Homeschooling high school doesn't have to be scary.

Yes, it is higher stakes than homeschooling elementary school. Yes, it requires more planning, record keeping, and grading.

And yes, it can sometimes feel like an enormous responsibility (because it IS).

Homeschooling "big kids", however, is a great joy and honor. It is where we are able to witness the fruits of our labor.

There are so many wonderful CONVERSATIONS to be had when you homeschool high school. There are DEEP subjects to be tackled. There are so many social aspects (too numerous to count) to be avoided when you homeschool high school.

There are abundant opportunities to grow and learn alongside your teen, and for this I am thankful.

Homeschool High School - 10th Grade Plans

Homeschool High School - The BIG Plan

We have made the commitment to homeschool high school using the Classical Conversations Challenge program as our SPINE. My daughter is part of a class of 7 young people who come together once a week to discuss their work and receive guidance from their tutor.

( It really is a BEAUTIFUL model for learning, and I'm very thankful we have a thriving Challenge community in our area. )

This year Anna will be participating in Challenge II:

“Challenge II is a rich study of ideas that challenges students to work hard, write well, and think deeply. Students are given thought-provoking British literature that ranges from Paradise Lost to Out of the Silent Planet. Tutors lead lively class discussions and debates, and students are challenged with writing assignments they complete at home. Students participate in biology labs and read dramas aloud in radio theatre style. In the method of earlier research-based science seminars, students are asked to write their own history of art and music. In conjunction with their art studies, students design an art installation, write a hypothetical art grant, and vote on allocating funds to the various proposals. Students also enjoy challenging each other in formal team policy debates on related topics.”

— Classical Conversations

Notice I say SPINE... not everything in the Challenge curriculum has worked for my daughter, nor do I believe one size EVER fits all for homeschool. One of the largest reasons we began homeschooling eight years ago was to tailor our children's educations to their needs and interests.

To that end, we are adding and subtracting from the Challenge program - while still maintaining the overall integrity of a Classical education.

Math

For the past two years we have been using Mr. D Math. Really, I could go on forever about why we love this math program.

For 10th grade Anna is enrolled in Geometry. She attends a once a week online class meeting, and then completes the rest of the coursework during the week.

So many people ask why we abandoned Saxon Math (it is after all the gold standard, right?). It's very simple: the spiraling got to be TOO MUCH for my student. (We still use Saxon for my youngest - it works for him but it may not when he gets to be older - who knows?)

My daughter was checking out during lessons and getting extremely frustrated by the amount of repetition - and not enough time spent on individual concepts. Math was a source of tension and anxiety - for BOTH OF US!

Mr. D puts math into a language she understands. He goes concept by concept -- AND (my favorite thing) he integrates SAT test taking strategies in his math courses. Best of all, my daughter genuinely enjoys Mr. D and he instills confidence in her.

Mr D. and Anna at the SE Homeschool Expo this summer!

British Literature

This will be a challenging year of British literature. The theme of the year is learning about making wise choices through an analysis of the characters in the books they read.

We follow the schedule of readings in our Challenge guide and will read (and write a persuasive essay on and discuss) the following novels this year:

Homeschool High School with Challenge II Classical Conversations as the Spine

Biology

SO MANY PEOPLE wonder how homeschooled children will complete science labs at the high school level.

Anna reads the text this year and completes lab reports and tests at home, while doing work with the microscope and dissections in her Challenge II class. She is my science kid and really looks forward to this seminar each week!

This year's text is Exploring Creation with Biology.

Latin

This is another area where we diverge from the Challenge II curriculum.

Yes, we are still using Henle Latin - but we are moving at a slower (and I believe more thorough) pace.

If there is one struggle I constantly hear from Challenge parents it is that the Latin is TOO difficult. We aren't ones to shy away from difficult - but the difficulties we were having with Latin (especially since Anna jumped into Challenge with no prior CC experience) were huge stumbling blocks to learning.

Last year we gave ourselves permission to START OVER in Latin. We enrolled in Memoria Press Online Academy and completed the year long Henle I course (covering Units 1-5). This was the BEST decision we could have made!

