Do you ever wonder what works well in another homeschooling family so you can steal a few good ideas? Here is a shortlist of a few of my favorite homeschooling things most recently. Feel free to steal anything you like!
Co-Op
When we first started out in our academic Co-op it was a true step of faith. I wasn’t sure how we would handle an afternoon of classes right in the middle of naptime for my youngest or if my girls would adapt to their new classes. It has turned out to be the highlight of our week. We see friends and learn together. Here is a resource for finding a homeschool group near you: https://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/homeschooling-in-new-york/homeschool-organizations-support-groups/
Verse of the Week
We start each day with a Bible verse and keep that verse as an emphasis for our week. At the beginning of the school year, my kids were arguing a lot every morning. Focusing on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and other positive qualities have helped.
Book Reports
My kids read a lot so instead of forcing them to read stories in a curriculum, they are working on a notebook of book reports. It’s fun, it’s easy and they get to read what they like. Here is the link to my favorite interactive report notebook: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Interactive-Reading-Notebook-Book-Reports-Comprehension-Strategies-2425973
Journals
I love to look through my kids’ journals. They write about the fun things we do and draw simple pictures. Their journals are painless (most of the time) writing exercise and will be treasured in the years to come.
Sticking with the Curriculum
Switching gears often in the school year has the potential for slowing our progress down. While no curriculum is flawless, sticking to a set curriculum for the year and tweaking it as I go is helping us to maintain our homeschooling momentum.
Quiet Time
In our family, we all need a break from schoolwork and from each other. Quiet time in separate areas helps Mommy to keep her sanity and maintains peace among siblings.
Low Key Kindergarten
Allowing my kindergarteners to play throughout the day and allowing his schoolwork to be more relaxed is helping him to adjust to the idea of structured learning. No more tears about schoolwork.
Music Lessons
My kids love their music teachers and enjoy learning how to play their instruments. I love seeing them practicing for their music lessons and the joy my kids feel when they master a new song.
Playdates
Over the past year, we have been getting together with a group of homeschooling friends for playdates every few weeks. My kids are running around outside with friends, laughing and playing and I am getting a much- needed couple of hours laughing and talking with adults.
Mom Support
I never wanted to be on a homeschooling island. Thank God for the homeschooling mom’s support group I meet with every month. Not everyone understands what homeschooling is all about. Hearing other moms share their ups and downs of homeschooling encourages me in my own journey as a homeschooling mom.
What are your favorite things about homeschooling? Do you need to remind yourself of the good in what you are doing? Make your own list! Share ideas with a friend. If you are new to homeschooling or thinking about it, ask a few homeschoolers to tell you what they love about homeschooling.
A great resource for more information is HomeschoolFacts.com which has a directory of homeschool support groups organized by state.
Sarah Brutovski is a homeschool mom of three children. She grew up just down the street from where she and her husband are raising their family now in rural Upstate New York. When she is not teaching her kids, grocery shopping, or drinking coffee you might find her training for a half marathon, escaping for a morning at the beach, or chatting on the phone with one of her four siblings. Sarah loves writing on her blog sarahswritingcafe.blogspot.com and currently teaches creative writing at her kids’ weekly co-op.