High School Electives – How to Earn While You Learn

Published:
August 1, 2020

Contributor:
Shannan Swindler

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High School Electives – How to Earn While You Learn

When homeschooled teens look at high school electives, it’s often a case of multi-tasking. Your teenager is probably thinking:

“Which high school elective can I earn credit and________(fill in the blank) at the same time?

How would your high schooler want to fill in the blank? They might be considering something like:

  • Have fun
  • Look Cool
  • Be influential
  • Make money
  • Help someone out
  • Invent the next fad gadget

They may even have said ‘study as little as possible at it’. They are teens, after all, right?

As the parents, homeschooling career-minded teens need to also remember that there has to be motivation for the teen. Finding that motivation can be a challenge. Take a look as some of these ideas for high school electives that will tick the boxes on your teen’s list and be able to hold some weight on a transcript.

The list could go on and on. The point here is to think outside the box and choose something so your teen can fulfill a need on their transcript and gain skills for life right now or in the very near future. Help your homeschooler become a teen entrepreneur & start adding credits for elective classes this semester

Examples Of How To Earn While You Learn With Highschool Electives

Typing class – Being able to accurately type 50+ words a minute will allow your teen to be able to spend less time working on research papers & projects and more time having fun. They could even be hired by others to help out with other keyboarding or transcription style jobs.

Auto Maintenance, Computer, or Bike Repair. – These hands-on skills can turn into cold hard cash by offering to repair other equipment or by purchasing used equipment, refurbishing it and re-selling it. Add in an e-Bay reseller course and you are set to have an elective course that puts money in your teen’s pocket.

Is your teen a creative type? Maybe photography, painting, art, or even handcrafts like knitting, jewelry making, or sewing can end up teaching them a skill that will allow them to make money they can put toward college, moving out, or even gap year travel. Not sure what to do with all your teen’s creations? Let them learn how to set up and manage an Etsy shop and sell them.

Career-minded teens that have outdoor skills or athletic coaching can often put the skills they have learned to use at summer camps, or even as tour guides or event leaders. Working at the pool, leading hiking events, or teaching sports skills become the experiences you can add to an online, textbook, or hands-on training to create a full high school elective course. Scouts, Cadets, and first aid or lifeguard training allow for exciting opportunities to let high school electives work for you by providing income and a solid grade on a transcript.

High School Electives & Transcripts

So when it comes down to it, many electives require some amount of course work along with a sizable amount of experience and training. In the United States, between 90-180 hours of course work will be considered enough for 1/2 to 1 full course credit. Once those have been accomplished you have the ability to earn while you learn. It’s a great homeschool elective combination. Knowing how to create a transcript is important too. Planning ahead is vital.

College or university-bound homeschool teens may take a different path with their electives. Read the 5 most important electives college-bound high schoolers need to have on their transcript. Make sure you have your bases covered for college & university admission expectations.

Download the free Checklist for College & Career Minded Homeschoolers to help your teen keep track of their college & career path to success. 

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