The weeks leading up to September are some of my favourites. I always considered September to be the unofficial but real New Years. With all the schools and programs starting up in September and Stéphane’s return to his teaching job, it just feels like a new start.
the unofficial but real New Years. With all the schools and programs starting up in September and Stéphane’s return to his teaching job, it just feels like a new start.
Today I’m going through how I plan out our homeschool year and how my BRAND NEW PLANNER makes my life a little easier!
We are eclectic homeschoolers, blending a few different styles together to make our own unique style. We like to borrow from Charlotte Mason and unschooling while also doing some unit studies.
We use unit studies in a different way. We give each month a theme and fill our reading basket with books that connect (sometimes very loosely) to our theme. I also like to make a list of a few activities that also link in with the theme. When Alexie asks for an activity, I’ve got a couple of options already listed and she can pick from there. This unit study/unschooling blend really works for us and lets us explore new or seasonal topics without the pressure of needing to get everything done.
After using a few different planners over the years, I found that there were always a few things missing or extra pages that a homeschooler would never use. So I designed the homeschool planner of my dreams. It has pages for reflection, a yearly overview, monthly and weekly layouts, inspirational quotes, login/contact info pages and even progress reports! 219 pages of homeschool planning bliss and I’m showing you exactly how I use it today! From planning our unit studies to planning our field trips, all the details are in the video!
Scheduling your homeschool can be a little bit overwhelming. There are so many great schedules out there and every family has such a unique rhythm, it can be a little tricky to figure out what works for your family.
Regardless of whether you homeschool year-round or on a school-term, we really believe that every homeschooler can benefit from having academic terms in their year.
By terms, we mean that you find a way to divide your year up, giving yourself a point (or a few) throughout the year to stop and see how things are going.
First we are going to take a moment and define a few different term options you’ve probably heard of.
Semester: Half a school year (typically 15-18 weeks) at which there is a change in subjects being studied. Very common in high schools.
Term: Typically found in elementary schools where the subjects are taught for the full school year. Often the year is broken down into 3 terms. The length is determined by the school or homeschooling parent. There is also usually a rather large break (for example a summer break after the 3rd term).
Quarters: Four 3-month blocks of time. This timeline is often used by businesses and financial institutions, but many year-round homeschoolers like this to break down their year.
Now that you understand what each of these words mean, you might be wondering why you need to schedule your homeschooling using one of these breakdowns. Why do you need terms or quarters?
The end of a term or quarter is the perfect time do several things that will help make your homeschooling successful. Take an afternoon, a day or even a weekend (or even a week), and do these 4 things to help you keep your homeschooling moving forward.
Reflect
At the end of the term, you can look back and see what worked and what didn’t. You can look at fixing what needs to be fixed, tweeking your schedule to better fit your needs or ditching the curriculum and trying something new.
Regard the Future
It’s also the time to start looking ahead and making some of your plans a little more solid. Booking a field trip? Now is the time. What books will you need in the next few months? Make a list with your library so they are ready to be reserved for you.
Re-set
It’s the perfect time to reset your homeschool. We like to take some time at the end of the term to tidy up our homeschool area. It’s the time to see what we’re low on, and restock.
Record
Some provinces and states require that you have records of what your kids are learning. Take some time now to get caught up on your records, fill our our files and get your paper work in order. We are lucky that we don’t have that kind of requirement in Ontario, but I still make notes on what worked for us and what didn’t, so that this time next year, I’m better prepared. I also make a list of ideas, themes, trips, etc. for the future. It makes my life easier to look back and see that this field trip was awesome but that book fell flat for us.
Another reason you want to use some kind of breakdown is because you want to give yourself a timeline if you are trying something new. Those first few weeks of a new class, curriculum or schedule might have some growing pains. That’s okay. But you don’t want to throw in the towel after 1 week. By using a term or a quarter, you give yourself a realistic chance to see if it’s just growing pains or if it’s really not working.
How do you choose?
Usually, its choosen for you. If you are using online courses for your highschooler, you’ll probably use semesters because that’s what the on-line schools use.
But, most homeschoolers use terms or quarters. School-term homeschoolers often use 3-terms to divide their year while year-round homeschoolers can pick between terms (3) or quarters (4).
