A Simple Yet Powerful Way to Homeschool High School English

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When it comes time to homeschool high school English, you have a lot of options for curriculum. All of those choices can seem overwhelming, complicated, and scary.

Oh, and the struggle to get your high schooler on board with the whole process can feel utterly daunting!

Fortunately, homeschooling English in the high school years can be a simple and enjoyable experience for all. 

Find out what English curriculum has been a huge success with my two teen boys and why we keep coming back for more.

 

 

Disclaimer:  I received this product for free and was compensated for my time. As always, I'm sharing my honest opinions and was not required to provide a positive review.

 

The High School English Curriculum That Works for Us

I don't want to leave you hanging (or make you scroll down just to get to the juicy part of what's actually working for our homeschool high school English). 

Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum is what works for our family.

When your 14-year-old son asks you to get the next course of his high school English because he's worked ahead and wrapped up English I, you don't question it. You just go with it.

Because you know that getting a teenager engaged in their high school work can be challenging.

When that teen actually enjoys his English curriculum, you quietly sneak away with a huge smile on your face, relieved to know this is one less battle that you'll have to endure during the homeschool high school years 😉

Oh, and this same young man used to detest writing, curling up into a fetal position on the floor and sobbing that he's a horrible writer!

 

 

In fact, Professor (14) and his older brother, Captain (17), both made me promise to stick with Paradaigm Accelerated Curriculum throughout their homeschool high school years. 

Read on to find out more about our story, how we found Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum, and why I think you'll want to consider this homeschool high school English (and other subjects!) for your family.

 

 

My Homeschool High School English Fears Are No More!

Language Arts. Composition. Speech and Communication. Literature.

High school English has a lot of moving parts, doesn't it?

And all those parts had me scared silly. (Like, literally. I was hysterically giggling at one point because I didn't know what to do or if I'd survive this whole homeschooling high school English thing.)

Although I look back on my high school English years with great fondness, my growing concern about teaching my older boys all of these parts in our large-family homeschool was reaching new heights.

Both boys were just starting to enjoy the writing process. After a few bad experiences in public school, our relaxed homeschool approach helped them rediscover their love of learning, even in not-so-favorite subject areas like language arts.

As these two young men started to enjoy writing again, I noticed a few things. Both boys get overwhelmed with superfluous or rambling. No pretty pictures or lots of colors, thank-you-very-much! They prefer simple, clear-cut, and concise. 

 

My teen boys have a meat-and-potatoes approach to homeschool curriculum 😉

When I began to delve into homeschool high school English options, I thought my brain was going to implode trying to find a curriculum that would best fit their needs and learning preferences. 

Luckily, my boys had experienced a history course from Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum which met all of their requirements. When they asked to give the high school English a try, I was happy to comply.

Professor used English I: Language Skills for his ninth-grade homeschool year. Since he completed his work early (and with great results), Professor asked to move on. He's now using English II: Composition Skills to get a jumpstart on his sophomore year.

 

 

Homeschool High School English with Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum 

I went straight to the sources to share with you just why my teen boys are sticking with Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum. Here are a few of the reasons why they prefer this curriculum:

• Distraction-free:  Printed in black and white, my boys don't feel overwhelmed with a bunch of colors.
• Open-and-go:  Professor and Captain both like the fact that they don't need a gazillion resources to get started on their coursework. 
• Not overwhelming:  Booklets (more on the course kits below or here) make it feel "much more manageable". Also, Captain likes "not having to lug around a huge textbook" when we're homeschooling on-the-go.
• Activity book:  "Kind of like a workbook but more" that complements the text booklet. The boys prefer having the activity book to work in at the same time as reading the text. Both boys feel like it helps them better retain information "and it's kind of like taking notes".
• Relatable stories (character-enhancing type of vignettes) help with vocabulary and to make the concepts stick. Professor likes that the Vocabulary section is prominent and easy to refer to when reading and studying. 
• Lots of examples to help you understand the lesson and what you're supposed to do for the activity, quiz or test.
• Life Principle:  Our homeschool uses positive quotes all the time for encouragement, growth mindset, and character building. My older boys like having these types of messages at the end of every lesson to reinforce concepts and to carry with them into their lives.

 

 

Oh, did I mention that both boys are also using other subjects from Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum for their high school coursework? 

Yup, this year, they completed the Character and Skills for Home and Careers as an elective.

Both boys also are using World Geography for one transcript credit.

Captain is close to completing Principles, Theories, and Precepts of Biology. Next, he'll take on Precepts of Anatomy and Physiology.

Professor is working on Integrated Physics and Chemistry (and loving it!). 

 

 

A Large-Family Homeschool Mom's Perspective

Obviously, my two older boys are all about Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum. Wondering why I love it?

When you get your curriculum, you'll notice a handy-dandy page with HOW TO USE PARADIGM COURSES AT HOME. You'll want to read that A.S.A.P. 

This letter gives you bullet points on what you need to know and do as a homeschool high school (English or insert other Paradigm Accelerated Course) teacher. No guessing or sorting through a gazillion papers to figure out what to do and when!

If you prefer to learn through video, just scan the QR code at the bottom of the letter. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

The Teacher's Resource Kit (TRK) is phenomenal. It has everything you need to easily help your homeschool high schoolers when they need it. 

All courses have quizzes and tests. If your teen scores higher than 85% (or a percent you deem appropriate) on all quizzes and you feel they're ready to move on, you can allow your high schooler to skip the test. I don't often use this option but like that it's there 😉

A few special bonuses include invaluable forms like Transcript Planner, Academic Contract, and Academic Goal Chart to use with your homeschool high schoolers. 

 

 

Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum: Our Honest Review + Discount Code

Clearly, we're big fans of Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum.

The straight-forward, open-and-go approach allows my older boys to thrive. And I'm happy because I feel like this style builds confidence and provides them with opportunities for independent learning (great for their college and career paths!).

If you're considering homeschool high school English (or any of the other courses offered by Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum), I encourage you to pop over to their site and take a look. 

Use discount Code 15ANDFREE for 15% OFF and FREE Shipping on all Full Course Kits. (Valid through June 31, 2020.)

Copy and paste this code >>>  15ANDFREE  then click the button below 🙂

If you have any questions or concerns about Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum courses,
please leave them in the comments area below and I'll be happy to help 🙂

 

 

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