Year End Review

I like to do a review of our homeschool efforts at the end of the calendar year, which in the US is about half way through the school year. Sometime after Christmas, I sit down with a pencil and paper to evaluate what worked and what didn’t.

The process is very simple. First, I make a list of the subjects we are working on. Then I start writing down what worked well for each subject. I’ll also write down what didn’t work -and why. Going through this process can be a real eye opener, especially when examining which books or products did not meet our expectations. Then I will write down any changes I want to make. After a day or two, I’ll review these notes and go about making any changes needed.

I like sitting down to deliberately evaluate our progress mid year. It helps me to eliminate those things we’re doing because they looked cool online, but are really a chore to do and don’t add all that much to our learning. I can see which programs are really serving us well and which subjects might need a little more time. It’s easier to make mid-course corrections than to look back at the end and realize you could have done something better.

I also ask my children’s input. I know they don’t particularly care for math, but I want to know how they like the curriculum we’re using. I also want to hear if they want to do more or less nature walks and if they like the history notebooks we’re making. Of course, I have final veto power, but it is nice to get their feedback.

Another thing to evaluate are extra curricular activities. Are we over booked and over stressed? If so, now is a good time to decide which things to give up.

It’s also a good idea to look at your school supply stash and replace anything that is running low.

So what has worked or not worked for our family so far this school year? Stay tuned to find out!
————–
You can read more about Lorri and her home schooling adventures at The Mac and Cheese Chronicles.

No related posts.