Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau

Educator, Coach, Life Strategist

What are “Social Sciences”?

When homeschooling high school, the phrase “Social Science” often comes up. You might see it in on a high school check-list, on a college web site, or in a list of course requirements.

It would be easy to say that social science is just another name for history (or what some call, “social studies”), but that’s only partially correct. While social science does include history, there’s a lot more to that academic category, as well.

Common Questions

How do I count “psychology” on my child’s transcript?

Where do I list “anthropology” on my student’s list of requirements? 

What’s the difference between a science and a social science?

How many social sciences do colleges require for admission, and what classes can they be?

These are practical questions that many parents ask at one time or another. Understanding the social sciences will help families prepare their high schoolers for graduation, college, and beyond.

Social Sciences Courses

In general, high school studies in the following areas are considered social sciences:

  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Criminology
  • Economics
  • History
  • Law and Legal Studies
  • Linguistics
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
Need to know what the “social sciences” are? Here’s a list.

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In college, other studies may also included within the social sciences, like business studies, media and communication, education studies,  library science, and many others.

Note, while homeschool parents can essentially do whatever they want, not all social science courses should be awarded a full year of credit on the transcript, especially if the student is college-bound. For more information about that aspect, it can be helpful to refer to information from your state’s department of education, a local college, a local high school, a high school guidance counselor; or, consult a homeschool guidance counselor like me.

Want to know how many of each kind of course is required for college? Read this.

To your success,

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago.  A homeschool pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast.  Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed for illustrating how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the public school system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, with no teaching background whatsoever.  A writer, a homeschool leader, and a women’s life coach, Marie-Claire mentors in a variety of areas that impact health, education and lifestyle. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, The Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool Network, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on Holistic Parenting, CONNECT,Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of sites and blogs nationwide.  Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

Foreign language credit

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I receive a lot of questions about foreign language credits for high school. In this post, I’ll address some of the most common concerns I hear, and point you to some resources that may help you navigate this area of the homeschool high school curriculum.

I want to start by letting you know that foreign language courses can sometimes be called, ‘world language’ courses in some areas. They’re the same thing; just a slight semantic difference.

I also want to remind you (more on this below) that most colleges and universities are going to assume their applicants can show 2-4 credits of foreign language on a high school transcript before applying for admission. Because of this, I recommend any student who even thinks they might go to college take at least 2 foreign language courses in high school. And, in case you’ve forgotten all the other requirements traditionally needed for college, go back and read THIS or THIS.

To the question of how to learn foreign languages, there are dozens of ways homeschooled teens can learn languages to earn high school credit in your homeschool. Remember, when homeschooling, there are very few limitations (if any, depending on area) on what to study, and how to do it.  The marketplace is full of curriculum, courses, immersion programs, tutors, and plenty of other ways of language instruction. I have a list of products to learn languages HERE that ought to get you started.

In addition to packaged products and curriculum, homeschoolers (actually, anyone) can learn languages in other ways, too. Think about learning languages through travel, by reading, watching foreign films, viewing television programming, joining international organizations, or spending time with relatives from other countries. Again, when homeschooling, the tools and the methods are entirely up to you.

A web site I love when thinking about world languages is called Omniglot. I continue to be amazed at how many languages exist around the globe, and I love sharing that web site with others. With so many choices, the hardest part may be to decide which language(s) to learn; many homeschoolers choose several throughout the high school years.

Revisiting the matter of college entrance, however, I want to spend the rest of this blog making sure you understand the implications of learning languages in homeschool in ways that cannot necessarily be documented.

There are several important things to consider if you want to lock in eligibility for future college admissions.

…several important things to consider if you want to lock in eligibility for future college…

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The first is making sure your student takes 2 consecutive courses in the same language, for instance,  French I and II, Spanish I and II, or German III and IV. Students are certainly welcome to take more than expected, but colleges will usually look for 2 courses in the same language, so make sure you’ve got that covered.

Next — and much trickier – is figuring out how to document language learning on the transcript. And, while I understand some families are very relaxed about grading and credit requirements, I’m here to tell you that college-bound students need to give this suggestion some serious consideration. Here’s why:

When applying to college, not every school may recognize every language experience.  Colleges are not only going to expect your student has taken 2 foreign language courses, but they’re going to want to see that the courses were offered at the high school level, and were truly worthy of high school credit.

That’s why, if a student is going to be seeking college admission, it’s important to offer foreign language courses in a way that can be documented, and colleges can understand. You may be surprised to hear that some of the foreign language courses homeschoolers use in high school are actually unacceptable to colleges and universities. A popular language learning system (one for your computer) comes to mind — most all of the colleges I talk to do not recognize that program.  Be careful.

