What does a typical homechool day look like? Do you teach every subject daily or only certain subjects certain days? Do you set aside 45 minutes of instruction per subject or an hour and a half? Are there breaks in your school day for chores? Free time? Do you homeschool on Friday? Do you attend a weekly co-op? What is your first subject? Will your homeschool day begin in the morning or afternoon? All of these questions can be asked when trying to create a realistic vision of how your homeschool functions.
Having this picture of a workable homeschool routine not only provides direction, but gives you the greatest chance of accomplishing your education goals and maximizing your productivity each day. Here are a few tips I’ve picked up along the way when trying to develop my homeschool routine:
Quality Trumps Quantity
Ever heard the phrase, “A jack of all trades, but a master at none…”? I prefer to teach a few subjects per day for a longer period of time rather than try to cram all of the subjects in every day. Teaching my kids a few subjects each day, rather than all of the subjects gives them a chance to digest what they’ve learned without overwhelming them. It’s also more realistic to maintain this kind of pacing throughout a school year rather than attempting to teach all subjects every day. I don’t have to worry about burn out and I am able to be more consistent with homeschooling year round.
Flex-Days Are A Necessary Part of the Homeschool Week
I’m amazed at what my kids can achieve in the course of a day when it comes to learning. Public school classrooms lose instructional time with all of the transitions, bathroom breaks, taking attendance. Homeschooling actually involves more time focused on learning because there’s only your children and for the most part you’re in one place. You’re not losing anything by adding a flex-day into your weekly schedule. A flex-day provides:
- An opportunity to catch up on school, work, and/or planning
- A chance to catch up chores, cleaning, and household duties that may fall by the wayside during the week
- An opportunity for outside learning experiences such as field trips, co-ops
- A chance to breathe and regroup
ABC's, 123's, and Chores
A homeschool education is as much about building character and life skills as it is about academics. Our children learn responsibility and the management of a household as well as ABC’s and 123’s. After a day of homeschool our house is littered with papers, textbooks, manipulatives, and various odds and ends. Many hands make light work, as the saying goes, and chores during the day keeps me sane and gives kids with boundless amounts of energy something constructive to do. Chores incorporated into your homeschool day gives kids a sense of responsibility and teaches them how to work together to accomplish a goal. It also teaches them the importance of homemaking and serving others.
Seize the Day!
Consistency has been essential to homeschooling becoming a way of life for us and establishing a routine has provided my family with stability. My most difficult days are actually those days where we take a break from homeschooling because my kids thrive best with structure. A routine has helped to make homeschool a way of life.
Kendra
