The Eighth Grade Basket

EP210: Welcome to the final episode in the Ages & Stages series all about homeschooling eighth grade!

In this episode, Jean shares how the Waldorf-inspired approach supports the development of the eighth grader with subjects such as modern, history, physics, chemistry, human physiology, algebra, and geometry. 

If this sounds intimidating or your memories of these topics from your own educational journey are foggy, don't worry. No one covers it all!

Your goal as a home educator during the eighth grade year is to bring the promise and potential of the world to the heart of your child. Your own curiosity and willingness will carry you through. 

In the show notes, you'll find an outline of the episode, highlights from the eighth grade year, and an extensive list of suggested resources. 

Ready for an adventure? You've got this!

Find the Show Notes here  https://artofhomeschooling.com/episode210/

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Chapters

• 0:40 What does a Waldorf-inspired homeschooling year look like with an eighth grader?
• 2:14 Highlights from the Eighth Grade Waldorf-inspired Curriculum
• 6:35 Preparing for what comes next
• 10:00 The "It's time to get serious" Trap
• 10:59 Resources for your eighth grade basket

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:09

You're listening to the Art of Homeschooling podcast, where we help parents cultivate creativity and connection at home. I'm your host, jean Miller, and here on this podcast you'll find stories and inspiration to bring you the confidence you need to make homeschooling work for your family. Let's begin. Is your eighth grader ready for adventure? Or perhaps not? This final step of leaving childhood behind may be taken with varying degrees of enthusiasm by your child, but that's where we're in an ideal position to look at each of our children individually and bring them what they need. So what does a Waldorf-inspired homeschool year look like with an eighth grader? That's what we're talking about today on the podcast in this episode the eighth grade basket. Now, before we get into specifics of this last of the elementary years, I want to remind you that this episode is part of a series featuring the ages and stages of homeschooling. So if you have a younger child and would like to visit any of our past episodes for kindergarten grades one, two, three, four, five, six or seven, be sure to hop on over to the show notes for this episode, where you'll find the links to all those previous podcast episodes in this series. Just go to artofhomeschoolingcom slash episode 210. And if you haven't already grabbed it, you can find a free printable guide called Ages and Stages with an overview of the Waldorf-inspired homeschool curriculum, including kindergarten and grades one through eight, on my website as well.

Speaker 1: 2:14

Here we go, let's dive into all things. Homeschooling, grade eight, now eighth grade, offers so much rich material. Here are just a few highlights Modern world history, roughly 1700 to the present. Physics and chemistry, human physiology, short stories, poetry and prose, world geography, both cultural and economic. Algebra, ratio and proportions, the square root algorithm, area, volume. And an exploration of geometric solids or platonic solids. Now, when you listen to that, you might think whoa, that's a lot. So just keep in mind that the eighth grade year is so rich and so full of learning that it might seem a little overwhelming. So please remember to focus on one thing at a time and remember that no teacher in any setting is ever going to cover it all. Quote, unquote, whatever that means, and I'll share a little bit more about that in a bit. Whatever that means, and I'll share a little bit more about that in a bit. There is a strong focus on the sciences this year to counterbalance those big emotions that eighth graders are experiencing. These subjects are more structured and concrete this year and require logical, critical thinking. Cultural geography also brings concrete facts to life through stories of individuals who made a difference in history and settling different parts of the world, which stimulates discussion of ethical issues of people's natural resources and economics across the globe.

Speaker 1: 4:05

When it comes to history, you'll want to pick up where you left off at the end of last year and continue on into modern times. So of course, that's going to vary from family to family. As I've said in previous episodes, there's a lot more variation in topics of study generally in grades five and up than there is in the earlier grades. So don't stress about what you have or have not covered yet. Start where you are and seek out engaging resources for your child's studies. Above all, your goal as the home educator during the eighth grade year is to bring that promise and potential of the world to the hearts of your children. You want to show your student that their dreams and hopes are within reach and also that they have the potential to do good in the world, to contribute to the world and help make it a better place. This can feel like a monumental task, I know, as parents, but your own curiosity and willingness to learn can carry you through, so be sure to engage in some learning that you're interested in as well.

Speaker 1: 5:24

Here is a great quote from Carolyn von Heidebrand. This is one of my favorite resources the Curriculum of the First Waldorf School. It's a little book that is thankfully back in print now and it describes the curriculum that was followed in that first Waldorf school in the early years. Von Heidebrand says and this is a quote it is the task of the eighth grade curriculum to place the child absolutely in the present world. Now one little caveat here Von Heidebrand describes eighth grade as a year when some children might be completing their education because of the need for them to enter the workforce. That's right, eighth grade. So keep in mind that this observation was made over 100 years ago and was the case at times.

