Questions We Are Asked
by Dr. Mary Kay Clark
Director, Seton Home Study School
My son has finished Grade 3, but he struggled. He is not ready to go on to the next grade level, but I don’t want him to repeat the same books. What do you suggest?
We suggest that you give him different books and courses that are still at the same grade level. Seton can provide other materials at the same level. We could give him a different math book or English book, but it would cover and reinforce what he has already studied.
Some of these books do not have tests, but since he already has grades for the Grade 3 level, it is not necessary for him to take other tests. For history, you might find some level 3 biographies at the library. For science, you might purchase some of our Mr. Wizard DVDs for 3rd grade, and let him do some science projects. For his book reports, we do have other books on which he could do a report.
You can always mix and match levels. If he is ready for Grade 4 in some subjects, then move him up in those.
For more suggestions for each subject area, call one of our elementary counselors.
I struggled with scheduling last year. Balancing the housework and the schoolwork was very difficult.
Please read the chapters in my Catholic Home Schooling book on “Home Schooling in the Large Family,” and the chapter on “Home Management.” Think about the children, your husband, possibly your relatives who live nearby, who can help you to accomplish your goals and be successful in your home schooling.
Even young children can help around the house. Your children should learn that they have household responsibilities as a member of the family. Children in the intermediate grades are old enough not only to help, but to teach a pre-schooler to help with the chores. For instance, if a ten-year-old puts on a load of laundry at 10 A.M. each morning, a younger child can help sort the laundry, or help put the clean laundry in the proper drawers.
Older children, even if not in high school yet, can help with listening to a younger one read or help with math. If a child in the intermediate grades is having problems with math, let that child be a teacher’s aide for a younger child as he does his math.
Even if your husband is busy, fathers want to be a part of their children’s lives. They want to be involved as their children learn and mature; they want to discuss history or religion or math with their children.
Family members care and want to help, but you need to have specific things for them to do at specific and regular times of the day or week.
We live in a rural area and there are no Catholic home schooling families less than 30 minutes away. My daughter says she has no friends. Should I consider enrolling her in the local public high school?
Just moments prior to receiving this question, a mother told me that she lives in a rural area, and her Catholic friends said the local school was a good school, and the other Catholics send their children there. She enrolled her daughter in 8th grade, but several disturbing things happened this year. On Ash Wednesday, when her daughter was in the classroom with ashes on her forehead, the teacher pointed her out to the rest of the class and laughed at her for being so old-fashioned as to believe in that stuff anymore. Another thing was that in the 8th grade Sex Education (mixed) classes, the teacher explained the details of a sexual perversion (which shall remain nameless). It will be a long time before any of those children are able to remove that horrible image from their minds. And these were just two incidents.
Stories like this are rampant. Protect your children from attacks against the Catholic religion and against their purity. Keep them home!
There are many opportunities for socializing with other children, but sometimes we need to search them out. The first place to start is your parish. Are there any other home schoolers there? Is there any local support group? If there is nothing immediately at your parish, then a little online research for other opportunities is probably in order.
My son will be entering 8th grade, but he is anxious to enter high school. He might be more enthusiastic about home schooling if he could move ahead early.
Some students are able to move ahead into one or two classes at the 9th grade level. The most common situation is an 8th grader who is ready to take Algebra I. The next year, this student will start high school with a high school credit in math. Other students may take a 9th grade course, such as religion, with a sibling just to make things easier for them and for the parents. Be sure the student is ready for the work and can do well in the course, however.
Some students tend to be perfectionists, want all their work to be perfect, and want to take more courses. These students will take more than a full load of courses, spend five years in high school, and enjoy learning about everything. These students enter college a year later, are more mature, more educated, and obtain high grades. I met one of these graduates recently; he is a priest!
Do you think I should continue teaching some things over the summer?
Whether you formally teach or not, your child should not stop learning over the summer. Look for book sales, especially at libraries. You can often buy lots of books at very low prices. Build up your home library. Give your child a reward for every book read over the summer. Enter your child in a Book Reading club, or start one with some other home schooling mothers. Inspire them with ideas, such as reading a science book and have the students talk about what they learned about science.
When you see a book sale, take the children’s grandparents and have them buy books for the children. Books are so much healthier than toys or candy.
Some parents do some formal teaching, however, for a subject which needs to be finished up, or for a subject that needs review, such as math or English. Studies do seem to indicate that children who continue school over the summer do better on standardized tests.
My house is usually a mess and I cannot keep things off the floor. This keeps me upset and takes time away from my home schooling time and focus.
In homes with children, the clutter is usually toys and clothes. Most homes have too many toys and clothes. At least twice a year, give away (or throw away) a certain percent (try for 50%) of the children’s toys and clothes. That will lighten the load for you and everyone. Surprisingly, the children will never miss them. Keep whatever toys are left in big plastic containers.
Another tip is to look around and see what furniture you don’t need. It is more difficult to manage with too much furniture. Space is easier to clean!
Most homes have too many dishes, cups, and glasses. These end up being used around the house, which demands constant picking up and cleaning. Give these away as gifts. Each person in the family should have a glass with his/her name on it.
To cut down on laundry, towels should be hung up and used more than once after bathing.
Try using paper plates and bowls for breakfast and lunch; save money, time, and electricity by not using the dishwasher.
Here is a handy rule: The children must pick up their toys and put them away by a certain time after dinner. Any toys not picked up will be given to the parish.
My husband is now working only part-time, so we need to cut back on expenses. If we enroll in only two or three courses, which courses would be most important?
If you have children in grades 1 to 6, the courses in which you want to enroll the children are those where you want the counseling and grading help, most likely math, English, and reading.
If your children are in 7th and 8th, enroll the children in as many courses as possible to make sure they are ready for high school. Besides the English, Math, and Reading, I would suggest Vocabulary, Science, and History.
If your children are in high school, I would recommend enrolling them full- time. We frequently hear from students, parents, and colleges reporting how well-prepared for college our graduates are. The Seton program teaches students not merely facts, but also helps students learn how to study and progress on their own. The Seton courses give a Catholic perspective on many subjects that students otherwise might never receive.
If you are short on funds for your high-school student, think about who might be able to help financially. Think about your church, your parish Knights of Columbus, relatives, grandparents and godparents, Confirmation sponsors, and so on.
My son has done so well on the standardized tests. I would like to have him skip a grade and move up to a level that will be more challenging for him.
I have heard from parents many times that while a son or daughter was doing so well, achieving the highest grades, and being happy, things changed dramatically when the child skipped a grade.
It is rare for a student to continue to do well after skipping a grade. What we recommend is that the student proceed to the next grade level, review the chapters as quickly as he or she wishes, and then take the chapter tests. When the chapters are finished, he can take the quarterly test. Your son can proceed through the courses as quickly as he can. If he finishes his school year early, he can advance on to the next grade level when he finishes.
The problem with skipping a grade level is that neither you nor your child realizes the areas in each subject where he needs more review. By going through the work at the next level, any areas which need more study can be covered.
We don’t use the Internet much, but I see you have supplements on your website. How important are those supplements?
Whenever possible, we recommend that students take advantage of online supplements. Students will often do better using the supplements. The elementary level supplements, such as the English and math drills, are certainly helpful drills. The high school supplements are more important. We offer both a pronunciation supplement as well as tutoring lessons for each week in Spanish and Latin. The high school history lectures are inspirational for students to become more interested in history. The weekly English lectures are likely to increase a student’s understanding of their readings. Chapter Notes are available to help students choose their book. The Message Boards offer the opportunity to exchange ideas with the counselors and fellow Seton students.
