high school

Dear Friends,

August finds some families vacationing and others finishing up those last projects before beginning a new school  year. To help you look forward with enthusiasm to September, we encourage you to take some time now to put those final touches on planning, ordering curriculum, and mapping out your school year. As you go over your plans, let's zero in on English and talk about what constitutes a solid high school English course of study. We offer the following suggestions that can easily be tailored to your individual child and circumstance.

LITERATURE

The first component that comes to mind when thinking of English is literature. Before being able to fully enjoy good books, it's important to teach your child how to analyze them by introducing and discussing the literary devices the author uses such as setting, plot, theme, etc. Providing opportunities to practice picking out these devices through a variety of genres (drama, prose, poetry) will encourage your child to better...

Dear Friends,

April is the time of year when the deadness of winter suddenly bursts forth with new life and color. The wonders of science are all around us from the blooming plants to the starry skies to the cake baking in the oven!

What conjures up in your mind when you hear the word science: experiments, chemicals, fossils, plant life, medical discoveries, or the intricacies of all of God's creation? Cathy Duffy aptly describes a proper viewing of science when she said, "Science, in terms of education, means the study of God's creation, its purposes, its functioning, and its beauty. We often limit our definition of science education to memorization of plant structure, the names of bones, the periodic table, and other such laborious data without seeing beyond to God's purposes for each aspect of creation." For many of us, science was that difficult or "uninteresting" subject we were required to study in school. However, in retrospect, we realize that without science, we cannot know God and...

Dear Friends,

November is the month set aside to express thanksgiving for our many blessings. High on most people's list of blessings is good health. Remembering that being physically fit is one component to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is especially important during the holiday season with all its festivities and feasts!

Physical activity may be the last thing we want to think about until those New Year's resolutions roll around, but it can be enjoyed by the whole family while also earning your teen some high school credit.

Physical education falls under the elective category on the high school transcript. One to two years of credit are usually adequate for most high school programs (but check your state homeschool requirements and specific college requirements for any exceptions). Evaluate credit for PE by logging 120 hours for one credit, 60 hours for one-half credit, and so forth. For many families, awarding a pass/fail grade is the easiest way to go for this elective. However, you may choose to award a...

Dear Friends,

It's time again to finalize next school year's plan for your teen. How time flies! If you had the opportunity to attend your state's homeschool convention and visit the vendor hall, you saw an exciting array of resources from which to choose. Or, as you researched course options on the internet, we're sure you found many neat ideas.

This month we are highlighting some electives which may not only spice up your plan, but also motivate your teens to enjoy learning. As we mentioned in the October 2008 newsletter, "electives are considered part of the academic course load that makes up your teen's high school program. They are evaluated and awarded credit and then included on a high school transcript. An elective is a course that is not required, but a course that your teen opts to take." In addition, these courses may augment one of the core courses (English, math, science, history, foreign language) in your program or teach a skill beneficial to your teen's future plans.

In...

Chers amis,

Si la pensee de l'enseignement d'une langue etrangere au cours des annees de lycee vous effraie, vous n'etes pas seul! For a translation, read on...

Dear Friends,

If the thought of teaching a foreign language during the high school years scares you, you are not alone! Many parents shake and shudder at the thought. If it's been quite a number of years since you conjugated verbs in another language, take a deep breath and relax. There are many options for providing your teen with the foreign language skills he may need.

Ist eine fremde Sprache erforderlich? (German for "Is a Foreign Language Necessary?")

Although many homeschoolers are not required by state homeschool law to teach a foreign language (check out your state's requirements), there are several reasons why we encourage you to do so.

Learning a foreign language is advantageous when traveling, living in...

Dear Friends,

Greetings from one of the history making capitals of the world!

October means that most of you are back in the saddle of homeschooling yet another year. Last year is history! Each year we receive phone calls from parents who are making decisions concerning what history to teach, what order to teach the courses, how to teach history in an interesting way, and more.

Necessity of History Studies

History influences our lives from beginning to end. No one can escape it. Just looking at the calendar each month reminds us of some historical fact. We probably all remember the axioms that "history repeats itself" and "we should learn from history." If these are true, then it's important to take the study of history seriously whether we love it or not. In both of our families, there are some who are history buffs and others who tolerate the subject. Nevertheless, all were taught to respect the events and attempt to learn from them.

We recommend that all teens take...

Dear Friends,

If you are graduating a senior this month, congratulations! It's a milestone in your teen's life, but also an achievement in your life, too. We appreciate the time and effort you've invested in your teen, and we pray that the Lord blesses you both in this next season. (Watch for an upcoming article in HSLDA's Court Report magazine that will provide ideas and reflections on life after homeschooling.)

For those of you continuing to teach high school in September, it's likely that you are in the midst of choosing the subjects you will teach. In previous newsletters, we've discussed high school English, science, foreign language and history. In this edition of...

Dear Friends,

Can you believe we have turned the corner and summer is winding down? It's almost time to dust off the books and set up the desks.

This may be the year you're planning to teach U.S. government and the Constitution or to simply entice your child with a civics course. What a privilege you have to stir the hearts and minds of your children to appreciate anew the freedoms and liberties embedded in the founding documents of our country. In spite of all the troubles and problems our nation is facing, your children may one day have the awesome opportunity to lead this country into better times, and we're counting on them!

Let's look at ways you can take what often sounds like a "dry" subject and make it come alive.

Definitions

Defining terms is important. Civics, according to Wikipedia, is the study of the rights and duties of citizenship. This course covers the citizen's role in government. It will often compare and contrast different philosophies and...

Dear Friends,

Can you believe it's May? With the end of your school year fast approaching, why not plan a fun surprise activity with your teen this month? Maybe something as simple as surprising him or her with a day off from school! While your teen is enjoying the day off, print out this email, take it with you to the local coffee shop, and sip a latte or double chai, letting out a long sigh, and saying a prayer asking the Lord to help you finish out the year with grace and strength.

Since summer is just around the corner, this may be a good time to plan and promote a "summer reading program" for your teens. You might even offer an incentive to your children to read a variety of good books throughout the summer. So, this month we'd like to focus on reading suggestions for your teens and give you some ideas for increasing your teens' desire to read.

REQUIRED READING

Every high school academic program should include four years of English, and a component of that English course...

Dear Friends,

The holiday season is upon us, and we are grateful for the blessed gift of a Savior who bears our burdens and offers us new life. This month as you add to your homeschooling day time to bake cookies, enjoy visits from friends and families, and make memories with your children, there may be moments when energy runs low and spirits sag. Homeschooling does not happen in a vacuum--it happens in the midst of life! Whether Christmas or another religious holiday is celebrated in your home, prepare for such times by making adjustments to your homeschooling schedule. Then you will be able to meet the extra demands in a better frame of mind.

Make Changes in Your Daily School Routine

As former homeschool moms, we remember how December was usually full of activities that competed with school time. Church play rehearsals, Christmas concerts, get-togethers with relatives, crafting special gifts, and other events eat up time. Don't feel guilty about cutting back on course assignments by eliminating 3-5...