getting ready for the new school year

I really haven’t talked alot about homeschooling here. I’m not sure why since it totally consumes most of our life. However, I think that maybe one of the reasons I’ve been hesitant to share about how we homeshool is because the way we chose to educate our children is a very personal decision.

No two families will homeschool their children the same, because no two families are the same. Each family is unique because each family is full of unique people. So each family has to figure out the best way to educate their children. Some families will chose public school, some will choose private school, some will choose homeschool and some will chose all three. Each family has do what is best for their own unique family.

Benjamin learning to throw an arrow throwing stick on one of the many field
trips that are organized by moms in our co-op.

Over the years we’ve followed many different schedules, in fact each year is a little different. But now that my children are older it seems best for us just to loosely follow the local public school calendar. So, in preparation of starting school in a few weeks I’ve started clearing off shelves and pulling out what we are using this year.

One benefit of homeschooling all the way through is that I have most everything I need for each grade level. I’ve decided that there are some things that I no longer need and so I listed them on Paperback Swap and ebay. It’s so nice to see the empty shelves.

This is my grading bucket. The kids fill it up during the day and I grade everything at night.

I’m also working on a daily schedule for us. I realize that I’ve become somewhat dependent on Christian driving but since he is taking a couple of college classes and hoping to get a part time job, I guess I’ll be wearing my chauffeur hat this year. I read Organized Simplicity while we were camping and I really like the daily docket idea so I’m trying to decide how to do something similar with what I already knows works for me. When I figure it out I’ll let you know.

I still need to pack up our books from last year, enter the final grades into Christian and Josiah’s portfolios and transcripts, make a few new notebooks and print up syllabuses for Christian and Josiah’s classes and the classes I’m teaching at co-op.

What do you do to get ready for the school year?

The Schneiders

Friday 29th of July 2011

Rachel - You're ahead of me. I don't even do report cards. We have very little requirements in Texas, so there are alot of things that I don't do that other homeschoolers do. For instance, I only keep grades for our high schoolers.

Anonymous

Thursday 28th of July 2011

So co-op is a go!! I am so excited! You will have to tell me all the details in an email. If I can still ask? I miss you guys very much! Christy

Rachel E.

I'm so glad I am not the only one who hasn't entered grades into the portfolio. :-) In fact, I still haven't printed up my son's report card! I do have the grades done though.