I can remember my first son going through this “spurt towards manhood” as I like to refer to it.  It seemed like it happened overnight.  It seemed to me that one week I was chiding him for not speaking or singing loudly enough in his role as Charlie Brown in the musical “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” and the next week we knew why he was not able to speak or sing as loudly as I thought necessary.  I honestly thought he just wasn’t trying and truly didn’t believe him when he said his voice felt weak.  It never even crossed my mind that his voice might be changing.  MY little boy turning into a man already…it couldn’t be!  However, only ONE week after completing the musical, his voice fell through the floor and the voice that came out of his mouth sounded like a bass trombone.  I even thought there was an intruder in the house one morning after my husband had already left for work….only to find out it was my son’s voice that I was hearing downstairs.

                Along with all the physical changes, comes the observation that our “young men” are truly trying to become independent, trying to assert themselves, to begin to make their own decisions, to form their own opinions, and to make much of what we have tried to teach them, their OWN set of beliefs and convictions.  This process is exciting, but it can also be a little nerve wracking as we realize that we can’t really “control” them like we had in the past. Yes, we are still the parents and yes, they should respect and obey us….but oh, my goodness, in some cases, they are towering over us as their mothers, and sometimes we can feel as if we have now become the children and THEY are the adults. (at least in a physical sense)  

                   It can be difficult as a mom knowing how to handle the ever expanding desire of our sons to “rule and conquer” the world.  It’s a challenge to know how to balance that attribute with their responsibilities and the respectfulness needed within a family, especially toward their mothers.  Some of the qualities that sons are exhibiting during this “spurt toward manhood” are God’s way of enabling them to develop into the type of man that can lead their families and be providers.  Yet, as we know, there must be a balance between that and the parameters in which they must exist within our families.  However, I have to admit that as I have observed over the years, I have seen moms of boys, more often than not, err on the side of thwarting their son’s sense of independence and need for assertion rather than moms learning how to properly deal with this need within their sons and even learning to nurture it within the parameters of family. 

                As your son enters the beginnings of manhood, I would highly recommend a couple of books for you to read.  One of those books is, “Becoming a Modern Day Knight”   and the other is “Bringing Up Boys” by Dr. James Dobson.  These books contain wisdom and practical applications that will help you as a mom understand this transition more easily and understand ways in which to help your son during this process.  In the meantime, spend some time as a couple talking about areas in which you can allow your son some independence and even leadership within the parameters of your family.  Help direct your son towards involvement in things that will allow him to develop and stretch his leadership skills.  Find areas in which he can prove to himself that he is growing towards independence and self-reliance.  However, most importantly direct him towards continuing to develop his own personal relationship and communication with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Ultimately, his relationship with Christ will be the deciding factor in your son becoming the man that God intends for him to be. 

                Faith and Courage,

                Lori Lane 

Lori is married to the love of her life John and together they have four sons ranging in age from 22 down to 10.  She is the author of “Beginning With The End In Mind”, a frequent speaker on home education, family and the arts, as well as serving as the Executive Director of Master’s Academy of Fine Arts and Artios Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts.  You can see some of the pictures of their home in the central Colorado Rockies by visiting Lori’s website at www.theendinmind.net where you will receive encouragement for the journey.

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                I guess you could say I’m approaching the age, at least among homeschool moms, where I’m quickly becoming the “older” woman.   Yet, it seems like yesterday that I realized our oldest son was about to start high school and I felt a strange sensation in my stomach, a weight on my chest and a sense of panic in my throat.  I had so many questions, so many concerns and so many fears.  I remember devouring everything I could get my hands on to read regarding homeschooling through high school.  I searched the internet, researched in the library, bought magazines, checked out statistics and anything else that would help allay the fears and uneasiness I felt going into new and uncharted waters.

                I’m sure that if you are in the same position or even if you or an “old-timer” like me you began reading this article thinking that perhaps I would share something you had never heard or read before.  You might have secretly hoped that you might even come across some special “secret” that would make teaching your highschooler all that you had dreamed and hoped it would be.  I don’t want to disappoint you, but as I mulled over what subject to cover first in this new column, I realized that as in all other areas of life….we have to begin at the beginning.    

                When approaching teaching high school at home, or even when “re-approaching” high school each year, it is SO easy to become enamored and focused on curriculum choices, transcripts, college requirements and even the dreaded standardized tests.  Approaching high school seems to call all of our fears to the surface and there they stay, close to the top all the time.  We worry about the “gaps” in their education; we worry about the weaknesses we see in their character; we worry about their future; we worry about their relationships with the opposite sex. Frankly, we spend a lot of time focused on our fears.

                Have you heard the saying: fear is really “false evidence appearing real”?  When we are focusing on fear it is very probable that we will begin to become reactive rather than proactive.  We focus on the minors and not on the majors.  We focus on the “urgent” instead of the important.   Does any of this sound familiar?  None of us want to spend our time on things that are truly not important and not our true priorities.  So, when society tells us that academics are most important, or that getting into a specific college is most important, or that excelling in sports are most important, or that some specific skill is most important, or what people think is most important, how do we determine what is it important?  When our to-do list never ends, our schedule is packed, our responsibilities are endless and the “urgent” are screaming, how do we determine our priorities.   It all seems so complicated and so complex at times.

