Using 4-H for High School Course Content

"Our high school learner is very active in 4-H. Can we use any of what the student is doing toward high school credit?" 

I love out-of-the-box thinkers! 

When I started homeschooling twenty-three years ago, 4-H was a well-known, popular option for home educators. Homeschooling families gathered at the extension office to glean curriculum for nutrition, citizenship, animal sciences, aviation, and more. Families loved the 4-H intentionality toward hands-on, experiential learning. 

Today, Mike and I walk with families--Kindergarten through high school--on the home education journey. Several use 4-H materials. 

This question was very appropriate as this particular family purposed to work with the interest of the learner. 

How does this family consider awarding credit?

• Consider state statutes in regards to high school. States vary in regards to graduation and credit hour requirements for home educated students. Parents are responsible to determine what is required per their state statute.
• Consider activities. Some families prefer to keep digital documentation, perhaps a bullet point list of experiences, projects, presentations, awards and the like or a spreadsheet log. Alongside each experience, the parent (or student) can record study, learning, or preparation hours for that activity. See the sample spreadsheet below for a student's work toward Filmmaking.
• Consider documentation. One of the advantages of completing 4-H work is the paperwork and documentation required. This paper trail can be saved right along with the work samples in the student's portfolio, should this be required by state statute. If the young adult chooses to apply to a university which requires course descriptions, the completed work samples will be extremely valuable. 
• Consider credit. Each family determines how many hours will constitute a credit hour of work (unless otherwise determined by the home education statute in your state).  There really isn't an established right answer for this determination. We know families where 120 hours is required for one credit, others where as many as 200 hours are required per credit. Generally, each half credit would require half the number of hours. Once the hour requirement has been determined, parents and students can tally up total hours spent on the each discipline or course. If the student is short on learning hours, other activities or assignments can be added.

SAMPLE LOG with hours. NOT required, but helpful for some families. 

• Consider intern or volunteer hours.  A great way to add learning hours is to gain personal experience through internship, apprenticeship, or volunteer hours. These hours can be logged on the spreadsheet of activities. For example, in the case of filmmaking, perhaps the young adult might spend a weekend filming content for a church video presentation. These hours could be added to the spreadsheet log. Universities and potential employers appreciate practical, hands-on learning in a field of interest. These hours are valuable.

Let's assume the learner has achieved the determined hours to earn credit, either a full one credit or a half credit. 

What's the next step?

Course titling. 

Titling a course is very important, essential, in fact. It is, in many cases, the first impression of content as well as student.

The title should be an accurate, concise representation of what was covered in the course. For example, Film Production is assumed to be different than Television Broadcasting or Film Techniques. Each will encompass different processes, media, and likely marketing and audience considerations.

Often parents ask, "Do I have to use the title given by the company or curriculum?"

The answer to that question depends on a variety of factors. 

In light of this post's focus, 4-H is not a credit conferring entity. As such, a parent could use the title of the curriculum or the parent could--especially if significant content is added to the 4-H curriculum--choose a title which would more accurately define the course. For example, if 4-H  Filmmaking is used but the young adult also studies the history of filmmaking and changes in production technology, perhaps a better title would be History of Filmmaking or Historical Survey of Filmmaking. If the student completes Filmmaking and then completes an internship with the video production team at his or her church, perhaps Video and Film Production would be a better title. 

Need help with titling?

I have researched course titles online as well as read through local high school curriculum guides. Doing so has helped me understand the importance of accurate titling and has offered me guidelines. You could do the same by searching for course titles in an area of interest. In this case searching "high school film courses" or "high school film production courses" may render some title options. 

Back to the original question, 

"Can we use what a student is doing in 4-H toward high school credit?" 

YES! Indeed, 4-H can be a very beneficial learning tool and a young adult could potentially use completed content toward high school credit. 

Have you conferred high school credit to a learner using 4-H? Tell us what you did in the comments. 

If you need more detailed information about any of the topics--credit, course content, and titling--my book Celebrate High School has full sections dedicated to each. 

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

The Benefit of Interests: Motivating Learners

Last Saturday I spoke to a group of parents homeschooling high school (or soon to  be homeschooling high school). During the Q&A at the end of the the workshop, a mom bravely asked, 

"How do you handle learners who always want to default to computer or social media games?"

Tough question. 

I quipped, 

"Do you have a whole day for the answer?"

This is a tough question to answer without any knowledge of the family or of the learner, in my opinion. There are just too many factors which come into play: learner ability, amount of work expected to be accomplished, time of day, social/emotional circumstances and more. In addition, I am not a formula answer kind of gal. There are often no right answers, all the time, for every family, for every learner. 

Tough question. 

I could only share the ah-ha realization from our personal experience as well as the conclusions found by families with whom we've walked the journey. 

When children and young adults have a goal to aspire to, something they want to build, some cause to fight, bottom line, some passion that propels them, there is reason to prioritize the day, reason to manage time. 

Yes, there will be ideas to listen to, questions to ponder, problems to solve, seasons of failure. However, when there is an interest, there is motivation--positive or negative. 

Interestingly, just three days after my weekend workshop, my adult son (who didn't know I was posed with the above question on Saturday), sent me an article. After dinner, my engineer daughter had an idea. 

"Can I have that water jug in the fridge?"

Sure. We emptied the remaining water into a pitcher.

Off she went. Spent several hours trying and retrying.

When there is an interest, a problem to solve, a question to research, a goal to accomplish, there is motivation.

This isn't the first time we've encountered the rewards of interest. In fact, one of our adult children refined his natural strengths and reoccurring interests (meaning interests visited and revisited, refined--passions) and is now using those in his vocation. Thousands of hours practicing, experimenting, refining gifts are now impacting a company, people in his sphere of influence. Another adult child continues to refine his skills and interests in graduate school. His career goal (which uses his passion and care for people) is motivating him through 12-15 hour days of study. 

What problem does your learner want to solve? What question is he or she pondering? Is there something significant to accomplish? 

There, too, will be motivation.

With you on the journey!

Using Living Books in High School for Credit

I am often asked how I design classes for our high school young adults.

Actually, I don't design all their classes, only ones where there is a special interest, an intrinsically motivated independent study, a travel experience which sparks learning, or in a case where we can't find a traditional curriculum fitting our learning goals.

We have used several approaches to formulating classes based on strengths, interests and the future plans of the young adult.

Our oldest son had a great interest and gift for learning history. This was, by my understanding, his favorite subject in school. He read constantly, checking out books at the library and spending saved monies at museum and historical landmark book shops. He outsourced his dad, a public school history teacher, very early. By the time he reached high school, there really wasn't a curriculum available to challenge him. I had to research accelerated reading lists, college course syllabi, and talk with historians to find resources for him. It was a challenge, but a privilege to help him grow yet further in his learning.

With his interest in history, we divided American History into Early American (to 1850) and Modern (from 1850 to present), and World History into Ancient (to the Reformation) and Modern (from the Reformation to present) so we could allow time for him to dig deeper into his interest. I developed literature selection lists for each course, providing him reading suggestions to get him started. His desire to learn history prompted him to seek out additional titles. My motto became, 

"You read it, I will give you credit."

For readers interested in the detail of what we constituted Ancient World History/Survey of Ancient Literature, our reading list (remember it was a springboard from which he could jump in for more) is below.

