RTR Highschoolers I would love an update!!

[deltagal]

Hi there,

We'll be using RTR next year for my 13 yo's first year of High School and I would be interested in hearing how it is going for those who are doing the same? What did you do of Carrie's suggestions to make it "count" for high school? If you could do it all over, would you still do it for High School? I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

[water2wine]

We are using it this year for 9th. We are not far into it but I would do it all again in a heart beat. Definitely using these higher guides for high school is working for us and I intend to do different combination for my children as they land in the high school years. We are not far into because our school year falls differently. I am doing some of the things Carrie suggests and have added some of my own. I have my own science. We are using BJU physical which is really an into to chemistry and physics not really an Earth science as others designate their physical science. We are doing it with DIVE and are liking that so far. We are using her recs for beefing up history and I have also linked some more Diana Warring on the church history cd since that is very easy to do and our hearts desire to cover more. If you want to know how I am doing that pm me. We are using the books The Story of Europe: From the Fall of the Roman Empire to the Reformation by H. E. Marshall (Yesterday's Classics) along with Courage and Conviction: Volume 3 by the Withrows that Carrie recommends as well. My daughter loves to read so the more the merrier for her.

For literature we have Peter Leithert's Brightest Heaven of Invention (Carrie recommends this one)and are using some of that along with a CS Lewis Study and are using Progeny Press for that. This was just something that follows my daughter's interest. I have more structured thing I plan to do later so this works for this year. We are also going to do something with Pilgrim's progress. I got a study on that but I am looking at what AIG has as well and contemplating blending the two just because that is a great book to take as much as I can from it. I started with the progeny press just to give myself more time on that. We have added some Bible. You can pm me on that if you want to as well. It's just stuff that I think follows the heart of HOD and works on things we need as a family. I have more than I need in that area and I like it that way because I consider those tools on my shelf like gold in the bank. I do not worry about how much we will finish just that we will cover the things I feel like God is showing me we need this year. I am heavy on Bible. It is a larger focus for us than history, though we love how HOD weaves history and Bible together. As a group together we are doing a study on James just reading it, memorizing passages and reading commentary. This is with all my kids though I think I am the one that needs it the most.

We have Spanish covered as our foreign language. I decided on an easy option for art, The phonics of Drawing and will also probably do the water color portion if we get to it this year too. It's just super easy to use and the instruction looks good to me. She is doing a theater club at church as well. I am also having her do Thinking Like A Christian which is something I know Carrie has looked at as well. This will count as philosophy for her. She uses a different LA already and we have chose to use EIW as written on the higher level for her to match the time period as HOD has in the program. Just super easy and the highest quality. Who needs more there?

To me it all works perfect. high School to my mind is preparation for college if you lean that way and real life. Using HOD saves me lots of time planning, it leads all the stuff we stick to it and gives it a theme and cohesion of linking it all to Him. And there is toms of room for doing what interests your child. All those electives and levels of Math. LA and Science to me need to be customized in high school anyway. With the things Carrie gives as options to beef up and the electives you add and would to any program as well as hitting them at their level for Science. LA and Math, it's really perfect.

So bottom line, we are not far into it but are loving it and sure of our decision. I am confident we will use the next guides to come in the same way. Not sure if I am answering it all but hoping this helps.

[deltagal]

Thanks W2W!

[Carrie]

water2wine,

You are so kind to share this with us and to type your thinking all out!

Blessings to you on your year,
Carrie