Home schooling a gifted but unmotivated teen?

Hello timcote7,

First check the laws of your state: www.hslda.org

Read "The Teenage Liberation Handbook" and allow him to soar.

For more information:

http://www.homeschool-rewards.com/yahp

Blessings

I second the recommendation of the Teenage Liberation Handbook. The kid may also need awhile to decompress before he really gets into anything.

If you allow him to choose most of the stuff he's going to study, his motivation will be ten-fold. He's bright enough to understand that he needs to make sure the local laws are met, and that he can use some resources at his disposal that other kids don't have the chance to use because they're in school all day.

I would also recommend reading The Well Trained Mind. If you think his lack of motivation is a result of work being too easy, this will give you ways of challenging him. You could try reading their forums too. Lots of people have unmotivated teens :D

Hi Tim,

He may need some time to relax, rest, and get his bearings.

After that, help him to find his passion in life. What is he interested in? Depending upon his age, you may be able to find internships, classes, or experiences that will build upon that passion.

We have used Boy Scouts for a great deal of my sons' education. One of the neat things about it is that it introduces them to professionals in the field. They find out what they do and don't want to pursue in their lives. We have found the overwhelming majority of people will bend over backward to make time for a boy who is interested in their profession. Two hours in an x-ray and radiation therapy part of a hospital with professionals who are passionate about their work is educationally better than a full textbook of reading about it. People love to talk about their passions. It's a great source of education.

Check your state's laws to be sure you're complying with them. Depending upon the state, the requirements may be stringent (PA) or next to nothing (WA). Visit with a local support group (find it at the link below), and talk face-to-face with experienced homeschoolers.

An excellent curriculum is http://amblesideonline.com./ It's free, and is a good jumping off point, or guide if it doesn't fit his learning style.

If you are in the UK, would strongly recommend that you contact Education Otherwise or any of the other excellent organisations.

He doesn't need to be doing this totally alone, neither do you!

Every good wish for your teaching

You can search for books and websites about homeschooling. They will have more info than we here can possibly tell you.

But I can suggest you and he look at http://www.mathmotivation.com/

If you want to give him reasons for studying a particular topic, see http://www.theteacherscorner.net/forums/forumdispl... and, in the middle of that page, click all of the items that say "Why do I have to learn this?".