Back to Homeschool

It comes around every year but seldom are we completely ready to go back to homeschool. There is usually some unfinished planning or shopping that still needs to be completed. And, if you live in the south like me, it’s still so hot outside and everybody wants to go swimming a few more times rather than start homeschooling again.

However, since it has to be done let me share with you some of our approaches to making that transition from homeschool summer vacation-mode to full-time homeschooling with all the commitments, deadlines, and obligations commonly found in home school families.

Get Yourself Ready

By "get ready" I mean that you must do all the things required to prepare yourself for the commitment of teaching again.

These things can be physical, like getting proper rest and well-balanced meals so you are in the best physical shape possible.

Also, you need to prepare yourself spiritually and mentally to return to teaching again. If you allowed yourself to fall into a pattern of watching television throughout the day or spending long periods of time on the telephone, those activities will have to be curtailed or abandoned altogether.

You will also have to do those "dreaded" things, such as organizing your supplies, establishing lesson plans, and scheduling your activities so your days can flow smoothly.

Some home educators never write homeschool lesson plans or do recordkeeping but most of us perform better when we have a vision for what we hope to accomplish on a daily, weekly or annual basis.

Get Your Children Ready

As soon as you determine when school lessons will resume, you need to mentally and physically prepare the children for the upcoming daily routines.

Gradually, I have them go to bed earlier each week over a two-week period. Once we determine a suitable amount of rest for them, they can request a change if they can prove that they can function on less sleep.

It is also a good thing to speak with each child and inform them about upcoming courses and potential challenges. Be sure to encourage them and direct them to available tools and resources to help overcome any difficulties with their coursework.

Assign their books and supplies and make certain they know the routines for the year especially if any changes are made. Don't expect them to help keep areas clean if they don't know where things belong.

Get started and have a fantastic school year!

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