Since we are talking about Home Management for the Homeschool Mom in this series, we cannot ignore the fact that we need to manage our school day. In many ways, how we manage our school day will affect every other area of our home management.
Can’t get the school work accomplished?
Good luck getting dinner on the table!
Stressing over the homeschool year?
Good luck getting a good night’s sleep!
Wondering how you can possibly give every child in your home exactly what he or she needs?
Good luck tackling other areas of your home that feel overwhelming!
I truly believe if you can get your homeschool under control, you will see that success spill over into the rest of your day. I also believe homeschooling is one of the most rewarding and most difficult things a family could ever do.
One reason it is so difficult to manage your homeschool is because there is no one perfect method of homeschooling. But, there is one singly perfect Foundation of homeschooling and that is Christ.
We must be convinced to homeschool for the glory of God rather than the glory of random human standards or the glory of our own aptitude as a home-educating mother.
Once we have established why we homeschool, the HOW ends up in its rightful place – secondary.
Let Scripture be your standard. Study Proverbs as an educational manifesto. Then stand every curriculum you encounter next to it and use biblical discernment to choose what is right for how your family will be glorifying God through the endeavor of homeschooling.
Need help creating a homemaking and homeschooling schedule? You need The Homemaker’s Guide to Creating the Perfect Schedule!
Now to the nitty-gritty of actual homeschool management.
However, because I could never flesh all this out in one post, I’m going to give you some basics on how to get your homeschool day on track.
1. Prepare without overplanning. I use pen and paper when I’m doing my long-range planning and later I transcribe it to Scholaric
The name of the game here is to give yourself flexibility. Don’t let the plan lock you in!
2. Make the day to day easy on yourself. Again, Scholaric is a favorite tool around here because even the children can take care of inputting assignments and such. Additionally, I choose to take each day as it comes. I have a overview of what I’d like my homeschool day to look like, but I refuse to race around completing an arbitrary agenda when God might be leading us elsewhere that day.
And don’t forget to make meals easy on yourself during homeschool hours!
3. School the littles first! If you don’t purpose to teach those littlest ones first thing in the day, it just doesn’t seem to happen.
4. Teach toward independent learning. I cover this extensively in the ebook, but suffice it to say the sooner you teach your children to own their work, the better. They will develop a desire to learn that supersedes anything you could manage to spoon-feed them.
5. Work from essential to non-essential. Always order your homeschool day starting with the things you feel you absolutely cannot miss to the things that can be put aside if need be.
6. Plan a fun day. Never seem to get those “fun” homeschool moments in? Plan it all into one day! Your children will declare it the best day ever!
Ultimately, the goal of you homeschool day should be to bring honor and glory to God. Pray about what the Lord would have you do with your day. Bring your questions to your husband and work through this together. And then, as with everything else we’ve talked about in this series…test it and tweak it!
Michelle says
How different would a book like this be in comparison to say, the Maxwell’s books, since I know in the past you have mentioned them as books you liked. I only ask because I have their books already and they are very comprehensive. (Is there anything they DON’T cover?!:)
However, I am always open to some fresh and creative ideas, and might be willing to buy your book if I knew what I was getting was very different. Sometimes we just need a different voice, with a different perspective on doing things. Their books are wonderful, but many times, (and I am hesitant to say this lest it comes across as critical) I have felt a bit overwhelmed when re-working through them and have tossed scheduling aside altogether due to inconsistent health that wreaks havoc on the best-laid plans!
Amy says
Hello! Actually, my book is nothing like the Maxwells. Managers of their Homes is not my pick for families who tend toward the Routine or who have had trouble sticking to a schedule in the past. I do recommend MOTH to families that are naturally scheduled in their day, but my book is really more for the family that does not have a set schedule, yet needs the stability of a solid routine and needs help figuring out how to do that. 🙂
Michelle says
Well that IS refreshing! Thank you, Amy!
Michelle says
And I just bought the book since you were so kind as to answer my specific questions so very quickly! I look forward to devouring it!
Amy says
I hope it helps tremendously (and don’t hesitate to email if you questions. 🙂 ).
chrissy L says
I would love to win this
GiGi says
THANKS so much. Ever since #7 came along, homeschooling has been BEYOND challenging…. I need to pray about it m ore… and schooling the littles first is the BEST advice. Same thing here. If they are not first, it doesn’t get done.
I have a 2 part series about infant and pregnancy loss if your interested…
http://thegapgirl.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-lifetime-of-rememberance.html
Have a blessed day and thanks again for the post
Xoxo
GiGi
Candyce says
Schedules are great! I love making them, I love hanging them on the wall! I can only seem keep half of my day’s schedule! Our afternoons are so fluid…then after a few days…no schedule again! Any advice?!?
Candyce says
Let me add alittle more..I was kind of vauge! We get school done, just fine…I just can’t seem to get the rest of life finished (laundry, housework, yardwork) Thanks!
Amy says
Candyce,
So much of it depends on creating a routine that becomes second-nature to you. For instance, getting up in the morning and starting a load of laundry, then changing it mid-morning, and again after lunch, etc. This method of doing chores might be a good fit for you: https://raisingarrows.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Weekly-Chore-List.pdf
Candyce says
Thanks! Like I said I do pretty good in the morn, most afternoons I am running around and not at home. we farm and during parts of the year (Harvest time)I’m nearly as buisy as the hubby! Thanks for the help, I’ll try that one. Harvest is almost over…that should help too!!!
Courtney says
Sounds like a very useful tool.
Bridget says
I have never officially used planning software although a couple of weeks ago I received a trial of scholaric. I loved it, but I wasn’t sure how to use all the features. I look forward to reading about how you use it a little later!
Jamie says
What great advice. I always like to set aside time in the summer to flesh out a VERY tentative plan for the entire year. It has to be very flexible. But in HAVING a plan by the very first day, I can have time to add in extras because the majority of everything else is already laid out.
Renee Gotcher says
Thank you so much for these quick tips! I can implement some of these right away. I have a “little one” (she’s five) that I have had a hard time balancing teaching time with my older two who are much closer in age (10, 11 1/2). Tips 3 and 4 give me a starting point for reorganizing our daily agenda!
Emily M. says
Amy,
I just finished reading the ebook. I have a lot of notes next to me and thoughts and ideas swirling around my head. Thank you! About 14 months ago I had my 5th child. She is wonderful! But she was really colicky for a long time. Then we moved! I have been treading water ever since her birth and the move set me back even further. This Fall I’ve had some minor health issues and it has just felt like one thing after another keeps getting in my way of finding order once again. I’ve often tried to catch my breath and figure out how to get back into our routines and homeschool/home life groove and I just couldn’t seem to get there. Your ebook blessed me immensely! I just wanted to say thank you for putting that together and I feel I got way more than my money’s worth on it. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom. You’ve blessed me and my family! 🙂
Amy says
Thank you so much for letting me know! You are so welcome. What a blessing. 🙂