high school

Premise:  If the right curriculum can be found, it will perform the magic – the abracadabra – to transform a student from ignorant to educated all by itself.

As an experienced homeschool mom, speaker and curriculum writer, I’ve noticed that many believe this and seek earnestly for the genie, or the wand, or the catalog.  And, lest you think I’m loftily looking down my nose, let me add that I was one of them.  In the early days of homeschooling, I was convinced that there truly existed a perfect curriculum, and spent years on a quest, like those in search of the Holy Grail, to find it.

Most of us who invested way too much time and money on this zealous mission have found by now that there is no fantastic carpet ride — only increasing disappointment, discouragement, and often the end of homeschooling altogether.  We wonder why all of our attempts end in defeat, in our children showing distaste and disgust at the results of our valiant effort to find the perfect curriculum.  Convinced that it’s the curriculum that accomplishes the difficult feat of teaching, we continue to crawl toward the...

On April 28th, 2004, the police uncovered a family (father and daughter) deep in the forest in northwest Oregon. Homeless and destitute, the father had opted not to leave his daughter to grow up on the streets. Instead, he took her into the woods, and for four years they lived in a lean-to in the forest. Police were amazed to find the girl clean, healthy, and. . . educated! There in the forest, the father had homeschooled his daughter with nothing but a Bible and a decrepit set of encyclopedias. Officials tested the twelve-year-old and found that she had already achieved a 12th-grade equivalency. Now,ask yourself, how could this be? There was no department of education. No certified teacher. No expensive curriculum. No notice-of-intent to homeschool and no standardized tests. So what was the secret? Police Sgt, Michael Barkley, told reporters, “What was so clear was that their living conditions were unacceptable, but their relationship was a real deep love and caring for each other” (Source www.katu.com).

There are some factors in the education of a child that transcend all others. Because they are so basic and powerful, they eliminate the need for...

Whether you are attending a homeschool conference for the first time or just know that you benefit from reminders of what you need to do before attending one, we hope that this article will help you get ready for and enjoy your annual homeschool conference in the best possible way.

Benefits of Attending.

The opportunities brought together in this once-a-year event can renew and expand your vision for teaching and training your children. Be encouraged, rejuvenated, inspired, motivated, and better equipped to homeschool.

• Speakers can broaden your horizons as they expose you to new ideas, methods, materials, and approaches – as well as remind you of the basics.

• Workshops will give you practical training in various and specific topics to make your teaching more efficient.

• Exhibit Halls enable you to examine, compare, and purchase a great variety of the latest and best of home education materials, technologies, and products from hundreds of...

Dear Friends,

With Christmas fast approaching, we know this is a busy time of year for you and your family. Along with family get-togethers, decorating for the holidays, and taking time to reflect on the true meaning of the season, homeschooling in December is sometimes a bit harried, isn't it? We do understand. In the midst of it all, we encourage you to remember that your time and sacrificial love for your children are the most treasured gifts you can give.

How can we make your life a little easier in the New Year? How about by sharing the whys and wherefores of recordkeeping? Although being organized and keeping records may or may not be one of your strengths, we hope these tips, resources, and ideas will give you the motivation you need to put in some effort now so you will reap the reward of saving time, energy, and tears later on. Keep in mind that your child will often need to provide accurate details of his high school coursework to prospective employers and colleges or to the military.

Recordkeeping is...

Dear Friends,

The picture of April showers refreshing our lawns and gardens reminds us of how God's showers of blessings bring refreshment to our souls. Spring is the season for planning what flowers you are going to plant for the summer to add color to your homes. Likewise, it's also a good time to begin thinking about and planning your next year of teaching.

At this point in the year, you may not be thinking at all about the next school year because you are trying to successfully finish up the current one. But taking a few hours now to look further down the road can help remove much of the stress for next year and relieve some stress that you're feeling this year.

TAKE AN OBJECTIVE LOOK at this year's garden...

Before jumping in and ordering curriculum for next year, take time to think through the past year. Evaluate how the curriculum fit your child, how easy it was to teach, and how your child responded to it. Then spend some time with each child and get his or her impressions...

Dear Friends,

"Christmas is coming; the goose is getting fat...." It's that season of the year again and we are delighted to extend our Christmas greetings to each family. In the hustle and bustle of your preparations, we encourage you to set aside time to enjoy the true meaning of Christmas and receive refreshment from the newborn King.

As you remember, last month we began a two-part series on high school graduation requirements. We covered your state's graduation requirements for homeschoolers (if any), your child's post high school goals, and your child's personal interests. To review this information you can go to http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3533 . This month before you break for Christmas, we want to complete the series by discussing how to structure your child's high school program to include the five core academic subjects, electives, and extracurricular activities.

Dear HSLDA members:,

For the month of November, we are sending out our Homeschooling Thru Highschool email newsletter to all our members. Even if you do not have children in high school, we want you to know of the resources we have available for you at Home School Legal Defense Association.

The topic of this month's newsletter is graduation requirements. If your children are many years from graduating, you may be thinking about pushing that delete button about now, but I encourage you to read a little further before you do. Having a goal for the future is often one of the best ways to make sure that our steps now are headed in the right direction. After all, this type of "future" thinking is what God instructs us to do--to fix our eyes on heaven.

After you are done reading, should you decide that you would like to receive this email regularly, go to http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3459 to subscribe. Otherwise, this is the...

Dear Friends,

Summer is in full swing, and although we know that homeschool moms never really have a "down" time, we hope that you are enjoying the lazy, hazy days of the season. Your teaching time may decrease during the summer, but most moms we talk to use the summer to think about and plan for the next school year. So, while you are reflecting on the big picture of what your homeschool will look like in September, we thought you would benefit from considering perhaps a new approach to your schooling.

This month we asked Elizabeth Smith, wife of HSLDA President Michael Smith, to share with you ideas and information on alternatives to traditional styles of teaching in the homeschool setting. These are ideas and concepts she developed and tested with her own children. So, let's listen to what she has to offer:

"My assignment is to write about my 'unschooling' approach to the high school years. I prefer to call our method an alternative to traditional style teaching rather than...

Dear Moms and Dads,

This month marks the midpoint of summer--already! We hope you are using these summer months to plan your upcoming school year to include academics, extracurricular activities, volunteer opportunities, possible jobs for your teens, and...are you feeling overwhelmed? Well, please don't be. Let's look at ways to include these areas during your year in a manageable, non-stressful way.

Beginning in high school and then continuing throughout adulthood, your child will need to juggle many responsibilities. Time management will help him to be more effective in achieving his goals, to improve performance in academics and activities, and to move from the structured environment of home to one where she will have to manage a variety of schedules and commitments. Learning this skill will also reduce anxiety and build confidence to meet deadlines as your teen looks forward to graduation and beyond.

HELPFUL TIME MANAGEMENT TOOLS

You may agree that this is exactly what you need to do,...

Dear Friends,

In our part of the country, the leaves are turning brilliant colors, the air is crisp, and plans for Thanksgiving are being made. Likewise, your family may be busy transforming your home to celebrate the splendor of autumn. In the midst of these preparations, we want to turn your minds to the subject of grading (and we don't mean FDA approved turkeys :)!

During the elementary years, many families do not grade their children's work but use other means of assessing their progress. However, once children begin taking high school level courses, it is important to reevaluate the necessity of grades. Even though grading is subjective, the grades your children earn provide necessary feedback for post-secondary school officials and employers to evaluate mastery in particular disciplines. These grades will not only help your son or daughter to assess the progress being made in learning the material assigned, but will also prepare your child for this method of evaluation as he or she takes advantage of different...