high school Archives - Marie-Claire Moreau

May 24 2017

Financial aid tips for college-bound homeschoolers

With tuition increases every year, paying for college can be a real concern. For one-income families with more than one child (i.e., the majority of homeschool families), the fear of not being able to afford a college education can be quite real.

After helping my children into college and working with many other students, I’m convinced there still exists a college experience for any student who wants it, within any budget, and under most common circumstances. More importantly, however, I’ve found there is plenty of college money available to those who want it. Bigger still, a lot of that money is free.

The trick to making the money appear is: a) knowing where to look for it, and b) knowing specifically how to qualify for it.

As someone who has graduated teens who’ve gone on to college debt-free, I’d like to share some of the tips that saved us tons of money. Of course there’s so much more to going college debt-free, but these concepts should get you into the debt-free mindset for when the time comes.

Tips for finding college money and saving a ton!

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Start Early

My first and most valuable tip for finding college money is to start the work early. By early, I mean in 9th or 10th grade, if not sooner. Many organizations and programs start doling out money early, and there are grants and scholarships of all kinds available throughout the high school years. Plus, by starting early, you’ll have the benefit of a huge file of all that information you collect over the years, so you’ll never be caught missing deadlines, lacking requirements, or having trouble finding information again later. Consider it a part-time job that you and your student work on periodically. That’s how we did it, and it worked!

Tell Everyone You know

I always recommend telling everyone you know that you’re looking for college assistance. By putting this on the radar of friends, family members, employers and other acquaintances, you start building a team of support around you and your child. During the time your student is in high school, this team can be keeping their eyes and ears open for opportunities like scholarships and grants, interning programs and awards, and pass on to you a lot of information you’d never get anywhere else. Supporters are usually glad to help you in this way, and often become especially invested in your child as you share periodic updates on what your child is doing in high school, and what his or her goals are after graduation. Don’t dismiss the idea of chatting up the local high schools, either. Guidance counselors and other personnel are sometimes enormously helpful to homeschool families at scholarship time.

It’s Sometimes Okay to Be Broke

This next tip falls into the “for what it’s worth” category. Oftentimes, families try to boost their income during the high school years, with parents taking part-time jobs, and students finding ways to earn money themselves. While this is commendable and can sometimes help the situation, it can also backfire, too. Remember that certain programs target lower income families or those with an inability to pay. Given this formula, students may actually become ineligible for programs if they’ve built a nest egg during high school. While I never discourage anyone from saving for college, it can be useful to consider the cost-benefit of doing such a thing. Putting a student’s grades at risk from working too many hours, for instance, to be later disappointed by an inadequate aid package is highly discouraging. Stressing parents out unnecessarily while causing the family to become ineligible for certain programs is also clearly counter productive.

Overcome Your Desire for Privacy

When it comes time to apply for aid and scholarships, you might as well kiss any desire for privacy good bye. The sheer number of applications you’ll be completing is nothing short of mind boggling, and with those applications comes the complete stripping away of any desire to shield the world from knowing every intimate detail of your personal lives. The desire to find college money requires disclosing anything and everything these organizations want to know. I still highly recommend teaching your teen about identity theft and protecting his or her privacy in every other situation, but on this one, you’ll need to explain (and yourself must learn to accept) this is one exception for which there is no other choice.

Be Sure the Student Transcript Reflects Everything They Want to See

Minimum requirements for college entrance and college money, financial aid programs and scholarship programs, and other sources of college assistance will vary from student to student, from state to state (if you plan on applying for state aid), and from college to college. By knowing specific requirements for these programs early on (go back to my first tip), you can guarantee your student is eligible by making sure any course requirements are met, any GPA requirements are met, any community service or leadership requirements are met, and any other eligibility requirements are met, before your student turns that tassel. It pains me to see students who could’ve qualified for something great, but were ineligible because they forgot take a simple class in an earlier grade. It double-pains me when parents end up costing their students money because they were unwilling to put the time in earlier on to make sure the student remained on track for later assistance. I cannot stress enough the importance of developing a 4-year high school plan to cover all these bases.

If you’ve found these tips helpful, follow me for more information like this in the future (SUBSCRIBE on the home page if you’d like to be notified).

I work with many families to develop college-ready high school plans that gain them access to colleges, and often tens of thousands of dollars of money later on. If this is a service you’d like to explore, contact me for a private consultation.

To your success,

Here’s more you might like:

Finding college scholarships

College Prep High Schooling (Series)

How do homeschoolers get into college?

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. A homeschool pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed for illustrating how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the public school system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, with no teaching background whatsoever. A writer, a homeschool leader, and a women’s life coach, Marie-Claire mentors in a variety of areas that impact health, education and lifestyle. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, The Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool Network, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on Holistic Parenting, CONNECT,Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of sites and blogs nationwide. Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

Apr 06 2017

Is homeschooling high school any different?

Parents often ask if homeschooling high school is different from homeschooling the earlier grades. They may ask the question directly, or express it through questions like these:

How do you teach everything if you don’t really remember it all?

Don’t you have to know all the subjects really well?

Aren’t you worried your child might not be prepared for college?

Don’t you have to be really smart?

Don’t most kids go back to school for high school?

What do you do if you can’t help with the really hard classes?

Do you worry about screwing everything up?

I’ve listed some articles at the bottom that contain in depth answers to every one of those questions. Today, I want to generally discuss the differences between homeschooling high school years versus homeschooling elementary and middle. (By the way, some refer to high school as “secondary” or “upper” school, in case this comes up in your research one day.)

