It’s time to start thinking about planning ahead for the new homeschool year. Today, Crystal Green from Sharing Life’s Moments has 10 tips to help you prepare for the new school year. Don’t skip this post if you are not a homeschool mom, these are great tips we can all use to start the new school year right.
It’s already July. It’s time to get our ducks in a row for the upcoming homeschool year. I decided to share with you 10 Tips in Planning Ahead for the New Homeschool Year. Throughout many homeschool Facebook groups, I’ve seen a growing trend of homeschoolers not using these tips. I know from over seven years of homeschooling experience how much these tips can impact your homeschooling journey.
Tips in Planning Ahead for the New Homeschool Year
Wake up Earlier or Stay Up Later
I put this tip first because it’s important that moms have time for themselves. Taking time to go through a Bible Study for moms while drinking your favorite drink can help you start off your day on the right foot. I highly recommend getting the Homeschool Mom’s Bible because it provides loads of encouragement and insightful devotionals.
Plan Meals Ahead of Time
I’m terrible at meal planning. HOWEVER, thankfully my husband isn’t. The fact that he plans our meals out for the week is a lifesaver for all of us. Plan to Eat is an excellent program that helps a person be able to plan out meals for the family simply. Remember your slow cooker will become your best friend. It definitely would not hurt to have more than one. Pinterest has many crockpots and slow cooker recipes to help you.
Create a Routine
I’ve always said that having a homeschool routine is far easier to manage than having a homeschool schedule. Make sure everyone knows what is expected of them each day. If everyone knows what chores they are responsible for, what days they are covering certain subjects, and what days you’re not doing school work, it makes life easier to manage.
Organization
I can’t say enough about the power of organization. When everything is clutter free, it provides a more comfortable working space. If everything has a designated place, then your kids can’t use the excuse of not being able to find something as a reason to delay getting their work done. It also speeds up the process of leaving for field trips or running errands. If you’re unsure where to start with getting everything in place, Rachel has shared 50 Organizing Ideas Every Mom Should Know that can help you. (If you already feel like an expert, I challenge you to see if there was anything on the list you didn’t already know.)
Recommended for you: The Complete Back to School Resource Guide
Stay Focused
This one is vital! It’s so easy to become distracted by many things around us. However, if we want to see our students complete their work on time, we need to show them that the homeschool hours are equally important to you. Showcase to them that you’re taking the time to teach them and that time is a precious commodity. This helps them to learn the value of time management too. (It also helps YOU to see areas of improvement that may need to be done.)
Plan for Next Day
Planning for the next day is one thing most people don’t take the time to do. This task usually takes 15-20 minutes max, but it can make a huge difference in how well the next day turns out. For example, the fact that I load up the car with all library books that need to be returned the night before prevents me from forgetting any or not putting them in the car at all. That little task has kept me from paying late fees at the library numerous of times.
Also, be sure to keep track of when big projects are due. Schedule time to work on them little by little each day.
Set the Mood
Setting the mood can be a maker or a breaker for your homeschool day. If you go into the school day with a lack luster mentality, I assure you your kids will pick up on it. It’s imperative that they see you showcasing how important their schooling is to get done. I can testify that my kids gauge my moods all the time. It seems they pay closer attention during the school year. It is possible to make homeschooling a fun and exciting experience for all involved.
One Day a Weekday Off
This is one thing I’ve found that to be a huge benefit for our family. I keep Fridays as days that we are still ‘expected’ to do school work. However, if they have completed all of their school work before Friday, it becomes an extra day off for them. If not, it’s a day that they can use to get caught up. It also helps me to have this day available to work more closely with my kids should they be struggling on a topic.
I also try to make this the day I use to schedule doctors’ appointments and running big errands. This keeps us on track with our school work Mon-Thursday.
Working in Batches
I love tackling one subject a day each week. We typically handle their harder issues on Monday and Tuesday because they are more refreshed after having their weekends off. Plus, this allows us not to feel so rushed when we’re working our way through the topics. I have also seen my kids able to grasp the concepts easier when they can see the big picture all at the same time.
Change Up Things
When we do the same things repetitively, it becomes monotonous rather quickly. Sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery for everyone to find their grooves back. Plus, when you modify the way you teach something it can sometimes be the difference between your child learning something or not.
These are the 10 Tips in Planning for a New Homeschool Year that I have for you. I’m curious to see what you would add to this list.
Talk to me in the comments, please:
What are some tips for planning ahead for the new homeschool year that you have found helpful?
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