Are you struggling to fit every subject into your weekly homeschool schedule? From Language Arts and Math to History, Science, and even Art or Music, it can be overwhelming to plan your week.
On top of that, you have to juggle making dinner, doing the dishes and laundry, and let’s not forget that pile of clean unfolded laundry sitting in your bedroom for weeks. How can you maintain your home and ensure your child’s education is complete?
Well, keep reading because I’ve got some fantastic tips based on my personal experience!
Related: How to Start Homeschooling When You Feel Clueless
Knowledge Gaps
First and foremost, here’s a vital tip you NEED to remember: every child has gaps in their education! EVERY single one!
Even those who attended Public School and graduated with a 4.0 GPA will have some knowledge gaps. It’s impossible to teach everything and never miss a thing.
That’s why we shouldn’t just cram facts into their brains. Learning is about more than memorization! Yes, there’s a certain level of memorization involved, but let’s show our children HOW to learn and how enjoyable it can be.
Part of that is allowing them to take the lead. Ask them what they’re interested in learning. However, don’t exclude subjects they’re not interested in either.
For us, Language Arts and Math are non-negotiables, tackled every school day. You can choose the subjects most important to you as non-negotiables and let your children decide on the rest.
If your list of subjects seems overwhelming, it’s okay to dial it back. You don’t need to do everything.
Take it Slow
Now, if you’re new to homeschooling, don’t try to do it all right away. Take some time to deschool, allowing your children to transition from the habits of public school.
Starting structured homeschooling can be challenging for both you and your children. They may struggle with the shift from teachers to parents and learning at home.
You might find yourself with less patience than expected, and the meticulously planned lessons may take longer than anticipated. That’s why I suggest taking it slow and starting small.
Focus on reading or one Language Arts lesson a day for the first couple of weeks. Once you’re comfortable, gradually add in more subjects like Math.
Take it step by step. If you increase the workload and your child starts having meltdowns, take a step back. Wait until later to reintroduce that subject.
If a topic is causing fits and anxiety, your child won’t learn much, wasting valuable time. It’s crucial for children to be in the right mindset to get the most out of their education.
Loop Schedules
Now, let’s talk about the “Loop Schedule” method, which has been a game-changer for us. When I started homeschooling, I initially assigned certain subjects to specific days of the week.
However, we consistently had disruptions on Tuesdays, causing us to miss history lessons for three weeks straight. Such long breaks between lessons weren’t working for us.
But that’s the beauty of homeschooling — flexibility! If something isn’t working, you can change it.
That’s when I discovered the “Loop Schedule,” and it has worked wonders.
My oldest child has school at home for four days a week (while my toddler colors or sings nursery rhymes). Since we attend a Homeschool Co-op on Thursday mornings, we don’t do additional school work that day.
After four hours at the Co-op, it’s best not to push our luck! Our everyday subjects include the Morning Basket, Language Arts, and Math.
The Morning Basket includes various activities like Bible reading, handwriting, and read-alouds. We also listen to the Daily Orthodox Scriptures for Kids on the Ancient Faith Radio App.
Once we’re done with the Morning Basket, we move on to one Language Arts lesson and one Math lesson. Afterward, we dive into our Loop Schedule, which currently consists of U.S. History, Marine Biology, and Geography.
I assign a number to each subject, with History as number one, Marine Biology as number two, and Geography as number three. If we complete subjects one and two today, we start with number three tomorrow.
This way, we ensure we cover each subject at least twice per week, and sometimes even three times.
Related: How to Create Your Own Lesson Plan
Ending the Day
Here’s the best part: we always wrap up the Loop Schedule by 3 p.m., or even earlier if we have appointments or other commitments. Depending on how early we get up, we don’t start until 10 or 11 and we have multiple breaks, including lunch.
I don’t time each subject precisely. We prioritize the Morning Basket, Language Arts, and Math, and then use the remaining time for the Loop Schedule.
We may not cover all the subjects in a single day. Sometimes we’ll cover one, and if we’re lucky, we might cover them all. We simply pick up where we left off and continue until it’s time to stop.
Related: 6 Ways to Homeschool For Free!
Make it Work for You
As you can see, homeschooling offers tremendous flexibility, allowing you to tailor your schedule to your family’s needs.
Your weekly homeschool schedule doesn’t have to mirror mine, but I hope these tips inspire you and provide ideas for creating a schedule that works for you and your desired approach.
Remember, homeschooling doesn’t have to resemble public school. You don’t need to allocate seven hours a day for it.
It’s astonishing how quickly children learn when they receive one-on-one attention and an education that’s tailored to their learning style.
Let us know in the comments if you have any other tips for arranging a weekly homeschool schedule!
If you found this post helpful or want to reference it later, be sure to save this pin to your Pinterest Homeschool Board!
I like this a lot! I could probably use the idea profitably for myself to keep the many projects I have in my life on track! The concept of a flexible pattern of rotation sounds really doable! Thank you for sharing!