Homeschool high school CAN be done.
Honestly, I often want to tell people, “Stop Telling Me Why You Can’t Homeschool High School”!
Now that my husband and I have graduated one child, we clearly see the benefits of homeschooling high school. In fact, high school is the most crucial time to homeschool our children.
Last week my youngest completed his 9th-grade year. Let the planning for 10th grade commence!
Because this isn’t our first 10th-grade homeschool rodeo, I pulled out the plastic bin of 10th-grade books from the basement and took stock. Then, I got out my Classical Conversations catalog and began to check off what we owned, and made orders for what we didn’t.
To come up with our final plan, however, was a little more complicated - and that is what I want to talk to you about today. And, I want to give you some general high school encouragement, because you can never have too much of that!
If you are anything like me, planning brings about all the feelings of possibility, promise, and excitement. Planning for high school, seems to feel a lot more heavy. There is a lot riding on these four years of our children’s education, and we want to get it right.
(You might want to read the series I wrote a couple of years ago - Homeschool to College - about the path we took with our oldest child.)
Let’s break this down into 5 steps - the first two steps being my pep talk! The next two steps are extremely practical, and the last step is what our actual plan is for next year - to give you an idea of a sample plan.
1. Don’t Lose the Wonder
Our high schoolers don’t have to lose the wonder in their education.
Many of you ask if Classical Conversations Challenge works for my younger child - the answer is this: with prayer and planning (and a wonderful community of families) the Challenge program works better for my younger child than it did my older child.
Factors such as tutors, community, and student learning style all contribute to this. Right now, our plan is to stay in the Challenge program as long as it is a good fit for my son. If and when it ceases to be is the point we will contemplate a change.
DISCLAIMER: My son has a unique group of peers - they have been together for many years and are steeped in the Classical model. They have grown, learned, and questioned together. They feel safe and comfortable with each other - to succeed and to fail. They have tutors who have been committed to this, and parents who learn alongside them. I believe all of this is SO IMPORTANT for the Challenge program to work.
2. It Will All Work Out
I know the tendency is to stress out as our children approach high school. Please don’t.
Just like when they were babies - we are equipped with just enough information each step of the way to help us succeed. Do your research, make friends with other parents who have homeschool high schoolers, and pray a lot.
Don’t get too far ahead of yourself because then you are in danger of losing the wonder!
Have FAITH. You’ve been called to this and you will graduate this child successfully!
3. Now, Let’s Get Practical
Bookmark this page: High school & beyond (a page from HSLDA full of high school information)
What does your state require your children to know? (consult your state’s Department of Education website.)
What do YOU want your children to know? (Many people forget this - you are homeschooling because you want control over your children’s education. Use this control in their high school years!)
What does YOUR CHILD want to know? It’s important to keep talking with your young person about their dreams and goals for the future.
Find a source you trust for high school advice and information - I really like Annie & Everything. She has homeschooled a lot of high schoolers and offers a wealth of knowledge for parents. She even has a step-by-step guide for planning high school.
Keep accurate records. No matter how you do this, just be sure to save everything. You may not use half of it, but you can always throw it away. I keep a simple file folder for each class my children take - write the course description and dates inside the front cover and save all work inside. Simple.
In practicality, however, don’t sacrifice quality. Maintain the INTEGRITY OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION.
If you’re trying to knock out credits for college, that is great - but don’t lower your expectations in the process. You get one shot at high school, so make it good. If you’ve heard bad things about a dual enrollment course at the local community college, don’t sign up for it just because your child might get college credit. Believe me, it won’t be worth it.
4. Consider YOUR Child
One size does not fit all. Stay in your own lane!
Is your child college-bound? Are they trade school bound? Do they have an entrepreneurial spirit?
You want to adequately prepare your child for what comes after high school for THEM - not for the general masses.
My son wants to be an architect (or at least right now he thinks he does!). So, preparing him for college is important. We’re looking at entrance requirements for architecture schools that might interest him. I’m looking for opportunities NOW that will teach him about architecture and give him a taste of what might be in his future.
If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” ~ Yogi Berra
5. Make Your Plan
I start making plans in May for the following school year. This gives me time to enroll for any online classes, order materials, etc…
Here is what our 10th-grade plan looks like. Remember - this is just for my child. Your child’s plan (even if they are also in Classical Conversations Challenge II) will look different.
*Note: 10th grade was my oldest child’s busiest year. She earned the most credits that school year and spent the most time on her school work. 11th grade was reserved for test prep, college visits, and increased independence with driving, working, etc…. 10th grade seems to be the ideal year to pack it all in!
Math - Shormann Precalculus with Trigonometry Self-Paced Course
Foreign Language — Spanish (Homeschool Spanish Academy)
Architecture - Intro to Architecture with Excelsior Classes
Literature/Exposition - British Literature (lots of books here - we’re pre-reading now and I’m reading the books ahead of time so I can be someone my son can discuss with)
Western Cultural History - (I adore this seminar! “Students research and write about significant artists and composers in their own histories of art and music. Seminar discussions focus on Francis Schaeffer’s ideas in How Should We Then Live?”)
Science - Exploring Creation with Biology
Traditional Logic & Socratic Dialogue - Memoria Press Traditional Logic & the reading of Plato’s Gorgias
Music Lessons - continue with private piano lessons
Physical Education - continue participation with a private school basketball team
This is the plan for the coming school year. I’ll keep you updated as we progress through the year.
I’d love to know how your planning is going, and if you have a 10th grader how you are feeling about next year. If you’re like me, you’re starting to feel the urgency to make memories, teach them the life-lessons they need, and so much more.
It’s a busy time, and I’m so glad we are right there with them through homeschooling.