Please know if you’re concerned about high school, you are not alone. Many parents feel anxious nearing the high school years. Many more parents express concern over “doing it right”. That’s why homeschool advisors like me spend so much time writing about the teen years. We remember feeling this way ourselves, and we want to help others do it successfully (and without worry) themselves.

So, is teaching high school any different?

Yes and no.

In many ways, homeschooling teens is a lot like what you’ve been doing all along. It’s basically the same amount of work, the same commitment and level of responsibility, and you follow the same legal requirements (if any) you did all the previous years. It’s similar in that you care just as much about your child as you did before, and you’re just as invested in your child’s success as you’ve always been.

In in terms of your personal involvement, homeschooling high school is still the full time job it was in the earlier grades.

Homeschooling high school is still the full time job it always was. What changes is the role you…

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What changes during high school is the roles you play. Your role changes into that of an administrator, and your student does by himself many of the things you used to do together.

Some of the differences are gradual, phasing in as your student matures, sometimes taking years before your student reaches a certain level of responsibility and independence.

Other changes start smack dab at the beginning of high school because they’re related to the procedures, classes or other expectations that begin on the first day of doing 9th grade work.

It depends on the people, of course, but at some point, parents begin to realize it isn’t elementary any more. They notice high school takes on a a different feel from middle school, too. In my observations, parents can assign a different level of importance to homeschooling the high school years. Perhaps because it’s the end of the journey, high schooling parents seem to view their efforts as being even more serious than in the past, if that’s possible.

If you’ve been down the high school road before, you might see yourself in this next section. You may find yourself nodding in agreement, as I think most parents of homeschooled teens share similar stories.

After high schooling all of my kids and meeting with hundreds of families of teens over the years, these are the things I have noticed we all have in common. I’ve created a list of some of the things you might find yourself feeling and doing when beginning to homeschool your teen.

A list of things you find yourself feeling and doing when homeschooling your teen.

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When homeschooling teens…

You no longer feel like a teacher, but the coordinator of the whole process.
You starting thinking more about goals instead of schooling day to day, week by week, and year to year.
You seldom teach subjects any more. Your student learns more on his own.
There is less 1:1 interaction than when your student was little. You both spend more time apart.
You’re not always present during lessons. Frequently, lessons happen entirely without you.
You do more “checking in” with your student than directly supervising as before.
You naturally begin encouraging your student to take on greater responsibility.
You praise her independence, still keeping a close watch from wherever you are.
You develop trust when your student completes assignments thoroughly and on schedule.
Your faith in the process increases as your student begins to succeed on his own.
You feel greater responsibility, because high school is a critical stage of your child’s life.
You may feel a lack of control, not always knowing exactly what your child is learning and doing.
You can’t always preview everything your child is doing any more. Prereading books and assignments is a thing of the past.
Your student’s knowledge might begin to surpass your own, and you’re happy about that.
You begin outsourcing some of the learning, instead of always purchasing products to be completed at home.
You encourage your student to take more responsibility over her education and her future.
You allow your student more participation and decision-making power over what to learn and do.
Sometimes you feel more like a chauffeur, financier, or social director than a Principal or coordinator.
Record-keeping and organization become more important than ever before.
The decisions you make feel more important, and seem to have much more weight than ever before.
Your record-keeping duties greatly increase in volume and complexity.
You’re excited for your student, yet you question yourself more than ever before.

Depending on where you started, these changes could seem dramatic or not a big deal at all. But, if you are feeling as though the duties of a high school coordinator and book-keeper seem daunting, remember they’re offset by all the other things you no longer have to do. So, since you’re no longer helping your child finish math problems, you can be working on a high school transcript instead. And, since you no longer have to correct homework assignment and assessments, you can be figuring out high school credits and GPA scores instead.

I love talking to parents who ask if homeschooling high school is different, or more difficult. It means they’re dead serious about doing a great job, and therefore probably going to be very successful doing it.

Don’t you have to know all the subjects really well?

Aren’t you worried your child might not be prepared for college?

Don’t you have to be really smart?

What do you do if you can’t help with the really hard classes?

Do you worry about screwing everything up?

To your success,

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. A homeschooling pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the public school system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, with no teaching background whatsoever. A writer, a homeschool leader, and a women’s life coach, Marie-Claire mentors in a variety of areas that impact health, education and lifestyle. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, The Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool Network, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on Holistic Parenting, CONNECT,Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of sites and blogs nationwide. Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

Feb 18 2017

They communicate like other kids (maybe better?)

I was speaking before a group of would-be homeschool parents in someone’s living room a while back. It was an educated group, impressively well-informed as to the pros and cons of home education. I got the sense there had been quite a bit of research and discussion prior to our getting together. They fired at me one outstanding question after another during the Q&A. I was honored to serve these folks as they considered making important decisions on behalf of their children.

Now, I don’t normally tattle off the playground, but I’d like to use part of my experience that day as a teaching moment. No judgement of any kind, but there was a question that made me want to write this for you.

One of the parents asked a question about homeschoolers and communication skills.

“Do they know how to communicate?”, he asked. Another parent voiced something similar, saying, “How do they actually learn to talk with other people?” Before I even opened my mouth, I totally felt the vibration of the room changing. The thought of homeschoolers being disadvantaged in this way started spreading around the room like a bad stink.

