Beth Martin | Episode 032

In part 2, Zan and Beth Martin continue their conversation about homeschooling through high school. You’ll learn about the benefits of a gap year, elective credits, entrepreneurship, dual enrollment, testing, financial aid, the FAFSA, service opportunities, and options for classes that parents don’t want to teach. While you might be hesitant to homeschool in high school, take the plunge! Your teens will blossom, and the benefits of spending these years with them will absolutely amaze you!

After earning her Bachelor of Science in Education in Mathematics from Ohio University, Beth began her career in 1989 teaching middle school math in Lexington, SC. She left that job to become a full-time mom when her first child was born in 1993, with two more children arriving soon after to round out the Martin clan. Beth and her husband Steve homeschooled all three of their children through graduation.   In 2013, Beth joined the staff of the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools (SCAIHS), and in 2015 she was named Middle & High School Director. Beth is a SCHEA board member and works closely with colleges, the Commission on Higher Education, and the SC Department of Education to ensure that SCAIHS families receive the best possible information and guidance while still allowing parents to control the educational process and individualize instruction to suit the needs of each child.  While still a consultant for SCAIHS, she has joined the staff of Upstate Homeschool Co-op as the incoming High School Program Director for the 2023-2024 school year. She loves encouraging, supporting, and advising parents and students to find the best path for high school and beyond.  Beth and her husband now live on 3 peaceful acres in Greer, and she enjoys gardening, hiking, exploring antique stores, and snuggling with their 2 dogs.

Upstate Homeschool Co-op, https://upstatecoop.org
SCAIHS (South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools), schomeschooling.com

• Many parents hesitate to homeschool in high school because the stakes seem higher and the responsibility-level escalates. Stop worrying and take the plunge. Research shows that your teens  will blossom, and the benefits of spending these years with them  will absolutely amaze you!
• The high school years are a crucial part of the  transition from childhood to adulthood. As parents, you are uniquely equipped to help them successfully navigate that transition with creativity, poise, and faith. 
• The efficiency of homeschooling creates opportunities for our kids to have abundant  time to invest in enrichment activities and pursuits that interest and intrigue them–including service opportunities, volunteering, mission trips, clubs, teams, and more.
• Homeschooled students are eligible for the National Merit Scholarship just like their public and private school peers. And the opportunity to receive a wide variety of scholarships abounds. 
• Homeschooled students are actively recruited by colleges, the military, and a variety of employers. These teens possess  an intellectual vitality that is unusual. They exercise independence in their learning, they are highly motivated, and they exhibit surprisingly strong leadership skills and abilities.

At BJU Press Homeschool, we’re committed to providing children an education from a biblical worldview that is academically sound and challenges them to advance, think critically, and live like Christ. This type of education is not often possible in public schools because of the number of children taught in a classroom, a difference in worldview, and peer and societal pressure to conform. Homeschooling allows parents to instruct and disciple their children without daily fighting messages from an opposing worldview taught in the classroom. And with tuition costs and fees for private schooling or tutoring, homeschooling may be the only option for parents who are concerned for their children’s physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
BJUPRESSHOMESCHOOL.COM