…it’s important to offer foreign language in a way that can be documented, and colleges can…

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For college-bound students, perhaps the most prudent way to avoid foreign language mistakes is to speak to the colleges your student might actually apply to.  Ask them if the credits you’re offering your student will qualify him/her for eligibility.

Additional resources for your tool-kit include the CLEP and AP examinations. Even if you’ve dismissed these programs for other reasons, you might want to give them a second look when teaching foreign language in homeschool. Certain CLEP examinations, for example, can be used to demonstrate mastery of world languages by examination. Though there are only a limited number of CLEP language exams (find the list HERE) this can be helpful for students who have studied those particular languages. CLEP is also a great option for students who already speak another language at home.

Advanced Placement (AP) exams are also available for selected language programs (view the list HERE), and just might be an option for the language your student is currently studying. (Note that not all colleges accept CLEP or AP credits. Again, it’s important to check with the colleges or universities your student might be applying to.)

I cannot speak to every individual case of foreign language credit and how it may qualify a student for college admission, but if I can help you personally, we can always schedule an appointment to chat about your unique situation. Submit a request here if you’d like to talk.

To your success,

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{Day 5} College Prep High Schooling — Marketing Yourself

Day 5: Marketing Yourself 

[View the entire series HERE]

By now, you understand the importance of taking the right courses, prioritizing extra-curriculars and preparing for tests so you can earn great scores.  Following that advice, you’ll graduate successfully and be ready to rock the college world.

But there is still one step left, and it’s a big one — “marketing” yourself (a/k/a reminding colleges why they should pick you).  This is not the time to be timid about your accomplishments, because college acceptance depends on it.  For best results, you’ll really need to toot your own horn.

So, how exactly do homeschooled Seniors communicate with the colleges of their choice?  And what does it actually take to get their attention?

1. For starters, there’s the application — a time-consuming but fairly straight-forward process.   Applicants should submit the best application they can, by answering all questions honestly, by writing well, and by remembering not to leave out anything important.  Writing a great application already starts making you look good.

But since so many students apply, and because many applications look somewhat the same, you’ll need to do a little more  than submit a good application to get noticed.  You’ll want to attach extra documentation to convince someone to choose you instead of somebody else.

How to market yourself to colleges and get noticed.

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So, to stand out — and I mean really grab somebody’s attention in the admissions office – teens should include some of these documents, too:

2. A killer Freshman Resume — which is like a flyer or a marketing brochure, except it’s all about you.  Create one that summarizes who you are, lists a whole bunch of cool things you’ve done and highlights several of your proudest accomplishments in more detail.

3. A knock-out  transcript — and not just an ordinary one, either.  One with your test scores and grade point average; one listing your honors courses, AP courses and early college credits; one that looks great and has been edited for grammar, spelling and mathematical accuracy; and one that clearly demonstrates you’re not the same as everybody else, but have taken lots of substantial, relevant and fascinating electives, too.  You’ll find an example of a basic transcript HERE.

4.  A list of course descriptions — that you attached to the back of your transcript.  List all the classes on your transcript and explain each in a little bit of detail.  Include what you studied, the books you read, and maybe some of the assignments you completed.  You can copy course descriptions from other places if they match exactly what you did.  But it’s better if you write up every course as it was uniquely completed by you — and not by anybody else.  That makes you stand out, too.

5. Examples of your work — if they’ll accept it (and not all colleges do).  Re-read a previous post in this series to get ideas.

Finally, if possible, shoot for:

6. A personal interview — during which you start by being yourself, proceed by responding intelligently to questions, and end by explaining why you’ll be a good fit for the college and what you’d like to do once you get there.

Combining these elements is the best way to get noticed by the colleges you apply to.  Chances are, they’ll notice, and your efforts will pay off for the next four years.

Want to re-read any of the articles? Here’s the list again.

Need more high school information? Click the “high school” tag (below) and just follow the trail.

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago.  A homeschool pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast.  Her  book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, was industry-acclaimed for illustrating how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the public school system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, with no teaching background whatsoever.  A writer, a homeschool leader, and a women’s life coach, Marie-Claire mentors in a variety of areas that impact health, education and lifestyle. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, The Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool Network, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on Holistic Parenting, CONNECT,Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of sites and blogs nationwide.  Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com. Her latest book, The Ultimate Guide to Florida Homeschooling, is now available on Amazon.

Free typing programs for homeschools

keyboard

Like other basic skills, typing (often called keyboarding) is one of those things homeschoolers should master before graduation — preferably a whole lot sooner.  No student ever complains about knowing how to type, yet many grads lament never taking the time to master this tremendously useful skill.

