Y’all. Homeschooling high school is so much better than you could ever imagine.
I just graduated my first who will go on to follow her equine passions in college this fall and I can tell you unequivocally that homeschooling was worth it. Every minute – the good, bad and ugly – was worth it. Notice I didn’t say every minute was blissful or easy, but I am so very glad we made the journey to the end.
Not only do we have great memories of doing life together, we’ve also had awesome opportunities to grow together in Christ, in learning, in trials and in triumphs.
As I prepare for the 10th grade year with my second child, I already see some of the frustrations that might come our way – like battling upper level math dragons and helping him see the benefit of buckling down in foreign language studies. I know there will be struggles, but I also know that working through those struggles together will make us stronger. I know that homeschooling through high school means my son will have a much better chance to rise above the status quo of teenagers these days. I know that in his “rhetoric stage” mind, we still have much work to do to build worldviews and prepare him for his Kingdom work and I’m so thankful for that time.
During these years of amazing opportunity, I’ll keep blogging about our adventures to encourage you (and me) that we CAN do it!
Since this page will automatically update when any new high school post is written, you might like to pin it for quick reference. Blessings on your journey!
Homeschooling High School: A Quick Reference to Our Journey Westward Articles
Nature Study is a Good Fit for Gifted Kids
There are definitely stereotypes when it comes to gifted kids. For instance, people might might picture an awkward boy or girl with glasses who plays chess and cello and snorts…
15 of the Best Group Games for Families
These group games for families are perfect for any special gathering! Games have always been the go-to activity when family or friends get together because they are so much fun…
Great Gifts for Horse Lovers
Horses are a lifelong love for my daughter. She has always gasped at the sight of horses grazing in a pasture, cleared the local library’s shelves of all the horse-related…
Why Logic and Critical Thinking Matter in the Homeschool
Yes, logic and critical thinking really do matter. A lot, in fact. We all want children who can stop and think before they act, right? That takes logic and critical…
Continue Reading Why Logic and Critical Thinking Matter in the Homeschool
40 Games to Teach History in the Homeschool
Do your children love history or do you hit walls every time you try to teach it? I hated history as a child, mostly because the textbooks were horribly boring,…
Continue Reading 40 Games to Teach History in the Homeschool
How To Help Gifted Children Who Need Foundational Skills
It’s long been a saying that we have to crawl before we can walk, walk before we can run, and run before we can race. Development is typically easy to…
Continue Reading How To Help Gifted Children Who Need Foundational Skills
Why Audubon Are the Best Field Guides for Homeschoolers
Homeschoolers who want to enjoy serious nature study often ask me, “Which are the best field guides?” I do have favorites and I’ll be sure to tell you in just…
Continue Reading Why Audubon Are the Best Field Guides for Homeschoolers
6 Tips To Develop Better Social Skills in the Homeschool
We’ve talked a lot about brain training for cognitive skills here at Our Journey Westward. Closely related to cognitive skills are social skills. This article focuses on some easy ways…
Continue Reading 6 Tips To Develop Better Social Skills in the Homeschool
Instilling Integrity in the Christian Homeschool
If you haven’t read part one, Discovering Dishonesty, click over to read it first. This is part two. Enjoy! I had to run errands, so I had my son come…
Continue Reading Instilling Integrity in the Christian Homeschool
Discovering Dishonesty in the Christian Homeschool
“Hey, come help me move this couch. I want to clean under it really well.” As I impatiently waited for one of my sons to appear and help, I saw a small…
Continue Reading Discovering Dishonesty in the Christian Homeschool
Why the History Revealed Curriculum Works Well for Us
After a successful year of history with Ancient Civilizations and the Bible from Diana Waring’s History Revealed series last year, we are back at it with Romans, Reformers, and Revolutionaries.…
Continue Reading Why the History Revealed Curriculum Works Well for Us
Our Student-Led High School Equine Course
