Sometimes one of the most beneficial things you can do is have a good structure in scheduling homeschool. I have always thrived on a schedule, but I honestly have to say that currently we do not have a day-to-day schedule for our homeschool and we are happier for it. I am sure this will change when my girls get older, but for now we are fluid when it comes to structure of the day. We do have set things on set days that we go to, but not a “this is what we learn at what time” schedule.
SCHEDULING HOMESCHOOL
But these things I know to be true when scheduling homeschool:
- Make it a routine rather than a set in concrete plan.
- Pick a time of day you would like to start. It doesn’t have to be 9am. It could be after lunch. This is a great thing about homeschool. Do what works for you and when your child functions best.
- Plan to do the “harder” or “more academic” subjects first. These are subjects like math and ELA – ones that require more brain work. If you don’t get to the other subjects that day, oh well.
- Remember that you are not recreating a school setting. And do not try to schedule in 5 hours of school. You will be able to get everything done in much less time. You are not collecting homework or assigning homework at the end of each subject.
- Plan to be flexible. Things will come up that you might not plan, like sickness or sudden appointments for a family member. Don’t be so set in your structure that this throws you off and stresses you out.
- Don’t forget to have fun. Make sure you plan playdates and field trips.
- Decide if you want to plan weekly or monthly. This is entirely up to you. I like the flexibility of weekly as things are constantly coming up that change when we might do our school work.
- Change your plan if it is not working for you.
PRINTABLE WEEKLY CALENDAR
There are so many good weekly calendars online that you can print out to make work for you. Google and look at the different options, as there might be one that just helps you get into the groove of homeschooling and what needs to be done. Some curricula come with a schedule already for you, but you don’t have to follow them (isn’t that great!). Maybe you pull from a variety of sources and don’t have a set curriculum, so planning when you might want to cover each subject can be good.
Here are some examples of printable weekly calendars.
Don’t let a schedule rule you. That is one reason I am sure you picked homeschool, for the flexibility. You are in charge of the schedule, not the other way around. Scheduling homeschool is for you – for your sanity.
Add comment