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How Long Are You Planning to Homeschool?
By Kelly Stone
Homeschoolers are accustomed to answering
questions. It's natural for people to be
curious about unconventional choices. One
of
the questions I am asked frequently
is, "How
long are you planning to homeschool?"
Families choose homeschooling for a variety
of reasons. Many students start out in
public school and are withdrawn to deal
with
specific situations such as illness,
personality conflicts, or the need for
extra
tutoring. In each of these cases, the
student will probably eventually return to
a
traditional school.
For our family, homeschooling is a
lifestyle
choice. Two of our six children have
graduated from our homeschool high school,
a
fact that often generates additional
questions: Can you DO that? How do they
earn
credits? Who issues the diploma? Will they
be able to attend college?
New homeschoolers are often surprised and
relieved that homeschooling through high
school is an option, although they have the
same questions as those who are simply
curious.
There are numerous online high schools and
correspondence courses, where the student
eventually earns a diploma from an
accredited school. Although this is "school
at home", it is not "homeschooling" in its
purest form. We have not chosen an
accredited school, because our goal is to
provide a customized educational experience
for our children. We don't want to be
limited by a particular school's schedule
or
course offerings.
So, how does a mere parent develop a high
school plan? It's not as difficult as it
might seem. Remember, graduation
requirements will differ, even among public
schools. Some schools require four language
credits and two math credits. Some will
settle for three language credits, but want
the student to earn three math credits,
too.
There are even variations in how many hours
of study constitute a "credit", typically
ranging from 80 to 120.
Planning: In our homeschool high school,
100
hours of study equals one credit. I expect
my high schoolers to earn a minimum of five
language credits, three math credits, two
social studies credits, two science
credits,
two fine arts credits, one foreign language
credit, two PE credits, one life skills
credit, one driver's ed credit, and six
elective credits, for a total of 25 credits
to graduate. Compared to other high
schools'
requirements, 25 is a lot. I also require
many hours of community service.
Record Keeping: We keep a log of the
children's studies. The log includes a
brief
description of the activity, the class or
subject, and the amount of time spent. A
typical Monday entry might read, "Online
algebra course, math, one hour. Swim team,
P.E., two hours. Cooked dinner, home
economics, 45 minutes. Research and notes
for essay, language arts, 1/2 hour. Watched
Civil War documentary, history, one hour."
At the end of each school year, I total the
hours spent on each subject and transfer
the
information to my student's high school
transcript. Since transcript formats will
vary from school to school, I was free to
simply choose one I liked from samples
available online. The transcript is placed
in my child's portfolio, along with
examples
of his work. Some people use notebooks for
portfolios, but I have used an accordion
file in recent years because I think the
punched holes detract from the professional
appearance of the documents.
Choosing Curriculum: It can be fun to shop
for curriculum for traditional classes,
such
as math and language arts. Textbooks and
online courses fulfill many of the
requirements. These are straightforward and
easy to log.
Sports activities and music lessons fulfill
other requirements. I try to get
photographs
of my children engaged in these activities,
as well as letters from their coaches and
music teachers. These go into the
portfolio,
along with recital programs, ribbons
earned,
newspaper accounts, and other "proof" of
participation.
Customizing Curriculum: Elective and
nontraditional classes are your chance to
get creative. Work with a high schooler to
develop a plan that addresses his eventual
goals.
Our state requires 100 hours of driving
instruction before a student can receive a
driver's license, so a photocopy of our
child's license is all we put into their
portfolios as "evidence" that they've
earned
a driver's ed credit.
One daughter was instructed to cook dinner
once a week during the school year and was
given a list of meal types to provide: two
casserole meals, six ethnic meals, two
crockpot meals, one formal dinner, etc.
Allowing for her research and planning, she
earned half of a home economics credit
during the school year.
"Life Skills" hours are logged when the
student is assisted with such things as
opening a bank account and filling out job
resumes. A student's employment offers
another opportunity to earn credits. If
they
count change, a percentage of hours
employed
can count toward "Practical Math". If they
use a computer, some of the time can be
logged as "Computer", "Data Entry"
or "Keyboarding" classes.
Of course, there are formal "Home Ec"
and "Driver's Ed" courses available, but
don't feel you are cheating if you choose a
more casual method. Even traditional
schools
offer credits for work experience and
for "classes" such as "teacher's aide",
where the student helps grade papers,
organize the classroom, and so forth.
Diplomas: A diploma can be generated at
home
on your computer, or there are many places
to order a more professional appearing
document. A homeschooler's high school
diploma is signed by the parents. Diplomas
are essentially keepsakes for the student's
enjoyment, with colleges being more
interested in a student's transcript,
portfolio, or test scores.
Career Options: The vast majority of
colleges accept homeschooled students, with
admission requirements ranging from testing
to a portfolio evaluation. Many colleges
actively recruit homeschoolers. A student
can honestly answer "yes" on job
applications that ask if they are a high
school graduate. The occasional reluctant
employer can usually be persuaded when
provided with a copy of the state's
homeschool laws and the student's
homeschool
diploma. The National Guard now accepts
homeschooled students and recently issued a
brochure specifically designed to recruit
students educated at home.
Graduation: To assure that they're ready to
graduate, our children take the ASSET tests
at our local community college. Some
families rely on standardized tests from
previous years or have their students
obtain
a GED. Other families "just know" it's
time.
Many homeschool co-ops offer graduation
recognition ceremonies. Our family's most
recent graduate and her cousin were happy
participants in our co-op's graduation
ceremony this year.
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