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Jeanne
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| Posted: Feb 03 2006 at 7:48am | IP Logged
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My dd about to turn 13 should be going into 8th grade next year. I've been talking to a jr.high teacher who feels 8th grade is just a repeat of 7th and recommends just starting highschool early. I have other homeschooling friends who have done this also-their thinking, either the children will finish early for their age or move a little slower and let it take 5 years.
I'm debating this in my mind and wondering if anyone else has started early and what you think the pros/cons are.
Thanks
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Jeanne
mom to 9 (21,19,17,15,12,10,6,4,8 months
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
P hi li ppians 4:13
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Feb 03 2006 at 8:11am | IP Logged
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I read an article about this recently. Fwiw, I think it depends on the child. If you have an academically driven child who is ready for high school level work and is honestly excited to move forward, and its truly child driven, then no harm done.
But I also think that the jr. high years are meant to cement and fill in any gaps from the elementary school years, and to build a child's confidence in themselves that they are ready for high school. Kids this age tend to be very self conscious and "interior" focused (read: navelgazers). For some kids, I think its not a bad idea to give them a couple of years to just get used to who they are and to feel good about what they do know.
Its a measly .02, though, as my oldest (a navelgazer) is 12 1/2.
~Books
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Mary G
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The other side of it -- although the outside world puts these labels on -- do you really need to have "grades" in a homeschool? Some of the stuff we do is technically both above and below "grade level" as it's taught in school. But to me, that's the beauty of homeschooling.
If you're daughter is ready -- go ahead. If it turns out she's way over her head, slow it down and take the extra time. Or let her forge ahead, finish early and work for a year doing something that works toward what she wants to do anyway.
A friend of mine had a daughter that finished 2 years ahead, at 16! Rather than go off to colelge, where she would have stood out and been oically unready for, her mom and dad (and she) decided to first volunetter and then get paid for working in a hospital doing what she wanted to eventually do. She's since finished college and is now in med school and almost done.
Do what's best for you and your family -- and don't worry about what others well-meaningly suggest....
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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Willa
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In Heart and Mind, one mom recommended starting to keep a transcript during middle school and counting some credits towards high school. Seems like that would be a possible middle ground and give the child some choices about whether he/she wanted to graduate early or whatever.
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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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ALmom
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My sis had two very academically advanced boys. One she let graduate early (at 16) and then he was in college. Because of his age, he was still living at home and taking courses at the local university. He is doing fine - but her advice after this child was to let them take high school courses, even give them credit - but call them 8th grade according to their age, but not graduate until normal 12 th grade. There is something psychological about still being under mom and dad's authority that helps the maturing process.
When another son came along very similiar to the older brother, he took courses and by the time he was 16, he really had done all the high school credits. But, he didn't graduate. They called him a senior, he took almost all his 12th grade courses at a community college and started college ahead of the game (with the potential of saving money). But since he was still "high school", he had that extra year of home guidance.
Don't know if this makes any sense - but gives an idea of some of the options.
One thing you should note about taking 5 years to do high school is that it disqualifies dc for college athletics and it also messes up their possibility of competing for the PSAT national merit scholarship which is taken in the junior year of high school for National Merit competition. This scholarship is the best that anyone gives - at our state University, if you are a finalist, then you get full tuition and board, a laptop computer, money for research/overseas study and a stipend for incidentals. You can also stack other scholarships from the college on top of this - so these kids end up with virtually free college education! By just taking the courses in 8th grade, you don't run into this problem.
It is not unusual for advanced kids to begin high school level courses in 8th grade even in the school system. Around here there is a dual enrollment option just for these kids - many go to the local University (based on an SAT score and recommendation of the school) and take Calculus, foreign languages, business courses, science courses, etc. We know kids who graduate from high school with enough credits for at least an Associates degree. However, in our state, they can have as many dual enrollment credits as they want and they still enter college as freshmen with all the scholarship options that that entails. Many of them can then finish undergraduate work early (saves tons of money) and go on to graduate school. Just something you might look into in your area.
We didn't know about all this with our oldest - but any of my science minded kids are doing this simply because I cannot teach science! I've also been told that I might as well enroll my non-science kids at the community college (which typically resembles an advanced high school class)and they can then have a lot of their core courses out of the way. If they suddenly decide to major in math, they can always opt to take courses again if they feel they need a bit more. My oldest wishes we knew about some of this for her - as she would have taken math and science courses there just so she wouldn't have to worry about them in college and would have had more time to focus on music. It would also have been tons cheaper for us to pay for single courses at the University than to pay for the Spanish tutor - and she would have had college credit.
Just some ideas.
Janet
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Jeanne
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| Posted: Feb 03 2006 at 2:47pm | IP Logged
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Janet,
Thank you I didn't even think of the draw backs of taking 5 years to do highschool. It makes a lot of sense to call her an 8th grader and take highschool credits.
I love these forums, I have really avoided a lot of mistakes listening to the wisdom of such wonderful women.
Blessings!
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Jeanne
mom to 9 (21,19,17,15,12,10,6,4,8 months
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
P hi li ppians 4:13
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4Real Forums : High School Years and Beyond
Topic: Starting High School
