Having 2nd thoughts-high school or not? Ref. to Rev?

[igeagewalker]

hi, I am so sorry to come to this board with so many questions! But I am new to this and just have lots of questions, I guess. My daughter is 13 will be 14 late May. She is quite far behind in math-just finished working on fractions and is starting decimals/percents. (She is considered 8th) In most other subjects, she is on target. She just read Pride and Prejudice with a book club She loves science/especially chemistry and would like to learn more about science. I just can't decide if I should "hold" her back a year before high school, or let her go on even though she is so far behind in math. She won't be ready for pre-algebra until next year, which would be her freshman year!

And I ordered REv. to Rev. for her to start next week, thinking I would beef it up to start high school work. But I think she could easliy do the new geography guide as well, except she wouldn't have anything for the rest of this year. So if I don't let her go ahead, the the Rev. to Rev. would be fine, I guess. But if I do, then maybe I should wait for the geography high school guide.
I need to decide before the end of the weekend so I can have some plans for Monday! I am looking for any and ALL suggestions!!!
thanks
pam

[igeagewalker]

Hi, I know that I made my post very confusing! I am just wondering if anyone has ever waited to start high school or started high school late. I know that most here have young kids so I guess I am just grasping at straws really.
And then my other question or concern was whether to wait for the geography guide to start her now with RTR. I was going to do the two guides of before geography, beef them up and use that as a high school American History credit.
I understand if no one can understand my thoughts or writing and doesn't respond, because "I" can't really understand it!!!

[ncmomof5]

Pam,

You are not alone! That may be the only helpful words I have to share. I am right there with you (actually one year ahead). My daughter is 14 and will be 15 in May. She is doing Prealgebra this year and is struggling through the math part of physical science. She loves Biology and nature science, but does not like the abstract nature of higher level maths and sciences.

We wanted to call this year her 9th grade year, but it hasn't worked out the way we planned (mostly due to difficulties with her co op classes). We knew that she could not get a credit for pre algebra, but she hated the thought of being left behind her peers by doing 8th grade again. We started the year calling her a 9th grader, but we have had to make some adjustments. She has now agreed that it would be better to just plan to start high school next year. It's been a learning year for all of us.

I, too, am now trying to figure out placement in HOD for my oldest 2 for next year since they have not done HOD for several years. It's hard to know for sure what to do, and I don't know about you, but I am scared to death of messing it up. I just have to keep remembering that their lives are in God's hands and He will order and direct our steps if we seek Him.

Hang in there. God will make it clear. Sorry I don't have more practical help to share. Hopefully Carrie, or others, will come along and help you think through the best plan for your daughter.

In His love,
RuthAnn

[LynnH]

I am in a similar situation in that my ds is 13 and will turn 14 the end of may. He is doing Rev to Rev now. He has mild CP that impacts his ability to write. He types most things or dictates to me. He has some short term memory issues that impact reading comprehension at times. Math is his strong point. He will be in Algebra 1 by next year. He and I have talked a lot about what we will call next year. At this point he is fine with calling it his 8th grade year. If he were still in ps he would be in 9th grade. Our situation is complicated some by the fact in church he is considered an 8th grader this year, therefore all his friends would graduate a year before him if we extend middle school a year. Again right now he says that is fine. I am going to proceed as if next year is his 8th grade year however I am going to keep grades and hours on things and am going to probably do a high school type literature with him. That way if he changes his mind at some point I will have enough documentation to call it his 9th grade year if I need to. Science is the only area that is a little tricky, but he will still have 3 lab sciences by having Physical Science, Biology and Chemistry even if I can't count next year as a high school science credit.

[igeagewalker]

Thanks you RuthAnn and Lynn- I SO much appreciate hearing from others that are in similar situations. I truly thought I was the ONLY one with this "problem". But this has reminded me that "yes" I need to remember that "God" is in control and knows what is right for my daughter. Lots of pray and trust and then letting go. My daughter and I are going to talk later today.
Thanks again
pam

[Carrie]

Pam,

The ladies are doing a great job of helping you talk through your options. One thing that I think is important to keep in mind is that you actually don't have to decide what to do with your daughter as far as high school is concerned right now.

What I mean is that you can start with Rev2Rev now and when your daughter heads into what would normally be her 9th grade year, you could just keep on going in Rev2Rev and start counting credit for high school then. The reason for this is the science in Rev2Rev can count for high school credit(as long as she's doing the Advanced Version), the history definitely has enough in it, and the grammar at the high school level is really just a part of the English credit (so you'd just count whatever level of Rod and Staff as part of that). Writing is also just a part of the English credit, so the creative writing in Rev2Rev could count for part of the English credit just fine (as it is also listed as going into the high school years). Once your daughter hits 9th grade, you would just want to make sure her literature is high school worthy too, and we could discuss any other additions you may want to pursue to earn credit in any other areas.

I fear that with the math needing more time right now that jumping into the World Geography guide could be a bit overwhelming. However, once she's been through Rev2Rev, she'd have honed many necessary skills and gained confidence through that guide to prepare her for what's to come after that. At the point she completes Rev2Rev (which would probably be mid-way through her 9th grade year), you could assess again and see if you wanted to continue on with MTMM (after Rev2Rev) or if you instead felt she was ready to head into the Geography guide. I think the important thing to consider is that you have some really important months here before the summer break to get her prepared for high school. Getting going in Rev2Rev will definitely help with that.

I know you mentioned in an earlier thread about some anxiety issues, and I just want to be mindful of that and make sure your daughter has a good start (without being placed too high or too low). There's more to Rev2Rev than meets the eye at first. I think if you get underway, you may be pleasantly surprised. Plus, there is always the Extension Pack that could be added if you felt she was ready for more.

Blessings,
Carrie?

[igeagewalker]

Thanks for the reply, Carrie, and it does help me remember that she and I have time before we have to make the decision about high school. And you are probably right about trying to jump into the Geography without some more work on the basic math. She is doing Apologia Physical Science and wanted to continue using that, even though I think the Science in the guide is excellent! But she is a bit reluctant to start HOD to begin with so I want her to feel like she has some control and say. She is also doing Analytical Grammar, which she wants to continue but I am leaning towards changing her to Rod and Staff in the fall. So if I wanted to add higher level of literature after we get going, do you have suggestions? I have a few from what her older sister has done. But I would to know what you might suggest! And do you know anything about the book "Up from Slavery"-we have already read the Amos Fortune: Free Man so I was thinking of adding this book instead. But I haven't had a chance to preview yet.

Again, thanks again so much for answering my post!!! I can't tell you how much it means!
pam

[8arrows]

Obviously, I am not Carrie. I wanted to comment on Up From Slavery though. I love this book! I have had all three of my high school children read it. It really influenced my educational views. There is a lot of common sense within its pages. I don't think I had ever thought about how white many of the slaves actually were before reading this book. (That doesn't change anything concerning slavery, but it is a perspective that I had not looked at history through before, and it sure made for some fascinating conversations with my children.) It is a fairly easy read as well.

[igeagewalker]

Thanks, Melissa, for the comment on Up From Slavery. I plan on starting that book either tonight or tomorrow!
What a journey this is! My youngest son just shared something he learned in Science in his HOD studies today-it is not nice to hear he is Involved and excited about what he is learning!
pam