Homeschooling parents sometimes view the idea of homeschooling through high school as too difficult and thus enroll their children into public or private school when the time comes. But homeschooling high schoolers does not have to be difficult and can be the most rewarding time of all. You can plan your homeschool high school curriculum using the same resources that taught your children through elementary and middle school. Or you can find new and exciting ones that meet the changing needs of your teens.
Drafting Plans with Favorite Curriculum Companies
By the time you are ready to start homeschooling your high schooler, you may have already discovered which homeschool curriculum companies produce products that work for your child. Perhaps he is a hands-on learner, an auditory learner, or a kinesthetic learner. Or maybe they prefer to complete self-paced courses. There are so many great options for our children that we may become overwhelmed with planning.
If you already know what curriculum and resources work for your soon-to-be high schooler, I would recommend that you start with those. Sit down with a planner and write out all the possible courses for the four high school years. If your child knows of a potential career path, take that into account during your planning sessions.
There are several resources that are helpful when planning your school year that are free. You can use the charts on SchoolhouseTeachers.com. There is a test prep checklist, study plan, and college planning and prep sheets for high schoolers. And blank calendars for general planning.
If you are looking for something to help your high schoolers manage their own schedule, The Old Schoolhouse® has released a special planner just for teens. The 2023–24 Schoolhouse SmartMama Planner for high school will help your teens organize their high school schedules. They can track credit requirements, plan for the future, and stay on top of assignments—all while learning organization skills.
Planning the Curriculum
If SchoolhouseTeachers.com is the curriculum that works best for your child, you can explore all the high school courses under one tab or take a look at the virtual school boxes that are designed with grades 9–12 in mind. Looking at individual courses such as mathematics allows you to tailor your children’s curriculum directly to their interests, strengths, and future career plans. For example, perhaps mathematics is not their strong subject, then they could take Geometry in Real Life which teaches geometry in understandable, applicable lessons.
Members of SchoolhouseTeachers.com have many options when it comes to planning their high schooler’s curriculum. Start with the High School Help page that goes through legal requirements, planning and beginning a transcript, choosing courses, building up a resume, making future plans, and finally graduation. There are also centers for career exploration, SAT/ACT Test prep, college help, and community events.
Maybe planning the curriculum for your high schooler requires you to bring in hands-on learning. For history, Home School in the Woods has you covered! They offer a variety of unique hands-on learning opportunities for elementary to high school aged students. Children can study world history, U.S. history, or use the printable “Essential Timeline Library” to bring history to life.
Other options when planning your curriculum include:
- TabletClass Math which offers self-paced learning for pre-Algebra, Algebra I and II, Geometry, and Pre-Calculus.
- Progeny Press offers literature study guides for every grade.
- Brilliant provides over seventy online classes for a variety of STEM areas for anyone from the sixth grade into adulthood.
- Positive Action Bible Curriculum has levels for every grade, preschool through high school, so your children can use this curriculum throughout their school years.
Adding Extras into Your Plans
When planning your high schoolers’ curriculum, don’t forget to include electives! There are so many great options. And because you are planning their curriculum, you don’t have to worry about a class filling up and being unavailable unless you are booking it through an online site or a co-op that has class limits. They can take the photography course on SchoolhouseTeachers.com, study Latin with Memoria Press, or write their own business plan.
If they are looking to prepare for college and a future career, then the National Academic Homeschool Competition is the place for them! Register your 12–18-year-old today for THE annual opportunity for homeschooled students to put their college knowledge to the test on a national level. The NAHC is a friendly academic competition that exists to support homeschool families for college and career prep, SAT and ACT prep, and college financing. The Old Schoolhouse® and the College Options Foundation are teaming up again this year to host this virtual competition, with thanks to our sponsors: CTCMath and Colorado Christian University.
When Plans Don’t Work
As parents, you must decide what is best for your family. While we are here to support you and your children as they homeschool through high school, you might find that your family needs to make some adjustments along the way. Many families decide to outsource some of their students’ high school classes to live or self-paced online classes or dual credit through a college. Some hire private tutors for tougher subjects or find a co-op to handle science classes. In the end, don’t compare yourself to other families. Make the decisions you need for your children to succeed.
Are you homeschooling a high schooler this year? Please let us know in the comments.
HomeschoolingFinds.com Author
This article has been written by Kristen Heider. She is the Business Building Team Manager of The Old Schoolhouse® and the Social Media Manager of HomeschoolingFinds.com. She shares more about her family’s homeschooling journey at A Mom’s Quest Teach.