Homeschooling is a joy for us.Period. I am one who complies with rules & laws as a christian I feel the need to follow the laws of the land providing they do not go against my christian convictions. So with homeschooling I have followed state law exact. That being said, one of my gals has made it to her freshman yr of high school where we are now required to do certain courses to earn the credits to be able to graduate & then to get into college, right?... I have read about SOOO many families who educate in the courses that their high schooler is interested in(outside of math & english) & throw caution to the wind on the other 'required' subject for graduation that they arent interested in. I want my kids to spend time learning the things that interest them (outside of math & english) & somewhat dont want to force them to take the courses that they truly dont want to take. For instance, I have one dd who wld prbly focus on bible & animal science if given the opportunity (timewise) to just focus on those along with math & english. My other dd wants to use American Sign Language as her foreign language credits but thats not suppose to count... What to do? In good conscience, how can I kinda skip over some of the courses that they need credits in for graduation to allow them the opportunity to study their passions?...HELP?
Frankly, I one of the top three reasons I homeschool is so that I could structure my child's education to be interested related! Anyway, looking at the law.... Well, I am not in Tennessee, but this is how my high school level might look, outside of the math requirements. Grammar concepts and Social Studies would be mostly intertwined around an interest, which for my daughter would be art, music/instruments, writing, literature, and/or horses. As to horses, there is a a large portion of Biology as in plants the horses eat, equine anatomy, comparing human anatomy to equine (Health and Wellness), etc. P.E. could be horseback riding which requires coordination and muscle building (even cleaning stalls and grooming horses are very physical and muscle building, just ask me!). Lab experience could be cleaning the hooves of horses, grooming, learning equine mannerisms, etc. Horses played a big part of history in nearly every country, as did art, literature, writing, and music. Why is ASL not suppose to count? Some colleges have ASL as a foreign language so I would consider that acceptable if the child is not inclined to languages. There is nothing in the law to exclude it, so technically it is left to interpretation. My daughter is into languages but if it were not her thing, I think I would look at the colleges she would like to attend to see what their requirements are on this one.
Milkmaid, THROW OUT THE GOVERNEMENT EXPECTATIONS!!! YOU set the rules. NOTHING is "required". If you want to count American Sign Language, then count it. (And, btw, it DOES count. It is considered a language, and if I had the time I could tell you all the reasons WHY it is a foreign language, and most colleges accept it as such. Can't help it if your state is "behind"!) My middle one struggles a bit with math. In our state, she is REQUIRED to have finished Algebra 1 no later than 9th grade. She's in 10th, and is still working on that. She is REQUIRED to have math through Algebra 2. Well, it AIN'T gonna happen!!! We'll finish Alg. 1 before Christmas, go right into Geometry, and then next year do a Consumer Math class. And there are NO WAY you're going to convince me that Alg. 2 is necessary in life, unless you're planning on going into math/science. Can you, "in all good conscience" force your kids to follow a failing government model, when you KNOW what you want to do is better for them and will be just as (if not more so!!!) successful?
I just looked at HSLDA's summary of Tenn. Laws and they say there are no required subjects for homeschoolers. Do not look at what the ps requires instead look to college if the child is planning on going. Most colleges require: 3-4 units math 3-4 units of Social Studies(History, Government, Economics) 3-4 units of science (standard is Bio, Chem, Physics but other hs level can be used) 4 units of english 2-3 units of a language other than english (some schools do accept ASL but others do not, just something to be aware of) You would also want to throw some electives in such as art, music, health, gym.. This shows a well rounded student. I would use that as your guideline and create your courses from there.
Our state has requirements for 3 different tracks: I for university, II for college/technical school, and III for special needs. My concern would be if they want to go to college will they have what they need. Keep in mind that colleges are much more receptive to homeschooled students then they used to be. I would think it would be harder to transfer their credits to a public high school than having a college accept them.
