The Flexibility of Homeschool

One of the biggest misconceptions new homeschoolers have is that they must be doing “official school work” exactly between the hours of 8am and 3pm every weekday. Often, it can be a stressful thing to adjust. Maybe you’re one of those parents and you’re looking for ideas in which you can adjust and adapt your homeschool day.

As long as you are fulfilling the time required by your state, homeschooling affords flexibility in making your homeschool calendar. Consider a few suggestions if you feel crunched for time or if you feel like you are overwhelmed:

1. Use alternate times for different subjects.

Some parents who are new to homeschooling get extremely overwhelmed by how long it takes during the day. When this happens, I usually ask them how much they are trying to fit in to one day. Usually it’s many subjects, one right after the other.

One idea they haven’t thought of is how to alternate subjects. For instance, try science for 1 week and then social studies for 1 week. Some parents even alternate those subjects day on, day off.

In brick-and-mortar schools, subjects are adjusted as well. At one school, I taught science to second graders for a 6 week period (covering a unit of study) and then switched to social studies for another unit of study.

Sometimes you can combine subjects. For instance, if your child gets reading practice in for the day with a science or social studies themed book, all him to draw or write about it. Then, you’ve tackled reading, science/social studies, art, and writing!

I prefer to have reading, writing , and math as an everyday routine. Some days it may need to be shortened due to activities or errands, but the consistency pays off!

2. Evening versus morning.

Parents with odd hours in their work schedules might benefit more from schooling in the evening or at least saving a few subjects to do later in the day. Then, more daytime hours are freed up to have time with that parent who may be off work. You do not have to report to homeschool by 8am each day. You can start later and still teach your child effectively.

I find that my children work best in the morning when they are fresh, but I might save some subjects for the afternoon so that they get outside playtime and exercise. They are more willing to sit and read quietly after they’ve “gotten the wiggles out.”

3. Make up time while other schools are out (summer, holiday breaks, or weekends).

Things happen. People get sick. Doctor appointments, car problems, and so on can really interfere with your homeschool schedule. When our plans are foiled, we adjust. I can tack it onto the next day or use an extra day either from the weekend or on a holiday break when other kids are out of school. With homeschooling, you don’t have to worry about your child falling behind simply because of flu case numbers or covid or how much bad weather you get. You live with your child and you can make up that time during your normal living time at home.

4. Cycles

Every school year, traditional schools release a calendar. They plan out times to take an entire week off or more. I worked for a school system that gave two weeks of breaks between each grading period. When you homeschool, you can try different calendars that work for you.

Some parents will work hard for 6 full weeks and then break for an entire week without doing any formal school work. Then, they’ll start the cycle again.

Other parents give themselves one day off a week. Maybe they attend a homeschool group co-op for a day and would rather not tackle assignments on that day.

Sometimes it’s a good idea to speak with other homeschoolers and get a chance to think outside of the box. What works for you one year might not work for you another year, and each of us has our own way of doing things.

Did I forget something on this list?

Comment below how you have maximized flexibility in your homeschool!