RTR for high school - what do you think?

[deltagal]

I've been grappling for months on what to do with my 14 yo for his Freshman year. And I would really like the insight of seasoned High-schoolers and HOD users. .

My son has used the HOD guides up through the unit 18 of CTC then took a year and a year away from the CTC guide - focusing on reading, writing and math and he used quite a few of the CTC books along with some others for this time period and science area to accomplish this.

Now, I'm pondering returning him to the HOD guides - skill wise he places in the MTMM/Geography guides, BUT I know the number of hours required for the Geography guide will be too much for him with his yard work jobs, sports and church commitments. I've been flipping back and forth on placing him in RTR, Rev to Rev, or Geography. But I keep coming back to RTR, BECAUSE (I have all the resources) and I would really like for him to do the Shakespeare study, Medieval Writing, Earth Science, and the time period. Although he can read higher-level books he seems to be most comfortable at present reading on a early 6th grade level. Some of his most enjoyable recent reads were: 21 Balloons and The Chronicles of Narnia series. He also tends to naturally write about 8-10 sentence narrations, although he can write longer ones, if requested.

The down-side is I do think RTR is a little young for him and he has a younger brother who will be rolling into this guide in December. I don't think my 14 yo would enjoy RtR as much as he would enjoy Rev to Rev. He needs the instruction in Medieval Writing and he also needs the instruction in Write with the Best. The creative writing instruction in Rev to Rev, although quite good, is not where his greatest needs are at present. If I use RTR for high-school this would be our plan:

Left-side -

History - as is with beef-ups for history using the drive-through DVDs, The Story of Europe and The Withrows as recommend by Carrie
Storytime - we have used 1/2 of these as read-alouds this past year and will continue to work through this list
History Project - we will only complete the ones that tie to the notebook pages
Independent History - as is
Timeline, Geography, Shakespeare, Research - as is

Right-side - the following changes...
Math - higher-level math not scheduled in this guide
Art Appreciation - we've used the book recommended a few years ago, we will use an at home art program to earn a credit in Art (this will take much longer per day then the Art Appreciation which is scheduled)
Poetry - as is
Language Arts - we will use Medieval Writing, dictation as scheduled, subbing in a higher level for Grammar instruction and beginning a 15 minute word study each day.
Devotional Bible Study - will continue w/ this rotation, but select different texts because we've used all of the resources recommended
Bible Quiet Time - We may substitute a Bible Study from our tradition that provides an overview of the entire Bible in one year and is designed for high-school students.
Science - as is, plus the beef-ups mentioned in this viewtopic.php?f=6&t=13653&p=97727&hilit ... nce#p97727, adding in the Fossils book. I am a little unsure about A Child's Geography. I think the content of the text is really good, but my ds doesn't like the conversational tone - at. all. He has read Tiner's book, so we will use Our Weather and Water when we reach that book, but we will also use the biographies Galileo and Newton.

Literature - in addition to the Shakespeare study already scheduled, we will read through English Literature for Young People, and study 2 additional poets - Tennyson and Donne. I would like to consider adding in 3 novels, but with the Shakespeare and English Lit for YP - the addition of the novels sounds like a lot. ( The Shakespeare study with a read through of the English Lit for Young People was mentioned by Carrie years ago when RTR was first being planned as a high-school beef-up.)

Extensions: As is, with the 4 narrations recommended for assessment in the RTR guide. He has read Robin Hood, so I'll sub in another novel there. I'm not sure at this point what that will be.

Not in the guide, but will add in for high school:
Foreign Language - Spanish for a full credit

The 5th day - For several years we've been enjoying having one day a week devoted to family studies. We have found Wednesday to be a great day for this. On this day we enjoy picture study, composer study, a natural history book, a nature walk with journalling, art appreciation, church history biographies, poetry readings, and travel literature, a Shakespeare play and a Plutarch reading. It sounds like a lot, but we're not doing all these things every week. One day a month we also volunteer as a family at a local mission farm. I've not finalized all the resources we will be utilizing in this area for this next year - but the resources and content will be credit worthy.

So, I'm interested in your thoughts. Does this sound solid? Is it challenging enough? What am I overlooking? OR should I move up a guide or 2.