I paused for a second, thinking how to finesse my reply while wondering where their information could have come from. Was there some news article I’d missed? Some research I didn’t know about? Maybe it came from listening to one too many public school advocates. Perhaps they’d encountered a painfully timid child…who’d been homeschooled?

To be honest, I also didn’t see that question coming. I’ve spent a fair amount of time dispelling the socialization myth, and I’m well acquainted with the homeschoolers-are-weird stories, too. But, homeschoolers unable to communicate? This was new to me. It felt like one of those my-word-against-yours moments, the kind nobody ever wins. This was clearly something concerning these parents, but I was feeling like their experiences might be hard to undo.

I decided to start with my standard research schpiel: top scorers in testing, top finishers in college, top, top, top, numbers, numbers, numbers. I continued with some homeschoolers-now-adults stories: happily employed, active voters, community service, good people, good people, good people. And I ended with the world of opportunities allowing homeschoolers to interact with all kinds of people, of all ages, in all corners of the wide, wide world. Surely people would need reasonable communication skills to do all of that, I reasoned.

I could tell they weren’t entirely convinced. A retired teacher said she’d met homeschoolers who were very, very shy. Another person said she’d met a homeschooled child who looked down when he spoke, muttering indistinctly.

I decided to go in a different direction. I deployed an argument in support of human differences, child development and basic logic. I ended up saying something along the lines of what you see below. The parents understood what I was thinking completely, and everyone seemed a lot more comfortable by the end of the meeting.

I’ve outlined my feelings about homeschoolers and communication skills, below. You’re more than welcome to use my notes if you ever need to discuss this yourself.

I began:

Homeschooled kids are just kids
All kids are different
Some kids are more timid and some kids are more outgoing
Some kids are better communicators than others
But, being homeschooled isn’t going to fundamentally change who the child is

Similarly,

Public school kids are just kids, too
All kids are all different
Some kids are more timid and some kids are more outgoing
Some kids are better communicators than others
But, going to public school isn’t going to fundamentally change who the child is

I continued:

Can communication skills be improved?
Probably
Can they be modeled, taught and practiced at home?
Certainly
What about in school?
Of course

I asked:

Do public school kids get called out for being themselves?
Why is anyone concerned when homeschooled kids act like themselves?

I ended:

There are all kinds of communicators
It’s not about the kind of school a child attends, or doesn’t
It’s about a child’s basic personality and some combination of training and practice

Do you agree?

I’ve learned I have to be direct when things are this important. The truth is, and what I hope I emphasized enough to these parents, homeschoolers are actually exceptional communicators. I’ve worked with students across all educational platforms for many years, and though there are great communicators everywhere, hands-down, the best ones are always the homeschoolers. I’m talking mature, confident, articulate students coming out of the homeschool community. Outstanding presenters, debaters, writers, and story-tellers, too.

Listen, I’m not trying to be harsh or unfair. But, ask teachers with formerly homeschooled students in their classrooms and see what they say. Ask college professors to comment on the homeschool graduates in their sections. Ask employers and other professionals what they think. Read the research about homeschoolers outscoring others on the SAT writing portion, too. I’m not making this up — this is definitely a place where homeschoolers have the chance to excel — and they do.

If you think about it, it makes sense that homeschool flexibility and freedom could result in extra time to spend mastering these skills. It also makes sense when you think about the range of people and activities experienced by a typical homeschooled child today. Don’t forget the supportive environment in which children may express themselves without fear of judgement. Why wouldn’t homeschooled kids grow to be confident speakers, skilled writers and comfortable with the English language?

There’s an area for discussion below this post. Have you encountered similar claims about homeschooled students lacking communication skills, and how have you responded? I’d love to hear from you.

Want to know where else homeschoolers shine?

How important is writing for high schoolers going on to college?

Jan 10 2017

3 Ways to Teach Homeschool Math

[May contain affiliate links.]

A major concern for many home educating parents is how to teach math. Some parents worry they’ve forgotten so much math, they won’t know how to teach it. Others worry about the significance of math, not just as an academic subject, but because of its impact on the bigger picture (i.e., higher level courses like Chemistry; getting accepted to college; success in a career; adult life). The thought of failing the child, or not knowing how to help a child who struggles with math, can be overwhelming.

Personally, I find many parents worry about math unnecessarily. First, there are thousands (literally) of products on the market to help teach math at home…no experience required. Next, I believe most children have a greater ability and a higher aptitude for mathematics than given credit for. I believe math-phobia is wholly fabricated, created over the last 50 years or so. A culture filled with math jokes, stories and other horrors only fuels the belief that math is harder than other subjects. Perception, in my opinion, has contributed unfairly to producing a generation of math-phobics. Certainly some students are better in math than others, just as some are better writers, better athletes, and better musicians. But, nobody is incapable of learning math to some respectable or practical degree.

But, I digress.

I’m going to explain 3 different ways to attack math instruction in your homeschool. These are 3 common ways, ways you can adopt into your home education program right now. They’re not unusual, they’re not very hard to figure out, and thousands of people are using them as I write this, so you’ll find lots of support for your chosen method if you begin looking for it.

Three ways to teach homeschool math. Easy, explained.

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I recommend reading through the methods, below, then selecting the one that makes the most sense for your child at this time. Then, as you get to know your child a little more, switch things around if you notice the approach isn’t going to work for the long term. You can also change things around anyway, to add variety and fun to the curriculum. And, by all means, feel free to use different approaches for different children in the family, too. Convenience and saving money notwithstanding, choosing different approaches for different children is really the best way to reach their uniqueness.