Anna attended a once a week 90 minute class meeting and was led BY AN EXPERT LATIN TEACHER through the Henle book. It was such a huge sense of relief - after feeling that Latin just wasn't sticking or making much sense during Challenges A & B.

This year she is enrolled in Henle I Units 6-14.

Benefits of outsourcing Latin?

Learning from an EXPERT in Latin eliminates confusion.
A strict, graded online class environment is good to experience.
Having this variety in her high school experience makes her more well rounded.
Mom can be 100% hands off!

Western Cultural History

This is probably MY favorite part of Challenge II -- because it is just so rich and beautiful:

“The significance of choices is clearly demonstrated through the lens of western art and music history. Students research and write about significant artists and composers in their own histories of art and music. Class discussions focus on Francis Schaeffer’s ideas in How Should We Then Live? Using this insightful book, students learn to define and compare artwork and appreciate its cultural relevance and, as always, hold each idea up to the truth. Students design an original art installation and write an art grant application, then present their ideas to the class. The students vote on allocating funds for the projects.”

— Classical Conversations

As a special gift to our family, I've subscribed to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. We will be going to see five concerts this school year - to get a closer look at music history.

(We will also continue to use SQUILT during our Morning Time because it perfectly prepares Anna for a deeper study of music appreciation this year. )

Logic

Our Logic studies come from Memoria Press - Traditional Logic.

Logic was very difficult in Challenge B, but I have heard that this year's Logic is a bit easier. I'm hoping so!

Extra Curriculars

As I look at this 10th grade schedule it IS demanding.

What I love, however, is that Anna has learned to budget her time. After three years in the Challenge program she has disciplined herself to create a weekly schedule and stick to it.

Our favorite saying lately is:

"You can always do more than you think you can do!"

School work is our priority - most days Anna will be working from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., and it is amazing what can be accomplished in that time.

She is also taking piano and guitar lessons, and tennis drills twice a week at our local YMCA. Add to this youth group and babysitting jobs, and she's a busy girl - which is a GOOD THING!

I keep asking myself how we got this point, and how I could possibly have a 10th grader I am homeschooling?

How could we have gone from pulling this avid third grade reader out of public school to registering for the PSAT?

I marvel at how God has paved the way for this homeschool experience, and how He will continue to pave the way through graduation.

Honestly, I never thought I would be able to homeschool high school, but God truly has equipped me to guide Anna through these years, and to be the "learner in charge" - NOT the expert in all areas.

Are you homeschooling a high schooler this year? I would love to hear about it! Leave me a comment below!

When my children were little homeschooling was fun and low stakes.

We read aloud, baked, went on fun field trips, had "pajama days", and played.

A lot.

I didn't think much beyond the following year, and certainly wasn't thinking about high school graduation!

That all began to change in the seventh grade.

Suddenly, the gravity of homeschool set in and I was filled with doubt, fear and worry.

Could I homeschool through high school? Would I be able to handle the difficult subjects? Would our relationships survive the rocky teenage years AND homeschooling?

We are completing our first year of homeschool high school, and while I can tell you that we will be homeschooling through graduation, I cannot tell you that the doubt, fear, and worry have disappeared.

What I can tell you is this: I must have FAITH and not FEAR.... faith that this will work out, faith that I will be mentally and physically fit for the challenge, and faith that God will and DOES supply all of our needs.

This homeschool high school journey reminds me of the little boy who brought Jesus meager amounts of fish and bread --- and we all know the abundance Jesus produced from so little. I bring so little to this homeschool table, yet God is turning into a FEAST!

Sending Just The Right Person

When things are overwhelming, God sends me just the perfect person, words, or sign to let me know I CAN do this and everything will be OK.

One of my biggest ponderings as I homeschool high school is just how WILL all of this work out?

Will college acceptance be smooth? Will my daughter still retain that spirit of "homeschooling" throughout her college career (you know what I mean -- the spirit that isn't afraid to go against the grain, the spirit that thirsts for knowledge and truth, and the spirit that doesn't seek to conform to the ways of the world?) ?

I've had the great privilege to meet a young woman (who happens to be a homeschool graduate) who has given me great faith in what is to come.