Please keep in mind as you read through the list, he was a self-motivated reader with an interest in the subject. Not all young adults will share this interest or learning preference. In addition to his independent reading, we used a textbook as a spine of topics. Though he started the year reading some of the text, by the end of the year he was reading more primary source documents, living history selections, and biographical pieces than text. He also had the amazing opportunity to travel to Rome, including tours of several sites inside the ancient city wall. 

This method works for us. I tweak the process with each young adult. Please, don't use what is written here as a comparison for what your student should or shouldn't be doing.

Comparing ourselves or our children to others leads to discouragement and discontent, neither of which are valuable.

Our examples are only intended as encouragement, to give an idea of what worked for us, and what you might be able to create (or adjust) for your high schooler. Our young adult was (and still is) a reader, but your young adult may have an opportunity to intern with a local businessman or a museum curator. Use what God provides for you and pray about how he is preparing your young adult for the future plans He has, not for the ones we best intention.

Our ancient world history/ancient literature list:

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Oedipus Rex, Sophocles

Oedipus at Colonus, Sophocles

Antigone, Sophocles

Mysteries of Ancient China, Rawson

Mythology, Hamilton

The Roman Way, Hamilton

The Greek Way, Hamilton

The Death of Socrates, Plato

Ben Hur, Lew Wallace

For the Temple, Henty

The Young Cathaginan, Henty

The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone, Giblin

In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great, Wood

The Republic, Plato

The Histories by Herodotus

The Eagle of the Ninth, Sutcliff

Anna of Byzantium, Barrett

The City of God, Augustine

I, Claudius, Graves

Claudius the God, Graves

Don Quixote, Cervantes

Julius Caesar, Shakespeare

Sign up for our Celebrate High School newsletter and get a free printable Ancient Literature check-off list.

I am so excited about a NEW  workshop I've added to my conference speaking topics--Keeping High School ALIVE with Living Books. Can't wait to share how Living Books can continue to impact learning all the way through high school.

Check out my speaking topics page. 

*The information in this blog post is not intended as legal or educational advice. It is simply a journal of what worked for us. Parents are responsible to oversee their child's home education.

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

Time Management for Middle and High School Young Adults

As Mike and I consult with parents one of the most frequently asked questions is

"How can I get my young adult to

manage his or her time?"

The answer is in the question.

Our goal as parents has always been for our young adults to manage THEIR time by the time they entered high school (though the means by which we've achieved that goal has changed and the progress varied from young adult to young adult).

(Read...I am not saying they did so perfectly or that it was achieved by every young adult (but the goal remains).

We figured out (by making mistakes) we would not be able to manage our young adult's time as long as we had thought. And, the young adult would not be magically able to flawlessly direct the minutes of his or her day after high school without practice. So, we purposed to start with what each learner was able to manage, allowing them to gain responsibility and confidence. 

We've made mistakes. 

Of course, Mike and I  manage (read scheduled play dates, library visits, and the like) schedules and routines when our children are young. In doing so, we are able to model time management techniques. In fact, I--and auditory external processor--became known for working schedules aloud.  I found out (by mistake) that my need to process externally actually helped my children. They saw and heard how I processed our days.

Mike and I also schedule family connections (usually on Sunday afternoons) where our family members come together to discuss the weekly schedule. During this time, family members bring activity requests and ideas to be added to the schedule. As our discussions about weekly schedules have evolved over the years, our children have come to learn that their desires and requests will effect other members. Hence, our family has to work together to plan the weekly schedule, to give and take if need be, to allow another person to participate in something necessary or something that has been prayed for over time (for example, music lessons). Though not always easy, we've learned how to problem solve and talk through challenging seasons. 

Modeling scheduling and planning prepared our young adults (little chunks at a time) for the season when they begin to manage their activities and daily schedules--experiential, real-life learning opportunities in time management. Again, we haven't done so perfectly, but we've definitely learned from our mistakes. Plenty of opportunities for apologies. Great learning for us a family.

However, we've learned there is much more to consider as our middle and high schoolers grapple with managing time on their personal daily or weekly calendar.

We've learned...

The biggest lesson we've learned...our children don't manage their time or decisions like we do. Different doesn't mean wrong. If they learn how they best manage their time--not just adopting how we manage time--they've learned an essential life skill.  Often learning styles and management tools weigh in on how our young adults manage their time. 

We've also learned that several life facets motivate middle and high schoolers to manage their time:

• knowing they have skills to solve a problem bigger than themselves,
• having a project to complete or a problem to solve, and
• understanding they can use their skills to contribute to a cause.

When these aspects are discovered and fostered, managing time matters. It matters to them! And, if there is more to accomplish than there is time, time management becomes a necessity. For example, when our children hit the middle school years, they often begin to have aspirations--owning businesses, creating inventions, writing books. Interestingly, many parents we've talked with tell us their middle and high have the same desires!                                                      

• Two children wanted to start businesses
• One son wanted to become an Eagle Scout
• One middle schooler wanted to learn to play the violin; a high schooler, the piano
• One young adult wanted to self-learn art, an independent study I didn't see coming

We had to process, plan, talk. How would he or she proceed with their goal? How did he or she plan to complete other school work or fulfill previous commitments and add this new endeavor? Did we need to pray for a mentor? 

As our children began to forge their paths to personal planning--time management--Mike encouraged our children to use a spreadsheet as a visual tool to analyze their use of time. Usually, Mike and I and the young adult discussed priorities—appointments, classes, deadlines, practices, and special events—as well as why these items should be placed on the schedule first. Eating, exercise, and personal care were considered priorities and also added. After priorities, they logged less significant tasks and events--meeting a friend for lunch, perhaps. Their completed spreadsheets (whether paper or digital--depending on the learner's preference) provided a visual representation of how and where time was being spent. 

This tool helped our students plan and manage their days.

Did they mismanage time? Yes, especially when they first started planning. However, we encouraged them to keep trying, reminding them that adults make poor choices, too.

This Chart is included on the Time management Log Sheet offered below.

A spreadsheet is only one time management tool. Your student may prefer a single-page weekly schedule, a digital application, or a spiral bound planner. If one method is not effective, try another.

A young adult who is comfortable with a method will be more likely to use it efficiently.

We help our young adults look for wasted or dead time--when they ask. Oh, yes, it is hard to remain quiet at times. However, nagging never produced the fruit we intended. Personal motivation--an aspiration, an internal motivator--did. 

For example, our daughter had an extensive vegetable, flower, and herb garden. It was her idea. Every morning she would head outside to water her plants, standing while allowing water to flow from the hose. One day, I noticed she was wearing a cooking apron while watering. Watching from the window I realized she was using the apron to tuck her Kindle safely inside. While she watered, she listened to Anne of Green Gables. Amazed at her ingenuity, I affirmed her creativity, praising her when she returned inside. I learned from her in the process.

Part of being a good time manager is being organized so time is not wasted on extra steps or errands. For middle and high schoolers to be successful at managing their time, they must learn to manage and organize their resources, to put all the essentials for the tasks at hand in one place. That will be the topic of another blog post.

Until then, I am with you on the journey!

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

General Credit and Graduation Guidelines for Colleges and Universities

Graduation requirements vary from state to state, university to university, hence the variable credit guidelines detailed below. Research your state’s graduation requirements as well as college admission requirements for colleges of interest. Aim above the minimum. This chart guides parents who desire to build a competitive student profile, for entrance to the workforce or the university. These guidelines should not be taken as educational or legal counsel.

