My daughter, Molly, is a smart little cookie. But she really doesn't like any part of school.

 

She loves cooking and baking. She enjoys it when I put her in charge of the younger kids.  She spends all of her free time sewing up creations of her own making, doing crafts (again her own creations), and reading.  She has a high reading level, but doesn't read to get information. She reads for the story.  She doesn't care if it's a long chapter book or a child's story book...as long as the story captures her, she reads it. And she loves horses...or at least, the idea of horses.

 

She also spends time thinking of ways to serve people.  Lately she's been working on making money for a local women's shelter that her Nana supports.  She's come up with many unique ideas, and almost all of her spending money goes into a pot for the women.

 

Molly is not one of my easier students.  She's a sweet, gentle girl, but when it comes to school, she restrains herself from bucking me with great difficulty.  If I assign a book to be read during school, she knows she will hate it.  But put that book aside, and she might pick it up later to get a taste, and then devour it.  She despises math, and cries over it.  But will spend an afternoon cuddled up by me in the easy chair doing numerous math and logic problems in a logic book her father brought home. Like her brother Jacob, she also desires to be a missionary.

 

There's just something about school that she despises.  And because her nature is generally compliant and sweet, I've paid close attention to this antagonism.

 

It isn't likely, at this point at least, that Molly will enjoy the studies with which college would present her.

 

However, she has the intelligence to get thru college and beyond if she can find the motivation inside her.  That may indeed happen, and things may change in the next ten years, but for now, Tim and I have put her on the vocational school track.

 

What that means is that we want to get her ready to attend a short term vocational school or a community college so that she can earn an AA degree in whatever interests her.  If she shows an entreprenurial bent, we'd like to have her ready to pursue at least a two year degree in business. As a missionary, she would need to have some "tent-making" skills.

 

It may be that she will decide that she has no desire to attend school after she's done here at home.  But because we see that she has the academic abilities to go to college and because her hobbies indicate social interest tendencies, we are going to get her ready anyway.

 

This is what the vocational school track looks like:

 

Sciences:  General Science (2 years), Physical Science (2 years), 1 year Biology and/or Chemistry

 

Math:  Going as slowly as necessary and starting in 7th grade, General Math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Business Math

 

History: Same as college track, 6 years Tapestry of Grace

 

Literature:  2-4 books a year, major classics, discuss with Mom

 

Spanish:  1-2 years

 

Writing: every year, Writing Strands, to include all but technical writing

 

Typing: Typing Instructor, 1 year

 

Bible: Kay Arthur studies, change to deeper studies as student shows aptitude.

 

And then of course, whatever other interests Molly has along the way.  We will concentrate on study skills and test taking during these years as well.

 

The one thing that makes this track a little different from the college track is that we won't be covering the gamut of subjects expected in the college track.  The reason for this is we don't want our less than motivated students to burn out. We want to take it easy. Give them a chance to find their niche academically, if they can.  If it seems they are catching on and speeding ahead and show a desire, it's very easy to slip from this track to the college track.

 

Again, the main idea is to give me an idea of where Molly and I are going.  This track keeps me (and her) from comparing herself to Jacob and other homeschoolers. It helps me to stay in touch with what is important to her, and to remember to take things slow but not let up on the pressurre either.  Just enough pressure, but not too much.

 

Jacob thrives under pressure. Molly wilts under pressure.  Let her find her footing first, and then we can see where that takes her.

 

With the vocational track, Tim and I have a general idea that these kids will finish schooling with us by the time they are about 16 and can take some community college classes. Perhaps they'll do some schooling with us at the same time they are taking classes.  We think it's important for them to get a taste of how things are going to be living outside of our home, in case that adds some self-motivation for them.  It might not, but those classes certainly can't hurt them.

 

Specially since Mom plans to be the one driving them to class and attending class with them the first year.

 

Basically, we want to give these students a good chance at attending college at some level, but keep from putting on pressure that would dissuade them from further academics.  In no way do we have expectations that any of our children will choose college as the next logical step following homeschool.  But we want to make sure we educate them to the highest degree possible for them individually so that they can do college if that's what they prefer.