Just for the record-- send her to CSU sign counts as a foreign language here! At east it did last time I checked. we are on child number three of Home school, the second that I have home schooled in High School 10th grade-- SOPhomore student. I am teaching MAth, Larts, ( this is lit, comp and gramar) Biology-- which your animal science would fall under btw. -- History - I am using Notgrass its lots of reading and some writing. I think History is important. Then on the side he chose to take a PE class ( we already have enough hours with his team sport but why not) and He gets to create on the computer as well-- he will be an architectural engineer. sorry if I missed the rest of the errors, I am typing with numb hands. Litterally half my hands re not cooperating. So - on topic look at how they can learn what they want as electives as well! I too follow requirements even though I don't have to to graduate I have chosen to follow the U reqirements for my students desires. The state requirements here are so low in comparison I do not wonder why so many kids right now must begin at CC levels. Check where your kids want to go after high school and see what they require.
That's because CSUN is (or was) one of the top universities in the nation for interpreter's training! So California understands ASL.
Yes. Worry about what the COLLEGES want, not what the STATE wants. And yes, we did have a little hassles (but really, it was LITTLE!) when we transfered Rachael to the Cyber-school. For example, they didn't give credit for Driver's Ed. And the required her to have British Lit, which I probably should have fought. (She had World Lit, and most of the books done in her Brit Lit class she had already read!).
Jackie, we re doing American lit along with the notgrass, which has world lit,, but it has mostly Brit writers so maybe i will just classify it as that?
I am in TN and I have a little different perspective. Are you with an umbrella program? Do they have certain requirements? If so, follow their guidelines. Call and talk with someone there about the situation. I would FIRST take advise from my umbrella program since they are your legal covering. Do you think your children will go to college? It will be easier if your transcript looks as familiar as possible to the colleges. Example: an admissions person is used to seeing "World History" as a course title and not "Intro to Western Humanities I" as a course title. They might question the second transcript title, while not even take a second thought at the first one. The state does have graduation requirements. Some umbrella programs follow those and some do not. I do not think that using a state's requirements as a GUIDELINE is following the "state's expectations." And , in TN, most if not all colleges will require the same courses that the "state expects." That being said, there is alot of room to actually learn what a student is truly interested in under the course titles that are "required". English 1 in one home might be all grammar, while English 1 in another home might be all British Lit. (Same goes for classroom schools by the way.) ASL can certainly fall under "electives" at the very least. This is one area where I would check with colleges to see if it fulfills language requirements. The most important thing to do is to check with your umbrella program!
It's too late in the season now, but several colleges have stands in the major homeschooling shows. They go out of their way to attract homeschooled students and, I'm sure, would be only too pleased to reassure you. As for focusing on subjects your children like, we did that to some extent - but we also ensured they took all the 'core' classes whether they liked them or not. For example, one child really did not like math - but it's required for just about everything and is very valuable in life. We just took a little longer getting through the material, that's all.
Many good points, Pam! Though I think colleges have had to deal with hs'ed kids enough that the admissions people can deal with the difference between World History and Western Humanities. Or maybe not...I had fits transfering from a Christian university to a state school in just that area. Though they finally gave me history credit for Humanities! But that was thirty years ago; I hope things have improved!
Jackie: My main point was to "name" your courses the "name" of your state's graduation requirement. Then, let your child learn what interests them UNDER that "name". My other point was that colleges do have certain admission requirements and most state's graduation requirements reflect that. The OP said something about "animal science." That would probably fulfill lab science requirement. I think in Tn biology is "required". Animal science is certainly biology! Also, using the state requirements as a guideline is NOT the same thing as "government expectations." Using state requirements as a guideline gives home schoolers a framework of basics as we teach our children. By the way, I am all about "delight driven" education!
Oh, I definantely agree that the state requirements make great guidelines! As long as we don't get weighed down trying to follow them exactly. And if you've a good idea what college you're interested in, talk with them specifically. And give credit for community service, too!
OK, this may help. There are actually only a few states where it is a law for homeschoolers to take certain classes to graduate high school. Some states require similar course loads as a public school. There are many states where the subject requirements are "none" through high school. Some others have subject requirements, but they aren't specific- math, English, spelling, citizenship, history. Some of these states don't say what grades or how high the level of learning has to be. A lot of people get two things mixed up: the requirements for the public schools and the requirements for homeschoolers. Yes, there are some states where they are the same or very similar, but I believe from what I have seen that there are more states that are not that strict. So, in the case of Tennessee, I think you are morally and legally right to follow your children's passions and provide the education that will help them be the best they can be. If they are wanting to go to college, see what the colleges that you are interested in require and go from there.