This post was originally published a few years ago, but I’ve seen a surge of questions and interest in how to plan student-led courses in high school. As you take…
High School Homeschool Curriculum: Top Picks
Ah…high school. Why do I love homeschooling high school so much? Mostly because my teens don’t need my constant attention and instruction anymore! Ha! While I’m not kidding about the…
Continue Reading High School Homeschool Curriculum: Top Picks
Planning Homeschool Bible Time
We homeschool for many reasons, but one of them is more important than all of the others combined. It’s our desire to pass on a bold Christian faith that finds our…
100 Educational Games for Homeschooling
During my workshops about creative homeschooling and living math, I often talk about incorporating games into the school schedule. If your family has an established game night, you probably already…
Brain Training: FUN Ways to Build Stronger and Faster Brains
At the IAHE Conference (Indiana Association of Home Educators), I taught four workshops. While they were all well-attended and well-received, one of the sessions sparked an emotional reaction like none…
Continue Reading Brain Training: FUN Ways to Build Stronger and Faster Brains
How To Teach High School History with Literature Easily
I love using living books in our homeschool. If you’ve been around here any time at all, you know that living literature is a key tool I use across all…
Continue Reading How To Teach High School History with Literature Easily
What’s Growing in Your Homeschool? Bacteria Science Experiments
Ah, fall. Beautiful weather, fun festivals, football…and the beginning of “sick season.” It’s the perfect time of year to teach middle and high school students about germs through some cool…
Continue Reading What’s Growing in Your Homeschool? Bacteria Science Experiments
How To Easily Plan Monthly Homeschool Field Trips
For years, we’ve taken at least one homeschool field trip each month of the school year. They have created some of our best memories and always almost supply us with…
Continue Reading How To Easily Plan Monthly Homeschool Field Trips
How To Make Real-World Gifted Homeschooling a Reality
Book smarts are important, but they aren’t the only things that matter for gifted learners. It’s incredibly important to make common sense connections through real-world gifted homeschooling, too. One of…
Continue Reading How To Make Real-World Gifted Homeschooling a Reality
Boyschooling Homeschool Curriculum for 5th and 12th Grades (2017-18)
I have another senior. How is that possible? It’s really, indescribably true when you hear that time flies and your kids will be grown in the blink of an eye.…
Continue Reading Boyschooling Homeschool Curriculum for 5th and 12th Grades (2017-18)
Living Literature Booklists
If you asked me to name a few things that have made THE most impact in our homeschool over the years, one of the answers I would give without hesitation…
How to Teach Out-of-the-Box Homeschool High School Chemistry
We veered off the “typical homeschool path” this year to teach out-of-the-box homeschool high school chemistry instead. This isn’t the first time we’ve chosen a different path for our son, who…
Continue Reading How to Teach Out-of-the-Box Homeschool High School Chemistry
Using Picture Books to Teach Expository Writing
Why would anyone use picture books to teach expository writing? Because picture books are written by master authors who can teach us clearly through their examples. Not to mention, it…
Continue Reading Using Picture Books to Teach Expository Writing
Your Favorite Posts from 2016
As I sat down to plan what to write about this coming year here at Our Journey Westward, I took a peek to see what your favorite posts of 2016…
12 “All Boy” Gifts Your Son Will Love
Do you have a rough and tumble son? Me, too. Two of them, in fact. It’s always been hard on this momma to watch them “do what boys do” without…
Using Picture Books to Teach Text Structure
It’s time for another post in my series about using picture books to teach writing to middle and high school students! Today’s topic is using picture books to teach text…
Continue Reading Using Picture Books to Teach Text Structure
A Cemetery Scavenger Hunt Makes a Great History Lesson
Eeeewww! A cemetery scavenger hunt? Are you serious? Yes! Believe it or not, this is a REALLY cool activity because cemeteries are chock-full of history! We’ve visited several cemeteries over the…
Continue Reading A Cemetery Scavenger Hunt Makes a Great History Lesson
2016-17 Homeschool Curriculum and Schedule for 4th and 11th Grades
