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anitamarie
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| Posted: Jan 12 2012 at 10:36pm | IP Logged
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(Moderators, feel free to move this to High School thread if need be.)
We have planned on homeschooling high school all along, but now that it is looming, I'm a little terrified. Can one be "a little" terrified? I'm actually losing sleep.
Can we do this and give our ds the education he deserves? (He's our academically gifted one.)
Will I have enough time to do the discussions we need and give him the attention he needs academically while trying to educate everyone else, run our home, be a good wife, etc.?
Can we meet his needs socially?
Will he be able to get into the same colleges he would if he went to traditional school?
I actually had my dh and son go to our High School Curriculum Night this evening. They were not impressed. They both thought ds would be bored and/or not challenged. This is ranked one of the best school districts in the state.
My ds was intrigued by some of the extra-curricular activities at the school, in which he can participate.
We do go to an excellent co-op with lots of options academically. The co-op holds swing dances every couple of months, which he loves.
Please tell me we can do this. I'm getting really nervous.
Thanks.
Anita
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Jan 12 2012 at 11:02pm | IP Logged
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You can do this!
And I think everyone (myself included) panics at the thought of doing high school for the first time. Totally normal. 
__________________
Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Jan 12 2012 at 11:13pm | IP Logged
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Anita,
I don't know the ages of your other children, but my son is a sophomore in college and he asked to stay home to learn through high school. I also teach high school students at our homeschool co-op. If you and your son both want him to learn at home, you can definitely do this!
(Side note: My daughter is already plotting out her college options...she is 14 and in grade 9 at home...)
I've seen our homeschooled high school friends get into and do well at the following universities:
University of Notre Dame
Catholic University of America
United States Air Force Academy
University of Maryland College Park
Mount Saint Mary's, Emmittsburg, Maryland
Fairmont State University, West Virginia
University of Virginia
(This is off the top of my head; there are more, but it is late where I live!)
If you feel nervous about the college part, take a quick look at the "Admissions" section of a school you feel your son might apply to. There will be information for homeschoolers, in most cases, and you can start tailoring your program/documentation from day one if you wish.
May I offer you a few things to consider?
First, it does help to look at some university websites now to see what they are looking for, especially if your son is looking at specific programs (engineering, art, etc.) already. You will want to know what credits he'll need to be competitive. For most colleges, 4 years of English, 3-4 years of math, social studies and lab science, plus foreign language, PE, and other electives would be great for a liberal arts major. Science/Engineering/Technology majors should work toward 4 years of English, math and science, plus 3 years of social studies, and some foreign language, PE and other electives. (This is very general, of course, but it gives you an idea of what to look for.)
Second, if your son is aiming toward specific schools, now is the time to see what they're looking for. Write it down and build your son's high school plan around these courses.
Third, outsourcing is okay. Tutorials, community college courses (our county allows all high school students to enroll at 16 and will enroll in 9th grade with parental consent and a waiver - this really helps for foreign language) and co-ops can add to your son's experience and knowledge. I have former students who are heading to our state's robotics team championships this year...it took them two years to get there, but they won their region this time around. This will look great on their college applications! I'm expecting my daughter's dance experience to look good, too - she's an Irish step dancer (six years so far) with performance and competition experience.
Remember, too, that it's not all about your son. It wouldn't be if he were in traditional school, either. His opportunities are limited by family commitments, time available, drivers who can get him from A to B, finances, etc. as well as his own interests. Students in traditional schools have the same limitations, so you should not feel guilty about saying no when you need to. Even a billionaire couldn't be in two places at once, and your son will need to learn how to prioritize his interests and work with your family's needs and schedule. If all you can do is (in the words of a friend of mine) something along the lines of "Scouts plus one" (meaning, in her sons' lives, Boy Scouts plus one other activity plus faith formation at church), that is just fine!
I encourage you to spend a bit of time talking with your son about his interests...not about future college majors, just about what he likes to do...and about his hopes for his high school years. If he has friends at co-op and there are great opportunities there, build that into your plans. Same for outside activities/work experience (even mowing lawns is work experience...fodder for college applications).
There's no right answer to this, but I can assure you that most colleges and universities are very accepting of homeschooled applicants. They may ask for a booklist or other supplemental info from you...that's why you should look now at a few college websites, so you know what to document...but he'll be fine. Academics, outside activities, work experience, plus something challenging in one or more of those categories...that's pretty much what schools ask for. It's wide open.
Sending some prayers...I felt the same way when my son was in 8th grade! I am still marveling that he'll receive his A. A. in May...wow.
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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MaryM
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| Posted: Jan 13 2012 at 12:37am | IP Logged
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You can do it! 
