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: Finish with Excellence, 2015 revised edition

Middle and High School Learning Environments

Though summer annual evaluation season ended a few weeks ago, I will continue posting frequently asked questions to help equip and empower parents. Knowledge in the high school years is power and adds confidence to the journey.

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. 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.

Purchase Celebrate High School: Finish with Excellence.

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.  You can order a copy of this book by emailing Cheryl at cheryl@cherylbastian.com. This book will also soon be available on Amazon.

Cheryl will present Celebrate Middle School at the 2016 FPEA Convention. 

"This is a Perfect Book for My Art Appreciation Class!"

Budget cuts in many school districts have cut art and music classes. 

A Harris Poll released in 2005 determined 93% of Americans believe the arts are essential to a well-rounded education.

In our home, art is not part of a budget cut. In fact, art can often be taught well for minimal cost and better yet through a mentoring artist or art enthusiast.

Today we headed to the local library to return items. We purposed only to be in long enough to return books and have the notary sign paperwork for a sports opportunity. An hour later, three floors of shelves investigated--because each child headed off on a rabbit trail (have I mentioned, not planned!) --we left with treasures.


While one learner found the books she needed to add items to her hand-made jewelry collection, another turned around and found Children's Picturebooks: The Art of Visual Storytelling by Martin Salisbury and Morag Styles on an adjacent shelf. She also found Drawing and Painting Animals by Bill Tilton.

From an aisle over I hear, "This is a perfect book for my art appreciation class!"

Appears my high school young adult with The Great Book of Currier & Ives' in America. This book, this HUGE book, is a BEAUTY, every 15 inches in height, 12 inches in width, and 2 1/2 thick piece of it! It has to be one of the biggest books I have ever seen! It set spine up on the shelf as it was too tall for the traditional shelving.

On the way home, two high schoolers seated side-by-side in the car, paged through American history by means of  Currier & Ives. Stunning art definitely appreciated. A great addition, student-interest led, to her art appreciation class.

I will keep you posted on how this book is woven into this year's art appreciation.

Note: I imagine for a student interested in art more than history, this book might spark an interest in our nation's history through its brilliant works. If a student with such interests resides in your home, perhaps a catalog search will reveal this treasure on shelves near you. Just be prepared for an arm workout while hauling it home!

Celebrate Simple Goes to HERI Conference in Jacksonville

Just two weekends ago Celebrate Simple traveled to HERI Conference in Jacksonville. We shared workshops on using living books to teach history and science, teaching math concepts to little learners while cooking and working in the kitchen, raising a contagious reader, and sharing four essential lessons our young adult son learned while being home educated. Cheryl and Josh enjoyed presenting their workshop together to a full room. 

Between workshops we listened to parents share their experiences and helped them process their coming year. We answered questions about teaching measurement with tape measures and egg timers, how to keep high school records and everything in between. Our booth was outfitted with tools and treasures--simple items to teach profound truths and concepts--from coin stickers and paper money, to balance scales, living books, and one of our very favorites, the Magiscope. On our science table, little learners (and adults!) were invited to discover small wonders including an abandon wasp nest, a butterfly wing, and crystals.

What a treat to encourage parents of preschoolers through young adults that weekend! Our twenty-one year journey, from preschool to high school graduation several times over, has taught us parents as much as our children. 

Learning together, building family relationships, priceless. 

It is the simple things. Be sure to celebrate them!

Test Optional? Really?

Since George Washington University announced it joined the ranks of "test optional" schools, home educators wonder what it means for them.

Though some universities are moving toward test optional for public and private schooled graduates, not all schools are following suit for college-bound, home-educated students. We personally found it wise and helpful to research the admission requirements for our student's top colleges of choice, first and then work to meet those requirements. Though we were pleasantly surprised to find some test optional or test flexible, others were not.

So, which schools are really test optional for home educated grads at the time of research, July 2015?

