set your eyes on colleges, so you have the ultimate flexibility when your student graduates.
Academic preparation can’t hurt!
Plan for college and provide rigorous high school academics. If they use it to go to college – great! If they don’t use it for college, does the hard work go to waste? Not at all! College preparation can help your child be a better employee or entrepreneur, a wiser citizen and a more confident homeschool parent. Preparing for college can’t hurt your child, and it can provide flexibility for the future.
Lee Binz is a veteran homeschooling mom of two and the owner of The HomeScholar, “Helping parents homeschool through high school.” She has a new free minicourse called “The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School”. You can sign up for her free email homeschool newsletter, The HomeScholar Record and get your daily dose of wisdom via e-mail from her homeschool blog, The HomeScholar Helper.
Tired of Debating Your Teens? Join the Club!
September 4, 2009 by Lee
One of the advantages about homeschooling high school is the ability to tailor your school to meet the needs and interests of your students. To do that, you may need to think creatively, especially about topics that require some careful planning. One such area is speech and debate. There are some great homeschool groups and clubs that offer speech or debate classes, but sometimes you might not know how to find them. I have some ideas that may help you overcome this obstacle for your high school student!
Speech and debate can be done in group settings through some of the following national organizations. You may want to check out these groups on the internet:
• American Legion Boys State
• TeenPact
• YMCA Youth & Government
• National High School Mock Trial
• National Christian Forensics and Communications Association
• Awana, Bible Quiz, or Bible Bowl Clubs
You may find great opportunities for public speaking when your child applies for some college scholarships. Check out the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Elks Club college scholarships.
Your student may be able to have a speech experience with adults, by being part of an adult group like Toastmasters. Some Toastmasters clubs will offer a Toastmasters Junior group for teenagers, but the adult groups are great as well.
You may want to provide the opportunity for public speaking as a part of regular homeschool activities. Perhaps your child will teach a class to younger students, or teach Sunday School, or lead a larger group. Kids will often be happy to do this kind of speaking if they are teaching something they truly love.
You may be able to find a local debate group that you haven’t heard about. Give it a try, and Google your city, and the words “homeschool debate.” Even if there isn’t a group, you may be able to create one yourself. Advertise it within your own local area and see if there is any interest. Even if the group of teens doesn’t want to develop a formal “Debate Team”, you may be able to establish a group to meet and discuss current events. It may be as easy as having the group all listening to the same talk radio program prior to meetings, and then discuss their views.
You can also read and study about debate during the “down time” when not actively involved in a group. Some of the more popular programs include these curriculum options:
- Institute for Excellence in Writing Advanced Communication Series
- Secrets of the Great Communicators
- Or their more advanced, meant for adults, The Best-Kept Secrets of Great Communicators SYSTEM on Audio CD
Public speaking practice can be achieved by regularly memorizing and presenting prepared speeches to friends and family. Perhaps you could have your student to memorize scripture, poetry, or famous speeches from the past. They can present this each week to family or friends, or within a group of other teens.
You can memorize famous poems to tie in with your study of American or British Literature. My favorite source is: A Treasury of Poetry for Young People. Memorizing poetry is a great fit for teenagers who love reading and literature.
Teenagers might like to memorize famous American speeches to tie in with your study of American History or American Government
Famous American Speeches: A Multimedia History, 1850 To The Present (CD-ROM). That’s a great fit for the politically-minded teens.
You can memorize scripture as well. You may be able to find a local Awana Club, and have your children memorize scripture with that group – or even become a group leader. There are many other scripture memory clubs, as well as free memorization helps online. But you know, the Bible has always been memorized by believers, so all you really need is a Bible.
Have fun homeschooling high school!
Lee Binz is a veteran homeschooling mom of two and the owner of The HomeScholar, “Helping parents homeschool through high school.” She has a new free minicourse called “The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School”. You can sign up for her free email homeschool newsletter, The HomeScholar Record and get your daily dose of wisdom via e-mail from her homeschool blog, The HomeScholar Helper.
