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Leocea
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| Posted: Feb 05 2008 at 11:43pm | IP Logged
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For my ninth-grader's Earth Science, I am using a textbook as a guide. We are then reading books, doing nature journals/walks, and watching DVDs and youtube, etc.
To get a credit, I know that you have to complete at least 3/4 of a textbook. However, I do not have him write down the questions/answers at the end of each chapter. Many times, we do them orally, and they may not be in the proper order, either.
I am confident that he will have been taught at least 3/4 of the textbook, so if all goes well, he will get his credit. My question is, how do I *prove* it later? Do I even have to? Can I just state the name of the textbook? Do I need to keep it around until his college years? Should I have him do a few chapters on paper for a portfolio? Then not worry about where the book is in a few years?
Next year I plan on using Apologia Biology, so that will be easier, I guess, lol. (Of course, that is if I follow the text, and don't go off on rabbit trails again!)
I know that I *could* log hours and also write down *everything* he is doing for science, but it is just SO much easier to use the 3/4 of a textbook for this one, don't you think?
I am VERY bad at writing down the hours,and they ALWAYS seem to overlap so much with other school-work, too! Drawing in a nature journal is art AND science, but which one is it logged under, for instance?
In Christ,
Leocea
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Leocea
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| Posted: Feb 13 2008 at 7:22pm | IP Logged
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It's funny, I expected to get *too* many answers, and to have to figure out what to do. Instead, no replies?
Someone has to have experience with this!?
Do colleges even ask what texts were used?
In Christ,
Leocea
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: Feb 13 2008 at 8:46pm | IP Logged
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I've always awarded credit on my own say so. Nobody *official* has ever questioned that. Our umbrella group keeps track of the credits the children have accumulated, but, again, that is based on what I tell them. Some colleges have asked for a list of books, for a description of the basis on which credit was awarded, or for detailed course descriptions. Other colleges have not asked for anything other than the prepared transcript that lists courses by name only and the grade given for the course.
I realize this answer may sound kind of wishy-washy, but it is my real life experience. I have graduated 2 from home school high school and have a senior who is in the process of making college decisions. One of my graduates went first to a community college that has open admission, so we didn't need to *convince* anyone about anything from high school. The others (one presently in graduate school, the other the current high school senior) have applied to competitive colleges. It has really been a mixed bag as far as what each college was looking for in terms of background information about the applicant's high school course work.
Hope that helps.
Peace,
Nancy
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Willa
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| Posted: Feb 14 2008 at 8:59am | IP Logged
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I missed the question the first time around. My experience is limited because my graduates didn't apply to a whole group of colleges. But we designed our own classes and didn't keep an extensive written paper trail. My oldest didn't have any trouble getting into the college of his choice; my second and third are still in the process of applications.
I can't imagine colleges having the time or interest to find out every detail of each transcript... judging textbooks and huge samples of recorded classwork. If they doubted a homeschool transcript they would probably seek to verify it by subject SATs or that type of thing.
I usually have the kids write and preserve end of term tests and perhaps a sample or two of the regular classwork, but I certainly think oral discussion and extra reading and nature study is a component of a good science course.
I don't even worry about "3/4 of a textbook" except as a loose guideline. Several of our science classes in high school have been a mixed bag of textbook spine, a few projects or labs and extra reading.
About where to log, say, drawing -- I usually put it under the subject that needs some filling out. Another way to do it is record it under the heading where the focus was.
Maybe you could file his question answers under your own record-keeping system -- rather than in the order of the textbook? In effect, make his own textbook or reference source. I have never been that organized but if I was I would do it that way 
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AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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mariB
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| Posted: Feb 18 2008 at 6:14am | IP Logged
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Thanks for asking this question, Leocea!
Thanks, Willa! We have our first in high school and after reading your post, I feel much better because a lot of our schooling is done this way. I am making our own transcripts as we go along and so many times I question my method of record keeping...Is it enough?....Do I need to do more?...What if I really mess up?...
That's when I start praying again...praying for His peace. After all, I could never have planned in my wildest dreams that our life would be what it is now!
WILLA WRITES:
"I usually have the kids write and preserve end of term tests and &nb sp; perhaps a sample or two of the regular classwork, but I certainly think oral discussion and extra reading and nature study is a component of a good science course."
Yeah! This makes me feel MUCH better!
WILLA WRITES:
"I don't even worry about "3/4 of a textbook" except as a loose guideline. Several of our science classes in high school have been a mixed bag of textbook spine, a few projects or labs and extra reading."
We do this too!(sigh of relief)
I am interested to see more replies on this post:)
Thank you,
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marib-Mother to 22ds,21ds,18ds,15dd,11dd and wife to an amazing man for 23 years
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amarytbc
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| Posted: Feb 18 2008 at 6:26am | IP Logged
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Most colleges assume that 1 credit equals 180 hours of instruction. I try to follow that guideline. It's to the student's benefit to give some kind of formal testing so that he can start to get used to what to expect in college. I've seen many homeschoolers in college who love to learn, but who can't complete the requirements because they don't know how to study for tests, write formal papers according to a particular style, etc. The high school years go by very quickly.
My oldest was asked for a listing of books that we used in his courses at two colleges and just a transcript at the others. At one college he had an interview and they did ask some specific questions about what he had studied in a few of the classes. It depends on where they apply to colllege. You could look at the admission requirements of the college he is interested in now to get an idea.
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wwandsprmn
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| Posted: Feb 18 2008 at 2:14pm | IP Logged
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hmmm..I would say when I am so frustrated I set it ablaze! Kidding!!
My goal is 3/4. We do write the answers, but when done orally I write such in the notebook.
Not anticipating any problems.
~Robin
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Willa
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| Posted: Feb 19 2008 at 10:18am | IP Logged
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amarytbc wrote:
| Most colleges assume that 1 credit equals 180 hours of instruction. I try to follow that guideline. |
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Yes, me too.
Also, to be more detailed about what I said about using "3/4 of a textbook" as a loose guideline.
I usually try to follow the table of contents as a sort of scope and sequence -- so though I may not have my kids read through the whole textbook I do try to cover similar material possibly using "real books" and the like.
I was just looking through high school syllabi online the other day because my fourth son may go to public high school next year and I wanted to get an idea of what to prepare him for. I did the same thing when my oldest was in high school (homeschooled) -- I scanned through online syllabi to get a working sense of what was reasonable for a student at that level.
I think it was worth the time spent. I didn't necessarily try to reproduce a public high school at home because then what would be the point in homeschooling? But it helped me translate what I was doing into terms that made sense for college prep.
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AMDG
Willa
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4Real Forums : High School Years and Beyond
Topic: *Proof* that a textbook is finished?
