Two Trains

 TWO TRAINS

Where are you Going?

I’m probably going to be unpopular stating this opinion, but I have learned it from personal experience, so hear me out…

Maybe you do NOT need to do AP, Honors, or dual credit college courses while in high school. Whew… I said it, after graduating five students from our homeschool (they were all homeschooled K-12 and all earned college credits on their transcripts).

Close your eyes and imagine with me that you are getting on a train. You purchase your ticket and sit down to enjoy the scenery. BUT you forgot to check the train’s destination.

You wanted the “Scenic Train of Wisdom” that took the beautiful route–the one including stunning views and a delightful table set before you, complete with tea and scones as you gazed out the windows. You wanted to marvel at the company, enjoy the conversations, and simply soak it all in.

Instead, you accidentally purchased a seat on the “High-Speed Bullet Train of Knowledge”. You sat down, buckled up and took off. There’s no chance to see the sights as they whiz by, no time for a restful meal, no deep conversations. It’s just zoom to the destination in the most efficient and speedy way on the pre-determined train schedule.

This is what dual credit in high school was like for us. Sure, we were able to earn college credit in an efficient way and my children were certainly capable of doing the course work. But I should have remembered something I always say… “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” I forgot to check which train we took a seat on and the destination this ticket would take us to.

The “High-Speed Bullet Train of Knowledge” got them to college quicker, for sure. But we missed the scenery! We didn’t have time to taste the tea or enjoy the conversations on the ever-faster speeding pace. They earned college credit and stuck to the pre-determined schedule (which dictated our family schedule as well). My children finished their degrees and got off the faster train only to discover that they really didn’t know where they were. They arrived at the destination early but, they missed a whole lot along the journey that cannot be revisited. They were in the rush to get to that “somewhere” they couldn’t quite define. They had empty suitcases without the souvenirs and treasures they should have collected along the way. They had their college degrees in hand, yes, but they lacked much of the real-life wisdom and experiences that they could have had.

The slower “Scenic Train of Wisdom” takes a more enjoyable route. This train’s schedule allows for multiple stops along the way and offers the time needed to experience and engage in the opportunities that present themselves. You are even allowed to stop this train and get off to explore without disrupting the ever-demanding schedule. There is an open invitation to take side journeys like mission trips, back-yard building projects, and serving opportunities in all shapes and sizes. Not only that, but you can also collect precious souvenirs along the way–souvenirs like valuable lessons and skills learned while serving others and the real life experiences that will help put knowledge into practice, along with the abundant blessing of time to develop an ever-deepening understanding of who God is.

This has really gotten me thinking about these two trains. I know it’s very popular to grab a ticket on the “High-Speed Bullet Train of Knowledge” and get a head start on college, but, maybe what our children will miss out on isn’t worth the price of admission.

HIGH SCHOOL YEARS ARE THE BEST TIME TO HOMESCHOOL! The four short High School years are full of scenery we don’t want to miss. We finally get to relax from some of the pressure of teaching those labor-intensive basics and get to sit back to taste the depths of what our children know. We get to share real-life experiences together–without car seats, strollers and diaper bags! We get to enjoy deep conversations (usually late at night) as we get to really know WHO they are becoming while we listen to their hearts. These years are truly filled with WONDER! The “Scenic Train of Wisdom” has treasures we should consider carefully before we trade them for a couple more college credits.

The slower “Scenic Train of Wisdom” also gives our children a chance to look around and explore where they really want to go. High school is such a short season, and it can never be replaced. This is the final opportunity to truly taste all the options available and to see which they prefer before getting stuck on the fast track to college which can actually limit their choices long-term. College, on the other hand, doesn’t have a “use-by” date, it can be done any time for the rest of their lives.

I'm praying that before you hop on the homeschool train of high school (and you certainly will want to!) spend some time considering where the destination is heading to before you grab your seat!