Speaker 1: 6:19

Since most of our children will be continuing their education into high school and even beyond, we can rest assured that we can let go of some of the pressure to cover it all. What we do want to begin thinking about is what comes next for our children and what interests are emerging for them, whatever that might look like, I want to encourage you to think about eighth grade as a bridge year. It's not only the conclusion of the elementary years, but it's also a transition to whatever may come next, whether that be a brick and mortar school or high school at home. This is the year to expand your Waldorf-y approach and resources, if you haven't already, and it's a time to craft the curriculum based on what your child might choose to do for high school and beyond. Now, of course, you and your child might not know what that is, what the future years might look like yet, but think about whether attending school is on the near horizon or not. This will influence the choices that you make. Just as, an example, choices in a math curriculum and level of math vary a lot at this age and can affect the options that your child might have in the future. Here's a note about math options from my assistant, sarah, who has homeschooled her four kiddos. This is a quote from Sarah.

Speaker 1: 7:55

Eighth grade can be decision time regarding math. The choices you make can be crucial to your child's success in the next phase of their education. With one of my children, I chose an eighth grade curriculum that I thought was engaging, deep, creative and meaningful. However, it did not prepare them with the skills they needed for attending classes at our local public high school. This child had the capacity to figure things out, but it was a bumpy journey for a while. So I think eighth grade is the year to really get clear about what the next step is, to find ways to make that next step successful and to get your child on board with preparing for that next step.

Speaker 1: 8:39

Sometimes it seems as if the eighth grader is resisting or has checked out during homeschool lessons, though Finding balance between flexibility and persistent is hard, end quote. So I just want to acknowledge that in our family it was a little bit different, because my children only one of my three children chose to go to a public school at that age and he was very advanced in math. So for sticking with the math example, it was not a struggle for him at all. My other two children, who homeschooled all the way through high school, their math was able to follow along with where they were and then, when they decided that they wanted to do higher level math, they took classes at the local community college for those courses. So it varies a lot eighth grade depending on what's going to come next. And I also want to reassure you that even if a child might be struggling with a subject. When they do choose to go to school a public school, or enter community college classes, they might struggle a little bit and they can catch up. So those are just all some thoughts for you to think about as you are planning your own eighth grade year.

Speaker 1: 10:00

Just don't fall into the trap of it's time to get serious now, because when we do, we often put unnecessary pressure on our children, and we all know that no one learns well under pressure. Instead, we want to encourage and invite our children along. We want to engage with them in rich learning experiences, well-written biographies and autobiographies and interesting conversations. Don't forget to bring your child in on the decision-making about their studies. Having conversations about options and what that might lead to down the road can really help. It's a partnership at this stage between you and your child Because, remember, it is their educational journey and your job is to turn over more and more of that responsibility to them All.

Speaker 1: 10:59

Right now for some ideas, some great resource ideas for your eighth grade basket, and of course, there are so many options at this stage, but here are just some of our favorites Something Out of Nothing, marie Curie and Radium by Carla McClafferty. The Disappearing Spoon and Other True Tales of Rivalry, adventure and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements. This is the Young Readers Edition by Sam Kean. Another chemistry resource is the Elements Ingredients of the Universe by Ellen McHenry, and this can be found as a free download on the author's website, ellen McHenry's Basement Workshop. Be sure to explore her website for other free downloads and lots of educational materials about science in particular, and you can find her at ellenjmchenrycom.

Speaker 1: 11:58

Another wonderful history book is An Indigenous People's History of the United States for Young People, revisioning History for Young People, and it's by Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz. One of my favorites is A Little History of the World by EH Combridge. It's a beautifully written book spanning pre-history to the 20th century, and it's a very easy read in narrative style, great storytelling. And then for language arts, writing for 100 Days by Gabriel Akhualovich. This is full of writing activities and skills lessons that are in the context of different writing exercises. It's a very refreshing alternative to any language arts textbook.

Speaker 1: 12:50

Now, in previous episodes in this series I've mentioned this concept, but I want to reiterate here that I love using children's books as a starting point for more advanced subjects, even all the way through high school. Children's books are often concise, beautifully illustrated and engaging. It's a great way to hook even teenagers on a subject. Here's one example of this. We read Peter Siss's book Starry Messenger as an introduction to Galileo and the Renaissance. It's a beautifully illustrated book that describes Galileo as a genius who was willing to break with traditions and challenge accepted truths.

Speaker 1: 13:33

Here are a few other suggestions, specifically for resource material for the parent. I've mentioned before the Tasks and Content of the Steiner-Waldorf curriculum by Avison Rawson and Richter, the curriculum of the first Waldorf school by Carolyn von Heidebrand, and Between Form and Freedom Raising a Teenager by Betty Staley. You can find links to all of these resources in the show notes for this episode at artofhomeschoolingcom slash, episode 210. There you have it. There are so many possibilities for homeschooling in eighth grade.

Speaker 1: 14:13

Don't let yourself get overwhelmed. Instead, look at your child and discern what you think they need at this time. Consider what might come next for them, perhaps next year in their learning journey. Assess what's available in your community for learning experiences outside the home and partner with your teenager to come up with a plan that's just right for them. Thanks so much for tuning in today, and if you liked this episode and know of someone who might benefit from listening. Please share the Art of Homeschooling podcast with them and I'll catch you next time. That's all for today, my friend, but here's what I want you to remember Rather than perfection, let's focus on connection. Thanks so much for listening and I'll see you on the next episode of the Art of Homeschooling podcast.