Julie Bogart

I'm curious about what your high school aged kids have done to
learn about higher level science and math. If you have a high
schooler who's shown interest in studying Advanced Math or
chemistry, physics or geometry what have they done? How have
they learned it?

I'm looking for some creative ideas since the only options that
seem available here are to take classes at the local high school
or to buy video school (both of these options are so tedious!)

What have you done?

Julie B

Betsy

** I'm curious about what your high school aged kids have done to
learn about higher level science and math. If you have a high
schooler who's shown interest in studying Advanced Math or
chemistry, physics or geometry what have they done? How have
they learned it?

I'm looking for some creative ideas**

I was just shopping around at FUNbooks and was a little tempted by book
The Cartoon Guide to Physics. There's also a computer game with the
same title.

For a brief intro to a school science subject, the Standard Deviants
videos are fun. If your library doesn't have them, tell them they
should get them. :-)

Betsy

Pamela Sorooshian

Standard Deviants have college-level course material and it is great.
They have them, I think, at Mentura (online educational video service).
My kids mostly use community college courses - that's what lots of
older homeschooled kids do here in California when they feel like they
want a formal course in something. I'd look at distance education
options offered by colleges and universities, too. Also - advertise
that you have an interest and see if there are a couple of other teens
with the same interest and see if you can find an adult with that
expertise to offer a course for them.

I would not even consider a high school, by the way, unless I knew
something wonderful about that particular science teacher. Too many
obstacles to learning - other kids who don't want to be there, burned
out teachers, out-of-date materials, uneducated teachers (PE teachers
frequently teach science courses), focus on testing and grading and not
on learning, and so on. And then the kid ends up having to take the
course again in college, with nearly identical material. Might as well
get the college credit the first time through and use college years to
learn something new.


-pam


On Thursday, June 5, 2003, at 08:10 AM, Julie Bogart wrote:

> I'm curious about what your high school aged kids have done to
> learn about higher level science and math. If you have a high
> schooler who's shown interest in studying Advanced Math or
> chemistry, physics or geometry what have they done? How have
> they learned it?
>
> I'm looking for some creative ideas since the only options that
> seem available here are to take classes at the local high school
> or to buy video school (both of these options are so tedious!)
>
> What have you done?
>
> Julie B
>
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Gerard Westenberg

<<I'm looking for some creative ideas since the only options that seem available here are to take classes at the local high school
or to buy video school >>>

Julie, my oldest son in particular has been into Maths and Sciences. At age 14, he applied for a gifted kids Chemistry class at university - and got accepted and loved these classes for the next three years. They are into Chemistry Olympiads internationally - so a kid might like to contact a local university for possible links and details.

He also "just" studied on his own - liked reading a variety of Maths books ( esp those by Theoni Pappas) and Science books ( eg biographies of Kessler, info on the chaos theory). He also read standard Maths and Science texts. Eventually, he sat the Sat 1 exam and the SAT 11 subject exams - including the Physics/Maths/Chem ones.

Had no problem getting into another uni and finishing his first degree.

I find that, if kids are interested, they and we will find ways that suit...Leonie


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Robin Clevenger

From: "Gerard Westenberg" <westen@...>
<<I'm looking for some creative ideas since the only options that seem
available here are to take classes at the local high school
or to buy video school >>>

My neighbor often tutors or teaches small classes of advanced math to
homeschooled kids. He says he loves it because they are eager and fascinated
to learn this stuff, so he really enjoys passing on his knowledge. You might
look for somebody like that, especially if you can find somebody who has a
real passion for math or science (not just teaching because it's "supposed"
to be learnt), and respects kids and the different ways that they learn. My
son is very interested in all things math, so I'm hoping this neighbor will
still be around when/if he gets to the stuff I can't explain :-).

Blue Skies!
-Robin-

Julie Bogart

Thanks for all the great ideas everyone. Filing them.

Julie

--- In [email protected], "Robin
Clevenger" <diamondair@e...> wrote:
> From: "Gerard Westenberg" <westen@b...>
> <<I'm looking for some creative ideas since the only options
that seem
> available here are to take classes at the local high school
> or to buy video school >>>
>
> My neighbor often tutors or teaches small classes of advanced
math to
> homeschooled kids. He says he loves it because they are
eager and fascinated
> to learn this stuff, so he really enjoys passing on his
knowledge. You might
> look for somebody like that, especially if you can find
somebody who has a
> real passion for math or science (not just teaching because it's
"supposed"
> to be learnt), and respects kids and the different ways that they
learn. My
> son is very interested in all things math, so I'm hoping this
neighbor will
> still be around when/if he gets to the stuff I can't explain :-).
>
> Blue Skies!
> -Robin-

Gerard Westenberg

> My neighbor often tutors or teaches small classes of advanced
math to
> homeschooled kids.

Oh, yes, forgot to mention tutors! My oldest three sons, who are studying at uni, who were unschooled themselves, also tutor a couple of homeschool kids in subjects like Maths and Science. Tutor is a loose word - they are just a bit older than the high school age teens they work with, they read and do interesting stuff with these kids - kids who felt a need for more interaction or guidance in these areas.

Maybe ask around for an older homeschooled kid to play around in Maths etc with a child/teen...Leonie


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Linda Siemsen

I used to teach chemistry for freshman at college and I have a Ph.D. in chemistry. I would suggest looking for books with science fair projects for a creative angle. Also classes at a local museum if you have that available. There are also kits to do physics and chemistry experiments at home. Basically, for the sciences you want to do hands-on stuff. For math, there are books of math puzzles. And for geometry you can build stuff. Lots and lots of possibilities.

From: "Julie Bogart" <julie@...>
Subject: High School math and science

I'm curious about what your high school aged kids have done to
learn about higher level science and math. If you have a high
schooler who's shown interest in studying Advanced Math or
chemistry, physics or geometry what have they done? How have
they learned it?

I'm looking for some creative ideas since the only options that
seem available here are to take classes at the local high school
or to buy video school (both of these options are so tedious!)



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Julie Bogart

--- In [email protected], "Linda Siemsen"
<lsiemsen2@c...> wrote:
> I used to teach chemistry for freshman at college and I have a
Ph.D. in chemistry. I would suggest looking for books with
science fair projects for a creative angle. Also classes at a local
museum if you have that available. There are also kits to do
physics and chemistry experiments at home. Basically, for the
sciences you want to do hands-on stuff. For math, there are
books of math puzzles. And for geometry you can build stuff.
Lots and lots of possibilities.

Thank you Lisa. Good advice!

Julie B

Julie Bogart

--- In [email protected], "Linda Siemsen"
<lsiemsen2@c...> wrote:
> I used to teach chemistry for freshman at college and I have a
Ph.D. in chemistry. I would suggest looking for books with
science fair projects for a creative angle. Also classes at a local
museum if you have that available. There are also kits to do
physics and chemistry experiments at home. Basically, for the
sciences you want to do hands-on stuff. For math, there are
books of math puzzles. And for geometry you can build stuff.
Lots and lots of possibilities.

I'm an idiot. Thanks LINDA! Right after I hit send I read that I
wrote Lisa and smacked my forhead. Sorry. :) Thanks for the
help.

Julie B