This page was last updated: March 22, 2010

Home School for High School

with Kathleen Duncan

Since 2001

What is the difference between middle school courses

and high school level courses?

Middle school courses involve more memorization. 

High school courses may require more analysis.

 

Middle school is "What happened?" 

High school is "What happened, why it happened and what is the effect for the future?"

A middle school report might be about the facts relating to an event or person. The student may read an encyclopedia or a couple of history books then report about dates, events and facts.  A short bibliography may be required.

A high school research paper would be more in depth.  It would require the student read commentaries on the events and do analysis.  He would report not only when and where the events took place, but why they took place and what resulted from the actions of those involved.  The bibliography would be more complete and the report may even include footnotes or endnotes.  The student may also be asked to provide his opinion of the events and people involved.

Helpful Hints

"If you have more than child being home schooled, take the time to

make a "Course Schedule" for each class." 

Take time to put together a Course Schedule before your students begins the class.  Break each course down into individual assignments.  Some assignments may take more than one day to complete, such as a research paper. That's okay.  Number each  assignment.  This could be set up on a spreadsheet or in a list format with a space for "Due Dates".  Save it for future use.

On your student's weekly assignment list, you will only have to list the Assignment Number!  You do not have to write out the entire assignment. 

For example, week one may have a student doing Assignment 1 on Monday, Assignment 2 on Thursday, and beginning Assignment 3 on Friday.  Assignment 3 may be an essay due in two weeks.  On the next weeks' assignment list, you would put something like:

           "Continue to work on Assignment 3 for English.   You should have your research

             and rough draft done by Friday.  This assignment is due next week."

Print out the entire assignment list for your student at the beginning of the course so they know what is expected of them.  They can fill out the due dates on their copy.  Make them responsible to get assignments done and turned in by the due date. 

This will take some time to do with the first student, but will save you valuable time when the next child takes the same course

JUST FOR FUN!

Do your kids ask permission to do things at the worst times?  You say yes and then discover their room is a mess, their school is not done and the cat's coughed up a hairball in their closet?

Here is a Checklist for Recreation.  Have your child go over the list and answer the questions prior to asking you permission to watch, play, go, buy, do, eat or get something.