One Day of High School, Already Changes

Day One of 2012 - 2013 School Year

One day of our new homeschool year in the books, time for some changes.  Monday when I came home from work, we had a family  briefing of how things went.  As it turns out, it became apparent quickly that a couple of items weren't meeting our highschooler's expectations and needs.  Here's what happened to us:

Ryan reports that Alpha Omega's 9th grade History and Geography Lifepac is not challenging enough.  The workbook and fill in the blank approach did not work for him.  Don't think of this as a bad review for Alpha Omega's Lifepacs.  Instead, we're going to hold onto our copy of 9th grade History and Geography for Grace's 8th grade work next year.

The other problem is shame on us for not doing due diligence and finding out that the course covers only United States history and geography.  We already plan on studying American History in depth next year with Sonlight's "Core 100" in 10th grade, with Ryan's 8th grade sister and 6th grade brother following along.

That being said, Ryan wants and needs moree.  Fortunately, we already have a copy of Streams of Civilization, Volume II from Christian Liberty Press available.  So U.S. History came out of the lesson plan and World History went in.  From day two through today, all appears to be going well.

Language Arts is also off to a rough start.  Language Arts has always been a challenge, not only for us but for the homeschool community in general:  How to do basic grammar work like plurals and prepositions without getting bored with drills?  Any ideas?  Anybody who figures out an interesting, engaging Language Arts plan will corner the homeschool market, I tell ya! We tried letting Ryan work at his own pace, even testing out, but that didn't work.  So we're following through with our plan there and that's the best we can do so far.

At least the rest of the courses are off to a good start, especially Apologia's Biology.  We're supplementing that with the book Microbe Hunters by Paul di Kruif, which we downloaded to our nook.

Don't think of this as a bad review for Alpha Omega's Lifepacs.  Instead, we're going to hold onto our copy of 9th grade History and Geography for Grace's 8th grade work next year.

As homeschooling families already know, flexibility and customization are perks we enjoy.  We can make changes and customize lessons to our childrens' strengths.  Even if you are only through day one, if you find your best laid plan astray, don't hesitate.

How soon have you had to change your plans?  Are you already making adjustments?  Should you?

Grade Nine: Thoughts From a Student Entering High School

Ninth Grade. Although I had always thought I would be homeschooled all the way to college, I'm still amazed that I've made it this far. Today, my parents and I went over all the subjects I would be taking, including Latin, Algebra, and Biology, among plenty of others. All the preparation has been made, and the anticipation is rising. On Monday, when school starts, I will be ready.

I am very excited about this school year. I've always been excited at the beginning of school, but this time more than others. This year, I have more work, but also more interesting things to learn about.

Also, this Thursday, Karate will be starting up again after the summer break. I have really missed Karate, as it is always the highlight of my week. It's nice that Karate is starting the same week as school, as Karate is also counted towards physical education for me.

Today I also set up a webpage on my local network's server that allows me to track my school progress, and print out status reports to deliver to my mom. It uses HTML tables and CSS. If it goes well, I'll probably post a how-to guide on my website sometime later.

This year, I don't plan to change how I approach schoolwork. Just like last year, I'm going to start the average day with a stack of books that need my attention, and I'll pick whichever one I feel like doing at that particular time. After that subject is done, I'll set it aside and choose something else. In no time, it's all done. If this plan doesn't work as well this year as it did last year, I guess I'll adapt my approach as needed.

I really don't want to have a strict, hour-by-hour schedule dictating what I do when. Those bother me because I feel rushed to complete everything on time, and they also don't allow for lessons that take longer than normal, or lessons that take less time than normal.

So, as the 2012-2013 school year starts, I feel  like I am standing on top of a mountain, watching a storm draw near. Over summer break, I get accustomed to having all the free time in the world, and I know that the first week is always the hardest. But at the same time, I am ready for School. I am excited.