Things begin to change in your homeschool as your kids get older. Kids become more independent and they begin to develop stronger opinions about their homeschool day.
Homeschooling Tweens and Teens
Our homeschool entered a season of transition when my oldest entered 7th grade. She no longer wanted to do everything I had planned without question and I had to adjust the way I planned our day.
Instead of planning our homeschool week on my own the way I did when she was younger, I began to include my teens in the process and to offer them some choices. This helped them buy into the plan and there was less resistance during our homeschool week.
I began to let go of the way we previously did things and learned to adapt to their preferences and interests.
Eventually, this sort of flexibility and choice became a standard part of our homeschool week. It made things easier and more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Keeping Books As The Foundation Of Your Learning
Of course, even though my planning methods changed, literature remained the backbone of our homeschool.
I began reading stacks of picture books to my children in the early years of homeschooling and as they grew up, we progressed to chapter books. Once my kids entered their tween and teen years, things began to change in our homeschool but I didn’t want to stop reading aloud to them.
Instead, our stack of elementary chapter books morphed into quality chapter books for teens and we continued to read books together every day. In fact, a great book list allows us to learn multiple subjects together, including history, science, and literature.
My favorite time to read aloud to my teens is during our Morning Time (yes, we have Morning Time in a house full of teens). It’s a great time to incorporate a read-aloud for fun or to cover a specific subject or topic.
By being intentional at the beginning of the year, I can select books that cover a variety of subjects for our homeschooling family.
6 Best Tips For Choosing Books For Our Tweens and Teens
When I select books for my tweens and teens, I make sure I select a variety of books. It’s important that our read-aloud time exposes them to a variety that might not be present in their own reading choices.
Vary the Genre
Expose your tweens and teens to a variety of writing genres, especially ones they might not read as often on their own. Include non-fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, mystery, science fiction, and more.
Read different writing formats
Include different writing formats such as graphic novels and novels written in free verse poetry in your family booklist. These writing formats have increased in popularity in the last decade so it is easier to find these unique writing formats in all of the literature genres.
Relatable Main Characters
Every book your child reads won’t have relatable main character, but it is important to make sure there are a least a few on their reading list for the year. Include a few books with characters that are similar in age or are facing relatable problems and situations.
Research Content
As our kids enter their teen years, it can be challenging to keep up with all of their reading. As a result we have to do a little more research about the content of the books we select to make sure they are age appropriate for our kids.
Websites such as Common Sense Media include details about various topics so parents can make informed decisions. I also find that Goodreads often has popular reviews written by parents who mention concerns about content.
Choose Exciting, Engaging Stories
You do not have to make your child read a booklist full of books that are boring, even if they are considered classic literature. The world is full of fantastic modern books that will engage your tweens and teens. I like to make sure our family read aloud list includes several exciting stories that I know my teens will want me to keep reading.
Explore Great Booklists
It’s completely impossible to keep up to date with all of the book titles available for teens and tweens. Thankfully, there are a lot of practical ways to find book ideas and inspiration.
Often your local library will have updated booklists for various age group and you can also chat with the librarian about the type of books your teen enjoys.
Homeschoolers can check out booklists from their favorite curriculum which are usually listed by grade level. Even if you don’t use the curriculum, you can find great book suggestions.
Finally, you can explore booklists from your favorite bloggers and social media book loving accounts. Check out all of my great booklists for all ages!
More Book Ideas For Tweens and Teens
Special thanks to Mary Wilson, from maryhannawilson.com for this post and for sharing her amazing tips and inspiration for helping tweens and teens learn.
If you are looking for more book ideas for Tweens and Teens in your homeschool, Mary has some awesome options for you! Take a look at all of these book lists for older kids!
Over 60 Engaging Books to Captivate Your Middle School Boy
Ultimate Collection of over 150 Graphic Novels for All Ages
Over 20 of the Best Books to Read with Your Teenager
20 Fantastic Fiction Books Your Middle Schooler will Enjoy
Over 25 Biographies that Will Inspire Your Middle School Student
The Best Middle School Books to Read this Winter
Great Graphic Novels for Kids and Tweens
Great idea! My mom still reads aloud to the whole family, but in the evenings during our family time. Thanks so much for the book lists and suggestions!