Home schooling a high schooler?

[Labbemama]

Are any of you home schooling high schoolers?

I just withdrew my son, a freshman from public school yesterday.

Looking for advice, resources, and someone to share our journey with, especially those of you who might have advice for a home schooling novice teacher.

[Lillian J]

Hi and welcome to homeschooling! I know there's a thread around here someone of people who are homeschooling teens, but I couldn't find it to link to - maybe someone else can point you.

The very first thing that comes to my mind is that it will go infinitely more smoothly if you're able to switch from thinking about having to be his teacher to being his facilitator. You'll be amazed at how he'll be able to teach himself with good resources and freedom to explore his interests in his own way - and he'll be able to feel the pride that comes with being able to learn independently in ways he couldn't when in school.

But you'll both first need some decompression/deschooling time - a very good investment of time in spite of the fact that it may appear as if not much is going on during it, especially if he's had a hard time in school.

It might be helpful, too, to be aware that his particular age can often feel like a frustrating one for parents and teachers, because it's often a time when kids just want to be left to their own devices to vegetate for a while. In fact, in the county where I used to live, it was impossible at one point to register a 9th grader/14 yr. old into one of the public school home study programs because they just didn't want to deal with them - they found that they wouldn't "cooperate" in the way they wanted them to. So you might need to adjust expectations for what may come as an unexpected couch potato period - but it honestly isn't time wasted, because sometimes they just need to go internal for a while and quietly find their bearings in their own way.

Anyway, here are some good resources you can enjoy and get lots of encouragement and ideas from:

Home Education Magazine's page of links to articles on Homeschooling Older Kids.

The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education. This has been a popular favorite for decades - loaded with helpful ideas and encouragement.

Real Lives: Eleven Teenagers Who Don't Go to School Tell Their Own Stories. This was written long enough ago that some of the kids who told their stories in their teens have now added updates about their adult lives.

Guerrilla Learning: How to Give Your Kids a Real Education With or Without School.

FUN-Books catalog - A wonderful source for educational products - books, games, and other materials - that have been picked with the intention of inspiring a lifelong love of learning.

And to find a support group for social opportunities - here are some listings:
Support group listings:
HEM

A-Z

Lillian

[kathymuggle]

Welcome!

I am HSing a 14 yr old. It is going really well.

My advice? Let him deschool awhile, focus on helping him meet his goals, and know people can do a lot of work in a short time when they are motivated.

YMMV - but I would skip a lot of the HS groups unless you are lucky and there is a teen one he clicks with nearby. I find a lot of groups younger kid centered. I would focus on interests and community resources to get him together with peers. Drama, music, sports...that sort of thing.

Let him sleep in (and if he goes to bed late - he will get some alone time at night, which teens really do need). Talk about volunteering and even work options. There will be free time during the day to get cool stuff done.

Enjoy!

Kathy

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by kathymuggle

YMMV - but I would skip a lot of the HS groups unless you are lucky and there is a teen one he clicks with nearby. I find a lot of groups younger kid centered. I would focus on interests and community resources to get him together with peers. Drama, music, sports...that sort of thing.

Yes, that's often the case. But you never know - my son was connected with a wonderful group of teens through our local support group and the statewide one that held fabulous conferences in the summertime. A bunch of them among that extended group bonded through outdoor adventure groups run for teens - (one of the companies put on some, among their others, that were only for homeschoolers). Some of them are still getting together in their post-college yeas - really sweet to see. So things like that are good ones to seek out too - things that offer outdoor activities and camping they can share together.

Lillian

[zjande]

My own home-high schooler has graduated but everything I thought of while reading your post, Lillian has already posted! lol I agree with it all- especially how important deschooling/decompression is. Good luck with everything!

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by kathymuggle

Let him sleep in (and if he goes to bed late - he will get some alone time at night, which teens really do need).

And here's a good Home Education Magazine article on that:
Homeschooled Teens Can Rest Easier

Lillian

[SagMom]

Ditto on what everyone else has said--especially the deschooling time.

If you do find a hsing group that is focused on the younger kids, you might shoot off an email to them anyway to see if there are any older siblings of those kids who are looking for company. Often, the older kids don't join in with the hs group activities, but that doesn't mean the hsed teens don't exist.

The Teenage Liberation Handbook is a great resource for brainstorming ideas of what's possible for teens.

Can you share any specifics regarding your son--ie talents? interests?

My teens have done volunteer work, paid work, discussion groups, blook clubs, internships, community college classes--among other things, but it really depends on what the teen is into.

[zebra15]

Labmamma - Im glad you found your way over here... Lillian and Kathy are GREAT resources.... I couldnt think of thier names yesterday..(im in an allergy fog this week).

WELCOME..

[shoefairy3]

Definitely read the Teenage Liberation handbook and get your son to read it too. Fantastic book

[spruce]

: Yay for both of you!

I've got a 14yo and a 17 yo, both are homeschooled. (Also 3 youngers, but that's just background). The 14yo is finishing up her freshman year, and the 17 year old is finishing her Junior year and thinking about graduating a semester early.

What's worked for us: AMEN on the sleeping in. Let him sleep! I also saw a world of good changes in my 17 yo when she started truly taking her daily vitamin, plus cal-mag and a sublingual B-12. They're so busy they just burn everything up!

We do a lot of volunteering. My girls helped start a teen library group that has turned into a huge success, they volunteer all summer for the library's summer reading program, they usually go to Conservation Camp in the summer, and they're both very involved in our local Youth Court (in fact, they're doing their volunteer work w/ the youth court as what is called "Service Learning," and each girl is earning one credit this year for the time she's put in with YC).

It's really important to remember he'll probably be able to get done in one hour what it would take a week to do in school classes, so watch out for the, "This is NOT a full school day, young man!" syndrome. I had to stop myself doing that with my girls several times.

If there's something he's really into right now, like ornithology, or botany, or health care, usually there is a volunteer program somewhere (try Universities, hospitals, your local VFD, etc). Also he can take university level courses in many places if that interests him.

Good luck, and give it time!

love, p