How to Successfully Transition From Elementary to Middle School

Written by Pat Fenner at Pat And Candy.

Ah, those early years of homeschooling - I remember them well!

Brightly colored worksheets, hands-on learning, baking soda volcanoes, salt maps, field trips, LEGOs, read alouds, and lots and lots of drawings -- it was family learning at its finest.

But at some point there comes a time when your child does need to start becoming a bit more of an independent learner; not because you’re getting tired, even though that might well be the case. But because as they grow, it’s necessary that two things begin to happen:

They take ownership of their own learning, and
They begin to develop personal time and life management skills.

In other words, they need to learn to navigate the middle school “magic years.”

Homeschool Mom, Your Teen Needs a Different Teacher and Here's Why

In Joshua chapter 4, the children of Israel were commanded to build a memorial of 12 stones at the Jordan River as a reminder of the BIG thing that God had done for them in parting the waters yet again. Every time the people saw those stones, they recalled that day and their big, BIG God.

MUST HAVE Bible Study Resources for HOMESCHOOLED Tween & Teen Girls

"Mom, I like it fine. But, it's just kind of...well...fluffy," she said one day when we were discussing her personal devotions. And it was true. The devotional book my daughter was currently working through lacked depth. Finding meaty resources for her had been difficult, to say the least. 

So many of the devotional books that line the shelves of the local Christian bookstore are, as she said, full of fluff. On top of that, most are written for girls facing the public school struggles of catty girlfriends, negative peer pressure, and boy trouble...none of which apply to her. 

(This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for full details.)

While popular tween/teen devotional books such the One Year Book of Devotionals for Girls and the One Year Be-tween You and God are certainly much-needed resources for the average tween/teen girl. They don't necessarily make for the best Bible studies for my daughter or other homeschooled girls.

50 Must Read Books for Middle School

She's a reader. There's no denying that.

She's also quite driven. At only 11, she has already chosen her desired college, major, and minor.

And while I recognize that at eleven her opinions and plans might ebb and flow in the coming years, I also know HER and know that when she gets her sights set on a goal, there's no stopping her determination.

That being said, the plan she has penciled in for herself after much prayer and self-evaluation requires a strong literary background. With that in mind, I have spent many months putting together a middle school reading list that will set her on that path.

Help! I'm Homeschooling a Middle School or High School Student!

The Hubs and I just registered for our state's annual homeschool conference. It is not until mid-April, but as I rank it rather high on my Homeschool-Mommy-Sanity-Saver list, I wanted to be sure to grab a ticket while the grabbib' was good.  It is a much-needed weekend of refreshment...a chance to assess our homeschooling endeavors and gain some fresh perspective and encouragement to KEEP ON the journey.

What's more, this year, I registered for the pre-conference HOMESCHOOLING HIGH SCHOOL session. 

Yep. THAT'S upon me. There's no avoiding it. My daughter is already doing some high school level work. And with high school officially starting in only two years, I guess it's high time I pull up my big girl pants and figure it all out! I'd rather take the time NOW, than wait two years and start high school with a deer-in-the-headlights look.

Cultivating a Self-Driven Day for a Middle Schooler

It's no secret that I loooooove using Task Cards to keep my kids on task. It helps to motivate them...to propel them forward into independence...and provides a sense of security for "what comes next" in their day. But, as in all areas of life, there is a season.

A season for Task Cards. 

A season for something else.

Since catapulting herself into middle school, Sweetie Pea has officially moved past the usefulness of Task Cards.