Adventist University of Health Sciences, Orlando, FL
Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA
Albright College, Reading, PA
Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
American University, Washington, D.C. (home education admissions link)
Arkansas Baptist College, Little Rock, AR
Bay State College, Boston, MA
Bellevue University, Bellevue, NE
Beloit College, Beloit, WI
Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, Boston MA
Bryant University, Smithfield, RI
Bryn-Mawr College, Bryn-Mawr, PA
Catawba College, Salisbury, NC
City College, various locations, FL
Clark University, Worcester, MA
Emmanuel College, Boston, MA
Faith Evangelical College and Seminary, Tacoma, WA
Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY
Full Sail University, Winter Park, FL
Furman University, Greenville, SC
Providence College, Providence, RI
Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC

Colleges and universities may be added. Check back soon!

Note: Wording can be confusing. Interpreting the words should, must, advised, required, and recommend is essential. When there are questions, contact the admission office of the university.

When considering test optional universities, homeschoolers may want to consider:

• Schools which list as test optional for general public and private school graduates, may not have the same policies for home educated graduates. Read the fine print.
• Though the university may be test optional, supplemental information may be required including a homeschooling philosophy, curriculum used, and methods utilized. 
• Colleges which accept students without SAT or ACT scores may require validations which may include dual enrollment grades.
• Researching every college carefully, and recheck requirements yearly. Admission policies do change.
• Test optional may mean "interview". Work to help your student be interview-ready. 

I have learned it is recommended that students take the SAT or ACT, at a minimum, while in high school. Though there are test optional universities, and the list may continue to grow, there still are many which have very specific application requirements. 

Revised Celebrate High School Has Arrived!

The revision--which increased content by almost two-thirds--is here and ready for purchase. Contact Cheryl at cheryl@cherylbastian.com or purchase on Amazon.

The PERT: Postsecondary Education Readiness Test

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

"What about the PERT?"

The PERT—Postsecondary Education Readiness Test—is a customized assessment used in Florida to measure students abilities and skills for the sake of course placement for postsecondary 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 30 questions on each subtest. The test is not timed, an advantage for some students. 

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/east/academicsuccess/math/documents/PERTbooklet.pdf
• 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://valenciacollege.edu/assessments/pert/taking-the-exam.cfm

PERT video study resources

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

Seminole State frequently asked questions

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

Valencia College information

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

Natural Learning, Intentionally: High School- Part III- Cum Folders, Home Education Style

             Intentionality has paid off in the high school years. 

Thankfully, I realized early in my son's eighth grade year I would play the role of guidance counselor for my homeschooled high schooler. Meaning? I would be the liaison between school (us!) and college, 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?)

Not much time was lost in regards to recovering the undocumented or potentially important information we needed to begin compiling a cum folder for our high schooler; not many tracks to retrace. And in the end, retracing was worth the effort. The folder became a gold mine, one of those things you tell people you would grab if the house were aflame.

Wow! Me, the keeper of the "cum folder", the folder about which school officials threaten and gloat, at least in the high school I attended. When things got serious students got the "that will go in your permanent cum folder" lecture; the file in which all things which hold the keys to the future reside.

When my son was in eighth grade I began researching the NCAA requirements. It became evident I would need specific documents for eligibility.

No one I knew had kept a cumulative folder of high school records so this was new territory for me. And, not a naturally organized person I was determined to start THAT DAY!  I purchased a 3 1/2 inch binder and some colored-tab separators to help me keep his paperwork organized. Armed with plastic protector sheets and a hole-punch, I sat down to begin compilation of the "cum folder". I started labeling tabs I knew we would need, and then added, trial-and-error, along our journey. Years later, as we began contacting colleges, I added tabs for copies of applications (yes, this was before they were online), scholarship applications, acceptance letters, and financial aid notifications.

At the end of four years, when writing the first edition of Celebrate High School, I decided to include the major section tabs we found helpful, knowing parents who read the book may find our tab titles helpful as they complied the cum folders for their students.

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
• 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

*Note: These tab titles are our most recent (based on our experience with three unique high school students) and will be included in the revision of Celebrate High School. Not all tabs will be needed for every student. This list has been updated since the most recent edition of Celebrate High School and my blog post dated 07/29/2013.

Revised edition due out July 2015!

*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.

