Am I Behind On My Homeschool Planning?

When it comes to planning a great homeschool year, it’s important to do what works best for you. There are lots of ways to go about homeschool planning. Here at The Waldock Way, we take an interest-led approach to homeschooling and homeschool planning.

There’s no one way to plan your homeschool year, so don’t worry if your planning style looks different than what you’ve been seeing on social media. By August, it feels like every corner of social media is filled with homeschool planning and back-to-school ads. If you’re not there yet, there’s no reason to worry.

Keep reading if you’re curious about how I plan my homeschool and what I do if I think I might be behind on my homeschool planning for the year. Plus, get tips on how to put together a great plan for the homeschool year with some helpful resources you’ll love.

Homeschool Planning: The Basics

When you begin planning your homeschool year, remember to always do what works for you and your family. Don’t get sucked into the latest social media trends or start comparing your homeschool to a friend’s. That said, there are some typical planning methods that can work well if you’re just getting started with homeschooling. 

Many homeschool families begin planning the year by grabbing the next grade level in the planned curriculum they prefer. If you’re strictly following a curriculum, that’s an easy way to begin planning a new year. However, if you’re following a more interest-led approach like we do, just moving up to the next level in a boxed curriculum might not work the best for your family.

Another method of homeschool planning makes getting out the calendar the first step. Moms who plan their homeschool year with this method are often trying to make sure they can fit in enough “school days” between holidays and other plans. This can be a great place to begin if you’re not planning to homeschool year-round.

If you’re just getting started homeschooling, planning might look a lot like surfing different curriculum websites and social media reviews in an effort to find the perfect curriculum. There’s a lot out there and it can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re starting out. You might even be wondering if this is the best way to plan your homeschool year in between thoughts about being behind on homeschool planning.

How I Plan In My Homeschool

So how do I plan my homeschool year? Our approach to homeschooling is different in lots of ways and the way I go about homeschool planning is different too. 

We follow an interest-led approach to homeschooling, so I’m always considering what Emily really wants to learn about, which topics hold her interest, and what sparks her curiosity. Our goal as a family is to foster a strong connection with one another and practice lifelong learning. My method of homeschool planning is affected greatly by these values and goals.

I don’t let a boxed curriculum define the terms of our learning for the year. Instead, we dabble in resources and curricula that spark our interests. We don’t follow any textbook from lesson 1 to lesson 100.

Instead, we’re big fans of making goals and working to achieve them. When I’m homeschool planning, I make a list of goals for us to work toward throughout the year. Each year, great resources like Home Learning Year by Year help me make a skills checklist to follow. 

Then, I can incorporate all of Emily’s interests and passions while still meeting our goals for math and language arts each year. Math and language arts are the subjects I focus my goals on while letting other subjects be more interest focused. Planning our homeschool year this way gives me peace of mind and keeps the whole family engaged in learning all year.

When Is It Too Late To Put Together A Plan For The New Homeschool Year

So when is it too late? When have you missed the bus on planning a great homeschool year? The answer is NEVER!

When our news feeds and notifications are filled with back-to-school ads and reminders about homeschool resources, it’s easy to feel anxious about planning. Don’t let social media cause you to feel behind in your homeschool. 

There’s no such thing as too late when it comes to planning a new homeschool year. One of the best things about homeschooling is the flexibility. That means we can start the new school year any time, so we can start homeschool planning any time without worrying about whether it’s “too late.” 

Remember, there’s no such thing as your child being behind in homeschooling. Don’t let fear cause you to change course from a path that works well for your family. There’s no such thing as falling behind. Your children are right where they need to be and making progress every day.

Helpful Resources For Planning In Your Homeschool 

I’ve got lots of helpful resources for planning your homeschool year! Check out some of my favorite tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years to help you make the most of homeschool planning this year.

• Creating a Homeschool Mission Statement
• Everything You Need to Plan Your Homeschool This Year
• How To Get The Most Out Of Your Homeschool Planner
• Why Unit Studies Are the Best Place to Start Homeschool Planning

Then, discover some of the most adorable homeschool planners ever! The best thing about these homeschool planners is that they’re designed for flexibility with interest-led learners in mind. Plus, you can print what you need and leave out what you don’t.

If you’re using our Wizards & Wands curriculum, you’ll definitely want to grab the matching homeschool planner to complete your theme! Every planner includes lots of extras like meal planning pages and pages for keeping track of all those website passwords.

Have you started planning your homeschool year yet? Share some of your favorite tips and resources for homeschool planning with everyone in the comments. I can’t wait to read them all and discover fun new ways to make the most of planning our homeschool year!

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Related Blog Posts:

• Everything You Need to Know About Homeschooling with Interest Led Morning Baskets
• Homeschooling Preschool? This Is What I Wish I’d Known
• How To Be Successful at Interest-Led Learning In Your Homeschool