It Doesn’t All Have to be Done Today

Back in the 80s, when I began homeschooling, I started with ‘school at home.’ I had a desk, a few used textbooks, and a small whiteboard. I was finishing up my teaching degree and thought I knew what needed to be done.

God had other plans.

It took some time and some wise counsel from fellow homeschoolers, but I finally let go of the ‘school at home’ mindset. I realized that homeschooling was a way of life. (Deut 6: 5-7)

Long story short, I finally learned that I did not have to cover every subject every day. Public schools do not even do that. (AND they do not even finish the book. LOL)

As we begin this new school year, remember that this is the beginning of a long journey. It’s more like a marathon rather than a sprint.

What I did was to have ELA/reading every day, with math/science/history rotating throughout the week. They had so much they had to do for the week. They could decide for themselves how they would manage.

They were given enough for 4 days, with Friday being the overflow day.

And school was not just bookwork. In fact, my youngest son, who had several challenges, rarely used any books. We focused on hands-on learning. I found hands-on learning more effective for all learning styles.

Sometimes math was cooking. Learning how to halve or double a recipe.

Sometimes math was figuring out the cost of groceries and making sure we stayed within the budget.

Sometimes math was figuring out mileage for a planned trip.

 

If you, dear reader, are a beginning homeschooler, remember that it doesn’t have to be done all in one day. Give yourself grace.

 

If your child has been in the public school system and is transitioning to homeschool, take some time to deschool. It’s usually suggested one week per year of public school. This doesn’t mean no educational activities, but it’s a period of time when the child is free to explore topics of interest.

 

This is the time when the parent can learn the learning styles of the child/ren. I usually asked my children what they wanted to learn about. Then designed unit studies on those topics of interest. I had fun learning also.

 

Breathe. Give yourself grace. It’s ok to go slow.

You CAN do this.