Teaching a five year old child the alphabet or mathematics basics is well within the comfort level of most parents who are homeschooling their kids. However, when it comes to high schoolers, many parents feel a bit overwhelmed. They are unsure whether they have the skills to teach their children to write a thesis or solve a complicated algebraic equation. For these parents, it makes sense to look for outside options that will help them give their children a well rounded education.
College Classes for Homeschoolers
Community colleges are growing more and more willing to accept homeschooled students on a partial or full time basis. Talk to the admissions officer or a college counselor about the different options available. Some of these colleges have decided that homeschoolers are a great source of extra revenue and have developed a series of classes just for these students.
Four year colleges and universities also may have classes available for homeschoolers. Some of these colleges offer special summer camps or week long workshops for students interested in math or science. Others allow students to enroll in lower level courses and learn along with college freshmen.
Online Non-Credit Classes Make Sense for Homeschoolers on a Budget
Parents who don't have the money to pay for classes that offer college credit may want to take a close look at online non-credit classes. Virtual University is one place to find some nice non-credit grammar, technology and art history classes and is only $18 a term for up to three classes. Universal Class offers classes geared toward homeschool families starting at $45. Topics range from algebra to Spanish. A nice feature of this online university is that it offers a certificate of completion, CEU credits and course transcripts.
Although some of these options require an additional fee, parents who want to present a solid portfolio of student work to the person reviewing their child's progress will probably not mind the extra fees.
Work Through Paces for High School Credit
Paces are Bible based curriculum options for K-12 students and are very popular with Christian homeschoolers who have motivated children. Of course, these course books can also be completed by teens with absolutely no interest in learning, but parental oversight will be required. Teens who want to learn can complete much of the work independantly and will only need to present their course books to parents for grading and test administration.
Pace books are available from several homeschool retailers or directly from Accelerated Christian Education and Lighthouse Christian Academy. Parents who are looking for a homeschool umbrella program may want to order directly from the company, since there is a package that combines the umbrella program and Pace books.
Parents who choose to homeschool their high school age children may find it a bit more challenging academically, but, if they take time to research a few options, they'll be up to the challenge. There are plenty of resources to give parents a helping hand, from home study courses to community college classes.
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