We've gone the traditional school route for our oldest 2 and now am homeschooling high school with our 3rd. I've seen both sides of the coin, so to speak - not the finished scenario but the process. Especially with an academically gifted student - they can go deep and beyond and at a pace they aren't going to get in traditional schools for the most part. Getting into good schools is really about standardized test scores more than anything else - whether the student was homeschooled or traditionally schooled.
It sounds like you have lots of resources available to you in your area - like the co-op and the option to be involved in some extra-curriculars. And there are lots of resources out there in the cyber world and in print and media for high school students to be challenged.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Erica Sanchez
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| Posted: Jan 13 2012 at 2:00am | IP Logged
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I've got to go to bed, but wanted to say one quick thing.
My oldest, homeschooled since the beginning, did very well on the PSAT!!
We homeschool our two oldest (11th grade and 9th grade). We love it and they are both doing well. I wouldn't trade this for anything.
More later......
__________________
Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
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JuliaT
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I am in the same place as Anita. Although my oldest is only in Gr. 7, the high school doubting phase is heavy upon me. I have always been confident about my ability to teach our children...until this year. Outsourcing isn't an option for us due to logistics and finances so everything is solely on me and it terrifies me.
Nancy, thank you for your post. Your common sense advice is extremely helpful. Maybe in looking at college requirements, the doubts will ease up. Maybe. 
__________________
Blessings,
Julia
mom of 3(14,13 & 11 yrs.old)
MusingsofaPrairieGirl
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Jan 13 2012 at 7:09am | IP Logged
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Another cheer for you: YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
High school is really just like stepping out in every other grade - a little wider and a little deeper. We can continue to nurture the child's gifts, talents, strengths and goals. We can help them brainstorm, look for resources and plan in very personal ways. We're open to a wide, rich spectrum of end goals for the individual child, not the standard projected path. And at home, we're still very much focused on the learning, focused on our core principles so that a child can go deeper in topics that are a true passion.
The discussions that happen in high school work themselves out!
I'm going to add one more bit to Nancy's solid advice:
** If your child is NOT sure what direction they're headed in after high school, that's ok!!! Find out your state's requirements for high school graduation. Look at the academic transcript for a student graduating from your state, and plan your high school plans around that. Our lessons and days don't always (ever?) look like a "traditional" course, but on a transcript, we name them traditional names since they are a deep and considerate study of that topic. Having that big picture plan helps me see that we're covering all the courses that a student in our state graduating with an academic/honors diploma is going to cover.
** Don't overthink the transcript. You'd need to ask around a bit in your state with local homeschoolers, but here, it's better if a transcript walks and quacks like a standard state transcript. Let your home education continue to reflect the way your family enjoys learning!! Let your transcript name those courses with names that look familiar or "standard" on high school transcripts.
** Keep an open mind to non-traditional routes to college like College Plus! This is the right fit for some students!
** Mary's right about college admissions: it's really about the standardized testing more than anything else, and preparing for that at home is simple and can fit in your days in a variety of non-stressful ways.
** If you're concerned about not being able to facilitate a deep enough discussion or presentation of a particular topic, consider looking into some of the amazing courses at Homeschool Connections.
The social aspects of high school have worked out in a very relaxed, natural way for us, but I'm hesitant to offer specifics since that would depend on what is going on for each family locally. Our daughter is very social, and enjoys being around her friends and other people. She enjoys many local opportunities. Just by being in places where my daughter naturally enjoys herself: the barn with horses and other horse people, friends at church, outdoor sporting events, we make contacts and learn of opportunities that fit her needs and are attractive and exciting things for her. Learning of an opportunity is one thing, managing and prioritizing time and family resources is another. That is VERY a valuable lesson at this age though!!
Homeschooling high school is rewarding beyond measure for my daughter and I so far! It is a time when relationships deepen, and I'm just overjoyed and treasuring it! It is as varied and flexible as you need it to be. As Nancy said, there are many, many right answers in homeschooling high school, to include different paths for individual students. The beauty of homeschooling high school is the same thing that is beautiful about homeschooling in every other year: the child/young adult as a person is considered, supported and prepared through their home education.
__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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anitamarie
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Thank you all so much for the encouragement. I very much appreciate it. It means a lot coming from all of you experienced, dare I say veteran, homeschoolers. I'm feeling more confident already! Your wisdom and practical advice mean so much.
It is a little daunting, just like making the leap to homeschool in the first place.
I'll be re-reading your posts with my dh very soon.
Thanks again!
