Homeschooling: Creating a Routine Without Becoming a Slave to Your Schedule

Some homeschooling families thrive with spontaneity and carefree meanderings down interest led rabbit trails.  Other families require a bit more structure and scheduling.  One is not better than the other.  They are simply different.  I recently met a sweet family who enjoys unstructured rabbit trails and interest driven learning so much, that they prefer to unschool.  They learn so much in this way!  I marvel at the inward structure God has given this family. They love unschooling and it is a wonder to see!  They are not sitting around doing nothing all day.  They are busy and actively working toward their goals.

But, you know what? My family cannot learn like that.  We need a lot more structure to be successful in our homeschooling, and that's okay. God created my new friend to raise up the children the Lord gave her.  Likewise, God created me to raise up the children He gave me.  We can appreciate our differences, value each other as individuals and support each other as we walk out our homeschooling journeys.

A long time ago, the Lord led me to create structure in our home.  The first thing I tried was Manager's of Their Homes by Teri Maxwell.  I learned so much and it definitely put an end to the chaos that was happening when I had three little boys to educate. It is such a comprehensive resource.  (I recommend it!)  Yet, in practice, I came to understand that God was not leading me to, "schedule," as much as He was leading me to build a framework or skeleton routine for learning and living. He led me to build a little cushion time so that we  never feel behind.  We simply go from one subject or activity to the next until we are done.  It is much more relaxed this way, and because we don't have a pressing schedule to follow, we can enjoy the occasional rabbit trail or discussion without having to worry.

Do you need structure in your homeschooling? Are you consistently missing one subject or another in your homeschool program?  Do you feel stressed in trying to keep your children on task? Are the chores and clutter piling up?  If so, a routine may be a help to you.

How does one create a routine or framework for homeschooling?  This is my, "in a nutshell," answer.

1.  Determine your priorities.  What subjects do you most need to cover?  What needs to happen during your day? Brainstorm about what time of day each subject, activity or event might be best completed.  For instance, my children dread math, so we choose to complete it earlier in the day to get it out of the way.  No procrastination.  We tend to plow through core subjects and keep the electives or fun things like music and art for the last part of the day.  Choose what is best for you.

Do you want to incorporate a period or two of clean up time?  (I recommend this because it keeps things tidy and relaxed.)

What about fun subjects like art, music,  dance and crafting?  (Include whatever is important to for your family!)

Consider creating time for:

family devotions

personal quiet time

meals

times of rest

times to play

Pray over these priorities and ask God if there are any others that He would like you to incorporate into your day.  Consider searching the Word for wisdom in prioritizing.  Before you move on to step two, write all of your priorities down on paper.

2.  Consider each of your children's learning needs.  Can you teach any of them together?  Do you need one on one time with any of them?  What could the other children do while you are one on one with that child?  In our family, when I had to work one on one with a child, I would assign a subject that other children could handle on their own, or I would provide a short time of reading, computer games, crafting or other healthy play.  If I had a toddler or preschooler, I would keep a box of toys and crafts that they could play with only during the time that I needed to spend with an older child.

Brainstorm ways your children can use their time while you are with another child one on one.  Write these ideas down and save this for the step four.

If you are particularly weary from juggling younger and older children's needs at the same time, please read this article.  It will help.

3.  Print this form.  It's free, from me!  You will use it to build your framework. It is a blank "Our Routine," form.

4.  Based on your priorities, determine an order to follow.  If  you need to spend time with Tommy doing math, then in the Mom column write Math with Tommy at the time you want to do it.  Then in Tommy's column, write "Math with Mom."  If you have other children, decide what they can do while you are with Tommy. Continue on, prayerfully filling in your day.  Don't over schedule.  Build grace into your homeschooling day.  Don't become slave to the schedule.  Times are not as important as the general order.

[caption id="attachment_1732" align="aligncenter" width="600"] This is a copy of our framework from 1999.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1735" align="aligncenter" width="600"] This is the skeleton I am currently in the midst of tweaking. Sam is in 11th grade and Grace is in 6th grade.[/caption]

5.  Be willing to tweak as necessary.  It may be necessary to add forgotten elements or delete unnecessary ones.  Use this framework as a tool.  Don't allow it to become your slave master!

If you need more help and encouragement, check out Manager's of Their Homes.  It is an excellent resource.  Just remember to build a lot of grace into your day!

Blessings,