Last year was rough for lots of reasons and we basically did the bare minimum, which is really not typical. I know I want to just repeat a lot of the curriculum this year, but still need to advance everything and I'm not sure how to convey that without it looking like I'm just turning in last year's documents again. Either practical advice on phrasing or getting unstuck (or a swift kick in the pants) would be appreciated
Well, if it is any consolation, I don't imagine the public schools fared any better, in fact, I have heard all kinds of horror stories of high school kids needing rush tutors so they can cover material in a month or so over the summer so they can not be held back in classes, etc.
I'm not sure what state you are in and how rigidly you need to adhere to guidelines. Some states are super strict, and others are a little more relaxed. I'm pretty sure that our superintendent barely glances what I send him for approval...which is just fine with me. That being said, can you include something in your cover letter that states what you wrote here? That the 2020/21 school year took its toll on your family and that you are taking time to solidify concepts from this past school year before moving forward with the upcoming year's work, but that you are committed to helping your children progress according to their abilities and understanding? You could then include the scope of what you hope to cover in the upcoming year and try your hardest to adhere to a schedule where you can accomplish as much of it as possible.
The only alternative to that is the expensive option of purchasing all new curriculum so that it gives the APPEARANCE that you are studying new things. (Spoken in jest...mostly!)
Also, while having summer break is great, can you start back a couple of weeks early to review some of the concepts you are concerned about so you can keep pressing forward? Maybe take copies of the chapter tests, or make your own from sample questions, to have them complete in things like math, and see where you really need to focus your energies. That would be best for things like Math or Science. For literature, history, and other subjects, I would think that you could just start the new material with little impact (yeah, you will be studying different stories or time periods, but it shouldn't matter much learning-wise???)
Public schools spend much of the first month reviewing concepts taught the previous year (doesn't apply to high school specific subjects necessarily), and even then, you have kids with all kinds of holes in their learning and retention. Give yourself (and your kids) some grace. They may have retained more than you give them credit for, and if not, all you can do is pick up and move forward. All of this is said with a caveat for your high schooler, who may have to "prove" a certain number of course hours to claim credit for classes. In that case, they may just need to have a very aggressive study schedule to push them through what needs to be covered.
My biggest issue would have been proving to the SD that we had completed the previous year if we hadn't actually done so (some states track that and require proof. Ours does and we have to have it submitted before the end of the school year in June). If your state doesn't require anything, just move forward, giving extra instruction in the areas where you feel like your kids need it. You've got this! Hardly anybody remembers absolutely everything they have ever been taught and subsequently need to go back and relearn or reeducate themselves on stuff they have forgotten or missed or were just never taught to begin with (I'm looking at you leaf plot diagrams and Base 3 and Base 5 math!!!)
I am very thankful that for as challenging as 2020/2021 was for our family, being stuck at home actually had us finishing school over a month early. We didn't have any need to take days off for holidays (other than Christmas break) or outings, so we just kept plugging away at things. That is the first time that has happened EVER in the past 20+ years of me homeschooling my kids. (I also have two that have graduated college and one in middle school.)
I wish you all of the best. I hope this helps.
Thank you for that!
