The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling High School

Does the thought of homeschooling high school intimidate you? Or maybe you’re there already and just need some resources or have a few questions. This compilation of homeschool resources is just for you!

I didn’t write much about homeschooling high school our first time through. It would have felt too much like the blind leading the blind. Now, that we’ve embarked on Round 2, however, I’m starting to feel like a have a handle on this high school thing. So, I wanted to encourage you that you can do it, too, and offer some resources to help.

Preparing to Homeschool High School

You don’t want to wait until 9th grade to start preparing to homeschool high school. That’s just a recipe for stress. Check out these tips to begin preparing in middle school.

7 Key Skills & Experiences to Prepare Your Middle School Students for High School from Education Possible – These tips from Education Possible will help you begin taking steps in middle school to prepare your students to homeschool high school.

Preparing for Homeschooling High School from the authors of The Curriculum Choice – You’ll want to bookmark this round-up post from the authors of The Curriculum Choice. If you’ve got questions about homeschooling high school, you’ll probably find answers here.

It’s Not That Hard to Homeschool High School by Annie at Annie and Everything – Annie assures readers that it’s not that hard to homeschool high school and backs up the claim with sound, encouraging reasoning.

Planning for High School – Where Do I Start? by Meredith Henning of Sweetness-n-Light – Meredith says, “…no matter what the plans look like on paper, if they are not realistic and do not take into account your student’s goals and learning style, then they are just notes on paper.” In this article, she includes practical planning tips that get your teen involved in the process.

Academics

The actual teaching of high school level subjects can be intimidating for some homeschool parents. One thing to remember is that often at this point we’re really more facilitators than instructors, helping our kids find the right resources for their independent learning.

That doesn’t mean that we need to turn our students loose to learn solely on their own. As facilitators, we need to be available for oversight, tutoring, and guidance. We still need to remain involved with our independent learners. This section offers tips on how to teach many of the core high school subjects.

Science

How to Teach Classical Homeschool Science from Sara of Classically Homeschooling – The classical homeschoolers among us can get tips from Sara on how to teach high school science following the classical model.

Homeschooling High School Science from Cindy West of Our Journey Westward – Cindy shares tips for accomplishing high school science through co-ops, field trips, interest-led learning, and more.

3 Steps to High School Chemistry from Sara of Classically Homeschooling – Chemistry can be one of those subjects that feels really intimidating to a homeschool parents. Sara offers three practical tips to make the subject doable.

Nature Study for High School Students – Reflections by Barb at Harmony Fine Arts at Home  – Nature study isn’t just for little kids. Barb explains how she used nature study with her students as part of their high school science.

Language Arts

Homeschool High School Composition by Mary Anne Kelly of The Homeschool Mom – Mary Anne has put together a wonderful course guide for teaching high school composition by organizing the resources of The Writing Center of UNC into an orderly progression for teaching the subject.

How to Plan a High School Reading List – In this article, I offer tips for planning high school reading lists to coincide with history topics or pairing modern lit with its movie version.

5 tips for teenage writers by Kim Kautzer of WriteShop – Kim offers practical tips for competent writers who would like to hone their craft. Of course, the tips are great for reluctant writers, as well.

Helping reluctant writers embrace the process by Kim Kautzer of WriteShop – Do you have a reluctant writer? These insightful tips from WriteShop author Kim Kautzer may help.

When writing efforts fizzle by Kim Kautzer of WriteShop – If you have a student who has difficulty finishing writing assignments, these practical tips, including continued parental involvement, may help.

How to edit and grade writing | Editing high school papers by Kim Kautzer of WriteShop – Learn how to help your student create a strong final draft through editing.

Narration in Our High School Plans from Barb at Harmony Fine Arts at Home – Learn how to put narration to work in your homeschool high school.

Math

A real world approach to high school math from Joan Concilio of Unschool Rules – Joan gives readers a glimpse of what high school math can look like from an unschooling approach.

History

High School Modern History Course from Cindy West of Our Journey Westward – Cindy shares a variety of resources for studying modern history, including spine books, literature, and related movies.

