This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: 10 Ways to Help Teens Develop Their Interests.
10 Ways to Help Teens Develop Their Interests
One of the joys of homeschooling high school is helping teens invest in their interests.
One of the most important gifts we can give our teens in their high school years is to lean into discovering their interests, to explore ideas that are important to them, or simply to find out that they have interests, and to try on hats and to see which ones are the best fits for them.
Out of these interests, teens may turn them into hobbies or avocations that will follow them for the rest of their lives, or just for the high school years.
However, often these interests will become the first steps towards a career.
We, parents, want to know that we have done our part in helping our teens be ready for the next phase of life. We want to invest in them, to know whether they really are interested in something enough to make it a career.
Whether an interest will become a hobby or a career, an important part of high school is investing in interests.
Let’s talk about 10 ways to help teens develop their interests
Remember, discovering and developing interests is an adventure, so try not to get stressed about it! Here are ten ways to have an interesting adventure!
1. Start get-togethers or a club
If you find your teen has an interest they would like to explore, see if they’ve got some friends who have the same interests. Let them have get-togethers and participate in the activity together, or make a club.
One of Vicki’s sons and his friends were interested in doing film. The movie The Lord of the Rings was popular in those days. My son and his friends watched the extra material on the videos. This inspired them to make their own videos.
Soon, they wanted a Cinematography Club. The teens had so much fun. They made short movies from start to finish: scripting, filming, acting, and making props. We were able to include this as an extracurricular on their transcripts.
That son went to community college and got his AA degree in video production. By that time, he had said, “You know what? This is not what I want to do for a career, but it’s going to be a good tool.” He has used filmmaking throughout college to do his presentations.
He is a teacher now, and he has sponsored a Cinematography Club at his school.
Remember: You are never wasting time when investing in your teen’s interests.
2. Join a local group that’s already there
In some areas, there are lots of opportunities for teens to explore different interests. For instance:
- Local libraries often have programs for teens
Your co-op, local homeschool support groups, or umbrella schools often have some kind of interest groups for teens. Our homeschool high schoolers have participated in public speaking groups, choirs, bands, service groups, and sports teams through our umbrella school or homeschool support group.
3. Sometimes churches will have things that our teens find interesting
Teens who are ministry-oriented, mission-oriented, and/or enjoy church youth groups can join groups that help them explore these interests. A number of our teens have been in the church youth group and have joined missions trips overseas or here in the States.
4. Opportunities in the community
Look for interesting opportunities in the community: ranger-led walks in state parks, organizations that do river cleanup days, birdwatching groups, etc.
5. Take an online or a local course
There are endless opportunities for our teens:
- Local guitar, piano, or voice lessons at studios or private homes
- Community-oriented or for-credit courses at local community colleges or online colleges
- Asynchronous courses are offered online, such as 7Sisters Psychology or Early Childhood Education, or platforms like EdX classes or Udemy.
- Online, live courses at homeschool schools like the ones offered by our friends at Funda Funda Academy or Dreaming Spires Home Learning.
6. Log hours for an elective credit
If your teen wants to spend some time exploring a subject, let them do it. Have them log the hours. One of our top articles at 7SistersHomeschool is from the Freedom Homeschool mom. Her name is Sarah, and her teens have been exploring gardening. They have done gardening for an elective credit. They log those hours and get elective credit.
7. If they are interested in something that can build core credits, let’s let them lean into it
Some of our teens who have been into sciences have done extra sciences like marine biology or an extra chemistry course. If they are into it, let them explore.
We have had teens get a textbook on astronomy and take courses in that.
7. Have them write a research paper for their ELA credit or towards some elective hours
Teens can turn interests into electives! One of my teens was born a musician and has enjoyed singing, playing guitar, and being part of a church worship band. When he was in high school, he developed an interest in the history of church music. So, one year, he did a deep dive into this topic, writing a research paper on the topic. He spent enough time on the topic that he logged an elective credit in Church Music History.
(BTW- this is a true “sparkle credit” on the transcript!)
8. Teens can take a dual enrollment course
Teens can take dual enrollment courses at their local community college or online courses through a college. If these courses help them explore an interest, they earn a triple blessing: early college credit, high school credit, and another way to explore interests.
9. Find an apprenticeship
Finding an apprenticeship for your teen is a good idea. Years ago, one of our teens wanted to explore becoming a farrier. She found a local farrier and worked with them, and began learning those skills. This was a first step in a career that was meaningful to her.
Another one of our teens was interested in becoming a large animal vet. She did an apprenticeship for a vet. This was a valuable experience for her because she found that she did NOT like the on-call lifestyle of a veterinarian.
10. Find a service or volunteer opportunity
Is there something related to your interest that the teen can do to serve the community? For instance, in our area near the Chesapeake Bay, some organizations take families kayaking and participate in a river cleanup. This gives teens service hours, as well as understanding the local waterway, using a kayak, and enjoying nature.
Bonus: 11. Allow your teen time each day for fun exploring their interest!
Don’t forget to join the 7SistersHomeschool Facebook Group. It’s a great place to ask questions and share your own ideas with others.
For more on helping your teens explore interests, check out these:
- Helping Teens Explore Interests, with Samantha Shank
- Our friend, Natalie Mack, shares how she helped her teens develop their interests in How I Homeschooled
Thank you to Seth Tillman for editing!
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