Anita
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stellamaris
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| Posted: Jan 13 2012 at 3:03pm | IP Logged
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anitamarie wrote:
| We have planned on homeschooling high school all along, but now that it is looming, I'm a little terrified. Can one be "a little" terrified? I'm actually losing sleep. |
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Now that you have a child so close to high school, you are thinking more realistically and less idealistically about what is involved. That is actually very good! It IS a big commitment and it IS an important foundation for your child's future. So, it really is kind of frightening and overwhelming to think about! I'd be more worried about you if you just thought it was going to be a walk in the park!
Use this "little" moment of being terrified as the incentive to turn to God with some serious time of prayer, asking for the graces and wisdom to guide your son through the high school years. I do the Novena to the Holy Spirit every year, not only at Pentecost, but also just before we begin serious schooling in the fall. I recommend it to you now as a preparation and as a means of entrusting yourself and your family to God as you embark on high school.
anitamarie wrote:
| Can we do this and give our ds the education he deserves? (He's our academically gifted one.) |
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You've got a bit of a head start since he IS academically gifted. This means you won't need to do much remedial work. He should be able to do whatever work you assign without too much trouble. Your main responsibilities will be:
1. Track/record his progress.
2. Keep him from getting bogged down/distracted.
3. Discuss material and correct assignments.
You CAN DEFINITELY give him the education he deserves! My fifth child, a daughter, has actually just returned home from private Catholic school to be homeschooled just this week. The reason? The moral environment of the school and the fact that she feels she was getting a much better and more extensive education at home! She is a junior in high school and very social. We put her in school when we moved to an area with almost no home schooled high school students, but it has really been an eye-opener for us. After years of feeling that I could have done a better job educating my children, I got a first-hand taste of what is available "out there"...and I was amazed! Even with a very relaxed approach, we cover so much more material, we read so many more books, we discuss more issues and even do more serious writing than she ever did at school. Plus, the moral environment is ever so much better  !
All of my children have scored well above average on the SAT's. I have had children admitted to University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, James Madison, and wait-listed at MIT. I have had professors comment to my children that it was a pleasure to meet a student who was so well-read or an engineering student who really understood the concepts! One son won a $10,000/yr honorary scholarship. None of my older children had any trouble the first year of college (although a few saw a real dip in their grades the second year  --they all pulled out of this "slump", though, when they realized the consequences of not studying or managing their time properly!). Several have gone for more than one degree. All are doing well. I'm not saying this to brag, just to encourage you. We are NOT the most organized and consistent home schooling family and we had a lot of serious disruptions during the high school years, including several births, me on bed rest, cancer in the family, a daddy working away from home, and all the usual difficulties that confront any family. In spite of that, we still did a better job than a school would have done! And so can you! 
We used several different resources for high school and I would definitely suggest this route. It gives your student exposure to different teaching styles, and to the note-taking, test-taking, and time management skills he will need in college. Also, it is a source of recommendations. Among the resources we have used:
**community college courses (beginning junior year)
**local drama productions
**local music instruction
**homeschool sports teams
**home school curriculum providers like Kolbe and Seton
**small group instruction with a tutor for Latin, Greek
**online AP courses (from Patrick Henry University)
**online SAT prep courses
If I had known about it (and if it had been available with our older ones), we would have used Homeschool Connections as well, and probably will next year.
Another very helpful resource from Kolbe Academy is Parent as Counselor, which details what tests are available/necessary, when to take them, how to plan a college prep high school curriculum, and a lot of other great general information for making sure you cover all the courses, get together all the information for college applications, and get testing/applications done in a timely fashion. I really recommend this little resource!
OK, I'm going to post this much so I don't delete it by mistake! Then I've got more to say later! Yikes! 
__________________
In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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stellamaris
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| Posted: Jan 13 2012 at 3:30pm | IP Logged
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anitamarie wrote:
| Will I have enough time to do the discussions we need and give him the attention he needs academically while trying to educate everyone else, run our home, be a good wife, etc.? |
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Yes and no. You will constantly have to be making trade-offs and you will need to be wise to plan the use of your time. You will most likely not feel that you are able to give any one child as much time and attention as you would like to, but you will probably be able to give each of them what they truly need. There will be days the house slides, and days when you are not the "perfect wife"...but overall your efforts on behalf of your family will be rewarded. You must remember you can't be everything to everyone; that is God's job! Just do what you can and trust in Him!
I would like to suggest to you that you make your health an important priority alongside the needs of your family. Get household help if you can afford it, try to take time to walk outside and eat well. Train your children to take over certain chores--don't fall into the trap of being "the maid". Be sure to spend time alone with your husband. These habits will help offset the stresses on you as the primary caretaker and educator for your family. Your children will benefit more from a happy, healthy mom than from another discussion on the main themes in some book they are reading. Plus, they will be learning a lot about practical living and having a servant's heart.
