You can homeschool high school

(This was a series that I started right before I started working six years ago and never finished. I am republishing these first two posts and plan to finish the other 10 posts that I started, but never finished)

You can do it, even if you don't feel like it.

Many homeschoolers get scared away by topics like trigonometry, chemistry, and foreign language. I will readily admit that it all sounds a bit intimidating, but as we charge to the end of our first child's sophomore year, I'm living proof that it can be done.

This week we experienced an exciting affirmation. My son, almost 16, went to the community college to take the entrance exams so he can begin dual-enrollment classes there this summer.

He had to take two tests -- reading and math to secure his spot in the appropriate class. He is currently nearing the end of Saxon Advance Mathematics with me as his teacher. Yep, me. The one who always has to look up what sin means (at least outside of Bible class). The one who needs reminders about what a natural logarithm is, and even with a reminder I will admit I don't really understand it.

So, how'd he do?

Proud mama moment . . . He easily passed the college level reading proficiency required by many of the classes (history, science, etc.). And, he tested into the highest class they test for -- college level calculus.

I can assure you he did not accomplish this because he had some wise knowledgeable teacher guiding him through pre-caluclus. It was just me and Saxon's book, not even the DIVE CD's.

Success is not guaranteed, but it is possible, and there are some things I did right to get here. Despite my pretty pathetic track record with blogging lately, I am going to start a series of posts and homeschooling high school and some of what I am learning, even as I admit that I am still a rookie in this venture.

I did a lot of things wrong -- started serious record keeping late, didn't do enough writing over the years, let myself get intimidated by my weaknesses, let high school sneak up on me, and on and on. God gives grace and wisdom where I had none. You don't need to be the perfect parent or the perfect teacher, just a God- surrendered one willing to seek out the answers, and surround your home with the resources for each child to be all that God has created him or her to be. And, when you have an off week, or an off month, or even an off year, God can restore those seasons.

I walked through some seasons of the locust devouring everything around me and I thought we could never make up the last opportunities and time. God is so good, and we stand here jaw dropped at test scores that live that out.

Surprise, surprise, my kids' success isn't all about me. But, stay tuned and I will share some of what we did right along the way to get here.

UPDATE: Our son has now graduated college and landed his dream job in California. More on that in later posts, but we have now graduated our third child from high school and continue to learn with two in high school this upcoming school year.