Celebrate High School: Finish with Excellence

Sale Price:$25.00 Original Price:$29.99

High school is not a one-size-fits all experience. The journey is unique for every student. Celebrate High School equips parents and students of any educational philosophy with easy-to-follow explanations, ready-to-use examples, and parent testimonials.  

Quantity:

Add to Cart

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

What about the PERT?

A common question heard around the evaluation table this summer...

"What about the PERT?"

The PERT—Post-secondary Education Readiness Test—is a customized assessment used to measure student's abilities and skills for the sake of course placement for post-secondary studies in the areas of math, reading and writing.

The assessment is computer-adaptive—questions are computer generated based on the previous question—with the results intended to help place students in classes where they will be most successful. There are three subtests, each test consisting of thirty questions with a total score range of 50-150. The PERT is not timed--an advantage for some students--though it is recommended students plan for a three-hour testing scenario. Check with the test center or site as to scheduling and payment requirements.

For information regarding scoring and course placement, visit  http://www.fldoe.org/schools/higher-ed/fl-college-system/common-placement-testing.stml.

Study guide resources can be found at the following links:

• https://valenciacollege.edu/students/assessments/documents/PERTmathbookletUPDATE.pdf (math)

• https://valenciacollege.edu/students/learning-support/osceola/writing-center/documents/PERT-Reading-Guide.pdf (reading)

• https://valenciacollege.edu/students/learning-support/osceola/writing-center/documents/PERT-Reading-Guide.pdf (writing)

• http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/5592/urlt/0078248-pert-studentstudyguide.pdf

• http://wchs.pasco.k12.fl.us/wp-content/uploads/wchs/2012/01/pert-math-study-guide-1.pdf

• http://www.testprepreview.com/pert.htm

• https://college.measuredsuccess.com/mscollege/practiceTest2/index.html

• https://www.tcc.fl.edu/Current/Academics/TestingCenter/Documents/P.E.R.T_Study_Guide.pdf

PERT video study resources

·         http://www.mometrix.com/academy/pert-test/

Broward College

·    http://www.broward.edu/academics/ce/Pages/PERT%20Preparation.aspx

College of Central Florida

·     http://www.cf.edu/go/assistance/testing/placement-tests/index

Daytona State College

·     https://www.daytonastate.edu/assessment/PERT.html

Eastern Florida State College

·     http://www.easternflorida.edu/admissions/placement-testing/college-credit-placement-testing/pert.cfm

Florida State College at Jacksonville

·     http://www.fscj.edu/admissions-aid/assessment-and-certification/cpt/

Florida Southwestern State College

·     https://www.fsw.edu/testing/placement

Lake Sumter State College

·     http://www.lssc.edu/academics/Pages/Academic%20Resources/Learning%20Center/phmtesting.aspx

Miami Dade College

·     https://www.mdc.edu/main/testing/examprep/pert.aspx

·     http://www.mdc.edu/main/testing/assessments/pert.aspx

North Florida Community College

·     http://www.nfcc.edu/admissions--records/testing--assessment/pert-test

Northwest Florida State

·     http://www.nwfsc.edu/Students/Enrollment/TestingCenter/PERT/

Palm Beach State

·     http://www.palmbeachstate.edu/testing/

Pasco-Hernando State College

·     http://phsc.edu/career-services/faq

Pensacola State

·     http://www.pensacolastate.edu/testing-center/

Polk State College

·     https://www.polk.edu/teaching-learning-computing-center-tlcc/testing/placement-tests/

Seminole State

·     https://www.seminolestate.edu/testing/pert/faqs

South Florida State College

·     http://www.southflorida.edu/current-students/testing-center/postsecondary-education-readiness-test

State College of Florida

·     http://www.scf.edu/Academics/Mathematics/MathSampleTestFPT.asp

St Petersburg College

·     https://www.spcollege.edu/cpt/   

University of North Florida

·     https://www.unf.edu/testing/CPT.aspx

Valencia College

·     https://valenciacollege.edu/assessments/pert/taking-the-exam.cfm

The Florida College System Website https://www.floridacollegesystem.com/students/admissions.aspx

If the state college in your area is not listed above, search name of the college + PERT. 

Kind regards on the PERT journey!

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

The Best Graduation Gift

"As you walk through the last years of your student's high school journey, remember the final celebration is less about the knowledge stored up in the student's mind (though that is important) and more about whether the young adult understands his or her strengths and how those strengths will bring value to whatever he or she endeavors."

Celebrate High School: Finish with Excellence, 2015

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Celebrate High School: Finish with Excellence

Sale Price:$25.00 Original Price:$29.99

High school is not a one-size-fits all experience. The journey is unique for every student. Celebrate High School equips parents and students of any educational philosophy with easy-to-follow explanations, ready-to-use examples, and parent testimonials.  

Quantity:

Add to Cart

Cumulative Folders, Home Education Style!

I realized early in my son's eighth grade year that I would, one day, play the role of guidance counselor for my homeschooled high schooler.

Meaning?

I would be the liaison between school (us!) and college.

I was the keeper of all things official.

Yep, me, until the student was 18 (that is the topic of another intentional high school blog). No qualifications or degrees, "just" the mom who was overseeing the learning taking place in our home. If I didn't keep the records, no one would. The records I kept would influence my student's post secondary career (no pressure, right?)

From that day on I kept anything potentially important in what I called the cumulative folder. Little did I know how valuable this folder would be. In our son's senior year, when we were in the middle of applying to six colleges--some highly selective--the folder became a gold mine, one of those things you tell people you would grab if the house were aflame.

Having all the information we needed in one place saved me time. I am also pretty sure it saved my senior-year mom sanity!

No one I knew had kept a cumulative folder of high school records so this was new territory for me.

And, I was not a naturally-organized person.

To keep our student's cumulative documents (not the work associated with each school year- I kept those work samples in another binder) safe in one place, I purchased a 3 1/2 inch binder and some colored-tab separators to help keep paperwork organized. Armed with plastic protector sheets and a hole-punch, I sat down to begin compilation of the cumulative folder. I started by labeling tabs we needed and then added tabs along our journey. During the junior and senior year as we began contacting colleges, I added tabs for copies of completed applications (print the online application submitted, if possible, for future reference when submitting other applications), scholarship applications (again print a completed application or submitted essays for subsequent applications), acceptance letters, and financial aid notifications. Once our grads entered college, I continued to add tabs for medical records, grades and award notification,  and FAFSA and financial aid applications (past applications were helpful throughout the college years).

What tabs did we find helpful?

• Activities
• Awards
• Certificates and Certifications
• College Admissions Requirements
• College Applications
• College Major Requirements
• Community Service/Volunteer Hours
• Dual Enrollment Documents
• Financial Aid Applications (printed summary pages, too)
• Financial Aid Offers
• Grades
• Letters of Recommendation
• Medical Records
• NCAA Eligibility
• NCAA Home School Core Course Worksheets
• Scholarship Applications
• Scholarships Awarded
• Test Scores
• Transcripts
• Work Experience
• Writing Samples

These are tabs include all the tab titles we have used for four unique high schoolers (two grads who then completed Bachelor degrees, and two current high school young adults). Not all tabs were needed for each young adult. In fact, some of my high schoolers have little to no cumulative paperwork. 

Consider your young adult and his or her unique circumstances. Choose a method which complements both the learning, the accomplishments and the college and career goals. If you decide a cumulative folder would be helpful--aside from other paperwork required by your home education laws--these tab titles may be helpful. 

