5 Things We LOVED About Homeschooling 10th Grade

Are you planning your homeschooled student’s 10^th grade and looking for ideas? Let me share with you our top five choices that made our 10^th grade special in hopes that you may find some inspiration for your own school at home.

1. Math Curriculum Choice

After completing and thoroughly enjoying Math-U-See Geometry program in 9^th grade, we followed with Math-U-See Algebra 2 in grade 10. This is a more rigorous course than either Algebra 1 or Geometry and requires more of the teacher’s involvement. However, the video lessons provide very clear instructions to both teacher and student. One thing we appreciated very much was the continuous systematic review which made the lessons “stick.” We have thoroughly enjoyed this curriculum and are looking forward to Math-U-See Pre-Calculus program in 11^th grade.

2. Biology in a Co-op

One of the requirements for a US-based student to obtain a high school diploma is completing at least one class containing a lab. We determined that 10^th grade would be the year for my son to accomplish this task. Thankfully, our local Christian co-op offered an Apologia biology class led by a professional biologist. It was a very rigorous course with much need of daily studies but was a perfect match for our needs.

Opting for an external course provided us with many benefits:

1. The student was accountable to a trustworthy “external” authority, which motivated him to work hard.
2. It offered many animal dissections and other projects that the home teacher didn’t have to be involved in (my favorite!).
3.  It gave the student an excellent foundation for taking a college biology CLEP exam.

If you are considering adding an external course to your homeschool studies, we highly recommend a professionally-directed science program.

3. CLEP Exams

One of the benefits of incorporating college exams into my son’s high school journey is to see him maturing in his approach to studies. The CLEPs give him an opportunity to listen to college lectures, try out various college level materials and also include online study resources. We have found out that high school courses in general provide a sufficient base for the CLEP exams and with only a slight extension, the tests can be passed successfully.

We dedicated both 9^th and 10^th grades to taking general CLEPs that mirror the mandatory high school subjects; for example, US History, Analyzing & Interpreting Literature, Biology, etc. Even if my son never chooses to use the results of these exams in his future studies, they are proving to be invaluable when considering his personal growth. And the fact that he can take them for FREE makes the whole matter even sweeter.

If you would like learn how to prepare for CLEP exams and how to take them for free, explore with us a few of these exams.

4. A Teenager Running His Own Business (Including Filing and Paying Taxes!)

The single major positive impact in our 10^th grade was my son’s newly established mowing business. Being given an opportunity to assist many of our neighbors with their yard work proved to be the best “subject” of our 10^th grade. He learned SO many valuable life skills! For example:

 

• Scheduling: With more clients knocking on his door, he had to put in place a very detailed work and payment scheduling system. What an excellent way to learn serious time management at the age of 15!
• Handling finances: Setting up a bank account, keeping an updated bookkeeping system, paying taxes, and learning general money management opened a new world to my son. Thanks to this experience and a few money management videos and podcasts, I am confident he will not choose to start his adult life with debt.
• Quality of work and good communication attracts more clients: One thing we continue to discuss is that the better services he provides, the more clients he attracts. The quality of his work should speak for itself; however, it also has to be combined with keeping the clients informed about their properties.

If your 10^th grader has a chance to either find a part-time employment or run their own business, please make time for this in their daily school schedule. I very much enjoy “book” education, but combined with real life experiences they turn into gems.

5. Learning to Be Flexible While Following a Strict Schedule

I cannot even express to you how many times we had to adjust our school schedule because of either job requirements or other unpredictable situations. Learning to be flexible while following a strict schedule is a piece of art that does not come naturally. We count it a great privilege that we live in a country where homeschooling is made possible and our children can learn important life skills from their parents before they reach adulthood.

What are you planning to do in your 10^th grade? Please share in the comment section below. We would love to hear from you!