Approach #1

Use a Math Curriculum

Perhaps the easiest overall, following a pre-packaged math curriculum is a convenient way to cover an entire year of math using a single product. Following the daily lessons and using the instructions in the guide book tends to insure a variety of topics will be covered in a given year, and that topics will be reinforced until the student gains full mastery. Many people like this approach because they’re not always sure what to teach in every grade, so they feel better knowing someone else has already figured it out. In a 3rd grade math curriculum, for example, parents gain peace of mind, knowing the book will cover all of the usual 3rd grade math concepts, like place value, Roman numerals, carrying, borrowing, money, averaging, and so on. Products like these are organized, convenient, and generally easy to follow, no matter the math level of the parent himself/herself. Packaged curriculum products aren’t perfect, though, and can hold students in a cycle of repeating the same (or similar) material over and over again, even though they’re ready to move on. Knowing when the student is ready to progress to the next level is crucial to successful boxed curriculum use, and using the provided tips and assessments is essential to figuring that out. Examples of boxed math curriculum products include Saxon Math, Horizons Math, Singapore Math, and Math U See, but there are many more to choose from, too (here’s a big list).

Approach #2

Use Topic Specific Resources

Another way to teach math at home is to cover specific topics, each one at a time. This method requires zeroing in on a specific concept to teach, then finding a resource(s) for the student to learn it. Concepts might include counting money, learning times tables, adding decimals, performing long division with remainders, or anything else parents decide to teach. To teach fractions, for example, parents could use a book specifically about fractions, some video lessons about fractions, some exercises printed from a web site, or a live class where someone is teaching the students about fractions. They might create lessons on their own, using materials they already have around the house, or even small toys or objects to illustrate the ideas. Targeted lessons like these will continue until the topic has been thoroughly explored and the student is showing true mastery, so it is not unusual for different students to take a different amount of time to learn each new concept. Disadvantages to teaching this way is when parents don’t know what concepts to teach, and in what order, or may introduce concepts before the student is actually ready. Some parents lack the confidence to teach in this way, or to properly identify when the student shows enough progress to move on. Examples of targeted math resources, in book form, include The Key To, Kumon, and Spectrum, but there are many other education products available in book stores, retail stores, and online which support this method of instruction. One tool I particularly love is Math Wrap-Ups (find them here).

Approach #3

Explore Math Through Everyday Life

A final way to approach mathematics is to allow the learning to occur naturally through everyday living. There are many opportunities every day to explore mathematical concepts if one is looking for them. Though the example of grocery shopping is over utilized, it certainly illustrates how practically and easily mathematics can be learned and reinforced while doing everyday things. Other examples of seeing math in everyday life might come from cooking, redecorating a bedroom, or in the feeding and nurturing of pets. The impetus to explore more advanced skills could come from opening a bank account, taking a part time job, or starting a small business. The job of a parent utilizing this teaching method is to notice these opportunities and (if they so choose) helping to facilitate the learning that might occur during these moments. Parents might begin by asking the student engaging questions, helping the student make observations, providing support or external resources, or discussing/recording what is being seen or heard. Because this approach is unpredictable and relatively unstructured, a disadvantage is that students may not be learning at a pace similar to other children the same age, which some families may find inconvenient or worrisome. On the other hand, since everyday learning is relevant and concrete, better retention may occur when learning happens at an appropriate place and time. The list of books and other products that could be used in conjunction with this method is limitless and never-ending, but I am including the titles of 2 interesting books/series for students who enjoy reading about the meaning of mathematics, while learning math as a part of everyday life:

Younger students: The Life of Fred (example of where to buy)

Teens and up: Calculus Made Easy (example of where to buy)

To your success,

Another article you might like: How to Easily Choose Your Curriculum {with an infographic}

Abacus photo credit: Pixabay

Nov 11 2016

How to use textbooks for homeschooling

I recently met with a couple who’d just received a large donation of textbooks. Among the things we chatted about were ways they could incorporate some of the books into the learning program they were developing for their kids.

Since textbooks sometimes get a bad rap in the homeschooling world, I wanted you to know there is nothing wrong with using textbooks if they fill a need in your family. The textbook stigma is really about not trying to duplicate public school at home, but leveraging the power of homeschooling instead. There are plenty of ways to use textbooks and still reap the rewards of a customized home education. Let me share some of the advice I gave them, in case these ideas could help you too.

First, a rule about textbooks and homeschooling:

There is no rule about textbooks and homeschooling.

Remember, when homeschooling, you can do whatever you want.

Next, some rules of thumb to help you decide which textbooks to keep, and which to donate somewhere else:

Publication date doesn’t always matter. Unless the subject is something likely to change every couple of years, an older textbook is just as good as a newer one. If you like it, and the information hasn’t changed since it was written, keep it. You might want to watch out for older “modern history” books and world geography books, for instance. You’ll probably also want to steer away from older computer books, too (unless studying the history of computing). It’s really up to you.

Whether the textbook is a “teacher’s copy” or a “student version” doesn’t always matter. Unless it bothers you when teacher’s notes are written in the margins, or answers to the test questions are in plain sight, a teacher’s copy has all the same text as the student edition. You can block out the answers with sticky notes if you like, or by folding (even cutting up) the pages if you want. But, probably, you’ll allow your student to read it for what it’s worth, no matter the format.

