How to Homeschool a 14 Year Old

What Should a 14 Year Old Be Learning?

Subject matter is crucial when you start thinking about how to homeschool a 14 year old. The ideal curriculum begins with language arts and usually algebra I. Topics for science and social studies vary, they include biology, chemistry and physics for science and US history I and II, US government and world history for social studies. Electives should also play an important role in your homeschool curriculum.

Additional lessons your students should be learning include:

• Identifying and explaining the use of allegory and satire in novels.
• Detecting run-on sentences, and sentence fragments and avoiding them.
• Understanding nonlinear functions, including exponential and quadratic functions.
• Developing skills in statistics and data analysis.
• Defining human impact on the environment and how to stop it.
• Writing lab reports, reading microscopic slides and conducting experiments.
• Explaining how industrialization led to new economic theories.
• Assessing how war production helped to end the Great Depression.

Don’t forget about electives! These courses are a great way for your child to either learn more about something they are curious about or advance their knowledge in a particular subject. Time4Learning offers 14 electives for high school students in areas like health, science, math, and more.

How to Start Homeschooling a 14 Year Old

Like any other age group, there are steps you should take before you begin homeschooling your 14 year old. Taking these steps will ensure a more productive, enjoyable and collaborative school year. Start by reviewing these action items:

• Step 1:  Investigate your state laws, especially about compulsory attendance. Most states have their own requirements regarding the number of days per year that you are required to homeschool your child.
• Step 2: Review several curriculum or curricula options with your child. Collaboration is important, because your child probably understands what learning format suits them the best by now.
• Step 3: Craft a temporary version of your goals and objectives with your student. This will probably change so don’t set it in stone.
• Step 4: Create a schedule. Take into account when your 14 year old is at their peak learning point. If they learn best in the late afternoon, begin classes then. Adjust your schedule as the year progresses.
• Step 5: Have your child choose social events that most interest them — this could be intramural sports, time with friends, or any activity that involves a group.
• Step 6: Include educational activities that your students enjoy, such as hobbies, field trips, or STEM experiments. Brainstorm with your child and come up with some ideas.

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 a 14 Year Old Look Like?

Now that your child is becoming a young adult, they will be expected to “take the next step” and master more difficult concepts, while using critical thinking, complex analysis and organizational skills. Their curriculum or curricula should help them reach those objectives by offering diverse lesson options such as interactive activities, videos, and real-world projects that engage your students. Additional features should include:

• A comprehensive scope and sequence that will help you and your student plan out their freshman year and meet their learning objectives.
• An automated grading and reporting system for convenient record-keeping.
• Lesson activities that focus on different learning styles,  providing every student with the chance to succeed.
• An affordable monthly payment schedule that allows you to start, stop, or pause membership at any time.
• Learning activities for 14 year olds in language arts, math, science, and social studies plus innovative electives to help refine additional skill sets.
• Parental tools such as activity scheduling and parental support through online Parent Forums.
• Multimedia lessons in an interactive atmosphere that helps students master more difficult concepts.

How Time4Learning Helps You Homeschool Your 14 Year Old

If you’re concerned about how to homeschool a 14 year old, review the resources Time4Learning offers. We provide interactive lessons, multimedia activities, videos, easy-to-follow instructions and teacher engagement sessions. Students learn independently and at their own pace, while you manage their overall performance. It’s a collaboration that has worked for thousands of homeschoolers.

You can count on additional benefits from Time4Learning such as:

• An award-winning core curriculum that helps homeschoolers meet state requirements, plus rewarding electives such as Lifetime Fitness, Strategies for Academic Success and more.
• Written, spoken and visually appealing video lessons that appeal to  homeschooling children with special needs  and those who prefer using different learning styles.
• An automated grading and recordkeeping system that saves parents time and helps them manage their student’s progress.
• A budget-friendly membership backed by a 14-day money-back guarantee, that allows you to start, stop, or pause your membership at any time without penalty.
• Step-by-step lessons that help boost your student’s understanding of advanced mathematical equations, scientific theories, and language arts concepts.
• 24/7 access to the program in a safe and secure environment, which allows your students to study during the day or evening.
• Comprehensive student planners, lesson plans, and other organizational tools that keep your students prepared and up-to-date on their studies.

Time4Learning isn’t the only online curriculum on the market for homeschooling a 14 year old.  That’s why we provided this information, so you can compare Time4Learning to other popular online curricula. If you can’t make up your mind about one certain option, you can always choose to mix the best parts of more than one curriculum (called an eclectic approach) to suit the needs of your student and your family dynamic.

Tips for Homeschooling a 14 Year Old

Now that your teen is in high school, they will start becoming more independent. It’s a part of growing up.  But independence doesn’t mean that you won’t be providing them with the guidance they need to succeed. Even teenagers (although they may not admit it), need direction. These tips will help you provide some, and give you additional advice on how to homeschool a 14 year old.

• Give them space. Teenagers are notorious for getting a bit cranky. If your child is having a bad day or just in a “mood”, give them time to work it out on their own.
• Homeschooling affords great flexibility. Use that flexibility when you’re preparing a schedule. If your child prefers studying at night, let them go for it. As long as they’re getting their school work finished, there’s no harm done. You don’t have to follow a strict traditional school schedule.
• Incorporate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) into your weekly assignments. These types of assignments beef up their critical thinking skills and provide a much needed break from just their core subjects.
• Try doing some volunteer work. Check a local animal pound, nursing home facility, or food kitchen for ideas. You never know, someone may need assistance. It’s a win/win for your students and the community where they live.
• Don’t be afraid to rely on technology. By combining online curriculum options, apps, and educational computer games, your students will become more familiar with using multiple devices and programs that employers find valuable.
• Provide more social time. Many teens are socially active. Encourage that by joining co ops, homeschooling groups and activities that promote conversation and interaction.
• Start talking more about money. The best financial education comes from the home. Teach your children how to budget and make smart money management decisions. They should fully understand that money is earned, not given.