The past two weeks have been all about creating a daily plan that works for us.  We have schedule that we follow loosely, I created it a few years ago, and I adjust it each year to fit the current subjects.  This schedule still works for us pretty much as long as we aren't restricted to time.  When things are blocked off by time, it is harder for me.  The time constraints cause a bit of anxiety because sometimes things simply do not go as planned. 

When we started our new school year, I began it with a very simple planner.  A place for me to write down the lessons for each subject we are studying, but I quickly found myself trying to fill in ALL of the boxes.  More than half of the planner wasn't being used because we don't have a lot of filler work, and this made me feel like we weren't doing enough although the amount of time we spent doing lessons was more than enough.  The boxes were playing a trick on me.

Now after giving myself a break from the planner,  I have found a way that is more conducive to our homeschool. Actually, I have gone back to the way I used to plan our days.  When I took a break from the planner and printing out lesson sheets for each of the girls, we went back to writing a list on the whiteboard. 

Going back to a simple list on the board was just the thing all three of us needed.  I asked the girls if they missed their weekly checklist, and they both informed me that the weekly planner that I printed for them wasn't necessary.  My oldest told me that I could save the paper.

As we head into a new week,  I have decided to pick up the planner again except this time I will stay true to what works for our homeschool.

I have decided to divide the planner into three sections: morning, afternoon, and independent.  The additional boxes will be used for me to take notes for future reference such as skills the girls need to work on or books that I hope to use with the girls. 

Our plan now reflects us.  We aren't fully school at home, but structure is needed for us to be successful.  I use my master list of subjects that I wrote out this summer to help guide me in creating our weekly then daily plan. Our day is better when everything serves a purpose therefore there isn't a ton planned each day. 

I'll keep you guys posted if our plan changes, but I doubt it will as long as I don't get distracted.

Homeschool Tip of the Week:

Remain true to yourself and your family.  There are so many ways to plan for homeschooling, but every method doesn't work for every family.  If you feel off track, take a moment to step back and reflect.  Are you teaching the subjects you need to teach (by law) or those that interest your children?  Or are you teaching what you think you are supposed to be teaching based on other families' choices?  Is your day too packed that it's hard to retain what is being taught?  Consider making a change that will change the environment of your homeschool for the better whether it's putting a subject or two to the side or changing the time of day you teach.  Make a plan that works for you and your family.