YOU can celebrate high school!

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

Summer Reading List

Summer’s here!

Vacations. Mission trips. Summer evenings reading on the couch.

Summer brings new opportunities, needed refreshment and necessary refueling...and the TIME to do such.

Family members looking for summer reads?

Our summer reading list continues to grow, some titles added this month, others compiled over the years. My lists have been published magazines, state newsletters, Appendix D of  You HAVE to Read This One: Raising a Contagious Reader and Celebrate High School (high school lists categorized American, British, world and ancient).

Parents often ask, "How do we chose books?" 

Choosing a book depends upon many factors, some unique to an individual or circumstances, however the most universal depend upon 

• a student’s reading ability, age and maturity

• a family’s values and worldview

• a whether a book is to be read aloud or read independently.

All these factors, or a combination of these factors, help determine what titles may be appropriate for your children. 

Summer picture books for little learners

• Arnosky, Jim, All About Turtles

• Arnosky, Jim, Deer at the Brook

• Berkes, Marianne, Over in the Ocean in the Coral Reef

• Carle, Eric, A House for Hermit Crab

• Carle, Eric, Mister Seahorse

• Carle, Eric, Slowly, Slowly, Slowly Said the Sloth

• Gibbons, Gail, Ducks

• Gibbons, Gail, The Berry Book

• Krauss, Ruth, The Carrot Seed

• Lionni, Leo, Swimmy

• McCloskey, Robert, Blueberries for Sal

• McCloskey, Robert, Lentil

• McCloskey, Robert, Make Way for Ducklings

• Zion, Gene, Harry by the Sea

Chapter books for middle elementary to middle school readers

The spectrum of age and maturity of students in grades four through eight is great. As a guide, selections marked (2-4) may be considered acceptable read-aloud titles for grades 2-4. I have marked titles considered more difficult—by vocabulary, sentence structure or content— with (M). Parents may decide to wait until grades 7-8 to introduce these books. As always, if in doubt, read the book first.

• Alcott, Louisa May, Little Women (M)

• Bagnold, Enid, National Velvet

• Barrie, J. M., Peter Pan

• Baum, L. Frank, The Wizard of Oz

• Beechick, Ruth, Adam and His Kin

• Brink, Carol Ryrie, Caddie Woodlawn

• Bulla, Clyde Robert, A Lion to Guard Us (M)

• Carroll, Lewis, Alice in Wonderland (M)

• Crane, Stephen, The Red Badge of Courage (M)

• D'Angeli, Marguette, The Door in the Wall

• Dalgliesh, Alice, The Courage of Sarah Noble (2-4)

• duBois, William Pene, The Twenty-One Balloons (M)

• Edmunds, Walter D, The Matchlock Gun (2-4)

• Forbes, Esther, Johnny Tremain (M)

• Fritz, Jean, The Cabin Faced West (2-4)

• George, Jean Craighead, My Side of the Mountain

• Green, Roger Lancelyn, The Tale of Troy (M)

• Henty, G. A., For the Temple (M)

• Latham, Jean Lee, Carry on Mr. Bowditch (M)

• Lenski, Lois, Strawberry Girl (2-4)

• Norton, Mary, The Borrowers (2-4)

• Sheldon, George, The Cricket in Times Square

• Swift, Jonathan, Gulliver's Travels (M)

• White, E. B., Stuart Little

Summer reads for high school young adults

A comprehensive list is included in Celebrate High School.

• Aristolte, Complete Works

• Austin, Jane, Pride and Prejudice

• Bronte, Charlotte, Jane Eyre

• Chaucer, Geoffrey, The Canterbury Tales

• Chesterton, G. K., Favorite Father Brown Stories

• Cierco, Orations

• Cooper, James Fenimore, The Last of the Mohicans

• de Tocqueville, Alexis, Democracy in America

• Dickens, Charles, The Tale of Two Cities

• Faulkner, William, The Sound and the Fury

• Foxe, John, The Book of Martyrs

• Graves, Robert, Claudius, the God

• Green, Roger Lancelyn, Tales of Ancient Egypt

• Hamilton, Edith, Mythology

• Hemmingway, Ernest, Farewell to Arms

• Homer, The Odyssey

• Hurston, Zora Neale, Their Eyes Were Watching God

• Keller, Helen, The Story of My Life

• Lewis, C. S., The Screwtape Letters

• Mc Cullough, John Adams

• Plato, The Republic

• Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan, The Yearling

• Scott, Sir Walter, Ivanhoe

• Shakespeare, William, Julius Casear

• Steinbeck, John, The Grapes of Wrath

• Stevenson, Robert Lewis, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

• Thoreau, Henry David, Walden

• Verne, Jules, Journey to the Center of the Earth

• Virgil, The Aeneid

• Washington, Booker T., Up from Slavery

Happy summer reading!

30 Ways to Celebrate

We love to celebrate. Celebration is double the fun when shared with a friend or family member. 

Make a someone's day, today. Celebrate an accomplishment, a milestone. Celebrate TODAY!

High School Made Simple: College Essays for Credit

When the Common Application recently released the essay prompts for 2016-2017, I reminisced about the time my high schoolers and I spent writing and editing college essays.

Those days mattered.

Oh yes, there were frustrations and word blocks. Challenges of putting heart and mind to paper. Thoughts processed and penned; gratitude for life-changing events and people. Indeed, the words were required for college essays, however poignancy and purpose marked milestones, not solely meeting rubric requirements or a grade percentage.

The prompts were real and relevant, personal to the young adult. 

Typically, we spend the Junior year practicing essay writing. 

I found this type of writing practical, useful, purposeful. This writing was significant for pondering but also necessary for college application. Call it high school intrinsic motivation. They worked hard at it. In fact, the time our Juniors spent practicing and polishing essays became a part of their life reflections as well as their English credits.

In addition to the Common Application essay prompts, we also used the supplemental essay prompts from the universities of student's choice. In other words, if the college was on the Top Ten list for our student, we found out what supplemental essay questions might be and began writing. To our delight, the essays were similar in nature. 

When looking for supplemental essay prompts on college sites, the first place we looked was on the application. If we couldn't find the prompts on the application, we would type in "essays for admission" (or something similar) on the site search box. 

Over the twelve years of homeschooling high school, I discovered the most popular supplemental essay prompts to be:

• Why do you want to attend this school? This question not only offers opportunity for writing practice, but research also. A student can't write a knowledgeable essay of this kind without some degree of research about the university. Focusing on specific, perhaps a renown, faculty member influential in the student's field of study may be helpful. As a high schooler senior applying to college (this speaks to how long this question has been asked) I remember writing about my desire to attend an integrative university where education was not only studied in a traditional classroom setting but also experientially. My university excelled in this area and I wanted admissions to know not only was I aware of their unique instruction, I sought it out!
• How will you be an asset to our university campus and the greater community? My son chose to answer this question for one of his applications.  In his research, he found the campus had a community outreach similar to one he had been involved in throughout high school. Mentioning this seemed natural.
• What are your short and long term academic goals? Though this essay may be found on a freshman application it is also popular for specific schools within the university as well as graduate schools. 
• Describe a person you admire. As my high schoolers worked on this essay, I reminded them it is always better to write about what and who is known and familiar. Therefore, I encouraged them to write about a person who impacted them personally, perhaps intellectually, morally or spiritually. This was another essay chosen by one of our high school young adults, one he was able to excerpt from several times in college and beyond.
• Tell us about yourself. When working on this essay, we were encouraged to find the unique, something that would set the student apart. Colleges put unique twists on this essay, sometimes asking about a life-changing event or future dreams and aspirations. Some universities referred to this portion of the application as the personal statement. 
• Why should (university) offer you admission? This question closely resembles "What will you bring to our campus?"  Related, we found one prompt a springboard to another.  