Natural Learning, Intentionally: High School- Part II- Course Descriptions

              Intentionality has paid off in the high school years. 

The transcript provides a one-page snapshot of a young adult's high school course, grade, and credit summary. Course descriptions 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 school to write individual course descriptions for every class for every student.

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.

Some colleges ask for parents to write course descriptions.

It is part of their verification process.

Not all colleges ask for course descriptions. Some don't know they could, should or would even benefit from them. Others do not care because they have come to understand and prefer the quality students home education affords, and prefer to meet the student in person rather than on paper. However, with the eclectic mix of methods and means home educators utilize, the course descriptions do bring out the extraordinary opportunities homeschoolers have embraced.

I remember when I encountered the first college requesting course descriptions. Thankfully, we were still early in our high school journey so we could easily remember all the exceptional experiences our young adult benefited from in his courses, some variations of more traditionally taught classes (like the 10 dissections he completed in an Honors Biology class he took at a local co-op) as well as courses we designed based on independent study, research, and personal reading. The reading list he compiled on the computer helped tremendously as we reflected on all what was involved in each course.

From the first high schooler on down, I have diligently kept course descriptions current--with the exception of the year a baby was born in MAY! 

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.

             Keeping current has saved me time and headache. 

I have to 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 and need more information to differentiate one student from another. 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.

To capture the most significant, record keeping is essential.

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.

When I don't record regularly, I forget valuable additions. In our busy years, I found it helpful to open the course description document and add bullet points which 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. 

I constantly must 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, think about 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 is 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. 

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

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. 

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 Celebrate High School. which is currently undergoing revision and update with an intended release date of late summer 2015. The revised edition will contain every thing in the original publication as well as some new features (including middle school sections) parents will find helpful as they celebrate high school.

*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. 

Intentional High School Years- Part I- Transcripts

Intentionality has paid off in the high school years. 

Before I began the high school journey with my oldest, I was determined to start it off "right". I attended everything from panel discussions with home school grads and moms to transcript seminars with guidance and educational professionals...before my first son ever started checking off credits. I know, perhaps a bit intense.

There were many reasons for my jump start before the high school years. 

Perhaps the first reason was my interest and passion for all things education. Even with my confidence in what I knew about education there was, down inside my mind, a nagging voice: "you will mess up your first-born, home-educated guinea pig". Regardless the main reason for my jump start, the varied motivations (right or wrong) along the journey made me seek answers.

Empowerment: one of the greatest gifts I have given myself as a mama of high schoolers

This remains true today as I journey with my third high school young adult. Yes, some information remains relevant, however, legislation, college admission trends, unique interests of each student, change. So, even after two home graduates, I still seek answers.

Most of what I learned in 2003 when I began the high school journey (wow, has it really been 12 years on the high school journey?) about the layout and contents of transcripts has remained constant. I haven't had to adjust my approach to transcript design and development, thankfully. (Though I will admit, I changed layout a bit for the current student to highlight specific strengths.)

The challenge today, however, is not a lack of information or empowerment. 

Instead, I now fight full days and the looming end of a semester...and it's time to update my current high schooler's transcript! WHEW!

This week, I need to pull up my boot straps and make room in my schedule for what I have learned-- and now advise others to do when I teach workshops or do individual consults. Sometimes it is hard to follow our own advice...ugh!

What have  I learned (and still intentionally apply) regarding keeping transcripts up-to-date? 

After my high schooler and I map out a four-year plan in pencil, I create a template for that young adult's transcript (a snapshot of the high school years) as soon as my student begins high school level classes, if possible. I add courses as they are started and fill in credits and grades as they are earned (or at least try to keep up as best I can- you never know who will ask for this important document)

With one of my high schoolers, due to the birth of a new baby, I got behind on recording, and oh my, it was hard to catch up. Catching up, however, is still easier than starting from square one when the local sports team or auto insurance company request a copy. YIKES! Been there, too!

