COVID-19 has changed many different aspects of our lives.
When school districts across our country decided to close the school year early many parents panicked. It was a huge family challenge for people everywhere.
The future of our public school systems is not very promising as they construct ways to implement social distancing standards.
This has left many parents wondering if there might be a better way.
One thing that amused me was the shift in attitude toward those of us that have stayed home with our kids all along.
Let’s face it. Homeschoolers often get a bad wrap.
But the level of respect went through the roof after a few short weeks! Staying home with children, keeping house, educating their minds and organizing their days is not easy! It has its perks, but it is not a cakewalk!
I would like to take this opportunity to gently point out that what America experienced at home with their children is NOT TRUE homeschooling.
First of all the objective of homeschooling is NOT self-isolation.
There is plenty of interaction and out of the house experiences to enjoy and learn from. Second, being handed a packet of worksheets with a distant deadline falls far short of the level of scholastic discipline that we have planned for our students. Not to mention the amount of time that goes into researching curriculum and schedule making.
So just to set the record straight, what you may have experienced in your home from mid March until now is not TRUE homeschooling. It is better in many ways and more challenging in others!
Many people are weighing their options for the next year school year. If you find yourself looking more seriously at the possibility of homeschooling I hope you will find this encouraging and enlightening.
The first thing you need to consider before buying books and clearing out a corner of the house to work from is a schedule. Developing a workable schedule for your school day is really the secret to success.
Realizing that this schedule needs to be flexible and can be revised as needed is the secret to SANITY.
Let me help you avoid the “schedule stress syndrome” before you have even sharpened your first pencil!
I can not tell you how many times I would get everything figured out, written down and printed off, only to start from scratch again a month latter.
The first thing to realize is that this schedule is not set in stone. Making changes to your schedule, whether its hourly, daily, or your entire vision for the school year, does NOT mean that you have failed. It means that you have learned from your experiences and you will refine your vision and your philosophy of homeschooling as you go.
So what is our schedule like? Take a look below, and keep in mind that I have 2 girls’ ages 10 and 11. They are roughly in the same grade.
7:30-8:30 a.m. I wake the kids up, they read their Bibles, make beds, get dressed. They generally make and clean up their own breakfast.
8:30-10:00 a.m. This is their free time; sometimes they play in their room, sometimes read or draw. They go outside and feed pets and do any outdoor chores I might give them.
10:00-11:00 a.m. School bell chimes at 10! This is the time to do the hardest subject. For us it is math. I teach them math separately. While one is working on math, the other is practicing piano with a timer set. When complete, we switch off. This allows me to work with their individual skill and compression levels. It also prevents the frustration of competition or fighting for my attention and help.
11:00-12:00 a.m. I give them a variety of work they can mostly accomplish on their own at this age. Usually they read their Bible lesson, they have a handwriting book and a grammar page. They also do a section of their science lesson or history lesson. We trade off between theses subjects in our year-round homeschool plan. You can read more about that here.
12:00-1:00 p.m. Lunch Break! More often then not, I put on my lunch lady hat and fix them their lunch. That gives them time to play outside some more. Outside play is a large part of our curriculum!
1:00-2:00 p.m. This part of the day is the hardest. No one ever skips back to the school corner. This where I put subjects like typing, spelling, or writing! These subjects do require my involvement but they don’t take quite as much brainpower.
So that’s the schedule that is currently working for us!
The most important goal in making your homeschool schedule is creating something that you can stick to even on tough days when there is sickness or attitudes or other life complications!
Could I make a more grueling routine, start earlier end latter, include more subjects?
Sure I could. And I have. But if we cannot consistently keep up with that routine, then it only generates frustration and homeschool burnout rather than productivity and joy in learning.
A steady pace with achievable goals generates satisfaction for parents and children!
Are you already homeschooling? Are you happy with your routine? Share your tips below! We can all learn from each other!