Some universities also require essays for scholarships. Again, this is a great resource for writing prompts in the Junior year. With scholarship essays meaning potential monies toward college expenses, we found this writing valuable time spent.

Colleges often place a word count on essays submitted. This requirement added a practical, real-life element to our writing assignments. Anyone can make a point, answer a question, but within required limits? Practice in this area prepared our high schoolers for college writing where word count mattered. In fact, some professors refuse to read beyond the requested limit. Writing essays within a word count while in high school proved beneficial.

Be aware, some colleges make additional requirements as to font style and size as well as margins and spacing. If the school makes this type of requirement, be sure to follow the request. Again, following these guidelines in high school prepared our students for college assignments in all content areas. 

College essays in our home mattered. Yes, the essays opened doors for admission and scholarship, but their greater good provided an avenue for reflection, personal growth and gratitude. The essays were not just a requirement, but a profitable use of time. 

Those days mattered.

Essays are just one part of the high school paper trail universities often require. For more information on the paperwork schools may request for college admission, join me in my workshop at FPEA Convention, Happy (High School) Paper Trails. 

UPDATE: This session is available on MP3 for purchase at The FPEA Store.

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

Course Descriptions Made Easy

I am a mama with full days, like many of you. I look for simple and manageable. 

Though I am about excellence, I also am about simplifying and streamlining. 

But let's face it, sometimes we have to tackle tough. Course descriptions (CDs), often intimidating, are not always necessary. So, breathe easy. On the other hand, when they are needed, they are usually essential to the admission process. In addition, of all the families I work with, the large majority who were required to submit CDs also received substantial scholarship monies.

That is good news, really! 

So, what if CDs are essential to your student's college admission packet?

Don't panic!

Parents often confuse transcripts with course descriptions. The transcript provides a one-page snapshot of a young adult's high school course, grade, and credit summary. Course descriptions, however, offer short synopses of the learning chapters in your student's story. Ideally, those course descriptions should complement--add value and give clarity--to the transcript document.

Why course descriptions? For students graduating from a public entity, course catalogs (also called course guides or curriculum guides) are available online (used to be paper and had to be requested from the guidance department) and follow the requirements (standards) of that state (or now in many cases, Common Core). Colleges know the set criteria and standards met in the classroom are standard for each course at every school in that state. So, there is no need for each high school to write individual course descriptions for every class for every student. They write one course description--usually posted on their website--for all students, as long as they offer the course.

Home education is different. A sculpture class in one home is likely to look entirely different than a sculpture class in another home. One student may enroll in a sculpture class at a local art studio. Another may have been invited to join an artist for weekly mentoring in a private studio. Yet another student may dual enroll a sculpture class at the local college. The same distinctiveness can be applied to a literature course--each home can choose their own literature selections--or a science course--where the student might be invited to take part in a research project at a local university. There is no standard way to meet course requirements (unless your state dictates differently--this post assumes parents have researched and know the home education statute for their state). Hence, some colleges use course descriptions to assess the depth and rigor of a home education course because they know courses vary for each home school.

Some colleges ask home education parents to write course descriptions.

It is part of their verification process. With the eclectic mix of methods and means home educators utilize, the CDs do bring out the extraordinary opportunities homeschoolers have experienced and embraced. 

I remember the day a college requested I write CDs.

I panicked! 

After a deep breath...

Thankfully, we were early in our high school journey! I could easily remember the exceptional experiences our young adult had benefited from in his courses, variations from more traditionally-taught classes: 10 dissections he completed in Honors Biology at a local co-op. We had also designed courses around independent study, research, and personal reading. 

Additionally, I had been keeping a reading list on the computer. I could cut and paste those titles into course descriptions as needed. 

I was relieved. Since that first request and a total of four high schoolers later, 

I have learned to:

• Write course descriptions when the young adult begins the course (even if just the bare minimum is known: textbook, reading materials, anticipated experiential opportunities) and add significant educational highlights throughout the year. When I waited until the end of the year to write the whole description, I forgot some of the most beneficial learning blessings he experienced, no to mention getting my head above the project was monumental, or at least it seemed so when I felt I was drowning.

• Remind myself course descriptions tell the stories of the courses detailed on the transcript. It is the document college admissions personnel will reference as they consider offering admission, need more information to differentiate one student from another and offer scholarship. A course description is not an outline of the course and will be less likely to read if lengthy. Course descriptions are chapter summaries, hitting the highlights, offering the concepts learned, the teaching methods and resources used, and exceptional experiences in which the student participated.

• Take note of the unusual and unique. Course descriptions are especially important if the parent and young adult are designing unique courses, courses not typically offered on local school campuses or courses not generally taught in high schools, for example Introduction to Equine Science, Survey of the Building Construction Industry, or Care and Concerns of the Elderly.

• Record regularly. When I don't,  I forget valuable additions. In our busy, full years of adding a Bastian or spending evenings at the ball field, I found it helpful to start a student's course description document and add bullet points to the course titles. Later, when I have time,  I can revisit later and edit into cohesive sentences. Tackling course descriptions in this manner helps me remember important details and keeps me excited about what my young adult is accomplishing. When it is not in front of me, I tend to forget.

Keeping records current saved me time and headache later.

• Remind myself there are many ways to accomplish learning (this is true even of the state standards- the standard can be met with very different and unique methods). For example, American History. If two of the many learning goals for a high school level American History class are to understand the causes and consequences of the Civil War and the effects on the American people, and to understand the causes and consequences of World War II in the United States and abroad, the learning possibilities of how a student will understand those concepts are vast and plenty. Chapters in a text could be read and summary questions answered. On a family vacation up the East Coast of the United States, the family could visit and tour eight Civil War battlefields and National Parks and compare what actions were taken and who was involved at each location. The student could attend a local WWII veteran's meeting and listen to the stories shared by the members. Perhaps the local library hosts a presentation by surviving Tuskegee Airmen who share their wartime experiences from the perspective of African Americans serving during WWII (actual event we attended and it was AMAZING!). And then there are the plethora of primary source documents and biographical materials which could be read. Not only can the same learning goals be accomplished, but learning with this type of diversity allows young adults of different learning styles to retain information they might not otherwise remember. It is these exceptional and unique opportunities which can be highlighted in course descriptions, should a high schooling family choose to prepare this document or a college require it for admission.

Being intentional about writing course descriptions proved most valuable for courses we designed or courses developed from internships and shadowing experiences. When designing a course, I felt it was important to keep a running log of educational experiences, online resources, and learning resources, just as I would if I were compiling a course as a traditional classroom teacher.

There are blessings to writing course descriptions.

