Are you a proud candidate for The Most
Organized Homeschool Ever Award? Or do you feel caught in a whirlpool of
chaos—student pages, teacher guides, books, and math manipulatives swirling
around you in an endless circle of disorganization? Perhaps, like most of us,
you find yourself somewhere in between. Wherever you are in the spectrum of
organization, it's often helpful to know what others are doing to keep their
homeschool organized.
And though there are probably as many ways to organize as
there are misplaced pencils in a homeschooler's home, the important thing is to
find what works for you and to go with it. Sometimes it only takes one or two
fresh tips to make your school day go more smoothly so you don't feel "all mixed
up."
Clockwork or Casual—What kind of homeschooler are you?
Some families run like clockwork, with everyone showing up
on time, washed, and ready to go. We hear rumors about these families all the
time, although none of us seem to have actually met one. For the rest of us,
deciding what is critical to successful teaching is the first step. Some
families prefer a more casual approach with 'mix and match' curriculum from
several providers, or even planning from scratch using a variety of sources. The
advantage of this style is that the lessons are highly tailored to an individual
child's interests and learning style. Experienced homeschool families may even
have their own library or lessons to draw from as each child moves from grade to
grade.
If you're a family with multiple kids at different grade
levels—or if you're new to homeschooling and need some help getting off on the
right foot—a packaged or online curriculum that comes with lesson plans is a
great place to start. Quality curriculum packages come with built-in planning
and progress tools can help you know where to cut and what to keep so that you
stay on track. And pre-planned lessons can help you get ahead of the prep work
and focus on what's important—teaching your child.
Trading Spaces—Setting up your classroom at home
One K12 homeschooler swears
by Rubbermaid bins. Another says her day wouldn't be the same without hanging
folders. A third color-codes materials by child. Everyone seems to agree that
bookshelves are essential. Regardless of your preference, the key here is to
group your homeschool materials by topic and age and, most importantly, to make
sure that everything is readily within reach so that interruptions are
minimized.
You can have more than one space for learning (in fact,
this might be a necessity if you have children of widely varying ages), but make
sure that space is either dedicated to that topic or you have a clear routine
that tells kids that class is in session. One family created a special,
curtained-off 'nook' with comfy pillows for reading; another let her kids know
that school is officially starting when she closes the door to the playroom
adjoining the kitchen.
It might seem obvious, but even small things like making
sure that desks are far enough apart can have a big impact on small attention
spans. Bright lighting will help make sure everyone keeps focused, and cheerful
wall decorations on cork boards, pushpins—or even strung vertically on
clotheslines—will make the classroom area more appealing.
A Day in the Life—Making your schedule work for you
It takes a certain amount of trial and error to find out
what works best for your particular family, so don't be afraid to try something
different if your first one isn't working. Think of making a schedule as setting
goals for the day or week. Children like to feel a sense of accomplishment, and
having a routine gives a child confidence and security. He or she may also be
more receptive to a schedule if they can help write it. Things to consider in
your schedule might include:
1. What tasks take priority over school? (Example: Lunch,
Work)
2. What days and times can you school?
3. When is your child at their optimum academic
performance and how long is your child's attention span?
4. How much schooling is your child capable of doing on
his/her own?
5. What are your child's favorite and not-so-favorite
subjects?
It's important to avoid power struggles. Make sure that
each of your children knows what must be accomplished each day. If you have a
curriculum that provides a daily lesson plan, print it out and post it. Some
people keep assignment notebooks for each child. Others post lists on the
refrigerator or in the computer's calendar. You can use favorite subjects as
incentives for getting your child to complete less favorite lessons. If your
child wants to continue doing lessons in a specific subject, some parents prefer
to follow the interests and pick up missed lessons at another time, allowing the
child to be in control.
Homework vs. Housework
Most homeschoolers are masters of multi-tasking, but the
demands of preparing to teach several children and maintain the household could
strain the talents of a military logistics expert. Consider consolidating lesson
prep tasks and taking advantage of low- or no-cost options to help with the
household chores. For example, many parents spend about 30 minutes a day
preparing the next day's lessons. Others take two hours over the weekend to plan
the week ahead. Some may do no planning and adjust with each subject in their
daily routine. The amount of planning does increase with the number of students,
but smart planning can save a lot of time. Consider doing the following:
