I was scared. Honestly, did I know enough to teach serious courses? Then I remembered my own piece of advice to my children,"It isn't wrong not to know something. It's wrong when you don't try to learn." I do agree; it's better to have a full working knowledge of something before you attempt to teach that subject, but it isn't a mandatory prerequisite! You can teach a subject by learning with your student.
"Nooo don't tell me I have to learn Algebra!" LOL! Okay, I won't. Before you freak at the idea of having to repeat high school again, let me assure you there are wonderful publishers who make it possible for your students to learn difficult subjects autonomously.
This blog is devoted to junior and senior high. Let me explain that junior high should be about making sure the basics are covered. Use these two years to polish skills, refresh the student's memory, and cover anything from elementary that was lacking. The only new subjects taught should be either a one time only subject (e.g. state history) or a credit worthy course for the advanced child looking to graduate early. One caveat to the just made admonishment: Pre-Algebra should be taught in junior high. It may or may not be a credit given class.
Below I give information regarding Video Text Algebra. Their course includes pre-algebra, and I do recommend them; however, I found a discovery called Life of Fred. The author of these MARVELOUS books has been, I believe, gifted by God, for I have never seen ANYTHING like this math course. If you have a student who is behind, a regular student who frowns each time you mention math, or an advanced/gifted student who is frequently bored with math, I beg you check this out! My own son, who was at best a C student in math, is now an A student. He does not frown when doing LOF. He doesn't hate it anymore! One more endorsement: I learned too! LOF is independent. Your student does NOT need you to teach the course. I don't mean I learned while I taught my son. I mean I decided to try it myself. I have always been horrendous at any math past dividing. No longer can I say that! I did cover to cover in less than a month. ( My son goes more slowly.) I am including the link to the author's website.
http://www.stanleyschmidt.com
Please check it out for yourself. The author is a college professor who found too many students ill prepared for college math. Prof. Schmitd asserts that, after completion of his books “you will be ready to declare as a math major at a university at the upper division level and take third-year (junior-level) mathematics courses”. For even more Life of Fred, there is also a Statistics course which “has much more material than is normally covered in a beginning university statistics course”.
That's it for the in-between years! Bye Bye Jr High! Here comes graduation!
Before we plunge into my favorites for high school, let's talk about subjects and credits. What merits a credit? What subjects are absolute, and what subjects are electives? Please don't worry. It really isn't very difficult.
First, ALWAYS check with your umbrella school's counselors regarding their policy. That must be done because laws are different in each state. Follow the law! It's nicer to sleep at night than to lie there worrying about sirens you might hear. lol! Seriously, check with your counselor.
Basically, everything goes like this: 150 hours of work on any subject equals a credit assuming the child passes. Another standard form of credit measuring is by book. Usually the completion of a standard textbook is considered a credit. There is an exception to any rule. This exception is that the textbook must be geared toward a full year's course. Some textbooks, like health, are meant to be half credit courses. The book generally says this somewhere.
Mandatory subjects are usually types of math, types of science with labs, types of English which include both mechanics (grammar/syntax) and literature. Other mandatory subjects may be civics, certain histories, and half courses of health and phys. ed. Electives are so varied that you could take any interest the student has and create a serious credit course. I hear you! I hear you! You just hollered, "Hold up!!! What do ya mean CREATE a course? I left unit studies behind in fourth grade!"
I feel creating a course isn't half as challenging as using or creating a unit study, although it's the same concept. Say your child has an interest in gardening. You have the student read about, write about, and actually grow a garden. This subject is Horticulture. Do experiments, and you have a science course with a lab. Now you have a subject that could fill either an elective or a mandatory spot.
How about bowling? Bowling is automatically a physical education course. That's one idea. Have your student use measurements and calculations to analyze friction, gravity, inertia, speed, and pin action of a throw. Now this elective is the Physics of Bowling. See what I mean? You can apply this to everything from pageants to penguins. Allowing your student's interests to shine also appeals to admissions departments in many colleges. They tend to look for kids who are focused and interesting.