                However, God’s word has a way of narrowing our focus.  God speaks to us through his word and lets us know what is most important.  Our job as parents of children of ALL ages is to reach the hearts of our children and to turn them towards Him.  What do I mean by that?  I mean an openness to communicate with and mentor our own children in every area of life.  To demonstrate to them what it means to know God and become more like Him.  Notice I didn’t say lecture our children, I said, “Communicate”.  True communication takes an atmosphere of openness and honesty.  However, more importantly, to communicate with a highschooler’s heart takes time.  It takes the ability to be with them and be as undistracted as possible so that we don’t miss those rare moments when they WANT to share THEIR hearts with ours.  It takes the ability to LISTEN and not LECTURE.  It takes the talent of guiding and not always judging.  Obviously, the foundation for this type of relationship with your highschooler doesn’t just happen overnight.  This type of foundation is continually built between you and your child for many years.  However, it is never too late to begin this foundation.  If we cram our schedules full and we are overcommitted, we will not have the time or the brainpower to focus on those teachable, sharing moments with the heart of our highschooler.  If we cram our highschooler’s schedule full and they become overcommitted, not only will they not be home for you to mold and teach their hearts, but they too will be distracted, tired and unable to join you in those teachable moments.

                I guess what I’m trying to say is a couple of basic things.  Your child, especially at the high school level, doesn’t care how much you know, until they are SURE of how much you care.  Time to listen is a key element to showing how much you care.  Secondly, if we don’t take the time to reach their heart, no matter how well they do in academics and any other endeavor, we have not reached the mark that God has for us and for our children. 

                When you get a minute, do a search on the word heart in the Bible and see the importance that God puts on the heart and on our reaching the hearts of our children.  In the midst of all the pressing things on our to-do list that deal with high school courses, transcripts, opportunities and more, let’s be sure that we focus on the things that God considers important and don’t give way to the fear of what the world sees as important.

Faith and Courage, 

Lori Lane

Lori is married to the love of her life John and together they have four sons ranging in age from 22 down to 10.  The two oldest boys graduated from home school and successfully entered college and/or internship positions!  (YEAH!)  She is the author of “Beginning With The End In Mind”, is a frequent speaker on home education, family and the arts, and is the founder and Executive Director of Artios Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts where she has worked with hundreds of home schooled high school students.  You can see some of the pictures of their home in the central Colorado Rockies by visiting Lori’s website at www.theendinmind.net where you can also receive encouragement for the journey.

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This will be my last entry here on the Front Porch concerning the topic of "Homeschooling through High School."  I've enjoyed sharing my thoughts, and hopefully have put forth some encouragement for the task at hand.

If I could underline what I feel the real bottom line is, I'll quote one more time from Ruth Beechick - a simple yet profound truth; "Remember, God has a plan for each life."  I know that we are following His path for us, in homeschooling our children - all the way through high school.  I also know that we are not perfect, and because of that, homeschooling our children will not run perfectly.  We do rely on the outpouring of God's grace over and through our lives.  We do fail our children, in many ways.  To think otherwise would be prideful thinking.  Yet we look to God, and lay our lives before Him.  We plead with Him for our children - that He would reveal the path - and especially that their lives would glorify Him.

In recognizing that God has a plan for each life, we can stop wringing our hands when biology comes hard to our children - or any such subject.  We can lighten up on those subjects that make no sense for our teens, and allow them to pursue what does make sense for them.  This is one of the greatest benefits of homeschooling through high school;  learning to recognize the path that God has for our teens, and having the opportunity to give greater time honing their giftings than public school would ever afford.

I'll also say one more time; Homeschooling will not save our children - but it does give the greatest opportunity for biblical parenting to take place.  You only have so many years to be a great influence on your children's lives.  Why not take it all the way through high school.  Our teens need us just as much as our toddlers - if not more.

Deb Turner - Homeschooling from the Heart
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Featured Graduates and Alumni

Deb Turner has been homeschooling for 20 years, and is thrilled to have yet another 10 to go. She and her husband, Craig, have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.  Craig works as a mechanical engineer, while Deb enjoys raising her children and loving up her grandchildren. She also enjoys writing and gardening.

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You want to prepare you student for high school, and thus college perhaps.  You have a goal - a plan laid out for your subjects, and hope to be through at least Algebra 2 by the end of high school - if not Calculus.  But your student is in 8th grade and still struggling with basic math.  What do you do?  What about the plan?  What about the goals?

Be patient.  Some things you just can't rush.  If you worry and rush, you will be rushing your student through math rather than getting that firm foundation that is necessary for the next step.  If all is going along as planned, great!  But if you have a struggling student, rushing things will only create anxiety.

I have made that mistake with my son.  I kept ignoring that we needed to really work on basic facts, and make that foundation sure before building further.  Also, his mind just really had trouble wrapping around algebraic equations.  My pastor told me once that he could not do math at all until the very end of high school, when it all clicked for him and suddenly he knew what to do.  Before that point, he said, it was like reading everything in a different language.  And math is its own language.

This year, my son is having success with math, maybe for the first time.  Every day I look over what he did, and he is always getting between 95 to 100 percent on his papers.  I do believe that something clicked that had not before.

Patience.  No, he will not be ahead of the game in math when he starts college.  But he is not going into a math career, so it doesn't matter so much.  What does matter, is that I fretted and worried, which created worry and math anxiety in him.  We don't need to be in a race to make it all happen in a year.