For us, the original course descriptions from my first high schooler could easily be cut, pasted, and edited to the unique experiences and opportunities of the high schoolers who followed. Second, though not all colleges asked for the description document, I sent them anyway. It was done and I wanted officials to have the document should they have questions. I know some parents feel this is a controversial and dangerous precedence for future home educated applicants, but in at least one situation those descriptions placed our young adult in a better position of acceptance in an honors college (because we couldn't document any of his courses as Honors or IB, which most of the applicants had earned). When the descriptions (which included reading materials) were read, the depth and expanse at which our young adult studied most of his courses could be realized. Our homeschool high school experience was just as rigorous as those students who had completed accredited IB programs. Note: Realizing that our student had the ability and desire to qualify for an IB or similar program, I researched the contents and reading materials utilized by these programs and then wove them into our studies. Again, this is our experience, not something I am advocating for every home schooled high schooler.

As we progressed through high school and began researching college admission requirements, I was thankful I had records of courses my student had completed.

Being intentional with writing course descriptions has served us well, in many cases. The work was done as we studied, and saved on the computer, should we need it. We did need it for our first applicant. With our second, because of dual enrollment and then an easy transition to the state college (and eventually a four-year university), the course descriptions were not necessary. On a side note, had our first and second grads followed their aspirations to play competitive collegiate sports (hence registering with the NCAA) having the course descriptions complete would have saved me a huge amount of time filling out their Core-Course Worksheets. Keep in mind as you consider NCAA and course titles, they prefer specific titles. Be aware.

This information (and more) is included in my book, Celebrate High School. which was heavily revised and updated summer 2015.  The revised edition contains every thing in the original publication as well as some new features including middle school sections.  

Join me at FPEA for my workshop, Happy (High School) Paper Trails to YOU!

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

Delighted to Be a Speaker at FPEA 2016

I am thrilled to be back at FPEA again this year. New workshops. New insight. New stories and practical helps to equip and encourage at every stage of the home education journey, preschool through high school.

Come see me at my workshops! I'm walking the journey with YOU!

Friday 10:30am

7. Celebrate Simple! Intentional Home Education

The simple teaches the profound. Cheryl shares stories and offers insight from her 21 years of homeschooling eight children — the everyday teachable moments, the simple yet ingenious ideas, the interest-driven learning — the things her graduated and grown young adults say mattered most. Learning together, building family relationships, is priceless. It's simple and worthy of celebration!

Friday 3:55pm

68. Happy (High School Paper) Trails to You!

High school is not a one-size-fits-all experience. It is a time to refine the skills needed to polish a student's God-given gifts and talents. But what does that look like on paper? How do you tailor courses which will prepare your child for what God has planned for their future? Cheryl walks parents through answers to these questions.

Saturday 1:45pm

129. Celebrate Middle School: Fostering Ingenuity

Middle schoolers will surprise you! When they do, be ready to foster ingenuity, seize opportunities and think outside the box. The middle school years, ripe with potential to impact entrepreneurial ventures, employment or college/career paths, can also be conflicting for parents and children. In this workshop, Cheryl offers practical tips from experiences as a homeschool mom and a wife of a 27-year middle school educator.

Saturday 3:55pm

153. Teaching Precious Preschoolers and Little Learners

Young children have an insatiable curiosity to learn and a natural desire to work alongside people they love most. How do we utilize these innate qualities to maximize their learning potential at home? Drawing from 28 years of experience of teaching early learners, Cheryl challenges attendees to look beyond societal and educational pressures to the emotional and developmental needs of young children. 

The Thank You After the Letter (of Recommendation)

Letters of recommendation act as a means of introduction to a person’s work ethic, character, unique abilities, and personal or academic strengths. These letters accompany applications for employment, college admission, and scholarship monies. In some cases, these letters are highly regarded. Instructions and insights to these important documents, including sample letters, are included in my book Celebrate High School.

What happens after a letter of recommendation is written and submitted? What constitutes an appropriate thank you for someone who has taken personal time to speak on behalf of an applicant?

I have been on both sides of the letter.

As a mom walking alongside young adults who have sought internships, employment, leadership positions, college admission, and scholarships it was important for me to know and understand the letter of recommendation process—from inquiry to thank you. Gaining that knowledge, I could more effectively coach and encourage my young adults.

Having walked this path several times with my young adults, I found each experience unique and in large part, dependent on the young adult’s relationship with the recommender. Considering many aspects we were able to tailor the communication, inquiry, and thank you to each situation. Therefore, our plans of action did not follow any protocol, only our discernment and determination of what we felt was appropriate for each individual.

When our son sought a letter of character recommendation from a person with whom our family had interacted for several years—which included an influential relationship with our son—we decided a gift card to a favorite restaurant should accompany our son’s hand-written letter. There were years of conversations and meetings put forth on behalf of our young adult.

When our son sought a letter of academic recommendation from an online instructor (as required by the university) with whom he had only a semester worth of interaction—though she had commented often on our son’s ability and her confidence in his character—he thanked her with a sincere email. With only an email for communication, he was limited in his choices to show appreciation.

As a person who helps young adults achieve their goals, I am often asked to write letters of recommendation and scholarship. I am honored to fill this role in a young person’s life, and honestly, the best compensation has been a note of thanks and a follow up as to outcome of the opportunity.

Walking alongside a young adult, you may be asked for ideas in regards to showing appreciation toward a person who writes a recommendation.

Consider:

• First and foremost, express gratitude. Though letter writers are often honored to speak on a student’s behalf, gratefulness is always esteemed. Express thankfulness for the writer’s thoughtful comments as well as the time set aside to give attention to the letter. In addition, this person, having impacted the young adult may be of help in the future. In fact, most of the people who have written letters of recommendation for my children have indeed maintained friendships with us, some providing future employment leads and networking scenarios later.

• Giving the means of appreciation but  later provide follow up correspondence as to the outcome or impact the letter had on achieving the intended goal. As a writer of recommendation letters, I always wonder whether my efforts were successful; helpful to the young adult’s objective.

• Adding an explanation of why person is important or has been essential to the young adult’s development or education; a great complement to a handwritten thank you.

• High school guidance counselors and teachers as well as university professors generally agree that writing recommendations as part of their job as an education professional. Though this shouldn’t determine the means of appreciation, it does deserve consideration.

• Whether or not a thank you note is the preferred means of gratitude, an in-person delivery or face-to-face word of thanks is often highly regarded and appreciated.

• Some professionals will not accept gifts, monetary or otherwise. If your young adult presents a gift to the writer and it is returned, be ready to discuss why the young adult shouldn’t be offended by the decline.

What a thrill to watch a young adult of great character, work ethic, and ability obtain something he or she had worked so hard to achieve: winning substantial scholarship, obtaining university admission, being appointed to a military academy. I hope this post has equipped you so that you can experience the same delight.

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

College Admission Requirements for Home Educated Students

I speak to rooms full of parents--everything from living rooms to convention halls--considering a home education journey for their middle and high school young adults. Most often we talk about specifics and how-tos. However, at some point, usually during a Q&A session, I am usually asked

"What about college admission?"

The answer to the question depends on the status of the student applying.

Home educated in our state means enrolled in the Home Education Program with the county of residence. Those students are home educated students by definition and will apply to colleges as home educated, non-traditional or non-accredited graduates. The term used varies college to college.

In our state if the student chooses to enroll in a private school for classes once, twice, or three or more times a week--or as a place of record--that student is considered a private school student and will apply to colleges as a private school graduate. Some colleges and universities require private schools to be accredited, by the state or by a regional accrediting agency. 

