GETTING STARTED
Homeschool Action Plan
Answering the WHY-Clarifying your purpose
Clarifying your purpose for homeschooling is very important because your WHY will inform all of your subsequent choices i.e. schedule, curriculum, methods, etc.
Take a moment to clarify your WHY.
- to deepen my relationship with my children
- to redeem the limited time I have with them
- to inculcate Biblical values
- to address specific needs (social, emotional, learning, developmental, etc.)
Thinking about homeschooling? Before getting started, it is helpful to define why you are interested in taking this path. Knowing your "why" will help to determine your next steps.
- Building a strong relationship with my children and encourage positive sibling and familial relationships
- Having the opportunity to inculcate Biblical values and the understanding that character is more important than knowledge
- Take advantage of the flexibility in schedule, structure, content
- Staying away from negative peer pressures and influences that my children are not yet equipped to handle
- Provide opportunities for individualized and self-learning
Choosing homeschool for the Right Reasons
While many parents choose homeschooling for the “right” reasons, we would like to caution against a wrong reason to choose homeschooling. Some parents may choose homeschooling as a way to protect their children from the world. However, if protection is the primary reason for homeschooling, it has the potential to be detrimental to children. Rather than viewing the world as a gigantic classroom chock full of learning opportunities and being equipped to navigate it with appropriate caution, wisdom and discernment, children will internalize the idea that it is a place to be feared and avoided. As a consequence, they will miss out on the great adventure their lives as defined by God’s unique calling for them.
As Christians, we are called fulfill the Great Commission by living lives of loving service for our neighbors in the marketplace of life. Thus, it is our great duty and privilege as parents is to equip our children to live with confidence for Jesus IN the world, not apart from it. No greenhouse kids here, only gardens.
Defending Your "Yes"
Homeschooling is a commitment, and by saying "yes" to this adventure it means that you are saying "no" to other things. Articulating what your yes's are help to clarify your purpose by understanding and focusing on what is important to you and your family.
Answer these questions:
- "This year we are saying 'yes' to..."
- "This year we are saying 'no' to..."
Read Rebecca's perspective on why she and her family choose homeschooling here:
Answering the WHAT- Culture, Values, Time, Budget
Family Culture
Family culture is what defines you as a family, informs your identity, and dictates the choices that you make. Simply, it is what makes you guys uniquely you.
Family culture is largely (not solely) defined by:
- Family Mission Statement
- Core Beliefs
- Traditions
- Interests
Your family culture will influence why and how you homeschool. Embrace it.
"9 Ways to Cultivate Your Family Culture"
VALUES
Values are defined as:
- qualities of character and the modes of thought and feelings used to navigate life
- guideposts for determining what is most important to our family
Your family's values will dictate how you spend your time and on what. This is one of the great joys and freedoms of homeschool. YOU get to decide how best to shepherd and the hearts and minds of the little people entrusted to your care by God.
Think about:
- What qualities of character do I want to instill in my children?
- What context will instill these character traits and best suit our family? (nature, the arts, academics, athletics, hands-on experiences, travel, etc.)
"Ways to Build Character in Children"
TIME
Time is a limited and precious commodity. Being thoughtful about how it is spent will save a lot of hassle and frustration in the long run. Take time to create a flexible schedule and aligns with your values, honors the disposition of your family members, and takes into account life circumstances.
Understanding the realities of your time availability will also help you to choose the "right" curriculum for your family.
1. What does my family need in terms of time?
- Does my family function better in the morning, or would a later start time be better for us?
- Do I have a child that is gifted in math, but may need a little extra time for reading or writing?
- How much time needs to be devoted to daily and weekly household chores and errands?
- What breaks do we have for physical activity and free play? (Take time to get this wiggles out!)
- How much time needs to be allotted for meal prep and clean-up?
- Are there littles that need naps?
- Do you need a break?
- Do I need to source outside help for certain tasks?
2. How much time do I have to devote to teaching?
- Am I working full or part time?
- How much time do I have for planning?
- What "life" responsibilities do I have? (i.e. family obligations, church and/or community involvement, etc.)
- How much time does my spouse have to contribute to household and/or educational activities?
- Do I need to source outside help for certain tasks?
BUDGET
Everyone operates on a budget, and being realistic about yours will help to set realistic financial expectations for your family. While homeschooling can be less expensive than traditional options, it is not free. Budgeting your expenses or at least ball parking your expenses will provide a peace of mind.
- What monetary resources are available?
-Create a breakdown of your monthly expenses.
- How can I best steward my resources to honor our family values and meet our needs?
-What is my curriculum budget?
