This has been a difficult area for me. I’ve been dissatisfied with everything I’ve tried with the Humanities and English and ended up getting my husband to teach my eldest two children in these areas. They loved it ,and are now getting high distinctions at university, but I really need something I can manage with my younger children because my husband just doesn’t have the time to teach each child individually. In his time away from work he’s trying to get together lessons on DVD’s on the basics for excelling at essay writing and grammar in the humanities in secondary, and eventually he will get together a programme for each year level in each subject incorporating our faith into the humanities. This is of vital importance to me because it really impacts on the type of people my children will become.
In terms of maths and the sciences, I don’t know the answer either. My eldest two did grades eleven and twelve by distance education. Graphics calculators and modern technology were way beyond me. I found their science background with the Pace programme had served them well, as well as the maths programme I’d used with them – Future Maths. Maybe I’ll get the daughter who’s doing science at uni to eventually write a programme for her younger siblings, so that we can be totally independent of institutions. Certainly, if they can do well in English and pass a university entrance exam or SAT, they could always do uni bridging courses in maths or science as part of an Arts degree and thus gain entry into their field of choice at uni.
The main thing is that the children through their years of home schooling become well rounded integrated people with a broad knowledge base and a love of learning. The secondary humanities programme could be just the thing needed to complete what I’ve been doing with the primary kids to prepare them for the outside world. My eldest two are certainly so confident in their faith and the knowledge they have, they took to uni like ducks to water. They are eager to evangelize and stand up for the truth and above all eager to grow in knowledge and apply all they learn to their faith lives. I feel education is such a privilege and joy.
In terms of maths and the sciences, I don’t know the answer either. My eldest two did grades eleven and twelve by distance education. Graphics calculators and modern technology were way beyond me. I found their science background with the Pace programme had served them well, as well as the maths programme I’d used with them – Future Maths. Maybe I’ll get the daughter who’s doing science at uni to eventually write a programme for her younger siblings, so that we can be totally independent of institutions. Certainly, if they can do well in English and pass a university entrance exam or SAT, they could always do uni bridging courses in maths or science as part of an Arts degree and thus gain entry into their field of choice at uni.
The main thing is that the children through their years of home schooling become well rounded integrated people with a broad knowledge base and a love of learning. The secondary humanities programme could be just the thing needed to complete what I’ve been doing with the primary kids to prepare them for the outside world. My eldest two are certainly so confident in their faith and the knowledge they have, they took to uni like ducks to water. They are eager to evangelize and stand up for the truth and above all eager to grow in knowledge and apply all they learn to their faith lives. I feel education is such a privilege and joy.
