What if...we don't have internet access?

Part 2 of 2

Today, we are accustomed to telling people to hop online as the first place to search for information. But back in the 1980s when the homeschooling revolution started, there was no internet access in every home.

And yet, the kids learned.

So if you don’t have great internet at your house (or any internet at your house), it’s absolutely possible to have a great homeschool experience with your high school students.

May of the same things that work well for younger kids simply get scaled up and work equally well for older students.

Libraries are still magical

By the time kids are in high school, trips to the library mean skipping the kids’ section and poking around in the stack for adult readers. Books are still one of the best ways to gain information, and you’ll find all sorts of books at your local library. Even if your child isn’t a reader, most libraries have extensive audio book and DVD sections where library patrons can check out materials.

And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, please talk to the front desk. Librarians love it when their patrons come to them with special requests.

If the library doesn’t have everything you need, call The Great Courses (1-800-832-2412) and request a catalog. While many of their classes are available online, they have an outstanding list of courses available on DVD: the middle ages to military blunders, geology to astronomy, screenwriting to world mythology. You name it, The Great Courses has it.

Part-time learning

Part-time jobs are another great way for high school kids to not only learn something but to earn something. Maybe it’s a job in construction, maybe your horse-loving kid finds employment at a local stable, maybe instead of taking music lessons, your child begins teaching music lessons.

If your child is college-bound, college admissions committees love to see work experience show up on a transcript because it shows that your child is able to schedule and prioritize activities in order to do well in school and hold down a part-time job.

And if your child is not college-bound, prospective employers really love to see that your child has a good work ethic and is committed to building a set of skills.

Connect Offline

Join a homeschool group and take advantage of co-ops and other activities they may have on offer.

Beyond the music, dance, theatre crowd of private lessons, connect with people you know and take advantage of their expertise. Look for scouting programs, 4-H clubs, American Heritage Girl groups — all of these represent great ways for older kids to learn. (Ask the librarian what groups are active in your community!)

And think outside the box to the people that you meet!

Maybe the physical therapist you saw when you rehabbed your shoulder would be willing to teach an anatomy course to a group of homeschoolers. Perhaps a local pastor would be willing to teach a philosophy or ancient civilizations and cultures class. The ham radio enthusiast who lives next door might be up for sharing that love of ham radio with a group of high school kids. (Cool tidbit: Kids ages 12-18 who are interested in learning how to fly should definitely connect with the Civil Air Patrol for their CAP Cadet program.)

But the most important thing to remember is that learning happened before the internet existed…and there are loads of wonderful offline opportunities for your homeschooled high school students to learn and grow.