January or early February is a good time of year for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere to take stock of where we are with our homeschooling. Here are a few suggestions to keep your homeschooling rhythm on track:

1) Look at what you have accomplished through December

Take a good look at what you have accomplished in your homeschooling this past fall. If you mapped out a sequence of your main lessons for the year prior to the start of school, this is a good time to look at your planner notes or outline and evaluate how you are doing based on your earlier goals. It is likely that you did not accomplish everything that you had planned for the fall. If not, how do you want to handle that in your winter and spring main lessons? Are some things better left undone with the idea that depth is better than trying to cover too much? If you compare what didn’t get done to what is left to accomplish, you can sometimes see a good opening for inserting some essential omitted material. The important thing is to observe what you did and see what fits your family, without making yourself wrong or guilty for what didn’t happen.

2) What needs changing or tweaking in your teaching style?

Most of us are aware when a main lesson really speaks to the heart and imagination of our children. How can we increase those moments? What needs to change or be shifted to help us be more effective teachers? Have we successfully “drawn forth” the learning material from the depth of the child? All of us have areas that we can improve as teachers. The important point is to be honest with ourselves in a relaxed way and visualize those areas where we can create more innovative approaches to teaching. The goal is to enjoy our homeschooling life together and that enjoyment is a combination of spontaneity and preparation.

3) Review your goals for the winter and spring

Take another look at your planning rhythm for these next seasons. Are there some things you need to change based on the learning pace of your child or changes in your family’s lifestyle? What do you perceive as the most important educational goals for this time period? By doing this process, you will have a better idea of how your individual child is doing with the curriculum and you can then make any necessary changes and adjustments in your plan.

Much success with your winter and spring homeschooling!

Posted on February 10, 2016 in Barbara, General Homeschooling