Planning for Homeschool High School

Celeste Land: Hi! I am Celeste Land with the Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers, and I am showing you how to begin homeschooling your child.

Right now, we are going to take a look at how you and your teen can create a plan for homeschooling, during the high school years.

First of all, imagine you're planning a vacation. Once you know where you're going on your vacation, then it's easy to pack and plan. For instance, if skiing is your dream, then you know you have to pack warm clothes and boots, and ski gear. But, if you really want to go to the beach for your vacation, then you know you'll need summer clothes, and plenty of sunscreen. The same goes for homeschooling high school.

Many of us have different ideas about what we expect from our high school experience. This can make a very confusing and scary to plan for the special journey. The good news is that if you can set your family's goals for the high school years, then you're well on your way to packing for a successful homeschool experience.

To set your goals, sit down with your student and talk about what your expectations for high school are. The answers you come up with, will help you with your planning. Some questions to ask are: How does your student learn best, through textbooks and workbooks, with your hands-on activities, learning in groups, or by himself? How much structure does your student want or need? Some teens thrive on increased freedom and independence in learning, while others need more structure.

What are your student's goals for high school, does he have specific goals that he wishes to pursue in the coming year, what resources and approaches does he or she prefer? Remember, even the most ingenious high school curriculum in the world won't work if your student doesn't want to use it.

What are your student's goals for after high school, is he interested in college or will he be going straight into the workforce, or the armed forces? Does he have a particular career path or a vocation in mind, or is he still undecided? Will he be headed straight to a four-year college, or will he first go to a community college? And if he has a particular school in mind, what are their requirements for admission?

Finally, how could you and your student feel about earning a high school diploma? Is earning an official diploma important or meaningful to your family? Is an official diploma necessary to further your students' goals? Remember, there are no right or wrong answers here, and every family will come up with slightly different answers to these questions. Make sure to check with your State Homeschool Organization to find out about your State's laws for high school graduation, diplomas, and GED exams.

Most States do not award high school diplomas to homeschoolers. Most home school students go directly from high school to college or career without an official diploma. This works very well for most families. Some students choose to earn a diploma from an accredited correspondence school or distance learning program. Others receive a handmade or purchase diploma from their parents at a formal or informal homeschool graduation ceremony. Still others choose to take the GED exam and earn an equivalency diploma.

If your student is planning on attending college in the future, you will need to create some sort of transcript for his high school years. It's best to start preparing your transcript at the beginning of your student's high school years, rather than late till the very end. There are all sorts of books and internet resources which show you how to turn your student's educational experiences into an effective transcript.

Want to learn more? Check your local library or the Virginia Homeschoolers Bookstore for resources on planning for the high school homeschool years. Your local homeschool support group may have additional ideas and suggestions for you.

So that's how you can create a plan for homeschooling high school. Now, we are ready to take a look at how homeschooling high school works in practice.