Patience.  Aren't you glad that God is patient with you? 

Deb Turner - Homeschooling from the Heart
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Featured Graduates and Alumni

Deb Turner has been homeschooling for 20 years, and is thrilled to have yet another 10 to go. She and her husband, Craig, have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.  Craig works as a mechanical engineer, while Deb enjoys raising her children and loving up her grandchildren. She also enjoys writing and gardening.

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Homeschooling Works!  Our local community college is soliciting homeschoolers, because they've noticed the students it's producing.  For those of you who are afraid to homeschool through highschool, read on. 

Greetings, those of you involved in homeschooling!

At Mohawk Valley Community College, we have noticed that several top
students have had homeschooling backgrounds. Specifically, Professors
Alguire, Birt, and Chace of the Engineering Technologies and the Trades
Department have noticed that homeschooling can produce students who are
very strong in math skills, a key ingredient to the engineering and
surveying fields, as well as other technical disciplines. We would like to
have homeschool groups better acquainted with MVCC, its programs, and
its policies. Okay, so we'd like more homeschooled students to attend
MV, too!

We were hoping to meet and greet any students 8th grade and up, and
just as important, their parents. There would be a lot of Q+A and
discussion. What we are asking for is that you network, asking around in your homeschooling groups (feel free to forward this email), and see what
interest there is. We are willing to come to your meetings and we also
invite you to come to our campuses. Please respond to this email with questions, invitations, or mere expressions of interest so we can get the ball rolling (see questions below). We hope to set up meetings & tours between now and Christmas.

Thank you!


[A list of questions followed for us to respond to, and then ...]


(P.S.: Personally, I think homeschooling is great and often defend its
advantages as far outpacing the many disadvantages of public schools.
My wife was homeschooled!)

"But" you say "I can't teach math!"  There are ways.  There are self teaching materials, dvd series, all kinds of options.  And if you teen is struggling so much with math, maybe math won't be his/her major.  It won't be my 16 year old son's major.  

There is support for you.  Like this: Click over for a visit with Janice Campbell, and you will get lost in all the encouragement she has on her website for homeschooling through high school.  It's great!  She can help you.  Or how about Cindy Rushton?  Tons of encouragement for you, there.  And of course, every Thursday right here, on the Front Porch.

Deb Turner - Homeschooling from the Heart
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Featured Graduates and Alumni

Deb Turner has been homeschooling for 20 years, and is thrilled to have yet another 10 to go. She and her husband, Craig, have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.  Craig works as a mechanical engineer, while Deb enjoys raising her children and loving up her grandchildren. She also enjoys writing and gardening.

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Some of us (many of us?) seem to have a problem seeing the forest for the trees.  How would I define "trees" in this situation ... homeschooling a highschooler?  How they did on their math today.  Did they get up on time or was it a struggle?  How was the attitude?  And on and on it could go.

How would I define the "forest?"  The person.  The whole person.  Maybe he feels totally invisible in the home.  Maybe he feels like a machine that's supposed to spit out the right answers at the right time, and get that pat on the head before I - the homeschooling parent - move on to other things.  Maybe he's just jumping through hoops because he's supposed to and he's told to obey or else.

I believe that the Lord has shown me recently just how important encouragement is.  And not just patronizing encouragement - "Oh YAY!  You did such a great job!"  No, no, no.  The kind of encouragement that is more than just a statement.  The kind where you stop right where you are and look your teen in the face and smile.  And speak with respect, not just bark the next order.  The kind where you ask how they're doing and really take the time out to sit and listen. 

It's been hard for me to slow down and see the person, for quite some time.  I wear so many hats, and after all - the teens are supposed to be independant learners.  They can do so much to help.  But they need encouragement, and not just small doses.

School will be over soon, and their whole future waits for them.  What will it be?  It can be scary.  Studying the Bible with them, and reassuring that God holds their future would be good at this time.  Seek God together with your teen.  Let him/her know you're praying for them, seeking God on their behalf.  Let them know you're there for them - wanting only God's best for them.

Let them know you love them - the forest (person), not just the tree (today's math result).  I think many of us take for granted the amount of encouragement teens need.   All of us need encouragement - why not them?  Sometimes we can be quite generous - it's human nature - with criticism.  And quite stingy with encouragement.

I want to listen more.  Too often I'm waiting impatiently to take my turn to speak, so I hardly hear the heart - or get a sense for the whole person.  But see, I'm trying to shape and mold this young man, so I must make him see ... no, no, no.  There is a place for letting them speak.  Sometimes we work out so many things in just being able to speak our hearts.  Our teens want to feel safe with their parents, and have that opportunity to work things out in a safe arena - speaking out their fears, dreams, wonderments.  I'm afraid that I have too often shut down the ridiculous and made my teen feel foolish.  "You want to WHAT??"  God has shown me lately how I have not shown the same graciousness and patience toward my own children, that God has always shown toward me.  As parents, we react out of fear sometimes.  We have our cookie cutter all ready, and our teens are becoming their own person.  I think that God wants us to raise them up in the knowledge of His Word, and let Him shape the life.

If we react in fear, we won't respond with encouragement.  We must simply sow in righteousness, and trust God for the results.  And laugh a lot.  And love a lot.  And yes, there's a place to discuss the math test.  But we must discuss it with the person - the whole person.  God does have a plan for each life, and each life is of great value to Him.

