High school. . .

Remember high school? All the crazy things that happened, all the drama?

Well, we took baby-steps toward a new chapter in life - Nolan is signing up for his high school classes. It is truly hard to believe that that little (I say that with tongue in cheek as he was merely 8 lb 12 oz.- LOL) baby will actually be a high school freshman next year!

So, on the agenda for high school: a lot of core subjects: English, Science, Math, and Social Studies. I am INSISTING on four years of each - period. His math teacher recommended he start with Geometry - so, that will get Nolan at least through Calculus if all goes well. Science - he will start with Biology as recommended by his science teacher. Then, if he takes accelerated Chemistry, he will have Uncle Pat as his teacher. Fortunately, he has the option of taking a full year of Anatomy/Physiology and a half year of Microbiology as an upperclassman, which is great since he still (at least right now) plans on entering medicine.

As far as other topics of "less interest" - I convinced Nolan that a fundamentals of writing course was essential since SOOOOOOOOOO much emphasis is placed on the need to write in modern America, particularly at the collegiate level. Social studies is his least favorite (not sure why ;), but he has to fulfill the core plus a year or more. The nice thing about the social studies sequence in Byron is that government is comparative government. I think that is more well-rounded and productive that straight U.S. government. (Afterall, we are merely ONE of approx. 200 countries in the world.)

Finally, he plans on taking Spanish. He debated about French, but. . .well, let's just say I convinced him that French would be great if we lived closer to Quebec! Yet, if he plans on being a physician . . . .Spanish much better.