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This is my third year homeschooling, and I have thoughts! It has taken me a few years to really find a good groove for our family. When I first embarked on this journey, I was easily overwhelmed by all of the information out there. From the mock daily school schedules to the plethora of curriculums to choose from, I found myself completely overwhelmed. My brain could only comprehend, at that time, what I was accustomed to. Public school. Growing up, I don't even remember knowing anyone that was homeschooled until I met my husband.
When we had our children, I began to research more about homeschooling. I knew that I didn't want to go the public school route but I wasn't sure how homeschooling would work either. So three years in, I think we are finally finding a groove. Before I share my tips, I will add that we do a homeschool-hybrid program. These are becoming popular and we have several options to choose from here in Knoxville, TN. A hybrid program means the student has school on campus 2-3 times a week and then two-3 home days. The same curriculum is used both at home and at school. The program has been a great support for us and our daughter loves it. Here are my tips & thoughts on homeschooling!
Find a routine that works for you. There are a lot of homeschool families who enjoy a more relaxed school schedule, and then there are families who have a really structured school day. I lean more toward the structured side but have relaxed a lot since we started homeschooling. I am not the mom to plan hours upon hours of bookwork at a desk. I don't feel that works for my kids as they enjoy doing hands-on learning coupled with the necessary bookworm (if that makes sense). Every child is different and requires a unique schedule. I love that homeschooling is customizable.
Create community. I can't explain how thankful I am for the homeschool community here in Knoxville. There are so many different groups to join, and many of our attractions (Zoo Knoxville, Children's Museum, etc. have special homeschool days and classes to join).
Finding a curriculum is overwhelming but sometimes it takes a bit to find the right fit. I have used the Good and The Beautiful, Abeka, Horizons, and several others. I love shopping for books at used bookstores first. You'd be surprised at how much money you can save by checking those places first.
Get organized-create a small homeschool area that can house your materials and curriculum. It doesn't have to be fancy either! I have bins and carts that keep our materials organized and utilize a corner of my office for homeschool lessons. I love my IKEA FLISAT kid's table because it comes with removable sensory bins. It is the COOLEST table and is virtually indestructible. I can easily remove the top for sensory bin play and then use the table for their desk work.
Create a command center. I am a visual learner, so creating a homeschool command center was helpful for me. I have their yearly learning goals displayed and their daily school schedule. (See photo below).
Make learning fun-the goal is to raise lifelong learners. Make homeschool fun by incorporating hands-on play, fun unit studies on topics they are interested in, and you can never go wrong by adding in a fun art project. We love to have dance parties and enjoy making outside play an important part of our day.
Plan. Take an hour or two on the weekend to sit down and plan out your school week. This ensures that you have all the materials prepared that you will need to execute the lessons.
Give yourself grace & pray for wisdom. This is the most important! Ask God to give you wisdom as you homeschool and give yourself grace. You're learning just like your precious kiddos are! God will equip you with the strength and knowledge you need-just ask Him!
That's all I have for now, but keep checking back as I add more tips! What tips would you share with someone who wants to start homeschooling?
A few of my favorite homeschool items (some items are affiliate links):
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