Each additional year that we spend homeschooling, I learn that there is a different way to do things to keep school interesting for your children. Many homeschoolers have chosen to separate their homeschooling year into two semesters. Others have chosen to separate their school into three or four semesters. Then there are those who choose to homeschool year round with a few breaks in between. No matter how you choose to homeschool, its important to remember that some time changes help to make it interesting. If you are about to start your second or third semester some of the suggestions listed below may prove to be helpful.
See what’s working
First you will want to look at different programs to see which ones are working, and which are not. Take a look and see if your child is struggling with a particular subject. Once you finish one semester research different curriculum’s or workbooks that may help your child in a particular subject. Also perhaps it could be that your child is just bored with a particular subject and needs something a little more interesting. Sometimes it takes a little bit of trial and error before you can determine exactly what will work, for your child. Also keep in mind that what each child needs can vary greatly. So a schedule that works for one child may not work for another child.
Change the decor
I don’t know about you but for us, a little change up to the homeschool room really makes a difference. Sometimes just a change of scenery is all that is needed to liven things up for your second semester. Since many often take a few days off from school work in between semesters you can use this time to give your school area a remodel.
Add in a few trips
The next semester of your school year, can include several field trips. Some homeschooling families like to save field trips for when the weather is better. For some this can fall during the second semester. Be sure to research your trips thoroughly to make sure that they fit into your budget.
Change up the routine
Sometimes just changing up the routine, can make all the difference from one semester to the next. Perhaps it is your schedule that needs a little bit of tweaking to help make your homeschooling enjoyable. Try playing around with different scheduling ideas to see what works.