Coming to the Final Stretch of Homeschooling

It's hard to believe that we're wrapping up our first semester of Penny's senior year this week.  We're actually starting week one of our Spring semester next week, starting on Jan. 5th.  So, if all goes as planned, we should finish up her school work about May 8th, one week before she graduates.  That's a really scary thought to me, as her mom!  I feel like she just came home, just started learning about what it is to have a family, began to figure out how to act as a daughter, granddaughter, and cousin for the first time in her life, etc.  Then there was a whole new culture, language and new kinds of food to get used to.  Imagine that you had just gone through those major life changes.  Do you think that you'd be eager to leave home?  Well, Penny would much rather spend a little more time at home.  Besides, she's only had a little over two years to get used to this new home in the Denver area.  So, her goal this year is to go to a community college after graduating.  So, as her homeschooling mom, I've been researching it and will do whatever I can, as her academic school counselor, to help her meet her goals.  I've also been the "school bus driver".  So, on the days when I'm not working,  I can always drive her to school in the future.  However, she'll also need to learn how to take public transportation on her own this year.  That's a really scary thought.  However, I think that scares Penny less than the idea of having to learn how to drive in the big city.  So, we're going to trust God in helping us all navigate all of the upcoming changes in 2015.

Meanwhile, as her teacher, I'm trying to gear up and get ready to dive into our last semester of homeschooling.  I'm really excited about this last semester.  We will continue to study some of the same subjects that we have been studying.  But, we'll also be learning some new subjects, as well.  Here are the classes that we'll be delving into:

Algebra II

I decided that the Prentice Hall books were too costly, so this time I decided not to order them.  The student book isn't too expensive.

 However, the teacher book, even on Amazon is usually at least $100, which on our limited budget, just isn't feasible.  But, I love their online homework tutorial lessons.  So, we'll continue to utilize their online website.  But, I'm also planning on using some online lessons from Math Planet.com

and printing out assignments from Kutasoftware.com

Another reason, I am going this route is because I want to complete this subject in only one semester, rather than over a whole year.

Health:

This is one subject that I have been putting off.  But, we're finally going to tackle it.  It's a required subject in most high schools.  And I've noticed, as a mom, that as much as I try to teach about health in our everyday life, sometimes it's hard for a teen to really absorb the information from her mom.  So, I think actually studying it, as a subject, will perhaps have more of a lasting impact.  Besides, reading from the textbook, will also help build Penny's English vocabulary.  I've decided to use the Abeka curriculum for high school level Health.

English:

For English, we will continue to use the Abeka Grammar & Composition III book to learn about grammar.

We'll also continue to read various books, both fiction and non-fiction to build vocabulary.  The book that I've chosen to start out with is Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff.

We will also continue to use Spellingcity.com as our main source for spelling and vocabulary practice.  I just renewed my yearly license to be able to use this website.  It's the only one I pay for, but I feel it's well worth the $29.99 yearly subscription.

 Too bad I don't have four more kids, because the license is good for adding up to 5 students!  But, I don't think that my wallet could handle four more kids!

This past semester we've been practicing writing paragraphs.  Penny is still most apprehensive about her writing skills.  Well, this is understandable, given the fact that six years ago she knew no English.  But, by focusing on trying to write sentences and paragraphs, first, I'm hoping that we can advance to the level of trying to write an essay in her last semester.  This was the one thing that I disliked about the public high school that she had started out at.  They skipped over the basics and gave the freshman in the ELL (English Language Learner) class one assignment:  to write an essay.  It was way over their heads and most kids started skipping out of class.  Penny was tempted to, as well.  But, basically, I had to write her paper for her, because she had absolutely no direction and idea how to even begin.  So, I'm planning on using the info in the Abeka Grammar & Composition I  book to help guide her as to how to go about writing an essay,

now that we've built a foundation upon which to work with.

Now, the subject that I'm most excited about is….

Thailand History, Geography & Religion:

Both Penny and I enjoy learning about other countries.  She never really learned lots of facts about her own birth country.  She never studied about Thai geography.  And the only understanding of the main religion she had, was what the nannies literally beat into her.  So, we will try to take an objective look at the facts and do a comparative study of how Buddhism compares with Christianity, since Penny has now come to learn about Jesus and loves Him very much.  Here are some of the main books that we'll be using…

Also, I have put together my own syllabus for the class along with a journal, which Penny will use to write information and make maps, print pictures, etc. to compile all of the information that she is learning about Thailand. 

Penny will also practice preparing for the GED test using the KET fast forward online curriculum that a friend, so generously, helped purchase for us.

If you are homeschooling, what are you planning for this new semester?