One of the things that intimidates people the most about homeschooling high school is how to make homeschool transcripts. Thankfully, the solution is much easier than homeschoolers expect it to be, and it's free—you don't need a homeschool transcript service or expensive record-keeping software in order to create a homeschool transcript to send to colleges. There are several ways to produce homeschool transcripts for your student, including availability from various organizations, online planner services, or creating your own. We have made it easy to print your own transcripts with our free homeschool transcript template for Excel—just input the information, set the print area, and print the spreadsheet. You'll find the link at the bottom of this page. Continue reading »
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How to Choose the Best Homeschool Curriculum
Choosing curriculum is important to new and prospective homeschooling parents, as well as those who want to improve homeschooling or adjust to a new phase, such as kids starting high school. Many parents start with the question, "What's the best homeschool curriculum?" A more productive question is, "What homeschool curriculum is the best fit?" Continue reading »
Homeschooling: The Power of Now
What if you asked, "What does my child need right now?" and immediately began working on it, with little to no red tape? Welcome to Homeschooling's Power of Now. Homeschooling allows the choice to prioritize what your child needs today, whether that's refuge from bullies, time to make art, help for a learning difference, treatment for mental or physical illness, advanced learning opportunities, or more time to play outside. Continue reading »
Can Someone Else Homeschool My Child?
You work. Or you cannot imagine yourself as a homeschool parent. Or your kids are demanding, and you don't mesh with them well. Or you have a child who has special needs you don't feel prepared to help with. Or you have a health problem that will make homeschooling challenging to impossible. Or really, you just don't want to homeschool. But your kids need to be out of school, and they need to be homeschooled. I hear your question: "Can somebody homeschool my kids?" Continue reading »
Simple Homeschool Art Ideas
Artistic expression is a wonderful way to encourage creativity in your children. Children's imaginations are BIG, so inspiration can be as easy as supplying them with paper and pencil for sketching. Continue reading »
Rescuing Leftover Cuisine
Helping the hungry by rescuing and donating leftover food to homeless shelters. A Lead Rescuer is a volunteer who leads others on food rescue events, takes attendance, and reports the number of pounds of food rescued. All of our food rescue events are led by one, and they ensure that the rescued food arrives at Continue reading »
Summer Learning: Creative Activities for Logging Extra Days
It’s almost summertime! Is a long summer vacation looming hot and bothersome in your mind? Why not transform that long and ordinary vacation into extraordinary summer learning? Many homeschoolers choose to continue schooling during the summer. Whether or not you homeschool year round, learning during the summer months is a great way to log in extra days, to spend quality time together as a family, or to just have fun—the more educational, the better. Continue reading »
Homeschooling: How Do I Know If I'm Doing Enough?
At some point, every homeschooler has probably asked, "How do I know if I'm doing enough?" The short answer: “It’s always enough, and conversely, it’s never enough.” Helpful, right? The long answer: According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about one-third of college freshmen take remedial courses. There are no statistics for how that breaks down into public, private, and homeschool graduates, but homeschool students only account for 3-4% of the K-12 student population. Odds are pretty low that those in remedial college courses are all homeschoolers. Continue reading »
KC Animal Hospital and Pet Resort
Looking to hire Animal Care Specialist/Kennel Assistant. Must be at least 16 years old to apply. Must LOVE animals. Duties include: *Walks through kennel area checking each animal individually for any abnormal activity such as vomiting, diarrhea or blood in the cage or run. *Reports all abnormal activity to supervisors, doctors and nurses, makes a Continue reading »
Ask Jeanne: Homeschool a Prospective Dropout?
I am seriously looking into whether homeschooling would be an appropriate option for my high school student who is failing in the public school system. She's extremely bright, and excels in honors and higher courses, but is failing everything else. I believe homeschooling might be helpful, but I also know it could backfire too. We desperately need some expert advice! ~ Concerned in Colorado Continue reading »
Learn Fine Art: Screenprinting, Painting, Drawing, Digital Art Mediums, Etc.
