Summary: This is a 4 step tutorial on how to plan your homeschool for your high schoolers. Including tips on transcripts, curriculum and more. Every mom can homeschool their teen. We did it and our daughter is was not ruined! In fact, she loved being homeschooled. This post may included affiliate links to products that we love and have used or would use in our homeschool, and here is my disclosure policy. #homeschoolhighschool #highschoolplanning #highschoolcurriculum
When we began thinking about homeschooling high school, it felt more than a little daunting to us.
We had been homeschooling for years but the thought of doing high school meant that we would have to make transcripts, assign high school credit and other things that we did not yet know how to do.
We had been homeschooling for years but the thought of doing high school meant that we would have to make transcripts, assign high school credit and other things that we did not yet know how to do.
I checked out some homeschooling high school blogs, and talked with my friends, to get advice from them on where to start.
That helped a lot. And we also continued with some of our curriculum favorites from our middle school years....
We went ahead and homeschooled all the way, and I am so glad that we did. Homeschooling kept our family relationships strong, throughout the important teen years.
Today I'd like to share 4 steps for planning high school at home, based on our experience doing just that.
Let's start with looking at the Core Studies and Homeschool Graduation Requirements.
Then, secondly, let's look at how your teen's special interests and how they can help you craft your high school planning.
Next, let's talk about homeschool high school curriculum, then...
Finally, let's talk about the value of making an overall homeschool high school plan, or your best guesses for what to do for the high school years at home...
1. Core Studies and Graduation Requirements
When I talked with my homeschool friends about high school, they said to start at the end, not the beginning..
What? Start at the ending?
I recommend looking at where my teen might be heading, once she graduated from our homeschool. By looking at what your teen will need to graduate, that will tell you what core courses will be needed, and that is a good starting point.
Since my daughter wanted to go to college, we researched the college entrance requirements at a few colleges that she might like to attend.
That gave us a list of core studies that she needed to complete. Much more on how to find out your teen's freshmen college application requirements is in my book, described below.
If your teen is not heading to college, you will likely have A LOT of leeway, as to what courses to do in homeschooling high school.
Most states give the parents a lot of choice as to what to study during the high school years, and when to graduate your student from homeschool. But some states do not.
So it's important to know the Homeschool Graduation Requirements for your state. That way, we would know what was required, then we could add in all the extras, like electives, field trips, etc.
So it's important to know the Homeschool Graduation Requirements for your state. That way, we would know what was required, then we could add in all the extras, like electives, field trips, etc.
Below are resources for that, but keep in mind....many states do not set out a specific list of homeschool graduation requirements....
To find out more about homeschooling in your state, I suggest connecting with your state homeschooling group. This link lists all of them, throughout our country.
To find out more about homeschooling in your state, I suggest connecting with your state homeschooling group. This link lists all of them, throughout our country.
In WA state, for example, we got to decide these for ourselves. But if your state has requirements for homeschool graduation, it is good to know that first.
Our second step was to consider what special interests my teen had, or was interested in developing, which could become her homeschool high school electives.
2. Special Interests and Electives
Our second step was to consider what special interests my teen had, or was interested in developing, which could become her homeschool high school electives.
2. Special Interests and Electives
My husband and I talked a lot with our daughter about her needs and interests. My teen was excited about learning video-making, doing some photography, and taking irish dance classes.
We made sure to leave lots of room in our plan for developing these interests.
If your teen doesn't know what they are interested in yet, they will have plenty of time to discover that during their high school years.
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What are your teen's interests and gifts?
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High school at home allows us to foster, grow, and encourage them! And homeschooling gives your teen lots more time to explore their own interests and discover their talents and gifts.
High school electives and activities can also help with getting into college, and my book below has more information on that.
Thirdly, here's how we chose our homeschool high school curriculum...
3. Choosing your High School Curriculum
My teen knew she needed to complete her requirements in the basic subjects (LA, social studies, math, foreign language and science). But, we still did not forget about her interests. They framed her electives.
Here are two great resources for your homeschool high school curriculum search:
-This Let's Homeschool High School curriculum high school homeschool directory is the most complete one I have seen. And it includes TONS of links, with many reviews.
-This Let's Homeschool High School curriculum high school homeschool directory is the most complete one I have seen. And it includes TONS of links, with many reviews.
- The Curriculum Choice - Here veteran homeschool bloggers share curriculum reviews of resources that they used in their own homes.
I am on the author team there and share my favorite high school curicula there, too.
For help with grading, Vicki from 7 Sisters Homeschool has help for Figuring and Recording First Quarter Grades, which I recommend.
Finally, we went about setting up our best guesses for making an overall homeschool high school plan.
4. Making an Overall Plan
We just made our best guesses for what to do when...and wrote it out on notebook paper. This helped me to feel confident, as I knew that I would not forget something that my daughter needed to get done before graduation.
For more information on high school and college, too, I invite you to join me on Pinterest below. Plus a post on Making an Overall Homeschool High School Plan here.
I love getting your comments and I also offer free homeschool help on my facebook page with IM's. Not that my daughter has graduated college, I have more time to answer questions from families.
And for more ideas on high school planning, I invite you to check out Marcy's article from Ben and Me blog called How to Start Homeschooling High School.
Transcripts, GPA, assigning high school credit, course descriptions, etc. It can feel daunting. And that is why many families are leery of taking on high school at home.
So after homeschooling my dear daughter through high school, I put together a guide, full of all those important details for high school.
I want to encourage families to homeschool their teens, and get the benefits that we got doing that, for my daughter and for our family.
This guide includes over 100 high school electives and activities for your teen to explore.
We all want to help our teens grow and give them the important guidance and encouragement as they grow into young adulthood.
And for more ideas on high school planning, I invite you to check out Marcy's article from Ben and Me blog called How to Start Homeschooling High School.
My book called Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd is now FREE to read on Amazon Prime.
Transcripts, GPA, assigning high school credit, course descriptions, etc. It can feel daunting. And that is why many families are leery of taking on high school at home.
I want to encourage families to homeschool their teens, and get the benefits that we got doing that, for my daughter and for our family.
This guide includes over 100 high school electives and activities for your teen to explore.
It is not just for those who are aiming towards college. It is for any teen who is learning at home.
Downloadable High School Planning Printables are included.
For more info: please click here Homeschooling High School with College in Mind - 2nd Edition
For more information, my friend Vicki from 7 Sisters Homeschool has a guide on Planning Homeschool High School. Click here for more great tips and helps to get you started.
For more information, my friend Vicki from 7 Sisters Homeschool has a guide on Planning Homeschool High School. Click here for more great tips and helps to get you started.
Also on the blog:
Thanks for stopping by BJ's Homeschool,
Betsy
Betsy is mom to her college grad whom she homeschooled all the way. She blogs at BJ's Homeschool, about the early years, high school & college and wrote the book
Homeschooling High School with College in Mind - 2nd Edition. She offers homeschool help through messages at Homeschool Help.
Copyright @ BJ's Homeschool
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