-What is my fieldtrip, activity, and/or craft budget?
-What is my book budget?
-What subscriptions do I want/need?
-What free resources are available online or in my community?
Answering the WHERE- Finding Community
One of the main concerns people have when beginning their homeschool journey is that they will be or feel isolated...or that they are going to raise socially awkward, weird kids. However, there are many opportunities for homeschoolers to socialize and learn with others.
Importance of Community
While homeschooling can be joyful and rewarding, it also comes with its share of difficulties. Being able to share the triumphs and tears with others is invaluable. A homeschooling community allows you to:
- Defuse
- Decompress
- Bounce ideas off and cooperate with others
- Mine others' expertise
- Have fun!
Find Your People!
Research what programs, opportunities, and groups are available in your area. These could include:
- Umbrella programs
- Homeschool groups and co-ops
- Church groups (Pathfinders, youth group, praise band, etc.)
- Intramural programs
- Local library
- Community Center
- School district resources
- Clubs (nature, athletic, music, drama, etc.)
- Mentors (tap into your community and church members)
Something to remember is that your children will be as social as you are. If you aren't weird, they won't be either.
For more on Socialization read:
Answering the HOW- Honoring Individuality
We are all unique individuals created by God for a specific purpose. Each of us has been endowed with different character traits, skills, and interests. Identifying how we are uniquely crafted will best help us to fulfill the special calling God has placed upon our lives by capitalizing on what we are good at and filling in the gaps where we could use some extra help.
As a result, our homeschools will be as unique as the people who are involved in it--and they should!
Identifying Traits- How has God made you?
- Identify your personal strengths, weaknesses, interests
- Resource: Wired that Way
- Resource: What Are My Spiritual Gifts?
- Quiz: Discover Your Homeschool Style
- Identify your child's strengths, weakness, primary learning styles
- Resource: Delight in Your Child's Design
- Quiz: What's My Child's Learning Preference?
Best Curriculum Fits
Creating Structure
Structure is all about creating the framework upon which you will hang the activities of your day. Build a frame work that will best allow you and your child to thrive.
Two frameworks to consider:
- Yearly- What do I want and/or need to accomplish this year?
- Daily- How will be daily framework lend itself to the accomplishment of my yearly goals?
Step 1: Establish Goals
Think of goals as your road map to success. Setting small, attainable goals each day will help to keep you on track as you work towards your big, long-term goals.
Brainstorm a list of all the things you would like to accomplish this year in terms of spiritual growth, character development, academic achievement, physical performance, social activities, life skills, etc.
Create a list for
- Personal
- Family
- Each child
Step 2: Prioritize
- Next, number the goals in each category in order of importance.
- Choose the top three from each category.
- Quickly brainstorm strategies for the accomplishment of each goal.
- Example:
- Goal: To consume more literature.
- Strategies:
- Go to the library 1x per week
- Read 3 picture books each day at the start of morning time
- Have audio books available during daily quiet time
- Join a book club
- Include a poetry game 1x per week
Step 3: Yearly Calendar
Now it is time to get specific with your ideas. You already know what you want to do, how you can do it. Now you need to answer when it will happen by filling out your calendar.
One of the greatest things about homeschool is that you get to dictate your schedule. Make your schedule work for you.
Things to consider:
- School calendar
- Determine how you want to set up your homeschool calendar (general rule of thumb is 180 school days per year). Some homeschoolers begin their academic years in January; others follow the more traditional start time of August; others homeschool year round. Decide what works for you!
- Holidays
- Work and/or social events
- Field trips
- Vacations
Step 4: Create a Scope & Sequence
A Scope & Sequence is a helpful organizational tool for ensuring what your your academic materials are in alignment with your established goals. It outlines what you will be covering (scope), in what order (sequence).
Many curriculums include a scope and sequence, but it is a good idea to create one that is specific to you (accounts for your set schedule, goals, and collates all academic resources in one place).
- Scope and Sequence: What is it? How can it help me with my homeschool planning?
- Scope and Sequence: How to easily create your own
Step 5: Develop a Schedule
Now it is time to determine what the day-to-day of your homeschool will look like. This will be specific to you and your family's unique needs. Choose what will serve you best and remember that you are the master of your schedule, not the other way around.
Choosing the Right Tool
Some people prefer to follow a specific daily schedule, where each task is assigned a specific time.
Others find that a following a daily rhythm works better for them. A rhythm is more task oriented than time oriented.
Block scheduling is another great organizational tool that can used in conjunction with specific schedules and rhythms.