Blessings,

Renita

“This is what the LORD says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!” – Jeremiah 6:16

Transcripts Made Easy: The Homeschooler's Guide to High-School Paperwork from Everyday Education: A TOS Crew Review

Transcripts Made Easy: The Homeschooler's Guide to High-School Paperwork from Everyday Education

Do you have a high schooler? Then, you need Transcripts Made Easy: The Homeschooler's Guide to High-School Paperwork written by Janice Campbell from Everyday Education.

This essential tool is the fourth edition.  It arrives as 138 page PDF download.   It contains EVERYTHING you need to get your high school student ready for college.  

Janice Campbell has been a long-time favorite.  We have loved here Excellence in Literature courses.  In this book, she draws from her vast homeschooling experience (with 4 sons!) and gives a clear, easy to understand guide to all the important documents that our high school students need. 

I wish I would have had this guide for my first students, it is filled with practical information and organized in 6 easy to read chapters.  Let me show you each section.

Part 1

• Meet the Transcript
• What is a transcript?
• Who needs a transcript?
• Who will see the transcript?
• What are the parts of the transcript?
• Overview of the Transcript Process
• Where to Start in This Book

This may be the most valuable section.  I know creating a transcript can seem like a daunting process, but Janice walks you through it step by step.  In this section you learn all about the process and why it is so important.  She gives helpful tips based on your time frame?  Have you just started with a middle schooler? Or, do you need a transcript tomorrow?  Either way, she has tips to help you get it done.

Part 2

• Plan with the End in Mind
• What to Study in High School
• Sample High School Requirements
• Skills and Habits to Cultivate in High School
• Scheduling Courses
• Sample Four-Year Schedule for College-Bound Students
• Standardized Tests to Consider
• Seven Strategies for a Successful First Year at College
• College Alternatives
• Six Things Your Teen Can Do While Homeschooling High School
• High School Q&A
• Teaching Teens

If you have any middle or high schoolers, or just want to be prepared, this is the section to spend time in!  I love all her tips! My senior this year enjoyed the strategies for college.  It is filled with great, tested advice on everything from habits to activities your high schooler can be doing.

Part 3

• Keep Simple Records
• High School Binder
• Student Work Samples to Keep
• How to Use Class Profile Sheets
• How to Use Subject Worksheets
• Naming Classes
• Special-Needs Records and Transcripts with Judith Munday
• Special Needs Resource Recommendations from Kathy Kuhl

This is the "nuts and bolts" section. If you have special needs - the advice here is crucial.  She has a designed a simple, and effective way to keep track of all your student's course work.  I can tell you from personal experience - start early!

Part 4

• Grades, Credit, and the GPA
• Grading Realistically and Ethically
• Use Simple Credibility Clinchers
• How To Grade Written Work
• Writing Evaluation Rubric
• Grading for Unschoolers and the Chronically Relaxed
• Non-Grading Philosophy
• Retrospective Grading
• Define a Grading Scale
• Assign Quality Points
• How to Grant Credit
• Granting Credit for Honors Classes
• Granting Credit for AP, Dual Credit, or College-Equivalent Classes
• Calculate a Grade Point Average

Do you have questions about grades, GPA and credits?  Sound like a new language?  This section helps you make sense out of all them!

Part 5

• Create the Transcript
• How to Issue an Official Transcript
• Transcript Formats and Examples
• Horizontal Transcript Format
• Vertical Transcript Formats
• Sample: Vertical Transcript Organized by Subject
• Sample: Vertical Transcript Organized by Semester
• Sample: Vertical Format with Lines
• Check-Off Transcript Format
• Sample: Check-Off Transcript
• High School Diploma Format
• How to Create a High School Diploma
• Text for Diploma

Now, on to how to actually create these documents!  Easy to follow instructions help you create transcripts and diplomas that can be customized to your student.

Part 6

• References, Resources, and Reproducibles
• Glossary
• Resources for Planning and Learning
• Reproducible Forms

All the forms, ready to use.  Also, very helpful links for additional sources.

