I’m not sure my child is motivated enough to do this.
This is a near-universal concern. In most cases, though, parents are pleasantly surprised to find that the unhappy, unmotivated, impossible-to-wake-up-in-the-morning teens they’ve been living with regain their sense of ambition once they have control over their time and activities. (Getting enough sleep helps, too!)
So, I’m just supposed to let my kid quit high school and do whatever they want? That’s nuts!
No—but not for the reason you might think. One of our first surprises doing this work was that it was usually parents, not kids, who were willing to entertain a more creative and flexible definition of “education.” Kids’ only educational experience is with traditional high school, so when they leave they still tend to think in terms of Carnegie units: after I take Algebra I, I’ll need to take Algebra II. After I take French III, I’ll need to take French IV.
Parents, who have more life experience and more work experience, are more expansive in their thinking. We weren’t expecting this: the stereotype is that teenagers are wildly creative, to the point of being reckless, and parents must pull them back to earth. Instead, we’ve found that parents must often push their kids to go beyond the familiar.
We have no research on why this is, but we’ve seen it many times and we’re guessing that it’s because parents, with the benefit of hindsight, can pinpoint which aspects of their own educations served them well and which did not. Maybe they learned to take direction in school, but are now in a job where they’re expected to take initiative. Maybe they wish they’d learned statistics instead of calculus, or personal finance instead of shop. Maybe they wish they’d had more experience with technology, or collaborative work, or time management. Answers here may definitely vary!
So, no, don’t let your kid do whatever they want, because they need you to help them think beyond the school model. You don’t need to give him your ideal education, but you know them better than anyone else does (including their teachers), and you can help them find interesting and educational experiences they might not have thought of when they considered alternatives to school.
How much will this cost?
Most families find they save money in the long run. Here’s why.
If a teen is unhappy or struggling in public school, parents often assume that private school is the only alternative. In Boston, most Catholic schools cost over $8,000/year, and private schools can cost more than $30,000/year! Designing an independent educational program is much less expensive.
Families should set aside some funds for classes and activities. Activities are usually inexpensive: teens can learn to sail through Community Boating for $1/summer, or pay $5/year for membership at the Boys and Girls Club in Dorchester, where they can play basketball, floor hockey, learn to swim, or take art classes. For a little bit more, they can take business technology classes at the Boston Center for Adult Education ($50-198), take a Grub Street class with professional writers in freelance journalism ($65) or essay writing ($115), or take an intensive class in German at the Goethe Institute ($300). Zumix offers a wide variety of music lessons on a sliding scale.
Some organizations even pay students to participate. The Citi Performing Arts Center gives a stipend to teen participants in their leadership program. Bikes Not Bombs gives a free bicycle to students who finish a course in bike repair and bike safety. The Arabic Summer Academy gives every successful graduate a $400 scholarship. (See the Activities section for more.)
If your child wants to study some subjects the “normal” way — out of textbooks, using tests and quizzes — there are many companies that create curriculum specifically for homeschoolers. Prices vary, but $20-40 per subject is a good ballpark figure for a new textbook + workbook. Many homeschoolers sell or give away used curricula in near-pristine condition, so ask around on homeschooling boards and in homeschooling groups if price is a concern.
Students can also design their own activities. Starting a blog is free with Tumblr. Setting up an online craft shop is free with Etsy. Registering a business in the Commmonwealth of Massachusetts costs $50.
College classes are more expensive, but the credit that students earn will transfer when they go to their “real” college later. It makes more economic sense to pay for community college or correspondence classes now, while the student is living at home, than to pay for those same classes later, at a school that charges higher tuition as well as room and board.
If teens are especially thrifty—and exceptionally motivated—they can get their entire education for the cost of internet access and a library card. Google “frugal homeschooling” for tips from parents.
Will you work with students who’ve had problems in school? My child has had poor grades/previous suspensions.
Usually, yes! As a general rule, we find that students who did well in elementary school but are unhappy in middle or high school will be a good fit for homeschooling generally, and Rise Out specifically.
Students who have struggled since elementary school – for example, students who are reading several years below grade level – may find it challenging to take advantage of the independent learning activities we advocate and support, including Rise Out classes. If your child is in this situation, please contact us, since we can probably advise you on alternative education options.
On the other hand, students who loved elementary school and now ALSO love high school may find it difficult to leave their friends and all the high school rituals that are so much a part of American culture: prom, yearbooks, homecoming, football, cheerleading, senior pictures, and so on. These aspects of school life are very important to some students, and homeschooling might be isolating for them.
For other students, however, these rituals are completely irrelevant, or at least not so important that they’re willing to endure all the parts of school they find disagreeable in order to take part in them. These students are ideal candidates for Rise Out. (We should be clear, though, that leaving high school does not mean leaving one’s friends. Most students keep their school friends, but also make new ones through the classes and activities they participate in once they leave school.)
By the same token, students who have been in serious trouble with the law, or who have ongoing problems with substance abuse, may not be served well by having even more freedom during the day. You as a parent will have to make that call.
But students who have had minor scuffles with school administration or are frequently getting into power struggles with teachers often thrive once they leave school. This is especially true if their problems stem from frequent tardies, absences, or missed homework. Many students have joined Rise Out classes after leaving school due to social and school-related anxiety; then tend to do very well. Read our homework policy for more information on how our classes different from normal “school” classes.
Photography credit: Laura Fokkena