Words from the High Schooler

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Last month for Hiphomeschool Moms, I wrote about Honoring the high schooler. The response was so encouraging, and for all the kind words, thank you. There was also a great deal of interest in homeschooling the high schooler in general. Nitty gritty stuff, ins and outs, curriculum and more. I plan on devoting the next several months of posts to that on Hip Homeschool Moms. This month, I simply asked my high schooler, Hannah, who is finishing tenth grade, to share with me five things that she loves about being homeschooled during these years.

Here are her answers {in bold} and my thoughts {following} to the question – what are five things you love about being homeschooled during the high school years?

1. I like structuring my day around what I need to accomplish. Remember when they were young? Those years of lesson plans, schedules, and goals? Remember hearing how the goal was to raise an independent learner? Well, it does happen. It just takes time and persistence. Hannah, my tenth grader, and Chloe, my eighth grader, are both very independent scholars. We have a morning meeting and an end of the day meeting regarding their work. This year in the fall, Hannah took the subjects that she was going to study and structured her entire year. I looked it over, made any adjustments, gave some suggestions, and she was on her way. She has mastered task planning, goal setting, and follow through.

2. I am grateful for the freedom to get ahead with my work. This one? Easy to explain. Just as Hannah enjoys structuring her day, she’s also discovered {quite quickly} that she has the ability to get ahead of her schedule. I’ve seen her work incredibly hard at finishing what she can get done so that she can spend more time with her photography or her graphic design business.

3. I can pursue what I want to do with my life. Hannah, when she was younger, developed an interest in blogging. This led to her starting a graphic design business, which in turn led to her discovering photography. At this point, in addition to her graphic design business, she’s established a photography business and has done numerous family shots, and this summer she’ll be shooting a wedding. She has had time to pursue these interests in her life. I really give credit to the freedom that she’s had in her homeschool day with the ability to discover and unearth the gifts and talents and direction that she wants to pursue. But I will tell you that it takes time. It takes faith, and watching, and encouraging as you allow your preteen/teen the freedom to explore her giftings.

4. I am able to be with my family. We’ve instilled in our children the importance of family. No matter what our educational choice would have been the motto would have still been the same — family first. We enjoy our days together. Hannah {and Chloe} have expressed to me how blessed they feel to be a part of their siblings’ lives. In fact, not a day will go by where I don’t see one of them reading to younger siblings, or playing with them, or helping them with their math facts. And this? This is by choice. Family time together is a gift.

5. I love the freedom during the day. At first I was thinking, well how does this relate? But it does. Hannah shared with me how she loves to go to the coffee shop and have time with a dear friend — chatting, discussing academics, praying, having a Bible study, and just hanging out. There have also been times when she’s spent the entire day at the Art Museum. She had time to sketch, to draw, and to journal. No time tables – just free learning. She’s also incredibly grateful for the free time to spend with her grandparents. Often she’ll go over to one of their homes during the day and help out, listen, and just spend time with them. This too is an incredible gift and celebrates family.

So why do I share her words? To encourage you during those years when the schedule is tight, phonics is overwhelming, and you sit at the table every single day. I’ve still got that — I’m teaching a fifth grader, second grader and k/first grader. And I’ve got a preschooler and a toddler in the mix. It is busy. Very busy. But those years when they need you to go through every single question on every single lesson are, in all honesty, short years. If you’ve got littles right now, they will grow and they will learn to be independent. I am beyond grateful to have the opportunity to homeschool a high school student. These years are some of my favorite and most rewarding years so far. Truly.

Just stick with it. Day after day. Year after year.

If you are interested in viewing my daughter’s blog please visit her at Aspire and her photography business at Hannah Nicole Photography.

Rachel lives in the half-a-year frozen land of Minnesota. She’s a Christian home schooling momma to seven fabulous kids, and is the wife to an amazing cancer-surviving husband. In January 2011 her youngest son, Samuel, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease so you’ll also find her passionate about gluten free living and Celiac Disease awareness. Between home schooling, blogging, running her family, and, of course, drinking coffee, you’ll also find her driving her girls to classical ballet or her boys to soccer. She’s passionate about seeking joy and living a faith filled, intentional life. You can find Rachel blogging at Finding Joy