|
|
|
|
|
Users viewing this topic:
none
|
|
Login  | |
|
Accredited vs. Non-Accredited Curriculum - 10/6/2009 5:48:10 AM
|
|
|
Hislittleone
Posts: 681
Joined: 7/13/2007
From: The South
Status: offline
|
How important is it to use an accredited curriculum? And how important is it to have an "official" transcript from an accredited source?
We are still basically new to homeschooling. Last year we took our (then) 7th grader out of the private Christian school he was attending and homeschooled using the Calvert curriculum. I think it was a great curriculum but it was so stressful having to do all the grading so we are looking at doing an online curriculum this year. He likes the thought of doing most of the work online (and so do I).
I'm afraid to do the mixing and matching that it seems most homeschoolers do. I've been really stuck on needing an "official" transcript from an accredited school/curriculum to present to a school when we re-enroll him in the future (or for getting into college if we stick with homeschooling through high school). Not to mention having a lesson manual with daily assignments etc. that's already neatly put together for me. That still seems like an overwhelming task at this point. 
OTOH, it seems like it'd be fun to mix and match whatever we thought best for each subject.
Oh, and if anyone has a recommendation for an online accredited curriculum I'd love to hear it. 
We enrolled him in the Alpha Omega SOS program but it's the most ridiculous thing I've seen in homeschooling. In 8th grade math he is being taught how to count fingers.  I'm not kidding. He was instructed to write in numerical form how many fingers the hands were holding up. The course work is sooo far behind what it should be, at least from what I can see.
So now we're half-way through the first semester and are looking for a new curriculum. 
_____________________________
Galations 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Accredited vs. Non-Accredited Curriculum - 10/6/2009 8:34:54 AM
|
|
|
his_chosen
Posts: 1302
Joined: 4/11/2005
Status: offline
|
We use whatever works. Four kids, four different methods.
I'm not sure I understand waht "accreditied" curriculum is. We use text books for math. I'm not even sure of the publisher. As far as I'm concerned, math is math. Language arts, I use Spelling Power and Daily Grams. For writing, we ended up using an antique Technical Writing book. Seriously--I bougth the book for my antique book collection and found it so good, that's what we used! For science, we're using various text books. History, geography, social studies are all Christian based, as I happened to get those from my aunt.
We did have to come up with a transcript for ds2 when we enrolled him in the charter school. They were fine with what we provided.
_____________________________
You have a choice. You can throw in the towel or you can use it to wipe the sweat off your face.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Accredited vs. Non-Accredited Curriculum - 10/6/2009 12:39:58 PM
|
|
|
shadowspring
Posts: 620
Joined: 5/27/2006
Status: offline
|
I don't think there is such a thing as accredited curriculum. Only schools can be accredited.
Accreditation for schools can be very important or not important at all. If you are planning on enrolling your child in a public school from 9th grade on, I don't think accreditation would be an issue. However, you would need to go and talk with the school you might choose ahead of time to find out what they want.
For example, my public high school will accept my home school transcript as pass/fail- meaning he will earn the number of credits I am claiming on the transcript, but his GPA will be based solely on what he earns at that school.
Other public schools will have other policies. One I know of accepted students on a provisional status. If the grades they were earning in public school matched the grades that the parents claimed they had earned at home, they would accept the grades as well as the credits. But if the students failed to perform at grade level, they would accept neither grades nor credits.
It's usually up to each principal in each school district, or it will be a district wide policy. Either way, just ask and someone will be happy to tell you.
If you do decide you need an accredited school, then the accrediting agency is important. Especially at the college level, REGIONAL accreditation is what matters. When you see a school advertised as nationally- accredited, that is meaningless in the academic world.
Regional accreditation usually goes only to bricks and mortar schools, though an online program associated with a bricks and mortar school can be accredited as well. Accreditation assures certain standards are met, like libraries, gymnasiums, bathrooms, student-teacher ratios, certified teachers, the right kind and number of specialists (ESL, LD, etc.)- things like that.
On my daughter's non-accredited home school diploma were several high school courses earned from University of Oklahoma High School Online- a regionally accredited university so the high school credits were considered accredited. The college admissions office was very happy to see this, so it does help.
But for middle school? The most important thing is quality education- learning the math, study and writing skills your student will need when they return to institutional school someday. For that you have the freedom to research which textbooks/methods will work best for you.