As our first eighth grader enrolled in high school level courses, I began the process of researching transcript formats and contents. Once I had compiled a list of "transcript essentials" colleges were requiring, I typed anticipated courses into the document in progress. This intentional preparation was a great help as the semester and the year ticked on. I was tired and spring baseball season was in full force. The last thing I had time and energy to do was to sit, research, and create with a clear mind. After all, in the spring of that year I was already planning for the next school year.

When summer break arrived, I finished adding grades and credits to the document. As we discussed courses for the upcoming year, I added those anticipated courses to the document, later deleting and reformatting as the semester progressed. This was a valuable lesson for me to learn, especially when I had littles learning to read or middle schoolers who needed a paragraph edited. The little work up front paid dividends in the end. 

I have learned the transcript is gold when applying to colleges. It is typically the first document in the college application pile and sets the tone for the entire stack of paperwork. If admission officials like what they see, or are curious about those out-of-the box courses no other applying student has completed, the college application stands a better chance at a second read. With that weight of importance, my intentional efforts are worth the early start and purposeful additions each semester. 

Creating a professional, concise, clear snapshot of your young adult's high school years is worth the time and energy of research and document design. When I speak to parents about transcript creation, some of the least common questions relate to the intentional steps of keeping the document current. Most parents want to know the nuts and bolts of the "must haves" which we cover in my workshops. However, when time comes to sit in front of the computer and get it on paper, fear resurfaces and often causes procrastination. 

Empower yourself! Go to workshops. Search online for example templates. However, also be intentional to take time to add, delete, and making necessary, timely changes. This document deserves your attention, and you will be thankful for your intentional steps forward. You can develop a transcript of home learning that catches the attention of future college officials and employers. It is possible and you are able!

*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. 

Messy Nachos and a Family Movie

Messy nachos. A family movie. History. The makings of a great evening. 

This 1943 black and white Warner Brothers movie captured our attention with a quick plot and helped bring the lives of Marie and Pierre Curie alive. A great culmination after reading The Story of Madame Curie by Alice Thorne (Signature Series).

Living Books Forum: Not Just Literature: Weaving Living Books into High School Courses

I'm working on finalizing the speaking points for my workshop, Not Just Literature: Weaving Living Books into High School Courses. As I add notes I ponder, “I wish I had had the opportunity to attend a workshop like this 8 years ago when I started the high schooling chapter of our home education story."

I'm not trying to sound proud, just wishing I had had the chance to hear from a mom who had walked a less traditional road. I could have learned from their experience. But then again, perhaps I wouldn’t have learned the valuable lessons I can now pass along to others. 

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to walk parents through the process of finding great literature and real books which can solidify understanding in the high school years when young adults are making decisions about how they can use interests and gifts which will impact their college and career choices.

In the session we will discuss where to find real book resources for high school, interweaving reading choices into courses, keeping paperwork and grades to reflect what young adults are reading in regards to home education statute and college admissions. The workshop will interactive with question and answer opportunity.

Consider attending Living BooksForum. There's something for everyone, at any stage of the home education journey.

*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. 

Creating High School Photography

Doesn't matter the subject, learning happens naturally, everyday.

A year ago, our daughter became increasingly interested in photography. A real interest. One she thought about every day. One she spent time researching, and then talking through her ideas. Home educating, I knew we had the freedom to explore her interest as part of our day, every day, if she desired. And she did!

Though I enjoy photography and have a "creative" bent, I had no idea what concepts and skills would be included in a photography course. So, when she asked me what areas I thought would be included in a photography course, I joined in the learning. Together, my daughter and I researched possible content, brainstormed life experiences which could cultivate and refine her craft, and dove into photography contests she could enter. She thought she would like to upgrade her camera. She researched pros and cons of brands and features. Her interest drove the learning, I simply learned alongside. 

