Last year we made the switch to schooling year round. Since we don’t technically have an end date, I still need to take the time at least once a year, if not twice, to assess how our schooling is going and make any necessary changes to our curriculum and/or our approach.
So let’s get right into it……
What’s NOT working:
- MOVING! MOVING! MOVING! Moving during our school year has not been beneficial. at. all. In the past year, we have moved two times and are gearing up for yet another move! If you are planning to move soon, it is best to get a free residential moving company estimate to have an idea about the cost. You may also inquire about portable storage containers from the moving company to determine what best fits your budget for the move. I’m not saying that moving during your school year are a negative thing, because you can do it, and you can get through it, but 3 times?! Can I get a break here?
- Not having a regular routine/schedule. Add a baby to those two moves I just mentioned, and you have a recipe for ‘Tough to Stick to a Schedule.’ I’m trying to just take it in stride and have faith that God is in control and that this is just for a season. So this week, regardless of getting ready for another move, I am making it a priority to get back on track. This week will be Operation – Find a New ‘Normal.’
- Preschool! My poor little kids always get the short end of the stick when ‘life happens.’ Their school gets put on the back burner when life is just too crazy to fit it all in. I’m hoping this will change when Operation – Find a New ‘Normal’ is enforced.
- Electives! Those went out the window too with all the moving, packing, unpacking, re-packing, and birthing.
So, what IS working?
- Schooling year round. I’m so glad we decided to switch to year round schooling. It has really taken a lot of stress off of me to try and get all of our school crammed in to 36 weeks. This way just allows us so much more flexibility, and right now, we need flexibility.
- Having my older children do their independent work in the morning and have them work with me in the afternoon. I used to do it the other way around, but this way allows me to be more relaxed in the morning and to give my little ones attention first. The little ones seem more content with things this way and are not constantly under foot while I’m trying to do school with the older kids later because they’ve had mommy-time. Plus, a few of the little ones nap in the afternoons so that allows me to give the older kids my attention.
- Having a regular breakfast and lunch menu. We have the same thing for breakfast and lunch every Monday, Tuesday, and so on. For example, for lunch on Mondays we have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, on Tuesdays we have hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, and crackers, on Wednesdays we have macaroni and cheese, and so on. And we do the same kind of thing for breakfast. This way I don’t have to think about what we will eat each morning, it makes my grocery shopping easier because I know exactly what we need and how much we need of it, and I don’t have several kids asking me what’s for breakfast or requesting several different things. We do switch up the menu seasonally so that we don’t get too bored with our meals.
- Once-a-month meal prep. This just makes the day go smoother. I don’t have to think or worry about what we will have for dinner, and I have extra time in our school day because I don’t have much meal prep each evening.
If you are interested in hearing about what curriculum worked for us and what curriculum was a flop, you will have to wait until I write a post about the curriculum we will be using for next year – whenever that may be………
So how was your school year? I’d love to hear what worked for you this year and what didn’t. Please share in the comments.
