When you are homeschooling high school, you need to aim for college. There are two reasons for this. Either your kids will go to college and want the college preparation, or they WON'T go to college, and their homeschool becomes perhaps the only formal education they receive.
When you are homeschooling high school,
you want to strive for college. There are two purposes for this. Either your kids could go to college and will need the college preparation, or perhaps they WILL NOT go to college, and their homeschool becomes possibly the only official education they get. College preparation is really LIFE preparation, especially because you do not know what the future holds. You need to homeschool like the Boy Scouts, and always be prepared!
You are most likely asking yourself, however, about the huge HOW. How can a simple homeschool be like a high power "college prep" high school? That is the emphasis of this article. One of the biggest mistake parents make in homeschool high school is not planning high school courses. I am planning to explain to you how you are able to keep away from this mistake.
Assess your state's requirements
To start with, throughout eighth and ninth grade, learn the homeschool requirements in your state. Requirements vary extensively and can change yearly, therefore it is difficult to fully understand without checking it out for yourself. Check with your state homeschool organizations to know the requirements. A basic Google search for the name of your state and "homeschool organization" is all you will need to do. Locate the requirements, then build a strategy to fulfill them. There are several states that do not demand particular courses from homeschoolers. In that situation, make sure that you fulfill the legal requirements of your state law, yet concentrate your course choices on college requirements - again, it provides for optimum flexibility in the long run.
Fulfill college admission requirements
What precisely are college admission requirements? There is not any "correct" reply to that, given that each college has their own requirements! There are certain generalizations concerning college preparation, however, therefore let me discuss those. Usually, the suggested classes to take in high school include 4 years of English, 3 or 4 years of math, 3 to 4 years of social studies, 3 years of science including one lab science, 2 to 3 years of a single foreign language, 2 years of PE, 1 year of fine arts, and enough electives to come up with 24 or more high school credits. Examine the standard college requirements for classes to find what classes are expected. In every area of high school college prep course work, be sure that you are teaching your students right at their level.
Exceed requirements for fun!
One of the advantages of homeschooling is its efficiency - it permits a good deal of time for enjoyment! A good deal of the things teenagers do for enjoyment can actually be used as high school classes! They enjoyable things your child enjoys can be excellent educational electives and additional foundational courses that strengthen their transcript. (I have several excellent suggestions on how to create a successful homeschool transcript that I will discuss in a later article. )#)
The "basics" cover a multitude of weaknesses
Concentrate on reading, writing, and math! Any time you cover the basics, you can not stray far from a great college preparation. Several students who head to college require remedial help with the basics. If your student has a strong foundation in the basics, then you are successful! The ability to read, write and do math will make it possible for your student to catch up easily if and when they choose to go after higher education.
Evaluate your plan every year and alter as required
A quick yearly evaluation can keep you on course with high school. Each year you can make decisions for what is suitable at that time, however the yearly review will provide you the larger overview of high school. The yearly review will help remind you that THIS is the year you will need to begin a foreign language, that this is your final opportunity for a lab science, or perhaps provide you the final inspiration to finish an art course. Evaluate your plan yearly while you appreciate a lifestyle of learning.
Conclusion
Colleges will realize that you have done a great job planning high school courses when your student takes the college admission exams. If you want to be successful, then, you will need to learn a little about those tests. What are they, when do you take them, and why? That will be the emphasis of my next article.
