We enrolled DS #2 in the local Middle school for ONE class. (WA State History) It is a requirement to graduate and the VA option last year was a nightmare for my older son. Taking this class made sense. (Plus his older brother was going to be taking Geometry but has decided TT is better then PS) I was fine with him going to school until I tried to start scheduling the day out for all 4 kids and I keep coming up "short of time" with him........ Moving Beyond the Page says his curriculum should take 4 to 4.5 hours a day. (I have no idea IF it will actually take him this long but this is what MBTP says.) Then there is health/art and Math. He would have to do his math AFTER football practice. I look at this and I HATE PS! I keep thinking WA State History, who cares............. (I'll look for a book at Goodwill) I know our VA now offers it as a high school class only. He can take it through the VA then! Bagging PS would solve some vacation issues too. (My parents really want to see the kids and we are only out 10 days for Christmas.) I'm torn, I pushed to get him into this class and now it just isn't working out. Plus I know from last year how much gas and time going to pick him up takes.
I had two of my kids at the ps last year for 2 classes. Really, once you start working with the ps, your schedule has to revolve around that. I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing, just reality. I requested times that worked for me and the ps has been incredibly accomodating. So for instance, we did homeschool at home in the morning and they went to the ps for the last two classes of the school day. I'm not sure what you mean by you came up "short of time". I'm not familiar with MBTP so I'm not sure if the hours have to be accomplished my a certain time of day or what. There are lots of hours in a day, and early morning or evening are also acceptable times to do homeschool. Is it all the running around that takes away hours, cuz that's a factor for sure. We also did some car schooling while waiting in the parking lot to pick up one of the kids from a class. Last year was crazy for us, so I'm not necessarily recommending it, but I know that sometimes the PS option is worth it. But on the other hand, like you said, you can just get a book and teach it yourself.
Yup, answered your own question. You know Switched on School house offers State History Courses or you could even do http://www.statehistory.net/ which is state histroy from a Christian perspective. If you plan on hsing all the way through you might be interested in this link I found (looking for the state history site). It says the teaching Washington State history is not manditory for hs'ers but instead just for ps kids. http://www.thehomescholar.com/blog/homeschool-requirements-for-washington-state-history/1660/
Get some library books on state history. Read 'em. Discuss 'em. Devise some type of assignment for a grade. Devise some type of test for a grade. State history. Done.
The "running out of time": MBTP says it takes 4 hours (We haven't started yet so I'm not sure.) He would go to school at 7:00am. Go to class. I would pick him up at 9:00ish. He would get to work at 9:30. At 2:00 we have to get ready for PE. That gives him 4.5 hours to complete he work. When you add Math and Health that is 1.5 hours short. Sure he could do more work after PE. (Ends at 5:00-5:30) Come home, shower, eat dinner. Boom it is 8:00 pm and I know this kid won't work that late. (He might finish something up, but to start something new, isn't going to happen.) I talked this over with my DH and when I got to Garrett working at night, he LOL. ) And as for it being a "requirement", it is for us............. And my kids want to do "Running Start" here in WA State where they do basically 2 years of college free in High School. We will continue to "patch-work" our education with the local High School. Mac was talking about doing Math, English and Science at school and History, Language at home.
And I did look at WA State History on SOS. But with all the bad reviews about SOS, I was a little scared. (Several people said it was DRY.) Plus I need to check with CVA and make sure it would count as a credit. That is the #1 thing that DH is worried about HS, is making sure the kids get the correct credits and they count towards graduation.
We did the VA State history through SOS and it wasn't exciting - but they got it done (and we only did it because I think they need it - it's NOT a state requirement here) We did some field trips etc to tie it all together and make it more interesting. But I would recommend it - especially for time issues (my 2 kids are using SOS for electives and Alexis is adding it in for extra Math as well)
We (meaning #2 and I) went and withdrew him from the PS today. We talked to our academic adviser and decided that he could do WA state history in High School.
i am glad to hear you got it figured out, I know I took WA state history in high school there after living in Canada through jr high and I was in a class full of kids.