Well now we're on to my favorites for high-school. I may not cover something you'd be interested in because of the variety of subjects. So, if you don't see something listed for a subject you want to teach~~ be brave! Create a course!
Let me share my high school favorites with you:
What about math?
- Algebra> Video Text Algebra is an excellent program! The following is copied from their website with permission. I felt that they described their product better than I could.
However, we need to continue a little further with this answer because Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 are terms that refer mostly to the traditional way that Algebra has been taught. Traditional Algebra 1 classes attempt to cover most of Algebra in the first year, but the methods that are used, and the speed with which the material is covered, hinders student understanding of the material. Instead, the student is just exposed to memorizing rules, formulas, tricks, and shortcuts. By the time they get to what is called an Algebra 2 course, (sometimes after they take a Geometry course), they have forgotten almost all of the Algebra that they memorized. So, that Algebra 2 course (which is by definition, a rehash of whatever has been called “Algebra 1”), must repeat practically all of the Algebra 1 course. In fact, it usually repeats a lot of the Pre-Algebra material as well. This is usually referred to as the "spiral method" of learning, and it is not very effective in helping students to excel, especially at this level of mathematics.We think that this huge overlap is generally unproductive, and largely unnecessary if the concepts are taught analytically. Therefore we call our program "Algebra: A Complete Course," because we employ a mastery-learning approach, sometimes moving at a slower pace, but without the overlap. As a result, students often complete the course even more quickly.When a student completes Geometry: A Complete Course along with Algebra: A Complete Course, the student can claim credits for all of the following:Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Algebra II } See they did a great job explaining! I've used it with more than one student, and all my students did well on their ACT's. Another plus for you thrifty moms is the re-sale value of Video Text hasn't diminished in five years. (EBay - I love it!!)
- Algebra/Geometry/Trig/Calculus/ Linear Algebra> Don't forget Life of Fred (from junior-high) ! It works all the way through. I believe this author is gifted by God.
- Biology/Chemistry? Physics> Apologia is wonderful! The company believes in God! Their textbooks are awesome! Their cd's are even more so, because they have outstanding graphics and labs built into the course! Yay Apologia!!!
- American / World History> Steck Vaughn is my choice. Their books get right to the point.
- More History> Netflix DVDs and biographies are so helpful in bring history to life! Don't short change your kids with dull textbooks alone. Especially with young men, you have a chance to show the character and integrity of many people throughout time, as well as the lack thereof. I say especially because many parents don't take the time to develop integrity in their boys. Many dads have time for making great football players, yet no time for making great men of their sons. ( okay off the soap box now.)
What about literature?
- ALL Lit> Netflix again. I always teach it with movies. I am a huge movie buff. I also had more boys than girls. My boys are not all avid readers like I am, yet being boys, they are very visually oriented. They understood Shakespeare's Othello as they watched Laurence Fishburn weep over Desdemona's dead body;only minutes before he'd been both her judge and executioner. An appreciation of great literature can be achieved even in the most dispassionate child when a screen calls to their imagination. ** Please note** Don't simply watch the movie. Read passages from the books that weren't included in the movie. Discuss the variances between movie and book etc. Netflix offers a huge variety for any subject.
- Bible>Please count church attendance and Sunday school lessons as part of your Bible courses. Also count when the student makes decisions or shows actions based on Bible qualities. Character, integrity, good stewardship, honor, faithfulness all count for learning and putting to use Bible knowledge.
- Italian> I love Rosetta Stone
Economics>Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace -nuff said.
What about art and music?
Dramatic/Visual Arts>If your child participates in church plays, in the choir, plays an instrument, sings, runs the sound equipment, helps with the puppet theatre, or is the person who cleans up or builds the sets: they've fulfilled the requirements.
These are my picks. I hope they've given you some ideas. Life is a subject. Thanks for allowing me to share mine with you.
