Homeschool High School Frugal Career Exploration Elective - Help Them Find Their Direction in Life

 This post may included affiliate links to products that we love and have used or would use in our  own homeschool. Please see my disclosure policy.


Are you homeschooling a high schooler who just doesn't know what they want to do after graduating?

This can be such a hard time for our teens.

My niece, who I help to homeschool, came to me last week with tons of questions and worries.

She is just a sophomore and doesn't know if she wants to go to college, or community college or neither. And if she does decide to go to college, she has no idea of what she would want to study there.

Can you relate?

What can you do to help your teen figure out what they want to do with their life?

First, I reassured her that the answer would come.  And that she had time.  She was only a sophomore

you know.  We began by talking about what she liked to do and trying new things.

100 High School Electives

Trying New Things

So many times we really don't know until we begin to try new things.

So we talked about some local high school activities that she might like to try getting some ideas from my list. 

 
We found a number of books on the subject, but they did not have the guidance or step by step approach that we were looking for.

Then I remembered that my friend, Vicki Tillman, MA, from 7 Sisters Homeschool had a course especially for homeschoolers on Career Exploration.

7 Sisters Career Exploration Course

My sweet niece wanted to purchase it right then.  So we did.  It had a nice step by step approach.  Just what she was looking for.

The idea of making a career choice, or even a guess or two is such a big question to deal with.  For adults even and especially for teens.  If it feels too scary then teens will just want to avoid thinking about it.  And we want them to be proactive in their own lives.  They need to be thinking about it.

7 Sisters high school career course has a nice nurturing tone about it.  And it is broken down into parts, so there are sections for your teen to choose from that can be done, one at a time.

I liked how the course started off with this quote:

"The first thing you need to know about Career Exploration is that you are not going to make a wrong choice!"  

How encouraging.

The 7 Sisters Homeschool High School Career Exploration Curriculum Bundle is a course that can guide your teen to finding their gifts and doing career exploration, including all of this:

- Step by Step guide to career exploration
- Career Exploration Questionnaire
- Career Exploration Workbook (31 pages)

AND helpful resources for getting that first job or a college interview:
- Resume Writing - to create a resume that captures things done BEFORE that first paying job
- Writing Cover Letters
- Interview skills

AND helps for finding one's own personal goals:
- Writing a personal mission statement
- Career exploration in the Bible
- Multiple articles on career exploration

-AND one more important thing for our teens:
- Tips on financial literacy

Career Exploration

I liked that my niece had so many resources to choose from!

She decided to start with the career exploration questionnaire. She took it home to work on independently.

I can't wait until we meet up again to talk about it and discuss her answers to it.  She left excited instead of stressed.

What I like about 7 Sisters Homeschool High School Career Exploration 

This career exploration resource is approachable, unlike many of the career exploration books out there.

It's tone was helpful for my anxious teen.  I like that it is faith based.  In the Bible section, Vicki Tillman, MA, the author writes:

"God is still guiding young people today. He is always present and always working in your life. If you keep your eyes open, you might begin to suspect what He is up to, or like many people in the Bible, you will simply have to know that God has plans and trust that these plans will unfold." 

This encouragement is just what I am looking for, for my niece.  I  like that they touch the heart.  So important to my niece's ability to deal with this subject in a non-intimidating way.

Writing a Mission Statement

I love how the Writing a Mission Statement section teaches the teen how to think, going from brainstorming to analyzing, then putting their thoughts all together in their own mission statement.

I wish I knew about this resource when my daughter was in high school, as she would have loved this section especially.

Helps for Getting that First Job

I also like that they have helps for getting that first job, with tips for interviewing and the like.  These things can also help a teen who wants to work part time while homeschooling high school.

It is such a pleasure to be a part of my niece's life, and to lend an ear as she begins to find a fit for her gifts  in her life.

Next week, we will start the Career Exploration Workbook.

The Career Exploration Workbook

This workbook is a helpful guide to self - exploration, starting with a chapter on finding the will of God.  Then it goes on to help your teen discover her gifts and talents.  I especially like the long list of careers that is included.  That will be a real help when we meet up again next.

For more information on the frugal 7 Sisters Homeschool High School Career Exploration  course just click here.  And give your teen another high school elective credit!  Does your teen want to go from homeschool to college?  Of course, that is only one of the paths they can choose from.