[chillin'inandover]

I have graduated two but not through HOD. My ds in 6th grade will be doing RTR (were you doing that or Rev to Rev?). There is a sticky tab above for beefing up RTR for high school. The only area I see a problem is with science but that depends on your state requirements and student's post high school plans. He would need more science if college bound and many states say earth science isn't high school level. An option would be to do the other guides science like Geography or MMTM.
For the fine art you could include what is in the guide + shakespeare study (coloring pictures) + notebook pages (coloring pictures), maybe drawing for nature study (is included in MMTM guide) as part of your extra day activities to be 1/2 credit it would be 60 hours of instruction/work from what I have done for graduate's credits. Spanish is in Geography guide. All those extras can be combined for a credit too-sports (PE), yard work, etc. This is your transcript so you can tailor it to the child.
My graduates did Theater (traveling shows to nursing homes and community and high school plays), Orchestra/choir (in high school as church didn't have this), and we deliver MOW (community service as an extra on transcript). The possibilites are endless! Figuring out what interests each child is a gift that we as homeschoolers have. The gift being WE can see what interests them rather than having that squashed out of them by cookie cutter school.
As your son reads more his abilities will improve as reading is like a muscle like a fine motor muscle. The more he reads and relates to literature the more he will want to. My dd was a struggling late reader and has just graduated college in Theater (Magna Cum Laude!) and loves dramaturgy. That means she likes to research for plays so that the director has all background info needed to be correct.
Praying that you come up with high school plans for your son that is enjoyable.
Tammy

[deltagal]

Hi Tammy,

Thank you for your input. Yes, I am looking at RtR for my 14 yo not rev to rev.

In our area it is pretty traditional to study earth science as a Freshman. Physical science is an 8th grade course. Earth science is a 9th grade course. I've checked with all the potential colleges that are currently possibilities and earth science is not a problem. They all stressed getting math up to speed.

Just a few more details -
He will be studying Spanish this year with a tutor for a full high school credit.
And the Art will be a full credit through a homeschool art program. He is quite gifted in this area and will be able to do self-study.

[LynnH]

I think you will need more for the science to be high school worthy. I just don't see how you could count the science in RTR as high school level Earth Science. I know at one point Carrie had talked about using another program called I think Signs and Seasons as a high school level science to beef up RTR. I think other than that your plan looks good.

[deltagal]

What would you or others suggest as a way to cover what earth science covers while moving onto a higher level science? I'm not concerned about the physical science and chemistry in Rev to Rev and MTMM, because these sciences will be revisited in later years, but not earth science. Correct?

Perhaps, we could do this - use IPC for his Freshman year, but gradually read over the next 4 years the materials for Earth Science.

ETA: I'm still waiting for additional information, but through informal conversations with several local high school students I learned that Earth Science is required for high school graduation. Apparently it is taken in 8th grade at our local ps, but any student arriving after 8th grade has to take Earth Science. To be quite candid my husband wants all our paperwork to be in order according to the public school plan, in the event something unforeseen should happen (to me) and the children should need to go that route.

[8arrows]

Florence, We have the Signs and Seasons book and really like it! I think you could add it and maybe one of these books: Geology by Design, Geology (Wonders of Creation, the other Evolution, The Grand Experiment book and video that Carrie is not using, or possibly the Answers books by Answers in Genesis. Do any of those appeal to you? Would any of those work for your family?

[deltagal]

Melissa,

Carrie had mentioned using Signs and Seasons OR the Astronomy book which is already scheduled in the guide. She also suggested (just as you have!!!) the other Evolution book. And yes those are appealing. I gave them a look at our recent conference and think they would work. Thank you. Your thoughts are helpful. What science sequence did you/are you using with your highschoolers?

[8arrows]

Definately OR, it had just sounded like maybe you WANTED to do the astronomy book that was scheduled. My older boys did Biology with me. One did Chemistry with me, and both did Chemistry at the community college. Yes, one son has 2 chemistry credits, but they have different titles. They both did Anantomy and Physiology at the CC. One did 1/2 year of Physics with me (some Apologia alongside the PAC physics texts). One did an environmental science class at CC. So one son went Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, 2nd Chemistry course. The other son did Biology, Chemistry, Anantomy and Physiology, and then Physics and Environmental science. They boys were both planning to go in mortuary science (funeral directing) since we own a funeral home. Thus, our science was degree specific for them. However, the second son switched and decided to major in criminal justice now. Thankfully, everything we had done through the CC transferred. My daughter did the Exploration Education from REV2REV this year for 9th. We are finishing up over the summer. I think I will do Biology with her this year, but there is a chance I will just follow the HOD sequence for the rest of her high school. I have not had a child yet that wanted to major in a science-heavy major. Son number 4 does, so we shall see. I am a little more relaxed after graduating two boys who both rocked the science on the ACT (after all my fretting). (The science section on the ACT is more of a reading test in my opinion anyway.) They have also done well in all their college science classes. Since our family strengths are clearly in the language arts areas (reading, speech, grammar, debate), I did fret about science and math. Graduating two has calmed my fears. Do what works--what you are able to do and still be a serving, Christian family. (I loved some of your service ideas in your post--Keep it up!!!)