Welcome back! I have been spending a lot of time with my three year old working on his home schooling system. I know there are many other moms out there just getting started as well so I though a 5 step system to get everyone started would be helpful.
This week will be Week 1: Plan Ahead.
Lets get started as we all know, it’s never to late to plan ahead.
When it comes to planning ahead for my son I have found being over prepared is the best way. Tractor Man is a very energetic little boy who requires a challenge to stay engaged. Knowing this organization has become my best friend!
Not only do we schedule our cleaning schedule, other obligations and events but we also schedule our home schooling schedule. It makes my job easier knowing I’m prepared ahead of time and Tractor Man’s job easier since there is little lag time between tasks to get distracted.
So this week step one is plan your schedule and write it down. Remember it may take a few weeks to get it to work well for your family. Don’t be afraid to rework it to soot your needs!
Once you have your schedule mapped out take it a step farther.
Step two is to organize your materials. You have your schedule done so now take it a step farther. Look ahead at your lessons, activities, field trips, etc. and write them out for what you plan to accomplish each day. This will work great for you to stay on track and also provide your little one with a daily goal to accomplish.
Note: I always suggest making one day a week a float day where you can do additional field trips, activities or catch up on materials you are behind on.
Finally you are now ready for Step three: Materials Prep!
Take the time to layout all of your materials ahead of time. O go so far as to make all of my copies a week in advance. Doing this allows me the opportunity to ensure I’m fully prepared with all the materials I need.
Showing your little one how organized and seriously you take their education supports them and gives them added confidence. They know that you feel they are important and learning becomes more important to them in return.
So now take an hour to help your family to Plan Ahead. Remember those three basic steps to help you get there.
Create your schedule, organize your events and schedule and finally prepare your materials on advance.
Best of luck to each of you this week. If you have comments or questions please post below. I’m off to do a math lesson. Happy home schooling!