Rubber City Prints is an Akron based local non-profit printshop that provides fine art workshops, field trips, visiting artists, and one-on-one fine art or digital media lessons and tutoring to interested students. Knowledgable instructors have BFA/MFA qualifications and are educated in teaching through the studio. Offering the following topics: Painting, Drawing, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Crafting. Continue reading »
Ask Jeanne: Homeschooling and Social Anxiety
Our reader Sue asked a question about homeschooling and social anxiety in response to our piece, "What About Socialization?" We thought it was such an important question, we decided to feature it as part of our Ask Jeanne column. Continue reading »
Government Class (High School)
American government class requirements don't need to be based on dry curriculum. Try this activities approach to earning US government credits for high school. Continue reading »
Ask Jeanne: "Does school decide what grade?"
We have moved and I would like him to attend our new home public school at the beginning of the second semester. If I began the school year doing 3rd grade work, would they accept him as a 3rd grade student at the second semester? Who decides what grade a child enters when they return back to public schools? Continue reading »
Can You Homeschool Temporarily?
Some people know they will homeschool before their children are born. Some begin homeschooling after their children spend some time in school, but then they decide to homeschool "forever" -- or at least, for years. Others decide to take it "a year at a time," but the implication is that if it works out, homeschooling will be ongoing. And then there are short-term homeschoolers... Continue reading »
Arlington Christian School - Athletics
Arlington Christian school School has openings for Homeschooled students in grades 6th to 12th who are interested in participating in Football, Volleyball, Cross Country, Basketball, Cheerleading, Soccer, Golf, Baseball, Track & Field, and Softball at the Middle School, Junior Varsity and Varsity level. Interested families may contact the school office at 770-964-9872 or Greg Cannon Continue reading »
Brazos Valley Christian Home Educators Association (BVCHEA)
BVCHEA supports Christian home school families in the Brazos Valley area of central Texas by facilitating communications across the home schooling community, providing information and support to new and current home schooling families and support groups, developing programs for home schooled families, and facilitating community-wide events. BVCHEA seeks to encourage, equip, and assist parents to Continue reading »
Art classes at Toad Hallow studio
A certified Art teacher, looking to transition to teaching homeschooled students and parents who are interested. Instructor has ever 20 years of experience as a working artist and art teacher. Offering many types of classes in different media such as puppet making, sculpture, polymer clay, printmaking, drawing, painting, collage and more.
Using Current Events & the U.S. Presidency as a Unit Study
Are you homeschooling the presidency? No matter our political views, there are issues brought up by the current presidency that our children can learn from. As homeschoolers, we can help them learn about government through most of their homeschooling years, even without an official course. Continue reading »
A Seed of Love: A Valentine from Oak Meadow
An atmosphere in which real learning can occur exists where the children are nurtured and supported to explore their own personal interests, as well as the world around them. Sharing love is like sharing a treasure. Whether it be through expressing warm thoughts towards one another, opening up and sharing feelings with each other, or just spending some pleasant moments together, it is the essence of the learning process. Continue reading »
Bangor Area Youth Choirs
The Bangor Area Youth Choirs is a non-profit youth choir organization that seeks to provide youth with a high-level choral experience coupled with an inclusive community of thoughtful, talented, creative young people that share a common love of singing. BAYC is composed of young singers aged 8 (or 7 if approved by the Artistic Director) Continue reading »
Benefits of Homeschooling: Efficiency
In Facebook homeschooling groups and in real life homeschool group meetings, I frequently see new homeschoolers asking "Am I doing enough?" You ask this about all ages, from preschool through high school, though it tends to center around the earliest years of homeschooling. The "Am I doing enough?" question often comes from a point of surprise. Continue reading »
Did School Happen Here Today?
An occasional complaint of the primary homeschooling parent (most often Mom) is that the other parent (most often Dad) does not appreciate any learning for which he doesn't see first hand evidence.
If "learning" happens while Dad is away working, but he happens to come home to kids who are on the internet, watching television, or "just playing," he may not believe any "school" took place in his absence.
This can certainly be a reasonable concern that a father has for wanting to make sure that the children he loves are being well educated. Continue reading »
The Truth about Attendance at Homeschool Activities for Teens
"We offer activities for teens, but they don't come."
If this sounds like your homeschool group, you are probably wondering why teens aren't interested in attending your events. Many groups are sincere in wanting to offer activities for older homeschoolers, and want to figure out why it's not working.
