So here we are folks. 2015, the year Big Brother graduates from high school. *Sigh*
We’ve been moving along pretty well this school year in spite of our family relocating over the summer (which cut into my planning time for this school year), and adding Lil’ Dozer to our homeschool roll.
While Big Brother worked diligently to complete his remaining courses. His mother was doing a less that stellar job teaching a college preparatory necessity.
Writing a research paper. Uh-huh. Can you feel the weight of those words? Research paper.
Our situation played out like this: (lights, camera, action!)
- I purchased a curriculum at the beginning of the school year from my go to source for writing. After making it through the college application process in the fall, we attempted to start on the task.
Notice the word “attempted”. The curriculum proved confusing and frustrating for both mother and child. So,there we were in December (of senior year mind you!) going back to the drawing board.
- I found a detailed and useful four part series by Susan Wise Bauer on teaching this skill. But with five months of my son’s high school career remaining, I didn’t feel I had adequate time to prepare both of us for such an arduous undertaking.
While searching the internet(and praying!) I came across Time 4 Writing. They provide an eight week teacher led course on writing a research paper! Needless to say, I excitedly enrolled Big Brother. Can you hear the Hallelujah Chorus and my sigh of relief?!
How thankful I am for the numerous resources available to home educators. Other forms of “outsourcing” available include:
- Video curriculum: Math u See, Classical Academic Press & Memoria Press (for Latin)
- Co-ops
- Tutorials
- Swapping talents with another homeschool family
- Computer Based classes like those offered through Switched on Schoolhouse
What’s a curriculum or resource that’s been helpful in your homeschool?
We are part of a co-op where other people with great gifts have blessing us with so many great courses. We are actually slowly talking about next year classes where, as a group, we talk about our needs and our gifts/talents. I am so blessed to be a part of it because my kids have been getting poetry and art beyond what I could do with them. Hallelujah!
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Oh yes, the blessings of co-ops! Several years ago we were part of a co-op and thoroughly enjoyed it. The children were able to benefit from the talents of other mothers and I formed precious relationships that have been maintained over the years and miles that separate us.