Teenagers are just about the most difficult students that you would expect. They are at a stage in life where they are pushing their own boundaries, exploring new things and learning how the world they inhabit works. In all of this the sweet little munchkin who liked to sit in your lap and have you read out a book to you, is already gone, and you as the homeschool parent are wondering what happened! How do you survive these middle school years? With a lot of organization and a never day die attitude. Read on for more tips.
Folders Are Your Best Friends
Get a folder for each subject. Have the details of the syllabus that you need to cover, the worksheets that you will use, the list of activities you plan to do, and just about any other academic details that you will need and file them in the subject folder. Make sure that you order the text books and any special study material like graph papers, maps, etc. and put them into the folder as well. Try and do this at the beginning of the year and you will have a much easier time in the later months.
Have a Strict but Flexible Schedule
This may sound like an oxymoron, but the truth is that homeschool students do better when the homeschool teacher implements a strict routine. You must have study hours, break times, and weekly field trips all marked out well in advance. Again it helps to put this in writing and put it up on a noticeboard in the homeschool classroom. The flexibility comes in what you want to teach on a particular day, what chores and errands you will run along with the field trip and more.
Make Homework a Thing
Being independent and turning in homework is a good way to give your middle school student responsibility. It adds to their learning experience, gives the teacher some free time, and still helps the overall homeschooling process. It doesn’t have to be everyday, but do give them independent studies once in a while and make a nice project out of it. Their creativity will be enhanced and confidence will be boosted.