But how you break down you year is up to you.
We homeschool year-round, but with 3 terms; September to December, January to April, May to August. Why? Because this is the schedule that works for our family and how our year flows naturally.
Hopefully this will help you figure out which school-year breakdown works best for your family!
This week, we are talking about some simple ways to reduce your homeschool costs and homeschool on a budget.
Curriculum
Curriculum is often one of the biggest costs of homeschooling. But there are ways to lower your costs when it comes to buying curriculum. I always like to remind people that bigger and more expensive is not always better. You can buy some curriculum books second-hand. You can use free worksheets from the internet. Or you can buy packages from lower cost websites like Teachers Pay Teachers. You could also consider radical unschooling, a type of homeschooling that doesn’t use any curriculum, hence zero cost.
School Supplies
You’ll have to buy at least some school supplies. Pencils, paper, notebooks, printer ink, are all things that you’ll need to have on hand. Save a little money by stocking up during back-to-school sales. You can also get a lot of great basics at dollar stores.
And, speaking of back-to-school sales, here’s a tip if you aren’t a fan of crowds. You can wait until school actually starts in your area. For us, we wait until after labour day. Then all the kids are in school, but the sales are still on and the crowds have dissipated.
Art and Craft Supplies
Homeschoolers have a lot of time to create, and tend to go through a lot of art and craft supplies. Dollar stores often have great craft sections and very reasonable prices. Or you can take advantage of teacher discounts at stores like Michael’s. You might need a teacher I.D. to get your discount, but they are usually pretty good at accepting a homemade, but official looking I.D. with you name and title.
Books and Reading Materials
We love books, as do many homeschoolers. But books are so expensive. Libraries are a great way to get your hands loads of books at zero cost. We also love to look for books at department stores like Marshals and Walmart, where books are often a little less than cover cost. Another great place to find seasonal books is the dollar store. From experience, the best place to find the really good books are in the seasonal section near activity books and not in the actual book section.
Field Trips and Outings
Field trips and outings are an important part of our homeschool. Life experiences and hands-on learning is a great way to learn. But admissions can add up quickly, especially for a larger family. To save some money, look for free days at your local museum or science centre as well as free events around town. If you are trying a new place and think it’s somewhere you’ll visit often, consider getting a membership. Many places even allow you to upgrade your ticket, applying the cost to the membership. You can also join a co-op or get a group together for a group discount rate.
Extra-Curricular Activities and Classes
Extra-curriculars and classes are a great way to personalize your child’s educational experiences. To save some money, consider activities that have lower start-up and equipment costs. Also consider the length of the activities. You don’t want to pay for a year’s worth of classes upfront, when they decide they don’t like it after a few weeks. There are also a lot of free classes online.
Homeschooling doesn’t have to break the bank. But it always helps to save a little money, here and there, What are your favourite ways to save money on your homeschooling?
It’s a question you see in almost every homeschool group or forum. People wanting to homeschool but concerned about the cost of educating their children at home. So they ask, “Can you do it for free?”
The answer might surprise you!
Like I said in the video, you can’t homeschool for free. You’ve got to have a budget. But it doesn’t have to be big. You don’t have to spend a fortune on curriculum but you do need to set aside some money for outings, supplies and other necessities. But, you’d most likely be paying for many of these things even if your kids were in public school. It’s just a matter of having a real budget for it so you can keep yourself in a good position financially.
One of the first things parents think about when homeschooling is the schedule. You could easily spend a few hours browsing Pinterest looking for the perfect schedule.
But you will never find one.
Why? Because your family is different and unique from every family out there. So while it’s great to get some ideas, it’s ultimately best if you create your own.
One of the first things to consider whether you want a school-term homeschooling or year-round homeschooling.
Term-based vs. Year Round
School-term schooling typically refers to parents who school their children during a specific period of time, very similar to the public school system in you area. For example, you might choose to homeschool from September to June (which follows the Canadian public school system). At the end of the final term, you would take an extend break like a summer holiday.
Year-round schooling is exactly as it sounds. You homeschool year-round. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t get a break. Year-round homeschoolers often take several smaller breaks throughout the year. There’s something called Sabbath Schedule, where you teach for 6 weeks and then take a week to rest (like God worked to create the world for 6 days and rested on the 7th). And while that works for some religious homeschoolers, even secular homeschoolers can benefit from taking shorter breaks throughout the year.
