Editor’s Note: Sometimes, it is helpful to
think about next year’s school plans well
before the year begins. We have included
an article here about planning for the next
school year for just that purpose.
It;feels;like;just;yesterday;we;were finishing;our;last;worksheets;and packing;away;our;books.;It’s;hard to;believe;that;our;next;school;year
is;just;around;the;corner.;While;it;is;oh-so-tempting to just sip tea in front of
the;fireplace,;a;little;bit;of;work;now;will
make;the;beginning;of;school;next;year
so;much;easier.
The;first;step;is;to;pray.;It;might;seem
pretty;simple;but;it;will;make;all;the;dif-
ference.;I;know;for;me;personally;that
if;I;take;the;time;to;pray;over;a;mat-
ter;beforehand;and;really;listen;for;the
Lord’s;response,;things;go;so;much;bet-
ter.;When;I;just;jump;in;to;any;situation
without;praying,;I;tend;to;make;a;total
mess;of;things.;After;spending;signifi-
cant;time;in;prayer,;my;next;step;is;to
discuss;our;school;plans;with;my;family.
My;children;definitely;have;their;own
opinions;about;the;curriculum;we;use.
After all, they are the ones doing the
work;each;day.;Of;course,;at;their;mid-
elementary;ages,;I;take;any;complaints
with;a;grain;of;salt.;My;husband;gives;me
great;input;and;advice.;While;he;is;not
involved;with;the;majority;of;the;day-to-
day;teaching,;he;gets;a;pretty;good;pic-
ture;of;how;well;things;are;going;in;our
homeschool based on our dinnertime
conversations. By taking into account
my;family’s;replies,;our;curriculum;can
be;tweaked;or;even;drastically;changed.
This;is;also;a;good;time;to;review;your
state’s;guidelines;for;homeschooling.;Are
there;subjects;that;must;be;taught;or;re-quirements;that;must;be;met;by;a;certain
time?;Is;there;paperwork;that;needs;to
be;filed?;To;keep;the;official;documents
organized,;I;keep;all;of;them;on;my;com-puter;in;folders;labeled;according;to;the
year.;I;simply;open;last;year’s;folder;to
find;what;I;previously;submitted.;A;few
minor;changes;and;then;I;am;ready;to
submit;the;necessary;paperwork;for;our
new;school;year.
After;I;get;the;school;district;paper-
work;taken;care;of,;making;sure;that;I
take;into;account;any;state;requirements,
I;create;a;spreadsheet;with;the;subjects
www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
Getting;It
All;Together
Cleaning;out;unused
items;or;completed
new;things.
