Back-to-School time is here. As public school families are busy with supply lists and back-to-school shopping, many homeschool families are doing the same. Well, it’s the same but different.
For a lot of homeschoolers, the fall is when they re-start their year. Either they’re coming back after a summer off, or they’ve been homeschooling all year and consider it their “new years day” of homeschooling. And it makes sense. While we aren’t tied to the school year calendar, the fall is often the time when many things pick back up. Co-ops, classes and lessons often start their new session in the fall. And then there are the sales.
While my kids aren’t going to school, I am taking advantage of all the back-to-school sales. Now is the best time to stock up on stationary items and school supplies for the year. I like to purchase everything that we’ll use for the whole year because the prices are the really the best. I also like to add a few little things that might make a good add-in for Easter baskets and Christmas stockings. Crayola markers are often less than $2 during back-to-school sales but are over $6 or $7 every other month of the year. So it can be a great way to save a little by stocking up now.
But since you’re homeschooling, you don’t get a back-to-school shopping list. So what should you be purchasing? Here’s a little shopping list that I’ve come up with, based on what we go through in a year. It’s at least a start when it comes to what you’ll need for your family.
Having a solid homeschool routine can make or break a homeschool parent. I would be lost and exhausted if it wasn’t for our homeschool routine. But how do you build a homeschool routine that will work especially when you’ve never done it before.
It’s actually easier than you think.
I’m walking you through the steps to build your own, customized homeschool routine that is perfect for your unique family. From establishing weekly traditions, making sure you’ve got enough time to hit the books and getting to any extracurricular classes you might have, a good homeschool rhythm should incorporate all these things. It should also include chores and errands and self care for mom while also being flexible and adaptable to the various changes that happen from day to day. You’ll find all our tips in this week’s video.
You’ve spent time researching the prefect curriculum for your homeschool. You’ve spent the money and bought everything you need. And you jumped right in and it was great….for a while. But now your curriculum isn’t working.
For a variety of reasons, it’s just not the best fit for your family. But the budget it gone, the kids are going wild, and you’re pulling your hair out. You need something new, but you can’t afford it right now. What do you do?
Well first off, we’ve all been there. Buying something we think the kids are going to love, only it fall flat for our family. It happens. But it’s both discouraging and a financial burder to replace it now. So what do you do when you’re homeschool curriculum isn’t working?
I’ve got a few simple tips and ideas on how to revamp, and re-invigorate your curriculum to make it work until you can either replace it or until the end of your school year.
Feeling tired, uninspired and bored with your homeschooling? Do days go by without doing any curriculum or lessons? You’re in a slump.
And it’s totally normal. And while it’s discouraging, especially for new homeschool parents, it’s not the end of the world.
Falling into a homeschooling slump happens to the best, most experienced homeschoolers. There are even certain times of the year when slumping is more common. November, January, and March all tend to be months when a lot of families struggle to stay on plan. Why? November and March are major seasonal shifts, where it’s cold and wet outside. And coming off the post-Christmas excitement makes January feel a little dull (and it’s crazy cold too).
So what do you do when you fall into a slump?
We’ve go a few tip, tricks and ideas on how to beat it.
Most families are homeschooling multiple grades. Just under a third of homeschool parents have two kids at home while another 49% have three or more kids. This means most people are probably homeschooling at least two or more grades.
We have two daughters, which means we’re homeschooling two grades. But luckily, since we’re both teachers, we’ve got a little experience teaching. We have both taught split grades. Before staying home, I taught a grade 1/2 split and my husband teaches high school music and art classes were most of classes have anywhere from 2-4 grades. So, we have the classroom experience teaching multiple grades, and I feel that gives us a few tricks for homeschooling two grades in our home.
Teaching more than one grade can feel a little overwhelming. It’s probably one of the trickier things about homeschooling. In this video, I’m sharing how we teach two grades at once. From using unit studies to multi-level assignments to reading, there are lots of tips to help your multi-grade family.
We give our kids books to read because books are one of the best ways to learn. They inspire, educate and challenge our thinking.
Which is why we, as homeschool parents, should be reading too.
This past year or so, I’ve been making a real effort to read more in general. I’ve actually read more books in the last year, than I have in all the year combine since high school. While I’ve done pretty well on my personal goal of reading more, it’s also given me a chance to read some great books on homeschooling and education.
This is my book list for homeschooling parents. These books have changed how I think, taught me some cool things and inspired me. You’ll definitely want to check these out!
These are my top recommendations so far. I still plan to keep up my goal of reading more this year, maybe even setting a number goal. I’m thinking of trying to read 50 books this year. Which means I’m probably going to be able to add few titles to this list by the end of the year.
Every September, we have a day that we celebrate as the first day of our homeschooling year. For us, we usually celebrate on the same day that school starts in our area because Stephane is a high school teacher. It’s a natural start for us since it’s his first day of school too.
