3 tips for easily combining classes for high school teens4 min read

A combination class is formed when students from two different or consecutive grade levels are placed together under the supervision of one teacher. Students in combination classes maintain their respective grade-level tasks and receive a suitable grade-specific curriculum.
One of the common things seen in homeschooling is combining classes. It may differ from elementary to high school, the basis of skills involved, the curriculum, the importance of subjects, etc.

Here are three ways mentioned broadly to help you combine high school classes in a productive and fruitful way.

1. COMBINATION OF CONTENT SUBJECTS (NOT SKILL SUBJECTS)

To be clear let us first differentiate between skill subjects and content subjects.
Skill subjects are those areas or aspects where the kids need to develop a skill set to further learn anything. Like reading, writing, etc.

Whereas, Content subjects are those areas or aspects in which we use the skills we have developed earlier to learn more. Like literature, etc.

Now when it comes to combining classes in high school it is always advised to combine content subjects and not skill subjects because say for example science has turned to a skill subject, now the teen cannot do chemistry until he has done algebra 1 and similarly he won’t be able to start physics because that would require algebra 2.

So combining such subjects can be a task as some of them depend on the command of the teen on another subject.

You can combine English with History and so on. But subjects like math can be taken independently.

2. MAKE AN ADAPTIVE AND INCLUSIVE PLAN

The lesson plan which you will be making or the schedule which you will be adhering to should be made by taking into consideration the needs, interests, and preferences of all the kids.

One kid may be good at something the other one isn’t so making time for each one of them to not feel alienated and including everyone’s concerns is necessary.

3. PLAN IT THE EASIER WAY

Many people who homeschool their kids say that it is easier to plan extra activities from a well-detailed course than to cut down from it.

As mentioned earlier, all kids are different and have their own strengths and weaknesses, the plan should be inclusive and fit for all.

Now, this can include adding a few extra lectures for one or changing an assignment for another.
Sometimes a child can do the research and look up work while the other can read or write.

One thing which needs to be taken care of is that the maturity level and mindset of each child is different, maturity would obviously differ from a 14 to a 16-year-old kid.

TAKING THE ADVANTAGE OF COMBINING

Now since we know how to and what to keep in mind while combining high school classes, let us take a look at the advantages this has

• It is relatively cheaper: you would not need to purchase the supplies and also the books for all the courses. The cost which is cut down here can be then used to enhance the homeschooling experience for the teens. There can be a thousand ways in which this can be utilized. You can take the kids on a field trip or buy them some fun stuff or just take them to an amusement park or the movies.
• Helps to have interactive and captivating discussions: You are not just normally lecturing your children, combining help to have insightful and fun discussions with your teens. This is because there is a generational factor, the age gap. Everyone would have a different opinion on something and it would make the discussions more delightful.
• Teens work more responsibly: This happens when you combine the grades. Children become more responsible for what is being taught to them and they become more independent too.
• Teens learn to work cooperatively: Any kind of combination anywhere would require cooperation. When you combine classes for the kids, they become more sociable and cooperative because they do not really have an option to be fair. In a positive way, they learn how to coexist and adjust with others automatically which is a great life skill that as we have seen is required in all walks of life.

Conclusion

Herein as we observed that there are things to be taken care of while combining classes for teens while schooling them. They range from what subjects need to be combined, what should be added according to whose preference, and what should be cut to considering the age of the teens because all this may look petty and irrelevant but it does influence the success of the combined method of classes for teens.

There are also a couple of advantages of combining classes which include less cost incurred due to fewer supplies and books, healthy as well as indulging discussions among the parent and the teens.