She wanted a road map, so to speak, of things she could study. As we brainstormed, we researched and wrote down these topics:

• The history of photography (the pinhole camera, daguerreotype, Kodak Brownie camera, film development, darkrooms, Polaroid cameras, flash cubes and flash bars)
• People of importance: Joseph Nicephore Niepce, Loius Daguerre, R.L. Maddox, George Eastman
• http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/image-collection/
• http://www.betterphoto.com/forms/linkall.asp?catID=2 (famous photographers)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu0Ul_wsYO8 (film developing)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99Huief4Ylo (setting up a darkroom)
• Types of photography (portrait, children, pets, landscapes, macro, food, nature, architectural, forensic,sports)
• http://www.mediacollege.com/photography/types/ (helpful definitions and photo examples)
• http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/
• Parts of a camera, features and components
• http://www.mediacollege.com/photography/camera/
• http://www.steves-digicams.com/knowledge-center/how-tos/photography-tips/10-basic-camera-parts.html#b
• How cameras work
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dXlok8PMLo
• Legal, ethical and copyright issues in photography (fair use, buildings protected by copyright, difference between photography for personal use or commercial use, model/copyright releases, editorial photography as a profession in regards to rights and fair use)
• http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-fairuse.html
• http://www.kodak.com/cluster/global/en/consumer/doingMore/copyright.shtml
• Licenses in photography (rights-managed, royalty-free)
• http://asmp.org/tutorials/licensing-guide.html#.Ugv37pLCaSo
• Lighting, shutter speed, aperture, depth of field
• http://www.mediacollege.com/photography/filters/ (filters)
• Composition, image color and sharpness, special techniques
• http://www.mediacollege.com/photography/composition/ 
• Analyzing and critiquing photographs
• Photo editing (Adobe Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Photo Plus, adjusting color and brightness, layering, filters)
• http://pixlr.com/ (online editor)
• Documentary, photojournalism, stock photography, wedding photography
• http://digitaljournalist.org/issue9911/icon23.htm
• Famous photographers and photojournalists 
• Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, Alfred Eisenstaedt
• http://artscenecal.com/ArticlesFile/Archive/Articles1997/Articles0397/AEisenstaedt.html (Alfred Eisenstaedt)
• http://www.anseladams.com/ (Ansel Adams)
• http://www.archives.gov/research/ansel-adams/ (Ansel Adams)
• http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/adams/ (Ansel Adams)
• http://www.anseladams.org/index.html (Ansel Adams)
• http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug97/FSA/lang.html (Dorothea Lange)
• http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/lange/index.html (Dorothea Lange)
• http://www.photography-now.net/josef_sudek/ (Josef Sudek)
• Mounting and displaying photography (enter photo contests for practical experience)
• Photography careers (portrait photographers, commercial photographers, fine art photographers, scientific photographers, sports photographer, medical photographer, forensic photographer, nature photographer, aerial photographer, photojournalists)
• http://www.mediacollege.com/photography/wedding/ (wedding photography)

My daughter began her study of photography independently in ares of personal interest. We found safe online tutorials she could access (most camera companies offer tutorials and resources). Eventually she did enroll in an on-line high school course.

Finding a helpful "book" resource was difficult due to the nature of some of the specialty photography topics. At a used book store we did find Digital Photography Master Class, a DK hardcover publication. As a reminder, be sure to look through resources careful. Family guidelines vary. *

She became curious about pursuing further learning as well as potential career options in photography. Daytona State College offers these descriptions of their courses which helped understand the depth and scope of post-secondary study. Job shadowing a photographer or interning as a photographer's assistant at a wedding or larger event was a definite possibility. Of course, there are always the options of writing a research paper, reading a biography, making a pinhole camera, setting up a darkroom, and experimenting with mounting techniques. Perhaps the best education is the hands-on practice of taking, critiquing, and editing photos. We found on-line editing programs. The one we like best was Pixlr which didn't have to be downloaded to the computer. She also began compiling a portfolio of prints should she be asked to provide examples of her work. Practice is essential. Creating a yearbook for a co-op or working with a blogger to communicate content visually would be two wonderful ways to gain practical experience.

How could we communicate all she had learned and experienced to college admissions or perhaps a perspective client? Reading through sample course titles and descriptions on-line, I was able to write a concise course description of her work. Wow, to see on paper what she had accomplished. It was rewarding for her as well as confirming for me. She learned and understood foundational aspects of photography.

A curiosity revealed an interest, a catalyst for learning.

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