But exactly how do we celebrate?
Have a Special Breakfast – It’s a great way to start the day!
Take a Picture – It’s an annual memory for the first day and marking milestones in their life.
Curriculum Gift Bag – Take all their new supplies and curriculum, put it in a bag and let them open it. Because everyone likes getting gifts.
Go On a Field Trip – Since everyone is back to school, you can take advantage of the empty science centres and museums and zoos and go on a field trip.
Go On a Picnic – Pack a lunch, head outside and have a picnic. We look for a place with a park or splash pad to make it extra fun.
Library Visit – Start the new homeschool year with some new library books.
Get Creative – Do an art project with the kids. Bonus points if it has the potential for getting messy.
Have a Game Day – Gameschooling is huge! Why not ease into the year with a day full of games. Great, easy option if your other plans get rained out.
Start a New Read Aloud – Pick a new book or novel and get reading. We start our new novel right before bed. It’s a great way to end our not-back-to-school celebration.
There are lots of ways to celebrate! Pick as many or as few as you want. These are just some ideas that you can do, but I encourage you to build traditions that your kids love. Every family is different. Make your celebration work for your family.
What do you teach your kids when you are homeschooling?
It can be a little overwhelming because there are really so many possibilities!
First, you’ll want to make sure that check with your state or provincial requirements. Some places have certain subjects that must be taught at home. So make sure you check that!
But if you live in a place like we do (Ontario, Canada), where there are few to no requirements, let alone a requirement for certain subjects, deciding what you are going to teach can be a little overwhelming.
So lets break it down a little for you.
Traditional Subjects
You can start by looking at the traditional subjects. You know the ones that everyone knows and that are taught in schools.
Math
Science
Language Arts (reading, writing)
social studies/history/geography
art
music
physical education/health
bible/religious studies
Lifeskills
A lot of parents spend time helping their kids prepare for adulthood, by teaching some basic lifeskills.
household chores (laundry, dishes,
cooking/baking
pet care
gardening/yard maintenance
homesteading/animal care
auto repair/ small engine repair
plumbing/ woodworking/ electrical
Even more Options
Looking for more options? Pretty much anything can become a subject of study when you are a homeschooler.
coding
nature studies
robotics
handicrafts (sewing, knitting, etc)
business/ entrepreneurial skills
pretty much anything your kids are really interested in
So there are lots of options of subjects, when you homeschool. The upside to all this choice? You get build and design a homeschool program that is unique to your family, your values and your children.
We’ve had several requests for tips lately. Most come from new parents who are homeschooling for the first time and are a little nervous. So we decided to put together a list of our top 10 tips for new homeschoolers.
1. Deschool
Deschooling is the first thing your should do if you are leaving the school system. It’s a chance for you to “un-learn” everything about school and a chance for everyone to adjust to your new normal. If you want more information on deschooling, you’ll want to check out this post, Deschooling 101.
2. Find Your Why
Understanding and clarifing for yourself why you are deciding to homeschool is so important. The answer to this question of why will the the foundation for you homeschooling. It influences your choice of approach, curriculum and schedule. It will also be a guiding light, something to help remind yourself of why you are doing all this when you have a tough day, week or month.
3. Don’t Re-create School in Your Home
The focus of homeschooling should be on “home” not on “school”. You don’t need to do 8 subjects every day, sitting in a desk for hours. You get to make learning and education what you want and what’s best for your child. And homeschooling takes a lot less time that public school so you can really allow interests to lead your learning a lot more.
4. Start 1-2 Subjects Max
There is no reason that you need to teach 6-8 subjects from the get go. Start with 1 or 2 max and then once you are more comfortable with your flow, schedule and your child’s learning style, you can add another. This will help you from becoming overwhelmed and give everyone time to adjust.
5. Try a Unit Study
A unit study is a great way to dive deep into a topic and learn all you can about it. When you do this, you actually cover several subjects at once. For example an oceans unit can cover geography, science, art, reading and writing. So pick a topic your child or children are interested in and dive in. Building a unit study is actually really easy and makes the learning so much more personalized.
6. Establish a Routine
We’re not talking about a daily schedule that’s scheduled down to the minute. It’s more of a routine or a rhythm to your day and your week. We have meal times and quiet times in our day. But I also have certain things that happen on certain days. I know that on Wednesday morning, we go to playgroup or have a playdate. On Thursday morning, we’ll do some baking. It makes it a little easier knowing what will happen in the week. It fills time and give purpose to your days.
7. Include Mini Fun Things
We do Waffle Wednesdays. And Friday night pizza/movie night. These little mini celebrations during the week make for great traditions, it’s fun for the kids and it’s one less thing you as a parent really need to think about.