My friend, Jimmie Quick, has more on Homeschool Career Exploration for Curious Teens and their Parents.  They also are offering a free printable on career exploration here.

To find out about more courses that count as career exploration, click this link from my friend, Vicki at 7 Sisters Homeschool.

I have gathered together my best tips for high school and college and put them into a book, called Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd Edition. 

Amazon

Keep your nurturing homeschool style and showcase their accomplishments to the colleges!

Recommended by: Lessa Scherrer, Certified College Counselor from College Inside Track

                           

"Betsy has a wealth of understanding and knowledge to share with the parents of college bound homeschoolers.  She provides support, encouragement and step-by-step advice on all aspects of the homeschool high school and college application process. This book is a must-read for parents considering homeschooling high school and for parents in the thick of the application process."

And help for record keeping  with our exclusive high school and college planning printables.

Thanks for stopping by BJ's Homeschool,

Betsy

Betsy is a Christian and mom to her college grad whom she and her husband homeschooled through high school. She blogs at BJ's Homeschool, and wrote 

Homeschooling High School with College in Mind, 2nd edition.  

Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook 





Copyright @ BJ's Homeschool Updated 2022

Frugal SAT/ACT PREP Resources and Test Taking Strategies -

This article is about homeschooling high school and SAT or ACT Prep.  Here are our favorite interactive AND INDIVIDUALIZED SAT prep resources.  Test taking strategies, too.  Homeschooling high school SAT Prep Curriculum and resources that are individually based and free!

Does the thought of having your teen taking the SAT or the ACT give you pause? 

Homeschool High School Volunteer and Leadership Activities

Summary:  Homeschool high school electives are the fun of homeschooling our teens.  Volunteering and leadership activities also can really help our teens get into college.  Here are a bunch of them to browse through and each one can earn high school credit! #homeschoolhighschool #highschoolelectives #volunteering #homeschoolleadershipactivities



Has your teen helped lead a class in co-op?  Or did they volunteer as an assistant at Girl Scouts camp? 

Our Homeschool High School Science Sequence and Curriculum Choices

Are you looking for ideas for you #highschoohomeschoolsciencecurriculum?  Here's our favorites for high school science and labs. Plus some recommendations and reviews from our friends!  This post may included affiliate links to products that we love and have used or would use in our own homeschool.  Please see my disclosure policy.

Are you looking for high school science curriculum ideas for next year?  Or are you wondering what a typical sequence looks like for high school science?

Homeschool Elementary Writing Curriculum -PreK - 3rd -

 Homeschool Elementary Writing curriculum and resources for preK through 3rd grade.  Handwriting homeschool curriculum resources are included.  Let your children learn to love writing with fun easy to do writing activities, like simple journal writing, with coloring.  This post may included affiliate links to products that we love and have used or would use in our own homeschool. Please see my disclosure  policy.  



My main focus for writing during the early elementary years was to help my daughter become comfortable with putting words on the page. And to learn to love writing.  The most important part of my teaching her writing was to remember to FUN!  To keep it child led.

Going from Homeschool to College in 6 Easy Steps

Summary:  Sharing 6 steps for going from homeschool to college, including college entrance requirements, transcripts, and sharing electives and activities with admissions. 

Does your high schooler want to go directly to a 4 year college?

When we were in the middle school years, my husband and I began thinking about the possibility of college for our daughter.  And I was nervous about approaching the colleges.

Homeschool High School with College in Mind -

Making a 4 year homeschool high school plan, with college entrance requirements, high school electives, and SAT or ACT testing schedule.  It is not hard to homeschool high school with college in mind.  

Are you homeschooling a teen and wondering about their chances of getting into the college of their choice?

Homeschool High School Diplomas and How to Get One

Summary: Finding a homeschool diploma for your homeschool high school graduate is not at all hard to do.  Sharing our favorite sources for just the right high school diploma for your grad. 


When we homeschool mamas graduated high school ourselves, we got a diploma made by our school.  They came from a local printing company I am sure.

Now for our homeschool grads, there are a lot of places to go to get a nicely printed diploma across the web.

Homeschool Preschool and K - Science and Nature Study -

Homeschooling preschool and kindergarten is all about learning from play, don't you think?  And there is nothing like simple nature study and hands-on science activities to teach the love of science to your little ones.

Our early homeschooling years were all about exploring new things with my daughter always asking tons of questions about everything.  Does that sound familiar?

