Homeschool: Strategizing Next Year

Biba Kayewich

For many homeschooling parents, the spring semester is a time to steer the current homeschool year to completion and begin to think about what next year might look like. Whether you’re planning to begin homeschooling next year or are a veteran homeschooling parent trying to stay on top of things, here are some key considerations to guide your preparation and planning for the coming academic year.

Goals and Priorities

While it may be tempting to dive headfirst into shopping for shiny new curriculum or binge watching homeschooling moms on YouTube, it’s best to take a step back and revisit your own fundamental reasons for doing this in the first place.

Why have you chosen to homeschool your children? What are your greatest aspirations for this endeavor? What lessons, values, and skills do you want to impart to your children? Consider their goals and interests and how you can integrate those into the coming year.

Before you allow external noise to cloud your judgment, take plenty of time to pray, think deeply, and collaborate with your family as you clarify your vision of what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and what your highest priorities are.

What’s Working (or Not)

As you reflect upon your homeschool, you may find yourself focusing on things that are going really well and things that could be better. Take note of both.

If your child is thriving in a particular subject, with a particular skill, or in a particular environment, perhaps that’s an area you can double down on next year. If your child is struggling with something, perhaps you can change your approach or enlist more help in that area. A thoughtful evaluation of both successes and struggles will provide valuable insight for the upcoming year’s strategy.

Adventure on the Calendar

As you hone your focus and see your aims come into view, you might now be tempted to sign up for all the activities and classes that match your goals. Consider, however, that you might want to take into account higher priorities before committing your family’s precious time.

Consult your calendar for the coming year and consider what family-centric activities should take precedence over outside commitments. Will you be traveling as a family? Are there special milestones or celebrations you’d like to experience together? Are there places you want to go or things you want to do together that are more important to you than, perhaps, a seven-week art camp or an online class that impacts your schedule? Fill your calendar with what’s most important first.

Curriculum

Once you’ve sorted out the big picture, then you can begin to consider the finer details of your homeschool.

When looking for curricula, remember that is simply a tool to use in whatever way you deem best, not a master to obey throughout the span of a year. Consider the needs of your family and how it fits into your broader vision. A well-suited curriculum will support your goals and allow for a more enjoyable and productive learning experience.

Be on the lookout for sales and special offers from companies you plan to purchase from.

Environment

The environment of your homeschool has a great impact on experience, whether it’s your home, your vehicle, or the places you choose to venture in your homeschool endeavors. What improvements can you make to your environment?

This is a great question to ponder each year since your children’s needs vary from year to year. Consider factors such as space, organization, sounds, smells, comfort, and even outdoor opportunities for learning and fun.

The Nitty Gritty

As you gather resources, set up your environment for success, calendarize adventure and activities, and plan each academic subject for next year, take a look at the finest details of the materials you’ll be using. The first day of school should not be the first time you open your math book.

Put together a very solid plan, detailing how exactly you plan to tackle each subject and what you’ll do and expect of your children within each subject on a day-to-day basis. Some curricula are what they call “open-and-go,” meaning you can simply open the book and procedures are laid out before you.

Other programs require significant planning and preparation on the part of the parent. When that’s the case, it’s worthwhile to do anything you can to make that program work as an “open-and-go” curriculum for you when the time comes. You can do that by preparing materials in advance and creating lists of daily procedures and instructions for either you or your children.

The benefit of this is that when life gets busy and unexpected things pop up, it’s still very easy to continue progressing with school work. You, in effect, eliminate the need for planning and decision-making as you go because you’ve done it in advance.

Record and Celebrate

As you plan for next year, maintain good records of what you’re doing this year and plan a festive celebration for the end of the year. Homeschooling achievements are certainly worth celebrating and it should be a family affair. You’re all in this together and these are the times you’ll always remember.

Planning for the next homeschooling year allows you to design a thoughtful, structured, and flexible approach that aligns with your family’s values and goals. By reflecting on your priorities, evaluating the past year, and making intentional decisions about the upcoming year, you’ll set your family up for success and create an environment conducive to growth, learning, and joy.