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Preparing for High School

Four years ago I thought the world would end if I didn’t do everything just right for my child’s high school years. But I had a wise friend tell me jokingly that I liked to work too hard. Well, I don’t like to work too hard so I started listening to her (she had already graduated 2 students) instead of others who were just beginning the high school journey. I’m so glad I did.

Both Josiah and Gabriel are in high school. Josiah in 11th grade and Gabriel in 9th. There are a bazillion and a half ways to home school high school. I’m going to share just few things that have worked for us and the curriculum that my guys will be using this year.

{Gabriel – 9th grade}
We start the high school years assuming our children will go to a traditional college. For me it is much easier to prepare to go to college and then not go than to not prepare and end up scrambling the last year or two of high school to make sure we have enough credits and the transcripts are accurate.

With Us:
Bible
English From the Roots Up
Rip the Page

Independently:
Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1
Apologia Biology
Notgrass American History and Literature
Rosetta Stone Spanish

At co-op he will do a Biology lab, a nutrition class that I will use as part of a Health credit, a creative writing class and an American History Art Appreciation class.

He will also be a part of our local Drama club again this year.

{Josiah – 11th grade}
Part of the reason we don’t mess around the first two years of high school is that I want my children to have the freedom to do internships, part time jobs, take dual credit classes at the college or just explore a hobby or dream more deeply the last two years.

With Us:
Bible
English From the Roots Up
Rip the Page

Independently:
Teaching Textbooks Algebra 2 / Geometry
Notgrass American Government
Economics
Entrepreneurship – Josiah has an opportunity to be a part of a ministry that will help train him to fulfill a vocation dream of his. He’s been accepted into the training program and will be raising the money he needs. We’re using this opportunity to put together a business class for him.

At co-op he will do a geography, a nutrition class that I will use as part of a Health credit, a creative writing class and an American History Art Appreciation class.

He will also be a part of our local Drama club again this year.

{A few last thoughts}

There are several things that have helped make homeschooling high school enjoyable instead of overwhelming.

The first is that my guys are pretty diligent.  They don’t all come by this naturally – they’ve worked very hard at developing this trait. So, I don’t have to nag them everyday….just occasionally.

The second is the support of our local home school community, especially our co-op and drama club. I don’t have to worry about science labs, we have a mom who loves to do those kind of things and even taught science for a while in public school. Over the years my high schoolers have taken writing classes, geography, Spanish labs, platform speaking and electives such as photography.

I don’t have to worry about my children not feeling comfortable speaking in front of people because there’s a group of dedicated moms who work with them each week in drama.

So if high school concerns you just know that you can usually find a way to get help with the subjects you are uncomfortable teaching. And if your child is already a diligent student you won’t have any problems homeschooling high school.

Feel free to leave ideas for home schooling high school in the comments.

 

Thanks for sharing with your friends!

Linda

Monday 10th of September 2012

I appreciate your sharing of how your homeschool high school works. Great idea to prepare as if they will go to college, so you don't have to scramble later. I've already started looking into how we will do high school, my daughter is in 7th now. I love getting ideas from parents who are actually homeschooling high school. I found a site LetsHomeschoolHighSchool.com in my search for parents who are already doing high school, there are some great ideas over there. Thanks again for sharing, now if I can just get my daughter to work more diligently...:)

SchneiderPeeps

Tuesday 11th of September 2012

I'll have to check out that site. Diligence is a biggie. I've had one child (at the high school level) that is not naturally diligent, unless, of course, it's something he wants to do. Then he's very diligent. But, neither is his mama so it was a journey for both of us learning new habits. I'm sure as your daughter matures she'll begin to work more diligently.