Choosing curriculum

Choosing effective curriculum is an important aspect of a successful high school experience for homeschooled teens. Does that there is no place for interest-led learning? Absolutely not!

Unschooling curriculum plan for 9th grade from Joan Concilio of Unschool Rules – If your family falls under the headings of “interest-led learners” or “unschoolers,” you may be wary of how that’s going to play out for high school. This post from Joan Concilio shows that high school doesn’t mean that you have to abandon the homeschool style that works for you.

Homeschooling High School: Student Led Curriculum from Cindy West of Our Journey Westward – Cindy says, “The urge to turn everything over to the expert textbooks can be overwhelming when you consider the magnitude of these upper level years…Instead of forcing her to fit into a particular curriculum, we’ve been allowing at least some of her classes to be student led.” Discover what an interest-led high school homeschool can look like.

5 Charlotte Mason High School Ideas That Worked from Barb at Harmony Fine Arts at Home – Barb outlines 5 Charlotte Mason ideas, such as nature study and narration that worked all the way through high school.

Charlotte Mason Knew the Secret to Learning Relationships from Barb at Harmony Fine Arts at Home – More tips from Barb on incorporating Charlotte Mason principles in the high school years.

Electives

Electives are the fun part of high school – the part where students get to choose what they want to learn in addition to the core subjects that they’re supposed to learn.

Extracurricular Activities – What Role Do They Play? by Meredith Henning of Sweetness-n-Light – Discover the role that electives play in a student’s high school academics and what they might look like on a transcript.

Guitar Lessons With or Without a Teacher from Cindy West of Our Journey Westward – Cindy shares some tips for helping a musically-inclined teen learn an instrument even if an instructor may not be readily available.

Electives in High School: Equipping Teens for Success from 7 Sisters Homeschool – Discover the 5 types of high school electives and how they might play out in your student’s high school years.

How to Create an Extraordinary Activity List for Perfectly Ordinary Teens by Lee Binz of The Homescholar – Do you have a teen who seems to do nothing note-worthy to list under “activities” for college or job applications? Take these suggestions from Lee Binz, who suggests that these teens are probably doing more than you think.

General

From study tips to field trip, hands-on learning to teaching struggling learners, this section covers the topics that don’t fit neatly under the other headings.

High School for Academically Behind Children by Lee Binz of The Homescholar – Despite what the stereotypes might have you believe, we aren’t all raising National Spelling Bee champions or kids who graduate college at 14. Some of us even have {gasp} struggling learners. I love that Lee addresses that fact on her blog, in her transcript course, and in her book. Homeschool kids are normal kids and that means they run the gamut academically. If you have a struggling learner and aren’t exactly sure how high school is going to look for you, don’t miss this article.

5 Steps to Prep for Homeschool High School & Avoid “Summer Slide” from Education Possible. Use the summer months to get a head start on homeschooling high school and keep your teens learning.

Field Trip Ideas for Middle and High School Students – Field trips aren’t just for elementary students. There are still plenty of learning opportunities for older students – and the bonus is, they’re interesting for Mom and Dad, too!

Top 6 Study Tips for Middle School and High School Students – One of the most important things for students to learn is how to study effectively. In this article, I offer some study tips for middle and high school students.

100 Hands-On Activities for Middle School and High School – Like field trips, hands on learning should not be only for young kids. There is plenty for high school students to learn from hands-on projects. Even projects that may seem more suited to younger students are often appropriate for teens when they are given the responsibility for planning and executing the project.

Building Good Habits in High School – Charlotte Mason Style from Barb at Harmony Fine Arts at Home – Meeting deadlines, fulfilling responsibilities, working diligently – these are all good habits that are so important for our teens to have. Barb reflects on what this Charlotte Mason principle can look like in the high school years.

Don’t Make These 7 Mistakes When Studying by Heather Sanders of The Pioneer Woman/Homeschooling – This article features some fantastic study tips for teens.

Graduation

Many homeschool parents have questions about graduating their students. How do you graduate a homeschooled teen? When do you know they’ve met the requirements for graduation? The following articles address those questions and more.

