HIGH SCHOOL EDITION #3
By Heather Idoni
Added Monday, May 04, 2009
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The Homeschooler's Notebook
***SPECIAL SERIES - High School Homeschooling***
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Vol. 10 No 35 May 4, 2009
ISSN: 1536-2035
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Copyright (c) 2009 - Heather Idoni, FamilyClassroom.net
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Welcome to the Homeschooler's Notebook!
If you like this newsletter, please recommend it to a friend!
And please visit our sponsors! They make it possible.
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IN THIS ISSUE:
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Guest Article
-- Stigma-Free Homeschool Grads!
Readers Share
-- Looking Back on High School
Helpful Tip
-- Team Movie Production
Recommended Resource
-- Understanding Mathematics
Reader Question
-- Answers for "Very Discouraged"
Additional Notes
-- Sponsorship Information
-- Subscriber Information
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Guest Article
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Stigma-Free Homeschool Graduation!
by Lee Binz, The HomeScholar
---
GED Not Required
Once upon a time, colleges sometimes required a GED from homeschoolers
before providing financial aid. Since 1998, however, Congress has
provided a better way for homeschoolers to demonstrate their "ability
to benefit" from federal financial aid. The law states that students
who have "completed a secondary school education in a home school
setting that is treated as a home school or a private school under
state law" can receive federal financial aid. When you fill out the
FAFSA, the government will decide how much financial aid you should
receive. You can receive financial aid as a homeschool student --
and you do NOT have to take a GED.
The U.S. Department of Education's regulations explain that a student
is eligible for financial aid if he was homeschooled, and either
(1) obtained a secondary school completion credential as provided by
state law, or (2) has completed a secondary school education in a
homeschool setting under state law. What does that mean? If you are
homeschooling within your state homeschool law, then your student is
eligible for federal financial aid. There is no need to take the GED.
GED Stigma
I saw a movie the other day about a high school dropout. She wanted
to get a good job, but wasn't able to without a high school diploma.
She studied hard and finally got her GED, proving that she had a high
school education. It was a heart-warming story, but it illustrates
one thing: a GED can have the stigma of "highschool dropout." Many
homeschoolers prefer to avoid that stigma.
Homeschoolers are NOT high school drop-outs! Homeschoolers are
recognized under the law, as shown above. Our homeschool transcript
is a real transcript. Our homeschool diploma is official. Our
students can receive federal financial aid, just like private and
public school students. In the working world, when the application
asks if you are a highschool graduate, the answer is YES. If the
application asks if you have a high school diploma, the answer is YES.
Calculate your EFC
How much money are we talking about? How much federal financial aid
is at stake? You may want to use one of the free online calculators
to determine your estimated financial aid. When you estimate financial
aid with the "Expected Family Contribution" calculator, remember it
does NOT include merit scholarships. Here are two suggested resources
for estimating financial aid:
College Board EFC Calculator
http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/efc_welcome.jsp
FAFSA Forecaster
http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/
GED Requirement is NOT Homeschool Friendly
When you begin to contact colleges, ask them about their policy
regarding homeschool students. They do not need a GED from your
student. If they require a GED, you can bet they are not a homeschool
friendly college. There are some colleges that allow a GED from
homeschool students who do not provide either a transcript or
portfolio; this is an option that colleges use to provide flexibility
in their homeschool admission policy. However, allowing a GED as an
option is different than requiring a GED as part of their policy.
Get to know the college admission policy to determine if the school
is homeschool friendly. Few colleges these days will require a GED.
Most colleges see and admit homeschoolers regularly, and are unfazed
by homeschool transcripts. If you run across one that doesn't
understand independent homeschooling, you should likely shop for
another college -- one that is more homeschool friendly. More and
more colleges are learning that these sorts of policies are counter-
productive and are changing them to be more accepting of homeschoolers.
As homeschoolers in college become more and more common, colleges will
feel growing pressure to take down barriers that discourage homeschool
families. This is good news for families considering homeschooling
high school.
---
LeeBinz, The HomeScholar, is an expert in helping parents homeschool
high school. Both of her sons earned full-tuition scholarships at
their first-choice university. Her e-book, "The Easy Truth About
Homeschool Transcripts", shows you how to how to package that great
homeschool education into an AMAZING transcript that will impress the
colleges! Find out more here: http://familyclassroom.net/truth.html
---
Do you have comments to share? Please do!