My new favorite quote from this book.  I think this is the perfect resource for the busy homeschool parent!


 Find  Everyday Education on Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janicepcampbell
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The Master and His Apprentices: Art History from a Christian Perspective: A TOS Crew Review

The Master and His Apprentices: Art History from a Christian Perspective from The Master and His Apprentices

Here is a high school elective you are sure to love!  We have been using the digital version of The Master and His Apprentices: Art History from a Christian Perspective from The Master and His Apprentices.  

This comprehensive program is available in print and digital formats, and contains a full Student Text and Teacher Guide.  It can be completed for a full high school credit.  Why should you bother to teach art history?  Well, it's a key to understanding God, the Bible and our history better - and this program does an EXCELLENT job of putting it all together for you!

The Master and His Apprentices is written from a unashamedly Christian worldview, that alone makes it worth your high school student's time.  There is absolutely NO questionable images in this book  and it is free from secular and humanistic ideology- which is hard to find in art books for older students.  

My digital version came with a 380 page PDF Student Text and a 116 page Teacher Guide that included copy privileges for my family.  They have a generous offer of allowing you to purchase additional student worksheet copies for just $2 each.  If you prefer hard copies, you can print your books (or purchase a hardcover text, with free shipping).  I always like a physical copy to work with, so I printed them with the easy-to-follow directions and had them spiral bound.  The PDF's are optimized to work best on a computer screen.  They are also ready to use on your e-readers.  This book is so beautiful, you will want it in full-color!

The 19 chapter Student Text covers art history - starting with Creation through Today.  I love that the author, who was homeschooled herself, repeatedly points to God and Scripture throughout this text.  She covers art chronologically, addressing each major civilization and time period.  Right away, I liked that this could be used as a stand alone art curriculum, or a valuable addition to your history study.

As you read the text, you are really learning the history of humanity and God's hand in it.  I LOVE it!

The book covers all areas of art - painting, sculpture, architecture and more.  Your students will most definitely have a well-rounded art history education.  Best of all, you do NOT have to worry that they will stumble across inappropriate images or ideas!

One of my favorite parts of this curriculum is the Timelines in each chapter.  The author has taken the major works of art and combined them on a timeline which included "Important World Events" and "Biblical Events and Christian History".  It gives us a big picture view of the world!

This text includes some great extras in the Appendix.  Several thought-provoking essays from the author, an art period chart, a complete timeline, terms to learn, and even a list of "Pieces by Location" that shows where to find these amazing art pieces (do you see geography tie-in? I do!)

The Teacher Guide is a valuable component of the program.  The author shows how to utilize this program in schools or at home, provides detailed instructions and even includes a syllabus you can customize.

In addition, there are worksheets with discussion style questions for each chapter, a full answer key,  and 4 exams.  To complete a full credit, you student will write 4 papers - on artists, style or specific pieces from different art periods. 

The questions are more than just comprehension, they make the student really consider what they think about the artwork, and why.  This is really what we want to accomplish by teaching art history - we want them to think!

 This is the most WELL ORGANIZED, and comprehensive art history curriculum I have ever seen. I have enjoyed it as much, if not more, than my high schoolers!   My students will be using this one for years to come.

Find The Master and His Apprentices on Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Master-and-His-Apprentices-245504999349223/
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/themasterandhisapprentices/boards/

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Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis from Writing with Sharon Watson: A TOS Crew Review

Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis from Writing with Sharon Watson We have another favorite from Writing with Sharon Watson!  We are loving Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis from Writing with Sharon Watson.  This literature curriculum is designed for grades 9-12th, and is a full year of study.  Be sure to also check out the first volume - Illuminating Literature: When Worlds Collide {Crew Reviews} - they can be done in any order.

Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis comes in a 4 book set (3 physical softcovers, and one a reproducible PDF download):

• Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis Paperback
• Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis, Teacher’s Guide
• Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis, Quiz and Answer Manual
• Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crises Novel Notebook {PDF}

This volume covers both short stories and books - 

• “A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell, in the textbook
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Dover Publications
• Silas Marner by George Eliot, Dover Publications
• Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, Dover Publications
• An Assortment of Short Stories:
• “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett, in the textbook
• “The Garden of Forking Paths” by Jorge Luis Borges, link provided
• “Haircut” by Ring Lardner, link provided
• “The Lady, or the Tiger?” by Frank Stockton, in the textbook
• “Of the Passing of the First-Born” by W. E. B. Du Bois, in the textbook
• “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas, link provided
• Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, Dover Publications
• Biography or autobiography of student’s choice
• The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, Mariner Books

The author recommends using the coordinating versions listed by ISBN number in the Teacher's Guide - the benefit is that all the exercises are keyed to specific page numbers for your student.  The short stories are included in the textbook, or with a provided link.  

I don't even know where to start with telling you how much I adore this curriculum!  Literature is one of our favorite subjects, and we love a focus on the classics with upper level thinking (and no twaddle!) Especially in high school. This curriculum exceeds all of my expectations.

First - The Teacher Guide walks you through step-by-step how to get your children involved in the Great Conversation of literature.  It includes everything you need: from a planning guide with fun ideas for a Book-of-the-Month club (coming soon to Bentz Academy - working out the details now!) to a detailed answer key and guide for each of the literary works covered and grading rubrics and online quizzes (graded for you).

This, I believe, is where most of the homeschool moms I know have the hardest time.  Making the transition from just reading literature with their students to truly studying literature in-depth.  Sharon Watson gives you everything you need - from Facebook posts with interesting facts for you to share with your students, to quality discussion questions/answers, to a full "Choice of Activities" to really bring your student's literature to life - i.e. research, create, rewriting the story, hands on activities, and more!

The Student Text is written directly to the student in a very engaging and interesting manner.  It includes pre-reading activities and a suggested reading schedule and a homework plan to help your student manage their time.  The course is designed for you to spend approx. 3-4 weeks on each novel/story. This course can be done at-home, or it makes a perfect Co-op class (our Co-op is currently offering her other course).  

Literary terms are clearly defined and discussed.  The short stories are all included in the text.  After reading, the text includes passwords for the online quizzes (which are graded for you), questions for discussion, and their choice of activities to bring the literature to life.

The Quiz & Answer Manual is included for those who prefer paper.  Each literature choice includes a "Yes, I Read It" quiz, and a "Literary Terms" quiz.  These are excellent ways to test your student's comprehension and understanding.  The books also include an "Opinion Survey" that allow your student to express themselves and apply lessons from the literature to their own worlds.

The Novel Notebook - this is a 86 page, downloadable PDF in full-color.  You can download as many as you need for your students, or just the pages you want them to complete.  It includes questions and worksheets your student can complete to go along with each piece of literature studied.  Here a just a few examples - 

Now - on to all the ways I love this course!  

• It's written from a decidedly Christian worldview.  All of the characters in literature may not be Christians, but they can and do reflect our human condition and God's grace.  This course helps our students understand and apply these lessons through literature.

• The discussions -  What a joy it is to discuss high-quality literature with your students!  We started with "A Jury of Her Peers" first, and we are still discussing it. Having both sons and daughters in my test group - we had some very heated discussions.   Sharing literature with your high schoolers will be one of your greatest homeschooling memories...I promise!  This course gives you all the tools you need to really get to heart issues.

• The extras.  Sharon Watson has really gone above and beyond to craft a well-rounded literature study. There is something to engage every single learning style.  The variety will keep your students engaged and learning.  The depth of the study will give them the preparation they need for college study.

This is by far, our favorite literature study for high school.  You will want to check this one out!

