Overview - Preparing to homeschool doesn't have to be hard! This article tells you all about the keys to homeschooling high school, including assigning credit, searching for homeschool high school curriculum, making those homeschool transcripts, and some affiliate links may be included. Please see my disclosure policy.
Is homeschooling high school really not that hard? Have you seen that saying around on the web?
What do you think?
Well, first I would say yes it really is not that hard. But then I would say no, it can be hard in some ways, too.
It was harder for us than middle school, just because there were more things to think about...like college, or trade school, or entering the world of work....Where will my teen be heading?
So what's a mama to do?
For us, we knew that our teen wanted to go directly into college after graduating. We wanted her to have the high school years to just be a high schooler, and decided not to go the dual credit route, except for a course or two.
It was harder for us than middle school, just because there were more things to think about...like college, or trade school, or entering the world of work....Where will my teen be heading?
So what's a mama to do?
For us, we knew that our teen wanted to go directly into college after graduating. We wanted her to have the high school years to just be a high schooler, and decided not to go the dual credit route, except for a course or two.
Are you nervous about continuing to homeschool all the way through high school?
I was, when contemplating it during the middle school years...My daughter was doing so well with her homeschooling, that we wanted to continue all the way, to allow her to explore her interests and prepare for the next step in an individualized manner.
I was, when contemplating it during the middle school years...My daughter was doing so well with her homeschooling, that we wanted to continue all the way, to allow her to explore her interests and prepare for the next step in an individualized manner.
Today I'd like to share how I became confident as a mom who was homeschooling her teen.
There were four key pieces of information that were important to me for my high school planning....And once I got them under my belt, my confidence grew....a lot.
Once I could understand how to deal with Credits, Curriculum, Core Studies, and Transcripts....Then I was ready to take on high school with confidence.
If you have these 4 tools under your belt, more specifically, having:
- an understanding of high school credits
- resources for choosing your curriculum
- an understanding of what core studies your teen would need
- how to's for making your teen's transcript.....
Then you will be much better equipped to take on the high school years.
First of all, let's talk start with high school credits.
1. Assigning High School Credit
It is not that hard to assign high school credit. Here are 3 ways to do just that.
I call them ...................1. the Textbook method
2. the Hours method
3. the Mastery method
All of the work that your teen does earns high school credit! This includes courses that you make yourself, volunteer and paid work hours, internships, time spent reading, etc.
The textbook method is the traditional way.
The hours method involves keeping track of the amount of time spent in learning activities.
The mastery method refers to assigning credit based on demonstrated mastery of a subject or a skill. That could be video making, playing an instrument, etc.
The textbook method is the traditional way.
The hours method involves keeping track of the amount of time spent in learning activities.
The mastery method refers to assigning credit based on demonstrated mastery of a subject or a skill. That could be video making, playing an instrument, etc.
We did a lot of different kinds of learning, and all of it counted! I have a post on this, which you can find by searching my blog for "3 Ways to High School Credit"
It is also included in my book, mentioned below.
Secondly, let's talk curriculum.....
It is also included in my book, mentioned below.
Secondly, let's talk curriculum.....
2. Curriculum Search Resources
First we started with our favorites from middle school. I wanted to keep whatever was working best for my daughter. For example, we used SOS from www.aop.com for math in middle school, and just continued with it for most of high school. That was a no-brainer.
My daughter was a big part of this process. Together, we searched the internet, our favorite blogs and homeschool catalogs, and talked with our homeschooling friends, to find new ideas.
Here are my favorite resources for your search:
------ There is a great CURRICULUM DIRECTORY at Let's Homeschool High School
This curriculum directory for high school is the most complete one I have ever seen! And it includes TONS of links, too!
------ 7 Sisters Homeschool Innovative Homeschool Help
7 Sisters Homeschool offers a variety of high school curriculum. They cover a lot of the core subjects that your teen will need, all faith based.
Their courses come as PDFs and are much more frugal than any other curriculum source that I have seen. Many are around $30.00.
Each is written by veteran homeschool moms who developed their own courses for high schoolers in their co-op.
So all of their resources and courses are tried and true.
Are you looking for a quality homeschool high school English course for your teen?
Or would you prefer to put your own course together, with the help of a well put together literature guide or two? You are in luck, as they have both.
Their English courses capture a student's interest and then lead them into a solid study of literature, all while avoiding any busywork.
My book on homeschooling high school with college in mind has lots more information on choosing curriculum, and what we chose to use in our homeschool.
You can also find more info on our favorite high school curricula, by searching my blog.
Thirdly, you want to be familiar with what core courses our student will need to complete.
3. High School Core Studies
Core studies are just the basic high school courses, in math, english, social studies, and science.
What your choose for core studies is most often up to the individual homeschool family. You do not need to follow the public school graduation requirements, only those laid out in your state's homeschool law.
