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Ramble about my HS ds… wise words needed : )
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(I moved this post up from within an earlier thread about history in which Bookworm replied)
Bookworm … thank you so much for chiming in about your book choices; you are such a wealth of information! I have spent WEEKS having a tennis match inside my head, as someone said. I have used AO with my 15 ds since he was in 3rd grade (yrs 1-8), but am thinking of using Sonlight Am. History this next year. But I just can not seem to decide – thus the constant volley in my head – HEO 9 … SL core 100?
My son does not love history so I have been desparately searching for something to spark his interest, but still be high school level. He likes Sonlight, but I’m not so sure it’s HS level? There’s also the question of speeding through Am History in one year or spreading it out over all 4 years? He is all for speeding through to be done with it, but how much will he remember and make a connection with?
There is also the issue of time as someone else mentioned. He will be taking Biology, Pre-Calculus, Spanish,maybe an IEW writing course, Literature as well as I need to allow him time for his other interests – guitar, mechanical type stuff, and he wants to get a job ASAP! I guess my biggest dilemma is how to get in the requirements (making it the best it can be because he is not decided on going to college – this could be the bulk of his education!), but still leave time for him to follow his interests.
SL reading is easy, and may be interesting, but there is so much scheduled will he have the time to be ‘himself’?
HEO 9 (maybe the Lite version) is heftier reading, but much less. Maybe that would give him the afternoons to do his own thing? However it might aggravate his dislike of history.
I love history and I have a tendency to think of it as the ‘core’ of school, but he would rather be ‘doing’ stuff (a job is his highest priority). I somehow need to guard against forcing what I want him to learn and instead give him some of that choice. But that is easier SAID than DONE!
Maybe I’m just having a hard time letting go of my oldest ; ) and letting him begin to manage his own life!
OH my well thanks to anyone who read this rambly post! I have posted questions similar to this on other forums, but haven’t received much input – perhaps because they seem to be peopled by moms of younger kids. Moms of HSers seem to fade away from these discussions boards. Also most of the homeschool moms I know personally have only elementary kids. Anyway…. thanks for listening and any words of wisdom are appreciated!
Olivia in OH
Hello Olivia,
Yours is not a rambly post, just a mom’s heart speaking…
My boys are young but Barb (you’ll know her from Handbook of Nature Study blog) talks about CM homeschooling through high school (and high school boys) in a very real and practical way at Harmony Art Mom . You’ll have to scroll down to the bottom right-hand side of the page to see the high school posts are drop her an email and she should be able to guide you to them as I’m pretty sure there are more.
I also wanted to point you to SCM’s series on Homeschooling through High School the CM way. And for anyone that hasn’t heard them, my favorite resources are Sonya’s presentations: “Looking Past the Fear” and “Reaching Your Child’s Heart” (found in the SCM bookstore). I know that doesn’t answer your specific history questions, Olivia, but both those resources offer so much.
It’s always interesting to hear what mom’s that use CM methods through high school have to say so I’ll look forward to anyone furthering this conversation.
Warmly,
Richele
Hello Olivia,
I understand the dilema of balance in high school. I have gone back and forth in my head regarding my high school level dds. I keep coming back to this: we, as a family, switched to a total CM approach during my eldest dd’s last two years in high school. That made all of the difference in the world for her ability to understand and retain information to the point that she made a HUGE leap in understanding – really she gained at least 4 years of knowledge in 2 years. The thing is, it was “easier” work. This past year with my younger girls, we’ve had the same experience – great retention, but what seemed like an easier schedule.
We came from SL to SCM by way of LBC. While I know that SL’s books are not as weighty as the book list on AO, it crams them in one right after the other. While all of my kiddos have enjoyed the books, I’ve found that the retention level was so much lower, and I didn’t want them just devouring books and maybe making broad connections, narrower connections, or none at all.
For your case, moving from AO to SL would likely feel very “easy” to your son, however, you’ve stated your goal for him is that he retains what he learns and enjoys history – at least as much as *he*is able. Would dragging him, kicking and screaming so to speak, through Churchill’s books do this for him? If not, it is defeating your goal. You do not want to set him up for failure – or at least for a battle of wills. It is ok to go the “easier” route to place him on a path that will allow him to retain and perhaps grow to like history more. You are not doing him a disservice by doing this. You are, in Sonya’s words, making the curriculum your servant rather than being the slave/servant of the curriculum.
As far as spreading it out, I imagine that if you’ve gone thus far through AO, your ds has developed his ability to make connections as second nature. Spreading it out over 4 years would allow him to ruminate on all that he gathers and really encourage him to retain more of the information. You could do some interesting things with the books other than as it is layed out in the IG. For instance, this year dds 16 & 14 read concurrently Never Before In History and The Godless Constitution and discussed them in detail with me and each other. They have a new found understanding of what it means to see a quote *in context*, have a firm grasp of just how much manipulation can be done by changing just one little word within a quote, *and* know what the founders had in mind at the beginning of this country right from the founders own words.
FWIW, dd 16 really hasn’t cared a fig about studying history – until this past year when we did our main study as Egypt and read some of the Am. H. books as weekly reading outside of history time. She’s still not bubbling over with enthusiasm for history, but there is a quiet joy in reading and understanding history. That was my goal for her.
Pax,
~jacqleene
Olivia,
I guess I just have a couple of thoughts. You aren’t sure if he is going on to school, at least immediately. So have an imagining exercise–what in the history area do you want your son to know before he sets out on his own life? What do you think is absolutely crucial for him? Envision an “ideal” young man going into the work force–what does he need? What knowledge do you want him to have? What do you want him to be able to do? What do you want him to BE? Think of those questions, and then also think about what might get you from where you are now, to where you want him to be. Maybe this will end up being very different than you thought.
Another thing is–if neither of the two choices you have thought about seems completely right–perhaps it’s a time to explore other options. Maybe another company’s course. Or maybe there really isn’t a “course” out there that fits just what he needs. Maybe he needs a different variety of items, or a different approach altogether.
When I cobbled together a year’s American history credit (we have it spread over two years to actually DO it) we have ended up with kind of a mishmash. He likes some history but is hardly passionate. He is going on to college, but since he’s had American history before, I realized when talking with him that he already knows the basics. He already has a good outline in his head and knows who some of the important people are. He doesn’t need a rehashing of that. He’s interested in other perspectives on how to interpret what has happened, and he needs to continue polishing his critical thinking capability so he really can think for himself when presented with something and not just swallow what he’s told. So we have been watching and discussing with him and we’ve done a variety of things, including using some original-document resources coupled with some resources that focus on critical thinking and making arguments, then some books on the same topic with various opinions, and then challenging him to research and work out and come up with a critique and his own interpretation. This has looked nothing like what I originall *thought* a high-school American history course *should* cover, but he’s been engaged and learning and it’s worked for us! I imagine my next son is going to need something different yet when we are designing HIS American history credit.
Thank you ladies for your replies thus far! I am going to print them and give them some thought. It is difficult for me to step back and see the ‘big picture’ – I get lost in all the details! I also have this annoying ‘all or nothing’ attitude. If I look at a curriculum I have this feeling that I have to use ALL of it for ALL of my kids for the rest of time or there is no point in beginning!
Am I alone in this?Thinking of using something different for each of my 5 sends me into a panic – I feel like I can never pick the best books because there are so many and I do not have the education needed to do so. That is the appeal of Sonlight … someone has presumably choosen some good, some great books and has also provided notes to help me get started discussing issues that may arise. I am afraid I will not know how to provide good discussion (esp. for HS).
Well again thanks, and anyone else? Please chime in!
Olivia
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