Homeschooling Gifted Teens

When children have reached the point of reading and writing well, working on vocabulary development can change from previous years. I have a variety of ideas for vocabulary development that can help you with your teenagers. Read through them, and see if you can find suggestions that will help you with your child, in your unique situation.

Follow the link to read suggestions for SAT preparation, great books and quality literature, real college vocabulary, Latin and Greek, games and more. I'm sure you'll find the perfect fit for your homeschool, no matter what your homeschool style!

Read "Play Your Way to a Great Vocabulary"

Parents are sometimes afraid that homeschooling high school will limit the opportunities that their child might experience in high school. They might ask "how can two parents know all of the wonderful opportunities that are available for intelligent teens. School Districts have people who research and publicize internships and volunteer opportunities, right?" School Districts may have people who focus on this for high school students, but remember...they have to worry about ALL the students - you just have to worry about one! In our experience, opportunities for our children came naturally, through normal contacts and the activities of everyday life. One experience when my youngest son was 14 demonstrates this well.

A professor friend from church invited us to a lecture on economics at a downtown public policy Think Tank. He said that Alex would love the lecture given by one of the architects of Reaganomics. "I don't know why I never thought of it before, but Alex would just love this place. I guess I just didn't think of it until I saw the lecture on economics." My husband took Alex to the event, and we didn't know what to expect. When he came home, the first thing he said to me was, "They offered Alex a job!"

Apparently, Alex was enraptured during the lecture, and when it was time for questions he spoke right up. He asked something about how Reaganomics was derived from the teachings of 19th century French economist Jean Baptiste Say, or something like that. The President of the think tank was so impressed by Alex's question and how he engaged with this government leader that he invited him to work there as a college-level intern. Shocked, my husband informed him, "He's only fourteen!" The President responded, "We don't discriminate based on age."

I wondered what this organization was all about. Alex informed me that a lobbyist tries to influence public policy by convincing politicians. A think tank tries to influence public policy by convincing the public. They publish books and write articles for magazines and newspapers to influence public opinion. I asked my husband what sort of crowd is attracted to a lecture at a "think tank" and he replied that he and his son were the two youngest people in the crowd. My husband is a professional engineer and manager at a major aerospace firm, but he told me he felt like the "slowest person in the room!"

For the last month of summer, we worked to prepare Alex for his new job. I was completely unprepared for putting my 14 year old into the work force. We had to buy him a cell phone, and professional attire. He started working in September, his first week of 9th grade. At first they had him doing office work: filing, mailing, checking the website, and answering the phone. He proved to be a good worker and very interested in what the "grown-ups" were doing. Soon they gave him writing assignments. After working there for just 6 months, he had his opinion piece on Social Security reform published in our city's leading newspaper.

Alex worked for one day a week in a downtown office building. He wore a suit, carried a brief case, and was treated like a peer by the other employees. It would have been impossible for him to have had that experience if we were not homeschooling. Public schools simply don't let students "skip school" every Wednesday, you know? Instead of sitting behind a desk, he was doing real work. And homeschooling gave us the freedom to do it!

My message is there are opportunities when you homeschool high school. And you won't necessarily have to work hard to find them either. They will present themselves to you as you go through the normal activities of living. Homeschooling is the natural way to educate your child. Closeting them up in a classroom for 8-10 hours a day, 5 days a week is not. You don't need to be afraid of "cheating" you child if you homeschool high school. It may be the best gift you ever give them!

Opportunities will often come as a result of the passion exhibited by your child. Alex was deeply interested in economics and so was able to take advantage of the opportunity put before him. One of the most important parental tasks in high school is identifying and encouraging passion in your students. Failing to do so is one of "The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School." Learn how to avoid all 5 mistakes in my free e-mail mini-course.

My e-book, "The Easy Truth About Homeschool Transcripts" will show you how to how to package that great education and experiences into an AMAZING transcript that will impress the colleges!

