.png)
Usually in early to mid July most families are out buying school supplies. I am sitting on my bed listening to a podcast with hundreds of worksheets and projects from the year prior laid out in front of me. Before I can plan another year, there are a few important things that need to be wrapped up first.
In my state, it is required that our kids’ work is submitted for evaluation every year. When the previous year ends I go through all my kiddo’s work and pick out a few samples from each quarter and subject and put those to the side. Alongside this, I also add all my lists and trackers together. I scan the samples into my computer and then tie it all into one nice portfolio-styled PDF.
I find so much joy in this part of the process, remembering all the fun moments in each project and every worksheet. I love watching their knowledge grow, listening to them read more and more words, and watching the little light bulb go off every time they finally understand a math problem. It’s a proud moment for me as a homeschool mom.
With the paperwork behind me, it’s time to start picking out different curriculum options. This year I will have a 1st grader, a 4th grader, and pre-K 3. I look up the age-appropriate curriculum, and then I compare what’s included in each program. It’s important to me that my children get the most out of each subject so I spend hours going through review videos on YouTube.
I use a mix of hands-on lessons, workbook lessons, and lots of reading! It’s fun to mix it up sometimes and not have the same kind of work and lessons every week and it keeps my kids engaged. I also genuinely enjoy planning lessons, so naturally, the grab-and-go curriculum has never really been my style.
This year I am super excited to look at different faith-based curriculum. Since our family is new to following Jesus, this will be the first time I’ll be introducing God into our school year. I can’t wait to read the Bible to them, learn Scripture together, and maybe even add in a fun kids devotional. This year I really want to encourage their lifelong walk with God.
As I prepare our lessons for the coming year, I keep thinking about the verse Proverbs 22:6: “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” It reminds me that homeschooling isn’t just about teaching math or reading. It’s also about pointing my children toward Christ every single day.
Once I have my subjects and curriculum picked out, it’s time to plan. After years of homeschooling, I realized I kept needing the same pages over and over, so I eventually designed a planner that worked for our family. I plan out my subjects every 3 months and break down the subtopics monthly. Assignments are something I make or plan out every month. Having everything planned ahead lets me spend less time worrying about what comes next and more time actually teaching my children.
The moment everything is packed together, sent to be evaluated, filed, and planned out, it’s finally time to start! I love the beginning of the year, and my kids and I are already waiting for the next to begin.
I really enjoy being a homeschool mom. All the memories I get to have because I decided to spend more time with them. I am very grateful for God gifting me with those stacks of worksheets, the memories, and the little milestones I get through homeschooling. While everyone is getting ready to send their kids off to school I am flipping through the memories of the last school year and preparing for the next and it reminds me just how quickly these years are passing. I am praying for another wonderful school year, and I am looking forward to all the adventures it will bring.