Even if you don’t have all the supplements that go with the textbook (like the test bank, some of the exercises, or the answer key) it still might be okay. Again, the value of the textbook is in your eyes only. If it’s something you’d like your children to read, maybe it won’t matter if you’re missing all the pieces that traditional classroom teachers use. You’re not a traditional classroom teacher, so there’s that.

The level or audience for the book doesn’t matter. I don’t care if the book was meant for 6th graders, 11th graders, or college students. If your kids can read it, it’s probably a keeper. Homeschoolers don’t always talk grade levels anyway, so if a textbook can be understood by your unique learners, what the author/publisher intended when they released the book doesn’t matter.

How to use textbooks in your homeschool:

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Now, here are some different ways to use textbooks when homeschooling. Remember, there is no right or wrong here, so feel free to use these ideas or any others you come up with on your own:

Using the Whole Book & Taking a School-Like Approach

If you like a certain textbook, and you think your child could learn from it, too, consider using it to teach an entire class. The class could last for a semester, a year, or any length of time, depending on how long the book is. Think of this like traditional school, where you assign chapters and pages, ask the student take notes or highlight important ideas, assign him questions to answer, and so on. Make up tests, assign papers, or other ways to assess learning. Think of completing the entire textbook (or a significant portion of) as finishing the class. When your student finishes the textbook, assign a grade or credit. Textbooks are perfect for this use, since they often contain enough “material” for an entire class in a single subject.

Hopping In and Out of a Textbook

If the trademark of American home education is freedom, that also includes the freedom to use as much or as little of any curriculum resource as we see fit. The notion that students need to “finish the book” is about as silly as forcing a child to eat everything on a dinner plate when he’s already full. Sure, your students may finish the textbook, if it’s best for the education and also best for the child. But there’s nothing wrong with taking a break from the book, using only selected parts of it, coming back to it over and over for several years, or abandoning it when it stops working. Actually, I highly recommend hopping in and out of textbooks as needed.

Using the Table of Contents & Designing Your Own Class

Probably the most valuable part of any textbook is the table of contents. The table of contents is a ready-made list of related topics, already arranged in some logical order, just waiting for you to follow. If you want to teach a class in something, but feeling intimidated trying to figure out what to teach, following the table of contents from a textbook is the perfect solution. The learning itself doesn’t need to come from the chapters of the book itself (though it could). Instead, what you’ll do is follow the table of contents, but fill in the learning in other ways, like with other books, with taking field trips, by using web resources, with workbooks, and so on. In this case, the table of contents is just providing the framework, but you’re in control of the activities you use to teach the actual lessons.

Using Textbooks for Reference

Finally, textbooks can make excellent reference books. They’re even better together, too, as the impact tends to multiply if you own several textbooks about the same thing. There’s nothing better for looking up the rules of grammar or punctuation than a collection of English textbooks on the shelf. Math books are excellent for seeing how different authors explain the same concepts, especially for struggling students who may need to hear it several different ways. History textbooks, in particular the index at the back of the book, are fantastic tools for learning about people or events.

The bottom line is that there are plenty of ways to control textbook use, instead of allowing them to control you. I hope this has given you a new understanding of how textbooks can be used in freedom, for whatever they’re worth in your unique homeschool program.

To your success,

Apr 15 2016

How to Easily Choose Your Curriculum

Is the thought of purchasing curriculum for your homeschool making you nervous? Are you worried you might not find the right products, make the best choices, or get the lowest prices?

Believe me when I say this — you’re not alone. Every one of us struggles with curriculum choices at first. Sometimes, even for years at a time. This stuff takes time, my friend. We can’t know everything about our kids — at least not until we’ve worked with them for a while.

That’s why, today, I’m going to guide you through the process of making curriculum selections. I’m going to do it by having you ask yourself some really important questions. Your answers are going to help you filter out curriculum products that probably won’t work for your family. With any luck, they’ll also help you find the ones that will.

Easily choose a homeschool curriculum that works!

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Right now, you’re thinking, “Isn’t there a lot more to buying homeschool curriculum than this?” Sure, probably, of course there is. But, I’ve gathered some of my best tips, and I know they’ll really help get the ball rolling.

Check this out, and see what I mean:

How do you feel now? Do you want to print this out and take it to the next curriculum fair or convention? Maybe you should place a copy on your desk for the next time you shop online?

How about your friends? Do they need this information, too?

I want you to SHARE this information with others.

I know it will really help them, too.

How to choose your homeschool curriculum – very cool infographic:

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To your success,

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. A homeschooling pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the public school system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, with no teaching background whatsoever. A liaison for regional school-to-home organizations, a homeschool leader, and a women’s life coach, Marie-Claire mentors in a variety of areas that impact health, education and lifestyle. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on Holistic Parenting, CONNECT, Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of sites and blogs nationwide. Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

Apr 01 2016

Dual Enrollment: Pros and Cons

As more and more families choose homeschooling, more and more teens are discovering “Dual Enrollment”, the practice of taking discounted college courses that earn high school and college credit at the same time. Called ‘CC’ by some (from its origins at community colleges), dual enrollment is a popular way for academically-ready students to take advanced coursework while in high school, and make a serious dent in future college spending, too.