Which is Best?
There is no one answer. It’s really what works for your family. There are pros and cons to each schedule.
School-Term Homeschooling
Pros
It follows the public system, which means you can take advantage of various programs likes camps for your children
You have a longer break for holidays
The longer break means you have more time to plan, organize and order things (supplies, curriculums, etc) for the next school year.
The shorter school year means that you have a more structured day and a stricter routine
Cons
Learning can be lost over the summer.
Feeds into the idea that learning is something that is done at a particular time, place, and in a certain way.
Year-Round Homeschooling
Pros
Learning stays sharp because kids don’t have big breaks to forget the lessons they were learning
Fosters the idea that learning can happen “anytime, anyplace”
Allows kids to go a little more at their speed
A more flexible and relaxed schedule (3-day week, 4-week)
Easy to move away from grades
Cons
A less structured routine
Can feel like school never ends
You have less time to plan your next year
Can be more expensive, if your child finishes their curriculum earlier than you anticipated.
What do we do?
We personally do year-round homeschooling. It just works with our family. We like it for several reasons. We can encourage our kids love of learning based on their interest and not on the schedule
We can school only a few days a week, and focus the rest of the time on following the kids interests, activities and spending time with friends and family (aka. socialization)
We want to foster a love of learning that goes beyond “school”. By schooling year-round, we hope to encourage them to see learning as something that can happen at any point in time, and not just “during the school year”.
We can take time off when we needed. If the kids get the flu for a week, it’s no big deal. Mom’s got a conference in the middle of April, great! We take the entire month of December off, just so we can fully embrace the season and all the festivities that come with it.
Picking a schedule for your homeschool is a very personal decision. Both are valid options and only you can pick the one that works for your family.
Today we are answering the question, by showing you what a typical home day looks like for us, homeschooling a preschooler and a toddler in tow.
This is what I call “a home day”. We have a home day about 2-3 days a week. These are the days when we do some seat work, read lots of books and have lots of free, imaginative play. The other 3-4 days a week, we spend a good chunk of the morning out, usually at a playgroup, church or running errands and going to appointments.
But, on a home day, we spend most of the day at home. We might run to the store or our local library for a few minutes, but the rest of the day is spent at home.
This is typical for us. Some might be surprised at how little seat work we do in a day. But we believe in having a lot of real world experiences and hands-on learning. So between imaginative play, baking, chores and games, it’s a full day of learning.
It’s easy for one parent to feel some resentment — to feel out of the loop. Maybe Dad gets to be the fun guy while Mom is the one stuck making the kids do their work and focus on their education.
Do you find that homeschooling has affected your marriage? We have! Homeschooling impacts your whole family and the relationship you have with your partner isn’t immune.
We’ve all been there. It’s normal. But it’s also important to address these feelings and issues as they come up so they don’t create roadblocks in your family relationships and in your homeschooling.
You are a Team
Working together as parents means you are a team in homeschooling. It’s important to keep each other in the loop and to keep the lines of communication open. Share what you are learning, what your monthly theme is or what your kids are reading.
Also, make big decisions together! It’s easier to be on the same page when you’ve both made those decisions together.
It’s Not 9 to 5
Remember that homeschooling isn’t a 9-5 job. This means you can include your partner in some aspects of your child’s education. Maybe it’s reading bedtime stories together (literacy and language arts) or going on a hike in the woods on the weekend (physical education, science, and nature studies). Find those moments when you can include your partner.
No Hierarchy in Subjects
It’s easy to get caught in the “school mindset” where completing certain subjects becomes the most important thing.
But it’s important to remember, that in the real world, there is no hierarchy in subjects. Math is not more important than art. Language is not more important than Phys. Ed. When you remove the thinking that one is more important than the other, you don’t get stressed when your partner takes the kids for a run in the park. Or, when they stop reading to go watch a science video with Dad.
