Homeschooling is becoming an increasingly popular choice for parents and educators concerned about their children’s education. By homeschooling, parents can create a tailored educational pathway for their junior high-aged children that best suits their interests, aptitudes, and career goals. Many parents struggle to know where to start when it comes to putting together their own homeschool curriculum for their junior high-aged children.
This article provides insight into how to put together a homeschool junior high curriculum.
What are the Benefits of Homeschool Junior High?
Homeschooling at the junior high level poses some unique benefits for children and their families. Firstly, homeschooling allows parents to make the curriculum as individualized as they wish. Parents can tailor-make a curriculum that targets their child’s academic strengths and weaknesses and meet their own religious and philosophical beliefs.
Secondly, homeschooling gives families the freedom to design a flexible learning schedule and curriculum that meets the needs of the family. Thirdly, homeschooling gives students the opportunity to receive a quality education in the comfort of their own home.
And fourthly, homeschooling provides access to exclusive test and academic opportunities that they may not otherwise receive in a traditional school.
What Should You Consider Before Starting Homeschool Junior High?
As with any major decision, it is important for parents to carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks of homeschooling for their own family. Before beginning homeschooling for junior high aged children, parents should decide if their family is equipped for the process. Parents should take factors such as their own educational background, the guidance and support their family can provide, and their own schedule into account.
Additionally, parents should explore the various curriculum options to see if the type of learning environment would be successful for their family. Parents should also make sure they have adequate access to the resources needed to home school, such as curriculum materials and textbooks.
Lastly, they should assess the local regulations regarding homeschooling to determine what needs to be done to adhere to the laws.
How to Create a Homeschool Junior High Curriculum
Once parents have decided to homeschool their junior high-aged child, they need to create a curriculum that meets their child’s educational needs and their own beliefs. There are several steps that parents need to take to create a suitable curriculum. First, parents should identify their child’s learning style.
Different children learn differently, so parents should take factors such as whether their child is auditory, visual, or kinesthetic into account when designing the curriculum. Second, parents should develop an educational foundation or core curriculum — the bricks of learning.
This should include the basics: reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. Parents should also consider adding core components such as foreign languages and art, which are not necessarily required in mainstream classrooms but are important for a holistic education.
Parents should also research the history and major events, such as the founding of the United States and major wars and international conflicts, to make sure their curriculum covers a broad range of topics. Third, parents should decide how to approach teaching their child. Parents should take into account their child’s learning style and adapt the teaching style to match.
For example, if their child is a visual learner, they can incorporate visual elements into their teaching. Additionally, parents should consider their teaching style. Are they more of a hands-on learner and want to use experiential activities to teach?
Or do they prefer a more traditional lecture-style teaching? Fourth, parents should incorporate activities and projects into their curriculum.
Projects can help students closely examine topics, conduct research, and practice their analytical skills. Parents can also choose a topic of specific interest, such as the rainforest or the civil war, and have their child research and explore the topic. Finally, parents should consider incorporating field trips and experiences that provide real-world examples and experiences of subjects taught in the curriculum.
What Resources are Needed to Create a Successful Homeschool Junior High Curriculum?
To ensure the success of their homeschool curriculum, parents need to find the right materials. Parents should have a variety of resources available.
The internet is a great starting point, offering access to a wealth of resources for free or for a small fee. Sites like Khan Academy, TED-Ed and Coursera are some of the best places to find quality educational materials. Additionally, parents might opt to purchase textbooks or other materials from specialty publishers.
Parents should also seek out other homeschooling parents for advice and collaboration. They can connect with other families in local or virtual homeschooling communities and discuss curriculum patterns, resources, and ideas.
How to Motivate Junior High Students to Learn?
Learning can be challenging, and junior high students might not always be motivated to learn. Parents need to get creative in motivating their child to learn. Here are a few tips to get children motivated.
Firstly, parents should be patient and supportive when students make mistakes. Children need to feel supported in their learning, and parents should let their child know that mistakes are a part of the learning journey.
Secondly, parents can set up rewards for a job well done. This could be something as simple as extra screen time or a small treat. Whatever they choose, they should be mindful of not setting the bar too high.
Thirdly, parents should make learning fun. Parents can incorporate fun activities or games into their teaching.
This will involve the child in their education and make it an enjoyable learning experience. Finally, parents should keep in mind that homeschooling is a personal process. Everyone learns differently and the journey should be tailored to the individual.
Parents should use their own wisdom to identify their child’s learning strengths and weakness, and design a curriculum and teaching style specifically for each individual.
What Assessment Tests Can Be Used for Homeschool Junior High?
When building their homeschool curriculum, parents need to decide how they will assess their child’s progress. Standardized tests are an option for assessing a child’s progress, and most states have standardized tests available.
Additionally, parents can also assess their child’s progress throughout the school year, creating portfolios, rubrics, reports, and self-reflection assignments.
Is Special Education Required in a Homeschool Junior High Curriculum?
Although homeschooling provides educational flexibility and individualized learning opportunities, special education is still an important consideration. Depending on their state’s regulations, homeschooling families may need to provide special education for their children. If this is the case, parents should research the laws and create appropriate regulations and procedures for providing special education within their homeschool.
What Socio-Emotional Resources Should be Included?
It is essential for homeschool curriculums to include socio-emotional resources that help students with their social and emotional development. Social and emotional skills are important for any homeschooler, as these skills are essential for successful learning.
Parents should include resources that teach children how to manage their emotions, connect with others, express themselves, and make positive decisions. Resources may include worksheets, plays, activities, books, or videos that help children find the support and guidance they need.
How to Monitor Your Child’s Progress?
Parents need to be mindful of their child’s progress when creating a homeschool curriculum. As homeschooling is a collaborative process between parents and students, it is important that parents monitor their child’s progress and make adjustments as needed.
Parents should design a system to track their child’s progress. This could include creating work samples, portfolios, or portfolios of evidence that track their child’s success in each subject. Additionally, parents should discuss regularly with their child and determine how it is going and if there are any areas that need to be adjusted.
What Resources Are Available for Homeschoolers?
Homeschoolers have access to a variety of resources to help them find the right materials and support for their homeschooling journey. Most states have a homeschooling organization or association that provides resources and guidance to homeschooling families. Additionally, parents can connect with other families in local or virtual homeschooling communities and discuss curriculum patterns, resources, and ideas.
Additionally, parents should explore the internet for resources, such as educational videos, books, and activities, for free or for a small fee.
What Considerations Should be Made for Homeschoolers Who Want to Attend College?
For homeschoolers who plan to attend college, there are a few considerations to be aware of. Firstly, parents should familiarize themselves with their state’s college admissions requirements.
Colleges and universities want to make sure that homeschoolers have received an equal education to their peers. Parents should make sure they’ve designed a curriculum that meets the college’s requirements and consider enrolling the child in a few college-level classes. Additionally, homeschoolers should determine their entrance exams needs — such as ACT or SAT tests — and start preparing for the exams in advance.
Conclusion
Homeschooling junior high-aged children is an appealing option for parents looking to provide their children with a quality education. Before designing their curriculum, parents should consider their educational background, resources available, and the needs of their family.
Once a suitable curriculum is created, parents can use a variety of tools and activities to make the material interesting and engaging for their child. Additionally, with the right resources, homeschoolers can be prepared for college or any other academic or career goals.