Teens and Motivation
Friday, July 28th, 2006By Mimi Rothschild
It is difficult enough to keep a teen interested and motivated without the temptation to drop the books and head outside. It is natural for your homeschool teen to become distracted and restless, even if they choose their own learning environment. There is no cause for concern, your teen is quite normal. There are some warning signs for negative behavior patterns that the homeschool parent should be on the lookout for. If your homeschooler begins to display some of these signs, it is time to make a change. Homeschoolers will often respond favorably to one or more of the ideas set forth below.
Ask your homeschool teen to write down his or her long term and short term goals. Once they have their list, sit down and discuss it with them. Talk with them about the best path to take to achieve their goals. If college is one of these goals, start touring early to motivate and inspire them. Replace some of their lessons with discussion. This will not only improve their interpersonal skills but may also help them with public speaking. These discussions may also help you and your homeschool student decide what their goals might be and how to proceed.
Let your homeschooler choose their own study time and environment. Try to offer them some alternatives or variation once in a while. If the weather allows, move the lesson outside. You can also select work and volunteer experiences to enhance the lessons.
Mix the lessons up a bit. Mix reading with projects, experiments and crafts. You can also use art and music to illustrate math concepts. Music can also be used as an aid for lessons. Take field trips when your teen’s motivation seems down. The change of venue will be welcome.
Use strategy oriented board games as a way to promote memory and logical thinking. The change of pace will be a welcomed alternative to their books. Provide encouragement and structure to the lessons to help your homeschooler see their progress.
Another way to break things up is to join and participate in homeschool support groups. They are a ripe environment for activities, ideas, and social interaction. You can also find a neighbor or relative who can act as mentor to your homeschooler. A local musician or business executive could be a good mentor for your teen.
Help your homeschool student to rediscover their love of learning. Emphasize your teen’s strengths and learning style. Public schools often focus on linguistic and math intelligences only, and learn by rote memory. You can create a classroom that fosters visual or environmental skills.