Parents may introduce keyboarding early on, or wait until it is needed during the child’s life.  I suggest starting in the elementary years so it is almost second-nature by the time longer periods of typing become necessary; but, even introducing keyboarding during high school is never too late.  (See comments about the future of teaching typing, below.)

During high school, a keyboarding course may be given a full- or half-credit on the transcript, assuming it meets the number of hours or level of mastery you require of your students.  Typing tests and printed documents may also be included in a student portfolio as evidence of level mastery, if desired.  In the alternative, keyboarding may be woven into a computer course, a business course, a writing class, a life skills program, or some other practical arts experience designed by you.

Many typing tools exist online, thus finding a favorite for every student isn’t very difficult.  Below, you’ll find a list of about a dozen typing products offered free, online, and [most] without any registration whatsoever.

Check these out for all ages, including adults:

Goodtyping

Power Typing 

Typing Web Tutor

Peter’s Online Typing Course 

Learn 2 Type

Free Typing Game

Keybr

Try these for the younger set:

Dance Mat Tutor

Typing Learning Game for Kids

Alpha Typing

Keep in mind the proliferation and evolution of modern devices will eventually eliminate the need to teach keyboarding altogether, since most kids will learn entirely on their own.  Meanwhile, parents need to make sure all students master basic keyboarding before graduating from homeschool.

Know of any great typing/keyboarding products?  Tell us about it by leaving a COMMENT!

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Earning credit for life skills

There is more to homeschool than traditional academic subjects like history and math.  Everyday skills like cooking and yard work are important, too. So are healthy eating and exercise.  Learning to do laundry and simple car repairs, too.

As a normal part of life, many skills just come with the territory — sometimes not needing to be formally taught at all, and sometimes actually requiring sophisticated training, resources, and materials.

Parents may award credit for life skills their children pick up during the homeschool years.  Whether students learn independently or these things are taught using books and lessons, skills like these are fundamental, useful and exceedingly worthwhile.  If credit is earned for history and math, why not award occasional credit for life skills, too?

Did you know you could award homeschool credit for life skills? This article tells you how:

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Families may handle life skills as they wish.  A common way is to include a course to teach specific life skills in the homeschool line-up, and award credit for successful course completion at the end of the year.  Another way is to observe students throughout the year, and award credit based on a list of practical skills they picked up — and mastered – on their own.

Keep in mind, this is not about ordinary chores that many children already do.   This is about doing more than what is generally required, for an extended period of time, and is legitimately worthy of school credit.  I maintain there is a huge difference between learning valuable life skills that might not be learned any other way, and awarding credit as an “easy grade”.  (This is my philosophy about P.E. as well — i.e., walking the dog doesn’t merit school credit.)

With that said, families using transcripts should select a name for the course and list it on the transcript just like all of the other courses.  Grades can be awarded and figured into the GPA, as well.   Plus, the course can be taught multiple times, each time with a different, legitimate emphasis, if desired.

Examples of names for courses like these include:

  • Life Skills
  • Home Economics
  • Practical Arts
  • Interpersonal Relationships
  • Green Living
  • Mind, Body and Spirit
  • Household Maintenance
  • Skills for Everyday Life
  • College Prep
  • Workplace Readiness
  • Animal Care
  • Money Management

Though families should arrive at a name that best describes what the course is.  (Sometimes browsing course titles on high school and college web sites can inspire ideas.)

Life skills courses may be a composite of many things, too.  Sometimes a general name like Family Life is best for courses which include many different things — like infant and child care, , taking a babysitting course, receiving a CPR or first aid certificate, long-range meal planning, housekeeping, and more.  Workplace Skills might be used to describe a life skills course requiring keyboarding, learning to use a spreadsheet, studying office manners and protocols, dressing for the workplace, banking, and more. Being creative with the name is part of the fun.

As for the number of credits on the transcript, this again depends on the specific experience and the family philosophy about life skills.   Parents can use the course description, the list of completed activities, or number of hours logged to gauge if the experience is worthy of a 1/2 credit, a full credit, or possibly even more.  Use THIS as a guide if you’ve never thought about how to award credits before.

Don’t be afraid to list life skills among the many things your homeschoolers have learned along the journey to a full, educated, and well-prepared life.  Achieving the perfect combination of courses, skills and experiences for every child is the trademark of homeschooling. Use it to your advantage and award the credit your child really deserves.

 

 

 

Related posts:

What are credits & how to use them

Awarding credits 3 different ways

High school e-book makes things simple

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