Lee Binz, The HomeScholar, is an expert in "helping parents homeschool high school." Both her two boys earned full-tuition scholarships at their first choice university. Learn how she did it on her website, TheHomeScholar.com, which includes a free monthly newsletter and daily blog support.

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The HomeScholar's new e-book, "The Easy Truth About Homeschool Transcripts" teaches you how to create incredible homeschool transcripts the easy way! No need for complicated software or expensive accreditation services. You have everything you need to create incredible transcripts that will impress colleges!

Read more about it here.

As I work with homeschooling parents, I'm often asked questions on preparing students for college. The answer generally involves some work that needs to be done, either by the student or the parent. When taken all together, the amount of work needed to prepare for college can sometimes seem overwhelming. Parents may question whether their students will have time for fun activities in high school, or if it's all just "nose to the grindstone" work.

The good news is the work required to prepare your students for college admissions is spread out over a long period of time. It does not all have to be accomplished in one month during the student's junior year! With some careful planning you will be able to allot time for academic preparation, college planning AND fun! In fact, colleges love to see "well balanced" students when they are reviewing applications. Cookie-cutter college applicants, with perfectly balanced academics, are viewed as lacking something. They must have passionate pursuits in order to stand out. Having fun in high school is almost a college requirement!

That means there is an advantage when students take take time for some fun! "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" is a time-honored proverb for a reason! I think more than anything, colleges are looking for new students that are "characters". In other words, colleges hate cookie-cutter kids.

As you can imagine, homeschoolers have a tremendous advantage in this area. Because homeschooling is such an efficient method of education, homeschoolers typically have more time to devote to fun activities. Don't get me wrong, academic preparation is still king. However don't forget mixing in a little play in order to make the end result tastier to the colleges. Fun activities that are educational can be put on your high school transcript.

What kids consider "fun" is often where they demonstrate their unique passion. Failing to encourage passion is one of the "The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School." Learn how to avoid all 5 mistakes in my free e-mail mini-course. Check out my e-book, "The Easy Truth About Homeschool Transcripts" to learn how to package all of those great high school experiences into a homeschool transcript that will impress the colleges!

From Lee Binz, The HomeScholar - Helping Parents Homeschool High School

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Binz

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Romans 12: 6-8 NIV)

Finding your child's area of specialization is an important part of our job as homeschooling parents. Everyone has their own unique gifts, and some are easier to spot than others. For whatever reason, I notice that sometimes parents can see their child's faults easier than they see their strengths. A gift is something that children will do repeatedly, over and over...to the point of annoyance! Check yourself, the next time you feel annoyed at your children. Ask yourself, are you looking at their gifts? Is it annoying and do they do it so much, because that is the way they are wired? Is this what they are meant to do?

I'm not saying that all mothers will get annoyed at their children, but I sure did! Look at the things they do that annoy you, and see if it might be because they have different gifts then you. Then ask yourself: how can I encourage this gift in my child?

Do this and you will be helping your child understand their gifts and calling.

Our kids were SO passionate about certain subjects in high school that it gradually became apparent to us that these were God's gifts to them and, as parents, we should be encouraging them. Failing to encourage your children's passionate interests is one of the "5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Homeschooling High School." Learn how to avoid all 5 mistakes in my FREE e-mail mini-course.

You can include delight-directed learning and all those great high school experiences into a homeschool transcript that will truly impress the colleges!

From Lee Binz, The HomeScholar - Helping Parents Homeschool High School

Jill in Minnesota wrote:

"It is after September 10th, so I am free to say that my younger daughter is a National Merit Semi-Finalist!

She worked hard and I'm very proud of her. She is the daughter that would fit into the statement "I could never homeschool my child because...." She is very active, intense, dramatic and a joy to be around. I am convinced that if she were in the public school we would have been 'encouraged' to put her on medications (the standard line around here, when she is getting "jumpy" is to 'run up to the mailbox and get the mail' which is a mile round trip). She has forced me to think outside of the box and, well, it is an adventure I'm sorry to see come to a close.

