Make a timeline!

 Timelines are a skill all kiddos should learn to create.  My Brit Lit Class created and Anglo Saxon History Timeline.  I like timelines to be on number lines—not just dates and events in chronological order.  Below are samples of the Chem Class Atomic Development timeline.  I started assigning two timelines in my classes when I learned that students hadn’t learned how to create a timeline on paper, with a number line.  I fixed that.  You should, too.  Yes, initially my Brit Lit class thought they would be putting the pictures in order.  Not quite.

What if you need to pause home-schooling?

You’re home-schooling for a reason!  Life happens.  Military families move every two to three years. One friend is back and forth moving to a new house and selling the existing house.  Families welcome new babies.  Kiddos or parents face illness.  Sometimes a family member dies.  There will be times home-school goes on pause while you cope.  First, lessons are paused,,not over.  What can you do to catch up? Plan to add 15 minutes to your daily schedule once you restart.  Add just one extra lesson: one handwriting exercise, on geography worksheet, one more story, etc.  This small change may be enough to allow you to finish strong in May.  Ordinarily do you plan lessons four days a week?  Make it five.  Do you take a long break at Christmas and Easter? Pare back the breaks. When you resume classes, focus on basics.  Skip electives and extracurricular activities this year.  Explain that swim lessons, piano, soccer, 4-H, ballet, art, etc are all worthwhile.  You might forego Co-op field trips, park visits, and fundays.  You just won’t do anything extra until your kiddos are back on track.   Instead, make your courses your priority! 

Shop the thrift store!

 Our church has a thrift store at the back of the property.  The proceeds go to the needy.  The shop often separates home-school materials.  The local library system has used book sales monthly—another great source of materials.  Good Will online often has home-school books, kits, and materials listed.  Although, I do know many people balk at Good Will cherry picking donations to list online.    I just took some screenshots of current listings at Good Will.  There is always an eclectic assortment.

Visit an audiologist!

 My friend, Joanna, visited.  She’s a home-school mom.  She and her kiddos were studying the sense of hearing. After making a call, the family visited an audiologist!  The office was a family business and spent time explaining the ear model on hand.  The kiddos took turns testing their own hearing.  What an experience!  Call around!  Explain you home-school.  See what happens!  BTW, Joanna’s family is also exploring a battlefield a month.  They’re just that cool!  Now, use your imagination and start making calls!

My husband is in charge of class for a week.

 Let’s imagine you’re out of commission for a week or so.  What do you prepare for your husband?  I’m out of Co-op for a week for surgery.  I am much more cavalier than my husband.  I created an outline and posted it to Classroom.  I omitted a topic under Classroom; the document is at the top of the page.

I modified a slide deck with instructions—which is in the Classroom lessons.  Explanations are printed and placed on the computer.  I queued up the slide deck and Classroom lessons on the computer and left print-outs on top of the laptop.

I pulled all of the lab materials and copied lab instructions.

I created a pile for extra assignments and quizzes.

Finally, there is a list of instructions on the whiteboard.  Really.  I should only miss one class.  Really.  Rob wants to review all of these instructions and materials again Monday.  I can’t make this up.

How is your routine?

 It’s still September!  How is your routine?  My friend, Linda, felt behind before Co-op resumed!  She is a mother of seven children and was dreading fall, Co-op, and commitments, such as American Heritage Girls.  My friend, Joanna, just moved.  Another mom in our Co-op is battling cancer.  I see first hand how hard it is to adjust to a home-school schedule.  Are you tempted to give up and enroll your kiddos in public schools?  One of the Co-op moms last year did.  She was expecting baby four and moving to a new house.  (BTW she pulled the children back out after Christmas.). Before you go nuclear, look at your routine.  Are the kiddos going to bed and getting up at regular hours.  No, they don’t have to go to bed at 8 PM and awaken at 6 AM; but families with regular hours tend to have a better daily structure.  How many outside commitments do you have?  Is your child enrolled in tennis, French, gymnastics, soccer, swimming, dance, and Mathnasium?  Pare back.  Focus on fundamentals: English, Math, History, and Science.  Select one activity.  Really!  Are you a busy volunteer?  It is hard to say no.  Do it!  Explain you need to focus on your family!  Pick a volunteer activity your family can do once or twice a year, such as sorting donations for the Food Pantry.  Right now, you want to home-school.  Make that your biggest goal.  Ask yourself what can go!  Hey!  Make breakfast for dinner!  Substitute a walk after lunch for soccer.  Put the kiddos to bed at 8:00 PM.  You and your husband can have a conversation!  Let’s get the routine sorted!

Let’s talk about electives!

Once your kiddo is in high school, you want to consider electives.  Our Co-op offers a few electives based on family interest.  Absolutely continue to focus on core subjects: History, English, Science, and Math.  Try to achieve a balance between your teen’s interests and ways to challenge your kiddo a bit.  Electives can take many forms.  Does your daughter want to shadow a vet?  Does the local museum accept historic reenactors?  (Think of all the research!  The costume, period details—even grammar!  Earlier eras avoid contractions and slang.)  Does your kiddo like robotic competitions?  Acting in local theatre?  Joining Civil Air Patrol?  Doing debate?  (Formal debate—not the on-going argument over wi-fi and cell phones..)  Play an instrument?  Volunteer at a Discovery Museum?  These types of electives are based on your teen’s interests.  

There are lessons which are just generally valuable, such as Google Education Tools.  Learn tips to make slide decks and spreadsheets. Can your kiddo code?  Khan Academy has an Hour of Code —along with a host of free courses. Easy Peasy All-In-One High School has some solid electives: Consumer Math, Computer, Art Appreciation, and several Parent Submitted Courses, such as Film Making.  What about Hillsdale College courses? (These courses are consistently excellent!)  I think every teen should have a class in personal finance,  Consider a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University course.  (Ramsey’s course can dovetail well with a Consumer Math program.)  Path to Honor has free citizenship lessons from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.  Look for a free Civics class.  Civics is another elective most families want for their children.

Hillsdale College Online Courses are structured lessons with videos, study guides, and quizzes; the classes are easy to track.  Easy Peasy’s Consumer Math course uses a Glencoe Study Guide; the worksheets are easy to grade and correct.  Put the two courses together!  Buy a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace kit online.  Watch the videos, read the book, and complete the workbook.  Select a structured elective which is easy to document.  Instruct your teen to document his or her work and to maintain records.  Electives can be fun!  Just strive for a balance and include a few subjects which are useful.