Options for Homeschooling Through High School
No longer are high school students who are homeschooled spending their days being taught at the kitchen table; that is a thing of the past. There are now many ways to expand one’s knowledge in different areas, create a setting for collaborative learning in one particular subject, or start the collegiate journey ahead of time. A big role is taken on by technology in the majority of these, though there are also easy-to-get low-tech options. Considering the state curriculum frameworks and the requirements for colleges, it may be a wise decision for homeschoolers to incorporate a number of different options for their high schoolers both cost-effectively and encouragingly.
At Home
If your child has been studying at home for an extended period, it is probable that they feel secure with the traditional system directed by a parent: the parent presents the lesson, allocates the tasks and then checks over the finished work. Whether they have had plenty of experience in homeschooling or are just beginning, your high-schooler probably has pinpointed a location at home where they can focus on more difficult high school topics.
If you are having trouble with a particularly difficult topic, you can look for assistance on the internet. Places such as Khan Academy provide free teachings in many educational topics. Older siblings who have a good understanding of the material can benefit from teaching a younger high schooler, as it is a great learning experience for them, as well as giving them the opportunity to earn social service credits. If it is possible financially, you can employ a tutor to guide your learner.
Online at Home
Parents are in charge of their child’s educational program for high school, but you can take advantage of virtual high school courses if you like. These services may be obtained from online sources like The Potter’s School Online Homeschool Academy (TPS), materials suppliers such as BJU Press and Abeka, or organizations like HSLDA. Learners are able to take individual courses or the entire grade-level program via this technique.
Once you’ve bought the necessary supplies, your student who’s in high school can either watch prerecorded talks or take part in virtual classes with live lectures. Pupils can converse with other pupils in the class by using the chat area along the side or by forming study teams for the class. The online teacher will grade your student. Moms and dads will be held accountable for correctly noting the grade on the pupil’s academic record.
Homeschool Co-ops
Many families take advantage of homeschool co-ops. This could be anything from just a small group of people getting together periodically to teach each other, to much bigger and better-structured organizations which offer more consistent schooling, additional activities (like art and music), and even a formal end-of-year celebration. Having a larger number of people can allow for more tailored teaching. As an illustration, my youngest took part in a cooperative education program where her biology tutor was a medical professional and her physical education teacher was a former educator from a public school, who was both educating their own children at home.
Homeschooling offers a chance for the family to learn in unison, whereas homeschool co-ops provide the opportunity for homeschoolers to study together. Learning as a group can be especially helpful for specific topics. Students in high school may have a liking for the laboratory sciences so frequently necessary for college. Students can advance their writing competencies by collaboratively reviewing each other’s works through peer editing. Class conversations can make literature and history come alive.
Homeschool co-ops also offer the benefit of community. People of all ages who collaborate on a regular basis in a collective environment can establish strong bonds.
Classes at Your Local High School
Public schools possess unique physical tools which can be advantageous to those who are homeschooling. As a taxpayer in the area, you are still giving money to this school even if your kids don’t go there! Lab facilities that are devoted and specialized permit a student considering becoming a pre-med to feel at ease in a structured laboratory environment as they research biology or chemistry. Woodworking or auto repair shops allow a high school student to get first-hand experience with power tools not commonly found in residential settings. A robotics class will teach your prospective engineer how to code and give them the necessary supplies to create and construct projects.
Your nearby secondary school could likewise offer Advanced Placement classes which could be valuable to your child. AP classes developed by the College Board provide educational opportunities to study a college-level course of study in 38 varying areas. If your teenager succeeds in the test after they have completed an Advanced Placement course, they can avoid having to take a similar college class and potentially get college credit for it. Finishing Advanced Placement (AP) classes and tests can save your family money and reduce your college student’s workload.
Enrichment at Your Local High School
The undeniable advantages that public schools provide in terms of extracurricular activities cannot be overlooked. A student who plays music could consider joining a band, orchestra, or choir. Your high school student could excel as a part of the varsity soccer or swim team of the nearby high school. A kid with a enthusiasm for acting can express their acting talent by taking part in plays or musicals.
Schools could offer organizations that aid scholars in creating their art works collection, competing in public talking, or engaging in a sport that is less competitive. These areas of enrichment are not complete academic classes, but rather activities that the student is passionate about. By offering chances for growth in these areas, your learner can cultivate talents or pastimes that are retained for life. Even if done for a limited period of time, these activities are very beneficial to have on a high school record.
Local College Classes
Sometimes high school students can take classes at nearby colleges through a process called dual or concurrent enrollment. The desired institution must be shown that your student is capable of college-level work. The necessary documents for consideration may include one’s PSAT/SAT results, a copy of one’s current high school transcript, and/or the completion of any available placement examinations. Once approved, your student can fulfill some high school and college criteria at the same time.