She follows in the footsteps of her older sister, who was also a National Merit Semi-Finalist and then Finalist."

It's tempting to think that National Merit Scholarship Winners are perfect homeschool students living in a perfect family. But you know what? Nobody is perfect - nope! Not one! Nobody has it "all" and nobody is as perfect as they look.

I love Jill's story. She knows her child, she does her best, and her homeschool student is able to become a National Merit Semi-Finalist! Jill told me "I tell new homeschoolers that academics are a piece of cake, it is the character training that takes so much time and energy." If you have a child that causes you concern (whether the child is labeled or not) please be encouraged by Jill's story. Homeschooling works!

In my business, I often share stories about my kids which astound others. But my homeschool wasn't perfect either. I can list lots of accomplishments, but I leave off the "non-perfect" parts. Both of my boys had paying jobs requiring a lot of hours. Isn't that cool? But those jobs left very little time for other things, and as a result we had very few volunteer hours.

Nobody has it all.
Do your best, go the distance, and you will succeed!

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This is the Featured article in my August 2008 newsletter, The HomeScholar Record. It was written by my husband, Matt.
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We just got back from a wonderful week in Hawaii. Lee and I "chaperoned" our son Alex so he could chair a session and present his research to the Western Economics Association International Conference (WEAI) at the Sheraton at Waikiki! Despite the fact that Alex has traveled alone before and is very comfortable in airports and hotels, we decided "No...This time he really needs an escort." It's tough duty but sometimes we just have to step up as parents....

This time we were smart, though. In the two previous years he presented to the WEAI, we have actually attended the conference. That was a huge mistake. Not only was it expensive, but neither Lee nor I understood what anyone was saying! This time we just stayed away and enjoyed the beach and the sun. We did, however, watch Alex give his presentation. This time he had prepared us weeks in advance on his topic, so by the time we got there we actually understood a little of what he was saying.

The presentation went very well, but the highlight for us came at the end when we overheard a conversation between Alex and one of the co-presenters.

Read the entire article here

Does this sound like your child? It often works like this:

* high-achieving teen feels unchallenged and goes to community college
* gets straight As with little or no effort
* then starts college at a real university
* works as hard as at community college (i.e., not much)
* gets poor grades because using the same skills as used at community college
* teen feels stupid because of poor grades
* parents notice sadness, become concerned

Our pediatrician said this is the common cycle that "perfectionist" kids go through during the transition from community college to a university. He said that as a doctor he never recommends dual enrollment (high school and college) while a child is in their high school years. He always recommends continuing high school or going to real college early.

I know that lots of kids do well in dual enrollment. I've noticed that they typically aren't "perfectionist" kids. As the result of my experience, I recommend that people use dual enrollment only when they have completely run out of curriculum AND can't afford the costs of college. Dual Enrollment is not a panacea for gifted children.

More importantly, though, you know your children better than anyone, and you know what will help them thrive. No situation is perfect, but you will find what works for you. I wanted to give you the benefit of other's experience, and relay the information that I got from my child's doctor.

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This is the Featured article in my November newsletter, The HomeScholar Record. It was written by my husband, Matt.
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The 2004 Pixar film The Incredibles poses the intriguing question: "What would happen if superheroes lived among us as normal citizens?" In this film, a couple of former superheroes, Mr. Incredible and Elasti-girl, marry and then, as a result of a class-action lawsuit against all superheroes, are forced deep undercover using the alter-egos, Bob and Helen Parr. The movie explores how this true "power couple" deals with suppressing their superpowers in order to live a "normal" life.

As a homeschooling father, one of the most intriguing aspects of this film is how Bob and Helen deal with their children, two of whom have nascent superpowers.

(Read Complete Article)

Are you thinking about homeschooling high school? Perhaps you have already started and have a few questions. Lee Binz, The HomeScholar, has created a resource just for you! The HomeScholar Gold Care Club is your one stop shop for all your homeschool high school questions. You can get expert advice on transcripts, grades, credits, record keeping, college preparation and more. This site is filled with parent training tools (videos and audios), templates, planning guides and good solid advice for all parents who are considering homeschooling high school with an eye toward college.

