Top 10 Homeschooling Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

© Greg Landry 2025. For permission to reprint in blogs, newsletters, web sites, etc. please contact Greg Landry.

Through 20+ years of working with thousands of homeschooling families, teaching 4th-12th grade homeschooled students, and teaching university pre-med students (some were homeschooled), I have unique insight into what we're doing right and what we need to work on as homeschoolers.

The Big 10:

1. Not doing enough testing and not doing timed tests. There is an easy way to relieve test anxiety for students, and in particular, timed test anxiety. Most homeschooled students are anxious about tests and in particular timed tests because they rarely take them! Start giving your children "tests" early - in the middle grades years.. and time them. But here's the key; set them up for success by creating tests that they can do well on and by giving them at least twice the amount of time they need to complete the test. You will build tremendous confidence in them and the test anxiety vanishes! Once they see that they can do well on the test and complete it with lots of time left over, their confidence soars. As they get older you can gradually make it more challenging, but by then you have created confident test takers. And by the way, this confidence carries over into other aspects of life.

2. Schooling year round or schooling too far into the summer. Students need to know that they can work hard for a prescribed period of time and then have a complete break from classes for a while. I believe it's actually counterproductive to school year round or with very little break. My experience is that most students actually accomplish more in less time when they're not worn out from constant "school." Remember, we want to develop students who love learning and become life-long learners.

3. Being squeamish on the science of Creation. Science is on our side - God created it. We need to boldly teach our students all the ways that science and the world around us support biblical creation.

4. Not starting to prepare for college early by beginning to take the ACT in 9th grade, along with other preparations (If your student is likely going to college). In these first years the student is taking the ACT for the experience and for practice, not for the score - that comes later. A good score on the ACT can make a huge difference with scholarship and grant money, and college acceptance.

5. Not starting serious high school sciences early enough. It's easy to put this off and before you know it they're in 10th or 11th grade with little science. Many of my students are taking their first high school science around age 12 or 13.

6. For younger students, call the sciences what they are (chemistry, physics, biology, anatomy & physiology) rather than "physical science" and "general science" and teach them that way. This makes high school science more familiar and far less intimidating.

7. Not giving students a structured academic environment early. Beginning in 6th or 7th grade, provide a structured academic environment for students that includes deadlines that have to be met. Inability to meet deadlines is an issue with most homeschooled students.

8. Not doing labs or not doing enough labs. The work of following a method, performing an observation or experiment, recording observation and data, and writing a lab report is not just about the science. That experience and skill spills over into other academics and other aspects of life too.

9. Not allowing students to take some of their classes as "outside" classes in the middle and high school years. Students need to begin the process of taking classes from others / being accountable to other teachers as they prepare for life or college. Our homeschooled students need experience in meeting real deadlines.

10. Losing our focus. Is easy to get caught up in the academics and, as believers, lose our focus on the Creator. Press on!