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sevenblessings
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| Posted: July 10 2008 at 9:03am | IP Logged
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Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do for my 17 year old? She is tired of school! This will be her 3rd year at home (she was homeschooled before but due to a divorce went to public school for 4 years), and she is going to be a senior.
Her first year of high school homeschooling we enrolled her in Seton. Uugh!! It took the poor child 2 years to complete her sophomore year! As she finished each Seton class during what should have been her 11th grade, she would begin an 11th grade class. We just sent in her last World Lit. analysis for Seton so she is just now a true junior :(
She has completed some of her junior requirements already, but she hasn't really had a break. Bless her heart she wants to graduate at the same time her friends will but at the rate she is going she won't.
When she has completed her junior classes she will have 16 credits. I told her she only needed to take 4 classes her senior year. She wants to take 6 in order to graduate with 22 credits (she says it looks better to colleges).
I haven't been giving her any reminders to begin her classes because I feel she truly needs a break! She has chosen many classes that are very difficult just to look good to a college. But the only class she is enjoying is her psychology class (which is the field she is going into).
Any suggestions on how to lighten her load so she enjoys learning?
Sorry this is so long 
__________
Michelle
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teachingmyown
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First of all, I have known several families that have struggled with getting Seton done, especially in the upper grades. We tried to do it for 10th grade and my son ended up back in public school.
I don't know if this would help, but I am enrolling my 17 yr old senior in Keystone National High School. Only needs five credits (he has been in public school for most of high school) and hopes to graduate by December.
From what I can tell, the class expectations are more reasonable than Seton and they can move at their own pace.
I am sure others will have more suggestions. I just thought I would throw out what we are doing.
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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shartlesville
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Well, I don't know if this will help but my 16 y.o. decided to talk to some counselors at the local university.
She is now taking the GED; she has already passed the first four sections and we are awaiting the results of the last one (please say a prayer!). She starts college next month with a ton of scholarship money.  She is ready but I am not so sure my dh and I are! 
I have not done any of the leg work or information gathering. She has done it all on her own. I just signed the appropriate paperwork which has mostly been permission slips allowing her to take the tests and talk to people and financial aid documents.
Maybe your daughter could talk to your local college about finishing high school through them. She may need only one or two courses rather than six. I got my high school diploma (not a GED) through a local college years ago and I only had to take one class.
It can't hurt to ask and you might be pleasantly surprised. :-)
Blessings,
Krisann
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MacBeth
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| Posted: July 10 2008 at 10:26am | IP Logged
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I would drop Seton for the year, and go it on my own, and let her finish.
I would look for creative and unusual ways to give her those credits...a job, life experience, a long tern project of her design. For instance, if she volunteers at a soup kitchen or nursing home, she can write about it, and call it "sociology." If she works in a retail store, give her credit for "economics" or "marketing." If she balances her checkbook, give her credit for "commercial math." If she reads a few Shakespeare plays with friends, and attends a few and discusses them, give her credit for Shakespeare.
You can make your own transcript for her last year and it will be accepted by colleges. Look up college requirements, and remember that colleges are interested in the unusual attributes of their applicants, not necessarily a formal transcript. "Looking good" to a college these days means standing out in the crowd, showing that you can do more than school work, and that you have a strong interests in certain fields...strong enough to pursue them on your own.
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sevenblessings
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| Posted: July 10 2008 at 12:34pm | IP Logged
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We didn't re-enroll her in Seton this year. She was only enrolled for her sophomore year (it just took her until the end of her junior year to complete it  ).
MacBeth wrote:
I would look for creative and unusual ways to give her those credits...a job, life experience, a long tern project of her design. For instance, if she volunteers at a soup kitchen or nursing home, she can write about it, and call it "sociology." If she works in a retail store, give her credit for "economics" or "marketing." If she balances her checkbook, give her credit for "commercial math." If she reads a few Shakespeare plays with friends, and attends a few and discusses them, give her credit for Shakespeare. |
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I really like this! I will talk with her about this and see what we can come up with!! Maybe if she see's she can earn credits by doing things she actually enjoys it will encourage her!!
MacBeth wrote:
| remember that colleges are interested in the unusual attributes of their applicants, not necessarily a formal transcript. "Looking good" to a college these days means standing out in the crowd, showing that you can do more than school work, and that you have a strong interests in certain fields...strong enough to pursue them on your own. |
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I LOVE this!!!  I am definitely sharing this with her. She tends to think it is all about the advanced classes!!
Thank you for all of your suggestions. I'll let you know how our talk goes!!
__________
Michelle
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Cay Gibson
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My niece has been hsed through high school and turned 17 in April. She's planning to take the GED in October because she's anxious to get on with her life. She's a smart girl and her parents don't see any reason in another year of traditional school work.
What Krisann mentioned is totally appropriate and totally do-able.
MacBeth wrote:
Look up college requirements, and remember that colleges are interested in the unusual attributes of their applicants, not necessarily a formal transcript. "Looking good" to a college these days means standing out in the crowd, showing that you can do more than school work, and that you have a strong interests in certain fields...strong enough to pursue them on your own.
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What MacBeth said. 
This is basically how we handled my oldest ds's final two years of high school. He's doing so well today.
Trust your child and trust the good Lord to guide them.
A good read is The Day I Became an Autodidact
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Cay Gibson
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Leonie
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I am 100% with Macbeth and Cay - and, at the risk of being redundant, will post again some articles by Cafi Cohen that can help with this more self directed curriculum.
Cafi Cohen
more on eclectic curriculum and teens
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sevenblessings
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| Posted: July 16 2008 at 2:17pm | IP Logged
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Thank you so much everyone for all of your great advice!! I have talked with her about all of this and she is willing to try something different
She is really interested in psychology. We have also purchased CHC's government course and Saxon's Advanced Math. Now we aren't sure if we are going to use them We'll see. Maybe they'll fit in there somewhere.
I've been doing more research on the forum and have seen some conversations about Elizabeth's Transitions guide, but I can't seem to locate the actual guide anywhere. Can somebody guide me in the right direction?
When our planning (we are going to do it together ) is complete, I'll share with you what we have come up with!!
Thanks again,
__________
Michelle
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donnalynn
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Michelle -
I can't personally recommend these titles - haven't read them - but you might be interested in this list for psychology titles.
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donnalynn
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catholicmomma
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Michelle,
Please give your daughter my encouragement. Over twenty years ago, I was where she is! I was with Our Lady of the Rosary, not Seton, but I think they were similar. The best thing in the world for me was the hope I had of going off to college in a year. I also was pretty self-motivated. Took the minimum number of classes and worked three jobs to get money for college.
College was absolutely fabulous, but that last year at home was pretty painful, not knowing where I'd go, feeling pretty lonely and frustrated. But I have to say the experience of having to do all the "legwork" myself gave me life-lessons in self-discipline and motivation. Now I am very grateful for the experience. (And I have a severe intolerance for the spoiled kids whose parents do it all for them - they are usually the college kids who are self-absorbed, lousy students.)
Please tell your daughter for me, "Don't give up!" God is giving her this opportunity to grow and mature that a lot of people don't get, and it will make her a stronger woman.
Prayers,
Lisa B in OH
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4Real Forums : High School Years and Beyond
Topic: 17 year old tired of school
