Closing Remarks As We Near The End of Homeschool Year 6

We are closing in on finishing up our 6th year homeschooling, and I want to share what is working well for us. I have a rising 6th grader and a rising 3rd grader for reference. I have homeschooled my children since Kindergarten and have learned so much throughout the past six years. Here's what is working well for us:

1. Morning school start time: There is no required start time for your homeschool day, but morning school works best for our family. I aim to start around 8:30 a.m. and then spend all morning doing our lessons. We typically break for lunch around noon, and then finish up Writer's Corner, History, and Science before ending the school day. This schedule ensures that we have plenty of afternoon hours for outside play, activities, sports, etc.

2. A daily subject schedule: I believe that kids need structure, especially when it comes to learning, so I have a general daily subject schedule. There are some days when we might switch things up, but generally we stick to our order of subjects. For us, it looks like: Bible/Prayer Time, Math, English Language Arts, Writer's Corner, and then History/Science.

3. Incorporating "Extra" Learning Tools: I like to add in extra learning that my kids enjoy, such as fun podcasts and listening to audiobooks on their Yoto Player. They can build Legos while they listen to a fun book and don't even realize that they are learning as they play. We also really love the Real Cool History for Kids Podcast. I pay for the monthly subscription to their Patreon, where you get weekly history packets that go along with the shows. The history packets are so fun, yet educational, so they are a win!

4. Writer's Corner: This year, I decided to start a new part of school called "Writer's Corner", where I give my kids a prompt and they write a paragraph about it in their writer's notebook. As a writer, I love this activity so much! Plus, it is great writing practice, and their paragraphs are always so sweet to read! I created a free printable here if you'd like it!

5. Teaching Real-World Skills: I want my children to learn real-world skills along with learning through their books, so we have incorporated more responsibilities into our day together. They are responsible for dishwasher duty after lunch and dinner, watering the flower beds, cleaning out the backseat of our car where they sit, and cleaning their rooms every day. Besides those daily tasks, I have also been teaching my son and daughter how to cook, do laundry, and handle other tasks around the home that they need to know. Outside of those homemaking skills, we are teaching them how money works via spending and saving. The best way to teach them these concepts is to have them join you around the house as you work.

If you have any questions about homeschooling, feel free to ask me below!