Preschool or K - Frugal Homeschool Pre-Writing and Handwriting Activities

Summary:  Free homeschool preschool and kindergarten pre-writing activities, including fine motor games, plus frugal or free resources for handwriting. Plus games that help with grasp, too. Is your child ready to write?  Sharing from my OT days. 



The early years of preschool or kindergarten, are the perfect time to help your little ones develop their finger coordination (fine motor) skills to get ready for handwriting.

I suggest waiting on the handwriting lessons until your kids have solid small muscle skills and coordination.  But how do you help them develop those things?

There are so many fun ways to get their fine motor skills going strong.  Playing with small objects, like small legos and doing lots of arts and crafts activities are great ways to build fine motor coordination.

Playing with playdough or clay is a also great way to build up and strengthen the muscles of the hand and wrist.

Today, I'd like to share a bunch of easy to do pre-writing activities from my O.T. days, that will help your homeschooled kids to:

- Develop hand strength and build finger coordination
- Learn a mature grasp 

- Frugal and Free Resources for Handwriting

Let's start with the small muscle games.

It Is Really NOT that Hard to Homeschool High School -

It's not that hard to homeschool high school!  Really!  Homeschooling high school can give your teen a quality education.  And it does not have to replicate public school.  Be encouraged.

Are you homeschooling high school, or thinking about it for next year? 

Homeschool High School Social Studies - Frugal Resources

Summary:  Our homeschool social studies curriculum choices, with frugal or free ones in mind.  Our favorites for U.S. History, World Geography, and more.  Plus what the colleges want for social studies college entrance requirements.  Note - This post may included affiliate links to products that we love and have used or would use in our  own homeschool.#homeschoolhighschool #homeschoolsocialstudies. Please see my disclosure policy.


Are you starting to look around for social studies resources for your high schooler?

How To KNOW What Your Homeschooler Really Needs to Get Into College -

Summary:  Homeschooling to college just takes planning, but it takes more than just looking up the college entrance requirements for your teen.  This includes a free download on planning for college, and how to make a 4 year homeschool high school plan for your teen.  It is not hard for homeschoolers to get into college.  It just takes knowing the important steps needed for doing that.


There is a lot of information out there on college, aimed at homeschoolers.  But do they really know what homeschoolers need to get into college?

Homeschool Graduation Celebrations

Summary:  Homeschool high school graduation and ideas for how your might like to celebrate it.  Make your own simple family homeschool graduation celebration, or find out if your state has a homeschool graduation ceremony.  In addition, links to statewide homeschool proms are included.



Will you be graduating one of your teens this spring?  If so, are you thinking about doing a special family event, or are you looking for a graduation ceremony in your area?

Homeschool Elementary Spelling and Writing Curriculum and Help for Struggling Spellers

Homeschool elementary spelling curriculum favorites, plus how we used them in our homeschool.  Curriculum reviews included plus tips for helping a struggling speller or homeschooling your 2e child.  Homeschool elementary writing curriculum discussed also.  Affiliate links may be included.



Are you looking for a solid spelling curriculum for your child?

Spelling is an important component to good writing, as you know.  But it can come very slowly to our young writers.  

Do you find that with your young writers, too?

Homeschool Phonics and Reading Curriculum - Explode the Code -

Teaching homeschool phonics to your homeschooled preschooler or elementary kid is not hard to do. Explode the Code homeschool phonics and reading curriculum is proven to improve your children's reading level.  

Are you looking for a good, easy-to-use, phonics program?  

How about a well-researched phonics program?  

Or are you looking for a way to help your child improve their reading and spelling skills?  We used this all the way through elementary, and it built our daughter into a strong reader.  Read on to see what we chose.  

Explode the Code offers all of these, and it is a very popular phonics, spelling and reading program that my daughter loved to use.  

It provides a well researched way to introduce phonics and improve your child's reading skills at any level, K through 6th grade.

First, let's look at the books for pre-readers....

Explode the Code Primers

In our homeschool, we started off with the Explode the Code Primers, when my daughter was five.  She loved working in her these books!   

First thing in the morning, she would ask for her Explode the Code book.

 

The Primers series includes:

• Get Ready for The Code (Book A)
• Get Set for The Code (Book B)
• Go for the Code (Book C)

Each primer introduces a group of consonants and their sounds, with fun activities to do on each page.  

Each lesson follows the same pattern, which makes it fun and predictable for young learners to use.  

Each of the lessons consists of the following activities.........click here to read more.

The Primers prepared my daughter for the first grade book in this series, called Explode the Code, Book 1.  Let's look at what's included in that book....

Explode the Code, Book 1

Book 1 moves on to a study of the vowels and introduces basic phonics patterns.  Each lesson, again followed the same format, and my daughter quickly became independent in her work.  

Through the phonics, early reading work, spelling, writing and copying in the book, my daughter soon was ready for early readers.
This program did not require any preparation on my part.  

It was also full of the child drawn illustrations that had already caught my daughter’s eye!   

Meanwhile, she was learning all her phonics skills! 

Click here to read more about this book and their online options too.  

The Explode the Code series goes all the way through 6th grade. 

Explode the Code Book 1 through 6th Grade

Build your child into a strong reader!  That is what we did. Explode the Code continues to develop your child's reading skills each year, step by step, teaching more advanced phonics.

Explode the Code is a phonics based program I consider invaluable in helping my daughter learn to read, and continue to build her reading skills up for later middle and high school level reading.

Now she is a senior in college, and reading all those college research articles and long text assignments was not a problem for her.

Having a strong foundation in phonics and reading early on, gave her the skills needed to build on for success later in college. 

For more information or to purchase the printed workbooks, please click here. 

I encourage you to follow me on Pinterest.

My friend from 7 Sisters Homeschool also offers an extensive list of quality Elementary Curriculum Resources here - Favorite Homeschool Curriculum for Elementary Grades.

Thanks for stopping by BJ's Homeschool,

Betsy

Betsy is mom to her now college senior, whom she homeschooled from preK through high school.  She blogs at BJ's Homeschool, about the early years, high school & college .  She offers homeschool help through messages at BJ's Consulting. 

Want to stay in touch?

Subscribe, Pinterest, Facebook 

This post was shared on my favorite linkups here.

Copyright, 2019
 All Rights Reserved

Our Homeschool High School English Sequence and Curriculum Choices

Our favorite homeschool high school English curriculum and resources for our teen and how we put together our sequence for high school English in our homeschool.  Tips for those with college bound , too. This post may included affiliate links to products that we love and have used or would use in our  own homeschool. Please see my disclosure policy.

Are you looking around for new ideas for your teen's English next year?  We used a variety of curriculum for homeschooling high school English.  

Homeschool High School Frugal Career Exploration Elective - Help Your Teen Find Their Direction in Life

Summary:  How can you help your homeschooled teen figure out what they want to do after graduation?  7 Sisters Homeschool high school career exploration curriculum was a great help for us and to gave our teen a homeschool high school credit. This post may included affiliate links to products that we love and have used or would use in our  own homeschool. Please see my disclosure policy.


Are you homeschooling a high schooler who just doesn't know what they want to do after graduating?

Homeschool Handwriting Curriculum - Free and Frugal Resources -

Summary: A frugal approach to homeschool handwriting curriculum for homeschoolers and preschoolers, elementary kids using these free or frugal homeschool handwriting curriculum and resources.   This post may included affiliate links to products that we love and have used or would use in our  own homeschool. Please see my disclosure policy.

Do you have young ones who are ready to learn how to write?  

Do they show signs of eagerness like playing a lot with crayons, noticing letters and signs, or making lots of marks and shapes on paper?  Do they know the alphabet?

Today, I'd like to share my guide to handwriting, using simple frugal resources for the basics of handwriting, including:

- Introducing the A,B,C's
- Learning to write the letters 
- Simple copywork activities using your child's own words
- Practicing handwriting with Draw, Write, Now, link below.

You don't have to use an established or expensive handwriting program.  We didn't.  Instead we found two frugal resources for teaching handwriting.

TIP - Make writing meaningful to your child by using her own words whenever possible.  

Here's how we approach handwriting, starting with the A, B, C's.

1.  Introducing the A,B,C's

Using the Library - We introduced the ABC's through fun alphabet books from the library.  You know, those books that start with "A is for Apple", etc, with lovely photos to go with them.

The Big Book of Alpha Tales - This book has very funny stories for each letter of the alphabet, with mini books to make for each one. (Approximately $7.00)

Using Clay or Magnets - Sometimes we made the letters out of clay.  I also got my daughter a set of magnet letters for the frig.  These are readily available at the drug store.