Generally colleges welcome home educated students with unique educational and extra-curricular experiences and varied community service opportunities, but it is always wise to check on the admission requirements of particular schools of interest. I recommend parents and students begin THE BIG COMPARISON--outlined in my book Celebrate High School--when several colleges have sparked a desire for further research. 

Don't assume.

• Universities are hiring counselors designated to serve home educated students. After reading online admission requirements, make contact with the counselor. Advanced research demonstrates interest and initiative.

• A running list of questions may be helpful.

• Early research allows parents and students to plan well. Gain the knowledge you need!

Locating the specific requirements for home educated applicants takes time. If your student's college of interest is not listed below, try 

• typing "homeschool" or "home education" in the search box of the college website.

• searching "homeschool coordinator" in the search box of the college website.

• contacting the homeschool admissions coordinator. Colleges and universities are hiring personnel to help their home-educated applicants.

• looking for homeschool admission requirements under the heading "non-traditional". Home education is considered a non-traditional method of education by many universities.

Direct links to information relevant to home-educated applicants:

Agnus Scott College, Decatur, GA

Amherst College, Amherst, MA

Appalachian State, Boone, NC

Arizona State University, Phoenix Area, AZ

Ave Maria University, Ave Maria, FL

Barnard College - Columbia University, New York, NY

Berry College, Mount Berry, GA

Bellhaven University, Jackson, MS

Belmont Abbey College, Belmont, NC

Bentley University, Waltham, MA

Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME

Bradley University, Peoria, IL

Brandeis University, Waltham, MA

Brown University, Providence, RI

Bryan College, Dayton, TN

Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA

California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA

Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH

Central Methodist, Fayette, MO

Charleston Southern University, Charleston, SC

Colorado Christian University, Lakewood, CA

Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Columbia University, New  York

Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, GA

Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

Emmanuel College, Franklin Springs, GA

Emory, Atlanta, GA

Emory-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL

Flager College, St. Augustine, FL

Florida Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers, FL

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL

Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Franciscan University, Steubenville, OH

Furman University, Greenville, SC

George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

Greensboro College, Greensboro, NC

Grove City College, Grove City, PA

Guilford College, Greensboro, NC

Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI

Houghton College, Houghton, NY

Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS

LeTourneau University, Longview, TX

        Home School Endowed Scholarship - Le Tourneau

Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA

Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Mercer University, Macon, GA

Messiah College, Grantham, PA

Methodist University, Fayetteville, NC

Montreat College, Montreat, NC

New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM

North Carolina Wesleyan, Rocky Mount, NC (see page 15 of the college catalog) 

Northeastern University, Portsmith, NH

Oberlin College and Conservatory, Oblerin, OH

Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Ohio University, Athens, OH

Olgethorpe University, Atlanta, GA

Patrick Henry College, Purcellville, VA

Pensacola Christian College, Pensacola, FL

Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

• Additional information about admission requirements for specific colleges at Penn State.

Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA

Princeton University, Princeton, NJ

Reed College, Portland, OR

Rice University, Houston, TX

• PDF Rice admissions

Rollins College, Winter Park, FL

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Savannah and Atlanta, GA

*SCAD admission required documents

Smith College, Northampton, MA

SMU- Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX

Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA

St. Johns College, Annapolis MD and Santa Fe, NM

Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Stetson University, Deland, FL

Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Syracuse University School of Architecture, Syracuse, NY 

• high school preparation for Syracuse Architecture

• Syracuse University School of Architecture portfolio requirements

Taylor University, Upland, IN

Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX

The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA

Tulane University, New Orleans, LA

United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO

United States Navel Academy, Annapolis, MD

University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

University of Illinois, Urbana, IL

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL

University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN

University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

University of RIchmond, Richmond, VA

University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 

Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY

Washington State University, Pullman, WA

Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL

Yale University

• thoughts on admissions at Yale

I do not receive any compensation for inclusions on this list. It is completely random--I add to the list as I research and work with families. This list is not intended as endorsement or advertisement; simply as a helpful tool to aid and encourage. 

This list grows and grows. Check back for new additions. 

sale

Celebrate High School: Finish with Excellence

Sale Price:$25.00 Original Price:$29.99

High school is not a one-size-fits all experience. The journey is unique for every student. Celebrate High School equips parents and students of any educational philosophy with easy-to-follow explanations, ready-to-use examples, and parent testimonials.  

Quantity:

Add to Cart

This blog post is intended to offer an example of personal experience. It is in no way intended to be legal advice and should not be taken as such. Parents own the sole responsibility for the training and education of their children. 

Celebrate High School- What Matters?

"As you walk through the last years of your student's high school journey, remember the final celebration is less about the knowledge stored up in the student's mind (though that is important) and more about whether the young adult understands his or her strengths and how those strengths will bring value to whatever he or she endeavors." 

Celebrate High School, 2015 revised edition

Celebrate High school is available here!  

 

Loving Young Adults through Transitions and Decisions

College finals week. Laundry mishap ruins a favorite shirt. Misunderstanding with a close friend. Moving out. Wedding planning.

Life decisions and transitions breed stress, lack of confidence, doubt. 

How can a parent help a young adult through transition and difficult times?

Listen first, ask later. People crave a listening ear, especially when things go awry. Young adults are no different.

Text. A short line of encouragement shortens anyone’s long day.

Public praise. A positive public comment, whether live or on social media, adds spring to rough steps. Statements about character and work ethic speak volumes.

Make a date. Invite a young adult to share coffee or ice cream at a favorite sweet spot.  Getting away with someone who can encourage and build up, even for 30 minutes, adds vitality.

Say, “I like you!” Strong words—needing to be heard over the clamor of good grades and long hours—can be scribed on a napkin, placed on a piece of paper under a coaster or included in a text message. We all long to be liked for who we are, not just the grades earned, the kudos given or the numbers accumulated.

Wash a load. Offer to do a load or two of laundry. For students who usually do their own, having someone help in a time tight transition assures fresh socks and towels will greet a difficult day.

Fix a favorite. Nourishment when under stress is essential. Cook up a favorite meal and serve with a listening ear. If the young adult lives independently, offer to drop off something special at his or her convenience.

Ask. One of life greatest questions, “How can I help?” can be a blessing in a “give me more” society.

Surprise them. Drop off a surprise—balloon, cookies and cupcakes work well—at your young adult’s home or office, or leave a bouquet of flowers on his or her workspace, even if that workspace is in your home.

Instant message. In the days of instant contact, make it count! Everyone loves to answer the “ping” and read sweet thought.

Empathize. Send a letter or special card, snail mail. We like our inbox messages, but a letter in the mailbox still says, “I care about you!”

Be a study buddy.  When your young adult is studying hard with more assignments on the horizon, offer to work together at a venue away from home. Take your work—even if it is catching up on emails—and accomplish tasks together.  Fresh space speaks fresh mind.

Life can be difficult, transitions tough to tackle. All of us face them.

I remember one evening, about a year ago, my then college junior had taken up study camp in his quiet bedroom. I had not seen him in a few hours. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the bedroom door open. He emerged, eyes tired, weary. When he entered the kitchen to refill a water glass, I quickly scooped up a few bite-size chocolates and tip-toed down the hallway. My mission—set a few chocolates on his textbook.

Several minutes later I heard him close his door and then reopen. “Hey, who put these there?”

Mission accomplished. I met him in the hallway. We smiled simultaneously.

No need to exchange words. We both knew.  

Young adults, even good time managers and planners, will face transitions and decisions—a natural part of life. As parents when we walk with our young adults, offering words of endearment, a shoulder to hug, an ear to listen, a prayer to share, we are model what walking with someone through difficulty looks and feels like.