Find Writing with Sharon Watson on Social Media:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/WritingWithSharonWatson

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/writingwithshar

Hashtags:  #hsreviews #highschoolwriting #writingcurriculum

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Marine Biology 2nd Edition Advantage Set from Apologia Educational Ministries: A TOS Crew Review

Marine Biology 2nd Edition Advantage Set from Apologia Educational Ministries
High school science doesn't have to be boring!  We've been having a blast with Marine Biology 2nd Edition Advantage Set from Apologia Educational Ministries.  We are long time fans of Apologia for ALL our science, and the new edition of Marine Biology is our new favorite.  It's rare to find a high school science elective that is not just "math in disguise"- my tester (a senior this year!)
We have been using the Advantage Set, which includes the Text, Solutions/Tests, and Student Notebook.  We also received the Marine Biology 2nd Edition Audio CD  (not included in the set).
The Text contains 16 modules that cover:

• The Oceans of Our Planet 
• Life in the Sea
• The First Four Kingdoms
•  Marine Invertebrates I
• Marine Invertebrates II
• Marine Vertebrates I
• Marine Vertebrates II
• Marine Ecology
• The Intertidal Zone
• Estuary Communities
• Coral Reefs
• Continental Shelf Communities
• The Epipelagic Zone
• The Deep Ocean
• Ocean Resources
• Effects of Humans on the Sea

This course does recommend your student has already completed high school biology.  Each module is designed to take approx. 2 weeks to complete by spending around 45 min. a day. This is a full year course for high school credit.  The text is written in an apologetically Christian Worldview (YEAH!)  But, it's not watered down science at all.  This course will prepare your student with the science they need, and teach them to defend their faith.
This is a beautifully done textbook!  It has been designed carefully and appeals to a full range of learners.  It's illustrated with full color pictures and plenty of diagrams.  Each Module offers not only textbook reading, but also "On Your Own questions"  woven throughout the reading to engage the student in what they  are reading.  At the end of a module is a "Study Guide" to review the information in the module.  

Hands on experiments are a vital component to science. Marine Biology includes experiments in every chapter, many of the supplies needed are common household items.
Experiments can be completed independently, by your student.

In addition to the text, Apologia offers "Bookextras" on their website.  Materials include extra articles, videos and information to explore.  It's like getting a bonus!

The Advantage set includes the Solutions and Test books.  They offer answers to all the Study Guide questions as well as Module tests and Quarterly tests.  

An introduction section gives parents a quick overview of the course and how to grade.  I truly appreciate Apologia's dedication to Instructional Support.  They offer suggestions and products to help you teach to your child's learning style.

The Student Notebook is hands down our FAVORITE part of this course!  It is a 500+ page,  full color, spiral bound companion to the Text.

It includes a very useful "Daily Schedule" which can be used by the student to manage their assignments, and for mom's to check their work!  

The Student Notebook is broken down into 2 main sections - Module Notes and Lab Reports.
Module Notes include pages for the On Your Own and Study Guide answers.  This notebook is a homeschool mom's dream!  All the information for the course is in one place, and organized!!

My tester  was blown away by how useful he found the notebook!  His only comment was..."why didn't they have this for Chemistry when I took it??"

We also got a chance to list to the Marine Biology 2nd Edition Audio CD, read by Marissa Leinart .  If you have auditory learners - you need to get this.  The text is read aloud, and the narrator is easy to listen to.  It is an MP3 version - which means you need to listen on a computer or MP3 compatible CD player.  It is also able to be downloaded on their mobile devices, so they can listen and learn on the go.

Each section is fairly short, and you can listen to whichever you want to.  My tester liked the options to read or listen.  He usually prefers a book...so that is high praise.

This is definitely our favorite option for high school science.  If you are looking for an option that dives deeper into life science, this is the one!

Find Apologia Educational Ministries on Social Media:

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/apologiaworld

Instagram:  www.instagram.com/apologiaworld   @apologiaworld

Twitter: www.twitter.com/apologiaworld   @apologiaworld

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/apologia/

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