# Anyone homeschooling high schoolers?



## 78Parrothead (Apr 6, 2013)

I'm trying to get a handle on how often summer reading is assigned and/or having papers due the first day of class. It seems this practice is prevalent at the college level, and even some public high schools are doing this. 

If you assign summer projects, essays or reading what does that look like in your school?


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## MamaTiger (Jun 11, 2008)

I have two high schoolers. I don't assign special summer projects. Many years we just school year round--but last year and this one we are taking the summer off.

However, one son hasn't finished his science for the year and he'll be working on it all summer in order to finish...in fact he might still be doing it in Sept!

To be fair, my sons, both of them, alternate working with their daddy on a daily basis. They do their school work with him in the van, then work. I count their working as a vocational thing....and they do the standard academic classes...and they do some home repair projects here each year which, along with a textbook on the subjecct also counts as a credit.

So I really just don't see the need for a special summer project.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

78Parrothead said:


> I'm trying to get a handle on how often summer reading is assigned and/or having papers due the first day of class. It seems this practice is prevalent at the college level, and even some public high schools are doing this.
> 
> If you assign summer projects, essays or reading what does that look like in your school?


I home schooled 3 high schoolers.

IF I had it to do over again, I would have:

(A) enrolled them in our local community college for dual credits. I would have had them take ENG 111, Math, and other 'basic' pre-recks that every college requires.

(B) I would have had them 'write papers' and taught them the difference between MLA and APA formats.

(C) I would have had them write different kinds of papers: Narrative, Arguement / Persuasive papers, Research, etc.

(D) Make sure you are keeping excellent, detailed records; building an official transcript, and logging all books/publishers names.

We did not do summer work.....
My oldest is about to graduate with her culinary degree, on the deans list every marking period.
My middle just finished his freshman year as a student/athlete with a 3.2.
The youngest would have benefited from the 'dual' credit experience.


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## MamaTiger (Jun 11, 2008)

If you don't already do a lot of writing/composition stuff with them, then I'd recommend that over the summer. Mine have done literary essays, personal essays, short stories, and a year long novel. they are also big readers...so with them I don't see the need to do such.

However, in a couple of years, I'll have 2 girls in highschool and I may do things differently with them. It really depends on the student.


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## 78Parrothead (Apr 6, 2013)

Thanks everyone. It seems this may be a public school phenomena. I've not had any homeschoolers I've asked say they do this. 


Dd is working her way through the Classical Writing series. She will begin Herodotus this fall.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Laura Zone 5 said:


> (A) enrolled them in our local community college for dual credits. I would have had them take ENG 111, Math, and other 'basic' pre-recks that every college requires.
> 
> (B) I would have had them 'write papers' and taught them the difference between MLA and APA formats.



I agree with both those statements. I never had the kids write papers in different formats, but I wish I had. It would have helped them. My boys did do college work from age 14-15 on, but I did not have my DD do that. She was born to be a mommy not a career person.

By highschool, there shouldn't be a lot of "daily assignment" type work for kids. They should be in college classes, working on their own business (income), and following their own lines of interest. 
My #3 son was very interested in computers and in the piano. He would program most of the time and study different programming skills. He also played piano daily for a few hours and studied classical composers and their styles. My only "rule" was that he had to write one paper a week on something, anything, to practice composition skills, and keep up a math program. He didn't do college level math, so he did Saxon daily. I think he finished Alg 2 by the time he was 16-17 or so? I can't remember for sure. He made money helping Dad in the business and doing computer work for people.

DD created her own little business selling goat kids, selling dog clothes, selling homemade jewelry, etc. She never went forward in Math past basic skills/ pre-Algebra. After that she just did consumer math. Again, she was created to be a mommy not a career girl. She didn't really like music so much, but preferred animal husbandry, literature, craft skills, cooking, etc. We also made sure she learned about cooking, sewing, service, budgeting, and homemaking skills. She loved literature, and chose many wonderful books to read. Her writing skills were mostly centered around writing about books she read or poetry. She spent many hours a week helping at the mission, and many hours a week at auctions buying and selling kids and other animals. She made some money off of it. God blessed her.

