Tips To Get Your Children Organized for High School

High School can be a difficult and stressful time for your teenager. Juggling different classes, sports, activities and preparing for college can become overwhelming. Studies have shown that teenagers who are well organized achieve higher grades, have better self-esteem and are healthier. Organization can be divided up into three areas: time management, study habits and health.

Time management is crucial in High School. Your teenager will have several different teachers in school. The teachers do not necessarily confer with one another. What this means for your child is that some weeks he may have numerous projects due, other weeks he may have nothing. He may also have practices and meetings at different times each week. Your child will likely have social obligations as well. This is a lot to keep track of.

A student planner will help your teenager keep track of all these things. Some High Schools have planners that students are required to buy and use. If they don't, take your teenager shopping to pick one out. Tablets and smart phones are also a great option, with many calendar and scheduling apps available. Ideally the planner should include both weekly format and the full month.

For major exams, the student may want to highlight it so he can quickly see it when it comes up. If the teacher does not hand out an itinerary for the semester, they will usually give out the weekly assignments on a set day. Mark this day in your personal planner as well, so you can remind your teenager.

If your student is involved in sports or other activities, he can use the planner for that as well. Have him mark down practices, meetings and events. Parents can also use this to see if they need to arrange any transportation and can plan to attend their child's events.

As a Professional Home Organizer, I would recommend after the first day of school, sit down with your teenager to help him fill out his planner. Some teachers will give out an itinerary for the full semester. If so, have your child write down all homework and projects due on the specific date.

For Juniors and Seniors, they should use the planner to prepare for college. Most will be taking ACTs and SATs. These tests are only offered a few times a year. The planner can help remind them to prepare for them in the weeks before. It will also ensure they do not plan anything on the test date. They can also mark down all college visits and deadlines for applications.

Students who have a high GPA, always have good study habits. Your teenager needs a space in the home where they can do homework and study, without distractions. He should also try and do his homework the same time every day - this sets up a habit he can follow all year. Your student should also set aside time each day to study, even if there is no homework for that day. During this study time your student can review notes and rewrite them, re-read chapters in the textbook and work on skills.

Quite often, students do their homework and forget about it. When test time comes, they may quickly try to cram the information in. Students who set aside time each day to study and review, do far better on tests. An organized workspace always help contribute to improved efficiency.

Your student's health is incredibly important during High School. Your teenager is still growing and changing physically. They are also learning social skills, managing stress and developing self-esteem. One of the best things your can do for your teenager is to make sure they get plenty of sleep. Teenagers need a full 8 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Less than that, they can lose focus. Have a set time each night that they go to bed, allowing a later time on the weekends. Don't forget the iPods and cell phones, make sure they are powered off each night.

Students often become stressed when they are juggling too much. If you find your student becomes overwhelmed, it may be time to evaluate their schedule. Your teenager may need to eliminate some sports or activities. Staying organized also helps to alleviate stress. If your teenager is always planning ahead, he won't be rushing around to meet deadlines.

A Virtual High School Was Just What Mike Needed

If you want to make excuses, there were a lot of reasons that Mike failed in traditional schools. He had a learning disability, some serious family problems, became friends with the wrong crowd, and at times looked at the people around him and saw little hope or reason for optimism. On the surface, he was a dropout with few good options going forward. However, if you delve a little deeper, there were reasons to be optimistic.

Unlike some people who drop out, Mike was neither dumb nor so deep in a bad situation that he couldn't get out of it. Sure, he had friends who had some legal problems, and he might never have been as dedicated as he should have been, but he was drug-free, young, capable, and most importantly open to ideas.

When you drop out at the age of 17, you either waste away or look for work. Mike began searching for a job but found that without a degree it's very difficult to find employment that pays well. While searching for a job, he met Ronald, a social worker who knew a lot about how the system works.

Ronald suggested to Mike that he consider returning to school. Mike did not like that idea, but was intrigued when Ronald mentioned a virtual high school. Without distractions in class, a virtual high school could provide a safe environment to study and earn a diploma.

When Mike told his mom about the virtual high school option, she didn't understand the concept. He explained that he would be taking the same sort of classes that he had been in when he dropped out, but instead of going to class, he would enroll in courses online and learn using the computer at home. He emphasized that by being at home he would not be subjected to all of the drama that takes place at school, and there would be no temptation to take a wrong turn whether that be in or outside of the classroom.

Mike enrolled in the virtual high school and almost immediately enjoyed the experience. The teachers seemed to care about him. When he went to class he felt stupid asking questions. In an environment with no other students physically in the same classroom, he felt more willing and comfortable, making sure he understood things, asking for help, and even trying out classes that he would have been embarrassed to take with his peers around.

In no way is a virtual high school perfect for everybody. Neither does a traditional campus get the most out of every person. Mike graduated last month. He got a decent job now that he had a diploma, but is considering whether he wants to take some college courses. Having options is a beautiful thing.

