Guest Author - Meg Grooms

What is a schedule? Literally a schedule is a list of times at which some event is set to happen. Ask a homeschooler and you might receive a reply such as “a pain in the butt” or “something we can never stick to”. To often in homeschooling houses a schedule can turn from a list of events to happen to a list of things not completed, which leads to burn out and feelings of failure and inadequacy.

A schedule needn’t be a hassle or lead to feelings of pain, let’s look at some ways in which we can turn a schedule into the tool it is meant to be.

There are two main approaches to scheduling, formal and lenient. A formal schedule implies that you are fairly well organized and tend to keep on-track most days. A lenient schedule is more fit for those of us who are less organized (ahem…) or enjoy a lot of spontaneous activities.

No one person or curriculum can tell you what the proper schedule is for your family. You and your children are the only ones who can work out the right schedule, if you feel the need for a schedule at all. It’s natural to try out several methods before you create a working system. Changing your schedule is best done gradually and after you allow your current schedule a fair chance.

Formal Schedules

Perhaps a curriculum you use suggests a schedule, one example I can think of is the Sonlight curriculum. When the publisher gives you a set amount of work to finish in a day, this is most likely a formal schedule.

The benefits of a formal schedule are that they often make the parent feel structured, which lends itself to confidence. A formal schedule is a good tool for children about to make the leap to university or employment. Formal schedules are good for families with a lot of children if they can follow it.

The downside to a formal schedule is that it can leave the parent feeling inadequate if they do not complete all the work in a given day or week. A formal schedule runs the risk of squashing a child’s interest-led learning and may not leave any time for field trips, group activities or spontaneous lessons.

Another example of a somewhat formal, with room to wiggle, schedule is suggested for those following the Charlotte Mason theories of education. Each day has an assigned subject, subjects are allotted 20 minutes each, there is a quick transition between subjects and afternoons are left open for handiwork or outside play.

CONTINUE TO PART 2


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