How to Effectively Homeschool High School Math

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If you are a parent who is nervous about how to homeschool high school math you are not alone. I hear this concern every single time I share a photo of my teens doing math on Instagram stories.

I think parents worry about homeschooling high school math for a couple of reasons:

  • Some parents have math anxiety
  • Fear that we are not preparing our kids for college and careers
  • We have forgotten a lot of the math concepts and math skills traditionally taught in high school math
  • The math expectations might be higher than when we were in high school

Thankfully, it is possible to homeschool high school math without losing our minds. There are a few great options, so there is likely something that will work for every homeschool family.

How to Homeschool High School Math

how to effectively homeschool high school math written below a chalkboard with math symbols

Teach the Material Yourself

Teaching high school math courses yourself is usually the first option most families consider.

Generally, this option requires parents to purchase a math curriculum and commit to spending 30+ minutes a day providing direct math instruction for their high schoolers. It might also require parents to spend a bit of time reviewing the math lesson so that they are able to teach it.

My husband and I have always taught our kids high school math at home. My kids are very different, so their curricula are different. My daughter prefers Math U See, and my son is trying Saxon now that he is past Singapore math levels.

If you want to teach high school math at home, consider the homeschool math program carefully. Do you want:

  • Detailed teacher manual
  • Video instruction
  • Test bank

There are homeschool math curricula that contain all of the above; you just have to know what your family needs.

Some of the homeschool high school math curricula that fit this method of teaching include:

  • Saxon Math
  • Math U See

I would recommend you avoid using public school high school math textbooks. Those are designed to be taught by people who have a solid math and teaching background, making them difficult for most homeschool parents to use.

Use an Online Curriculum

Using an online course to homeschool high school math is an option that is growing in popularity as more curricula come on the market.

Every online math curriculum is different, but generally, they teach the material, give practice problems, provide quizzes, and correct the material. This method does not require much, if any, parental involvement.

Some online math curriculum options include:

  • Teaching Textbooks
  • Mr. D Math
  • CTC Math
  • ALEKS Math
  • Khan Academy

Many online classes offer a free trial so your student can make sure the teaching style works for them.

Related: How to Use Khan Academy as a Full Math Curriculum

Outsource the Teaching

If you really do not want to homeschool high school math yourself, don’t worry. Outsourcing the teaching may be an option, depending on your location.

Some areas provide more opportunities than others, so it might take a little research to find an option in your city. These options might be a good fit if your student prefers live classes.

There are three main ways to outsource teaching math.

Join a Co-op

A co-op provides a classroom learning environment to a group of homeschool students. Sometimes one homeschool mom or dad agrees to teach math to all of the students if another parent will teach another subject.

Other co-ops hire a teacher to lead the class.

To find a co-op, ask for suggestions in your local homeschool Facebook groups. Sometimes they are listed on Meetup.

Hire a Private Teacher

Hiring a private teacher to teach math is becoming popular as more and more teachers leave public schools. I will warn you that this is not an inexpensive choice. I have seen teachers charge $50/hour and up. That adds up over the course of the year!

However, the cost might be worth it if you really want to outsource the teaching.

Some teachers will work one-on-one and others group math students in classes. High school math teachers can be tricky to find, so it will take some research and asking around to find one that is a good fit.

Participate in Dual Enrollment

Dual enrollment is a way to earn high school and college credit at the same time. The rules surrounding enrollment and credit transference vary widely by institution but generally operate the same way.

High school students enroll in the college (usually their local community college). Once they have been admitted, they sign up for the appropriate math class. Their academic advisor can help them decide which class is the best fit. Then they just work through the class like any other student.

Dual enrollment can be amazing. Earning free college credit while still in high school can be really tempting.

I want to issue a word of warning. Dual enrollment classes are an advanced option. These grades, issued by the professor, will stay on your student’s transcript forever. Content is taught quickly because a course only lasts one semester.

Dual enrollment as a way to homeschool high school math should only be used if you are confident that your high school student can handle college-level math assignments.

Related: 5 Things to Know About Dual Enrollment

Important Things to Remember

  1. Generally, high school math levels are:
  • Algebra
  • Geometry
  • Algebra ii
  • Pre-Calculus
  • Calculus
  • Trigonometry

Courses such as pre-algebra, personal finance, and consumer math do not count as math credits in the eyes of college admissions officers.

2. The best homeschool math curriculum is one that works for your student. This will be different for everyone.

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Welcome! My name is Jennifer. I am a teacher at heart. Before my children were born I was a public school teacher. Now, I am a homeschooling mom of two.