As someone who has created multiple homeschool groups and co-ops in the many communities where we have lived, I have a few ideas about some of the reasons that may contribute to low attendance by teens. Continue reading »
Homeschooling Middle School: 8 Ways to Motivate Young Teens
There is no doubt that middle school students can be difficult to engage at times, and this can be especially true for home teachers who are also parents. Middle school aged students are holding on so fiercely to their newly discovered independence, and at the same time they need some guidance while they learn to develop their own thoughts and opinions about the world around them. As your child's home teacher, you have the difficult position of being both the parent and the educator of your child who is quickly learning to assert themselves. Learning with middle school age student might require a shift in thinking and planning for the home teacher, but it can also be the start of a new dynamic in your homeschooling relationship. Continue reading »
Ask Jeanne: Age Restrictions in Homeschool Co-ops and Classes
I'm a new homeschool mom with an eight year old who is really advanced in his academic skills. My problem is that the people who run the classes and co-ops we're interested in won't let me sign him up above his age group. This includes our county recreation department, the local history museum, and activities sponsored by our local homeschool group. How can I get them to place him correctly so he won't be bored?
This is one of the reasons we took him out of school. He started reading and writing at an early age, and he got in trouble in school because he already knew how to do everything they were working on in the classroom. I'm frustrated that people don't seem to accept that he is gifted and should be in higher level classes. People talk about homeschoolers being able to work at a customized level, but then they apply restrictions that are similar or identical to school. What gives? ~ Frustrated Mom Continue reading »
Learning with the Olympics
I'm cautious about twisting every interesting thing into a "learning opportunity" that can turn off otherwise interested kids, but the Olympic Games are compelling, and your kids will probably want to know more.
Watching actual competitions on television or via internet is surely the hook. Competition is its own drama, and the personal stories of athletes who have trained for so many years are interesting.
But with the 2016 Olympics in Rio set for August 5 - 21, what are some good resources for additional learning? Continue reading »
Office Schooling: One Way to Work and Homeschool
We hear a lot about the flexibility of homeschooling, but people usually mean that the curriculum or approach to homeschooling is flexible, or even that the daily, weekly, or yearly calendar is flexible. However, in addition to how homeschooling is done and when homeschooling is done, there is also flexibility in where homeschooling is done. One example I'm running into more frequently is something I've started calling office schooling -- where parents bring their children to work and use their office as the children's place of learning. In spring of 2015, I met Angie Cutler at the VaHomeschoolers Conference, and she told me she would be office schooling her daughter during the 2015-16 academic year. I caught up with her just before the 2016 spring VaHomeschoolers Conference, and I was able to interview her about how their first year of homeschooling at the office has gone. Continue reading »
Ask Jeanne: Homeschooling the Child Behind in School
My son is 12 and in 6th grade. He is failing this year. Truthfully, I don't know how he has passed in past years, and this year he seems to be regressing. He is currently reading at a 1.5 grade level. It is making it impossible for him to learn anything in school when he can't read. He is in special ed, but they can not work with him one-on-one - not enough resources. We have spoken with the special ed dept and the staff and they agree that pulling him out of school and working with him at home would be best for him. I want to go back and teach him the basics of reading and math. My question is how do I legally do this? I mean I want to start over with him at 1st grade, so how do I do that and still have him enrolled in some homeschool program? He doesn't have the ability to go to school and then me teach him the basics at home. It's just too much for him. So how do I start over with him? Please help. Continue reading »
College Requirements for Homeschoolers
Parents of homeschoolers who are on a college track often wonder what the college admissions requirements are for homeschoolers and how they might differ from those for public or private school students. Here are some considerations to keep in mind as you navigate the high school years with college in mind. Continue reading »
Is Homeschooling Right for You? What You Need to Know
Trying to determine the best path for educating your children can be confusing. Education is important, and we're all trying to keep from messing up our kids any more than necessary. It's not an irreversible decision (neither is any other education decision you make, such as putting them in a certain school or using a specific curriculum), but it will affect your whole family, so it's worth putting some thought into. Here are some things to consider as you make your decision. Continue reading »
Thinking Outside the Textbook
I’m a member of several homeschooling groups and email loops, and the most common questions are all related to, “It’s a battle to get my child to do her work. I thought homeschooling would be better for my child, but it’s all tears and yelling. For both of us. I may have to put her back in school.”
