Back To Homeschooling!
Another summer has come and gone! There are those of us who homeschool year round, but still it's not the same schedule in the summer. While still enjoying field trips year round, the school year schedule is packed full of more educational field trips and outings. So, how do you make that transition to a bit more focused learning again?
Here are some suggestions to ease back into the routine of schooling for home educating families.
Ease Back Into Your School Days
Everyone, including the teacher, will appreciate a more relaxed approach to the start up of the new school year. Start the first few days or weeks of schooling by focusing on a portion of your classes, topics, activities for your school days. Work up to your full schedule by starting with the three R's: reading, writing and arithmetic. Then, gradually add in your other subjects to round out your full school day and weekly schedule.
Change It Up
A new school year should mean something new for your homeschool. What new ideas do you and your kids have for what you want to do this year? Is there a new series you want to read, club you want to checkout, sport you want to try, new field trip destination? Adding new adventures to your school will keep you and your kids interested in your homeschool journey.
Take Your Cues From Your Kids
If your child is clearly not interested in the topic at hand, maybe pull out one of their favorite school books and have a quick read. Jog in place for a few minutes to reactivate their mind and body. Going from a summer of non-stop activity to a more focused, intentional learning time can be hard for even the most eager learners.
Build In Lots Of Breaks
This one is absolutely necessary for the beginning of the school year. If you've been free styling most of your days during the summer months, getting back to a homeschool routine can seem like more of a chore than the blessing it truly is meant to be for families. Set a schedule to work for 10-30 minutes depending on the age of your children. After the work time is up, stop and stretch, grab a glass of water or a quick snack. Then, back to the structured learning time until the next break.
Do The Fun Stuff First!
Most of our time is spent doing things we have to get done. This is especially true when our kids are home with us all day. We usually set aside the fun family time for after the chores are done, once the meals are cooked or laundry is folded. At the start of our homeschools this year, why not have the fun first? To get our kids, and us, excited about the new school year, begin each day with the subjects they enjoy most. Your kids will be more eager to get the day started when they have some fun learning to look forward to at school. The start of a new homeschool year will feel more like a get-to than a have-to.
These are just a few of the ways we can get back into homeschool mode. I'd love to hear some of your tips for a smooth transition!
Happy Homeschooling!
India