Rosalynne (or Rosalynne Love as she's known in the design world) is a 25 year old homeschool graduate. She loves to design. She is a young entrepreneur who loves Jesus, her husband, family.... and coffee. She also has a gorgeous Instagram feed; if you're an Instagram user you definitely need to follow her.

A photo posted by Rosalynne Love ✨ (@rosalynnelove) on Mar 28, 2016 at 1:10pm PDT

Getting to know Rosalynne and her mother has been such a source of encouragement. Here we have a mother and daughter who not only survived the homeschool high school years (because let's face it -- sometimes the mother-daughter dynamic can be challenging), but would heartily tell others it was the best experience they could have imagined.

Aren't they pretty?

Rosalynne told me about her dual enrollment in high school, and also about her adjustment to college. She spoke of her siblings and how they all had different learning styles --- and how her mom adjusted learning for all of them.

She also shared with me that when she has her own children she would love to homeschool them.

Isn't that just a homeschool mom's dream? To inspire your own children to homeschool their children, too?

Rosalynne has an adventuresome spirit and has started her own design business. I happen to think her shirts are just beautiful.

(You can explore her Etsy shop to see even more cute designs.)

She took Anna on a fun photo shoot. As she was snapping pictures of my daughter, I couldn't help but realize God had orchestrated this moment. Here I was, getting to know a beautiful homeschool high school graduate - and the message on the shirt she designed - "even so it is well with my soul" - was so appropriate for this point in my life as a homeschooling mom.

Daily Refinement

When you homeschool high school you no longer get the bear hugs and sticky kisses. Sometimes the lightbulb moments seem far and few between. You struggle with heart issues as well as academic issues.

It is a daily refinement of child AND parent.

And that's the hard part.

Homeschooling has pointed out so many of my flaws... so many traits that I think would have gone largely undetected had my children not been homeschooled.

I am impatient. I like to take shortcuts. I am poor with time management. (The list goes on.)

Even so... it is well with my soul. (Don't you love that?)

I want to get a shirt with this saying on it for all of my fellow homeschool mom friends who are homeschooling high school right along with me!

When I tend to get anxious I need to rest in His grace and draw upon faith, the advice of mentors, and sweet moments.

He has given me the resources to homeschool. He encourages me daily (if I am only still and listen for his voice and abide in His word).

After all, he wouldn't entrust such a precious gift to me without equipping me to handle it well.

It's funny how a simple photo shoot with a new friend can lead to so much and give me such faith and encouragement for the journey.

Faith Not Fear

So... that is why my new motto for homeschool high school is FAITH NOT FEAR.

Just look at this picture (by the way... this is a sweet friend of my daughter's who had NO IDEA she was getting roped into a photo shoot when she was invited to our house for the afternoon!).

I think our afternoon with Rosalynne gave my daughter faith for the future, too. It's imperative our homeschoolers have positive role models. I know Anna wonders how all of this homeschooling high school will turn out, and it was fun to get a glimpse into a graduate's life.

Some Helpful Advice

I also wanted to find out what words of wisdom Rosalynne's mom would impart to moms like me. Here you go -- this is advice from someone who has completed the homeschool journey and completed it WELL.

1. Never give up.

Everyone is learning, even when it doesn't feel like it.

2. Have fun.

Take your education on the road, picnic, adventure, and explore as you study.

3. Know learning styles.

My 3 children had a different one. I learned to teach in their style and it made learning easier and they enjoyed school.

4. Don't forget yourself.

Wearing many hats as a homeschool mother it is important to rejuvenate your batteries and do something you enjoy occasionally.

I am thrilled to tell you about Rosalynne, and I want to help support her and her growing business.

Rosalynne is offering Homegrown Learners' readers 15% off any purchase in her store. Simply use the code HOMEGROWN15 at checkout. The discount is good until Sunday evening, April 3rd, at midnight CST.

Click here to explore the goodness!

Are you homeschooling a high schooler? Do you have words of advice, questions, fears? I'd love to get a conversation going in the comments below!

Homeschool 10th Grade - Curriculum Plans