Though dual enrollment programs are now widely available, states have individual rules about which students may actually qualify, and the specific benefits they’ll receive. For instance, some states allow homeschoolers to attend 100% free, while others require families to cover the cost of tuition, textbooks, and other fees. Always look to the eligibility requirements for each state, and then to the benefits offered in each specific region. The finer details are what usually determine whether to add college courses to the student’s 4-Year High School Plan or not.

Perhaps you’ve been wondering if dual enrollment is right for your student? As with anything homeschooling, just because others do it doesn’t mean it’s right for your child. There are compelling reasons to be made on either side of the debate, and these usually have to do with saving money, advancing or delaying graduation, and exposure to campus life. Only you can decide what’s right for your own situation.

On a personal note, my children have all successfully used dual enrollment programs as a means of advancing their educations and saving us money. It worked enormously well for us, and looking back, we have no specific complaints. But, there are definite drawbacks to sending kids to college at younger ages, and a choice this big takes some serious conversations. Don’t wait until they’re already on campus to sit down and discuss things with your teen.

I have compiled a list of the most common PROs and CONs to using dual enrollment programs for homeschoolers. The list is comes from my own experience, experiences of other parents I meet, and conversations I have had with college counselors and instructors.

Here’s a list of the PROs and CONs to using dual enrollment programs:

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You are invited to consider the advantages of dual enrollment, making sure to study all the stickier points, too. Should any of these be deal-breakers for you or your teen, remember there are plenty of other ways to homeschool high school elsewhere on this web site.

Want to print this informationt? Click here to either view, print or save.

Have I forgotten something important, or something you’d like to know as you consider dual enrollment for your student? Have anything about using college for homeschooling you’d like to share? Please, leave a COMMENT so my readers can gain a fuller understanding of dual enrollment in your area, or use the COMMENT to share your own experiences, too!

To your success,

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. A homeschooling pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the public school system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, with no teaching background whatsoever. A liaison for regional school-to-home organizations, a homeschool leader, and a women’s life coach and trainer, Marie-Claire mentors in a variety of areas that impact health, education and lifestyle. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on Holistic Parenting, CONNECT, Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of sites and blogs nationwide. Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

Feb 15 2016

Secret to unlocking homeschool success

Like many of you, I’ve learned so much homeschooling my kids. Understanding how they learn best, tricks for organizing our home, and choosing just the right products are just a few the skills I managed to pick up along the way.

But, there is one lesson that sticks out above the rest. Really, when it comes to homeschooling, at least in our home, it’s probably the single largest contributor to our success.

It has to do with me.

And this one secret I’m about to share is what made all the difference in my kids’ learning, their productivity, their happiness in our homeschool, and my satisfaction with the whole process.

Getting out of my own way

There it is. The greatest lesson I’ve learned while teaching my kids at home is how to get out of my own way. Turns out, learning to spot my own behaviors and how, in fact, I was threatening our homeschool, was a critical realization I had early on. Thank goodness I spotted that, too. Because recognizing the background and mind-set I brought into our homeschool, and realizing how those could sabotage my kids, turned out to be the crucial step to leveraging the power of homeschooling and achieving a level of success.

The greatest lesson I’ve learned while teaching my kids at home is how to get out of my own way.

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Today, I’d like to share some examples of this self-sabotage, where ones background and way of thinking can potentially undermine the homeschool, thus, the kids. In my work, I’ve noticed these are common in other families, too. So, while you’re reading, I’d like you to consider whether these threats also speak to you, and whether maybe this kind of sabotage manifests in your homeschool, as well.

Your Previous Background

What’s your background? What kind of training and experience do you bring to your homeschool?

I am a college professor and school teacher by training. I taught on campuses and in classrooms for many years before becoming a homeschool parent. When I tell my ‘teacher-turned-home-mom’ story in public, I get lots of acceptance and support (since non-homeschool audiences assume I know what I’m doing). However (long-time homeschoolers may understand this) I was actually at a great disadvantage by bringing my teaching background into our homeschool.

Let me explain.

You see, my education and my training was all about institutional school-type stuff. I learned to follow textbooks, organize lessons, deliver material, issue exams and check off daily boxes. I learned to treat all the students in my classrooms equally, and I was taught to expect the same outcomes from every one of them, too.

As you can imagine, my background in teaching to large groups of people at one time did little to prepare me to be an effective homeschool parent to a small group — specifically, my very unique children, who were all different ages, all with differing needs and habits, all at the same time. If anything, my classroom experience worked very much against my goal of providing an extraordinary homeschool education. Looking back, I was doing a lot of ‘bossing everybody around’ and telling everybody how to think.

It took a couple of years for me to notice how I was behaving. It really wasn’t until I learned to get out of my own way and trust the possibilities of a true home education that my kids really began to flourish. Leaving my training behind was one of the major keys to our success.

Listening to Others

Do you listen to what others say? Do you have a tendency to believe what you hear?

As with anyone doing something slightly different, homeschoolers are highly prone to receiving advice from others. Between family members, friends, and even total strangers, it seems everyone has an opinion about homeschooling and how we should raise our kids. I could not even begin to count the number of well-meaning (and not so well-meaning) educational and child-rearing tips I have received over the last 20 years. (But, if I did, I’d need to count by the hundreds…)

Now, should you be part of the lucky few who manage to completely ignore these outside opinions, you’re invited to skip this section entirely. But, if you’re like the rest of us, you understand how those darned outside voices can really get into our heads…

It’s a constant battle at times, trying to fight the mental battle of “What if’s” and “Should I’s” when it comes to our kids. Hard as that is, it’s especially why we need to get out of our own way. Homeschool parents have to remember to look upon their own situations and the reasons they chose homeschooling to begin with. They need to personally reaffirm their own decisions, so they can avoid the temptation to adopt the framework used by everyone else.

