How to Evaluate What is Working in Your Homeschool
Learn how to evaluate what is working in your homeschool! What happens after you’ve gone through all this planning and you find it isn’t working with your kids?
Prepare another smooth homeschool year for your kids with these printable homeschool schedules to make homeschool planning easy.
Let me tell you, however, you imagined your kids and your homeschool at the start of this journey, it’s not going to look like that. You know that image that you have of reading to your child as you snuggle up on the couch, with them hanging onto your every word?
That doesn’t happen here. One child is doodling, the other wants to chew on the book, and the other is trying to read another book because your book is not interesting enough. That is my house.
Things will not be perfect. You will not be able to check everything off your to-do list every single day. There will be good days and bad ones.
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How to Evaluate What is Working in Your Homeschool
Taking a step back and asking yourself if what you’re doing daily is working is key. This can help you better yourself and improve the learning experience for your children.
Even though homeschooling is started with the best intentions, that doesn’t mean that there may be areas that need to be changed or improved later on down the road. For this to happen, you have to ask questions and look at what you’re currently doing to see if there are ways that you can do it better or differently moving forward.
I also think it’s important to evaluate every quarter to ensure that the learning path you’re on is still the best one for everyone in the family.
One way to evaluate what is going on is to ask these questions about your homeschooling plans and days.
We’ve made a monthly to daily homeschool schedule, but what do you do if it just doesn’t work for you?
Are there tears?
If there are tears about homeschooling there are issues that will need to be addressed first. I think particularly when you are bringing home a child from public school, there’s a resistance to seeing you as a teacher. This means you get more defiant behaviour towards school and not wanting to do the work or being argumentative. Homeschooling is a lifestyle and it will need a period of adjustment.
This is a great chance to sit down and talk about the plan and how everything is going or how things are going to be adjusted moving forward. I’m a big believer in communication being the key when it comes to making homeschooling work for everyone in the family.
Have you found your groove?
Have you found your homeschooling groove? Things are generally sailing smoothly. If there are hiccups in your schedule, don’t be afraid to move things around. I found that when my son was taking judo, that day was dedicated to running errands and going to the library.
Once we returned home, there wasn’t a lot of schoolwork being done. I decided that that day would be delegated to art and science projects. We were still getting school done, but no one was in the mood for seatwork, which was fine with me.
The only way to find this out is through trial and error. That might sound daunting, but it’s the absolute truth. What starts out as a good idea may not work with the flow of the day or the mentality of everyone involved. Instead of looking at it as a negative, turn it into a positive and adjust accordingly.
Check out my Homeschool Planner Printables to help you organize and structure your days.
Understand That Change is good
Things are not set in stone; you have the freedom to change things up as needed. You don’t have to go to school from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. When my hubby worked weekends, we went to school from Wednesday to Sunday and in the afternoons. That’s just what worked for us. You’re not doing school at home but implementing learning into your regular routine. Make it fun, and do what works for you.
This is really what homeschooling is all about. It’s your choice. You can keep the traditional school hours or vary them to be different. Some families just are not morning families, so that means that they start at a point later on during the day. Other families get more motivated earlier and want schooling done and out of the day, so they rise early and start.
It really comes down to what you want to do. Take the time to adjust to the homeschooling schedule that you set, and then give it a month or so to review and find out if it’s working great for you. This is a simple way to try something out and then adjust it as needed.
Recommended Homeschool Planning Books
Discover this selection of homeschool books for struggling parents who are yet to evaluate what is working in their homeschool. Filled with practical strategies, inspiration, and the confidence to create a fulfilling educational experience at home.
The Unhurried Homeschooler: A Simple, Mercifully Short Book on HomeschoolingHomeschooling for Absolute Beginners: Make Learning at Home Simple, Affordable, Fun, and EffectiveEverything You Need to Know about Homeschooling: A Comprehensive, Easy-to-Use Guide for the Journey from Early Learning through GraduationBecoming Homeschoolers: Give Your Kids a Great Education, a Strong Family, and a Life They’ll Thank You for LaterHomeschool Bravely: How to Squash Doubt, Trust God, and Teach Your Child with ConfidenceThe Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life
Recommended Homeschool Supplies
These essential homeschool supplies can make learning fun and engaging for your children and more organized for parents!
Mega Homeschool Planner and Organizer Soft FloraMeCids 360°Rotating Desk Organizers Homeschool Office Organization and Storage Art Supplies Organizers– 12Homeschool Mama: Daily Assignment Tracker and Record Planner Book For One Student | Academic Calendar Year | Minimalist Blue Coral Dots (Homeschooling Family Organizer)Simple Houseware Classroom Magazine File Holder Organizer Box – 6 PackPearhead School Years Organizer, Children’s School Highlights and Accomplishments Binder for Parents, File Keeper for Kids, School Memories KeepsakeLesson Planner: 12 Month Weekly Academic Year Organizer for Teachers & Homeschool Parents with Monthly Calendar View 2117 (Undated)
Follow along in my 31 Days to a Better Planned Homeschool series.
You’ll also want to check out the other 26 bloggers in this series as well and join our Homeschool Tips 4 Moms Facebook group if you’d like to connect with other homechooling mothers.
More Homeschooling Resources
Don’t forget that when it comes to homeschooling, having options and choices is great. The best part is that you’re the one who is setting up the curriculum and choices for your family, so you’ll be able to adjust and do what you think works best. More often than not, having a great curriculum is part of the equation, and to complete it, you’ll want to pair it up with how your family functions best. You have the ability to change and make any adjustments that you need to.
- Tricks for Homeschooling the Strong-willed Child
- Must-See Sample Homeschool Schedules to Help You Plan
- The DIY Printables for Teachers and Homeschoolers Course is Now Available!
- Floral Free Printable Homeschool Planner
- Best 6th Grade Homeschool Curriculum
- To Homeschool or Not to Homeschool? by Darcy and Brian
- How to Homeschool with Toddlers in the House by Homeschool Preschool
As we wrap up on how to evaluate what is working in your homeschool, you’ll certainly take away important learnings. It’s perfectly normal to encounter challenges along the way, and it’s okay to feel a bit lost sometimes. The key is to keep an open mind, be patient with yourself, and embrace the learning process—both for you and your children.