The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Well, we are finally into the first couple of days in March. It is usually around this time of year when we as a homeschool family see the light appearing at the end of the tunnel. The weather is gradually getting nicer out and we kind of get a new “pep” in our step with our schooling.
I know for me, throughout the winter months, school can seem to drag on as the days are short and gray. My kids get that “cabin fever” and our list of things to do outside of the house is much smaller than what it would be if the weather was more agreeable. I think we all can be thankful that spring is at the end of the month and we will be soaking up those rays of sunshine soon!
In this blog, we are going to talk about some ideas, that you can take advantage of, to gear up for those final months of homeschooling and finish strong.
If you live in a state where it is required to have an evaluation done, get that on your calendar as soon as you can. Plan as you go, what you are putting in your child’s portfolio, and stay ahead of schedule so you are not scrambling to get a last-minute evaluation scheduled and throwing a portfolio together.
Take a look at how much material you have left to cover in your curriculum and plan out how many days, or how much time it will take you to complete it. This will help you stay on track and give you a date of when you can expect to be finished. Having that finish date, as a goal, will be a great motivator for you and your children.
Sit down and write out how your children responded to the curriculum choices of this year. Even if you have been using the same curriculum for a while, it’s always good to evaluate how your kids responded. What worked for them and what didn’t? Is there something out there that may work better for them? Maybe the curriculum, or program you have is already a great fit for them. Then that’s great! I find that it is always a great idea, every year, to look over and evaluate our curriculum choices. Doing this helps me continue making my children’s homeschooling experience the best it can be and personalize it to each of their individual needs.
Lastly, plan a lot of school days outside! Schedule field trips outdoors. Doing things like this, as we’re coming out of the gray winter, helps lift all of our moods and gives us a fresh pep in our step. I live in the northeast and we just had two days in a row in the mid-60s. That is pretty decent for the beginning of March! We took advantage of it! After we did our formal work, we got outside and stayed there. We went to the park and explored. We searched for animal tracks and looked for as many signs of spring as we could. Doing this, especially as we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel motivates us to keep pressing on as we look forward to our end date and the summer.
Mom and Dad, as we’re chipping away on our homeschool to-do list, we may feel buried under a pile of never-ending things to do. Let me remind you that you truly are doing awesome! It may not feel like it at times and we certainly do not do everything perfectly, but be reminded that we are covered by God’s wonderful grace. He has you walking through a homeschool journey for a reason and he will guide you through every step of the way. So keep pressing on until the end!