Homeschool Scheduling

Daily, weekly, and yearly homeschool scheduling can be tough to manage. It's hard enough getting all the dishes, laundry, shopping, cleaning and cooking done as it is. Add to that having a homeschool to plan for yearly, schedule weekly, and execute daily, and you've got a real juggling act. BUT, it can be done, maybe not to Martha Stewart's liking, but it's possible. Thousands of families are living proof that setting up a schedule that accomodates homeschool and regular family life can be done.

Here are a few organization tips on scheduling for your homeschool:

Establish a routine

I know you may want to be free and flexible and fly by the seat of your pants, but...

Kids thrive on routine. A routine is "a repetitious performance of an established procedure." The same series of events happen in the same order each time. Children are comforted by the knowledge of knowing what will happen next. The children I taught in school spent the WHOLE day in a daze if we had an early morning fire drill. That wasn't the routine. A routine allows you to be in control of your activities, yet be spontaneous.

If you think about it, you probably already have a loose routine that goes something like this...get up, eat breakfast, work, eat lunch, work, have supper, work, bed. The things you do in the "work" times change from day to day, but the daily routine remains.

Think about the child who doesn't get a nap at the right time....

Hmmmm...Maybe having a routine isn't so bad!

Your routine can be the framework for your homeschool scheduling.

Plan a schedule

Get a calendar that has room for scheduling your year, week, and day. Decide when you will "have school" during the year. The decide on a weekly basis which days you will have school. Some families choose to take one weekday off for field trips or just a break after 4 days of hard work. Some families schedule homeschool time on Saturday because to spend more time with dad (or another family member) who is off work on a "typical" school day. Then decide the daily times your children will learn best. Some teens may learn better if they get to sleep late intead of waking at 6 am to start working. It does not have to be typical, but be sure your decisions satisfy your state's requirements.

For example, yearly homeschool schedules may look like a traditional school from Septemeber to June. If you live in a particularly hot climate, you may choose to school from May to March (so you can enjoy the outdoors when it's not quite so hot.) You may choose a year round homeschool scheduling with several week long breaks spread throughout the year.

The Well-Planned Day: A Family Homeschool Planner, July 2010-June 2011 By Rebecca Scarlata Keliher / Home Educating Family Magazine

Your weekly schedule may be a "regular" Monday to Friday school week, or you may choose to have a 4 day formal academic week with the fifth day reserved for field trips, lessons, or other homeschool activities. Some families choose to work on Saturdays rather than one weekday.

As far as daily homeschool scheduling, you can get up early and start school right away, or you can sleep late, and work into the night. Homeschool can be done in the morning, afternoon, or all day long. It all depends on your family's schedule, you children's needs and their best times to learn.

Establish Priorities

Is your child dying to participate in the local homeschool cooperative's science fair in March? Are piano lessons Tuesday at 1:00? Put those on your yearly and weekly homeschool schedules first. Check this calendar before you commit to something new. Overcommitment can be a real problem for homeschoolers. Decide what's important before you say "yes."

Housework is always easier if you place it in your daily schedule and get your children involved. My children each have chores to finish before lunch each day and then help with some aspect of dinner preparation. Make chores age appropriate. For example, toddlers can pick up their toys, elementary age can empty the dishwasher, and older children can clean bathrooms. Don't despair if the towels aren't folded perfectly, keep teaching by example, I promise, they'll get better at it.

If you are a family blessed with the financial resources to hire outside housekeeping help, I would highly recommend it. I heard a quote from a homeschool dad who said, "I'd rather pay someone to clean my house so my wife can teach my kids, than pay someone to teach my kids to my wife can clean my house!" Make sure your children don't miss out on the advantages of learning to keep house. This can be done between cleaning service visits or through daily chores.

Don't forget to add time for God, your spouse and yourself in the daily schedule. When your schedule is full (or better yet, before it gets full) start saying "no". It is easy to over commit. Don't let what's good replace what's best.

Be flexible

If you awake to the first snowfall of the year, and the kids are begging to build a snowman, don't insist that your children stay inside until "recess time" before they play. Put on a coat and gloves and go out with them. Start the academics and hour later and cherish the time you get to spend with them before they are grown.

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