Deb Turner - Homeschooling from the Heart
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Featured Graduates and Alumni

Deb Turner has been homeschooling for 20 years, and is thrilled to have yet another 10 to go. She and her husband, Craig, have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.  Craig works as a mechanical engineer, while Deb enjoys raising her children and loving up her grandchildren. She also enjoys writing and gardening.

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At the end of last year, and again this fall and throughout the year, I am using documentaries with my 16 year old son.  We watch them together, and I will pause it and talk about something if he has a question - or if I feel he may not understand a term, or what is being discussed.  I feel this has worked out well for us, and that he has learned a lot. 

One of the reasons I like this, is that we don't just read everything together -- although there are still some things we will sit and read through together.  I like watching something together, as a well done documentary can give you those visuals that come along with the narration.  You can read about the tenament housing in New York City, and maybe see a few photos - but the visuals a well done documentary will give you will far surpass that.

Right now, we are watching "New York:  A Documentary."  At first, I thought this would be about the state of New York, but it really is specifically about New York City.  Of course, the state was brought into it, as with the Erie Canal being discussed.  This is 14 hours, and we are taking it 2 hours a week.  I have learned a lot - I never knew that Alexander Hamilton was killed in his late 40's in a duel.  They had to duel in New Jersey, because Alexander Hamilton had been instrumental in having dueling banned in New York after his own son was killed in a duel.  It seems the Hamiltons were not so good at dualing.

It was interesting seeing the creation of Central Park, and all of the history surrounding it.  Also, I never knew that Manhatten used to be hills and valleys - streams and ponds.  It was totally leveled, ponds and streams filled in, and the grid planned long before the population grew to what it became later.  Is that what Joni Mitchell was talking about when she wrote "They paved paradise and put up a parking lot ... don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone."  Well, it was true with Manhatten.  An afterthought - "Whoops, we need a wilderness place to get away from it all ... "  A manmade park after they destroyed what it used to be for the sake of commerce.  And what is the most obvious thing they forgot to plan? Parking.  I've lived in New York all my life, and never knew much of this.  Well, I knew they messed up on the parking : )  .

We are utilizing Netflix for our movies and documentaries, though there are others you could use - I've heard that Blockbuster is even better, with more choices, though I'm not sure that is true.  It has become part of our homeschool budget, and works out really well for us.  I'm busy, and getting a movie from the library - the limited choices, the putting it on hold and waiting for the call that  it's in, the getting in the car to pick it up ... all eliminated with Netflix.  With Netflix (or Blockbuster - or ... other?) it comes in the mail.  I simply place it back in the mailing envelope when we're finished and mail it back out.  Postage is taken care of.  The turn around is very fast.  I have the movies or documentaries we'll be watching in my "Queue" - and as soon as they receive the one we just finished, they mail the next one up in my "Queue" to me. 

Documentaries are not unlike history books.  They will have a bias, and as adults watching with our teens, it is our job to help them work through that.  I'm not against watching things we disagree with, and discussing the evidence, etc.  I especially like it when the other side will put out a rebuttal documentary.  It's a great way to expose the teens to the agenda behind the propaganda out there.

I wish there were more Christian documentaries available.  Maybe somebody reading this will get the notion to start their own "Christian Netflix" type of business. 

Deb Turner - Homeschooling from the Heart
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Featured Graduates and Alumni

Deb Turner has been homeschooling for 20 years, and is thrilled to have yet another 10 to go. She and her husband, Craig, have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.  Craig works as a mechanical engineer, while Deb enjoys raising her children and loving up her grandchildren. She also enjoys writing and gardening.

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Home School Legal Defense Association's "Homeschool Heartbeat" is very good this week.  If you haven't seen it, take a look.

Getting There: Is College the Only Option?

High school graduation is an exciting time—a time to think about future dreams and career options. But, what if college isn’t a part of your student’s interests? On this week’s series, Mike Smith shares some ideas on how to prepare your student for the workforce and accomplish their dreams without a four-year degree.

10/8	A Different Path
10/9	Alternatives to College
10/10	The Family Business
10/11	Job Experience
10/12	Enjoying What You Do

I found it encouraging, and inspiring to see how homeschoolers are creatively cutting fresh paths to their future, and have an ability to think outside the box.

Deb Turner - Homeschooling from the Heart
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Featured Graduates and Alumni

Deb Turner has been homeschooling for 20 years, and is thrilled to have yet another 10 to go. She and her husband, Craig, have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.  Craig works as a mechanical engineer, while Deb enjoys raising her children and loving up her grandchildren. She also enjoys writing and gardening.

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Often, on the "Basically Beechick" list that I am a part of, the question of using Ruth Beechick's methods for high school come up.  Ruth Beechick has written "how to" books concerning her methods for grades K - 8.  She has written a few books that a high schooler could use, including "World History Made Simple" and "How To Write Clearly."  However, she has not written a "How To" book, in an overall "teaching your high schooler" way. 

I posted this morning in response to the "teaching high school the Ruth Beechick  way" question  and decided to share it here as well.  These are my own "supposings" and I hope I represented Ruth Beechick's own thoughts well.  However, know that they are my own, by what I may have gathered in studying many of Ruth Beechick's materials.

*  *  *  *  *

I've given the whole question of Beechick for high school quite a bit of thought.  I've had that very question myself, and have received some input that I might be able to share, plus some of my own thoughts.

