It seems like most school districts follow the same plan for high school science: Biology, then Chemistry, and then Physics. The sciences move from the least to most math-intensive as students progress through the parallel path of Algebra-Geometry-Algebra-Pre-Calc-Calculus. I had Biology in ninth grade, so that is what we’ll do, too! Sunshinegirl has ALWAYS beenContinue reading “High School Biology – The Plan”
Author Archives: topofherclassofone
High School Math – The Plan
If you’ve read my post on Where We’ve Been with Math, you know that it took a long time to figure out what works best for my creative-soul daughter. I’m going to discuss our eighth grade year here first, since many students don’t attack Algebra 1 until high school. It also sets the stage forContinue reading “High School Math – The Plan”
Science – Where we’ve been
I love science (now). In high school and college, not so much. I did just fine in my high school and college science classes, but I was that kid that could learn anything and took tests well. I just wasn’t “into science”. My public-schooled son, Rockman, is a science-nerd; he’s majoring and minoring in variousContinue reading “Science – Where we’ve been”
French – Where we’ve been
Foreign Language – Parlez-Sie Franzosisch? Yes, I wrote that on purpose. I read early on that language learning happens best at a young age when native language acquisition is still taking place. So why not start a language in Kindergarten? Sounds great! I studied French for four years in high school and two more semestersContinue reading “French – Where we’ve been”
Math – Where we’ve been pre-high school
So I am one of those weird people that actually loved math in school. I graduated with a BS in Math from the University of Michigan, which sounds like torture itself. Why did I choose math? Because it “makes sense” and is just a series of puzzles that are longing to be solved. I’m notContinue reading “Math – Where we’ve been pre-high school”
High School options we considered – Alphabet soup!
AO vs WTM vs BYL vs UM What? Here’s a glossary before we dig in to each:AO = AmblesideOnline WTM = Well Trained MindBYL = Build your LibraryUM = Ursa Minor AmblesideOnline (AO/HEO) AmblesideOnline is the Charlotte Mason inspired “curriculum” put together by homeschool-mom volunteers based on the original writings of Charlotte Mason herself. AO providesContinue reading “High School options we considered – Alphabet soup!”
My Homeschool Story
I was raised on a combination of Catholic school (3 years) and Public school (10 years), graduating at the top of my class; homeschooling never even entered the picture. My first encounter with homeschooling was hearing of the negative effects it had on a family I remotely knew only a few years before I decidedContinue reading “My Homeschool Story”
What we used in the past – AmblesideOnline
Back before kindergarten when I was researching methods of homeschooling, I quickly learned about the Charlotte Mason method. Charlotte Mason lived 100 years ago and had the belief that children were whole persons and not just a mind to fill. She wrote a whole series of books that are used heavily by homeschoolers today, particularlyContinue reading “What we used in the past – AmblesideOnline”
High School – The Plan
I remember back in eighth or ninth grade being asked by my teachers or guidance counselors to make a “four-year plan” for my high school career. I came across that plan recently, and I had to laugh at the absurdity of it! The ninth grade year was spot on (I am guessing we had alreadyContinue reading “High School – The Plan”
How to set the stage for homeschooling
AKA, How to get your my student on board! I’ve had the luxury of homeschooling one child from day one of her school career, thus I’m no expert in what the majority of families are facing. Most families either have A) multiple children (a built in classroom full of some socialization) or B) are notContinue reading “How to set the stage for homeschooling”
Top of Her Class of One 