High School Isn't Hard by Lindsey Jane Goldbold @ljgodbold
Hight School Isn’t Hard by: Lindsey Jane Goldbold @ljgodbold
Lindsey Jane and her husband, Adam, are a full-time ministry family with 8 kids in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. This is the family's 11th year homeschooling and they now have babies to teenagers. Lindsey writes at notesfromtheparsonage.com .
For many homeschool parents, the thought of high school is enough to send chills to the bone. We can imagine days of teaching kids to read, add, multiply, and discern the phases of the moon. We cannot imagine teaching algebra, chemistry, British literature, or the different types of government. I have a secret. Homeschooling high schoolers isn't hard. You really can do it!
Like many, I didn't think about what it would be like to homeschool high schoolers when I started my homeschool journey. I did have a little advantage in that I was homeschooled in high school. As a happy homeschool graduate, I can say that homeschooling high schoolers offers distinct advantages that a traditional classroom cannot offer. While I knew that going in, I still dreaded the day my kids became high schoolers. Now, high school is my favorite age to homeschool!
You don't have to know it all to teach it all.
You may not believe me, but you can learn along with them. I've really enjoyed learning archaeology along with my high schoolers. I had anthropology classes in college, but have never studied archaeology. As they have learned about archaeology, I've been able to learn right alongside them. I've found that as they've gotten older, I act more and more like a guide to their learning, which sometimes involves learning with them as we go.
My high school history teacher had a degree in teaching with a minor in physical education. He wasn't a history buff. He didn't have a degree in history. In fact, pretty sure the school only hired him to be the history teacher because they needed a baseball coach. My college Anatomy and Physiology professor was a dentist. You don't have to have a degree in that specific thing to teach that class. I have a degree in nursing and a degree in psychology and my strongest subject to teach is literature. We all have strengths, but our weaknesses don't define what we can or cannot do.
You can get help.
You can always get help for areas you aren't as strong. There are plenty of math programs that are "teach yourself" for parents who aren't strong in math. There are tutors who can be hired or friends who may be willing to step in and tutor in exchange for babysitting or baking. You also have the entire internet at your fingertips to help you. Can't figure out how to explain mixture problems? No big deal! Khan Academy has a video for that. No idea what the difference is between BC and BCE? No problem! Google it.
And bonus—high schoolers can learn to do the research themselves! Don't feel like you have to have every answer to every question. It is fine to say, "Now that is a good question and I'd be interested to know the answer! Why don't you research that and get back to me?" Teach them internet safety and good scholarly research skills, and they can help find their own answers! (And don't forget—they can also find the answer in books found in your home or the library!)
There are also a great many online schools, hybrid schools, and co-ops. Those may not be a great fit for every family, but they may be just what you need. You're never really alone if you don't want to be.
Focus on skills and character.
Do you remember everything you learned in chemistry? Me either. I don't remember much from Alabama history, either. But what you learn in school isn't just about the facts themselves. A lot of what you're teaching your high schooler is about skill and character. Be honest and don't plagiarize. Learn to think through the problem at hand and figure out the answer. Be diligent and don't give up when finding the solution isn't simple and requires many steps. Don't play with fire and wear safety goggles. It isn't just about grades and individual facts out of context. High schoolers are developing the character traits and habits they'll take into their adult lives, and they're developing the skills to learn and interact with the world. Writing an essay is an act of communication. Giving an oral report is developing the skill of public speaking. When you focus on the character and the skills, it seems more like something you can tackle.
You are showing up.
Want to know the single biggest determination of academic success? A parent who cares. I'm convinced this is why homeschooled kids trend higher on academic evaluations of success. Homeschooled kids have parents who care. Just showing up and caring about their education is the biggest part! Whatever curriculum you choose, you caring matters most!
Connection you don't want to miss.
Homeschooling my high schoolers connects me to them in ways that were unexpected. I get a front row seat to watch as they unfold and become who they will be. I see their personalities blossom from children into adults. Not only that, but we get to discuss big issues that wouldn't regularly be brought up. I don't just have a teen sit at the dinner table, say his day was "fine", and then run back to his room. Instead, I know how his day was because I was there. I know what big issues he's wrestling with because I'm there. I know what he's working on in himself, and often why, because I'm there and we're connecting. I wouldn't want to miss this connection for anything. All of those shaping influences are happening in connection with the family and the home. My teen isn't being molded in isolation, but in the context of our family.
Be brave.
For most of us, becoming a homeschooling family was a brave act. We had to trust out intuition and trust that we could do this. When they are small, we gather resources to help us along the way. When they grow and become teens, it can be easy to think we can't provide them with an education at home anymore. But we can! The same way we did when they were younger. We can be brave, trust our intuition, and trust we can do this. We gather resources to help along the way. And it is every bit as rewarding as homeschooling younger kids. Even if they don't want to make scented playdough and macaroni art anymore. Be brave. It is worth it.