Updated for 2021 – we’ve now been using this homeschool checklists system for NINE YEARS! See the base of the post for how it’s translated to self-managing university study.
I am not the most organised person. I am a spontaneous, do-what-I-feel-like-when-I-feel-like-it sort of person. The idea of scheduling each day, hour by hour, makes me hyperventilate.
But I still need to keep track of what I need to do, and so do my children. Even though we’re fairly relaxed we use curriculum and we all have structured goals and like to make progress with what we’re learning.
So, like most people, we needed a homeschool routine, not a homeschool schedule. Something that would let us know what we want and need to do each week, without tying it to strict days and hours (because that NEVER works at home).
And so we came up with these simple homeschool checklists. Yes, these are real lists – can you tell by the crumples?
Forrest’s list, just turned 7 years old
When they have a workbook or activity book they would like to add to the list they decide when they would like to have it finished. We work out how many weeks that is, and divide the pages in the book by weeks available. This gives them the minimum they need to do to achieve their goal.
One square on the list usually equals one page. Alternatively, it may be more convenient to divide a resource up into units or chapters – if so, they get a square each.
Often they have activities they would like to remember to do. Currently, these include violin practice, hooping, creative writing and skipping. They decide how many sessions they would like to do per week, and draw one square per session. They each draw up their own lists (bonus handwriting and spelling practice!) and stick on the the wall. See them drawing them up in our Day in the Life.
If they do extra pages or sessions they add a star. There have been many weeks when a child is inspired, and ends up proud of the 15 maths stars they managed to do!
Sometimes, someone will decide to make a list for everyone. They’re flexible.
This has worked beautifully for years now. The lists go up where we can easily see them, enabling them to see at a glance what they’ve done, and what they would still like to do, this week.
Us parents can also see them, and give a gentle reminder when a week is nearing its end but a list is looking empty. A page of work is generally not difficult, and it gives them a great sense of satisfaction to jump up and cross off multiple squares at once. They also enjoy working hard on Monday and Tuesday and having the rest of the week free!
Working from homeschool checklists also enables us to be flexible – if we have days when not much work can be done because we’re out at homeschool group, or travelling, then this can be accounted for over the course of the whole week, with no rescheduling required.
In fact, during a particularly busy few years, I also combined our homeschool checklists with a loose weekly schedule – I detailed our flexible homeschool schedule here and in the video below.
I used to keep our homeschool checklists for my own records, but as I’m not required to and space is limited by caravan life we throw them out at the end of every week. I imagine they could be kept as part of learning evidence for registration purposes in some areas.
And of course, sometimes they decide they’ve just had enough. That’s OK too – there are plenty of other things to be done on weeks off!
And how has this translated to independent organisation now my children are teens?
Well, check out Gabrielle’s whiteboard – she manages full-time university study, volunteering, a busy social life, AND tracks driving hours with this and Google Calendar.
She’s managed to combine organisation, accountability and pride in progress in one small whiteboard. It’s a pretty good effort!
Overall, I think we can call our homeschool checklists a success. They’re quick, they’re easy, they’ve lasted for years, and they WORK.
If you need a simple way to reach your homeschool goals and stick to a loose routine and rhythm, give homeschool checklists a try. And please let me know if you do, I’d love to see them.
love it… struggling with feeling the need to ‘super-schedule’ (which I don’t want to do) but hadn’t come across another option…. I have now
I know what you mean Anne………..I look at most other people’s schedules and the anxiety hits, and my kids are very resistant to having their time planned-they will do work when they feel like it or not at all! Glad you feel it’s been helpful.
I too do this with my four children. A weekly planner with their own name on the top, with their lessons for the week keeps them accountable and gives them responsibility and independence with their own learning. I also like to look each day and see what work they have crossed off. Then, if we do have random days off, I can keep track of what they have not done so at the end of a year we have at least kept a really good hold on the 3 R’s.
Hi Renee,
It’s such a simple and effective way to do it isn’t it? Thanks for sharing 🙂
I like your idea of having the children to do their own schedule. I will turn 70 years old in Sept. and I homeschooled my children when my youngest child started 4th grade. He was a hyperactive child and couldn’t sit still very long. His teacher had his desk sitting right against her desk so he wouldn’t disturb the other children. Even though he said he was the teacher’s pet, I didn’t care much for this. Hence, homeschooling. The first year they had to take a SAT test. They said he had the highest grades for his grade level in the whole school. He didn’t have to sit still all the time. He studied his spelling by sitting in the floor with his arms wrapped around his legs and rocking back and forth and made A’s and A+. Now I am going to help homeschool his children this year. I am looking for things to help their mother and I make it easier. Thank you.
Wow Brenda, you’re one of the pioneers! It’s wonderful to hear how your son thrived in a different environment. Have fun with your grandchildren – your family are lucky to have your help and support.