Send your emails to: mailto:heather@familyclassroom.net
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OUR SPONSOR
Free 45 Minute Online Science Seminars for Students and Parents!
http://www.HomeschoolScienceAcademy.com
Greg Landry is a 13-year veteran homeschool dad, college professor,
and director of a university Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab.
He offers FREE 45 minute online seminars for 6th - 12th grade
students and their parents. Here are just a few of the topics:
-- Top 10 Academic Mistakes Homeschoolers Make
-- SAT / ACT - What You Should Know
-- 10 Coolest Things About Forensic Anatomy /CSI
-- Working toward Academic Excellence
-- So, You Want to be a Doctor - What to do Now
-- College Sports Scholarships for Homeschoolers
Visit the website to register for these free online science seminars!
http://www.HomeschoolScienceAcademy.com
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Readers Share
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"One thing that I would have appreciated knowing entering the high
school years is how quickly those years would fly by. Naturally, I
had a sense of how fast they grow from infancy to this point, and I
had a few regrets as to things I could have, should have, or would
have done differently. But the high school years passed even more
quickly than I ever imagined and my three children grew and matured
into adults before my eyes, ready to move on to their own lives. Not
that they were in a rush to move out, mind you, but the passing of
time hit me square in the eyes, and I would have liked to have been
more prepared. How? I think it would have helped to have a better
mindset over the years -- one that said I was really preparing them
to leave and live their own productive lives. And I do know that it
would have helped to slow down a bit more, taken more quality time,
planned a few more special outings, and taken more time to savor those
last four years.
Spend time with your kids -- really spend time with them, talk to them,
make sure you know who they are, and make sure they know that they can
come to you to talk and work things out. Trust the Lord to help you
have wisdom in that area.
My three are all 20 something; one son is married with a toddler,
another lives on his own -- only my daughter remains at home. They
are all great adults, functioning extremely well despite my many
homeschool blunders over the years! We have a close relationship now,
due in part to the time I did actually make with them through their
teen years, and the time we now spend together as a family. Treasure
your time together, and make sure that they know that you love them.
Don't smother, but show them that you care about them through your
words and actions. Happy highschooling!" -- Karen Lange
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"I wish that I had known how to show my daughter how to use the skills
and knowledge that she learned in the work world. In some areas of
education, it's obvious where the child might find paid employment.
My son, the computer whiz, had paid employment as a computer tech
right away and continues in this field. But my daughter, who studied
childcare, foods history and cooking, has not had paid work in this
area. On top of that, she has proven to be too self-centered to be an
effective parent. She has worked in food service, but I still feel
frustrated that she has not become fully self-supporting. I think
this is an important area for high school parents to focus attention on
in their children's educational plans."
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Helpful Tip
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A Fun, Focused Teamwork Project
"Our guys participated in a 36-Hour Film Contest a few weeks ago.
It was a great experience for their budding creativity! Many
homeschoolers also participated (The Bluedorns are highly involved
in organizing it).
Not only did the guys want the experience, but they wanted to
create a film with a message to share in general once the contest
was done. You are invited to view it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A2EOKIQ_GQ
AND, an encouragement for parents of ADD kids! My 13-year old,
what would be considered ADD son, did all the animation. For a
child who has trouble focusing, this was an example that if there
is a passion and determination, focusing will happen. He shot
600-700 frames within a 3 hour and additional 5 hour session.
My 20 year old son played the part of 'Grampa' {young}, wrote the
story line, and did the editing. Another homeschool friend (age
17) directed the live action cinematography, and his older brother
was 'Wilson'.)"
---
Do you have an idea, experience, or tip to share? Please write!
Send to: mailto:HN-ideas@familyclassroom.net
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Recommended Resource
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Understanding Mathematics
by Keith Kressin
For more information or to order: www.homeschoolingfromtheheart.com
Understanding Mathematics is a reference book with clear step-by-step
explanations of math concepts from number basics to an introduction
to calculus. As your child advances in their math skills, there
may be times when they have forgotten a concept that was covered
earlier in their education or they may be having a hard time
understanding their current instruction. That's when it's time to
pull 'Understanding Mathematics' off the shelf! Author Keith Kressin
has done a wonderful job of explaining every math concept normally
covered in elementary, middle, and the early years of high school.