High School Homeschooling: Preparing for College

When it comes to college, it isn't usually just the child who is nervous. Parents are as well. In a homeschool environment, parents are more so because they are taking on a number of roles occupied by different people in a traditional school setting. Here is some advice to help you to prepare your homeschooler for admission to college.

Why College?

In this day and age, the more education you have, the better you will fair in the big wide world. A high school diploma hasn't been enough for a long time. Whether you choose a trade school, a four-year university or a specialized school that caters to fashion, art, theater or music, it is important to have a firm foundation in high school in order to gain successful admittance to these centers of higher learning.

You teenager may think they know what they want to do right now, but that can change. As a parent, it is your job to give them the broadest education possible so that even if they change their mind, they are still prepared for college and a career.

Tips for Parents to Prepare your Homeschooler for College

Below you will find some advice to help you make the most of those high school years. You don't have to be a scholar to manage your child's education, just persistent.

    Begin early - We don't mean first grade, but begin planning their high school years during the eighth grade year. Research the state requirements for graduation. Kids in traditional school attend for 180 days or roughly 1,100 hours of instruction. For a homeschooled child, each credit hour for a subject is equivalent to 180 days. So, for instance in English, 4 credit hours means that they will have to study that subject each of the four years they are in high school homeschool.

    Talk with your teen - Since they are the one who will enter college, find out about their interests. To make high school more interesting, choose subject matter and electives that cater to their choice of career. One advantage of homeschooling is that there is more flexibility and variety when it comes to including field trips and other activities as a part of the curriculum.

    Choose electives carefully - Colleges are looking for well-rounded students. If a foreign language is required, you don't have to choose the traditional ones. Your teen might want to study Russian or Portuguese.

    Keep complete records - This will make it easy when completing their high school transcript and resume. Pay attention to their extracurricular activities, electives, field trips and other activities.

    Give them every opportunity to excel - The eBook The Teenage Homeschooling Success Manual by Sophia Harris provides parents with all they need to know to encourage, motivate and help their teens find success in high school and beyond. When it comes to standardized college entrance exams (SAT, ACT), practice makes perfect. Throughout their high school career, administer several practice tests so they become familiar with the material and how the test is designed to increase their confidence level.

Homeschooling classrooms have the advantage of preparing their teens for college without extraneous issues that can plague students in traditional school.

Carolann Henderson, homeschooling mom, website editor, researcher, student of graphic design, and musician in our family bluegrass gospel band, The Hendersons. You'll find some more homeschooling curriculum reviews, general homeschooling information, free resources, tips and encouragement on my website. I also have a free gift for you that you will find instrumental in getting and staying organized in homeschooling and all areas of your life along with a free ebook to help you homeschool holidays. You can claim your free gifts by visiting my website http://www.homeschooling-road-map.com and signing up for our free newsletter. We look forward to serving you.

Becoming a High School Teacher

High school teachers are excellent sources of knowledge for students planning on going to college or university after high school graduation. These teachers not only instruct on academics, but they teach valuable skills dealing with both education and life. The abilities students learn in their last few years will be those they carry over into college. Study habits, self-motivation, and test taking skills are all very important in a student's first year in college.

In order to fulfill the qualifications for a high school teaching certification, individuals will need a few items. The first is a bachelor's degree. While, usually, this degree is in education, other majors are also welcome. Those who know they will be teaching high school typically specialize in a content area, such as science or math. Secondary teacher preparation is also required, which varies from state to state. The third requirement is student teaching. This is where potential future teachers will instruct in a relevant setting under the supervision of a certified teacher. After finishing school requirements, students will need to take a teacher competency exam given by their state.

Teachers typically work during the school year, which is 10 months long. The other two months are dedicated to a summer break. Some teachers also work during the two-month break, instructing summer school for students who need to take extra classes. Work hours include the time students are in school, plus extra time before or after school dedicated to students, parents, and other teacher meetings. Nights and weekends are usually dedicated to grading papers and preparing lessons and assignments.

Those who are considering pursuing this career should be aware that this job could be very stressful at times. Depending on where the teachers educate, class size may be large and barely manageable. In certain areas, teaching tools such as computers, current textbooks, and other resources may not be available. There may also be issues with disruptive, idle, or unmanageable students. Successful teachers typical possess exceptional skills in areas such as time management, critical thinking, coordination, speaking, listening, instructing, and decision-making.

As of 2012, the average wages for teachers is $55,050 annually. The bottom 10 percentile earned approximately $36,930, while the top 10 percent earned about $85,690. Top paying states include New York, Rhode Island, New Jersey, California, and Alaska. States that have the highest employment level are Texas, California, New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This career requires at least a bachelor's degree, along with teaching certification. Some teachers even advance a step further and earn their master's degree in order to take on more responsibility or move into a new job position. Programs to become a high school teacher are available as on-campus or online programs.