As with anything in life, balance and prayerful consideration is needed. We cannot do their course work, take their online exams or show up at important meetings. Most importantly, we cannot fix their mistakes or solve their problems. And if we attempted a rescue, often the solution or answer we fashion is limited to our perspective or vantage point. How much better to help the young adult process the situation and allow them to work out a solution?

Lessen stress of life decisions and transitions, patting a back or offering help. Build confidence, commenting on a character attribute. Fill the holes of doubt with words of affirmation and hope. In doing so, young adults learn how to walk through transitions and decisions with someone by their side, and will be better equipped to stand alongside someone else in the future. 

Mentors Matter

We champion finding mentors in fields of interest. All of our school-aged children have gained great insight into areas most intriguing to them, from Olympic competition (we conversed with an Olympic runner from the Wilma Rudolph era) to successful entrepreneurs (no better way to learn about business than from someone who owns one). Each unique experience was recorded in our learning logs, sometimes by written word, other times photographically.

Learning alongside a mentor proves one of the highest retention rates.

Hence, we use this means of learning whenever we have the opportunity.

Participating in the Young Eagles Introduction to Aviation class has been one of our favorite learning experiences. Recommended for children ages ten through eighteen, this eight-week class taught by pilots and aviation professionals offered my children opportunities to learn about aviation from people who know it best.

Each class focused on a topic: weather, air traffic control, flight planning, pre-flight check, and aviation careers. Each week professionals planned an applicable experiential activity. My children toured hangers took a field trip to a working air traffic control tower and learned how to navigate a flight map from a commercial airline pilot. The final class included a graduation flight. Participants in the class were divided into groups of three, each group having the opportunity to fly one leg (after safe take-off by the pilot) of a three-leg flight, flying in and out of three airports. After the flight, participants were given a flight log—which they continue to build for their aviation career—signed by the supervising pilot, a certificate of completion, and a code for ground school should the student want to continue their journey to becoming a pilot. 

Making Learning Relevant for Middle and High School

Though summer annual evaluation season ended a few months ago, I continue to post frequently asked questions to help equip and empower parents.

 Knowledge is power in the high school years 

and adds confidence to the journey.

 

One mom asked:

Recently in our area there seems to be limited diversity in learning environments for middle and high schoolers. Many venues provide only traditional classroom settings or online meetings. This is not the best setting for my child. What other opportunities are available and acceptable?

 This is a tremendous question with valid concerns.

 First, check the home education laws in your state

 Second, having some experience with online learning is beneficial. Online education is growing. And, it did prepare our graduates for post-secondary education.

 Those points being said...

Home educated middle and high schoolers have the opportunity to partake in a variety of learning environments; a definite advantage over their public and private schooled peers.

Our middle and high school students learn widely from a variety of environments. One started a business and learned on the job, everywhere from church fellowship hall craft shows to convention trade show floors. Another learned from independent study, volunteering, and conversation from professionals in the field. Still another learn from contractors, field work, job shadowing, and collaboration with peers. Our home education statute allowed us the freedom to utilize these means. We are all grateful we could fit learning with learning style and student interest.

When designing courses or considering courses for middle or high schoolers the learning environment is essential and often dependent on the learning style and strengths of the individual. For example, if the student learns best by observation, perhaps best fit environments would include laboratory settings, field work, internships, job shadowing, or apprenticeship. In these settings, the student can observe to learn. If the student is an auditory learner the best settings may be research laboratories or classroom instruction.

When the course is complete, if our students were applying for a university requesting course descriptions in addition to a transcript, I made sure to be specific about which environments the student used. Often the environments, being different than a typical classroom or online setting, were intriguing.

Yes, the reward was worth the effort. The contents of the course descriptions, transcripts and cumulative folder were the documents which set a solid foundation for resume writing.

 And in the end, as we--student and parent--looked over documents, the accomplishment was a part of our celebration of high school and the ability to finish with excellence.

 As you consider the potential learning environments your learner may have access to, ponder how those opportunities may benefit your young adult. The results can be astounding.

Magnificent, Make-A-Difference Middle School

Celebrating high school begins in middle school. Given opportunities to develop strengths and interests, the middle school years and their subsequent experiences set the stage for future decisions. Decisions move middle schoolers forward, or set them back.

Middle schoolers need coaches, cheerleaders, people to cheer them on, answer their questions, affirm their successes, and come alongside when ideas fail. Like adults, middle (and high schoolers) gravitate toward sources or encouragement and affirmation.

Our experience is that middle and high schoolers will hang out most with those who encourage and affirm them best. 

Mike and I were (and still are with our current middle and high schoolers) intentional to champion their interests. As a result we were (are) invited into their successes and their messes!

Middle schoolers need help understanding themselves. Mike and I have learned that before we can help our middle and high school young adults understand themselves, we must know them! To know them, we must spend time with them (even when it's hard to be with them). Spending time means observing, listening, and asking. We watch how they respond in both stressful and rewarding circumstances. We observe what activities they enjoy and what makes them smile. Body language and verbal responses are windows into their hearts. What they read expresses their interests. Who our children talk about gives us understanding into the character they emulate or respect. Knowing our children takes diligence and purpose, but is deserving of my time and energy.  

When we come to know our children--what motivates, intrigues, and captivates them--we can begin to help them understand themselves. 

Middle schoolers want to make a difference. Middle schoolers need time and experiences to help them understand who the are and what they can contribute to the family, community, nation, and the world.

They need something to ponder, practice, and pursue; a way to make a difference. 

Making a difference they feel the satisfaction of collaborating and contributing, serving and giving.

Middle schoolers need help managing their time.Several facets of life motivate middle and high schoolers to manage their time: knowing they have skills to solve a problems, having a project to complete or understanding their skills can contribute to a cause. When these aspects are discovered and fostered, managing their time matters.

Time management is a necessity for accomplishment.

Middle schoolers encouragement for organization.Middle schoolers are not usually naturally organized. They usually need parents to help them brainstorm ideas. They need someone to take them shopping for organizers.

Organization is often key to time management. 

Middle schoolers need help finding and using resources. Middle schoolers have ideas and interests they want to pursue. There are things they want to build, books they want to write, businesses they want to start, logos they want to design, and fish they want to catch. Resources, tools, and significant people put those ideas and interests in motion. One of the greatest resources is time--time to process, time to think, time to talk through ideas. In and through conversation and experience, middle schoolers learn to plan, design, analyze, and evaluate, all which work together for understanding.

Without time, these key life skills cannot develop. 

Middle and high school young adults are really not any different than adults. 

Adults thrive when they understand their strengths and have the freedom to grow in those strengths, when they have people to help them process ideas and adults, when they have access o necessary tools and resources to carry out the plan, and when they are surrounded by supportive family and friends. 

Middle schoolers will surprise you! Middle school years have great potential to directly impact a student's entrepreneurial ventures, employment, or college and career path by offering options of promising study. Be ready for your middle schoolers to surprise you! Ours have surprised us many times with their ideas and plans. They had solutions we had not discovered, insight we could not see. Theirs were not only better, but because they "owned" the plans, they were more excited and successful in executing the steps to reach their goals.

This content is excerpted from the new expanded edition of Cheryl's book,  Celebrate High School: Finish with Excellence, A Guide for Middle and High School Home Education.