Ladies,
This is such an important topic that I definitely want to pop-in and share a few thoughts about this even though time is a bit tight right now!
I'll begin by sharing that at HOD it is definitely our desire to prepare kiddos as best as possible for college, should the Lord lay it upon their hearts to go in that direction. Our guides are written to help students earn needed credits expected by most colleges. We take a 4 x 4 +2 approach to this by including more than 4 social sciences (i.e. geography, world history, two years of American history, government, economics), 4 years of English/composition, 4 years of math, 4 years of science with lab, and 2 years of foreign language. We also include 4 years of Bible and additional courses beyond that such as Health, Fine Arts, Logic, World Religions and Cultures, etc.
This is our first step toward making sure students are adequately prepared for what lies ahead.
Next, we work to be sure that students are trained and comfortable in using their time well. This is accomplished as students gain independence in a variety of skills as they move through the HOD Guides and are required to accomplish a wide range of tasks each day with minimal supervision.
Getting behind has its natural consequences as the work load continues to move forward daily. The guide does not adjust itself for students who are not completing their work on time, meaning that the goals for the day are set and it is up to the students to figure out how to meet them.
Simply telling students what to do does not equate to students doing it! Instead, completing assignments on time requires initiative, planning, time management, diligence, and follow-through (all essential college skills). Consider that the HOD guide's directions are a training ground where students learn essential skills needed for success in life!
Another area in which HOD shines is in its level of required reading and writing each day. The guides are rigorous in their expectations in these two areas, making sure students are prepared to readily do the two most common portions of any college level class. Students who can readily read and write, who can manage their time well, and who are used to independently managing their time will have an easier transition to college requirements.
Our guides also require students to think deeply about a variety of areas, often foregoing the easy route and opting for assignments that require higher level thinking which must be put into words. Years of oral and written narration practice prepare kiddos to put thoughts from their mind into words and/or onto paper cohesively and creatively.
This brings us to the question of long-term projects and their place within the curriculum. I do believe that long-term projects are good as students learn to budget their time over multiple days and weeks. As such, we have included projects in every guide leading up to the high school guides, spreading one project over a week or longer in each guide, as well as through Drawn into the Heart of Reading's projects at the end of each unit. We have included long-term projects in the World Geography Guide as already mentioned in this thread, as well as in the World History Guide (through health projects at the end of each unit in health and through the long-term research paper.) With that being said, I do think it is important to have some perspective as to how much of this type of learning is beneficial at the high school level. Does all work need to be handled in this manner, or might it be better to strive for a more balanced approach where some work is handled in this manner and other work is still required daily?
I tend to lean in the direction of a balanced approach to education in high school, thinking that the high school years are meant to train kiddos in skills needed for success in college rather than making high school like a mini-college. The high school years are years of preparation, where skills are honed and a variety of subjects are explored. For some students this will be their final pursuit of this kind, while for others this will be a threshold for what is to come and a platform on which to build further learning.
While we could give kiddos a general plan for what is to be completed for the week/month/semester/or year, ask yourself how many assignments are really contained within that type of a plan. Then, compare that plan to what is being asked of the students and accomplished in any HOD guide (and if you look carefully at the assignments, you will see that these assignments go far beyond "seat work!") A general plan will be more general. Often it will require less output than a specific plan. As you consider a college syllabus, think about how many actual assignments are on that syllabus. Typically, the syllabus includes a huge volume of reading, lectures meant to aid learning, several written responses along the way in the form of essays/papers/reflections etc., and then one or two tests (which comprise most of the grade). While we could design our high school courses this way, ask yourself why we would design them like the college course when high school is meant to serve a different purpose than college?
Why do students still attend their high school classes daily? In my mind, it is because they are still in need of more accountability and because there is still much teaching/training/learning to be done at this level in preparation for what is to come. This is the role that I see provided within the HOD guides. It is a role not to be overlooked, as it actually takes more work to teach in this manner and requires more accountability and output from the student! I have often thought how much easier it would be to give my students a college-like syllabus for high school, but it would not reflect all of the skills and learning opportunities I desire for my students to have before they graduate!
College will be an adjustment, but our goal is to make that adjustment as seamless as possible. My own son is doing online courses for college right now and has transitioned very well. He actually thinks it is easier than his high school courses were as he was used to a much longer school day with more required in high school. He uses his time well and has not had any issues figuring out how much to study each day in order to be prepared and finish on time. I firmly believe that HOD prepares kiddos for the needed skills required in college and that students who do the guides as written will find themselves able to adjust to the expectations that college brings. I also believe that for students who do not go on to college, the well-rounded education received within HOD will help them all throughout life in whatever they pursue!
I cannot conclude this post without mentioning that the high school years are very important years for molding our students' character, strengthening their faith, directing their attention to God's Word, pouring their hearts into living as Christ desires, and seeking God's will for their future. These are the goals that matter for eternity. This is why the HOD high school guides regularly address these heart issues. If we lose are children's hearts in the pursuit of academics, what have we gained?
Head knowledge does not equate to heart knowledge. So, both must be addressed!
Blessings,
Carrie