I woke this morning with one thought in my head. "Only 3 more years!" I heard. As I moved through my usual routine, I couldn't shake it. Do I know what I am doing? Do I know what needs to be complete? How in the world am I going to.....? The only solution was to put pencil to paper and try and sort out the thoughts.
Homeschooling is a grand adventure, a worthy journey open to anyone who chooses. Many are called to it, many are refined by it. Yet, none are immune to the criticism that ensues, not only from the world and well meaning friends or family but the depths of your own mind. The doubt and questions can be irritating, distracting, downright debilitating. God has not given us a spirit of fear and He has a hope and future for me, for you and for our kids.
Homeschool is one thing, but am I smarter than a 5th grader? Probably not. What in the world am I going to do? That's what I am learning.
Veritas means truth. It's the name we used in our home school title and the one thing we seek. Truth in who God is, the truth about who He made us to be and the truth about each situation. For each fear or anxiety, I must ask, "Have I believed a lie?" If the answer is yes, I must ask, "Jesus, what's the truth?" It's my choice to submit it to God and to believe Him when he tells me the truth. Home education isn't about all the things I taught or forgot to teach or what the schools do and I avoid. It is the opportunity to learn with my children the truth about God, about the world He created, the truth about communication and discovery, self management and life, decisions and consequences. Truth awaits us at each turn, starting with 1+1=2 and moving into the wonders of the cosmos. Sometimes it is black and white and sometimes a little grey. Sometimes it is as brilliant as the rainbow, His reminder of promise.
As I move into high school level home education, I feel less capable to lead this charge. I am, however, following the One who created us, established this journey and has made available all resources necessary for success. Shall I follow well, trusting that His resources are endless?
It is of great comfort to know that I am not alone and many have gone before me. It is encouraging when I meet families along the way who know what lies ahead and can even point out the road signs and mile markers I may need. I am forever thankful to those who have laid down their lives for the sake of allowing their children home education and pay it forward to the rest of us coming along the way.
In the past few weeks, I have shared my heart with the Lord, my husband, my children, and my friends regarding homeschooling high school. I have also discovered some wonderful tools and resources available to any of us seeking guidance on this leg of the journey. Are you ready to join me in this part of the path?
1) Make the decision to start and equip yourself!
Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is a wealth of knowledge regarding not just home school law but also resources. I picked up some publications at the local curriculum sale from them and am pleased to see they offer information online as well. If you still are unsure of accepting the high school home education challenge, you might start with HSLDA "You can homeschool through high school" guide. There you will find encouragement for your journey. HSLDA "A guide for homeschooling through high school" is a valuable road map that gives a general overview, worksheets, and an in depth coverage of the nuts and bolts of homeschooling through high school.
2) Know the nitty gritty of what you need!
Your state can be helpful to give guidelines for what to expect. At the beginning of this past school year, I found and printed North Carolina's requirements for diploma. That has been a great spine to our high school planning. I can now decide how much to require each year, plan what needs to be done in which years and know if I am going to need help! Tutors and co-ops, dual enrollment and online courses can fill in the gaps.
3)Document, document, document!
As a Registered Nurse, I've lived by 'if it wasn't charted, it wasn't done' for many years. It applies to high school too, well sort of! To better manage our resources and plans, it is good to put pencil on paper and sketch an outline of your high school student's journey. Try a year and see how it goes, then fill in the next 3 years with some ideas of how to meet the requirements of your state for diploma. This is a good time to have the diploma requirements sheet printed and ready for reference! I found many easy to use forms online at All in One Homeschool that were downloadable, printable, editable, etc. It's making things easier as I manage through this climb to have some simple documentation on what we are doing, where we are going and what is left to work out.
4)Research resources!
Homeschooling high school still does not have to be 'school at home' yet I wanted my kids to have the opportunity to work at levels and through methods they would encounter in higher education and adult learning. In addition to parent-led sessions, I am assigning independent studies, participating in co-op classes, using a syllabus and taking advantage of online resources.
Many of the courses at All in One High School are wonderful for elective credits and even to fulfill requirements. We assigned music and art appreciation this past year and were pleased with all that it covered. There are many other online resources including Currclick and Coursera which can be accessed online. I opted not to use Coursera at this point in our journey due to the rigorous nature of the college level courses it offers. In North Carolina, Dual Enrollment is offered through community colleges and many universities for older high school students. This program is to be gravely weighed as grades count not just for high school but on collegiate records. I am not sure yet if it will be part of our path but I am happy to know it is available to homeschoolers.
I am glad I am not alone on this journey. I am glad you are here with me. I am happy that God has made a way to home educate our children and am in awe of all He has done in them as a result. While we have been walking this path for several years, it seems each one brings new questions and new needs. How wonderful that His mercies are new every morning! I shall never want.
