How To Plan Homeschool Year – Exactly How I Did

I was that kid. The one who always had her nose in a book, dreaming about faraway places and magical adventures. I loved school and learning new things, and I never wanted to stop. When it came time to choose a career, there was no question that I would be a teacher.

Fast-forward a few years, and I found myself homeschooling my own children. There were many ups and downs and I remember I got stuck on how to plan homeschool year, because I was aware of the fact that planning our homeschool year was key to our success. If I didn’t plan ahead, we would quickly get off track and end up behind where we were supposed to be.

Disclaimer here!

If you’re kind of a person (unlike me) who doesn’t love planning much, I would recommend taking a mindful breath and try to get excited about it. It doesn’t have to be perfect or complicated. Just start with a basic plan and go from there.

The Problem With Homeschool Planning

You’re probably here to read about how to plan homeschool year, because you know the power of planning, organizing, and brainstorming. But an average of us still have some resistance to it. The most common problem is not sticking to your plan.

I know it feels very awful when we see untick todos in our schedule or lesson plan. But It’s perfectly normal for our homeschool planning to be disrupted by life. And that’s ok!

But the point here is to get you people educated creating a homeschooling plan that you feel motivated to pursue.

With that being said, your goals have to be realistic, measurable, and attainable.

Some people may feel that planning ahead stifles creativity or freedom in learning. I would argue that the opposite is true. Having a plan gives you a framework to work within, which can actually make things easier and less stressful.

It’s also important to remember that your homeschool plan is not set in stone. You can always change it as needed to fit the needs of your family.

The key goal should be enjoying the journey and not making it a burden.

I hope you would get it.

3 Simple Steps to Get Started With Your Homeschool Planning

Now that we’ve talked about the importance of planning, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how to do it. Below are three simple steps that you can follow to get started with your homeschool planning.

1. Choose a planning method

The first step is to choose a planning method that works for you. There are tons of different homeschool yearly planners out there, so take some time to research and find one that fits your needs. I personally like to use a combination of a physical planner and an online planning tool like Homeschool Tracker. But I personally prefer NOTION as a homeschool lesson planner.

2. Set your goals

This is my second and most crucial step on how to plan homeschool year.

Think about the lessons you want to teach this year. Compare your last year (if it’s not your first year of homeschooling) and see what has worked the best, how much you lessons you can include this year, what mandatories you’re going to add, and so on.

lesson plans for homeschooling are very important, think about what do you want to accomplish?

Make a list of all the subjects you want to cover this year and break them down into smaller goals. For example, if you’re homeschooling a 3rd-grader, your goals might look something like this:

• Math: Learn multiplication up to 12
• Science: Study rocks and minerals
• Language Arts: Read 30 minutes every day
• History: Learn about the American Revolution

P.S: Don’t forget to add the opinion of your kid.

3. Create a schedule

Now that you have your goals set, it’s time to create a schedule. This will help you stay on track and make sure that you’re covering all the material you need to. Again, involve your children in this process so that they understand what’s expected of them.

I like to start by mapping out the big events and holidays first, then fill in the blanks with our homeschooling lessons.  This helps me to make sure that we’re taking a break when needed and also allows me to plan ahead for any big projects or field trips.

Once you have your schedule created, be sure to put it in a place where everyone can see it and refer to it often. I like to use a whiteboard in our homeschool room so that we can easily add and remove items as needed.

5 Tips on How to Plan Homeschool Year

I learned this very hard way but I want you guys to avoid my mistakes. So, here are my five tips that might help you while planning your homeschooling year.

1. Set realistic goals

It’s important to set realistic homeschooling goals so that you don’t get overwhelmed or discouraged. If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at your state’s homeschooling requirements and use that as a starting point. From there, you can add or remove goals as needed to fit the needs of your family.

2. Don’t compare yourself to others

This is such an important tip, especially when you’re just starting out. It’s easy to get caught up in comparing your homeschool to others, but it’s important to remember that every family is different and what works for one might not work for another. Trust your gut and go with what you feel is best for your family.

3. Don’t try to do it all

It’s impossible to do everything, so don’t try! It’s okay to pick and choose what you want to do and focus on that. You can always add more later if you find that you have the time and energy.

4. Plan for breaks

Homeschooling can be tough, so make sure to plan for some breaks throughout the year. This could be a week off for vacation or just a few days here and there to relax and recharge. Whatever you do, don’t try to homeschool straight through without taking any time off. You’ll quickly burn out and it’ll be tough to get back into the swing of things.

5. Have fun!

Last but not least, don’t forget to have fun! Homeschooling should be an enjoyable experience for both you and your child. If it starts to feel like a chore, take a step back and reassess what you’re doing. There’s no shame in taking a break or changing up your routine if it means that everyone will be happier in the end.

Must Read: Is homeschooling hard? – Let’s discover

It’s your turn now!

Planning your homeschool year can seem daunting, but if you follow these tips, you’ll be able to create a schedule that works for your family.

You don’t have to be picky, just be simple and have fun while doing it. Involve your kids in the process, so they understand what’s expected of them and can help with the planning.

I wish you all the best of luck as you start homeschooling! Let me know how it goes or if you have any questions, I’m always happy to help. 🙂