SCM Discussion Forum

1. 

   anabetica
   Member

   I know we've discussed different aspects of this topic before, but just wanted to hear your thoughts about my particular situation.  I've always taught my 3 older ones together for everything except math.  Their ages are 14, 12, 12.  I also have a 6 yr old eager, active little girl.  This past year has been full of DIY projects to sell our first house and then in our new house in a new town.  We will be moving in this weekend Lord willing.  It's been a long year!  I've also blown my adrenal glands which has made my chronic fatigue even worse.

   When I was homeschooling, (before this break we've taken to move), I'd fizzle out pretty early in the day and could barely hold my head up.  If any schoolwork depended on me, it often didn't get done.  This included history, writing, dictation, writing (Write with the Best), grammar, read alouds, fine arts, nature study, etc....  To throw another factor in, we travel often with my dh's work.  Although it is very possible to take our schoolwork on the road, what would really happen is that we'd have a mad rush to get everyone in the car in the morning.  Then they would be so tired they'd sleep, except for my 6yr old who would get fussy and bored and would request a video.  To keep peace in the car, we'd put one one but then the olders would not do their schoolwork.  I'd say I would read aloud or listen to audio books, but this would be interrupted by my dh's phonecalls with work.  Not much would get done. 

   Now, I'm getting nervous about my daughter starting high school.  I am very unreliable latley when it comes to schooling (if it depends on me).  When I get busy with something else (whether it's phonecalls I need to make for my dh or catching up on housework, or I'm not feeling well), the kids don't get to all their schoolwork.  I have homeschooled for 10 years, and I love it.  I have poured myself into my children, but life is getting more complicated and I'm just not able to keep up and I fear their education is suffering because of it. 

   I feel like for my daughter to get an good education, it cannot depend on me or our circumstances.  I've considered maybe putting her in some online Christian classes that are more classical (for English and Science and Logic) but it would be expensive.  There is Ambleside online, but for some reason I've never been able to follow their schedule or choice of books as written.  Our life is very non-routine and unpredictable.  I don't know if it will be changing any in the near future, but I get worn out so easily.  The kids love to read at least and that makes it easier for the younger years, but now that we are entering high school, I feel like we need to get more serious and consistent.

   I feel like I need to let go of some of my schooling of the older ones to make room to school my little one with my depleted energy.  I've neglected my younger one for the past two years with all that has been going on and she is so ready to do school.  I need to start making my older children a little more independent.  How do I do this?  What do you all use for high school?  How do you juggle the older kids with the younger needy ones?  I feel stretched so thin that I'm not doing justice to anyone's schooling.  Do you farm any of the schooling out?  I'm sorry this is so long and complicated.  I'm praying that the Lord would allow me some time in the next month to get alone and really hear His voice about all this.  I'd also like to hear your suggestions.  Thanks for your patience!!  Blessings, Betty

   Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
2. 

   suzukimom
   Member

   I am not to this stage yet, but have a thought.

   The "Workbox" system of organizing homeschooling might help you get your older children more independant in their learning.  It can be done while using CM.  I'd look at using a portable filebox instead of seperate boxes - but it might help...

    

   Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
3. 

   Scherger5
   Member

   Are you signed up for email from SCM?  The next series is going to be about this very topic.  

   It is called Homeschooling through High School the CM Way.

   Heather

   Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
4. 

   anabetica
   Member

   What wonderful timing!

   Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
5. 

   anabetica
   Member

   Do any of you utilize outside classes, dual enroll, online classes, DVDs, or co-ops for high school and how does that work out for you?

   Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
6. 

   Bookworm
   Member

   We have used The Teaching Company DVD's with good success.  It is good practice for listening to a lecture and taking notes.  They are very well done, the ones we've done anyway.  We don't have a lot of other outsides available to us but my oldest will be taking a community college class or two along the way.  We are also going to experiment with some OpenCourse courses this next year.

   I feel the tension between the olders and the youngers, too.  One thing I have an especially hard time with is the sheer amount of time it takes to get all the high school level work done.  Instead of being done before lunch, which we usually were, I've lost a good chunk of time each afternoon that I used to run errands, go to doctor visits, etc.  Now we are always correcting complicated algebra and doing science experiments and polishing essays.  Then when I still have to run around and do all that other stuff, we get "behind"  (Oh, how I hate that word!  LOL)

   I have to keep trying to calm myself.  All my children are likely college and even graduate school bound.  So I'm on a list of folks who really strive to prepare their children, many of whom are really exceptional, for admission into really ritzy colleges.  There are kids on this list who have taken 10 AP courses, multiple CLEP tests, multiple subject SAT's, have dozens of college credits, and have won international and national competitions.  I listen to all their accomplishments and suddenly have a hard time with  where we are.  Should I be pushing more?  Sign up for all those AP courses, even though we really can't afford them?  When I think about my child trying to go up against those kids I start hyperventilating.  LOL

   Michelle D

   Posted 1 year ago # Report Post
7. 

   art
   Member

   I have found that when I try to add too many outside "helps", it doesn't help. I have said on a previous post that my senior son is completely independent, and that's true NOW. He's 16 now, so I guess it happened at about 14 or so. I have given him gradually more responsibility for his own learning, but he hasn't always taken hold of it. When he was 14, he realized there were only 2 months left of school and he had A LOT more geometry to finish if he didn't want to do it in summer.

   I've never seen anyone work so hard to get something finished. He cared more about when he got done than I did. He worked countless hours those last 2 months, and it changed his whole life. He had a summer break and was ready to work seriously from then on. He hasn't stopped either-he's the one that plays the piano 4 hours a day now to get ready for a competition. He doesn't want to play that much, but he wants to see how far he can go. And he knows how to work. He works harder than I do on any given day.

   I'd hate to have to learn it the difficult way he did, but that lesson stayed with him! Most of us learn that way anyway. So by giving your  14 yr. old more responsibility now, you will gradually (or suddenly) see the ability to learn without so much input from you. I haven't "taught" him anything in 2 years! He's taught me a lot though.

   It has really lifted a burden for me as I have 3 younger kids that need me constantly. I also have many of the problems you mentioned-fatigue, etc. I can't really be relied on either, and school suffers a lot. It has really helped that my high schooler is so independent. I just started by giving him assignments and due dates posted on the wall. I made them a week or two at a time, so he could schedule himself. Now this year, I pretty much just told him what the expectations were for the year, and he takes care of it.

   I continue to choose my own resources for high school. I would not recommend a packaged curriculum. It's too much pressure on everyone at my house.

   You asked what people use.

   We use Apologia science with labs all through high school.

   We've changed math a lot, but Math U See seems to be good for high school because my son watched the videos himself, and I didn't have to teach it.

   CM method for history (national center for constitutional studies for government and economics)

   CM method for english.

   I hope this helps you see that it can get easier for high school and not necessarily harder!

   Angela

   Posted 1 year ago # Report Post

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