Dual enrollment courses may not always cost anything, may occasionally be accessible at a reduced tuition, and could sometimes be obtainable for the full charge of the college. Depending on the state and school, community colleges, private colleges, and in some cases, even high schools, provide these courses. My son, a junior in high school, decided to take two semesters of Spanish at a local community college, allowing him to skip the two semesters of foreign language that were mandated by his chosen private college, and leaving him with the same amount of Spanish courses taken as if he were enrolled in a high school.
Online College Classes
Dual enrollment classes can be taken remotely through either high school teachers or universities that provide this type of program. My youngest daughter seized both of these chances. As a student in her junior year of high school, she completed several classes through TPS. My daughter was able to receive credits from a private college and TPS for two courses when she was enrolled as a junior in high school; the programs fulfilled the requirements of both.
When my daughter was in her final year of high school, she took two terms of calculus at a close-by, independent educational institution.
How to incorporate Charlotte Mason methods in high school:
Short Lessons
This won’t be suitable for teenagers, as they may need time frames of between five to fifteen minutes for their classes, but not the same for those who are in their adolescent years. Probably true. However, this doesn’t necessitate that you must relinquish the notion. Here are some options:
- Try taking frequent breaks. Use the Pomodoro method to break up longer lessons into shorter bites so that your teen can maintain that focused attention the CM method calls for.
- Vary the task. Maybe 15-20 minutes of reading can be followed by 10-15 minutes of writing or doing practice problems in the same topic. In Math, for example, read the first part of the lesson, then do the practice problems associated with that, then read the second part, and then do the practice problems associated with that. Most math problem sets start with simple and move to more complex, so figure out the simple ones when you’re reading the first part of the lesson that describes them. Or find a curriculum that breaks it up this way naturally, with guided practice at regular intervals and then practice sets divided by type of problem, so your teen can go back and forth between learning and doing. Lial’s math textbooks do this really well.
- Vary the subject, if it works for your teen. Have them do a portion of the math lesson, then move on to history, and maybe then French, and then back to math. I know my brain often works better when it comes back to something rather than when I plod on through ad nauseam. And it’s amazing the connections that can be made across subjects this way.
- Shorten the assignment. In history or science or literature, have them read fewer pages at a time. Why do we think we have to cram our teens full of textbook information? Isn’t it better to fully explore a short passage’s nuances of meaning and to think deeply about it, than to try to absorb pages and pages of content that has no relevance to higher thought or character? With teens this concept might even be more important than ever. Here’s a crazy thought: don’t make your teen do all the math problems. Let them do enough to show mastery (maybe all the odds? or evens?), and then let them move on. Woot! No more math drudgery! If they stop showing mastery, however, you can always dial back up again. But maybe they’ll work harder on that excellent execution you’ve been training them for all this time when they know the payoff is less work in the long run. I personally like the sound of that!
Narration
Discussing the books with the children is enjoyable, right? But teens have to write more, right?
Well, yes and no. Guess what? It’s still important to communicate with your adolescent about the books they are reading. Sometimes we overlook that conversing and debating are still beneficial ways of developing knowledge even when teenagers are in high school. Your teenager needs to report to you what they comprehended and believed about a specific section. You can evaluate their performance on this task and include the result in their overall grade.
However, they can compose some or all of their stories themselves. Then you will have more free time to assist the younger ones, do the washing up, or have a brief rest in the restroom. It’s identical to them being in front of you, except this time they are working on developing their writing skills concurrently. This provides them with lots of chances to learn correct grammar and how to organize sentences, pick the perfect term, or perhaps devise a convincing argument to persuade you that playing video games should really be taken into consideration as physical education.
You get the idea. Composing when you are in secondary school doesn’t need to be restricted to the five-section paper or the terrifying exploration task. There is no greater intensity than your child creating brief stories multiple times a week. I wager your sulky teenager will be less scared, and you’ll still be working on that CM thing you’ve enjoyed for so much time.
Living Books
Incorporating books that have truths, beauty, and goodness in Literature and History would not be an issue; however, is it possible to do the same in Math and Science classes? These may be tricky to get ahold of, however, they exist. In just one moment, I’m going to give you a great technique to ensure they are included!
Who is to determine that the adolescent can’t still delight in read-outs with the family? It is vital that each and every book, even those for children, receives adequate attention as it deserves to be thoroughly read, comprehended, and discussed multiple times. Your adolescent might stumble upon newfound interpretations which could spark interesting conversations with everyone.
Dictation
If your child is accustomed to doing dictation, why discontinue the practice? The passages can now be constructed in a more intricate way, containing greater depth and stimulating more contemplation. Ever try using Shakespeare for copywork? Forsooth!
This is when it might be going through your head that, yes, what I’m saying makes sense but it won’t be a simple task. Employing Charlotte Mason techniques in secondary school will require a great deal of organizing and preparation! Isn’t there an easier way? Do any Charlotte Mason curricula exist for high school students?
The answer is ‘yes’!
Incorporating dictation into any topic can be an advantageous tool to stimulate conversation, help with memorizing information or even adding a humorous element with a lesson in morality, all wrapped up in a single activity. No need to give it up now!
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