The Satisfied Learner: How Families Homeschool Their Teens

By Cafi Cohen
Issue 99, March-April 2000

Maybe it's the fear of school violence or the lack of stimulating courses, but the number of homeschooling teenagers is on the rise. Some parents balk at the very thought of homeschooling their teen. After all, it's one thing to teach your daughter how to read. It's quite another to teach her trigonometry. But the idea that parents are solely responsible for instruction is just one of the many misconceptions about home education. Some other incorrect notions include that homeschooling inevitably leads to social isolation, decreased participation in music and sports, and college rejection letters. The following families' stories speak the truth: Socially and intellectually satisfying, homeschooling is an extremely viable option--for both parent and child.

Nikki--The Long-Distance Learner
Nikki Davis, a 16-year-old A and B student in San Diego, California, hated school. Her number one complaint: There was no time for making friends. Ten minutes in the hall between classes and occasional after-school visits was just not enough. Academics were also frustrating. She loved biology and longed to experiment with local marine ecosystems, but this year's curriculum dictated that she memorize plant parts instead. In addition, typical school activities seemed childish to Nikki. A dedicated surfer, she was not interested in cheerleading, fund-raisers, or dances. Since seventh grade, she begged her parents to homeschool her. While Susan, Nikki's mother, agreed with the idea, her father--not unlike many parents who attended public school--resisted. Finally, just before her junior year, Nikki's persistence, as well as her continued unhappiness with school, convinced her father. The Davises decided to try home education.

To begin homeschooling, Nikki enrolled in American School, a fully-accredited, independent-study correspondence institution. Based in Illinois, the school enrolls students from around the world. Just like any high school accepting a transfer student, American School gave Nikki credit for work completed during her freshman and sophomore years in public school. Then they outlined the courses she would need to earn a diploma. For each course, American School supplied a textbook, study guide, and other necessary materials, such as lab supplies for biology or tapes for foreign language. The study guide provided reading assignments, teacher lectures (in written form), quizzes, tests, and answers. With occasional reminders from her parents to buckle down, Nikki worked entirely on her own. For subject matter expertise, answering questions about geometry proofs or science experiments, she corresponded with teachers at American School. For each course, she submitted anywhere from six to 12 written tests, the scores of which were averaged to obtain grades for her transcript.

And what was Susan's primary responsibility? Writing checks to American School--a reasonable $250 per year--and providing transportation for other activities. Susan did not need to dredge up long-forgotten lessons in algebra or American government because the materials that Nikki used were, unlike typical classroom texts, designed for self-instruction. When she needed help, Nikki phoned or wrote the teachers at American School for consultation.