Most states do not lay out requirements for a homeschool diploma. It is usually left to the homeschool family to decide when to graduate their teen.
So in most states, you can shape your teen's high school years around their needs, depending where they will be heading.
If your teens might be going to college, then you will want them to do the core studies that are outlined by the colleges, ie, the college entrance requirements. Checking likely college websites is essential for college bound teens. I have much more on that in my book, laying out typical requirements for a different kinds of colleges, mentioned below.
If your teen is headed to community college, it is adivsable to just check in with admissions there. In our state of WA, the incoming students just take an entrance test, which evaluates their math and english skills.
It is usually SO much less complicated compared than going into a 4 year college, and usually the SAT/ACT is not needed.
AGAIN - You do not have to follow the public school graduation requirements....those are for public school kids!
Now that you have the resources for finding your curriculum, and you understand what core studies are, let's talk about searching for high school curricula.
Before we ordered anything, we spent time talking about my teen's special interests.
Those influenced our choices for core studies and also became my teen's high school electives!
What is your teen passionate about? How do they spend their time, when they have free time? What are their gifts?What is your teen passionate about?
The beauty of homeschooling high school is that you get to build and nurture your teen's interests and help them to discover their strengths. Even with preparing for college, my teen had lots of time to do electives and try out her interests in activities.
Now that we finished talking about credits, curriculum, core studies and a bit about electives, let's talk transcripts.
3. High School Core Studies
Core studies are just the basic high school courses, in math, english, social studies, and science.
Most states do not lay out requirements for a homeschool diploma. It is usually left to the homeschool family to decide when to graduate their teen.
So in most states, you can shape your teen's high school years around their needs, depending where they will be heading.
If your teens might be going to college, then you will want them to do the core studies that are outlined by the colleges, ie, the college entrance requirements. Checking likely college websites is essential for college bound teens. I have much more on that in my book, laying out typical requirements for a different kinds of colleges, mentioned below.
If your teen is headed to community college, it is adivsable to just check in with admissions there. In our state of WA, the incoming students just take an entrance test, which evaluates their math and english skills.
It is usually SO much less complicated compared than going into a 4 year college, and usually the SAT/ACT is not needed.
AGAIN - You do not have to follow the public school graduation requirements....those are for public school kids!
Now that you have the resources for finding your curriculum, and you understand what core studies are, let's talk about searching for high school curricula.
Before we ordered anything, we spent time talking about my teen's special interests.
Those influenced our choices for core studies and also became my teen's high school electives!
The beauty of homeschooling high school is that you get to build and nurture your teen's interests and help them to discover their strengths. Even with preparing for college, my teen had lots of time to do electives and try out her interests in activities.
Now that we finished talking about credits, curriculum, core studies and a bit about electives, let's talk transcripts.
4. Making your High School Transcripts
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Volunteering is a great leadership building activity and the colleges love to see this on their applications. |
Compiling your teen's transcript is really not that hard! Really!
Transcripts are just a document that lists all of the courses that your student took, with grades, a place to put their SAT or ACT scores, with identifying information on it. More on transcripts can be found on my blog.
My book below also has a full chapter on how to put your transcripts together, with lots of planning forms and a fillable and editable transcript form for you to just fill in.
High School was my favorite time, of all of our homeschooling years.
No it was not easy. Yes, it was much more complicated than the earlier years. But having my daughter at home meant that she her individual educational needs could be met.
She also had more time to try out new activities and develop her interests, and go to youth conferences, etc. And watching her blossom and grow, during the teen years... priceless!
Have you seen my frugal book yet on high school?
Transcripts are just a document that lists all of the courses that your student took, with grades, a place to put their SAT or ACT scores, with identifying information on it. More on transcripts can be found on my blog.
My book below also has a full chapter on how to put your transcripts together, with lots of planning forms and a fillable and editable transcript form for you to just fill in.
High School was my favorite time, of all of our homeschooling years.
No it was not easy. Yes, it was much more complicated than the earlier years. But having my daughter at home meant that she her individual educational needs could be met.
She also had more time to try out new activities and develop her interests, and go to youth conferences, etc. And watching her blossom and grow, during the teen years... priceless!
Have you seen my frugal book yet on high school?
Kindle and Paperback are on Amazon
Get my best tips on college from a homeschool perspective. Make your high school planning easier!
It includes 12 high school planning printables plus a fillable transcript form, the type that the colleges are used to seeing!
What are people saying about it:
Heidi, from Starts at Eight says:
"If you are planning on homeschooling high school then Betsy's book is the one that you want to have on the shelf"......click here to read the rest of her review."
Would you like to see a chapter of my book?
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope that this will help both you and your teen,
Betsy
Betsy is mom to her college grad whom she homeschooled from through high school. She blogs at BJ's Homeschool about the early years, high school, college, and is the author of "Homeschooling High School with College in Mind". She offers homeschool help through messages at BJ's Consulting.
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