Last year I wrote about our homeschool plan for Girl of the House's eighth grade year. Things did not go exactly as we expected (do they ever?). She had a very challenging year dealing with acute acid reflux, which often derailed schoolwork. She worked hard during the days she felt well, but all told, she missed at least one day (and often two or three days) a week due to illness for all but eight weeks the entire schoolyear. We made up for some of the lost time during the summer, but she still managed B's in her on-line classes, and all essential things were covered by hook or crook. I have more than once thanked the Lord for leading us to homeschooling and never more than last year. I'm also thanking Him that Girl 2 is a thousand times better than she was this time a year ago. So I have high hopes for the coming months of school! Here's the plan:
Math ~ Continue Math-U-See tutored by That Boy. She's over halfway through Zeta and will be moving into pre-algebra during the year. But do you know what she brought home from the library the other day? The entire Demystified series of math books, starting with pre-algebra! You gotta love a motivated student!
Logic ~ This is something that got dropped last year. Using Traditional Logic by Martin Cothran, we picked it up this summer and will slowly work our way through it. Once it's finished, we will study . . .
History and Literature of Late Antiquity through the Renaissance and Reformation ~ Our resident classicist, Man of the House, took her through ancient lit. last year and over the summer. Since he'll have enough to do for the next nine months what with teaching, pastoring, and going to seminary and all, I'll pick up where he left off with Vergil's Aeneid, some Aristotle, on through Augustine, Dante, Chaucer,etc. Details still to follow. We'll cover the history at the same time using Jackson Speilvogel's Western Civilization and Philip Daileader's medieval lectures through The Teaching Company.
Music History ~ I teach this class for an on-line school. Okay, I'll come clean and say that it's The Potter's School. Any remaining anonymity we might have had is now blown. ;-) Not that I'm biased or anything, but I think this class is fascinating . . . at least I find it fascinating to teach! Girl of the House has already absorbed a lot of this through osmosis, but I think she'll find it an enjoyable class.
English Vocabulary from Latin and Greek Elements ~ This is Man of the House's class. (Need I say it's through The Potter's School also? Yes, my dh is Mr. Spotts of international reputation. LOL!) Girl of the House is eager to take it. I know she'll get a lot out of it. I know I did the year I taught it. The development of the English language is another fascinating topic.
Writing ~ The One-Year Adventure Novel curriculum is going to be more like the 18-Month Adventure Novel for Girl 2. Illness is the culprit again, but she's on the verge of actually writing her novel now. We both really like this program, and I know she has learned a lot from it because she uses concepts she's learned to discuss movies and books with us. She will also be taking some progymnasmata tutorials with Cindy Marsch of Writing Assessment Services. I can't speak highly enough of Cindy and her writing tutorials!
German I ~ Even though Girl 2 (okay, let's call her by her name, Hannah) managed a B in this class last year despite everything, none of us thought she really mastered the material well enough to go on to German II. Dratted reflux! Her foundation was too shaky, so she's happy to have a do-over this year. This is another Potter's School class with another excellent teacher, Frau Gilliam.
Christian Philosophy ~ This class is being offered by some on-line friends. One of our goals for both our girls' education is to familiarize them with the foundations of Western civilization. If they don't know where they came from, they won't know where they're going. We want them to be able to discern the spirit of the age and weigh it against a biblical perspective. That's why we spend so much time in the upper grades studying worldview and philosophy. The text is Norman Melchert's The Great Conversation: A Historical Introduction to Philosophy. Hannah seems very eager to tackle this discipline judging by the readiness with which she digs in every morning.
So there you have it! It looks like a full year full of good learning! May the Lord be glorified and His will be done.
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