Homeschooling your young adolescent carries with it some of the challenges of puberty but it also is a time period where some fruits of earlier work can be harvested. Here are a few points to consider in homeschooling your 12-14 year old.
Independence - Take advantage of your child's growing need for independence and for self-expression by having her work on independent projects. Provide an assignment book or planner for her that lists independent requirements for schoolwork. Ask her to do some of her own research to complete these assignments. With guidance, she can use the Internet as an effective research tool.
She can also read books on an assigned or chosen topic that she selects from your local library. You may still want to guide her with an outline of basic points you want covered, but she should be able to produce a rough draft that you can reviewa formal assessment of something with the intention of instituting change if necessary. Law a reconsideration of a judgement or sentence by a higher court or authority together for a final draft and presentation. Grammar and spelling can then be part of a self-study program for a vocabulary quiz or independent work in grammar worksheets.
Challenge - Your middle school child needs material both to challenge and inspire them. He needs to be actively engaged and stirred by examples from history and science. Use role models from sports or the arts to keep his education alive and relevant so he does not become apathetic. He can compare and contrast examples that inspire him with what he knows and can do in his own life to reach his goals.
Completion - Your early teen needs to learn to complete and follow through with tasks. Whether its a house job, a properly corrected draft of a paper, or completion of a more complex project, learning to be responsible for her own work is an essential life skill. This will require perseverance and a LOT patience on your part, but she needs to learn to get the job done - and done well. Encourage your child to do her best, to stretch their comfort zone, and to continue until the job is well done.
Self-Exploration- At this age, it is important to give your child time to pursue his own unique interests. Whether that interest is reading or horseback riding or fashion design or even just socializing with with friends. These self-motivated interests can be developed into skillful activities for high school and may lead to developing career interests.
Service to the Community - By about eighth grade, children should begin develop of a stronger sense of community. This is a great time to stress community service and volunteer projects in an area that interests your child. You may already participate in this kind of thing as a family or through your church, but now is the time for your child to reach out to the greater community on her own. You might want to have a set amount of time each week or month that is devoted to volunteer service. This pattern of service should be continued throughout high school. This will encourage a move away from the ego-centric pattern that the teen years developmentally provide.
Remember that your middle schooler needs your listening ear and calm presence more now than ever before. As he negotiates the paths of adolescence, your child will need to be allowed to explore and grow. Although it may not always seem he are listening to you, he will be watching you closely as a role model and will often hear more than he is willing to admit. Be an inspiring and consistent homeschooling presence for your child so he will have a sense of eagerness to achieve his personal best as a skillful young adult in the years ahead.
Jennifer K. Gray is the Director of Operations for LessonPathways.com.
Lesson Pathways is an innovative online curriculum created entirely from INTERNET RESOURCES, making it easy for educators to use educational resources and links, with limited pre-planning time!