1. How does one create a curriculum using living books on one’s own? Making sure it meets typical graduation requirements and is equal to the rigor of a high school class, etc.??
I researched various high school curricula and my state requirements and came up with a comparable plan. A typical high school credit can be based on course work completed or time spent on a particular course. I believe 150 to 180 hours spent on a subject is the requirement to consider it a high school level course. I prefer designing or choosing a comparable course load and awarding a credit on completion. Counting minutes just doesn’t appeal to me but many moms find it very helpful.
2. How does one create assignments worthy of a high school class on one’s own? If I choose a book for my student to read, how can I facilitate proper discussion, assign appropriate essay questions/narration assignments, etc.?? Are there guides for such things?? This seems way out of my reach right now.
I hear you. My daughter is in 8th grade and writing 2 nice, page long narrations a week. I’m really not sure how I will raise the difficulty in high school. I know that I will require more written narrations and that I will eventually use a writing course of some sort. I just haven’t yet decided when. I’ve read a lot about beefing up high school narrations. Have you read the SCM high school blog series? It’s really helpful. I used a writing curriculum with my son when he was in high school. We used IEW but I don’t plan on going that route with my daughter. I feel that the approach is too formulaic and Charlotte cautions us against that kind of writing instruction.
I’m not a fan of too much literary analysis. Dissecting books can really ruin a child’s love of reading. I plan on doing a bit of this but not until the later high school years and only briefly. I have heard that some literature guides do provide valuable essay questions.
3. What about evaluating and grading? I can’t see myself making up my own rubrics for everything my child is assigned – I think I’d drown!! Are there helps for this and for evaluating work??
Sonya gives some great advice concerning this on the Learning and Living DVD’s. I guess I’ve never struggled with giving grades. Homeschool moms tend to be pretty tough on their kids. If I feel that the work is not up to par, I require my kids to work on it until I find it satisfactory. I feel pretty confident in my ability to assess their work. I know good writing when I see it. The work is not completed until it is A or B level work.
4. If the above project seems too large, are there any CM-oriented curriculums out there that people are really happy with? (primarily for History/Literature) I’ve looked at Veritas Press Omnibus – I know not CM, but classical – I like the depth of reading in that program, but wonder if it will be too much. But then, I look at some other curriculums, like Notgrass, and others, and wonder if it is enough??
My primary goal for the next four years is to challenge my student to become a good thinker – one who can readily analyze ideas and worldviews, and can learn to evaluate ideas from a Biblical perspective. I think a high school course should be challenging, too. Any ideas/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
I do find Ambleside Online to be very challenging and many of their books are wonderful. However, it’s not a program that I want to stick with as written. Have you looked it over? There’s a lot of information concerning high school on their website as well.