I see the elementary years as a prep time.  There are basic mathematical functions that must be learned and mastered.  Our children must learn to read fluently, and write as well.  Dr. Beechick teaches us that conversation is key in learning to write.  Did you learn that "I gone to the store" was NOT proper language from a workbook in elementary school, or from listening to your mother talk?

In "The Language Wars" - "The 3R's" "You CAN Teach Your Child Successfully" - "Heart and Mind" - and many other books, Dr. Beechick helps us to see the textbook market, real education, the nuts and bolts of some common sense learning in the Reading wRiting and aRithmetic, and so much more.  Dr. Beechick's specific "grade books" go through 8th grade.

When a child enters 9th grade, they leave the fundamentals (to a point) and go their own direction.  Some will be more vocational, some will be Advanced Placement, on their way to college, and some will be in very specialized fields.  I know homeschooled brothers - one of whom is a videographer and the other is a professional stunt comedian.  Both are doing well in their field.  My hairdresser came over from Italy and never did learn to read.  She cannot read a lick of English, and is fairly wealthy woman - her business is huge, she owns several buildings now, around the huge old house that she now owns and used to simply rent a space out of.  She is very specialized in what she does.

Ruth Beechick's best advice I have ever read was simply "Remember - God has a plan for each life."

I think the temptation is to go along with status quo.  Prepare the child for college, so get them ready with college prep courses.  Maybe that isn't *your* status quo.  Maybe you have another.  Whatever our personal status quo is, maybe God has a totally different plan.  Do you think He answers prayer that is prayed in His will?  Do you think He has a plan for your child?  Do you think if you pray for wisdom and direction, He will answer that prayer?  Even if you don't see the answers right away, do you believe He is working in your family when you ask Him too?

I think it gets difficult to nail down  specifics for high school.  Ruth Beechick has already laid the foundation in the earlier grades.  It is time to take that same common sense that hopefully sneaks up on us and becomes part of who we are, and apply it to the high school years.  Each child will now begin on different paths, depending on who they are - what their abilities and giftings are.

Do they know how to write well?  Can that be honed any better than it already has?  I would say that her advice in "Yes you CAN ... " for grades 4 - 8 still stands.  Do more of the same.  Or perhaps you want to utilize one of the writing programs.  Know your child, do the research, and make a common sense decision.

What about math?  Are they going into a career that will demand higher math?  Is that who *they* are, or is that what you think they should do *just in case* they end up in a career like that.  I felt pressure at one time to go for the higher math and science, regardless.  I don't feel that pressure anymore.  I get the idea that I will not need to push my son, Robbie - now 10 - in the math and science field.  He is so there.  He knows the names and details of animals I've never even heard of.  My 16 year old son could care less if he ever heard of these animals, and " ...  please don't give me any more math!"  My 16 year old will have enough math to get by in life (consumer math) and will continue learning creation science vs. evolution so he can defend his faith.

Dr. Beechick's books all put emphasis on knowing God's Word.  I think you just simply take the foundation that is there and build on it.  Once you've reached what she gives in grades K-8, keep building.  Since God's Word is living, and the more you read it, the more you realize you need to know, there will be no end to this knowledge.  There is no cap.  The mark of a successful man is found in Psalms 1.  If we start and end there, we have no worries about their future.  After all, God does have a plan for each life.

Deb Turner - Homeschooling from the Heart
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Featured Graduates and Alumni

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For the past few days, my 16 year old son and I have been looking at degrees offered at our local community college.  That's different, because for a long time now he's been saying "I don't want to go to college." 

We've been praying for direction, and he really is getting the itch to do "something."  Something different.  I'm not certain that the degrees offered at our local community college are a fit for him, but one thing I do know ... English 1 and 2 are required for just about any degree.  So just to get them out of the way, we are going to look into getting the ball rolling during the spring term.

If and when he does go for a degree, he'll have those courses taken care of and that will lighten his load.  Perhaps we'll see about History 1 and 2 as well.  Why not take one or two college courses now, while he's still in high school.  I know that several homeschool teens have done just that.  I believe that our local community college even has a plan for high school teens, where it costs next to nothing.  Better that than pay full price for the credit courses!

What does your local community college offer?  Have you looked into it yet?  What about on-line schools offering college credits?  Why not begin chipping away at it now, while they're in high school, and take a bit of the load off for later.

Deb Turner - Homeschooling from the Heart
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Featured Graduates and Alumni 

Deb Turner has been homeschooling for 20 years, and is thrilled to have yet another 10 to go. She and her husband, Craig, have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.  Craig works as a mechanical engineer, while Deb enjoys raising her children and loving up her grandchildren. She also enjoys writing and gardening.

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My son suffers from insomnia.  I actually think it is beginning to turn around.  He seems to be getting better, even in these past few weeks.  But last year, I was looking up all sorts of information on teen insomnia.  I posted about it on my blog, and thought I'd repeat it here.  Just another benefit to homeschooling.  I can remember, myself, walking around the first couple of hours in school all bleary eyed, when I was a teen.  Teens need their sleep.  The bus came for me by 7 A.M.  Well, here's my previous post about teens and sleep:

Here's an excerpt.  Read the rest of the article HERE.

Teenagers returning to school for the academic year need to take specific steps now to tune their unique sleep needs with the demands of the school year, urges the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).

With puberty comes a delay in the timing of teens' internal body clocks, or circadian clocks, which regulate sleepiness and wakefulness. Teenagers aren't able to fall asleep until at least 11 p.m. or later, and awaken later in the day. Typically, they also need more sleep than their younger siblings and their parents -- about 9 hours and 15 minutes. Shifting to an early morning school schedule is difficult for adolescents after summer vacation, when most teens go to bed very late and "sleep in," a pattern that more closely resembles their internal clock than the school year schedule.

"Because of their unique sleep needs, teenagers' brains are not ready to be alert until long after the typical high school day has already begun," explains Richard Gelula, NSF Executive Director. "Also, researchers have found that even adolescents who get an adequate amount of sleep tend to be drowsy during the mid-morning and alert in mid-afternoon because of their internal clock."

I posted that on my blog Jan. 24, 2006.  It brought me some comfort and understanding for what my son was experiencing.  Just one more good reason to homeschool my teens!

Deb Turner - Homeschooling from the Heart
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Featured Graduates and Alumni  

Deb Turner has been homeschooling for 20 years, and is thrilled to have yet another 10 to go. She and her husband, Craig, have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.  Craig works as a mechanical engineer, while Deb enjoys raising her children and loving up her grandchildren. She also enjoys writing and gardening.

Adolescents' Unique Biological Sleep Needs Often Conflict with High School Start Times

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"Learn This!" is a book about everything.  Things you should know before you enter high school.  I say that if you know most of this before you leave high school, you'll be in good shape - I doubt that most public school high schoolers know most of this information. From the "Mostly Bright Ideas" website:

Learn This! ($8.95) 

 "Geography, history, math, writing, science -- the things high school teachers will expect their students to know. There's a four-page spread on world history, two pages on U.S. presidents, four pages on science, four pages on math, and four more on writing and grammar. There's also an overview of art and music, languages, religions, astronomy, literature. Plus U.S. history, Canadian history, all kinds of geography stuff, and more. Sound overwhelming? The book starts off with a systematic way to approach all learning. And it includes enough humor to make the rest of the trip seem enjoyable. (Softcover, 64 pages, hundreds of photos and illustrations)"

500 Key Words for the SAT, and How To Remember Them Forever! presents five hundred of the vocabulary words that appear most frequently on the SAT. Just as important, it teaches you how to learn them. The book gives you visual cues and memory tricks to help you learn the words quickly, easily, and permanently. If you've ever said "profane" when you meant "profound", or confused "collaborate" with "corroborate", or wondered how you'd ever remember that "prodigal" means wasteful and "prodigious" means large -- this book is for you!

Each of the five hundred entries gives you the word, its pronounciation, part of speech, and definition. Then it supplies you with a visual cue for remembering the word's meaning. It's a mental bridge: when you see the word you'll think of the bridge, and when you think of the bridge you'll remember the definition. It's that simple! In addition, helpful notes will give you the other forms of the word (did you know that opacity is the noun form of opaque?) And they will warn you against look-alike and sound-alike words (favorite sources of confusion for the test-makers).

NOTE: Not all five hundred words have cartoons. In fact, about a hundred of them do. But all five hundred words have a visual cue; in other words, the pictures you should use to build those mental bridges are described clearly for you.

A list in the back of the book provides an additional 135 words you should know. Plus, a special section provides invaluable tips for avoiding the traps waiting for you on the test.

500 Key Words for the SAT, and How To Remember Them Forever! has helped thousands of students improve their vocabulary and better prepare for numerous standardized tests. It will help you, too. Now you can learn ten new words in ten minutes. Or twenty words in twenty minutes. You decide your goals and the pace at which you wish to achieve those goals.

It's fun, it's fast, and it's forever!

Finally, 100 Math Tips for the SAT - $12.95.  From the website:

Every year, thousands of high school students march off to take the SAT. They're full of confidence, eagerly awaiting the chance to slay the dreaded standardized test monster. And their confidence is well-founded, because they are very good at math. Their teachers, their friends, everyone has always said, "Wow, you're really good at math!" And so they came to believe that they were. Then they take the SAT and life slaps them across the room. Their scores arrive and they just can't believe how miserably pathetic they are. The future looks grim, and that's just the good part. A nuclear winter suddenly seems like a pizza party. A grey gloom settles over everything like the dust of death. Their parents begin to look haggard, walking all stooped over and mumbling under their breath. Dartmouth is definitely out of the question.

I wrote 100 Math Tips for the SAT, and How To Master Them Now! in an attempt to contain the crisis, and perhaps even prevent some of the suffering. The book is 120 pages and is filled with bad jokes and good cartoons. Most important, it teaches you how to handle SAT math. It does this by devoting an entire page to each question. The problems are dissected, chewed up, and spit out. Those invisible traps so cleverly planted by the evil geniuses at SAT Mission Control are flushed out, bathed in white light, and exposed for what they really are: cowardly, impotent bullies. Or at least that's the idea.

All types of SAT questions are included: multiple choice and grid-in, arithmetic, geometry, and algebra. The top of each page presents a concept, or math tip, relevant to the SAT. Then a question follows, which gives you the chance to apply that math tip. Diagrams are used whenever necessary, often in a step-by-step format. Cartoons appear, sometimes for obvious reasons, sometimes for no reason. Then the question is pulled apart. Various approaches and traps are explained. The best solution is identified and presented, along with the correct answer. At the bottom of each page, a "Did You Notice?" box points out still more dangers inherent in the question, and offers suitable remedies. In the back of the book you'll find thirty more practice questions, a thoughtfully-planned glossary that actually has some words in it you would need to look up, and a cross-referenced index to help you target specific types of questions.

It's not a thick book, but it's packed with insights and suggestions gathered over seven years of tutoring individuals, small groups, and large classes of high school juniors and seniors. I've seen, heard, and discovered what people need to help them do better. And I've tried to put those things into this book. I hope I've succeeded.

-- Charles Gulotta

P.S. In an effort to keep the price of the book well under $20, I created it myself. I'm not a graphic designer, but I think it turned out okay. In a further effort to keep the price of the book under $11,000, I also created this website myself. As you look at the sample pages, please keep in mind that I could not reproduce them exactly as they appear in the book. Some of the text has shifted around, the cartoons look really crummy, and I couldn't include some of the pictures because they required too much memory. Also, some of the text that is in bold in the book is reproduced here in regular type to make it more readable. The result of all this is a website that presents the book as accurately as I could. But the truth is, the book looks better (even though it's in black and white). (And even though I made it myself.)

These are three gems that I wanted to share with you.  We have all three - they are affordable, well written, interesting, and quite useful!  I hope they can help you to meet the challenge of homeschooling your through high school.

 Deb Turner - Homeschooling from the Heart
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Featured Graduates and Alumni  

Deb Turner has been homeschooling for 20 years, and is thrilled to have yet another 10 to go. She and her husband, Craig, have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.  Craig works as a mechanical engineer, while Deb enjoys raising her children and loving up her grandchildren. She also enjoys writing and gardening.

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Studying missions, and becoming involved in one or two ministries is a great way for the homeschooler to spend his high school years.  Even if they do not feel called to go on the mission field themselves, they can know and appreciate those who are on the field - the work they do - the areas that need prayer.  Somebody stays home and sends support, right?  But we're all on the same team.  We all need to be in prayer for missions.

Reading Voice of the Martyrs is one way to know what's going on with the persecuted church.  I pretty much cry every time I read one of the stories in there.  Also, YWAM has a plethora of materials, biographies, etc. 

It is tempting not only for teens, but for all of us, to get "me" centered.  Missions is one of the best vehicles to get out of the "me" syndrome.  I found it hard to find things to complain about when reading about the villages in Sudan being trampled, the men killed - the women maimed - the children kidnapped and forced to bow to Islam or remain in chains.  Thank you Lord, for freedom to worship - may I never take it for granted.  Thank you Lord, that for now, my children are safe - at home with me.  It makes one very thankful, no matter how dire our circumstances seem at times.

Missions is a great way to learn geography of course.  It is also a great way to learn about some of the spiritual giants who have gone before us.  From the missionary journeys of Paul to our present day, men and women of God are hearing the call to go to all nations.

Window on the World is a book we'll be using this year.  I've already read about religions I'd never heard of!  Very interesting indeed.

What if our teens could really get involved with one or two missionary families in our church?  Even if it involved writing a letter of encouragement, or perhaps did a fundraiser.  My husband's cousin is involved in a  small mission in Mexico City.  They do a big work - or I should say, the try to meet a huge need.  They minister to the homeless children of Mexico, which are many - many - many.  The work is just a handful of people trying to do camps and bible studies for the homeless.  I am hoping my son can do a website for them this year, and fund it himself.  I know he'll do a great job with it.

I think it is important while we are reaching out across the world, to not forget our local missions.  Our church supports our local CareNet pregnancy center and our local Rescue Mission.  Our daughter has been involved in CareNet, promoting abstinence in the public school.  While that is not the same as bringing Christ to the nations, it is a foot in the door where she makes contact with teens who do contact her after the fact.  Then she can witness to them.  It's kind of like going into closed countries in the name of humanitarian aid.  In the Rescue Mission, teens could get involved in the soup kitchen.  Our church was going every other week to preach - teens could go as a support, or as part of the music team.  I'm sure there are many other things that could be done as a support and help.

One of the grandest things would be a short term mission trip with the church.  Word of Life Fellowship just began a new ministry where they will come into your church and make all the arrangements for your short term mission trip!  Jack Wyrtzen, founder of Word of Life, had a heart for missions.  He was known to lay on the floor, sprawled out on a map, weeping for the world.  Word of Life is now in many countries, bringing the gospel.  A short term mission trip that your church would take through Word of Life would go to one of the Word of Life missions.  Your church would provide the funding, Word of Life would actually come to you and help you with all of the arrangements.  You would provide the funding.

Who knows, maybe your teen(s) will be called to the mission field.  If so, there will already have been a preparation of the heart begun in the home.  Again, whether we go onto the field itself, or just support those who are there or going, it is something we all need to be aware of and in support of.  It's what it's all about - it's the great commission.

Getting our teens involved in missions gives them vision for something outside of their own little world.  Maybe your family is already there in a big way.  On the other hand, maybe it the thing that's missing.  Missions can make the difference in your homeschool this year, and no one who gets involved goes unaffected.

Deb Turner - Homeschooling from the Heart
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Featured Graduates and Alumni

Deb Turner has been homeschooling for 20 years, and is thrilled to have yet another 10 to go. She and her husband, Craig, have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.  Craig works as a mechanical engineer, while Deb enjoys raising her children and loving up her grandchildren. She also enjoys writing and gardening.

