Ever feel like you have just got this homeschooling thing on a roll and then all of a sudden it is time to change things up again?

You have finally found your rhythm and groove with your toddlers, 1st grade, 3rd grade, 5th grade, and 8th grade kiddos; then spring comes, homeschool conferences start up and you realize something.  

It suddenly hits you that you are a mom/dad to kids who will be entering the Middle School and/or High School years!

Whoa! How did that happen?  

You also find all your friends and family are throwing a whole new set of questions at you.

Homeschooling Middle School and High School

Questions like:  “How will you homeschool high school…especially Math and Science”?

My basic answer:  One lesson at a time!

How do any of us teach anything?

We do our homework and then we make a plan.

Yes, high school can be more complex, but we live in a time where we have more information at our finger tips than ever before!

We are able to be in the comfort of our own homes and use the internet to research v.s. the going to the library and looking books up in the old card catalogue system. (Remember that?)

As well, we are able to make some amazing connections with others via social media and on-line community forums.

Curriculum companies know this too!

I often see them offering webinars, on-line co-op classes as well as keeping in touch with and encouraging homeschoolers via social media channels like Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and Google+. 

We don’t need to be the experts to teach a subject, we just need to know how to find the experts. 

My Plan

• Lay the foundation to help my kids become independent learners

• Research different curriculum along side of my children; find something we both feel confident in

• Look for on-line classes, co-ops, webinars, and possibly tutors to fill any gaps and to assist us

• Be involved with other homeschoolers, both in real life and on-line

• Form study groups

• Explore the multitude of free on-line academies like Khan Academy, Coursera, Google Science Fair, Discovery Education, etc.

• Always be willing to ask for help

• Take the time to recall why you started homeschooling in the first place (See my reasons: 23 Reasons Why We Homeschool)

• Be brave enough to continue the journey

We are very lucky to have friends who are engineers – mechanical – civil and aeronautical, some who are lab technicians, medical doctors/nurses; as well as highly trained, talented and successful musicians, artists, writers and dancers.

Everyone has someone in their life who can be a helpful resource when exploring new subjects and projects.

Reach out to them and add a dose of some real life, hands on learning to your day!

As for being brave enough?  Sometimes we can let fear sneak in when we are faced with the next new step.  

Rather than letting that happen to you, stop and take a look at where you have been, then look at where you can go!

Where can your homeschool story end up?

Picture it, write it down then go back and start to make your plan for the highschool years.

I bet you will find the next few chapters really aren’t that scary at all; in fact, I bet they will be full of excitement!

My plan is far from complete, it is just a start.

What are some of your ideas and goals as you plan to take on the high school years?

I used to really dislike getting bombarded with this question since it seemed like no matter what I said for my reasons why we chose to homeschool, they never seemed to be enough to satisfy those who were asking.

Then I had a bit of a revelation…

The Power of WHY

Knowing your why will empower you in your:

• home school

• life

• business

• relationships

• sports

• workouts…..etc.

The list can be endless, the power of WHY can empower your whole being!

So, when you get bombarded with the question “Why do you homeschool?” for the 273rd time, instead rolling your eyes and brushing them off with the quickest answer like…”we just thought it would be better”; use it as an opportunity for growth.

After all, you don’t know the motive behind that person’s question.

Perhaps they want to know because they have been yearning to homeschool their children and are searching for a mentor.  Then again they could be people who just don’t get it or even feel threatened somehow that you homeschool.  Either way, taking the time to answer  this WHY question will at minimum empower you, but it also has the ability to reach out and empower others.

Reasons Why We Homeschool

23 Reasons Why:

1. My children  They are the best little people I know…I do it all for them!

2. I love their inquisitive nature!

3. The sparkle in their eyes!

4. I want them to love books….and they do!

5. I want them to be properly prepared to know how to gather information.

6. I want them to learn how to apply that information…which doesn’t always mean writing out a report.

7. I want to free them from “busy work”.

8. I want them to be on fire for knowledge.

9. The extra hugs.

10. The family read-a-loud times.

11. The great discussions.

12. The ability to handle situations as they arise.

13. The fact that I am more aware of any situation almost immediately v.s. a week or more later if child was at school.

14. I can celebrate with them when they learn to tie their shoes, or print their name!

15. Our playtime is far more productive.

16. No useless worksheet after worksheet.  We do real learning for our current needs.

17. We can make a mess.  We have fun with our projects!

18. I get to be the one to wipe the tears when they are frustrated or sad.

19. I have the power to outsource if need be and I also get to search for the best possible person to help with aerodynamics (as one example).

