Homeschool Planning for a New Year

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How to celebrate the FIRST day of school
By Nikowa: Going back to school elicits different feelings for different people. Some are excited with the promise of new adventures. Others are happy to continue with the lazy days of summer. But what’s true for everyone is that learning can be fun. You just have to get creative. Here are a few idea’s to jump start the fun for your back-to-school crew. Tweak these as necessary to best work with your family … read more

Creating a Mission Statement for your Homeschool
By Amy Allen: I have been toying with the idea of creating a mission statement for our homeschool. I know why we homeschool, but I thought I would feel better with a defined statement (and of course the implied vision for our future and all that jazz) rather than just a list of reasons we chose to homeschool, a haphazard philosophy of all of the homeschool styles we encompass, and no clear plan of where to go in the future … read more

Planning Maps Out Success
By Marybeth Whalen: For me, planning is done in three stages: beginning of the year, weekly, and daily. I also think a mid-year (over Christmas) evaluation on where you are and where you still need to go is very helpful for staying on track … read more

Summer Scheduling for a Fabulous Fall
By Bethany LeBedz: In order not to feel overwhelmed the weekend before I plan to start school with the kids, and in order not to feel like I’m completely missing my summer vacation, I do a little bit of planning at a time. There are several types of planning that make homeschooling go more smoothly: long-range planning, mid-term planning, and short-term planning … read more

Making the School Year Easier on the Teacher
By Marybeth Whalen: As our thoughts turn to planning the school year, I thought I would list some things I have found through the years that make homeschooling easier on us as teacher moms. Some of them are very simple, and yet they make things run much more smoothly! I hope this list gets your ideas flowing … read more

Choosing Your School Year Schedule
By Leslie Valeska: One of the most difficult tasks to accomplish with homeschooling is planning your schedule. We sit down a month or so before we are ready to begin school and we outline everything we want to accomplish. Then we plan out what we are going to accomplish each day of every week. We are going to get up and start school by 8 a.m. each day and finish by noon. Everything looks perfect. This is going to be the best year ever! Any of this actually ring true for you? … read more

Homeschool Burnout: Rising from the Ashes
By Dawn and Heather: Burnout. The sound of the word itself reminds me of spent canons, smoking guns, or smoldering embers where once there was a passion and a fire. In the words of Sam Keen, “Burnout is nature’s way of telling you, you’ve been going through the motions. Your soul has departed; you’re a zombie, a member of the walking dead, a sleepwalker.” No wonder homeschool mothers dread it … read more

12 Essential Back to School Ideas for Mom
By Karin Katherine: From creating a homeschool binder, to treating yourself to new supplies, to picking your “uniform”…here are 12 fundamental ideas for mom … read more

10 Tips That Helped Our Homeschool
By Yvonne Ferlita: In my home the difference between successful mathematics learning and distracted fidgeting is appropriate lighting and an IPOD playing Third Day or Reliant K. When asked to write an essay, this same child requires absolute silence and closed curtains! … read more

10 Sites to Download FREE Books Online
By Amy Stults: An essential list of the top 10 quality websites to download free books for children and adults … read more

7 Homeschool Must Haves
By Darcy: From pencil sharpeners to downtime, see Darcy’s list of important homeschool supplies … read more

Planning High School Courses
By Lee Binz: Homeschooling in high school is very efficient and there is plenty time in the day to give your children an education that has breadth and depth in a way that is meaningful to the student. Here is a list of the courses that colleges look for in their applicants … read more

Planning for College Admissions
By Lee Binz: For some women, it comes on suddenly. At two in the morning you snap awake in a cold sweat, heart racing, gasping for breath with every muscle tensed. You wonder, “Is this The Change?” “No,” you tell yourself, “I’m only 40.” When you finally come to your senses, you are able to verbalize the true source of your panic. Sitting up straight in bed, you seize your husband’s shoulders and scream, “But what about COLLEGE!?” … read more

10 Tips for Tackling a Homeschool Convention
By Beth: Ten brilliant reminders for those that are still planning to go to a conference this summer … read more