We can never do all we would like to do. We must be content with doing what God wills us to do, and learning that contentment is an entire spiritual curriculum in itself! God is educating you while you educate your children.
anitamarie wrote:
| Can we meet his needs socially? |
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You don't say if he's a very social child or more of an introvert, but I've had both kinds and I think their social needs were more than met. First of all, they don't need constant, all-day-every-day contact to have good friends. Secondly, you want them to socialize with those friends who will encourage them in holiness and not the opposite!
Very social children WILL have plenty of friends, probably too many, even if they are home-schooled. My second son is very social, and when he applied for a job as a fitness trainer, the manager interviewing him said he had never seen any applicant with such great social skills! So much for the awkward-homeschooler myth.
More introverted children need some forum to make friends. Classes, small group discussions, sports, parish activities, and volunteer activities are all good options for developing social skills and finding friends.
Finally, the security your child gains from his relationship with his parents and his siblings will be an important foundation for his future social growth.
anitamarie wrote:
| Will he be able to get into the same colleges he would if he went to traditional school? |
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Actually, there's no way to know this. But he will be able to get into a good school if he has good test scores and plenty of activities. I have to disagree with a few comments above about test scores being the main deciding factor for college admissions. Colleges certainly do put heavy weight on test scores, but a good score alone is not sufficient. Be sure to involve him in community activities, sports, music, whatever extra curricular options are available in your parish/community. The better the college, the more they consider the whole student, and the more they look for those students that have not only excellent SAT scores, but also lots of other enrichment activities.
ETA: Be sure to keep a list of all the books he reads, both assigned and just on his own. A few colleges asked for such a list; plus, it's impressive to include even if they don't ask for it. Home schooled students generally have read a lot more books of literary merit than traditionally schooled students!
Consider having him take achievement tests as he completes subjects such as biology, chemistry, foreign languages, etc. Doing well in these individual subject courses adds legitimacy to your home school program.
Some colleges favor home schooled students, but some are not so welcoming.
My final thoughts! God has a plan for your son. Trust in Him and commit your plans to Him. You CAN DO IT and God will be by your side in the trenches!
__________________
In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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anitamarie
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| Posted: Jan 17 2012 at 6:10pm | IP Logged
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Wow, Caroline, thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. That was so helpful in so many ways. I will be reading and re-reading this a lot. Thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom.
God Bless,
Anita
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Angie Mc
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Anita, it sounds like you have everything you need to make a go of it! Seriously, I would be more concerned if you were saying "Homeschooling high school - no biggie" . While (like all homeschooling) it isn't for everyone I believe it IS for ANYONE who wants to give it a try!
Thinking of what has been most helpful to our family is that both of my high schoolers wanted to home school and both parents thought it was a good fit. Each of our students has had to "sell their case" and I think this is a good exercise for every student heading to high school, not matter what their case is.
Each of my students had/has motivation to home school through high school (and not all of these motives are academic or virtuous.)
My first really didn't want to go to the local high school (which isn't impressive) and she was "older" than her peers, maturity wise in some ways. She wanted to stay home and have huge chunks of time to read...and relax. She didn't feel the need for a ton of friends and was blessed with some close friends (homeschool and schooled) who had/have fun. My biggest concern for her was...her leisurely pace . Now, she is in college, working at an intense pace, and loving it.
My second wants to play baseball. He really respects players who go to school all day AND play high level sports! He wants the flexibility to eat, sleep, nap, exercise, and practice around baseball commitments. He studies in the summer (when the temp climbs over 110 and baseball stops for a few months) so that he can streamline his studies during spring ball. He takes 6th period (PE Baseball) at the high school where he plays ball and might take a 5th period class next year as a junior.
As far as getting into colleges goes, there are schools out there that make it hard for homeschooled students to enter. To them we say, "Who needs you!" . We tell our children that no one is entitled to go to any particular school, it is a privilege! My baseball playing son works with coaches who know the ropes and they tell him that student/athletes can find a fit as long as they are flexible and that some schools actually prefer homeschooled students.
I need to get back to work! I don't think anyone has mentioned one of my favorite parts of homeschooling through high school. I really love hanging around with others moms who do this! There is a really neat sisterhood that doesn't get all ruffled by differences in curriculum. Shoot, we're just glad there is someone else out there wrestling with it! So be sure to hang out here and find other ladies online and/or IRL who are real honest, (mostly) cheerful, and encouraging who you can hang out with when you have a few spare minutes...like I just did .
Keep us posted and praying!
Love,
__________________
Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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4Real Forums : High School Years and Beyond
Topic: High School Pep Talk Please
