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High school. Many parents fear trying to homeschool high school. So many homeschoolers end up in public school when they hit this stage because parents feel like they can’t meet their kid’s needs.
When we first started homeschooling, I was ALWAYS asked, “How long are you homeschooling your kids?” Everyone assumed at some point I’d put my kids back in school, especially by high school.
Even recently, someone thought my daughter would be going to the local high school in the fall because she’ll be a 9th grader.
Honestly, I have my moments of utter panic. The typical homeschool mom’s thoughts of “Am I doing enough? Can I do this? What if I screw them up? Can I really prepare them for college?” go through my brain.
But you know what?
As homeschool parents, we don’t give ourselves enough credit. But, we CAN homeschool high school, especially in today’s world with the internet at our fingertips. There are so many resources to help.
I remember reading something from the Hmmm…Schooling Mom. If you haven’t checked out her site, you really should. She gets real about homeschooling and even has a section on homeschooling teens.
Anyway…I remember her talking about parents being stressed over high school. She brought up that things don’t magically change from the last day of 8th grade to the first day of 9th grade. You still have the same kid you’ve been homeschooling.
Think about that.
It’s kind of is true. We’ve homeschooled our kids up to that point. So why can’t we suddenly do it the next day?!
Why So Much Anxiety About Homeschooling High School
Well, homeschooling high school scares us for many reasons. But there are ways we can get past them.
The Content Gets Harder
Many of us have our own anxiety over certain high school subjects. I swear my heart starts racing when I think of the high school biology lab—two words: fetal pig. I almost passed out in class. Luckily, my parents stood up for me, and I got out of dissections.
The truth is we all have certain subjects that we struggled with and can’t imagine we can teach to our kids. We may even have extreme anxiety at the though of teaching them.
High school does get more challenging.
However, we have options.
- We can relearn the material ourselves.
- Find a friend, fellow homeschool parent, spouse, co-op, etc., to teach a challenging subject to our kids.
- Enroll in an online class.
- Find a curriculum that offers video lessons and great teacher keys!
As with teachers in public schools, no one knows it all. Even in high school, kids have teachers that teach only certain subjects. They don’t have one teacher that teaches them every subject.
Don’t expect you need to also! You can if you want, though.
I have looked through many of the classes offered for high school on SchoolhouseTeachers.com, and it has been a great help with planning out high school. I’ll be using some of their courses with my kids. They even have School Boxes that have everything planned out for you for each grade level. Pretty cool.
I already have some classes picked out that have video lessons to teach my high schooler. I will watch the lessons with my daughter. That way, I can help her if she needs it (plus consult the teacher manual). Video lessons are such a great option for subjects you just don’t feel confident teaching.
Planning Out Your Homeschool High School Years
The planning can be intimidating. I love planning out our school year, but I want to make sure I do it right with high school.
It kind of feels like high stakes now or the big leagues.
Sort of.
We still need to focus on meeting our child’s needs. It isn’t going to change in high school.
The difference is now we are helping them plan for their future.
I’ve sat down and chatted with my daughter about her future. She loves astronomy, chemistry, nuclear engineering, and writing.
So, we’ve figured out she will be going to college and getting a degree in some field of engineering (probably nuclear engineering). She may get a minor in astronomy.
Okay.
Now I have an idea of how to plan. I know my daughter needs certain classes to get into these degrees in college. But, at the very least, I can prepare her high school years with the courses colleges want for admission.
I can also pick classes in the sciences she likes and will be helpful later on. Plus, it gives her a better idea of what these careers focus on to see if she really does enjoy the subject matter.
As when our kids were younger, we still want to look ahead to what they should be learning and topics that interest them.
This leads us to another fear of homeschooling high school…
High School Transcripts
Okay, I will admit that I sort of panic with this one.
BUT…I have found so many great resources to ease my fears.
One of my Go-To sites right now is The HomeScholar. Her site is all about helping homeschool parents with the high school years. She has easy-to-follow tips and advice.
Another resource I found for high school transcripts and high school planning is HSLDA (The Homeschool Legal Defense Association). They have some short but helpful books on these topics, which are only a few dollars each.
Those dreaded transcripts aren’t so bad when you find the resources you need on homeschooling high school. After all, it is just a record of your child’s high school years.
Are They Missing Out?
Some, especially those parents that attended public high school, may fear their kids will miss out on something.
Will their kids be upset they didn’t get to experience high school? What about all the milestones of high school like homecoming and prom? Or making lots of friends?
Well, honestly, in the big scheme of things, I don’t think any of that matters. It is all superficial compared to a quality education that meets your child’s needs. Plus, the time you and your child spend together.
Teens are pretty cool. They are getting closer and closer to adulthood, and we get to be a significant influence on who our child becomes and not a group of peers that may be questionable.
However, your kids don’t need to “miss out” on some of those fun things in high school. For example, many co-ops offer dances or proms for kids. They also hold graduations. So, if this is something you’d like for your high schooler, you can look around your area for a co-op or homeschool group that your teen may like. They may get to experience some of the things parents fear they miss out on.
Final Thoughts on the Homeschool High School Journey
Overall, I find the best way to deal with fears of homeschooling high school is knowledge! Once you find answers to your questions, talk with others who have homeschooled high schoolers, and find support, it isn’t so scary.
Remember, you have homeschooled your child this far; you can finish the last four years.
Your teens will need you to help guide them through their learning and teach them to be independent learners, so they are prepared for learning on their own in life.
It can be scary. But many of us were terrified to take that leap into homeschooling and did it. We may discover we are a lot stronger, braver, and capable than we think.
Learn all you can learn about homeschooling during the high school years, and you will feel so much better. I have all my resources and support lined up so that I have what I need to remind me I’ve got this. And you do, too.
Happy Homeschooling!
Other helpful resources:
- Homeschool Help for When You are New to It All
- The Best Tips for Homeschool Success Year After Year
- Engaging Activities for Teens When Stuck Inside
I have found homeschooling high-school to be the easiest thus far. Great article!
I’m actually kind of enjoying the teen years.