The 10 Essentials - What Every Homeschooler Needs to Study Before Graduation

In the past three lessons we have been discussing some of the core academic classes, and there are more core classes left to discuss.  But sometimes “core” and “important” aren’t the same thing.  In this lesson we’ll take a break from the heavy academics to discuss something even more important: college readiness skills. 


Focus on the Important

I have great news.  The way you prepare children for college success is the same way you prepare them for success in life.   Every adult needs must learn to confidently read, write, and do math quickly.  But colleges and employers are looking for more.  Students must have the ability to learn, and work hard.  

Teach them to be independent, so they can become self-teaching eventually. At the same time they will need to respect your leadership, so they will do the assignments you give them.   Teach them honesty, so they don’t try to cheat or mislead you as they work independently.  Keep their work challenging, so they know what it is like to LEARN instead of KNOW new material.  Make sure the school work isn’t overwhelmingly difficult, so they don’t learn to resent the learning process.  Teach students how to pace themselves and their work, so they don’t suffer burnout.  Have them help around the house to demonstrate that work ethic.


Character Matters

Character is one reason why my children were given great scholarships. My sons were invited to participate in the scholarship competition at  their first choice university because of their comprehensive records and their SAT scores, but that’s not why they won.  I was nervous about them competing in something so intense, but the kids had fun. When the boys came home that day, they both said, “I don’t know if I won, but I had a great time! All the kids were so nice!”

Later I was told that the evaluators were looking for character. The students were observed when they walked between events. Were they friendly and kind to others? How did they interact with their peers? When character and socialization are evaluated, homeschoolers have the advantage. We can mold and shape the character of our children while they are at home with us, instead of allowing them to be conformed to their peers.

Focus on family, faith and values without skimping on academic subjects.  Both are important for successful adults.  Adults are able to work each day AND serve the Lord with gladness.  Our goal is to raise well rounded children who can do the same. Don’t fall into the false assumption that you have to teach either faith OR academics.  The real strategy for success is teaching both.


Study Skills

Study skills and logic are important in life, helping children make decisions in every area.  Teaching children how to read quickly with comprehension will be helpful in any career or college pursuit.  Those skills can never be wasted.

One great source is the Advanced Communication Series by Institute for Excellence in Writing. It contains three DVDs: note taking, essay writing, and public speaking. It’s a video geared to the student. My children watched them twice a year during high school, once when we started school, and once toward the end of our school year as a “reminder.”

For note taking practice, we used college lectures from The Teaching Company (which are available at the library or on their website, www.teach12.com) The boys would listen to the college level lecture and take notes in real time using the concepts they used in the IEW tape. We tried to use college level lectures that my kids were actually interested in, so it wouldn’t be over their head. We started with the lecture “How to Listen to and Understand Great Music” and my kids LOVED it!

Learning to study is a day-to-day, four year challenge.  Teaching study skills isn’t something you can teach in a six week unit, but a gradual accumulation of skills learned over the duration of high school.  It can help to occasionally review the skills you are trying to convey to your teens.  I recommend the Teaching Company course called "How to Become a Super Star Student," taught By Professor Tim McGee. 


Test Skills

Homeschoolers have an advantage in test preparation. Your student will  take the SAT or the ACT for college admission.  Studying for the college entrance exam is very valuable to many college-bound high school students. Research has shown that preparation can increase SAT scores by 100 points. Higher test scores can significantly increase your chance for college admission and academic scholarships. It’s not a waste of time! Make test preparation a regular part of your high school experience will make it much easier for your student to succeed. Public school students may have trouble finding time to prepare for the test, but for homeschoolers it can be a part of your total educational experience.

Like many homeschool parents, I understood that studying for tests was necessary for college admissions and financial aid, but I felt frustrated that I had to “teach to the test.” My teenagers were also resistant. Still, these tests measure basic skills.  Truly, of all the things you want for children, reading, writing, and math are pretty high on the priority list.  Now that we are on the other side, we can all see the benefits that preparation gave us.

High scores helped my children earn great scholarships.  My children learned important essay writing skills.  They mastered math concepts from basic to advanced, and they gained confidence in their test-taking abilities.

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