Rather than just providing lots of examples, the focus of this text
is on understanding math concepts so students are equipped to apply
their knowledge to real world problems.
Understanding Mathematics is such a practical resource to have on hand!
Mr. Kressin provides step-by-step example problems to accompany his
explanation in the text. Uncluttered pages and clever illustrations
aid in clarifying concepts for students and adults. In addition to
being an excellent reference tool, Understanding Mathematics could be
used as a basis for math instruction, as well. After explaining the
concept and the mechanics of each math topic, the author often provides
several problems and their answers, instructing the reader to verify
the result. If using as a basis for math instruction, one would need
to find a source (possibly the Internet) that provides worksheets for
the student to practice his skills. The real strength of this resource,
however, is as a handy reference to supplement your existing math
curriculum.
Understanding Mathematics is a thorough resource you will find yourself
referring to again and again. As I was reviewing this book, I found
that there were several areas of mathematics where I had memorized the
process, but never understood the 'why' behind the steps. Thankfully,
now we have Understanding Mathematics on our shelf and my children
will be better equipped to succeed in math!
-- Cindy Prechtel, http://www.HomeschoolingFromTheHeart.com
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Last Issue's Reader Question
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"Hi -- I have two boys that I have homeschooled since birth. My
oldest is in the eighth grade and will be starting high school
next year. I have been feeling very inadequate lately. My son
has always been above average since pre-school, but ever since
he has begun to go through puberty, he has been making loads of
careless mistakes in his subjects, especially Pre-Algebra. He will
take a test in math and end up failing it; not because he doesn't
know how to do the problem, but because of something careless like
multiplying 3+2 instead of adding. The really odd thing is that
when I put the same problem on the dry erase board and have him
work it again in front of me, he always gets the correct answer.
I am so frustrated with him because I feel like if he can get the
problem correct when working it in front of me, then why can't he
get it correct when it really matters, like on his tests? No matter
how many things we have tried, nothing seems to be helping him pay
more attention. For the past two years, his standardized tests
have shown this 'weakness' of his. I am concerned that 'people'
will think I am not teaching him anything! I have told him that
as far as anyone else knows, he just doesn't know how to do the
problem at all; not that he made a tiny, careless mistake that
caused him to get the entire problem wrong. I am at my wit's end.
Please -- someone out there tell me this is just hormones, and that
the fog will lift off of his brain by the time he goes into the
ninth grade. I can't keep homeschooling him like this. I am
feeling the pressure of people in our life wondering why I don't
just put him in public school so he can learn something before I
ruin him for life. The only reason people in our community know
that he is struggling with math is that things come up occasionally
in conversation with him that make him end up looking very foolish.
He has a hard time with careless mistakes even in thinking real
world word problems out loud. It isn't that he doesn't know how
to work them out because I know he does! Help!!! Any suggestions
would be most welcome; we have tried everything." -- Very Discouraged
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Our Readers' Responses
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"I went through a similar situation and came to a point that I
begged my husband to let me put our son in public school. I was
angry and frustrated most of the time and it was taking its toll
on our mother and son relationship, as well as causing friction
between my husband and me. Our son didn't want to go to public
school –- it's a really rough school -- but because of the problems
we were having he had started to resent being homeschooled.
Our son had failed Algebra I twice and he was near the end of 10th
grade. We had switched curriculums 3 times, but he just didn't
seem to get it, and I was at my wit's end! I am fortunate that
Florida provides a free virtual school to its residents, and
homeschoolers can take on-line classes and retain their homeschool
status. We registered him with FLVS. At first it was a struggle
to keep him on pace, but I set up a rule that any assignment he
got that was less than 80% he had to re-submit. His on-line
instructor worked closely with me -- she would call to encourage
him; sent him notes commending him on his hard work and diligence
in resubmitting assignments. Our son would show me the email he
received and say that I should be the one getting them since I
'forced' him to make the resubmissions. His final grade was a low B.
