Chilver - Simplify Your Homeschool Day: Shorten Your Day, Sweeten Your Time

I am thrilled to be able to share with you over 100 simple teaching tips in this book I have learned during my homeschool journey that have shortened my children's school day. Some of these tips you may have heard before but you may benefit from a gentle reminder while most of my other tips may actually surprise you. Grab your favorite highlighter and lets get started!

Get organized.

This may sound pretty basic, but the success of your homeschool experience depends on being prepared and organized. Having a sense of things being in order will help you adjust to the many unforeseen things that can pop up and throw you off course.

Declutter your stash of homeschool resources even if this means taking off a day or two of homeschooling to get organized. Remember, teachers get planning days during the school year to get caught up and organized.

Never underestimate the power of post-its. Use these sticky notes on work for corrections, reminders, and rewards. Use horizontal file stackers, file folders, plastic bins, and shelves. Avoid wasting time hunting for paper, pens, and other school supplies by having them all accessible in one location.

When school time is over, put everything away and include some time to get organized for the next day. There is no way to predict what tomorrow will bring so be prepared. Additionally, an overall sense of organization allows you to adjust for impromptu outings and teachable moments that are some of the benefits of homeschooling.

Establish a routine.

Establishing a routine goes along with organization. Children function best when they have a routine. There are varying degrees to this but at least have a basic routine, such as a consistent time to begin school each day. Keep your routine from being so structured that it is mechanical and doesn't allow you to enjoy the many freedoms that come along with homeschooling. But don't let it be so loosely structured that chaos reigns. Find what works for your family and then stick with it.

Use only the best.

Just as a carpenter uses only the best tools available, you should use only the best learning tools. Do your research. There are plenty of websites that review materials and curriculum. My friend Heidi at www.homeschool-how-to.com is a veteran homeschool mo m who has reviewed many different products if you need a great place to get started.

Get involved in a homeschool group and learn from others what resources they've used. Some of the best ideas I have used in homeschooling I have learned about from fellow home educators.

Strive for quality, not quantity. Sort through everything you have accumulated and discard anything that is just okay. Your child deserves only the best, and your time teaching is invaluable. For example, if a book has one good chapter, give it away. It just takes up space, clutters up your life, and is another thing you have to remember to use.

View purchasing wonderful learning tools as an investment. You only get one short childhood to teach. Look for excellent resources that reveal the thrilling part of learning new things. For instance, if you use science books, make sure they contain vivid photography and truly interesting text.

Get back to the basics.

As home educators we can often create extra stress for ourselves as we begin to plan our school year. We do this out of love for our children by wanting to provide the highest quality education for them and part of this is finding the best resources and teaching tools.
This advice sounds simple but have you ever attended a large homeschool convention? It is quite overwhelming. The homeschool market is a billion dollar industry, and we are the target audience in that market. A curriculum will sound perfect for our child as we browse a vendor's booth and listen to the sales pitch until we walk to the next booth or talk to a parent who has used something else. We easily become confused and frustrated.

With all these teaching materials at our reach, it is very easy to attempt to squeeze in everything. This is why it is imperative to concentrate on the core subjects- reading, writing, & math. Simply put, your school day should be centered on these basic subject areas. When the school day becomes off balanced with too many other subjects and electives, you need to reprioritize and reschedule your day. Take a few minutes to read this post . It sums up how we s ometimes we need to regroup and gain a clear focus again by getting back to the basics.
Make reading a top priority.

Reading is the most important subject because it overlaps into all subject areas. A strong foundation in reading will lead to success in other subjects. This is why you should spend most of your instructional time in the primary grades preparing your child to become a strong, independent reader. The faster your child can read while still comprehending, the quicker he will be able to read and complete assignments in other subject areas, too.

Use effective reading strategies with your child. HERE are some reading strategies that really work, and HERE are some awesome tips for teaching your child how to read. When your child can read well independently, continue reading aloud to him.