I just put our set of magnet letters onto our frig, and my daughter loved rearranging them into little designs.  And through her play, she learned the shapes of the letters.

Next, she was ready to learn how to write her letters.

2.  Writing the ABC's with this Frugal Handwriting Curriculum

from MelissaAndDoug Storytelling Paper

We used a variety of activities to help her learn to form her letters....including:

- copying large letters onto the chalkboard
- practicing writing the letters in the air
- making letter shapes in fingerpainting
- even using pudding!  

I gave my daughter a lot of time to explore the shapes and learn her letters.  When they are ready start with the capital letters first, using this chart above as to how to shape the letters.  

But if your child decides to write them a different way, starting at the bottom instead of at the top, let it go if their letters are legible.

Once she could write the letters of the alphabet, we went on to copywork, using Story Paper For Kids, if you like.  This frugal packet goes for about 6 dollars and has 50 heavy weight handwriting paper for your use.  Or just goggle handwriting paper, and chose a free one with wide lines.

3.  Frugal Handwriting Homemade Copywork

Once my daughter could write her letters, I looked for some very wide lined paper, which had a blank space on half of it, for coloring and drawing.  

I found Story Paper For Kids very helpful. 

.

We always started with drawing first, then I asked my daughter about the picture.

 Often it was something that she had done the day before, or a favorite animal, or two.  Then she would tell me about it.  

I listened to her words, then I would write down a few of her 
words, so she could then copy them onto the lines on her paper.  

My goal was just that the letters be legible. The important thing is that my daughter was using her own written words to communicate. 

Here's a sample of beginning copy work.  My child first told me about the picture, I wrote down her words, then she copied them onto her paper. 

Neatness and goals:  Neatness and staying in the lines will come, but often it takes a lot of practice, and I suggest not focusing much on that, but instead on helping your child practice handwriting, using her own words. 

The writing sample above is excellent work for a young hand writer who is not struggling with handwriting.  It is going to be a messy thing for quite a while, which is to be expected.

Next, we moved on to practicing handwriting, using frugal books from Draw, Write, Now, which involved copywork with short stories.

4. Building Handwriting Skills 

I was delighted when I first found Draw Write Now.  When we opened the book together, we saw that each lesson included a shape or animal to draw, and a very short story to copy. 

Learning to draw these shapes was easy, with the step by step guide provided.  Drawing first helped her to relax.  The more relaxed your child is, the better they will write.

The Draw, Write, Now series is a homeschool handwriting curriculum that consists of eight books, each with a different theme, and all written at the same reading level, around 2nd grade.

I took my daughter to the nearby children’s book store and she chose Book 1 - On the Farm, Kids, Critters. It was full of her favorite animals to draw.

My daughter's handwriting greatly improved from doing this easy to teach program.....Click here to read more of my review.....of Draw, Write Now.

If you have been following my series on handwriting, you already are probably familiar with my post on fun fine motor activities.  

These activities help to develop the small muscles of the hand, key for little writers.   If your child has trouble grasping her pencil, you might like to check out 9 Fun Ways to a Mature Grasp, or Grasping Aids and Devices and the other posts I have on handwriting struggles.  Just click on "2e" and scroll down to find the handwriting section. 

This year, my daughter is a college grad writing essays, etc. But it all started with these simple, frugal resources for handwriting.

Thanks for stopping by BJ's Homeschool,

Betsy

Betsy is a former O.T, preschool teacher and published author of children's stories.  She is mom to her 2e college grad whom she homeschooled through high school.  She blogs at BJ's Homeschool about the early years, high school, college, and is the author of "Homeschooling High School with College in Mind".  She offers homeschool help through messages at BJ's Consulting.

Want to stay in touch?

Subscribe, Pinterest, Facebook 

Copyright, Revised 2019
All Rights Reserved

Our Frugal Homeschool High School Math Sequence and the SAT/ACT

Summary:  Our homeschool high school math curriculum choices and how we did our math sequence in high school.  How and when to plan for SAT or ACT testing depending on what math your teen has completed.  Tips for teens who are headed into a math related field and more.  Homeschooler tips for college testing included.


Math was something that my teen did everyday in our homeschool.  Especially during the high school years.  Is that how it goes in your house, too?