Motivating Your High Schooler: My Best Homeschool Tips

It can feel overwhelming when we think about homeschooling teens through the high school years, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are tips and tricks to help your high schooler stay motivated through the teen years.

I get this question all the time.

“What advice do you have for a high schooler who is super intelligent but no longer motivated to complete their work?”

I hear it at conferences and online. I get it in my DM’s and when talking with friends. Last week, a listener asked as well. Homeschooling high school requires us to ebb and flow as our children grow and mature. It can seem daunting, but, as a mom who has graduated one homeschooler with another smack dab in the middle of the high school years, I am here to tell you it doesn’t have to be!

When You Are Not Sure How To Motivate Your High Schooler

#1 – Get back to your why

When your child begins to push back, it can be helpful to remind yourself why you are choosing to homeschool in the first place.

In our family, we made the decision because school was socially and emotionally not a good fit for my oldest. At the time, we felt like we had no other choice. Now, while the reasons have shifted a bit over the years, the core of why we homeschool all four of our kids is still the same.

We want to provide the most individualized approach to our kids’ education. Ultimately, we believe this will encourage and foster a love of learning. It helps to remember this when I am worried about his not completing a math lesson!

#2 – More Independence Is OK

It can be easy to cling to the usual ways of doing things in our homeschools. As our children get older however, at some point our kids will ask for and even demand more independence. This is true in life and it is just as true in our homeschools.

It’s OK to relinquish a bit of control and allow your teen to manage their own learning, more and more, across the high school years.

#3 – The Value Of Interest-Learning

Some moms worry that interest-led learning is too “soft” for high school transcripts and learning. I have seen way too many families who were doing very well with interest-led learning decide to change course for more formal approaches in high school. The fear is that it won’t be enough. The results are often stressful and demotivating.

The reality is, a child who is interested in what they are learning, retains and comprehends more. If you want practical examples of what this looks like in the high school years, my friend Shawna is sharing her interest-led high school lesson plans every single week this year.

For even more tips, take a listen to today’s episode below,

The Raising Lifelong Learners Podcast Episode #162 – Motivating Your High Schooler: My Best Tips

It can feel overwhelming when we think about homeschooling teens through the high school years, but it doesn’t have to be! In this episode, Colleen shares her best advice and tips to help your high schooler stay motivated through the teen years.

Links And Resources From Today’s Show:

Leave a Rating or Review

Doing so helps me get the word out about the podcast. iTunes bases their search results on positive ratings, so it really does help — and it’s easy!

- Click THIS link to go to the podcast main page.
- Click on View in iTunes under the podcast cover artwork.
- Once your iTunes has launched and you are on the podcast page, click on Ratings and Review under the podcast name. There you can leave either or both! Thanks so much.