Send Factor

Most of the high school years are spent preparing for college and discovering passions for future careers.  This is a time when most home schoolers do not follow a textbook driven curriculum.  Most home schoolers learn by interest driven curriculum and some students even become experts in their field.

There are diploma programs for home schoolers, which are equivalent to an institutionalized curriculum.  But that is not the only option to provide learning.  Many home schooled teens use selected correspondence courses in specific areas of interest, or take classes at community colleges, or use community education programs, home school cooperatives, or online classes on the Internet.  Students have the opportunity to pursue what they enjoy, which usually involves extra training with a mentor or tutor, or special courses.  There are advance placement courses online or by mail, county immediate school district programs, or private classes, the learning options are endless.

Teenagers should really focus their energies on schoolwork, excellent grades (and grade point average) and the direction they wish to take for a career.  If a student is interested in pursuing a college degree, he/she should practice and prepare to take PSAT, SAT, and ACT.  Some home schooled students get college credits for taking CLEP (College Level Examination Program) courses.  Colleges are seeking students who are well rounded, who have a desire to learn and be a part of the community, and who excel in textbook studies.

Parents who home school their teenagers cannot teach them everything they are interested in learning.  For instance, a student who is passionate about flying and aviation probably doesn’t have parents who are experts in this field.  Mentorships, apprenticeships, and on the job training are necessary to better learn a skill or trade that is not found only in a textbook.  Experience is more valuable than textbook memorization of subjects.

Home schooling a teenager is much different than home schooling a younger child.  Teenagers usually know what they enjoy learning about and have a goal in mind about what they would like to do as a career.  Home school is a great way to enhance and explore specific areas of expertise.  Teenagers usually plan out their own curriculum and document their own record keeping, which teaches accountability.  Most teens are capable of self study and self monitoring; they usually know where their strengths and weaknesses lie.

Teenagers should be making decisions on what they plan to do after school.  They may plan on going to college, military, community college, or maybe something else.  College is just one option.  Interest, passions, hobbies, past times can all be turned into a career.  A parent should research career options with your teenager by their gut feelings and instincts and nothing else.  Do not let anything else get in the way of an intense passion that your child holds.  Even if it is something you think will not make enough income, it is a passion.  When someone does what they love, money comes.

This is a time during home school years that a parent may wonder if they can keep their children at home.  Parents need to find out about diploma options.  Some home schooled teenagers receive a GED, which stands for general education development, and is equivalent to a high school diploma.  Parents may also research about college preparatory curriculums and classes that may supplement their home studies.

During these teenage years, it is crucial to include the student in as many extracurricular activities as possible.  Some activities may include:  sports, working in a family business, self-employment, tutoring, community memberships, local arts productions, etc.  Keep good documentation of awards, essays, interviews, and recommendations for future college requirements.

Oh, it’s time for kindergarten.  If this is your first kindergartner, you may not know what to expect.  Kindergarten varies from school to school, but here are some general principles that apply across the board.
Kindergarten assessment is done before your child begins school.  The teacher will do some testing to see where your child is at as far as learning.  As you watch this take place, you might feel like you are being put under the microscope.  “You didn’t teach your child the shapes for oval and rectangle?  He doesn’t know what the J sound makes?  Try not to take personally the responses that your child gives.  Everyone learns at a different rate.
Assessment will review colors, shapes, letters, writing, more & less, and other skills as applicable to the teacher.  Remind yourself that this is just a help for the teacher, and a way to gauge what your child has learned since they began.  During parent teacher conferences, the teacher will refer to the assessment to see where your child has progressed.
Prepare for homework.  Your child will have homework assignments, probably on a daily basis.  You will have to help with these.  Think of it as after school learning, and you are the teacher.  This is also a good time to start collecting magazines or newspapers, because you can be sure that you will have to start clipping out pictures that begin with the letters of the alphabet.
Kindergarten is a great time for your child.  They will learn and grow so fast during this year.  They will make new friends and begin to discover more of the world around them.  With your help, this can be a successful year for them.