Homeschool Scheduling Made Easy

When it comes to homeschool scheduling remember to find a balance and schedule that works for you.

Finding a schedule that will work in your homeschool is something that most homeschoolers struggle with. Scheduling your day may seem overwhelming when you multiple children, a busy schedule, and are new to the whole idea of homeschooling.

One thing that every homeschooler should understand is that there is NO perfect homeschool schedule. Every families schedule will look different. Why? Because every family is different. What works for me, will not always work for you, what works for your homeschooling friends is not guaranteed to work for you. Here are some tips to help you with homeschool scheduling.

• First, you will not be “doing school” for 6 hours each day. A typical public school day is 9-3. A public school day includes lunch, bathroom breaks, recess, time standing in line, and many other things that you do not have to incorporate into your school day.
• Pick a time that you want to start school. This may be 9 am, it may be noon. Consider the schedule of every member of your family when you are setting a time to start school. If you have little ones in the house, you may want to save the “heavy” subjects for when the younger ones are napping.
• Think of a way to start your school day. It may be the pledge, reviewing the calendar or devotions. Generally, things like this will help you and your kids get into the school rhythm.
• A general rule of thumb is to start school with the hardest subject first. This will vary depending on your child, but for most, it will be grammar and/or math. You can follow that up with Science or History. These subjects do not have to be every day. You can rotate them out. Some people like to do Science on Tuesday/Thursday and History on Monday/Wednesday. I know some families who study Science one week, then History the next. It is really up to you.
• Remember to schedule time for fun! Don’t be so strict on “school” that you miss field trips, park play dates, or other activities. These are important to learning. All work and no play is fun for no one, so make time for socialization ;)

When it comes to homeschool scheduling remember to find a balance and schedule that works for you. Once you have one that fits don’t be so strict with it that you are stressed all the time. You must be flexible. When kids are sick, you may not have school or may start late. When you have been in a busy season you may have to tweak your schedule some. This is okay!  The beauty of homeschooling is flexibility. Don’t let a schedule rule you.