“Back to School”
It’s that time of year again. When excitement builds and everywhere you go you see advertisements and sales..school supply lists..and long check out lines at Walmart or Staples.
For homeschooler there is the great excitement of the UPS man bringing the newest shipment of curriculum for the year. And mom makes up the hundreth schedule for the family.
Everything is new and shiny, fresh and ready.
For our family, we have done more of a relaxed year round schooling this year, with breaks throughout. So for us, nothing is changing as of yet.
But, soon my husband and I are going to be heading out for a couple of days of quiet to brainstorm, refocus and catch a vision for the next season of homeschooling. I am really looking forward to it!
So in our planning what should we be considering? Yes, we should be looking at the scope and sequence of where our children are at regarding their grade levels, etc. Yes, the next math textbook will need to be decided on. Yes, the spelling practice (especially in this house with several of the children) needs to be a priority. And yes, even thinking towards college for my oldest, there will need to be practical steps to get there.
But, I would submit to you, that there are additional things to think about. And possibly even (gasp) more important things to consider in our planning…
- What heart issues in our children really need to be focused on in our training this year?
- What practical daily living skills do my children need to be learning to prepare them for adulthood?
- As my boys are growing older, what skills should they be focusing on to prepare for manhood? What calling are they heading towards and how can we best facilitate their progress in that direction?
- What areas can I be preparing my daughters in, to increase their abilities to be godly young women of service?
- What ministry opportunites can we have as a family this year?
- How can we be encouraging our children to be self- governing and well disciplined this year?
- If man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, then how can we do so in our homeschooling this year?
- What books of deeper profit and with spiritually mentoring content do we want our children to be exposed to this year?
- How can we grow closer as a family and closer to the Lord this year?
- What areas of scripture do we want to delve deeper into or hide in our hearts by meditating on, or memorizing this year?
Maybe you are still in the planning stages of your homeschool year? Or maybe you have just begun your fresh start of the season. Either way, may these thoughts be encouragements to look beyond the textbook and think outside the box of the shiny curriculum and enjoy your schoolyear!
Amy over at Raising Arrows wrote a wonderful post the other day on her fresh persective this year. Check it out if you get a moment!