- "How to Use Block Scheduling to Revamp Your Work Flow"
- "How to Optimize Your Life With a Simple Block Schedule"
Step 6: Assessment
It is important to regularly engage in self-reflection and evaluation. Just because something is working today, does not mean that it is going to work tomorrow. By regularly engaging in assessment and reflection you will be able to ensure that your family is best being served by what you are doing.
Think about:
- What is working really well? How are we succeeding? Are we ready to move forward to a new goal?
- Be sure to recognize and celebrate your wins! Acknowledging the positive things that are happening will motivate you to keep going.
- What are the areas that could use some fine tuning? What are some strategies that I could use to enhance our performance?
- What is not working for us? What changes need to be made? Do any priorities need to be shifted? What resources need to be reallocated or assigned to this area?
Setting Expectations
Building Relationship
Homeschool, as with anything else in life, is built upon relationships. The relationship that you have with your child is paramount. Beginning interactions by making sure your child's love bucket is full, will make all the difference in encouraging cooperation and sweet dispositions--for both parents and children.
Homeschooling is not for the faint of heart. It brings unbelievable sweet moments, but it will also test you in more ways that you thought possible. Leading and learning with an attitude of love and grace during this refining process will be game-changing for you and your kids.
Discover your language: QUIZ
- The Five Love Languages of Children: The Secret to Loving Children Effectively
- The Five Love Languages of Teenagers: The Secret to Loving Teens Effectively
Setting Expectations
Set high, but realistic and attainable, expectations for yourself and your children.
- Work Ethic
- Are you preparing, weekly and daily, the way that you need to so that the day runs smoothly?
- Spiritually, mentally, emotionally
- Gathered and prepared supplies, made copies, pulled books, etc.
- Is your child putting in his or her best effort?
- Are you preparing, weekly and daily, the way that you need to so that the day runs smoothly?
- Behavioral
- Define acceptable behaviors and attitudes and hold everyone accountable for abiding by the set standard.
- Develop a game plan for promoting positive behaviors and what to do when a correction needs to be made.
"Emotional regulation: Skills, exercises, and strategies"
"Connection Before Correction"
- Academics
- Is your child performing to the best of his or her capabilities?
- Is he or she being challenged appropriately? Are there any adjustments that need to be made?
Managing Exceptions
It would be nice if every day were as perfect as carefully curated Instagram account, but the reality is that people are messy. Life is messy. And sometimes the message of who we are called to be and what we are called to do gets lost in the mess. On those days and in those moments (because there will be some, guaranteed) it is important to know that we are not alone. We have a Heavenly Father who yearns to help us and to fill in our weaknesses with His incredible grace. All we have to do is be faithful to the call He has given us, and He has promised He will redeem the efforts.
Being consistent in your words, actions, expectations, and routine does not mean that there is no room for flexibility or adaptability. It simply means that you are not subject to every whim, trend or feeling.
Consistency is KEY
Consistency lends itself to the cultivation of a safe and stable environment. Kids thrive on routine. And, honestly, so do adults.
Being consistent in your words, actions, expectations, and routine does not mean that there is no room for flexibility or adaptability. It simply means that you are not subject to every whim, trend or feeling. It takes time to establish new habits, so don't get discouraged if things don't run as perfectly as you anticipated they would right off the bat.
"How Long Does it Actually Take to Form a New Habit? (Backed by Science)"
You know your family. You know what you need and what will best serve them in this season of life. Do it and do it faithfully. Little actions add up to big results.
Deschooling- Handling Transition
What is Deschooling?
Deschooling is the adjustment period a child goes through when transitioning from the traditional school environment to the homeschool environment. It is the process of the child letting go of public or private school culture as the norm.
What to Expect
Children can display moody, challenging, and/or confusing behaviors during this transition. This is completely normal and may require extra grace on your part as you and your child navigate the transition together.
Deschooling for Parents
Parents will also go through a period of deschooling as they adjust to the new homeschool paradigm. This process is a time when parents can:
- Rethink education
- Redefine learning
- Renegotiate their relationship to school norms
Resource: Rethinking School: How to Take Charge of Your Child's Education
Deschooling for Kids
It is said that it takes a month of transition for every year that a child was in traditional school.
Tips for Navigating the Transition
- Tell your child about deschooling
- Understanding that there will be a transition period will help you and your child set appropriate goals and expectations during this time.
- Go easy on formal academics as your settle into the new routine
- Figure out what daily rhythm best suits your family.
- Focus on habit building during this time. Developing strong habits will develop positive character traits and help to meet your focused academic goals later on.
- Go places
- Find other homeschoolers and start building community
- Get out in nature
- Volunteer
- Watch academic media
- Read, Read, Read
Read more about Deschooling here: