How to Homeschool an 11 Year Old

What Should an 11 Year Old Be Learning?

Eleven year olds are typically in sixth grade.  At this point, your child will be preparing to take on more responsibility and become more accountable for their studies. They will be learning more advanced concepts and build on what they learned in the previous years. Below are some of the skills and concepts that an 11 year old should be learning.

• How to analyze and evaluate a variety of literary texts
• Expand their language skills with grade-level appropriate vocabulary
• How to write a variety of texts such as informative, explanatory and narratives
• Understand and compare absolute values
• Analyzing, interpreting, and creating graphs
• Human body systems and their purposes
• The effects of the Renaissance and the Reformation
• The evolution of civilization beginning with ancient empires through the 21st century

How to Start Homeschooling an 11 Year Old

To help you start your homeschooling journey smoothly, we’ve listed six steps so you can get started on the right path.

• Step 1: Find out what your state’s homeschooling laws are. Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, but each state has different requirements and guidelines.
• Step 2:  Research the various homeschool curricula available. Be sure to take into consideration your child’s learning style, the format (online or textbooks.), flexibility, features, etc.
• Step 3: Come up with a schedule for your homeschool. Will you homeschool four days a week or five? Will you do all subjects every day or split them up? The options are endless. Do what works best for your family and be flexible.
• Step 4:  Create a few homeschool goals with your child. Whether it’s for the week, month, or year, check in every so often and make any changes as needed.
• Step 5: Seek out local homeschool groups and co-ops. You’ll meet tons of families, your children will make new friends, and you’ll learn so much from those you meet.
• Step 6: Make homeschooling fun by going on field trips and incorporating hands-on projects and other learning activities for 11 year olds into your routine.

Homeschooling Planner

Start planning out your homeschooling days with this free easy to use daily planner.

Get Started With This Daily Planner

What Should a Curriculum for an 11 Year Old Look Like?

So what should you look for in a curriculum for an 11 year old? With so many homeschool programs to choose from, it’s important to have an idea of the features that will help your child learn effectively and succeed. Many families find that combining a comprehensive curriculum with various resources and material helps provide their child with a well-rounded education.

Below are a few things to look for in a curriculum for an 11 year old.

• Material that correlates to all state standards in all core subjects
• Challenging study materials that help students grow without causing them frustration
• Flexibility to redo lessons and activities for further understanding and extra practice
• Engaging, interactive format that makes learning fun
• Comprehensive lesson plans that covers all necessary topics and concepts
• Opportunities for independent learning
• Ideas for hands-on projects as well as virtual labs
• Helpful tools and resources for parents like automated grading, recordkeeping, etc.

How Time4Learning Helps You Homeschool Your 11 Year Old

Now that you have an 11 year old in your hands, it’s important to give them the opportunity to work independently and mature as a student. Time4Learning’s award-winning curriculum makes that possible with our flexible, student-paced format. Since 11 year olds are learning more complex concepts, it’s crucial that they are engaged and have the opportunity to practice and reinforce new material. Time4Learning gives students the ability to repeat lessons and even retake tests and quizzes. Our lessons include real-world examples and interactive projects so that students can apply what they are learning to their own lives.

Below are additional ways in which Time4Learning can help your 11 year old succeed.

• Math, language arts, science and social studies correlates to all state standards
• Embedded activities and projects as well as real life connections help students understand concepts even further
• Lesson plans help students find specific concepts and topics within the curriculum
• Students can follow the suggested sequence or complete the lessons in the way that is best for them
• Automated grading and recordkeeping as well as activity planners help students keep track of their work and become independent and accountable
• Student-paced, multimedia-based curriculum works with all types of learners including gifted and special needs students
• Flexible format allows students to repeat lessons and retake tests and quizzes
• Interactive learning activities for 11 year olds make understanding concepts fun and are a welcome change from textbooks and workbooks

Is Time4Learning the only online curriculum you can use when you homeschool your 11 year old? No. You can compare Time4Learning to other popular online curricula, to see which curriculum may be the ideal fit for your child. Remember that you can always choose to blend the best parts of more than one curriculum (called an eclectic approach) to truly fit the needs of your 11 year old.

Tips for Homeschooling an 11 Year Old

There are many learning activities for 11 year olds that will help enhance what your child is already studying, and bring some variety to your homeschool routine. Now that you have an idea on how to get started and what to expect, below are some homeschooling ideas for 11 year olds that will help engage your child, build important skills, and make homeschooling even more fun.

• Now that your child is in middle school, give them more independence and responsibility when it comes to their education. Let them have a say in what they learn, choose field trip locations, and get involved when it comes to setting goals.
• Is there anything your child is passionate about or has been wanting to learn more about? Project-based learning is a great way to really immerse them in a particular topic as they build new skills.
• Don’t forget about the importance of physical education. There are so many options to choose from, you are sure to find something that your child will enjoy such as yoga, bike riding, gymnastics, basketball, and tennis, just to name a few.
• Keep reading! Doing so for 20-30 minutes a day will benefit your child immensely by helping expand their vocabulary, communication, and comprehension skills. Head to the library a few times a month and let them check out a few books.
• Incorporate documentaries and online video-sharing platforms into your child’s learning. There are tons of educational options on just about every subject.
• Add STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) activities into your routine. They are such a fun way to build knowledge in multiple areas and help your child gain valuable skills that will last well into adulthood.
• If you notice a change in your child’s demeanor or attitude, it may be time for a break. Homeschool burnout is real but there are a lot of ways to prevent it.