Get more information here

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This is the Featured article in my February newsletter, The HomeScholar Record. It was written by my husband, Matt.
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In the first article of this series, I discussed the role of homeschool parents in discovering and shaping the passions that are built into each of their children. One thing I probably should have mentioned, however, is that the process of discovery may be very long and full of false starts. Sometimes you get lucky and your kids catch fire relatively early in life. Other situations require much more patience. It is not unusual for kids to go through junior and senior high school without gaining a sense of self-knowledge or higher purpose. If this describes your family, do not despair. This is normal. It does, however, suggest why the world seems to be filled with adults who are without passion or purpose in their lives. If catching fire is so difficult to accomplish in a homeschooling family, where both parents are fully invested in their children, think how difficult it is for a spark to kindle in the impersonal environment of public schools. Still, the best opportunity to raise a superhero who is ready to engage the world in their area of passion is through the careful nurturing and encouragement of their families.

(Read complete article)

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This is the Featured article in my May newsletter, The HomeScholar Record. It was written by my husband, Matt.
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So your kid has caught fire with their passion and now you need to decide what to do.

No! Put the bucket of water down!

Did I mention that a child who is on-fire for a specific topic can be very exhausting? Keeping my Kevin away from his chess board was about as easy as keeping my dog away from his dinner bowl. Our Brittany spaniel, Bailey would have pulled on his collar until unconscious if I ever tried to hold him back from dinner. Kids often show similar determination but their approach is not nearly as linear as a dog's. Indeed, children will happily employ all of their creativity finding ways to do what they want when you're not looking. It got to the point we could not even have Kevin clean the playroom without supervision because that was where his "true love" resided.

For these reasons, I believe I could have related very well to the father of "Incredi-boy."

Read entire article here.

Christopher Paolini Grateful for Family

"Home-school families see Paolini as a poster boy for non-traditional education." His best seller was written as a 15 year old homeschool student.
About his books.

Read the Article

Homeschooler Seeks Cure for Endangered Amphibians!

Tara Adiseshan is a homeschooler in Virginia. She presented her research at the 2008 International Science and Engineering Fair in Atlanta, Georgia. Tara says, "I was able to enjoy a rigorous research schedule along with a demanding academic load and a plethora of extra-curricular activities - thanks to my home-schooled life!"

Read about Tara

Where the Classroom Have No Walls
Homeschool Essay by Molly Richman

"Today, my calculus class was held on a hammock. My whole class could fit on the hammock because in my school, the classes are very small-there's just one student in each: me. Incidentally, I'm also the teacher for nearly all of my classes. And my classroom keeps dizzily changing location-one day I'll study calculus in the hammock, another day lying on the sofa, another day sitting at my computer as I work out some equations from a calculus CD."

Molly goes on to say, "I said that I'm the teacher for most of my classes, but now I'm not sure that's true. My mother has taught me; Mrs. Staver, my online AP English Literature teacher, has taught me; Mireille and Robert in the French in Action video course have taught me; my little sister has taught me; Plato, Jane Austen, Benjamin Franklin, my 130-acre farm, the 80-year-old lady in my French class at the University of Pittsburgh, and the 13-year-old girl that I tutor have all taught me. So really, my school's classes aren't small; they're enormous. For they're not confined to a classroom. They encompass the world."

Read Molly's Essay

Rice Golfer a Winner in Making

While no longer in class by himself, home-schooled Whitehead rises above the crowd. Whitehead said being home- schooled was beneficial for his golf schedule.

"I found it was easier to have set routines and set practice schedules just because that's what I was used to," he said. "I woke up, I did school from eight (a.m.) to noon, and then I went and practiced from one to five."
Read the article in the Houston Chronicle.

