Minimizing Subjects

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  • January 2, 2010 at 11:40 pm
    missingtheshire
    Member

    Do any of you ladies minimize certain subjects as the children move through high school to give them more time in their areas of interest?  I have a child I am helping homeschool, who is so into the arts and has little to no interest in math or science except for the basic state requirements, I would love to suggest to her mother that she encourage the child in her interests and talents and minimize the study of the other subjects – however I don’t know if that is ok.  In the UK when I went through school, we were allowed to drop subjects that we did not want to take as O and A levels to get into University.  I dropped both math and science and focused on history, literature and art and other liberal arts subjects, and went to uni on those subjects.  I am well aware that here it is different, and colleges love their math and language arts scores on the SATs, so how would you advise her – the child has a few more years in high school, and loathes math and is just not interested in science, just does what she has to, but she loves writing and history.  She comes to me for her history, geography, art and music and her mom and I would love to know what others do, when there is so little interest or talent in certain subjects.  She does want to go to college and study history.  Any input would be valuable.

    January 3, 2010 at 2:00 am
    RobinP
    Participant

    I would advise her to look into the requirements of the colleges she hopes to attend.  Each state has its own requirements as well.  She may be required to have 2-3 science credits (often with at least one lab,) and probably at least 2-3 math credits.  That doesn’t mean those credits have to be advanced physics or calculus.  Still it would be to her advantage in life to have some “real” math skills…maybe some sort of “living math” type course?  I hated math and science but I took a physical science course in college and found it fascinating.  Biology is a pretty common course and can be enjoyable.   Apologia does a good job of making it interesting (sort of living book-ish.)  She might enjoy getting together with another family or two to learn these subjects.  My son was the opposite.  He graduated with 6 science credits (including advanced physics) and 5 math credits (including calculus) but I had trouble getting him into “the arts.”   

    I’m not saying she can’t skip them.  Just make sure of the requirements before she does.  It would be a shame to have to take remedial math in college when she could have gotten it over with now.

    January 3, 2010 at 3:31 am
    missingtheshire
    Member

    Thanks Robin, she will have 3 science and 3 math – Astronomy, Bio and chemistry, plus Algebra 1 and Geometry, plus consumer math.  Her mom is making sure she has the state and local college requirements it is just she does not want her being forcefed any more than she has to, when she could spend the extra time studying history, art and writing.  So I guess the plan she has would be ok -rather than have to do any more science and math than what I mentioned above, she could do the things she really loves and is talented at.

    January 3, 2010 at 1:32 pm
    RobinP
    Participant

    OH!  Well then…that’s plenty, especially since she’s not going into a science/math field.  Yes, then she needs to spend the rest of her time doing what she loves…  Blessings to her!!

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