The specifics vary, but many parents new to homeschooling are trying to recreate a public school environment in their home and finding that it doesn’t work. It’s not their fault. Most of us went to public school; it’s what we know. We’re taught that this is the only way to get an education. That children won’t learn if we don’t tell them what to learn and force them do so. We shouldn't be surprised when we find homeschooling not working under these circumstances. Continue reading »
Ask Jeanne: Homeschooling with a Doubting Dad
We will be homeschooling all three of our daughters this fall (ages 9, 12 and 17). I am excited and nervous about this new adventure, but my husband still has a lot of doubts that this will work for our family. He recently said "I'll never see you" and thinks homeschooling will take over our life. Are there any resources out there to educate him on the benefits, and to somehow involve him more in this change? Thank you. Continue reading »
Ask Jeanne: Work Full Time and Homeschool Five?
I work full time, and so does my husband. There is no way I could stay
home and be a full time mom. We have 4 high schoolers and the youngest
is in intermediate. The youngest we have the most trouble with, and I
am at wit's end trying to get her at grade level of her peers without
medication. I have read about families who work full time and still
homeschool their children. If I could make this work in our lifestyle,
I would be interested in learning more about it. In addition, I
would like to start a "trial" period during the summer months. Are
their any resources available for summer curriculum and assistance
for full time working parents? ~ A Working Mom Continue reading »
I'm Not Homeschooling At You
It's not a good practice, but I admit it.
Sometimes I read the comments.
The ones that follow online articles about homeschooling.
Some of the comments are by people knowledgeable about homeschooling.
Some of them are by people who are interested in education and willing to learn about homeschooling.
Some of them are by people who are doubtful about homeschooling.
Some of the comments I enjoy most are by parents who don't homeschool but who are supportive of all kids, regardless of the approach to education.
And some of them are by parents who send their kids to school -- and who are really, really upset with me for homeschooling. Continue reading »
Ask Jeanne: Do Homeschoolers Get a Diploma?
"Do homeschoolers get a diploma? Half of my family is pro-homeschooling and half is anti-homeschooling. How do I convince my family that homeschooling would be a better and more positive solution than public school?" You have a couple of overt questions and a couple of implied ones. Let's see what we can tease apart here, because these are common concerns for prospective homeschoolers. Continue reading »
Teen Tech Project: Building a Computer
This week I visited with a homeschooling family whose son was anxiously awaiting his shipments from New Egg and Tiger Direct -- full of the components he would assemble into his own PC.
This brought back fond memories, since two of my three sons undertook this same project during their teen years, and my oldest actually did the same after he graduated. Continue reading »
Grandparent's Guide: Sharing Your Time
I wrote in the first installment of the Grandparent Guide to Homeschooling that grandparents can be a big blessing to homeschooling families -- by sharing their time and resources and by providing informed support. Today's post is about sharing time. Grandparents who are able to share time with their homeschooled grandchildren can make a huge difference in their lives and in the lives of the homeschooling parents. Continue reading »
Grandparent's Guide: Supporting Homeschooling
Not long ago, I responded to an "Ask Jeanne" question from a grandparent who wanted to convince her son and daughter-in-law not to homeschool her twin granddaughters. She didn't have an understanding of homeschooling, and she didn't seem respectful of their decision, even though there didn't seem to be any specific red flags of concern.
This "Ask Jeanne" column got a huge response, and since then, I've been talking with other grandparents who love what is happening with the homeschooled kids in their family, and they want to know how they can be supportive. They want concrete ideas for how to help without interfering, and they want to know how they can further build their relationships with their homeschooled grandchildren. Continue reading »
Talking To Your Teen About College Debt
I'm a fan of natural consequences, but sometimes the lessons are too big - with consequences that last a lifetime - for the maturity level of the child. One such example is when a child wants to take on significant debt in the form of college loans. Most 17 year old high school students do not have the life experience to be able to understand the impact that taking on tens of thousands of dollars in debt will have on their lives.
While I encourage young adults to have freedom in making their own decisions, wise and carefully presented parental input is imperative in this issue. Most people would never consider advising a 17-18 year old to purchase a $80K house with payments deferred for 4 years (and a home loan has collateral -- if you go into default, they foreclose and the debt is gone), yet are comfortable with student loans that have even more of a financial impact. Continue reading »