Home > Homeschool Curriculum Reviews > What About High School Math?

What About High School Math?

By Wynne and Harriet Yoder

Concerns About Teaching High School Math at Home

Many homeschoolers have concerns about teaching upper level math at home. Sometimes this can be the deciding factor about whether to continue to homeschool your children during high school.  Don't give up because math is a difficult subject for you. There are several ways to be successful at teaching high school math at home so you can keep on homeschooling through high school. Here are our suggestions:

DIVE CDs with Saxon Math

There are DIVE CDs that help with Saxon Math, if your children do well with it.  Every level of Saxon Math from 54 and up now has a solution manual where the steps to solve the problems are shown.

Ask Dr. Callahan

Ask Dr. Callahan offers DVD instruction for Geometry, Algebra 2 with Trigonometry, and Calculus.  We carry the Harold Jacobs Geometry used in the Geometry course, as well as the Ask Dr. Callahan Geometry DVD.

Key to Geometry and Key to Algebra

There are Key to Geometry and Key to Algebra which we like for two purposes.  First if your student is not going to college and needs to meet the algebra or geometry requirements, then Key to Algebra and Key to Geometry will work.  If your student is on the academic track for college, I recommend these courses as prep courses for algebra and geometry.

Math Flippers

If your student needs help to learn math terms and formulas, you might like the Math Flippers®, a useful reference that fits in a 3-ring notebook. Access terms, definitions, and formulas to refresh your memory. There are Flippers for all the different levels of math including geometry, calculus, financial accounting and more.

Traditional High School Math Curriculum

Some curriculum publishers offer traditional math curriculum. Bob Jones University Press Mathematics for grades 9 to 12 is a more traditional textbook approach. With Teacher's Guides and tests you should be able to teach the different levels if you have a good background in math. Another curriculum that is more traditional is Lifepac Math from Alpha Omega.

Hire a Tutor

Hire a tutor to help the ones who need help. This has to be cheaper than private schooling! If funding is a problem, then check with friends and family. Maybe you can find a volunteer who would donate time and talent to help your student.

Homeschool Co-op Classes

Find or start a homeschool co-op that offers a math course.

Take Math Class at a Christian or Private School

Your local Christian school might let your students take their math class.

Take Math Class at a Public School

In Pennsylvania (and perhaps some other states), the public schools will allow homeschoolers to take one or two classes on a space available basis. I'm not really in favor of this, but it's been helpful in certain situations. Math is a course that deals strictly with math and doesn't typically get into controversial issues. Older students are usually more mature and have immunity against the "stupids"--doing dumb things because of peer pressure.

Other Options

Some companies have videos or satellite instruction. They are expensive and often leased for only one year's use.

Updated 04/24/2008