Our student is preparing to take the PSAT for the first time in a few weeks. This time she will take the test for practice. Next year, her goal will be for her score to be submitted for the National Merit Scholarship. Our local Catholic High School has been kind enough to allow her to take the test on their campus.
Our student is in the process of learning ArchiCad 6.5, which is a sophisticated 3D CAD (computer aided drafting) program used by architects. She is going through a tutorial and learning the program on her own. She hopes to be able to help her Dad and earn some money at the same time. Click here to see a .pdf file of her first floorplan done with this program. We are very proud of her hard work. (You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to see this file. You can download it free here.)
Another part of this Life Skills program is a mini-session in Careers. Using the book, "Discover What You're Best At" by Linda Gale, and various web sites, she has been exploring career options..
Throughout this nine-week course, she will take several self-tests to ascertain her aptitude for various careers.
Our technology studies have expanded to other areas as well. We've worked extensively with Photoshop, Web and Desktop Publishing, audio and data recording on to recordable CD's, and manipulating file formats from one type to another. Because our computer lab has both Mac and Windows available, we work with both.
We are pleased to be able to offer Driver's Education to her this fall in conjunction with a local Driving School. She will then be able to get her learner's permit. Because she has worked so hard and proven herself to be mature and trustworthy, she has earned this perk.
Building on her own interest in Japan and Anime, she is learning to speak Japanese. We are using Language Learning's Beginners Japanese and Rosetta Stone, both on CD-rom. Check out her website on Japanese Anime.
Along with Algebra II, Astronomy, the History and Literature of the Middle Ages, and Religion, our student continues to expand her knowledge and learn to love learning for it's own sake.
