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Homeschooling for High School

Making the decision to begin homeschooling your high school student can be difficult and should not be taken lightly. High school homeschooling requires personal sacrifice and a big time commitment. It may also be a financial strain on the parents and reduce your child’s socialization. However, homeschooling highschool students does have its advantages. Learn more about homeschooling for high school students, its advantages, disadvantages, and how a student can complete his coursework and obtain a diploma from home.

Advantages

Given the advances in education over the past century, many parents may be concerned about the advantages of homeschooling over traditional schooling. High school homeschooling has increased in popularity due to several reasons. In a large classroom, the educator is not able to give each student the individual attention required for the students to excel. Parents not only know their pupils on a personal level, they are able to provide one-on-one interactions while teaching. Parents who choose to home school also have the option of choosing the curriculum. Real-life experiences can be taught out of the classroom, such as: managing money, woodworking, cooking, and shopping on a budget. Home school hours are often shorter than traditional school hours, as there is less time not spent on academic subjects. When unnecessary writing, waiting for recess and lunch, and waiting in lines is cut out from the day, must homeschooling parents can complete the coursework in two to three hours per day.

Disadvantages

Despite the numerous advantages of homeschooling, there are several disadvantages that should be addressed. The most significant disadvantages for many parents is the time and finance that homeschooling requires on a consistent basis. Time is needed to prepare the curriculum, lesson plans, and activities, as well as teach, and organize field trips. This type of set-up may not work well with some families, as parents have little time for themselves. Another major disadvantage of high school home school is the cost. Parents are primarily responsible for purchasing the curriculum and any costs that field trips and other activities average, as opposed to free public schooling. The final disadvantage of homeschooling high school students is their lack of social interaction. When separated from their peers, they are not always able to form friendships with kids their own age. This may not be a problem with all homeschooling families, as long as the student has ample opportunities to spend time with other teenagers.

Completing Coursework

There are some instances where a child cannot or does not attend regular public or private schools. For this reason, there are several options for parents who want to home school high school students. Accredited home schools typically have the same curriculum of those of public school. Many parents choose accredited programs so that their child is receiving the same education as other children of their age, but at their own pace. Parents and students are also able to telephone their teachers to receive additional help. Another similar option is a pre-packaged curriculum. These provide a chosen curriculum of lesson plans, activities, and developmental skills that will be required for your students’ age group. Other homeschooling options include online learning. This may include an online classroom environment with other students or one-on-one tutoring from a professional home-school educator.

Obtaining a Diploma

There are many ways that home school students can obtain a high school diploma. Parents decide when their child has mastered the curriculum that they have set-up. Some parents choose a more structured curriculum, similar to that of a public or private school, while other parents teach their children until they feel that they have reached the point of readiness for college. Getting your actual diploma can be done in a variety of ways. Some parents decide to make their own. Others decide to order from a company that provides high school diplomas for private and home school students. Those who choose accredited online or campus-based schools can typically obtain their diploma from the school directly. Each of these options will depend on personal options, but are all legal and count as valid high school diplomas.

Additional Resources

For more information on high school home study and how to complete home school high school courses in order to obtain a diploma, see the following resources.