BACK TO SCHOOL

In our home back to school means everything from High School to Preschool- and we love it!

 

 

There's no doubt about it.  If you're a mom and you homeschool, you are one of the busiest people around! 

I've been asked to share what has changed over the years in our homeschooling as well as how we juggle school with our wide age range and keep our sanity.  Well, sanity may be relative... but I'll be happy to share what's been working for us.  ;) 

 

Certainly every family situation is different so this is not a "one size fits all" post, but if there is something here that might work for you, then to God be the glory. 

 

 

1.  IN OUR HOME WE COMBINE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.  Over the years I have had a mind shift in this area.  At one time I would have wanted separate books for every subject at every grade level- History, Social Studies etc. and then I'd just pull my hair out to trying to figure out how to squeeze it all in.  Now I have a different approach.  I try to include as many people in as many subjects as I can.  While we have separate Math and Language Arts we find that we can exercise together, study the Bible and worldview together, memorize Scripture together, study History, Geography and Science together and so on.  It not only builds family unity but keeps school time truly simple and enjoyable. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. JUST BUY THE BOOK    While I used to spend a lot of time creating homemade unit studies, figuring out lesson plans and doing research online, I am now at the stage that I would rather tweak pre-made materials than create them.  My husband says it's time to "just buy the book."  And he's right.  This year I am enjoying a great deal of freedom as we are using pre-made multi-level lesson plans by My Father's World.  They combine our love for working together with some things Classical and some things Charlotte Mason.  Best of all, it's by Believers and does a lot of thinking and research for me.  I will alter a few things, but I won't be recreating the wheel and I like that. 

English from the Roots Up

 

3.  WE TAKE INFORMATION IN SMALL DOSES  Charlotte Mason recommended taking school subjects in small doses and I wholeheartedly agree.  So while I used to get a little (did I say a little?) pressured to try to tackle large sections of material and cram it all in- picture someone trying to fill a cup using a fire hose...  Now most of our lessons are short and sweet.  I may read 1-2 pages of Anatomy, have the girls label what we have just read about (ie. label the parts of the ear, fill in the blanks about the eye etc.) and we move on until the next day.

 



History board



4.  CREATE A PORTABLE CLASSROOM.  One of the biggest stresses for homeschool moms can be the house!  We need our visuals, but we don't want to live in a classroom, right?  Well, I cannot believe how long it took me to figure this out, but I have a whole new way of displaying materials.  I make movable walls using tri-fold presentation boards for just about everything.  I have a tri-fold board for our weekly targets; one for the little ones calendar time; one for phonograms (aka Sound City); one for history- with a world map on the back and so on.  I love having my visuals handy and equally I love them all all folded up and put away when I am done.  It's a portable classroom.  Easy.

As we introduce new phonograms, they are added to this board for a visual.




 

Now playing at the /er/ theater, Zuma and the Secret of Peru



This board serves as our timeline.  I draw a simple illustration for each
Mystery of History lesson that the girls color. 

 

 

 

Well, that's what is working for us.  Hope it's a blessing to you. 



By His grace,