Keeping your HS students on track...

[deltagal]

I've never really had much of an issue with this before, perhaps because we just have always simply moved along at each child's pace; but now that my oldest is ready to embark upon the highschool years I'm super conscientious of "where" he is in his work. I'm concerned that he doesn't get to his math and grammar every day (his choice) and as a result is not right where I had "planned" he would be at this point. For example, he should be ending Rod and Staff 5 this week and beginning Rod and Staff 6 in January, but he is only on chapter 6 of Rod and Staff 5. In his math, he should be ending Singapore 6A tomorrow, but he still has about 10 lessons left.

IF he were in "school" he would obviously be dealing with the repercussions of falling behind. How do you keep a homeschool student on track with his lessons? I feel a burden to "figure" this out because I know I can't hover over him every day for the next 4 years making sure he's keeping pace with his math and grammar. Any thoughts?

[Tansy]

If you are taking time off for the holidays....

You could just simply tell him he can not take time off as he still has school work left, and he will need to work on it a bit each day. I also would leave him home early on in the vacation time. Since he still has work to do he can't participate in "all" the fun stuff. Let it be the natural consequence that flows out of his procrastination. I'm not recommending he miss everything, just a few things early on "because he still has school to do" if you have time now you might mention that you will have to do this since he is so far behind. You may find he starts to catch him self up before next week.

[deltagal]

Tansy - He's been under that "rule" for 2 weeks now and it is not making any difference. Thank you, though.

[inHistiming]

Hmmmmm....I would say he needs a time each day by which he must have his work completed....3 pm, 6 pm....whatever works for you. And check it each day to make sure he's doing it. If he doesn't, then give a consequence immediately, that way he's not 'getting away' with anything. We do this with our dc (their chores must be completed and well by 7 each evening), and though it is inconvenient for their dad and I, we have seen improvement in the quality of their chores as well as getting them done on time. If we let some slide those are the ones they let slide too and aren't diligent with. We have more improvement that needs done in this and other areas, but it does seem to be helping.

[beverett]

I agree with inhistiming... I had really become relaxed with my oldest (only because i was busy with the younger children) and he totally just did "whatever". I decided that because he is in highschool this year and becase he was taking advantage of the freedom, that he needs better accountability (which is good for anyone anyhow). So it takes a lot more from me, but i am now having to check things off and grade them as soon as he is done. Having a set time is a great idea, then if he is not finished at the set time, well he just has to school the rest of the afternoon or evening till he is finished and may not do anything else. I check periodically throughout the day and this works well for us. It was a struggle at first, but seeing that i am not going to BUDGE on this issue, he is doing well and getting better each day! It is hard to be diligent with this and ALL of the other things going on, but i can already see the fruit of it, and eventually i think i can set a time each day to just have a check with him. Oh by the way we are only in the 3rd week of school.

[Carrie]

Florence,

I agree with the ladies wise advice. This year I'm having my oldest son, who is in 9th grade, hand in his work as he completes it. Each of my older kiddos has an assigned section of the kitchen counter where he piles up completed assignments each day. With my younger students, who are not very independent yet, I check their work as they go and they just put their work away then.

At lunchtime, I check the independent subjects that my older kiddos have handed in and then go over any needed corrections and make sure the kiddos are on track. I assign the grades for my older son as I check his work. After lunch, the older kiddos put their corrected work away. I've found that if I leave the work later in the day to correct, I end up doing it at night before bed. (Yuck!) So, now I make sure to correct whatever is completed at lunchtime.

On a sidenote, my oldest son is a great independent worker, is very diligent, and is very honest in not looking at the answers unless he asks me first. However, if I don't correct his work for several days I can already begin to see a change in the completeness and length of his answers and his handwriting legibility! So, for him, knowing I'm checking makes him work harder and hand in higher quality work. He is also motivated by seeing his grades on his papers. I have no worries about this particular son being a life-long learner or working hard on his own, but I know that for me it is very motivating to know someone else is looking at what I've done when it's still fresh in my mind. This seems to motivate my son too.

One other thing I've noticed is that as I check his work each day I get a better grasp of how long his assignments might be taking him, and I am more able to adjust accordingly and give grace where needed for very long assignments or a nudge where needed for work that could be better or done more quickly instead. These are just a few of my thoughts that may be of use as you're pondering what is best for your son and your family. I know each family is different.

Blessings,
Carrie