How to Define the Finish Line by Stephanie Harrington of Harrington Harmonies – Stephanie shares a few options for graduating a homeschooled teen.

Wrapping Up a Homeschool Year: Storage and Graduation from the authors of The Curriculum Choice – The Curriculum Choice authors offer great ideas  for storing the remnants of your homeschool year, as well as planning for graduation.

How to Graduate a Homeschooler – This article features my tips for graduating your homeschooled student.

How to Know When Your Teen Is Done Homeschooling by Kathy Cereri of About.com/Homeschooling – Discover the different criteria that some homeschooling parents use to determine when their student has met the requirements for graduation.

Transcripts

Transcripts can be another area in which homeschool parents can feel at a loss. These tips can help you understand how to create a quality transcript for your student.

How to Create a Master Portfolio for High School Homeschoolers from 7 Sisters Homeschool – Vicki says that some schools may accept a portfolio of a student’s work in lieu of an entrance exam. Follow her tips for creating a snapshot of your student’s work and abilities.

Documentation + Work Samples + Grading = Easy-Peasy DONE! by Lee Binz of The Homescholar – Are you unsure about what sort of documentation you need to support your student’s high school transcripts? Lee explains!

Homeschool High School Transcripts from Let’s Homeschool High School – Discover why your student needs a transcript, what should be on it, and what it should look like. (Includes a free transcript download.)

Homeschool High School Transcripts FAQ from Let’s Homeschool High School – This FAQ article about high school transcripts will answer many of your basic questions, including what should be on it, how to write course descriptions, and what colleges expect to see regarding coursework.

How to Write a Narrative Homeschool Transcript by Kathy Cereri of About.com/Homeschooling – A narrative transcript can help your student stand apart from the crowd. This article provides tips for writing one.

Homeschool High School: What Kid #5 Had on His Transcript from 7 Sisters Homeschool – If you’re one of those people who need to see an example – like me – you’ll really like this article. It lists each course, by grade level, that was on the author’s 5th child’s transcript.

Write a Letter That Will Get Your Child Into College by Kathy Cereri of About.com/Homeschooling – As the teaching parent, you are your child’s guidance counselor. Learn how to write a letter introducing your student to their perspective colleges.

Getting Ready for College

Make sure that your teen is prepared for college – if college is in their future. If it’s not, there are plans for that, as well.

Life After High School: Alternatives to College – College is not the next logical step for every student. This article offers some alternatives to consider if your student’s career goals do not require a college degree.

Explore Careers that Don’t Require College from 7 Sisters Homeschool – Sabrina offers suggestions for exploring careers that don’t require a college degree.

Get Ready for College by Kathy Cereri of About.com/Homeschooling – Kathy offers practical tips on getting ready for college for students whose post-graduation plans do include attending college.

What If My Highschooler Doesn’t Want to Go to College? Some Practical Plans by Meredith Henning of Sweetness-n-Light – Meredith offers some practical tips for acting as your teen’s guidance counselor and figuring out why he or she may not want to attend college.

Is your high schooler ready for college? by Kim Kautzer of WriteShop – This article is an excellent resource for making sure your high school student is prepared for college. It features links to articles on topics such as learning to stick to deadlines, creating study spaces, and writing college application essays.

Ask Questions During College Visits by Lee Binz of The Homescholar – A college visit is definitely one of those “field trips” a high school student should take. Lee offers tips for students to be prepared to ask questions and get professors and administrators talking.

4 College Skills to Learn in Homeschool High School from 7 Sisters Homeschool – Discover the four most important college skills students should learn in high school as shared by a homeschool mom who already has four college graduates.

What College Profs Wish Freshmen Knew, a series from Sarah Small of Small World at Home – I really, really enjoyed this series from Sarah Small. In fact, at one time I had every single one of the articles bookmarked. The series is based on notes that Sarah took at a homeschool group meeting in which several college professors came to speak and answer questions. It’s a hugely insightful series on preparing your teen for college.

photo credit natalie freitas on flickr

College Entrance Exams

If college is in your student’s future, planning and prepping for entrance exams is an important aspect of the high school years.

