Homeschooling High School 101

You’ve weighed the Pros and Cons of Homeschooling Through High School.  Maybe you’ve made the decision to homeschool through high school.  Or maybe you’re still on the fence.  The responsibility may still seem like it is just too much.  If you understand a few basics of homeschooling through high school, you will be well on your way to the fun stuff like helping your child find his or her calling in life and preparing them to be independent and productive members of society!

Six Must-Dos for Homeschooling Through High School

1.  The first thing to do once you’ve made the decision to homeschool through high school is to find out the high school graduation requirements for your state.  This page at Homeschool Legal Defense (HSLDA) is a great start.  (HSLDA is an excellent resource for keeping up with the basic laws involved with homeschooling in general in your state as well.)  Keep in mind that the basic high school graduation requirements are different than the requirements to get into a 4-year university, which are heftier.  If you know what college your child wants to attend you should request the college’s catalog and note its admission requirements. Keep in mind that colleges usually list the minimum high school requirements in their catalogs or on their website, while a student who is offered admission typically exceeds the stated minimums.

Typical College Prep High School 4-Year Program

2.  Talk with your student about possible subjects of interest.    What kind of career are they leaning towards?  This will determine the rigors and content of your high school curriculum and activities.  If your child is unsure about this, check back on Friday for my post on helping your child develop a vision for their future.

3.  Plan a course of study based on your state’s requirements and possible college entrance requirements.  This basically planning out when your child will take which required classes.  Use a basic Course of Study planner to keep track of your child’s progress.

4.  Make your plans for your first year.  Decide on which outside, college or online classes you will use.  Review and purchase curriculums for other subjects.  Familiarize yourself with how each program works and how assignments will work.  See these resources for obtaining curriculums that fulfill the high school requirements.

5.  Keep good records.  You should maintain good records of the courses, textbooks used, credits, and short summaries of the content of the courses that your child completes during each year of high school. Taking the time to write down this information each year will be a benefit when your high schooler is a senior and you will be preparing a transcript for him.  See tomorrow’s post on creating a high school portfolio that keeps a record of everything future colleges and employers will want to know about these important years of your child’s education.

6.  Contact and get involved with a local homeschool support group that may be able to help you get connected with other families who are homeschooling their high school aged kids.  An established group can help you learn learn more about community college dual enrollment options in your area, organized classes for homeschoolers and online classes.  It can also be a great source for like-minded families to socialize with.

Disclaimer:  No family gets it right the first time.  You will change curriculums, schedules, and extra curricular activities as often as your child changes his future plans.  <grin> While you need to be diligent – don’t worry!  God fills in the gaps.  He does!  I have seen this over and over again.  Every year there is something unexpected that will come up.  Family illness, work issues, financial problems or other stressors.  These are all a part of life skills training.  Keep praying, keep focused on moving forward, even a little bit, each week.  The beauty of homeschooling is its freedom.  Don’t let that overwhelm you.  Seek God and follow His plan.

To read the other posts in this series, click on the links below:

Homeschooling Through High School:  Pros and Cons (Be sure to read the comments.  There are some real treasures!)

Helping Your Homeschooled High Schooler Find Vision    Guiding Your Kids to Find Their God-Given Purpose

How to Build a College Portfolio for Your Homeschooled High Schooler:  Awesome Recordkeeping

Homeschooling the Dyslexic High School Student:  Preparing Them for Real Life

Please join me in linking up with 21 other Homeschool bloggers from the iHomeschool Network for our 5-day Hopscotch.  Other topics include:

Five MORE Days of Learning with BOB Books | Ami at Walking by the Way
Homeschooling With Poster Board | Amy at Milk and Cookies
Copywork | Amy at Living and Learning at Home
Winter Sensory Play | Angela at Teaching Mama
Unleashing the Writer in Your Child  |  Becky at This Reading Mama
Speaking LIFE Into Your Homeschool  |  Carlie at So You Call Yourself a Homeschooler?
Homeschooling Highshool the Charlotte Mason Way | Dollie at Teachers of Good Things
Winter Crafts | Erica at Confessions of a Homeschooler
Project Catapult {and Trebuchets too}! | Heather at Blog She Wrote
Adding Some Flash to Flashcard Review | Jamie at Unlikely Homeschool
Food Reformation | Jasmine at Ponder the Path
Ins and Outs of Adoption | Jennifer at Forever, For Always, No Matter What
Multisensory Homeschooling for Children with Special Needs | Jennifer at Jennifer A. Janes
Video Game Learning | Joan at Our School at Home
Teaching Character Through Stories | LaToya at Christian Momma
Homeschooling High School | Marianne at Abundant Life
Getting Fit and Healthy | Mary at The Encouraging Home
Becoming an Intentional Homeschoolin’ Mama | Meg at Homeschoolin’ Mama
Five Days of {Just Having} Fun with Your Kids | Stacie at Motherhood on a Dime
Cooking from Scratch with Homemade Mixes | Tabitha at Meet Penny
How To Fit In All The Extras | Tricia at Hodge Podge

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