Homeschooling Middle School
Did you know that homeschooling middle school can be a ton of fun?
There can be great joy in homeschooling older kids and my goal is to show you how to turn the middle school years into something both you and your teen will love.
So, if the thought of teaching tweens and teens seems daunting, I want you to know that you can do this. There are plenty of online resources and lots of support available to make the process a little easier. In fact, we’ve got all kinds of things you need to know about homeschooling during the middle school years right here. Keep reading to learn more!
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Homeschooling Middle School
It makes me sad when moms tell me that they’re terrified of homeschooling their kids through middle school. I think it has to do with the perceived expectations of those years. They start to think that the stakes are so much higher than in elementary school and it’s crucial that kids get perfect grades so they’ll succeed in high school.
And so they make everything about textbooks, lectures, and tests. Essentially using middle school as a mini high school.
But there’s more than one way to set a solid foundation for high school. Personally, I think that the best way to keep your kids excited about learning after elementary school is to fill your lesson plans with creative activities and using unique tools.
If you’re brand new to homeschooling and jumping in during the tween years, my suggestion is to make things as easy as possible for yourself for the first year. This may mean online learning or an all-in-one curriculum.
If you’ve been homeschooling for a bit, middle school is the perfect time to try something new. Branch out from the curriculum you’ve been using for years. Spend time on hands-on projects. Focus on your tween’s interests. Play some games.
Sure, there are some things you need to work on before 9th grade, but there’s plenty of time to make learning fun too.
Benefits of Homeschooling Middle School
There are many benefits of homeschooling through the teen years. It gives you the chance to add practical life skills, like money management and communication skills to your lesson plans. You have the time to guide them through the emotional and physical changes they’re going through. They can learn how to be independent learners with your guidance.
In my opinion, one of the best benefits is the ability to focus on your tween’s personal interests and goals. That means outside the house (like camps and classes) and within your homeschool.
Of course you need to spend time teaching basics like science, math, and language arts. But in most states, there’s no law that dictates how you have to teach it or what topics you need to focus on.
My youngest is passionate about animals and plans to be a zookeeper, so for science, we concentrated on life sciences. My oldest loves history, so she wrote most of her middle school papers about history and historical figures.
Personally, I think the benefits of homeschooling tweens far outweigh the cons.
Starting to Homeschool Middle School
As you jump in to homeschooling middle schoolers, here’s some helpful advice that will hopefully make it less overwhelming for you.
When you head back to school, use this goals worksheet to get your tween engaged in the planning of the year.
There are a few changes you might want to consider when you start homeschooling middle school.
Yes, my homeschoolers are weird and I’m okay with that.
Check out these 4 secrets about homeschooling middle school that moms who have done it want you to know.
Here are 10 things experienced moms want you to know about homeschooling middle school.
If you’ve ever said, “I can’t homeschool because my kids are in middle school,” this is for you!
Take a look at a middle schooler’s view of hands-on homeschooling.
How to Prepare for High School in Middle School
While your teens move through middle school, here are some things you can do to help them be better prepared for high school.
Dear mom of a soon to be high school student will help you navigate the changes that are coming.
These are 5 things middle schoolers should do before starting high school.
Ways to make the transition from middle school to high school easier for you and your teens.
There are some important experiences that will prepare middle school students for high school.
Middle School Homeschool Curriculum
Here are some middle school curriculum choices that work well for families who want to have a more hands-on approach.
Here’s what we used for 8th grade curriculum with my daughter.
If you’re looking for a complete 8th grade homeschool curriculum, BookShark is a great choice. It helps teens build independent learning skills through its detailed lesson plans and schedules. Its science lessons are focused on inventors and inventions and includes a ton of great science experiments. And BookShark history ties into the science, focusing on the history of math and science.
My younger daughter had fun working through this general science curriculum. It included a bunch of awesome experiments.
This is a great middle school math curriculum if you want some flexibility.
We used this online math curriculum for years and it helped my oldest finally get comfortable with math.
When your teen is ready for biology, check out Apologia’s biology curriculum. It makes it easy to teach the subject and the labs make it interesting for older kids.
If you want a unique approach to teaching ancient history, take a look at Beautiful Feet Books. Their curriculum is literature based, so kids learn history while getting caught up in exciting stories.
Tools for Teaching Middle School
These helpful tools will make teaching tweens & teens a little bit easier.
If you want to get started keeping more formal records to get ready for building a transcript, you can use an online record keeping tool.
Here are some tools for homeschooling middle school that you’ll want in your toolbox.
An ultimate guide to hands-on learning activities for middle school.
An ultimate guide on how to homeschool middle school.
So, if you’re feeling a little apprehensive about homeschooling during the middle school years, don’t worry. You can do it! You’re in for an amazing ride!
Hopefully, everything above has given you some ideas and tips to get started. And don’t forget – we’re here to help. If you have any questions about getting started, just let us know in the comments below. We can’t wait to hear what your homeschooling adventures are like!
Must-Have Resources for Homeschooling Middle School
- Our favorite student planner for tweens
- Homeschooling Middle School with Powerful Purpose
- Tweens, Tough Times, and Triumphs: Homeschooling the Middle Grades
What’s your biggest question about homeschooling middle school?
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