Zoo field trip

Final biology field trip with the class to the Fort Worth Zoo.

School Paper

Back to School 2015

Public and Private Schools

Hybrid/Homeschool

School ready - meet the teacher and back to school

Fabulous time meeting the teachers, getting the curriculum, and shopping for school clothes!!  The local PD has a program offering city identification for the children which we participated in. 

8th grade Curriculum acquired

All of the requisite books have been purchased.

The only outstanding issue is whether we give English credit for the writing component in the honors history track, or do we do CTY or Duke Tip online options for writing an essay?

Decisions.  Decisions.  But leaning towards (since she IS in 8th grade) to combining writing with history this year, and then maybe next year do Duke Tip online (much cheaper than CTY).

Haley has a difficult/full schedule this year:

Astronomy - Earth Science
honors biology
Algebra 2
Honors World History
Logic
Speech
Spanish
English

Plus she's doing:
Extemporaneous debate
Fencing
Harp
Orchestra
Piano
Journalism
Student Council

Totally manageable (as she has been doing quite a bit for awhile now). But as the stakes get higher, it is more important to focus and consolidate when possible.  Also, these classes are high-school level instruction.  Credit can be given for Extemp (as a political science), student council can be an elective, and Journalism can be a Language Arts/writing course.  However, if the load gets too heavy, we can back off some of the line-items, extend them into next year, or drop them altogether (and pick them back up for a summer course).

Lots of options and flexibility with homeschool.

class photo

Class photo of the Logic 3

End of Semester 1 in Logic 3

Haley ended the semester strong.  One low quiz grade in Language Arts really pulled her overall grade down such that she now (hopefully) realizes that you can't blow off even one "little" quiz and expect to get an A in the class.

US HISTORY:  You may recall, we made adjustments to Haley's history curriculum.  That was a great move.  Not having the group projects has freed up her time.  Now she just reads a chapter, or a few, and discuss it with Hubby.  During their debate discussion and research, history is incorporated in the arguments and evidence.  In Language Arts, there is also historical overlap in essay writing, book reading, and discussion.  She does not yet have a grade in US History as she started the semester late, and she's been quite busy and has not had the time to "make it up."

PHYSICAL SCIENCE is a class Haley LOVES.  There is lab, and experiments.  The reading is "easy" and interesting, she claims.  We supplement the chemistry to make it a high-school level course.

ALGEBRA is a class that has required the most time and study.  Sometimes up to 4 hours a day she'll study, do problems, and watch videos.  I'll spend over half of that time sitting beside her, helping to guide her and showing her how to recognize key information, take notes, study, and learn.  For the Winter break (as she studied for her semester 'final' I hired a university student to help her study - which is more efficient since I do not have the time to consistently learn, then teach, algebra.  He has been great, and she still has her Hybrid school teacher.

Starting next month she will participate in more in-depth study of math.  This prestigeous program will require some additional math study, so the tutor, the teacher, and the math club, should provide plenty of math and set her up to excel.

LANGUAGE ARTS:  Haley did not enter into LA with a strong foundation.  The public school failed to really teach the subject, and her writing organization needed some remediation.  This semester, after writing many papers with direct help from me, hubby, and input and corrections by the teacher, she is likely at grade level - she is 12, consistent with 6th or 7th grade (if she's advanced/early).

Its important to remember that "skipping a grade" opens so many doors and unlocks a myriad of opportunities that are only 'available' to the older student.  While Haley now has *access* to these opportunities (learning algebra, mathclub, volunteer, cotillion, youth talent search) we are not sure she should (or will) GRADUATE early.  The more we learn, the more we realize that her being "only" a 7th grader allows more time (many more years) to demonstrate excellence and earn a spot into a college of her choice while also being mature and ready to delve into college as a young woman.

Etiquette:  Cotillion
Performing Arts:  HARP - Fort Worth Philharmonic Orchestra, Harp at the University (more information forthcoming - Haley has been accepted into the TCU Harp Studio of Dr. Logan Brandenburg which is an awesome opportunity to get on a university campus and take classes there, with the training with, and endorsement of a professor.  Also attractive, TCU does have full-ride harp scholarships which could be a motivational carrot for Haley if she likes the campus, the program (and they, her), and decides she wants to pursue joining.

PIANO - Haley is taking the 8th grade Music Theory and World of Music Exams.  Again, it would be nice to get "done" with the curriculum "early" and have the credit and honor of completion as a senior without having to worry about something else to do.

CHOIR - is enjoyable and hasn't required any excessive study or practice (at this level).  She also is in the Regional North Texas Children's Choir.  She enjoys the performances, and the final regional performance is in January.

Sport:  FENCING.  Haley has shown steady progress and the sport seems to play to all of her natural talents - quickness, mental speed, aggressiveness, fearlessness, and competitiveness.  She won her first club tournament.  The rate-limiting factor this semester has been conflict with higher priority activities - such as algebra, piano, and debate.

DEBATE:  Haley is doing Team Policy with Daddy.  It has been a fantastic learning experience, and Haley loves public speaking.  We have one more tournament in the Spring.  She will do the summer camp (if it doesn't conflict with the Math Camp).  Next year we are thinking that Extemporaneous debate/speech will be our event of choice - something she can do without so much hand-holding, and doesn't require schedule coordination with a team-mate.  Busy people have trouble coordinating schedules.

Foreign language:  Holding Latin because Haley is finding it more difficult to learn concurrently with Spanish.  And Spanish is more important.  She is not taking Spanish this year as the school couldn't find a teacher.  The college foreign language requirement includes 2 (preferably 3) years of the same foreign language.  It is recommended that this be taken the last 2 or 3 years of high-school so the student can either test out at the college level for credit, or take the class and do well because its all still fresh.  Since Haley isn't scheduled to graduate until 2020 (right now) 2017, 2018, and 2019 are the ideal times to take Spanish "for real."  It is only 2015,

College Prep initiation - As mentioned in the last post, I have books, check-lists, and a game-plan is forming.  Haley is scheduled to take the ACT vs SAT (which one is best for you?) test in May.  I have printed materials.  I am familiarizing myself with requirements, and working on 'merit badges' and exposing the children as the geniuses that they are.  :)

We have SAT vocab flash-cards.  It is my intent to initiate these slowing into the curriculum this semester.

We also have to decide on SAT II Subject test topics - and get ready for those.