8. Quiet Time
We highly recommend having a quiet time during the day. A time when the kids can play/rest/nap independently and you as a parent get a little break. Our girls do 1.5 hours every afternoon where they can play in their activity room or bedroom. It’s a great time to you as a parent to reset and it gives them a chance to be independent. It even gives them a chance to get away from each other if they need it (they go to separate rooms). And don’t use that time to plan or anything like that. Take that time to fill your own up. Have a cup of tea, watch a show, read a book. Do what you need to take care of yourself.
9. Get Outside
When you are stuck inside the same 4 walls, you can start to go a little stir crazy. So get outside. Go for a walk, a hike, play in the backyard, to to the park. It’s good for burning the little ones energy and it’s great for everyone’s mental health.
10. Read, Read, Read!
A lot of people underestimate the power of reading. Reading aloud to you kids is one of the best educational things you can do for them. Read picture books, poetry, biographies or novels. Or even put on an audiobook. When you are starting homeschooling, make an effort to read every day to your children, even if they can read themselves.
That’s it! Those are our top tips for newbie homeschoolers. Hopefully, they can help you establish and build you homeschool into one that is as unique as your family!
Picking a homeschool style or approach is an important first step when you start homeschooling. But it’s also super overwhelming.
There are so many options (9 actually) and each is so different. But, don’t worry! We’re going to help you understand the different homeschooling styles out there.
School-at-home Approach
One of the first approaches many homeschoolers try but also one that most homeschoolers abandon. School-at-home tries to recreate the school environment in your house. A strict schedule, blocked time periods for each subject and lots of workbooks. It’s great if you are planning on homeschooling for a short amount of time before returning to the public school system but long-term homeschoolers often find it too rigid and that they don’t need to spend that much time on each subject every day.
Classical Approach
This is the oldest homeschooling approach (literally, it’s ancient). It places a big emphasis on logic, learning facts and rules, and reasoning. Many also include Latin or Greek studies as part of the foundations of language arts. It can be seat work heavy but it’s a time tested approach.
Charlotte Mason Approach
A very popular approach that blends well with other approaches, the Charlotte Mason approach focuses on nature, poetry, and literature. It uses living books, copy work and journalling. It’s a very gentle approach and very child-centred. Most curriculum is Christian-based (because Charlotte Mason was quite religious) but the elements and foundations can be used in a secular setting.
Unit Studies
Unit Studies are growing in popularity and for good reason! Unit studies can follow a child’s interest, be highly engaging, and are even a great option for studying as a family with multiple ages. You can buy unit study programs or you can make your own. But you do need to be cautious of “holes” to ensure a well-rounded education.
Waldorf Approach
A mind-body-and-soul approach, this style focuses a lot on art, creativity, and nature. It’s pretty much the “liberal arts” approach of homeschooling. While it focuses on art and nature, it doesn’t use a lot of textbooks or technology. It can be expensive because of it’s use of natural materials and some people are concerned about the lack of focus on reading in the early years.
Montessori
While not an official homeschooling approach (since you need to get a teaching certification from their school in order to be qualified as a real Montessori teacher) many parents are taking the principals and incorporating them into their homeschooling. It’s a play-based approach that uses a child’s interests, large blocks of free time and child-sized tools to help children learn. It’s a popular choice for parents with children with exceptionalities. But for neurotypical kids, it’s only really appropriate for younger preschool or elementary years. And it can be expensive because of needing everything to be child-sized.
Unschooling
A child-lead approach, unschoolers believe that children are capable of learning and that parents are there to facilitate that learning. It’s actually more of a lifestyle than an approach with the belief that learning is a life-long endeavour. Children lead the learning while parents “strew” (which is when they introduce different ideas and topics and see what their child gravitates towards). There is very little curriculum used and the child has a lot of say about what and when it will be used. Unschooling can be time-consuming (because parents are constantly strewing and facilitating) and there are concerns about children “falling behind or missing things”. But there is also the belief that not all children need to learn everything they teach in schools.
Radical Unschooling
Radical Unschooling is like unschooling only a little more intense. There is absolutely no curriculum and some take it as far as no organized classes. They also believe in a child’s ability to learn and that a child’s interests and strengths are the best way of encourage learning. Like unschooling it can be a lot of work to strew properly and you have to be aware of holes in the learning but radical unschoolers believe that every child will learn what they need in life and through life.
Eclectic Homeschooling
Eclectic homeschooling, also known as relaxed homeschooling, is when you blend 2 or more approaches together to create a unique style. For example, we are eclectic homeschoolers and we blend together unschooling, unit studies, and Charlotte Mason approach, picking elements from each to make a style that we like. It makes for a very unique and highly customized homeschooling approach. It can be a little overwhelming since you don’t have as many criteria for narrowing your research and curriculum options but it’s easy to adapt to any family.
Now that you know a little about the different approaches, you can consider picking one for your homeschool. But how do you choose? Check out the next post on choosing the perfect homeschool approach for your family.
