Seven Habits of Highly Effective New School Year

 

Trinity Preschool

 invited me to participate in the

Seven Habits of Highly Effective New School Year.

(You can get to her blog by clicking the graphic)

 

As we begin our 2nd year of 'legal' homeschooling, I tend to look at it as more of an adventure. Since we are just coming out of the summer vacation mode, I am going to approach this post with that in mind -- to make homeschooling sound fun -- more like a family vacation.

 

 

1. PICK A DESTINATION ~ More commonly known as goals.  Where do you want to see your child/ren this time next year - or even in 6 months. You have to know where you want to go before you can make an attempt to get there.

 

2. GET OUT YOUR MAPS ~ For homeschoolers, we call these lesson plans!! (I might need to add here that when your draw out your maps -- do it in pencil - and have plenty of erasers nearby!! These maps help us to get where we are going..usually by the quickest/shortest route - unless you are a homeschooler and you have to go off the beaten paths to see things that are neat and educational!

 

3. BE PREPARED FOR DELAYS ~ Yep, it's inevitable -- you are going to run into delays where ever you go...always have something to help those delays along.  Most of us call those delays life -and there is always something to learn from life happening around your schooling.

 

4. TAKE THE DETOURS ~ Sometimes when you come upon delays - instead of waiting them out, you go another direction. If the textbooks aren't working, pull out something else.

 

5. BE PATIENT ~ No one gets anywhere being all stressed out and uptight -- not good for you and surley not good for your children.  If they are struggling with something, be patient -- it will click when the time is right for it to click with them.

 

6. BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS ~When you are on vacation, there are sooo many fun things to go and do.  Well, stop where you are at now and look around your home town..you may find new and interesting things right there under your nose that you can do!

 

7. HAVE FUN ~ That's right!  No matter what you do, what approach you take or how many people think you have a bad idea - your kids will learn more if you make it fun for them!!