Listening to our own experience and intuition, is the only way to avoid the self-sabotage.

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Getting out of our own way, and listening to our own experience and intuition, is the only way to avoid the self-sabotage of allowing others to influence what we do. Make sense?

Worrying About the Future

Do you worry about your child’s future? Do you wonder if you’re doing the right thing?

Worrying too much about the future is perhaps the ultimate sabotage to what could be an extraordinary homeschool experience. By constantly measuring children against standards, worrying how kids are going to “turn out”, and continually seeking evidence of homeschool success in the research and literature, we prevent any possibility of really tapping into the potential of homeschooling. The risk of being so fixated on worry is that we miss out on things like customizing the school day or getting creative with the curriculum. We also severely limit our potential for joy along the way.

Though lots of evidence exists for homeschooling successes, we need to get out of the way and trust in the process. After making an informed decision to engage in homeschooling, we need to get to the business of doing it, and just leave it at that. The logical mind has a terrible way of questioning every decision we make for our kids! Worrying too much about the future doesn’t just make homeschooling miserable and difficult, it steals from your kids probably the most influential experience of their early lives.

Your Task

I think a valuable exercise for each of us is to take a few minutes to reflect on what we bring to the homeschooling table. Take a minute to check if your behaviors, actions or ways of thinking could be contributing to the types of sabotage I’ve just talked about. See if “getting in your own way” is something you manifest, too.

Leave a COMMENT. I’d love to share in your realizations, and encourage you the rest of the way, too.

To your success,

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. A homeschooling pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the public school system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, with no teaching background whatsoever. A liaison for regional school-to-home organizations, a homeschool leader, and a women’s life coach and trainer, Marie-Claire mentors in a variety of areas that impact health, education and lifestyle. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on Holistic Parenting, CONNECT, Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of sites and blogs nationwide. Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

Oct 29 2015

High school testing schedule

No matter how you slice it, teens looking to get into college need to be tested. Sometimes once. Sometimes more than once. Whatever your feelings about testing in general, measuring academic readiness via testing becomes a reality somewhere around 9th or 10th grade.

(But, wait a minute! Aren’t there colleges that are test-optional? Indeed, there are colleges that have gone “test-optional”. Check this list to get an idea which schools, and where they’re located. If you believe your student has a real chance at admission to those schools, just disregard this post.)

There are 2 major entrance exams used by colleges and universities today. These include the SAT, administered through The College Board and given several times a year at test centers across the nation; and the ACT, also administered throughout the year, and offered by ACT Student (all links below). Though the tests are similar, there are some important differences, too. When planning for college, students can prepare for either test — or both, to discover which one most accurately represents their skills.

Test preparation isn’t something that should wait until the year of the test itself. It can take several years for students to feel ready to succeed. That’s why I suggest starting the process in 9th grade (by 10th the latest). Though there are plenty of kids who earn great scores the first time around, it can take other kids a little time and experience to master test-taking skills. (Besides, scores also improve with practice, so taking tests multiple times usually pays off.)

Preparation for test-taking may include any or all of the following:

getting familiar with the test itself (subjects, duration, policy for guessing and blank answers)
studying practice materials (either books or online practice tools)
participating in local or online test prep classes
participating in study groups (or starting one of your own)
subscribing to receive daily test questions
taking practice tests at home (old versions are published online)
taking the “real” test several times to improve the score

You already know I recommend planning with the end in mind, then working backwards to put a high school plan together. When you do that, it becomes clear that students need to start prepping in 9th grade to be totally ready for a 10th or 11th grade test administration. Starting any later means success on the test isn’t guaranteed. And though nothing is really ever guaranteed, why not make sure you’ve done everything possible for your child’s success?

Students need to start prepping in 9th grade to be totally ready for a 10th or 11th grade test…

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With the end in mind, I suggest making up a timetable of steps needed to prepare for college entrance exams. I’ve provided one for you, below. Just figure out the steps that’ll work for your specific student, then write them into the student’s high school plan.

What’s nice about this method is that the test prep becomes a part of the overall high school curriculum. As part of the curriculum, it’s unlikely you’ll forget the importance of test prepping your teen.

Here’s an example of just one test prep schedule that could work:

in 9th grade:

Fall semester —

Set up account and student profile on each test’s web site

Carefully study what each test is about

Get a general sense of which test(s) might be used: SAT or ACT (or both?)