The bottom line is that our son was lazy -- and truthfully math is
a difficult area of study for him and probably always will be. He
had also come to a point where it was best to let go a little and
have him work with another instructor. Through the experience of
working with another instructor he realized I was not being mean or
over demanding of him, since the same kind of demands were being
made by FLVS. Because of his lack of diligence, he found himself
in the middle of 11th grade working through Algebra II. He still
needed to do Geometry and he didn't want to spend his senior year
doing another math course, so he asked me to look for a Geometry
course. He is currently finishing up Algebra II through FLVS and
working on Geometry using Switched-On Schoolhouse. Surprisingly,
he has maintained a low A average in both classes. He recently
took the math portion of CPT for dual enrollment and placed as
'ready for college level Algebra'.
While with your son the situation might just be test anxiety, it
could also mean a lack of diligence and/or carelessness -- as it
was in our son's case. If at all possible, experiment with another
instructor -- it helped in our situation." -- Judy A. in FL
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"Dear 'Very Discouraged' -- I would have him checked by a doctor
for ADD. I would also take him to an eye doctor to have his vision
checked. Sometimes things like this don't appear until a child is
in puberty. Just keep trying and praying -- the answer will come."
---
"Your son sounds exactly like my son! He is also above average --
99th percentile on standardized testing. He is 16 and is constantly
making math errors. He understands 99% percent of the concepts, and
when we are going over the problems he misses every day he finds
his own errors almost every time. Yet he continues to make mistakes
on computations, and obviously he does not score well on his tests.
He also makes errors doing math quickly in his head. While we feel
it is most important that he understand the concepts of math, he also
needs to be able to be correct! My husband (who has a math degree)
and I have wracked our brains trying to figure out what we can do.
I will tell you that over the past few months, the errors have slowly
begun to decrease. We have required him to write out EVERY problem,
which doesn't always help with the error-making, but it has enabled
him to find his own errors more quickly, and therefore be more aware
of where he is making mistakes. We also have encouraged him to take
a bit more time on his math, because I think a lot of the problem is
that he is just rushing through, wanting to get done. We found that
many of his errors were coming at the very end of problems, probably
because he would think to himself that he had the problem completed
and just needed to quickly get the answer down and move to the next
one. He has never been the best at paying attention in ANY area of
life, and I think this problem is an extension of that. We are just
working with him to get him to slow down and think about each problem,
sticking with it until the end, and also teaching him to think about
his answer once he has it down on paper. We encourage him to ask
himself if the answer makes sense -- i.e., is it possible that
20 x 30 would be 100?
I really do understand how frustrating this problem is. I wish I had
a simple 3-step solution to give you! Hang in there!" -- Mindy
---
"I can't tell you for sure that it's hormones, but I can tell you that
I have the SAME problem (pre-Algebra only) with my daughter. She is
VERY bright, motivated, and an excellent independent studier. We found
that some of it was that she was teaching herself the math, and didn't
understand it quite as well as she thought. Once we started doing
math together, it was helpful, but still somewhat of a problem. Yet
she really knows how to do the problem once I send her back to try
again.
We have been using Saxon with much success, but next year I'm planning
to put her in Teaching Textbooks so that I don't have to be with her
every step of the way. I have a special needs child to teach next year,
so I need to be able to free myself up. We are both excited about
switching." -- Natalee
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"As a math teacher for algebra, you are describing many students at
that very age. Try taking a step back and let him focus on some basic
fact tests (timed) and some various real life word problems -- even
ones that he might create. He is showing signs of test anxiety and
needs to get more comfortable in a timed environment with his basic
math facts. Keep teaching new things, but slow down the pace while
you add these timed tests each day. If you are using paper versions,
grade them by counting to the first question he misses and then target
to do better the next day first with addition (100 problems) and then
with subtraction if you want, followed by multiplication (100 problems)
-- each with a maximum of 3 minutes. The goal in the end will be to
then lower the time to complete the facts to a lower and lower time
with a perfect score. This should help to build his confidence in
basic facts as well as a better recall under pressure. Finish this
with a mixed review of various basic facts for the same results.
These tests can be printed for free with random problems from various
places on the internet as well as some fact drills that can be used
for practice and improvement.
Here are math trainers for fact drills (addition and multiplication):
http://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/math-trainer-addition.html
http://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/math-trainer-multiply.html
Tests can be found at:
http://www.mathsisfun.com/worksheets/index.php
http://www.rbechtold.com/math.html
For the tests, try to stay with ones that cover the single digits
for addition and multiplication, and through 20 for subtraction
first, and then harder from there.