Our older sons did go to college from 14-15 on. The oldest one was interested in medical things and science. He did a physics course at one point that I had a tutor help with for the math skills a bit. He also did lots of animal medicine and animal husbandry courses. He joined the ESDA team early as a "junior" gopher type kid that they just took under their wing when he was about 15-16 because the guys here knew us. He is big into FEMA stuff now, and teaches CPR and first aid classes at prisons all around the state. He does other things like that too. Son 2 was very carpentry oriented. He still is. He builds things all the time, and learned many skills early in his teens. Again, we had to have another person teach him those things because we couldn't. He also started taking basic ministerial classes early with the pastor acting as proctor for the exams. He is the assistant pastor and worship leader of his church now, and is the financial chairman of it. 

The point is that by teen years, kids have developed interests and things that they like. Let them follow their interests and learn what they want to learn. They will be self-motivated that way. Always tailor their curriculum to suit them, not you. Let them run with what they are interested in, and make a few demands that will help them in life follow the path God chose for them to follow. 

Homeschooling is not school at home... THANK GOD!!!!! The goal as a homeschooler is to help to empower the child to grow and blossom to be the flower God created them to be. You aren't turning out cookie cutter adults, you are empowering them to succeed in the ministry God chose for them.


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## MamaTiger (Jun 11, 2008)

I agree. My dds are being taught with an emphasis on homemaking skills already. They LOVE to practise those skills. One dd loves art and crafts and she does those type things daily. Another has different interests and she follows those.

My dc took music lessons for about 4 years. We had to stop that due to cost, but my older son, on his own, has begun teaching his brother the guitar (younger brother took piano lessons).


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

> Again, she was created to be a mommy not a career girl.


Just as an FYI, I've been a full-time mommy since my first was born, 13 years ago. 
However, that doesn't somehow preclude me from doing Trig, Calculus or Physics... :shrug:

Now if she just can't handle higher level math/science, OK, but it has _nothing_ to do with wanting to grow up and be a mommy! 
Kids should all be challenged to their full potential, no matter what their career paths might be. It's also common that the conquest of something that seemed insurmountable leads people in a direction they hadn't previously considered. 

And wanting to grow up and be a mom is all well and good (as mentioned, that's what I do), but what if her husband should die, leave her or become disabled? Who do you think is going to be supporting her family if she's not capable of being "a career girl?"


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

double post


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## 78Parrothead (Apr 6, 2013)

mekasmom said:


> I agree with both those statements. I never had the kids write papers in different formats, but I wish I had. It would have helped them. My boys did do college work from age 14-15 on, but I did not have my DD do that. She was born to be a mommy not a career person.
> 
> By highschool, there shouldn't be a lot of "daily assignment" type work for kids. They should be in college classes, working on their own business (income), and following their own lines of interest.
> My #3 son was very interested in computers and in the piano. He would program most of the time and study different programming skills. He also played piano daily for a few hours and studied classical composers and their styles. My only "rule" was that he had to write one paper a week on something, anything, to practice composition skills, and keep up a math program. He didn't do college level math, so he did Saxon daily. I think he finished Alg 2 by the time he was 16-17 or so? I can't remember for sure. He made money helping Dad in the business and doing computer work for people.
> ...


I'm sorry. That won't work for my child. She has a goal/interest in entering a top-tier college, and at 13 is not ready or even old enough in my state for duel enrollment.

I'm glad your children found what works for them.


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## hsmom2four (Oct 13, 2008)

I have never done this in my homeschool (just graduated my second dd). I do recall my oldest dd who went to public school for high school having to read a book over summer. I'm pretty sure it was only the one time though. She has never had to do it for college and will be entering her senior year in the fall. 

I still have one high schooler at home and do not plan to assign summer reading. It is just a personal preference though and I do think it is a good idea--just not something I feel we need. I do use and recommend IEW to teach writing during the school year. It is an excellent program and mimics the way I was taught to write therefore it is easy for me to use with my own children.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

yes. we read during the summer. We do not do a paper. reading is required and chosen by Mom, usually written in the historical epoch we happen to be studying in the following year. discussion or written reflection are required to verify that the work was done and comprehended.


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## Whisperwindkat (May 28, 2009)

We read year round and have a paper due on most lit. work. Not all but most. Discussion on all lit work. Blessings, Kat


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