School Daze

Many mom's are so excited as the school year is fastly approaching. Many mom's are out school supply shopping, clothes and shoe shopping, and making sure that all is in order before the big yellow bus greets their little one on the corner.

Well, for us homeschool mom's it is a little different. Most of our time is spent planning and preparing, then getting organized and finally the first day arrives, but not with an empty house, but with a full house, of children excited at their new books and supplies.

We haven't been homeschooling long (for about 4 years) but it has been chocked full of lessons and things that make my life easier. So in this post I will share what works for us.

Lesson Plan Notebook:
Each year when the new school year starts I type out what I would like each child to accomplish each day. I never date it because if we don't have school on that day, it throws us off, so I just say Day 1, Day 2, etc. We have a 4 day school schedule, leaving Friday to catch up, P.E. or just to clean up and hang out. This notebook is organized by child's subject and I just cross off each day that is done. Moving on to the next. It makes life very easy for me.

Early First Day of School:
I now have the first day of school a week early! We discuss what is planned, go through the lessons, and what is excpected. That way when the real first day of school begins, they already know what to expect. I will also take pictures and have a special breakfast (usually donuts and hot chocolate.)

Spiral:
Any books that are soft bound but aren't 3 hole punched or spiral bound I head to Kinko's and have them spiral bind them. It makes turning pages easier and allows for pages not to be ripped out of books as easily.

All Year School:
Sounds crazy, but with my summer being crazier, this will be the last year we don't have some school during the summer. It is hot in Arizona anyway, so when they are done with one book we will just move on to the other books with a 2 week break in between. That way I am sane and there is a little more organization in my life. (And I like that.)

Our Curriculum:
Christian Liberty Press
Rod and Staff
Easy Grammar
Math U See
Apologia Science
Christ Centered Curriculum


Hope this helps anyone else who is interested, I know I really love reading about how others get school together.

God bless....