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I see a lot of parents asking for a “hands-off” curriculum for middle school and even elementary aged homeschoolers. The truth is, this does not exist. If you want your child to learn and develop great work habits, focused study skills and grow in their problem solving skills, they will need your guidance to become independent learners.

Independence is the fruit of applying skills. Life skills like assignment planning, time management, self discipline, study habits, research skills and learned in the elementary years. The better the foundation, the more likely your students will be ready be independent learners.

Some students need you as a guide and a guardrail for longer. Your job is to assure they have access to the skills they need each year that you homeschool. In this article I will share some of the skills that will help your teen transition to working independently.

Want to hear me speak on the topic? You can watch the session 2/22 HERE at the Life Skills Leadership Summit. (my talk will be available LIVE at 10am, and forever with a VIP PASS upgrade) I speak a few times a year and love creating actionable materials to connect with NEW and veteran homeschooling families like yours.

Provide Study Skills to Grow Independent Learners

First, help them understand HOW their school book works.

Identify things like the instruction box, expected vocabulary words in bold, where is the glossary, using indexes and so on. Walking through the materials at innovation will help your child feel confident in handling more independence. Answer the question of WHERE to go for specific information.

We forget that we had to be taught how to find Figure 1.3 in our textbooks back in the day. Don’t take for granted that your child knows how a textbook works. Going through the first few chapters together is a great way to get a gauge on how the material is presented, the layout and how you child is responding to the text.

It is OK if they are a little underwater in the beginning, but they need your support and assurance to help them build the skills they need to meet the requirements of the assignment. Don’t be afraid to allow them to experience difficulty, but support them in finding answers to their problems and setting themselves up to succeed.

Ask question like, why do you think you were unable to complete this assignment? What can we do differently next time to have a better outcome? Let them come up with some ideas, you will be surprised at how much more responsive they are to their own suggestions.

Questions = Less Nagging +More Success

Secondly, help them use their notebook.

Build the habit of a notebook being the place where they keep all of their work. Create a tab for each subject they are learning and place lined paper for note taking. Expect notes to be taken. Ask to see them.

Teach them about what information should be written in notes. Spending a few months on creating good study skills, note taking and organization skills are never time wasted. You can print prompts for the subject you are studying for younger children to help get them started.

These skills lay the foundation for growing independent learners and support your student.

••• They need clear expectations in their school work and you are the source •••

Your middle schooler needs to grow their tool chest with foundational study habits to help them dig deeper.

Reading is another foundational skill your child will need to master to become independent in their lessons. How do you ignite the reading habit? You can read this for more ideas.

How Much Independence to Expect?

Homeschooling in the early years is a hands-on endeavor. There are many options for parents today, BUT your children will need you. Even if you choose an online curriculum, you are responsible to get your students set up, assure they are logged in and in the right location/time/site. You will continue to follow up with assignments and field questions, find resources, buy glue sticks and so on.

You can NOT be completely hands-off in your homeschool.

I would go so far as to say WHY would you? Your kids are amazing, smart, funny, inquizitive and inspiring. If you are beginning homeschooling you are in for a treat. Your kids NEED you. You are the most important person in their life. THey are looking to you for clues about how to respond to the world around them. The lessons you learn together are going to live with them forever, not like, the area of a triangle, but the overall scope will become the fabric of their future personality. That is a weighty demand.

You are going to lead. HOWEVER, you can equip your children to be prepared to work independently as they mature.

As a CEO knows the direction of the company, so you know the end goals of your homeschool. You will set up projects that help your homeschool reach these long term goals. You are in staff training for the world to come and the Kingdom in which you already reside.

Well trained employees are a pleasure to work with. Well trained students are fun to teach. Skip training and… well you know what that feels like and it is no fun.

What are realistic expectations?

Elementary students can come to the school time prepared for the day. Focus on creating personal hygiene routines and rhythms in your day. Building anticipation for the NEXT thing to do will help younger children transition throughout the day.

What work can independent learners do?

Elementary students can do daily copy work after being fully instructed on handwriting. Your child can have a creative corner to do art work independently, followed by cleaning up and putting away supplies. Your child can read to a sibling, the family pet, or to you while you do light chores (fold clothes, dishes, food prep). An elementary student can do time challenge worksheets with simple math problems. Games and physical activities are a great addition for this age group. You can play with them until they show understanding.

Middle school students can keep a checklist of work that is expected each day. Have a list of work to do independently. When you are busy, or they have completed their tasks, they can choose from these activities.

Options for their independent work can be reading chapter books for their core subjects, Lapbook, LA workbooks, online topics or lessons, Science workbooks, electives, art, games, handwriting and any item that you have completed giving instructions for.

In the middle years, I schedule check in times for each student DAILY and a we have a WEEKLY check out plan in place so they know what is expected to be free for weekend plans.

Build Accountability with Clear Expectations

Give them Choices

Balance these growing academic demands by allowing you middle schooler to influence their homeschool curriculum with areas of study and elective choices.

We will talk about this more in the next article!

Grab your Accountability sheets from my course 30 Days to Homeschool Renewal and create a new standard for your homeschool today.