Homeschooling: The Teen Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 13- to 18- Year-Old

by Cafi Cohen

Discover the Rewards of Homeschooling Your Teen
·Create unlimited learning on a limited budget
·Discover teaching methods for teens with different learning styles
·Utilize the best resources and technology
·Prepare your teen for college, career, and adult life
The teen years can be the most exciting time in your child's life. He or she is becoming an independent young adult and beginning to make decisions for the future. Yet growing concern about the negative social pressures, safety, and efficiency of our traditional high schools has prompted many parents just like you to teach their teenagers at home. With The Teen Years as your guide, you'll discover it's not as daunting a task as you've been led to believe. Using real-life stories from dozens of families, this book reveals the secrets of making homeschooling work for you and your teen. You'll discover how
·Work with your teen to create a unique, individual learning experience
·Make coursework interesting, challenging, and fun
·Allow your teen to discover the best vocational path, including selecting a college
·Know when your teen has "completed" high school
·And much more!
"Contains three of the most helpful sentences I've ever read on the question of 'Just start.' 'You will make mistakes.' 'No big deal.' What excellent advice! One of the most thoroughly helpful books I've read in years. If you're homeschooling a teenager you'll want—and need—this outstanding book!" — Helen Hegener, managing editor of Home Education Magazine
"Am I crazy? Homeschool my teen? But how do I do it, when should I do it, where do I find information, and is this really a good choice? If this sounds like you, stop shopping and start reading. This book provides insights and solutions to questions from A to Z. Highly recommended!" — Cindy Stanley, sponsor of the Homeschooling for Everyone Conferences
"Lots of practical tips, examples, and help. I loved the smorgasbord of ideas from other homeschooling parents of teens, showing the wide range of ways to learn and excel." — Judith Waite Allee, coauthor of Homeschooling on a Shoestring

Genres: Nonfiction, Education, Parenting, Self Help

344 pages, Paperback

First published May 11, 2000

Reviews

[Diem · Rating 3 out of 5]

It isn't the fault of the book that it wasn't what I thought it was. I was looking for a guide for someone who was already homeschooling and this spent a good chunk of time persuading the reader to consider homeschooling. It was the fault of the book that its main method of persuasion seemed to rely upon showing all the myriad ways you could skate through educating kids without much cost to your time, caloric expenditure or pocketbook. It took a bit of a tone with people who opt for a more structured approach to home education. Worse still, it left out the harsher realities of homeschooling. Like the fact that it requires huge gobs of time, effort and, yes, some money.

It also did not speak to the special circumstances of working with an adolescent mind. Um. With THE adolescent mind. Well, it didn't address either one so no matter. It glossed over keeping transcripts and setting up a suitable curriculum which are of great concern to most parents with teenagers, homeschooled or otherwise educated. Not at all the "Complete Guide" I was promised.

All in all, not a must-read. Library this one.

[Margaret Chind · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some notes for my memory to follow. Decent resource book, I'd recommend it as a read.

"Read, read, read, === one to ten books per month or more."

Top Ten Authors:
Jane Austen, The Bible, Charles Dickens, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, C. S. Lewis, William Shakespeare, John Steinbeck, Leo Tolstoy, Mark Twain



Arithmetic, Pre-Algebra (8-9), Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II, Trigonometry and analytic geometry, Calculus -- SAXON MATH

World Geography, Government and Economics, American History and the US Constitution, World History and Cultures

[Rona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! It's jammed pack full of resources, tips and helpful information. I highlighted this one and will be keeping it my personal library. Cafi Cohen doesn't recommend one homeschooling style over another. It's all about you and your child's learning needs. She did survey many homeschooling families. Their comments are mentioned through the book.

This book is for anyone homeschooling 13 to 18 year old. I would recommend it for beginners and experts. There's plenty tips and suggestions that will anyone can use.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a ton of information in here about homeschooling. As I was reading, I had to stop many times and research the information it presented. I was implementing ideas and lessons as I went along. Such a good investment in Lorelei's future.

While I got this at the library, I may need to buy a copy to keep as a reference while we continue this homeschooling journey.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this while contemplating homeschooling teenagers. My teenager is now in high school, but you know, it might still happen. Good suggestions on how to handle the subjects you might not feel strong in. Parents are mentors, they don't have to know everything to do a great job homeschooling!

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. I borrowed it from a friend and took so many notes, especially from the resource sections at the back of every chapter. I may still need to buy the book for myself.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good to help either solidify what you are doing.. or help you get more creative in the adolscent years.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 2 out of 5]

I selected this book because Cafi Cohen is widely respected as the authority on home schooling high school and home schooling as preparation for college. However, this book did not do justice to her reputation. It felt very formulaic, perhaps because it is part of a series (there’s a book for elementary and another for Middle Years, by different authors). A key part of the book was a non-scientific (participants self-selected) survey of home schoolers. The first chapter analyzed their answers to a variety of questions, with the results being (not surprisingly) that the majority were between 25 and 75 on a 100 point scale on every question. The survey essay answers were used effectively throughout the book to give “life” to how things really work in home schools. However, I didn’t find the resource lists very comprehensive. They missed several common ones that are mentioned frequently on TAGMAX. In addition, the book is copyright 2000 and feels dated in its resource lists. Once Sonlight curriculum was mentioned in the text, but contact information wasn’t included in the references at the end of the chapter. Overall, I think that there must be far better books on home schooling high school.

[Marilyn]

Cohen has done an excellent job of describing the teen years and homeschool options for those years. She divided all the information into 3 sections: Preparing for Your Family's Learning Journey; A World of Resources; and Keeping the Learning Journey Fun and Successful.

Her book is based on survey results from 104 homeschool families. She's done an excellent job of describing families and how and why we homeschool. I love her philosophy: "It doesn't matter where you begin, just begin!"

That's been our philosophy. In fact it's what I would tell anyone who's asking. I'd ask them to tell me the family's favorite thing to do and then start.

Cohen lists lots of websites, catalogs, books and magazines that help. She lists "Parent's Top Ten Authors/Titles for Teens." Jane Austen, The Bible, Charles Dickens, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, C.S. Lewis, William Shakespeare, John Steinbeck, Leo Tolstoy and Mark Twain. What a delicious list!

And then the "Teen's Top 20 Authors and Book Picks" and on and on. I need to read this book at least once a year.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was insipid. For anyone who has been on email lists for homeschoolers, there is nothing new. If you haven't been on email lists, her suggestions might be new.

It's also one of those books where you hear about all these different families doing different things. I find those uninspiring now. When I started homeschooling, they were useful. Not so much now.

[Sundy DeGooyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, I'm going to homeschool next year. Yes, I'm excited. Yes, I've read a lot of research and feel it is right for our family. This book was good. But not one of my favorites. A lot of the ideas in the book were fabulous, but I'd read it in other books and thought of some of the ideas before. It's good. I'm glad I read it. But there wasn't much that was new.

[Wendi Lau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a reference to butt. More of just a quick skim if you are already homeschooling. I was looking for specific references for curriculum and planning. Some pertinent info here but the book is also 10 years old so there are probably more recent sources.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written more towards those just starting out. It should not be overlooked by veterans for tips and resources.

[Carrie]

This book would be good for new homeschoolers. If you have been homeschooling for more than a year, it will probably not be helpful to you.

[Adrienne Bagnato · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful advice and information for people who are considering home schooling. This is only a starter book though - does not event scratch the surface of the planning and materials needed.

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know. Probably more useful for new homeschoolers needing moral support and resource ideas.

[Krista Billings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat outdated (published 16 years ago) but some good valuable information

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are the years that scare me the most. This made it feel do-able!