Hope this helps, but know he is not alone." -- JenniLyn
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"My oldest is only seven, so we have not hit the hormones yet, but
what I have heard math educators say is to go back to manipulatives.
Make it concrete. Use things he can get his hands on.
Also, have you considered using a different kind of standardized
test, such as the Woodcock-Johnson? A one-on-one testing situation,
given by someone other than a parent, might give you more insight
into what is going on than a regular paper and pencil test could.
Maybe it is hormones -- or maybe there are learning issues that
are being revealed by pre-algebra. Some learning problems only
show themselves when things get more abstract.
I doubt public schools would have a better approach to his learning
issues, whether they are due to hormones or a learning disorder.
But I would encourage you to keep pursuing an answer and don't
assume it is only hormones. A good pediatrician, especially one
interested in development, might be able to give insight about
learning disorders and development -- and hormones. :-)
You are being an attentive parent and homeschooler. You have your
son's best interest at heart. Be EN-couraged that you and your
son WILL find a solution, and that homeschooling can be an
excellent way to find it!" -- Jennifer C.
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"Have you tried taking a break from math? A week, or two, with no
math class. Gasp! We might not - horrors! - finish the book! Well,
most classrooms don't finish the book, so let's be reasonable about
it. Continue with his other subjects, but take a short vacation
from math.
Sometimes stress will cause this kind of difficulty for a student,
especially when puberty hits. You are feeling stressed about it,
he picks up on it, and before you know it you're caught in a vicious
circle.
A long time ago I read somewhere that the public schools don't really
try to teach new concepts to junior-high age kids, because during
puberty the best they hope for is 'arrested decay' -- they hope to
just keep them from forgetting whatever they knew before puberty,
till they grow out of it enough to have brain function again and
start high school. This is not an excuse to be lazy and not teach
the kids during this time, but it helped me to be realistic about
the burnout we were experiencing at the time. It helped me to relax
-- and that helped my kids relax. And sure enough, by the time they
started high school they were back on track!
Another thought -- might he need glasses?
Consider, too, that he might not be a 'math person'. He still needs
basic skills, but pray about what God has planned for your son. If
God has not given him a bent for math, but for language, then getting
through Algebra I before graduating high school is a great accomplish-
ment.
Then there's the carrot-and-stick approach as well, because you can't
just let him lie around and watch cartoons. Find a way to eliminate
'busy work' from the curriculum. For instance, if he has a page of
64 math problems, 8 rows with 8 problems in each row, tell him he
only has to do the first column. If he gets them all correct, he's
done. But if he misses a problem, he obviously needs more practice,
and he will have to do that whole row. This provides incentive to
pay attention to the details and get it right the first time.
If he is very visual, I wouldn't be surprised that he has difficulty
working out a problem in his head, or even by talking out loud.
I always grab a pencil and paper to write it down because the
numbers get mixed up in my head. This is learning style, not
disability. It frustrates my auditory husband, but it works for me.
In any case, take heart! Trust in God with all your heart, but
don't trust your own understanding of the situation. There's
always something you don't know, but God does. Ask Him for wisdom,
and He will lead you in the right way. (My personal paraphrase of
Proverbs 3:5-6)" -- Sarah
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Answer our NEW Question
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"We've been homeschooling from the beginning – 8 year old girl,
7 year old boy, and girls 5 and 3. Like most homeschoolers, it
took us a couple of years to find our groove. We finally did
two years ago, but everything was interrupted when I broke my
ankle. I needed two surgeries and was laid up for two months.
While that was going on, we also moved to a new state and a bigger
house. While my leg is no longer really a problem, we seem to have
lost our groove. I am struggling with a constant state of chaos --
and it has gotten totally overwhelming. I've tried FlyLady, SHE
sisters card file, schedules -- you name it, I’ve tried it. I’ve even tried
the methods that worked before and I don’t seem to be making any
progress. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get back
to some semblance of order? Thanks." -- Mandi in SC
---
Do have the answer or a possible "miracle" for Mandi?
Please send your answer to: mailto:HN-answers@familyclassroom.net
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Ask YOUR Question
=====================
Do you have a question you would like our readers to answer?
Send it to mailto:HN-questions@familyclassroom.net and we'll see
if we can help you out in a future issue!
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