| It is time to finish up the school year, and it can | | | | series of educational videos, and we watched a |
| be difficult to feel "done." For parents that are not | | | | movie about it. |
| completely done with a textbook or unit of study, | | | | For economics, I used the Teaching Company |
| then you may want to think outside the box in | | | | Basic Economics course. With my clients, I have |
| order to finish up your classes quickly - and still | | | | sometimes suggested The Standard Deviants - |
| have time to enjoy summer. | | | | American Government 2-pack. |
| If you need to finish up quickly then consider the | | | | For American History, consider Joy Hakim's |
| "Popcorn Party Plan." Instead of working through a | | | | History of US on PBS. |
| textbook, or completing every assignment, go the | | | | You can also just scour the video section of your |
| "quick and easy" route instead. Not every class in | | | | library, to see what supplemental videos they |
| high school has to be hard. I remember that I had | | | | might have to help you finish up the details. For |
| some high school classes that were significantly | | | | example, one client was working on American |
| easier than others! So for a break, and a way to | | | | History. The problem was she was doing it too |
| quickly finish a unit study or course, consider | | | | thoroughly. It took her a lot longer to cover the |
| educational videos as a way to catch up. | | | | American Revolution, because they were enjoying |
| For example, I have a child that loves economics. | | | | it so much. They had covered a lot of current |
| He studied economics all the time, and we talked | | | | events as well. She did not want to skip the |
| about it constantly as a family. But suddenly my | | | | post-civil war era, but she did not have time to |
| oldest son was a junior in high school, and I | | | | work it too thoroughly. We decided that she could |
| realized that he was the one that did not love | | | | compromise and cover the middle period of |
| economics - and I had forgotten to teach it! I | | | | American History lightly, by using the Popcorn |
| needed a way to quickly teach that class in a | | | | Party Plan. Watching videos on the missing topics |
| painless way, because my oldest was already | | | | in American History, and just enjoying it together |
| bogged down with heavy academics in math and | | | | with a bowl of popcorn. It was better than a gap, |
| science, and he really did not have the energy | | | | and more realistic that a summer |
| needed for a big beefy economics course. Just | | | | tests-and-worksheets class. It was a great way |
| living in our home meant that he had been | | | | to finish up the year! |
| exposed to more than his fair share of | | | | When you think your children know something, or |
| economics. I needed to find a way to be sure it | | | | you need to create a quick and painless class to |
| was enough, there were no gaps, and I could call | | | | fill in a perceived gap, consider trying the Popcorn |
| it a 1/2 credit class. That is when I stumbled on | | | | Party Plan yourself! |
| the "Popcorn Party Plan." I chose a challenging | | | | |