_____________________________
"Blessed is the man...whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by rivers of water..." from Psalm 1
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Accredited vs. Non-Accredited Curriculum - 10/6/2009 1:03:56 PM
|
|
|
allisonbrett
Posts: 839
Joined: 5/29/2008
From: A bit north of the Big Chicken
Status: offline
|
quote:
We enrolled him in the Alpha Omega SOS program but it's the most ridiculous thing I've seen in homeschooling. In 8th grade math he is being taught how to count fingers. I'm not kidding. He was instructed to write in numerical form how many fingers the hands were holding up. The course work is sooo far behind what it should be, at least from what I can see.
So now we're half-way through the first semester and are looking for a new curriculum.
We're using SOS math for 8th grade and it goes way beyond counting. If you find units that are too elementary skip them and move on. We expect to finish the entire year by Christmas, if not Thanksgiving and will move to Algebra 1. There was one until (NUMBERS, unit 5) that was a review. Since my dd isn't a math person we did that unit as it reviewed fractions, percent, decimals, ratios, etc. Her flying through that unit confirmed that she is ready to move forward so we're starting the pre-geometry. We will be using something other than SOS for the higher maths though. Probably Teaching Textbooks.
_____________________________
Allison
A work in progress so please be patient, God is still working on me. Ouch, it sure is painful!
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Accredited vs. Non-Accredited Curriculum - 10/6/2009 5:00:26 PM
|
|
|
stateofgrace
Posts: 1585
Joined: 4/12/2005
Status: offline
|
We're using SOS through an accredited correspondence school; so far the math program for my daughter appears to be grade-appropriate (she's in 11th grade, though).
I don't think accreditation by itself is such a big thing; there are organizations where standards aren't that heavy; it was other benefits of a correspondence program that made it a good fit for us.
_____________________________
America Needs Revival. Will you commit to pray for it?
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Accredited vs. Non-Accredited Curriculum - 10/7/2009 9:21:32 PM
|
|
|
Hislittleone
Posts: 681
Joined: 7/13/2007
From: The South
Status: offline
|
My husband spoke with admissions at the private school ds used to attend and they said that they would need either a transcript with the classes he took and the grades he received from us or from whatever school he attends. So I guess accreditation and getting an official school transcript doesn't matter all that much.
That was good news because I'm thinking of mixing it up a little instead of using a complete boxed curriculum from just one source.
Right now I'm pretty sure we're going to use Apologia science but am unsure of the rest. We're looking at Math U See, Living Texts, maybe A Beka for Language, and possibly keeping on with a few courses in Alpha Omega.
I think we'll be doing Algebra, Biology, American History, Language Arts (not sure of what that will specifically entail), and some electives. Any suggetions on your favorite textbooks for these subjects would be greatly appreciated.
I'd love for him to do Algebra online somehow because that's my weakest subject. Oh, and while I'm asking questions... Science isn't my strongest subject either so I'm wondering if Apologia Biology would be too difficult for me to teach.
_____________________________
Galations 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Accredited vs. Non-Accredited Curriculum - 10/9/2009 5:25:55 PM
|
|
|
heartwings
Posts: 1
Joined: 10/9/2009
Status: offline
|
This is our second year to home school. My daughter is in the 10th grade. We started last year with ABEKA. I bought all the student, teacher, and test books. I graded and recorded grades on a report card that I made. I kept detailed records of books, grades, and days of attendance.
This year I am using the ABEKA Academy (the non-accredited) - this includes student, teacher, test books, and DVD for each subject. I is working well. I tailor lessons to fit my child and don't always use the DVD for the lesson.
The HSDL provided lots of very pertinent information about record keeping and transcripts.
I have learned from other parents that it is not neccesary to be enrolled in an accredited program to enter college. You will need to prepare a transcript, diploma, and submit ACT scores.
I recently talked to a parent who has two children now in college. She home schooled them and prepared her information that was needed. Her two children scored a 33 and 34 on the ACT. She did not go through an accredited program and was very successful. Both children received full scholarships to our local university. She was able to get a lot of information at the HSDL website.
|
|
|
|
 New Messages |
 No New Messages |
 Hot Topic w/ New Messages |
 Hot Topic w/o New Messages |
 Locked w/ New Messages |
 Locked w/o New Messages |
|
 Post New Thread
Reply to Message
Post New Poll
Submit Vote
Delete My Own Post
Delete My Own Thread
Rate Posts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Tools
Printable Version
I've got to leave to take ds2 to a dental appt but will be back later this evening. Thanks for the replies. 
