Life School Your College Bound Teen

Summary:  Life schooling added so much to our homeschool.  It allowed us to follow our child's and teen's interests, helping her to find her gifts and even decide her college major! Life schooling, that is what it is all about! #homeschoolinghighschool #lifeschooling #homeschool #getintocollege

We believe in life schooling. That is one of the reasons that we decided to homeschool.

Through natural activities, we helped our daughter followed her interests and, over the years, find her own unique gifts.

Even in high school, we did life schooling.  

Through high school activities and high school electives, my daughter explored her interests, which even led to her decision re her major in college!

By knowing what our teen needed for college admissions, you can be free:

• to do lots of teen-led learning!
• make your own homemade courses
• do lots of high school electives
• and activities!

Did you know that you do not have to do the public school graduation requirements?  As homeschoolers, we have a lot more leeway.

We just have to follow our state homeschool regs, and most states leave that up to the parent to decide for the most part.

More on that, and college admssions is in my book below, which is offered as a KINDLE GIVEAWAY below.

But first, let's talk life schooling!

1. The EARLY YEARS 

In the early years, our daughter was all about art and making things.

 

Painting, fingerpainting and making things with cardboard and tape were her favorites. 

And that helped her handwriting, by developing her small muscle skills.

Our little one was always dancing around the house and soon asking for a ballet class, like she saw her friends attending. 

She was a shy one, so we thought a little dance class might help her develop her social skills and confidence.

Through ballet, she learned to follow directions, make friends, and yes, develope confidence, too.

2. The ELEMENTARY YEARS

We were always at the library, going to read-alouds there and such.  My daughter always chose her books herself.

She loved to pick out books about animals and other science topics.

And she still loved making things! So, after field trips, she often made something out of cardboard, to share with her dad.

One time we went to a local country fair.

Afterwards, she made this structure, to the left, showing all the fun rides there.

And at that fair, we found a children's contest that my daughter wanted to enter.  It was mostly for art, crafts, baking, etc. 

Did you know that many states have these contests at their state fairs, or through 4H?  

Country fair contests often include competitions even through high school in:

•  animal care
•  cooking
•  art
• writing
• poetry
• photography
• and even knitting.  

My daughter continued with this fair all the way through high school.  She loved it because of the competition and earning awards for her work.  Life schooling....

3. The MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS

 

In the middle school years, my daughter entered a lot of different contests at the country fair, like photography, baking, and even middle school homeschool writing!  

Then one year she  entered a knitting contest. 

In that contest, the kids competed to see how could knit the fastest. 

To do this, they were up in front of an audience.

Would our shy daughter want to do that?  She did!

This was a real surprise to us.  It led to her reading her poem aloud, the next year.

Through this country fair contest, my daughter learning that she liked public speaking!  

Little did I know that she would want more. 

4. The HIGH SCHOOL YEARS

My daughter loved science, especially at co-op.  One year, her science teacher asked her if she would like to help teach the class.

She jumped at the chance!   

She learned that she liked talking in front of the group as she helped in that class.

Then in 10th grade, when we were studying government in our homeschool, she heard about a program called Youth and Government.

Did you know that most states have a Youth and Government program, through their YMCA?

It is an activity that teaches speech, debate and state governments.  

They act as if they are legislators and learn all about that, by acting it out!  

Speech and debate is so great for our teens.  More on that is here.

And that is a great way to show leadership in college applications!

Following our daughter's interests through life schooling even helped her decide on her college major!

She decided to study Communications in college.

What do you think your teen may want to study in college?  

HIGH SCHOOL FREEBIE:

Get your FREE PDF

full of tips and articles on 

homeschooling high school.

Don't miss this High School FREEBIE: 

Link: FREEBIE - HIGH SCHOOL HELPS

FREEBIE includes top articles on:

• Frugal High School Curriculum
• Graduation Requirements
• 100 Best High School Resources
• Nature Study for Teens
• Favorites for High School Math
• Teaching Textbooks vs Monarch
• Make Your Own English Course
• and more!

I helped my daughter get into each of the colleges that she applied to and my book tells you how to deal with college admissions.

It is a FRUGAL easy-to-read guide for homeschooling your college bound teen including:

• what is needed for college admissions
• homeschool transcripts
• assigning high school credits
• make your own homemade courses
• scholarships
• my Common Application guide
• reference letters
• course descriptions
• lots more.

Are you homeschooling a strong will teen?  That can be a challenge.  My friend, Vicki from 7 Sisters Homeschool has lots of ideas for that in her post Homeschooling a Strong Willed Teen.   

Thanks for stopping by BJ's Homeschool,

Betsy

Betsy is mom to her now college grad daughter, whom she homeschooled since she was in K. 

She blogs at BJ's Homeschool, about the early years, highschool, 

college, gifted/2e and wrote -Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd Edition. 

She shares on  Facebook, pins at BJ's Homeschool Pinterest.  You can also reach her on BJ's Twitter, and she hosts an encouraging High School Facebook Group.

NOTE: All Rights Reserved @ BJ's Homeschool Revised 2021