By George
Teaching as a parent when your kids reach their teen years may seem confusing. There are several facts included in this article that will help clear any confusion you may have about homeschooling teens. If you want to continue homeschooling your kids through high school, then use these tips as a personal guideline.
Set-up
Now the first thought in your mind when homeschooling teens is probably “what exactly do I teach my kid?” This is a normal reaction to have. Luckily, you can access the curriculum for your child’s grade through your state department of education, local school district, or homeschool association. They will provide you with all necessary resources needed to teach your teen. As long as you follow your state’s requirements, you shouldn’t need to worry.
- Learning Area
After obtaining teaching materials, you need to decide on a learning area where school work and teaching will be completed. Look for a quiet, comfortable place that’s suitable for learning. An open space with a desk, comfortable chairs, and calming feel would be a perfect location to homeschool your teen(s). When setting up your home classroom, “the first thing to do is clear out the clutter,” suggests Homeschooling Teen. “Messy surroundings can be distracting and mentally tiring when trying to study.”
- Routine
After establishing a proper learning space, your next task is to help you teen(s) build an adequate learning schedule. Introduce a certain start and end time that works for your kids. Make sure they don’t sleep in and slack off, because if you let them do that they won’t have a genuine high school education. Print out a schedule of classes so your teen(s) know what they will currently be learning. “Update materials and assignments when it’s time, and maintain clear communication with your kids. Once you have a well organized school routine down, it’s time to see how your child feels about being at home instead of being at high school,” explains Linda D. Lassiter, an educator at 1 Day 2 Write and Write My X.
Listening to Your Teens
In order for your teens to have an enjoyable, successful high school experience, you must listen to what they need to do their best. Being at home may be beneficial for less social teens, but hurtful towards outgoing teens. Your teaching style could potentially not match with your child’s learning style. Issues like these can be solved by working together with your teen(s), and here’s how.
- Social Life
Life at home doesn’t offer an abundance of interaction with other people. Other than close friends and family, there may not be much time spent with new individuals. This is why you must also acknowledge the importance of social life when homeschooling teens. If your child needs more interaction, take them on field trips. Field trips not only give you the chance to educate your teen, but they present the opportunity for your child to meet new people. Another option to get your teen out in the open is enrolling them in an activity. “Whether a sport, art style, or miscellaneous thing, getting your teen involved in a group can help them make amazing friendships. If your teen isn’t highly social, getting them to interact with others is still necessary,” says Hugo B. Polson, a writer at Britstudent and Phdkingdom. Try not to overstep their boundaries, but do attempt to sway them to socialize. Even if you just get them in regular contact with relatives, church members, or their current friends, any socialization is important. If your teen doesn’t get to have proper socialization, they will struggle when they are on their own. Your teen could be challenged with social anxiety or nervousness when they go to get a job, attend a post secondary institution, or when doing anything else. To prevent your teen from struggling socially, prioritize their social life while homeschooling them.
- Learning Style
Something else to consider when homeschooling teens, is that your child may not understand information based on the way you teach. You may be teaching in a primarily written style, when your teen comprehends visual materials easier. Ask your teen if they benefit from your teaching style. If your teen can’t learn based on how you teach, find out how they learn by asking them, or if needed, reaching out to tutors or high school teachers in your area. Don’t be afraid to ask a professional for advice because your teen’s education is crucial. Assuming you have found out what teaching style works best for you and your teen, there are just a few more pointers to be aware of.
Final Pointers
We covered both teaching set up and style, but there are still a few last things you should know about. Since your teen isn’t in actual high school, they won’t receive a diploma. If you meet educational requirements, colleges and or universities will still recognize homeschooled graduates. You should make a transcript of what you taught your child, and it will be seen as valid. Lastly, if you don’t know how to fully teach a certain subject, you can access a tutor to help your child learn in that class. Home education has been shown to be just as reliable as regular school. It may be difficult to start homeschooling your teen(s), but if you follow these facts, you’ll be ready to teach!