Test Prep Like Marathon Training by Lee Binz of The Homescholar – Lee offers tips for choosing between the ACT and the SAT, stating that the tests aren’t the same so the prep for each is not the same, and offers tips for preparing for each.

ACT and SAT: A Guide to College Entrance Exams and Learning Disabilities from Let’s Homeschool High School – Do you have a child with a documented learning disability? He may qualify for testing accommodations. Find out how to know if he qualifies and how to apply.

Big Changes Coming with the Redesigned SAT by Lee Binz of The Homescholar – Lee outlines the changes students can expect to see in the redesigned SAT.

Preparing for the SAT/ACT by Meredith Henning of Sweetness-n-Light – Meredith shares tips focusing on preparing for the SAT based on her experience with her student. She also includes links for studying for the ACT.

15 Free SAT Practice Sites for Homeschooling High School from Let’s Homeschool High School – This slideshow features practice test sites for the SAT.

One Simple Step a Day to Prepare for the PSAT – The PSAT can be taken as a practice test for the SAT and must be taken by students who hope to qualify as National Merit Scholars. It can seem intimidating, but Lee offers 15 practical tips – one a day for two weeks (plus a celebration day) – to get your student ready. (Includes printable “coupons” reminding students of each day’s prep activity.)

Fantastic Resources

The following are some fantastic resources for homeschooling high school – blogs you’ll want to follow, courses you’ll want to take, and books you’ll want to purchase. I highly recommend each of these resources.

The Homescholar by Lee Binz – Lee graduated her two sons who went to their first choice schools on full scholarships. Now, Lee is committed to helping parents provide their students with college prep educations (whether they plan on attending college or not) and helping them through the college application and scholarship process. Her blog is a must-follow for parents homeschooling high school.

In addition to her blog, I highly recommend Lee’s book, The Homescholar Guide to College Admissions and Scholarships, as well as her course, Total Transcript Solution.

Let’s Homeschool High School blog – Let’s Homeschool High School is another fantastic blog resource for high school homeschool parents. You’ll want to check out their article categories drop down box, which features topics such as: homeschool graduation, college alternatives, and planning tools.

Upper Level Homeschool by Terri Johnson – This 13-week email course is designed to get you, the teaching parent, prepared to homeschool high school. I went through the course years ago when we were embarking on the high school years with my oldest and found it very helpful. The 13-week format helps to avoid the feeling of being overwhelming by delivering the information in bite-sized pieces.

How Do I Homeschool Through High School from Michelle Cannon at The Heart of Michelle – Michelle’s Ask the Experts post about homeschooling high school is chock full of sound, encouraging advice and amazing resources. It’s a don’t miss.

Ann-Notated: Homeschool High School Blogroll by Annie at Annie and Everything – If you’re looking for bloggers who are homeschooling high school to keep you inspired and help you avoid feeling like you’re alone, you don’t want to miss this list. Annie has compiled a list of Homeschool High School bloggers, along with some of her favorite content from each.

Finishing Strong Link-Up – Finishing Strong is a weekly link-up hosted by multiple bloggers and focusing on homeschooling middle school and high school. Each week’s linked posts must focus on middle school and high school homeschooling, making this a must-follow resource for those of us with older kids.

Homeschooling High School Pinterest Boards

Finally, I know lots of you are the super-visual types with a Pinterest board for everything. Here are some boards you’ll want to ensure you’re following as you prepare to homeschool high school.

Homeschooling High School by Tricia Hodge

High School Homeschool by Jimmie Lanley

Top Pinterest Boards for Homeschooling High School compiled by Heidi Ciravola

Middle School and High School Homeschooling by me {grin}

Are you homeschooling high school or have you already graduated some or all of your students? What would you add as a must-have resource?

This post is linked to the Hip Homeschool Hop and Finishing Strong.

This post is part of the Ultimate Guides series from the bloggers of iHN. Check out all of the Ultimate Guides posts on topics about everything from homeschooling to homemaking to marriage.

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