What Hasn't Worked For Me
This is the first year in our homeschooling adventure, and not wanting Genius's brain to resemble oatmeal mush by the time the end of August rolled around, we let her have one month of vacation before we started schooling. Having never done this before, I had high expectations of both myself and her. I was so organized, figuring out how many pages a day we would need to cover to finish the text book within the allotted time.
Ha ha only three weeks into this, and I'm laughing at myself. In not one of our books have we reached the pages "we should have been" at, and some of the curriculum I purchased that I had to have in my daily schedule have not even been opened.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not upset or disappointed by this apparent revelation, however, SCHEDULING did not work for me. We simply take the time to do what comes next in the book, and if we cover less than I anticipated that's okay. If we cover more (not likely hee hee), that's okay too! My main goal was to make sure Genius understood the concepts being taught, and some are taking a little longer than others.
So I applaud you homeschoolers that can make a schedule and stick to it, because in reality that is how I have accomplished most tasks that I have needed to get done. Alas, I need to learn to be more flexible. It's an ingrain thought pattern, from years of a traditional school setting, that I'm sure will slowly become a distant memory (at least I hope so!).
If you would like to read more revelations of what did not work for homeshooling families around the globe check out The Heart of the Matter for their Friday Meme.
Heart of the Matter, Homeschool, Schedule
Reader Comments (5)
I have a really hard time sticking to a schedule, too. I always have good intentions, but life creeps in and out goes the schedule. We just go with the flow around here. :-)
A flexible schedule is what works for us. I think the first year of homeschooling is the hardest, and then you find your stride and discover what works best for you and your children.
We use a schedule as a guideline...our days our never the same! Thanks for sharing!
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You sound so wise for being new to homeschooling. I wish that I had learned this early on. I spent those first years pushing my kids through to stay with the schedule. Now, I let them go at their own pace, because I care more that they comprehend it rather than get through it.
I am still trying to figure out how it all works best for us....LOL!!
Thanks for sharing!!