What would you say if I told you that sometimes it's OK to just “check the box” when meeting college requirements? That every course your teen takes in high school doesn't always have to involve reading lotsa
The fact is that many colleges want their applicants to have taken high school economics. If you're like me, this is not a subject that thrills you; so the thought of delving into it with your teen is not a happy one. Even if your teen is mostly doing independent learning, like mine, you think to yourself that grading tests and papers for the course is going to be a nightmare, because you don't understand anything about it.
Note: I received free product and monetary compensation for this post. But you're still getting my own sincere opinion. I've got your back!
I recommend PAC for your high school economics homeschool curriculum .
Enter Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum (also known as PAC). Their Principles and Precepts of Economics course is exactly what you need to be able check the box for this requirement and yet have almost nothing to do with it yourself. LOL.
That is not meant to imply that this course is simplistic or not thorough. It's a SOLID high school economics course. And, even better, it is not written from the standard Keynesian point of view you find in most economics courses. In this course, your child will learn about what happens when the government controls the market and why that is NOT always a good thing — which will enable them to be better educated about what is really happening in the world today.
Also, there are sections about starting your own business and making the decision about whether or not to attend college. Not to mention all the amazing motivational quotes throughout. So it's not just about economics, it's about life learning. Gotta love that!
And here's the kicker: it's text and workbook based, so your teen can do it ALL. BY. HIMSELF. And mine is, in fact. Can you say “happiness”? :-)
Here's what comes in the package for this 1/2-credit, semester-long high school economics course:
- 3 Paperback TEXTS
- 3 Paperback ACTIVITY
books - 1 Teacher's Resource Kit — includes quizzes, tests, and answer keys, as well as helpful fill-in forms such as an academic contract, high school transcript planner, and academic objectives chart.
Your teen reads a “topic” and completes the corresponding worksheet. They check the worksheet themselves; and, based on their score, they either review the material and make corrections on the worksheet, or they move on to the next topic. At the end of each section (equivalent to 5 topics), there is a quiz. At the end of three sections there is a test. There are three tests for the course.
All mom has to do is grade quizzes and tests, which is a total no-brainer; because the answer key is easy to follow, and the answers themselves are not vague or hard to understand. Also, the grading itself is planned out for you, so you know exactly how many points to subtract for each wrong answer. Easy peasy!
One of my older children had used PAC World Geography with much success, so when I had the opportunity to review their Economics course, I grabbed at it. And I have not been disappointed.
If you follow my blog, you'll know I reviewed a different high school economics course last year, with the intention to have my son do it this year. Well, “the best laid schemes o' mice and men gang aft a-gley,” and all that. In other words, last year I didn't know I would be getting a part-time job outside the home, or that my husband would be gone even more than he already was, or that my son would still be struggling to keep up with schoolwork (yes, the diligence thing is still a thing, although there has been a little bit of improvement). I also didn't know there was another homeschool
PAC Principles and Precepts of Economics has filled a need in my house as a way to check the box for our personal homeschool high school economics requirement without any of us being overly stressed.
Easy for me, very doable for him. That's what I'm all about here on the blog, especially when it comes to homeschooling high school. It doesn't have to be that hard!!
We can't do EVERYTHING to full capacity, y'all, or we will burn out. Sometimes it's OK to find an easier way to accomplish an objective. Your teen will be still well-prepared for college — even if they don't read the Wealth of Nations or primary source material from Keynes — and using PAC Principles and Precepts of Economics means you might actually have one less thing to nag them about.
I'd call that a win-win, wouldn't you? :-)
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Ann has written Cure the Fear of Homeschooling High School: A Step-by-Step Manual for Research and Planning, Save Your Sanity While Homeschooling High School: Practical Principles for a Firm Foundation, and recently Taming the Transcript: The Essential Guide to Creating Your Teen's Homeschool Transcript from Scratch (without overwhelm). She also founded the popular Facebook groups It's Not that Hard to Homeschool High School and It's Not Hard to Homeschool K-8, and in addition she voices the It's Not That Hard to Homeschool High School Podcast.
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Hello there dear, I am a mother of a freshman and i had to pull him out of public school due to bullying and severe social anxiety. I currently have him in a homeschool program but it is so flippin complicated and we are both overwhelmed and my son is stressed out. I feel bad for him and I feel even worse that I do not know what to do. I am desperately trying to search for a program that is more relaxed and allows him to go at his own pace and that will not send me 30 emails a day and all of this scary overwhelming stuff. I have not had any luck finding one for him and I am now getting worried. Do you have any ideas that worked for you? Please I am desperate. Thank you so much.
Hi, I think this PAC program might be exactly what you need. They have all the subjects for high school in workbook format just like this one. Very easy to keep up with, not overwhelming at all. You can see them at the website mentioned in the article. :-)
Do you know anything about the digital download option?
No, I really don’t — my guess would be that it means you just download and then print out what you need.
What school of economics is this curriculum based on? Happy to see it is not Keynesian.
Pretty sure it’s free market. In other words, let the markets and economy work things out without manipulating them, and we’ll all be better off. :-) Great question!