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We have talked a lot in our home about God’s Word, biblical prophecy being fulfilled in our present age, defending our faith, etc.  Of course, homeschooling has given us time for that.  A few years ago I had to wonder, “What difference does it really make?”  It was a time of great concern for me, with both of our teens.  I had seen a lack of discernment in certain areas.  I really began crying out to God in prayer.  In addition to that, I spoke truth as often as I could (my husband as well, of course).  Homeschooling gave the opportunity for that.  It also stole opportunity from their peers to have a greater influence over them.  However, what I had been seeing caused great discouragement to my heart.  All my hard work and dedication.  What was it worth in the end?

God’s Word encourages us to not grow weary in well doing:   Galations  6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.(KJV)  The New American Standard Version uses the expression “lose heart” for “be weary.”  The English Standard Version states it the way I did, with “grow weary.”  I had lost heart.  I had grown weary.  I was very discouraged.  I fell to my knees.  Often.  Constantly.  I saw the battle my teens were in, for their hearts – their minds, and felt powerless.  I was, outside of prayer and God's truth being spoken.

I learned recently that my son has been witnessing to a few friends for quite some time now - friends that he knows from our local area.  He wondered if he was coming on too strong with some of his rhetoric – often this one friend seemed quite offended, as he took a stand against the worldly attitudes and wrong thinking this friend was expressing.  Recently, both of these friends received Christ, much due to my son’s influence – though my daughter is the one who spent quite a lot of time in the “reaping” process.  My son did a lot of seed planting over a long period of time, and my daughter reeled them in. : )

They learned that there is nothing, nothing, nothing that can ever compare with leading a friend to Christ.  My daughter is not new to this, but I’d say it was my son’s first experience with being a huge part in the process of being used of God in this way.  God used them both.  There is nothing like that.  Nothing.  My son and my daughter both, at that time, had a mountaintop experience in the Lord (beyond the salvation of these friends).  This was just a few weeks ago.  They came home, and my son spent hours – we were up until 1 A.M. with him – telling us all the work that God had been doing in his heart.  My daughter gave him the floor, because she is very “talky” and he is very quiet. She had much to share as well, but held her peace for the time being.  This rare moment had him spilling his heart, and my husband and I were relishing the opportunity to share in this.  Our hearts are so full.  Our daughter broke in a few times just to say to him “I love you!!”

My son was not looking for his Bible because we were making him.  He owns his own relationship with God, and is taking responsibility for it.  He is not trying to ride in on our faith.  Yes, there are other things I am still in prayer about.  There are areas that still need some discernment.  But I know that he is looking to the One who has all the answers, and his parents are still the main influences in his life, and ready to talk to him “whenever.”  I know that his relationship with God is real, and it is important to him.

I’ve said it before – homeschooling will not save our children!  However, it gives us the greatest opportunity for biblical parenting.  And it did – it did matter, and it does matter.  It did make the difference.  It gave us time and opportunity to seek God and speak truth.  Had he been away from us, in school, I think there may have come the temptation for “out of sight, out of mind” while I tended to the younger children.  Instead, he was in sight, on my heart, and I had MUCH opportunity with him.  Homeschooling our teens.  They need us.  They need our prayers, they need our input.  They need us to “not grow weary in doing good.”  Discouraged?  Don’t grow weary.  In due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  When fainting, go to the Lord.  Spend much time in prayer.  That is where the battle is fought.  He will restore.  He will encourage.  He will equip.

Deb Turner - Homeschooling from the Heart
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Featured Graduates and Alumni

Deb Turner has been homeschooling for 20 years, and is thrilled to have yet another 10 to go. She and her husband, Craig, have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.  Craig works as a mechanical engineer, while Deb enjoys raising her children and loving up her grandchildren. She also enjoys writing and gardening.

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Perhaps you are a college bound family.  That's a decision that is simply made at the beginning - "Our children will go to college."  Or maybe you take it a child at a time.  If college is the route for all or just one of your children, someone has done the research for you!  Isn't that great?!  Here's a book that you may find to be a great help as you direct your college bound homeschool student.  Homeschooling High School: Planning Ahead for College Admission by Jeanne Gowen Dennis.

Also, in TOS'S own Schoolhouse Store you will find another resource - the E-Book, Homeschooling the High Schooler: From Transcripts to Graduation by at half off!  That's only $6.23 - wow!  Or you can buy it in a package with a few other great books.  Combo Package includes Secrets of Successful Homeschooling; Homeschooling the High Schooler; and Homeschool Dialogs for only $12.48.  OR ... you could get the Audio CD of Homeschooling the High Schooler: From Transcripts to Graduation for $17.95.  Maybe you have more time for "listening" than reading.  However, if you do like to read, take advantage of the huge E-Book sale going on over at the Schoolhouse Store.

There are many resources, much help to be found in the homeschool community.  Take advantage of what's out there.  Most importantly, look to your greatest Resource - the source of all we need.  He will give wisdom.  He will direct and guide. 

Deb Turner (Homeschooling from the Heart)
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Featured Graduates and Alumni

Deb Turner has been homeschooling for 20 years, and is thrilled to have yet another 10 to go. She and her husband, Craig, have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.  Craig works as a mechanical engineer, while Deb enjoys raising her children and loving up her grandchildren. She also enjoys writing and gardening.

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