Take Time Together
It’s important to take time together. Easier said than done, right? But it’s important to make some time to spend together without the kids. We try to plan little date nights weekly. Sometimes it’s a little “staff meeting” where we talk about what the kids are learning and doing. Sometimes we go out for an evening. At the very least, we have a Netflix night where we sit back with a big bowl of popcorn and some Brooklyn-99. Either way, the point is to reconnect with your partner.
Homeschooling doesn’t have to put a huge strain on your relationship with your partner. By keeping your lines of communication open and making time for each other, your relationship and ultimately your family can come out on top.
Ask any homeschooler and they will tell you that the most common question they get is about socialization. While it’s not an issue (see our post here on putting this question to bed) some parents do worry that their children aren’t getting enough socialization.
The truth is, unless you are living under a rock and never leaving your house, your child is probably getting enough socialization. But if you are looking for ways to give your child more oppertunities to interact with others here are some of our favourite ways we socialize our homeschool kids.
Where we like to take our kids to socialize:
Playgroups/ Hubs
Preschool Programs
Errands/Appointments/Shopping
Visiting Family
Extra-curricular Activities
Our Neighbourhood
Public Spaces (like a library)
Hopefully this will give you some ideas of where you can take your children to interact with others and help them socialize. Where do your kids do their socializing? Let us know!
Homeschooling isn’t easy. Add in a baby or toddler and it can be down right difficult. We know this from experience.
This past year, while we have been homeschooling Alexie, we also have Zoé with us. Zoé has been sitting next to us since the beginning. When we started homeschooling Alexie, Zoé was only 16 months old. But she has never complained and she actually loves the whole home education experience.
How do we do it? We’ve got 3 simple tips that you can implement to make homeschooling a little easier while you have a little one.
Consider Your Timing
With a little one around, timing is everything. Before you sit down to a block of seat work, make sure everyone (baby included) is well rested and well fed.
It’s also important to keep the length of the seated work short. We aim to keep any seated work limited to 10-20 minutes tops. This is about as long as a young child (under 6) can handle. This short block helps keep both kids focused on their activity and keep everyone happy.
Get Them Involved
Zoé goes everywhere with us. If we go on a field trip, she’s there. If we are doing an experiment, she’s there. If we sit down to read a book, she’s right there with us.
Having them with you means you can keep everyone entertained and involved. And you’d be surprised how much they will pick up. While doing our letter scavenger hunt at the park, Zoé ran around finding letters, repeating sounds back and having fun.
Be Prepared
Having a few activities to entertain your little one is key. I like to keep a few things aside that we usually only pull out during “school time”. Play-doh is popular around here. So are colouring, lacing cards and little figurines. Have something for them to do (that they love) while you work with your older child. This will help you focus on your older child’s work and keep everyone happy. I’ve even used a jolly jumper to keep Zoé entertained for a few minutes while we work on our worksheets.
Homeschooling with a little one can be challenging. But hopefully these tips can help make it a little easier.
Let’s start by saying that this term has not gone as planned.
Our second term is from the beginning of January to the end of April. And, those 4 months have been a whirlwind of chaos and life-changes.
First, there’s that post-Christmas lull. We have heard about it and had been warned about it. After the excitement of Christmas, January can seem a little dull. So, next year we’ll make a point of having something exciting, maybe a fun unit, project or book study in January. Something to get us really excited about school in the dead of winter.
Then, there were all of our personal challenges. From dealing with the death of a grandparent to traveling for the funeral to Alexie being diagnosed with major food sensitivities to the collapse of our garage, it’s certainly been a rough couple of months for us.
We have also had the bad luck of being sick, not once, not twice but 3 times in less than 3 months. This has made me rethink how we homeschool during flu season. There were often times when one kid was sick but the other was healthy and full of energy. Or I was sick on the couch with two kids who wanted desperately to be entertained. I’m not sure what to do about this, but it’s made me start thinking about coming up with a sick plan or bin with activities. Not sure what that will look like, but that will be something for us to think about.
We’ve learned a lot this term about homeschooling. From lulls to personal issues to sick days, we’ve hit the gambit of things that can make our homeschooling go a little sideways. But, we also had some great positive learning experiences. We got to take extra field trips with our travels —which the kids loved. And in April, we were able to get back to our routine and our curriculum.
With all that, we are certainly looking forward to term 3, when we can play outside more, take new field trips and enjoy having dad home for the summer.
