As the sun shines longer each day and spring begins to bloom, another homeschool year is reaching its conclusion. Homeschoolers can follow any schedule they choose, but most adhere to the traditional school model of a fall start and spring or summer end.
With long summer days around the corner and, perhaps, the itch to be done getting harder to ignore, here are eight ways to wrap up the homeschool year well.
Head Outside
If your household is experiencing a wave of spring fever, don’t fight it. You’re homeschoolers, after all. Head outside to enjoy the sunshine—and bring your work with you. It may not work for every subject you’re tackling, but you can take advantage of the ones that do work and incorporate some delightful fresh air into your home stretch.Land This Plane
Bring all subjects to a solid conclusion. Take a look at each subject you and your kids are working through and define clearly what it will mean to be complete. Perhaps some subjects will need to be continued over the summer or into next year, or some lessons are redundant and can be cut—whatever the case, clearly define your finish line.Finishing can sometimes be more challenging than it sounds, so give your kids all the support they need to push through and stay on target while still enjoying and appreciating what they’re learning. Create the conditions for everyone to finish the year with integrity—proud of the work they’ve done and confident in their success.
Don’t Let the Magic Disappear
It can be tempting this time of year to focus on checking boxes and letting less important subjects like art or music fall by the wayside. Are those subjects less important, though? Just because you’re intent on finishing up the homeschool year, don’t let the magic dissipate by focusing only on math problems and sentence diagrams.Tighten Records
Depending on the requirements of your home state and the age of your students, you may keep very minimal records or substantially detailed ones. If you’re recording high school credits, now is the time to ensure you’ve dotted your i’s and crossed your t’s. Don’t wait until the middle of the summer when you’ve forgotten what you did. Take the time before the homeschool year ends to record the details you need to record and keep track of all of your necessary files.Take Notes
Spend time reflecting on the year. Consider performing what’s known in the business world as a SWOT analysis—a review in which you identify any Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. In other words, note what’s going really well, what could use improvement, possibilities that can still be capitalized on, and any obstacles.Plan and Prepare for Next Year
To free your mind to enjoy a refreshing summer, take this time to solidify your plans for next year. Order the curricula you know you’ll be using, map out a plan for each child’s individual subjects, make a list of supplies you’ll need, and register for classes and programs you want to incorporate. Make as many decisions about the next year as you possibly can before the current school year ends. Your summer self will thank you.Design a Delightful Summer
Speaking of summer, whether you’re traveling, taking up fun activities, spending long, lazy days by the pool, or continuing your studies, a bit of forethought about the upcoming season can go a long way. If your children thrive with structure and routine, you may want to have a plan in place to ensure the whole system doesn’t break down. Take a look at how many weeks will make up your summer and get at least a rough idea of what you plan to do each week. A little forethought makes a big difference.Celebrate
Finally, take time to celebrate everyone’s hard work and accomplishments! You could host a celebratory breakfast followed by a day at the beach or park, or create a photo album or yearbook to chronicle the special moments throughout the year. If you’ve got a graduate, celebrate them with pomp and circumstance.However you choose to congratulate and celebrate everyone’s hard work and accomplishments, go all out and enjoy!