20. I get to laugh with them when they say the best one liners.

21. We have time to volunteer.

22. More time for sports and extra curricular activities.

23. We can instill our family values day-to-day.  Again I am aware of situations and I am available to them to help figure it out and guide them.

There are so many more reasons why we chose to homeschool.  These are just 23 reasons why, that I had on my mind this sunny afternoon.

Here is another post I wrote that fits well with this topic:  “Why Do You Want To Homeschool?”

This post is part of the “Why We Chose to Homeschool” link up at iHomeschool Network.

To read more “Why We Chose to Homeschool” posts from my fellow iHomeschool Network bloggers, click the photo below!

Why We Homeschool

Break Free in Your Homeschool!

Change Things Up

In our home school we  love using our white boards and chalkboards, especially if the children are in a self-blocking mode.

By changing things up a bit,  it creates a shift in their mental state and they become more engaged.

We have conquered many math problems, difficult spelling words, or writer’s block by just changing from pencil and paper to the chalkboard, or to the whiteboard and marker.

How to Keep a Record of Learning if there isn’t a Paper Trail?

Some may argue that you need a paper trail to keep track of it all, which is true to a certain degree…But…it isn’t necessary for every single math problem or spelling list etc.  We live in a time where things are becoming more easily tracked and stored digitally. 

Take some quick photos of your children’s whiteboard work and have a file for it on your computer.  A quick fix to your “paper trail” dilemma.

This is just one example of how we “Break Free”  in our home school, I will share more ideas in upcoming posts.  (In fact I think this might be a first in a series of similar posts.)

Until then, I invite you to share with me some of your freeing moments in your home school in the Comment box below.

What’s 1 thing you do to “break free”?

Related Posts:

Spelling Help

Reharge Yourself

Although it pertains to business, it relates closely to us moms and dads who have decided to homeschool.

Why did you start?

What prompted you to research homeschooling in the very beginning?  Every homeschooling family will have different reasons and we also share some common reasons too.

Why Do You Homeschool?

Some of My Why:

I started because sending my sweet children off to Kindergarten did not seem natural at all.  Nothing about it felt normal to me.

Here we were teaching all the important life skills they would need like walking, talking, reading, playing, dexterity, motor skills etc.,  in a comfortable loving environment.  Not only that, my kids were thriving, having fun and were on fire for any kind of information they could get their  cute little hands on.  They wanted to know about dinosaurs, trucks, animals, bugs, flowers, trees, building things, touching things, you name it they were into it and wanted to know more about it.  I loved every minute of it answering all their why questions and they loved my answers prompting them to ask even more!  We had a good thing going, so WHY would it make sense for me to stop the flow of information, to change the structure of our days by sending them off to school?

Together we went out  to the library, the local museum, we were always taking in nature on our long walks collecting leaves, rocks and whatever else they could convince me of.  My kids were learning real life patience, understanding, empathy and social skills needed for any situation.  Scouting groups and sports were also part of our week and gave them an outlet to be independent with other children and adults.

This is one part of my “Why”, how about you? 

What gets you motivated everyday?   

Do you forget your ‘why’?

Sometimes  we can get  caught up in our day or whatever family drama that may be going on and we can loose our focus.  It happens to everyone:  homeschoolers, business owners, employees, we are all vulnerable.

What can we do to guard ourselves and get back on track?

In order to restore some sort of  “normal” and to bring everything back into focus I like to write little reminders.  Write down why you started or why you want to start on some nice paper, or in a journal.

I like to use pretty recipe cards for these ideas, after all my why is part of my recipe for our home school  success!  When I feel a little burdened, tired or burnt out I make a cup of tea or coffee reach for my box and relive my excitement for our family and our home school.

Decide right now  to take some action and gain some focus by writing down your “why”  using whatever works for you, but make sure it is written on something that represents who you are, I am not a journal person, thus the recipe box idea.  Also make sure it is always accessible and that you remember to reach for it to either fill in more of your “why” or for when you need a refreshing reminder.

Be loving, strong and courageous and continue on your homeschool journey.

My Free gift for you:

HSI Bookmarks to print and record your “Why”.

Enjoy and Happy Homeschooling!

 HSI Bookmarks (blue) and HSI Bookmarks (natural/gray)

Want more reasons?

Check out:  “23 Reasons We Homeschool”