Planning Your Homeschool Year

1. Identify Your Goals

Throughout the year, periodically remind yourself why you homeschool—you love your children and want what’s best for them.

If you haven’t already specified goals for your children’s homeschool education, pray about identifying them. Having a target to aim at throughout the year is tremendously beneficial. Write down your goals and hang them up to help you stay on track. Reflect on the big picture to create the right mindset as your year approaches. Throughout the year, periodically remind yourself why you homeschool—you love your children and want what’s best for them. No one, other than God, loves your children more than you, and no one else cares more about their education. That’s why homeschool parents take the reins as decision-makers of their children’s educational content. They feel strongly about raising their children to see the world through the lens of Scripture.

2. Choose Your Materials

With your goals in mind, selecting a curriculum is easier. Begin by listing the core subjects you’ll cover this year, and then add in electives such as physical education and music. Select educational resources that are built from the ground up on a biblical worldview. While many parents recognize that science needs to be taught from a biblical worldview, they may overlook that the same holds true for all subjects. A good curriculum shouldn’t merely mention God, it should exalt him. (For more suggestions, see Tips for Selecting Homeschool Curriculum.)

3. Design Your Calendar Year

Many states require homeschoolers to have between 160 to 180 instructional days per year. You can accomplish that with a traditional school calendar from fall to spring or by homeschooling year-round with shorter breaks throughout the year. If you choose to participate in a homeschool co-op, you’ll follow the co-op’s schedule. Co-ops can afford children opportunities to make friends, play team sports, and participate in things like Team Policy Debate, while providing moms with support and fellowship. After choosing your homeschool calendar, plan how you’ll get through your curriculum within the year. A good rule of thumb is to set a halfway mark. For example, plan to cover half the chapters in your science textbook by your midyear date, then pace yourself accordingly.

4. Set Up Your School Space

Organizing your homeschool space is an important step. Designing your workspace effectively now will save time daily when schooling begins. Whether your children will share the kitchen table and keep their resources in bins or have a designated homeschool room with separate workspaces, organization is important for reducing stress and promoting success. Before your year begins, your children should know exactly where materials are stored and where to file ongoing work products like practice pages.

5. Be Flexible

Be sure to start your year knowing that your preparations are a guide—not a requirement.

Be sure to start your year knowing that your preparations are a guide—not a requirement. Adjust your plan as the year progresses. For example, modify your schedule when you’ve switched your math curriculum because the one you originally chose wasn’t working well for your child. Be prepared to scale back work to complete your year on time and know that’s okay. Give yourself grace and always focus on what you’re accomplishing rather than missing—you’re raising your children “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4, KJV).

Don’t Miss The Horse and His Boy!

Logos Theatre is returning to the Ark Encounter this November with their spectacular live production of C. S. Lewis’ The Horse and His Boy. This Broadway-level production is a delight to old and young alike, and it would make an excellent destination for a family outing or homeschool field trip! Learn more and get your tickets here.