Well, these children of mine keep getting older and I find myself with a sophomore in college, a high school junior and a 4th grader. My homeschool became a boy…
Continue Reading 2016-17 Homeschool Curriculum and Schedule for 4th and 11th Grades
How To Teach High School Dissection
Do you need to know how to teach high school dissection? I did! When my oldest daughter took biology, we were blessed with a wonderful co-op teacher who specialized in…
When Your Plan for High School Science Isn’t Working
Homeschooling works. It just doesn’t always look the same from one child to the next. Sometimes even the best intended plans fail and adjustments need to be made. Our latest…
Continue Reading When Your Plan for High School Science Isn’t Working
7 Tips for Starting a Nature Club
Whether you currently enjoy nature study time with your children or not, being part of a nature club is a great motivator and provides hours of fun learning time! 1.…
Brain Training Activities for Auditory Attention
Does your child seem to have, um, selective hearing? You tell him (or her) to do this or that and you’re very lucky if one little smidgen of it gets done?…
Continue Reading Brain Training Activities for Auditory Attention
Brain Training Activities for Visual Attention and Visual Processing
Brain training activities are good for everyone because they build neuron connections. Who couldn’t use a few extra neuron connections, right? I’ve gone into some depth about the what, why…
Continue Reading Brain Training Activities for Visual Attention and Visual Processing
How To Teach High School Economics
Economics. It’s about earning and spending money. It’s how businesses grow. It’s using resources to satisfy needs and wants. It’s taxes and interest rates and credit cards and savings accounts.…
Using Picture Books to Teach Voice in Writing
Voice. It’s in every good piece of writing, but it’s a tad elusive when it comes to defining and teaching. Writing that connects with readers has voice. Writing that makes…
Continue Reading Using Picture Books to Teach Voice in Writing
Brain Training with Dyslexia Games
You know how near and dear brain training is to my heart, right? It’s been such a game-changer in our homeschool that I take it very seriously. We do some…
Why the Jotham’s Journey Series is NOT to be Missed
What do you get when you mix historical fiction with lots of adventure then add daily devotionals for Advent? The Jotham’s Journey series of books! These books are simply NOT…
Continue Reading Why the Jotham’s Journey Series is NOT to be Missed
High School Science for the Horse Lover
I hope this high school science overview helps you develop a plan that fits your passionate learner perfectly! My daughter’s first college mid-terms are upon her and I’m happy to…
Using Picture Books to Teach Writing Styles
I {heart} picture books for so many reasons. One giant reason is their ability to teach so many in depth concepts in such non-intimidating ways that students often don’t see…
Continue Reading Using Picture Books to Teach Writing Styles
Using Picture Books To Teach Biography Writing
Living literature isn’t just for reading – it’s also great for teaching writing styles! Serious writing lessons don’t start in our homeschool until middle and high school, but believe it…
Continue Reading Using Picture Books To Teach Biography Writing
Guitar Lessons With or Without a Teacher
I can teach music theory. I can teach voice. I can teach at least a little piano. I cannot teach guitar. And, when you can’t find a steady guitar teacher,…
Picture Books to Teach Literary Techniques
I’ve been sharing a little series of posts about how to use living literature to teach writing – specifically, narratives and persuasive pieces. In this post, I’m focusing less on…
Picture Books That Demonstrate Persuasive Writing
In my last post about teaching narrative writing, I mentioned how the subject of writing tends to be a thorn in the side of many homeschoolers. It doesn’t have to…
Continue Reading Picture Books That Demonstrate Persuasive Writing
Homeschooling a Horse Lover
My little horse lover is all grown up. This year she will graduate our homeschool and head off to college where she will major in equine science. Before her passion…
Picture Books That Demonstrate Narrative Writing
If there’s one subject that seems to befuddle homeschoolers more than any other, it’s writing. I hear it during homeschool consultations and casually talking among homeschool friends, and I see…
Continue Reading Picture Books That Demonstrate Narrative Writing