Buy some study guides and find other ways your student can start studying

Spring semester —

With your student, begin working thru the practice materials you’ve selected

Make sure the homeschool curriculum addresses the subject areas that are on the test

Take notes about readiness as you go along

Ramp up your curriculum and lessons if necessary for test success

in 10th grade:

Fall semester —

Consider registering your student for a practice SAT exam (called the PSAT) at your local high school. It’s given every October, so make time in the student’s schedule to take the test

Carefully examine the PSAT score results when they come in, noting which areas to focus on for the next round

Spring semester —

Make sure your homeschool curriculum addresses all the subject areas on the selected test

Ramp up your curriculum and lessons as necessary for SAT or ACT test preparation

Keep practicing

in 11th grade:

Fall semester —

If you think your student might be eligible for the National Merit Scholarhip, sign up for the PSAT again (otherwise skip)

Ramp up test preparation and curriculum to be ready for the next test administration

Register student for either an SAT or an ACT exam on the next convenient date

Spring semester —

Continue test preparation efforts up until test date

Carefully examine score results when they come in, noting areas to focus on or improve

Register for another SAT or ACT; making sure student is academically prepared in all areas

in 12th grade:

Fall semester —

Register student for the final administration of either the SAT or ACT, whichever is the better fit

Make sure test scores for the chosen test (and chosen sitting) have been sent to the college(s) your student will be applying to

As you can see, this plan assumes your student will take an SAT or ACT exam several times. Though students are all a little different, and this plan may not be suitable for all teens, I’ve written it this way so you can see it could take a couple of years to finish studying and get the scores where you need them to be for college acceptance.

If you happen to have a student ready to take the SAT or ACT in 10th grade, in 9th grade, or even earlier, by all means, do that too. It’ll be up to you to adjust this schedule as it suits your student, their skills, and your goals for readiness over the high school years.

Information about the SAT found here

Information about the ACT located here

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. The founder of homeschool groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame and with no teaching background whatsoever. A liaison for regional school-to-home organizations and a homeschool leader in Florida, Marie-Claire also mentors homeschool families nationwide. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on CONNECT, Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of other blogs nationwide. Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

Oct 10 2015

Foreign language credit

I receive a lot of questions about foreign language credits for high school. In this post, I’ll address some of the most common concerns I hear, and point you to some resources that may help you navigate this area of the homeschool high school curriculum.

I want to start by letting you know that foreign language courses can sometimes be called, ‘world language’ courses in some areas. They’re the same thing; just a slight semantic difference.

I also want to remind you (more on this below) that most colleges and universities are going to assume their applicants can show 2-4 credits of foreign language on a high school transcript before applying for admission. Because of this, I recommend any student who even thinks they might go to college take at least 2 foreign language courses in high school. And, in case you’ve forgotten all the other requirements traditionally needed for college, go back and read THIS or THIS.

To the question of how to learn foreign languages, there are dozens of ways homeschooled teens can learn languages to earn high school credit in your homeschool. Remember, when homeschooling, there are very few limitations (if any, depending on area) on what to study, and how to do it. The marketplace is full of curriculum, courses, immersion programs, tutors, and plenty of other ways of language instruction. I have a list of products to learn languages HERE that ought to get you started.

In addition to packaged products and curriculum, homeschoolers (actually, anyone) can learn languages in other ways, too. Think about learning languages through travel, by reading, watching foreign films, viewing television programming, joining international organizations, or spending time with relatives from other countries. Again, when homeschooling, the tools and the methods are entirely up to you.

A web site I love when thinking about world languages is called Omniglot. I continue to be amazed at how many languages exist around the globe, and I love sharing that web site with others. With so many choices, the hardest part may be to decide which language(s) to learn; many homeschoolers choose several throughout the high school years.

Revisiting the matter of college entrance, however, I want to spend the rest of this blog making sure you understand the implications of learning languages in homeschool in ways that cannot necessarily be documented.

There are several important things to consider if you want to lock in eligibility for future college admissions.

…several important things to consider if you want to lock in eligibility for future college…

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The first is making sure your student takes 2 consecutive courses in the same language, for instance, French I and II, Spanish I and II, or German III and IV. Students are certainly welcome to take more than expected, but colleges will usually look for 2 courses in the same language, so make sure you’ve got that covered.

Next — and much trickier – is figuring out how to document language learning on the transcript. And, while I understand some families are very relaxed about grading and credit requirements, I’m here to tell you that college-bound students need to give this suggestion some serious consideration. Here’s why:

When applying to college, not every school may recognize every language experience. Colleges are not only going to expect your student has taken 2 foreign language courses, but they’re going to want to see that the courses were offered at the high school level, and were truly worthy of high school credit.

That’s why, if a student is going to be seeking college admission, it’s important to offer foreign language courses in a way that can be documented, and colleges can understand. You may be surprised to hear that some of the foreign language courses homeschoolers use in high school are actually unacceptable to colleges and universities. A popular language learning system (one for your computer) comes to mind — most all of the colleges I talk to do not recognize that program. Be careful.

…it’s important to offer foreign language in a way that can be documented, and colleges can…

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For college-bound students, perhaps the most prudent way to avoid foreign language mistakes is to speak to the colleges your student might actually apply to. Ask them if the credits you’re offering your student will qualify him/her for eligibility.

Additional resources for your tool-kit include the CLEP and AP examinations. Even if you’ve dismissed these programs for other reasons, you might want to give them a second look when teaching foreign language in homeschool. Certain CLEP examinations, for example, can be used to demonstrate mastery of world languages by examination. Though there are only a limited number of CLEP language exams (find the list HERE) this can be helpful for students who have studied those particular languages. CLEP is also a great option for students who already speak another language at home.

Advanced Placement (AP) exams are also available for selected language programs (view the list HERE), and just might be an option for the language your student is currently studying. (Note that not all colleges accept CLEP or AP credits. Again, it’s important to check with the colleges or universities your student might be applying to.)

I cannot speak to every individual case of foreign language credit and how it may qualify a student for college admission, but if I can help you personally, we can always schedule an appointment to chat about your unique situation. Submit a request here if you’d like to talk.

To your success,