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Sitting in a classroom surrounded by 20-plus other students can create difficulties for some teenagers. Not everyone learns the same way, and some of the teens who are ‘acting out’ might do better in another learning environment. Their needs can be better met now by switching them to online high school.
Choosing Their Own Curriculum
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of homeschooling your teen is that you get to help them customize their own curriculum. You can choose what meshes well with your child’s unique learning methods and encourage them to learn different points of view. Instead of being forced into some arbitrarily designed grade level, your teen can move at their own speed through the curriculum they select.
Construct More Meaningful Learning
Since homeschooling means working one-on-one with your teen, they do not have to fight for the attention of their teacher. There are many styles of homeschooling you can use to create more meaningful learning experiences, such as the eclectic method, which means mornings are more structured while the afternoons are more relaxed for learning. Your child might do better with interest-led learning, but you can also integrate inquiry-based learning into their schedules every day to encourage critical thinking.
Emphasize Life Skills
One thing some schools struggle to do is coach life skills to students. In middle and high school, these lessons get lost on the kids who are slipping through the cracks. Instead of watching your teen slip, start preparing them for becoming adult. What are they going to need to know how to do out in the real world? Life skills can be anything from learning how to budget their money to doing home repairs. This gives them time to interact with you in a productive manner.
College and Career Preparations
Instead of getting burnt-out on busywork, your teen can show the colleges they apply to their homeschool transcripts. In fact, studies demonstrate that homeschool students have better graduation rates, higher ACT scores, and better grade point averages than their peers. They can also spend more time preparing to enter the workforce, figuring out what it is they want to do and how they wish to achieve that goal.
Focus on Their Mental Health
School can be downright stressful. If your teen is already dealing with mental health issues, school can sometimes add fuel to the fire. Giving your teen the space and support they need to deal with their mental health issues is important. If they have social anxiety, depression, or any structural or chemical issues with their brains, they might need to be in a less-crowded area where they feel secure. They can be coached on autonomy and developing their positive behaviors and still get to socialize with others when the time is right.
They Can Socialize More
One of the arguments against homeschooling is the lack of socialization. This misconception is harmful since social development is a strong factor in homeschooling. Not only can your teen develop closer relationships with you and the rest of the family, but they can become more independent, get involved in the community, and be taught that it is okay to go against stereotypes. There are also homeschooling groups that get together and have their kids socialize out in public.
Your teen might just find that online high school is more effective for them than traditional high school. They are acting out for a reason, and in the safety and comfort of their own home, the two of you can begin exploring the reasons while your teen learns to become a healthy, intelligent, and capable young adult.