Planning your School Year Checklist
Plan & Organize
- Know your state’s homeschooling requirements and update all necessary documentation. You’ll find requirements for each state here: HSLDA.org
- Establish goals for your child(ren), academic objectives, personal development, and life skills. I encourage you to engage your child(ren) in this process. Ask for their input regarding desired accomplishments, areas of interest, and subjects requiring further attention. I have goal planning forms inside our Mega-Planner. If you need short term goal sheets for a child with ADHD, you can find them here.
- Develop a comprehensive schedule and routine for the first month, including planned breaks. When doing so, know that you should expect to be flexible. The beauty of homeschooling is that life happens and you can adjust!
- Consider multiple methods, such as thematic units, weekly segments, subject-based planning, or conceptual frameworks. Keeping different methods within your plans will help your child(ren) to stay engaged and excited.
- Organize curriculum materials and print any required worksheets or planners. Utilize binders or other organizational tools; ensure adequate printer supplies are available. Want school supply recommendations? I’ve got them here!
- Establish a flexible daily or weekly routine. A flexible mindset is key when homeschooling!
- Download the Mega-Planner to help get and stay organized.
Prepare Your Learning Environment
- Declutter and update the homeschool area to create a conducive learning space. Remove unused books, outdated worksheets, and expired supplies from the previous year.
- Acquire essential school supplies, including writing instruments, notebooks, and art materials.
- Implement a storage solution for instructional resources and completed student work.
- Post a visual schedule or morning overview to clarify daily expectations.
Gather & Inventory Curriculum
- If you are not already an All-Access member of My Teaching Library, become one today. Membership will give you instant access to thousands of teaching resources (curriculum, posters, flashcards and more), all grades, all subjects.
- Bookmark My Teaching Library so you can refer to it often for additional resources.
- Need a printer to reduce ink costs? I have two great printer recommendations here. (I personally use the 4850.)
Set Up the Academic Calendar
- Record critical dates that you want to plan around such as holidays, co-op meetings, and field trips. For families homeschooling year-round, advanced planning of breaks and excursions ensures goal attainment. Calendars can be found in our Mega-Planner.
- Schedule regular planning or “teacher days” to review progress and evaluate the effectiveness of curriculum and methodologies, making adjustments as needed.
Foster Enthusiasm in Students
- Design and implement an engaging activity or tradition for the first day of the homeschool year.
- Prepare a back-to-school kit with new supplies or a small token to mark the occasion.
- Discuss goals and interests with each student to tailor learning experiences accordingly.
- Prepare Yourself as the Instructor
- Reflect on previous years’ successes and challenges, incorporating feedback from your child(ren) regarding preferred resources, activities, and areas for improvement.
- Develop a self-care strategy to prevent burnout, prioritizing periodic breaks. This is very important! 😉
- Join the My Teaching Library fb group for support.
Final Steps
- Create a list of potential field trips and hands-on projects to enrich the curriculum.
Download your Field Trip Advance Planning Forms here and your child(ren)’s after field trip forms here. - (When possible) Prepare meals in advance to facilitate low-stress school days. Also, remember to incorporate recipe planning and cooking within your homeschool plans from time to time. These activities are learning activities! Download our colorful recipe templates to use for planning.
- Maintain adaptability throughout the year! Remember to stay flexible. Burn out is real and your child(ren) can feel it too. Learning is a journey, not a race!
Have a wonderful school year!
My Teaching Library – A teacher and parent recommended, comprehensive site, offering you flexible, child-centered materials for all core subjects PreK-12th grade! With My Teaching Library, YOU are in control. You control what and how you teach your children as well as how you access the resources.
What and how: Instead of a one-size-fits-all curriculum, you’ll have instant access to educational materials designed to give you choices! You select what you want to use, and when you want to use it. Why? Because every child learns at their own pace and through their own unique learning style.
How you access: You decide if you want to purchase resources individually or save by becoming an All-Access member.
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