Homeschool Graduate has 11 Advanced Degrees

What makes his achievements even more "extraordinary," says Kay Howell, one of Bolger's early tutors, is that he has severe dyslexia. When the family was unable to find a school that could meet his needs, his mother began homeschooling him. Bolger recalls trips to battle sites to study the Civil War and museums to study art.

Read the article in USA Today.

Please recognize that dyslexia did not prevent this homeschooler from achieving an excellent college education. Don't ever give up hope!

Specialization!

Homeschooler Courtney Oliver, the 10 year old certified vet assistant, was on ">The Ellen Show.

Full Scholarship

Kelsey Rushing Farson won a huge scholarship to the college of her choice! Kelsey is the first Morehead-Cain scholar to be entirely home-schooled. Thank you, Kelsey, for being a great representative for homeschoolers!
Read the article

Homeschoolers Recruited

Colleges in Missouri are recruiting home-schooled students, reports the Missourian. "Many are bright, well educated and well socialized, and universities are courting them more rigorously every year."
Read more

Heisman Trophy Winner

Homeschool graduate Tim Tebow, the Florida Gator's Quarterback, wins the Heisman Trophy! Read about it on ESPN

Homeschoolers Excel in Math and Science

This article is titled "Home-schoolers Piece Together a Winning Bridge." Remember that girls who are good in math and interested in engineering can get great scholarships! "Kait White was part of one of three home-schooled teams and on the only all-girls team. According to the National Research Council in Washington, about 12 percent of engineers in the U.S. are female."
Read The Rockford Register Star

Homeschoolers in Team Sports

The New York Times reports there are "Growing Cheers for the Home-Schooled Team." Homeschoolers can achieve national recognition in sports. "Taber Spani, one of the best high school girls basketball players in the nation, holds hands with two opponents as a coach reads a Bible verse. It is the way each game in the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships begins."
Read The New York Times

10 Year Old Vet Assistant

A homeschooled girl in Olympia has a wonderful experience in her area of specialization. "Ten-year-old Courtney Oliver just completed her college work for this occupation. She now holds an on-line certification as a veterinary assistant. In eight months, Courtney had the same certification as her adult co-workers."
Read More.

Teen Builds Electric Vehicles

"I think alternative energy is very important in our future," said Andrew, who is homeschooled. "I just wanted to get the word out that electric vehicles are possible."
Read more.

Gifted Teen Plays Tennis

"Coston is the state's No. 2-ranked boys 18-under player by the Arkansas Tennis Association." "He left Harmony Grove Schools after the ninth grade for home schooling to devote more time to tennis. He will play college tennis for the Air Force Academy."
Read more.

My Son in the Student Newspaper

My son writes about the 'honor' in Ivy Honorary National Honor Society.

Read his article. Notice his complicated class standing that is so typical of homeschoolers. He is a sophomore, a junior and a senior all at the same time!

Maybe it's because I'm a mother of boys, but I sometimes I notice that kids tend to specialize in things we parents don't necessarily "value." I can't play piano. I failed economics in college. I can't even play chess! Yet these are my children's passions!

I'm not alone. I had a client a few months ago whose son was gifted in music. She said to me, "But it's not real music, it's just bluegrass." She was doing EXACTLY what I had done with chess and economics! Of COURSE bluegrass is real music! But of course, it can be very hard to support and encourage things we don't understand.

It's hard to recognize specialization when it is so much fun for our students, too. Shouldn't they be working? They're just having FUN! I can't tell you how many times I've said "Stop playing chess!" and "Put that book down!" When a child finds their passion, they pursue it with all their heart and soul - and it can be annoying to Mom! We watch them "waste away" with the things that interest them, instead of pursuing things that WE are value. It's a challenge to keep THEIR specialization OUR top priority.

If you are really struggling with specialization, remember that colleges love to see that passion. They see unique specialization in homeschoolers, and they love it! Pursuing passion is not only great for our students, it will also help them in their college pursuits. Take heart, their unique interest will help them in the long run!

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