Chronological American History in High School
What do you do with a high school student who has been through two cycles of American history and thinks a third cycle would just be boring and unfruitful? Well,…
Continue Reading Chronological American History in High School
Ultimate Guide to Living Math Activities
I’ve been touting the benefits of living math for quite some time now. Why? Because living math makes sense to kids. It builds concrete understanding of abstract concepts. It touches…
Standard Deviants Accelerate: High School Lessons Online
(I received a complimentary subscription to Standard Deviants Accelerate and was compensated for my time preparing this review. As always, all opinions are strictly my own.) My 9th grader is…
Continue Reading Standard Deviants Accelerate: High School Lessons Online
Organizing the Unorganized Learner
(This post contains affiliate links.) The Unorganized Learner Do you have an unorganized learner? Here are just a few hints that you might: Pencils (or any necessary school supply for…
Amamos Español! Homeschool with Mango Languages
(I received a subscription to Mango Languages for free and was compensated for my time spent writing this review. As always, my opinions are strictly my own.) Homeschool with Mango…
Continue Reading Amamos Español! Homeschool with Mango Languages
Student Planner: Homeschooling with A Plan in Place
(I received a free student planner from A Plan in Place and compensation for this post. As always, I only present my honest opinion about anything I post.) Homeschool Organization:…
Continue Reading Student Planner: Homeschooling with A Plan in Place
Sweet Blessings: A Handicrafting Service Project
(This post contains links to my products.) Blessed to be a blessing Serving others is important to our family. We’ve looked for unique opportunities from the time my children were…
Continue Reading Sweet Blessings: A Handicrafting Service Project
Do Homeschoolers Ever REALLY Vacation?
I cannot even begin to tell you what a wonderful vacation our family was blessed to take in early October. Indian Rocks Beach, Florida- just south of Clearwater – on…
Algebra Help for the Hopeless Homeschooler
(This post contains affiliate links and links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) Do you need algebra help? I did, too. You mean the writer of Loving Living Math…
10 Living Books for Christian Teen Boys
Teen boys. Future leaders. Future husbands. Future fathers. Hard workers. Capable shiners of Light. Those descriptions can put a lot of pressure on the parents raising precious teen boys for…
10 Living Books for Christian Teen Girls
Raising Christian teens isn’t so hard when you have a little help. The Bible, a supportive church and great living books for Christian teen girls are three of my greatest…
Growing Hearts
(This post contains affiliate links.) Growing Hearts and Minds James 3:13-17 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in…
Homeschooling High School: Student Led Curriculum
My Mahayla is a junior now. (Where does the time go?) Being homeschooled with a Charlotte Mason style education her whole school career has not only taught her loads and…
Continue Reading Homeschooling High School: Student Led Curriculum
Online Writing Course: Rock Star Essay
(I received this course for free in exchange for an honest review, and I was compensated for my time. This post contains affiliate links.) Don’t Be Afraid of High School…
High School Modern History Course
There is so much goodness to learn about during a modern history study. We loved our living literature-based approach. This post contains affiliate links. Modern History For us, modern history…
Our American Lit Selections
(This post contains affiliate links.) High School American Lit I love meeting the particular needs and interests of my children in our homeschool studies. Once my children reach high school,…
Philosophy Adventure Review
(I received a preview copy of Philosophy Adventure: Pre-Socratics in exchange for my honest review.) Christian Philosophy: Isn’t That An Oxymoron? For most of us who studied philosophy in high…
Homeschooling High School Science
(This post contains affiliate links and links to my business, Shining Dawn Books.) Is Homeschooling High School Science Intimidating? Yes, it can be. I’ve found so many wonderful resources to…
My Favorite Logic Resources
Is it really important to add logic studies in your homeschool from PK-High School? Yes! Our children need to know how to think. With the ability to think, almost any…
Homeschool Service Projects
I’ve written about the importance of adding service projects to your homeschool before, but I want to reiterate how BIG making time to help others can be in the life…
Economics in the Homeschool
Sadly, the formal study of economics is left out of most of the curricula I’ve run across in my 11+ years of homeschooling. An understanding of economics is EXTREMELY important…
Project-Based Learning Ideas
I’m a huge believer in project-based learning! Keep reading to learn why and to get tons of project-based learning ideas for your homeschool! Just what is project-based learning? Quite simply,…
Central KY Field Trips for Homeschoolers
If you live in Central Kentucky, you are blessed when it comes to homeschool field trips right outside your door! Besides the oodles of places you can visit right around…
Play Dough Geometry
Learning math with play dough geometry is so much fun! Middle and high school students like to play, too, and this series of lessons gives them a great, hands-on overview…
Jim Hodges {G.A. Henty History Audio Books} Giveaway
In our Charlotte Mason homeschool, we LOVE living literature. So much so, that our “to read” lists are always way longer than what we can actually read. In order to…
Continue Reading Jim Hodges {G.A. Henty History Audio Books} Giveaway
Nature Walk Clipboards
While school supply shopping at Walmart the other day, I ran across some clipboard storage boxes in several fun colors. I remembered Maureen from Spell Out Loud mentioning using these…
Weekly Lesson Notebooks
(This post contains affiliate links.) Better lesson organization is one of my main goals for the upcoming school year. Having a high school student, middle school student and a kindergartener,…
Unique Ideas for Middle and High School Co-op Classes
Many homeschool moms who teach co-op classes develop their own curriculum. Me, too, for the most part. However, I’ve found it a little more difficult to design a thorough, engaging…
Continue Reading Unique Ideas for Middle and High School Co-op Classes
Bean Classification
(This post contains affiliate links.) Bean Classification Remember the candy classification post from a couple months ago? My logic classes at co-op did a similar activity with 15-bean soup mix.…
Co-op Logic and Critical Thinking Class
At co-op this year, I have the privilege of teaching two logic and critical thinking classes – one for high school and one for middle school. We’re having a great…
Renaissance Festival
I’ve wanted to attend the Ohio Renaissance Festival for years. Since this is our last medieval history cycle with Mahayla (boo hoo), visiting the festival was now or never. What…
In-Depth Nature Study for a High School Student
Nature study doesn’t have to stop once high school rolls around! In fact, we’re enjoying it with more depth than we ever have before. Simply think of nature study as…
Continue Reading In-Depth Nature Study for a High School Student
Lichen vs. Moss
It can be difficult during a nature walk to identify lichen vs. moss. These simple descriptions and pictures should help you learn the differences between the two. Lichen vs. Moss:…
Practical Life Skills and Nature Study
*Although this post is about home vegetable gardening, you’ll notice some of the pictures are from a field day class my children and I took from the University of Kentucky…
Cleopatra Exhibit
Every once in a while, blogging has nice perks. As a blogger in the Greater Cincinnati area, my children and I were invited to tour the traveling exhibit, Cleopatra: The…
National Missionary Convention
Another field trip bites the dust. More than a simple field trip, though, this one was life changing! The National Missionary Convention was held this past weekend in Lexington, and…
Favorite Games for Homeschooling
(This post contains affiliate links and links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) Games for Homeschooling? During my workshops about creative homeschooling and living math, I often talk about…
Ancient Civilizations and the Bible Unit 1
We are absolutely LOVING Ancient Civilizations and the Bible by Diana Waring! There is SO much to choose from for every single learning style. We’re only skimming the surface of…
KY State Fair
We love the State Fair! This year was our first time being more than spectators and we had a busy, but exciting blast. The big kids showed goats two nights…
Vacation Highlights Part 6 – Charlottesville, VA
Our last night of hotel life in Virginia led us to Charlottesville, home to Monticello – Thomas Jefferson’s homestead. We got into town late and were led by our hotel…
