{source}
As you think ahead to a new school year, today’s Prepare tip is to take some time to reflect and refine – what worked well for you last year on your home days? What elements of homeschooling need some revising? It can be super helpful to make a list of each, so you know your strengths and what to continue doing, and also so you know where to spend your time and effort when thinking through changes.
An example: I (Jenny) found that using workboxes for my younger two children worked really well for us last year, and I will continue with this system for those kids. I know I don’t need to spend time researching other ways to organize their work, or schedule their day, because workboxes do that for us and we are all familiar with how to use them. We will also continue reading the assigned literature aloud as a family in the evenings. This routine has worked well for us for years and is something we all look forward to, so we will keep it going.
On the other hand, one thing I need to refine for this coming year is to set a consistent time to sit down with my oldest to review her work and help if needed. Because she is mostly independent, it’s easy to overlook her needs on our home days. This year I want to schedule a regular check-in time with her, so she and I are connecting each homeschool day.
This advice might sound like it’s only for returning families, but we encourage new families to discuss this with other SLOCA families you know, or will get to know in the coming weeks. Returning families, look for opportunities to chat with new parents about homeschooling SLOCA-style. Let’s be a community that shares our ideas about what works with each other, and we’ll help both new and returning families prepare for learning together.
So what worked well for you on your home days last year? What are you hoping to refine this coming year? New families, what advice would you like to have about structuring your homeschool days? Please leave your comments, questions, or any tips you have to share with other parents.