Continue Reading Vacation Highlights Part 6 – Charlottesville, VA
Vacation Highlights Part 5 – Yorktown, VA
As with every single aspect of our vacation, we were completely impressed with the quality and child-friendliness of the Yorktown Victory Center. Hands-on exhibits, actors, camps, films and indoor walk-through…
Vacation Highlights Part 4 – Jamestown, VA
Hang in there, I only have six parts in this series. On our whirlwind tour of Virginia, we visited Jamestown and Yorktown in the same day. In order to share…
Vacation Highlights Part 3 – Colonial Williamsburg
One entire day of our vacation was spent in Colonial Williamsburg. This is a WONDERFUL walk-through town of real and replica buildings that house in-costume craftsmen who are working their…
Continue Reading Vacation Highlights Part 3 – Colonial Williamsburg
Vacation Highlights Part 2 – Norfolk, VA
Norfolk, Virginia houses the largest US Naval Base in the world – and it’s huge! Just about everything in Norfolk seems to revolve around the navy including shipyard after shipyard…
Vacation Highlights Part 1 – VA Beach
We took a MUCH needed and long awaited vacation to Virginia last week – and it was SO much fun! We soaked up a lot in seven days, so I’m…
Paddle Boats – Inexpensive Summer Fun
Summer is the perfect time for nature study trips that might be difficult to fit into the regular school schedule. Things like all day hikes at a nature preserve, days…
National Underground Railroad Museum
Tucked away in downtown Maysville, KY, overlooking the Ohio River is the National Underground Railroad Museum. My children had the pleasure of touring the museum located in the Bierbower House,…
The Soup Kitchen
This is Tony, my music minister from the church where I grew up. Tony has always been very active in serving others in the name of Christ. For the past…
Cincinnati Museum Center
I had mentioned in my WWII post about the Cincinnati Museum Center. Besides the Cincinnati History Museum, this historical building – Union Terminal – houses the Duke Energy Children’s Museum…
Service at the Food Pantry
We’re very blessed to go to a church that participates in the local food pantry mission. Once every three months, our church is on duty and asks for volunteers to…
JIF Peanut Butter Tour
Jif Peanut Butter Tour Our homeschool group went on a wonderful field trip today to the JIF Peanut Butter Factory in Lexington, KY. It’s a tough tour to book, so…
Cumberland Falls
We took a mini-trip to Cumberland Falls in Southern KY not too long ago. It was such a beautiful afternoon! The waterfall is majestic, the rock samples are outstanding, the…
Frankfort Field Trips
In case you don’t know, Frankfort is the capital of Kentucky. It’s also where I grew up and where my family still lives. There is a wealth of field trip…
A Tree House!
It’s been in the works for about 6 months (and actually still needs a roof), but the big kids officially have a tree house!! It’s very rustic – which I…
Cincinnati Art Museum Field Trip
Our homeschool group visited the Cincinnati Art Museum last week. What a wonderful trip!! We knew we’d see art and hoped we find art by a famous artist or two,…
Newport Aquarium
Did you know the Newport Aquarium offers two free children’s admissions per adult in January and February each year? I didn’t until recently. We’ve been wanting to go forever, but…
Equine Hospital Field Trip
We live in Central KY – what’s often called the “Horse Capital of the World”. We’re surrounded by beautiful horse farms and have the priviledge of living near the Kentucky Horse Park. With…
Field Trip Fun
For those of you who know Melissa from blogging, consider yourselves blessed. But, if you’re lucky enough to know her in person, how much more blessed you are! It was such a…
Shakertown
Have you ever visited Shakertown? It’s such a lovely place to visit in Central KY. This weekend, we were treated to our first ever overnight stay in one of the…
Toyota Field Trip
There’s a Toyota Plant not too far from us. For years I’ve been wanting to go on the free tour they offer, but my children have always been too young. Children…
Awesome Cindy, isn’t it such a great experience to have with our kids? Congrats on graduating the first! For us it was scary and awesome at the same time and now that our daughter has finished her Freshman year successfully, we knew that we had made the right decision to homeschool all the way! Yippee 🙂
Meridith, you’re always so encouraging. 🙂 I’m glad your daughter had a great freshman experience and just know we’ll be able to report the same next year!