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10 Tips for Your Homeschool Year

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How is your homeschool day going? Sometimes, you have a plan, are able to start the year following the plan, and everything goes according to that plan. (A miracle, right?) But other years the plan just doesn’t work for whatever reason—sickness, a new baby, family emergencies, new co-op classes, a new curriculum, and so on. In case you’re having one of those years when the original plan just isn’t working, here are a few suggestions for planning the entire school year and tips for when you need to readjust your plan.

 

Tip #1—Set goals for your school year.

While you’re scheduling your school year, encourage your children to set their own goals for their education. What are some things they’ve been particularly curious about or have wanted to know? Look for ways to incorporate those things into the overall academic goals, and your child will feel like an active participant in his or her education.

Tip #2—Get organized; stay organized.

All the books, papers, pens/pencils, and such can start to get out of control. Find a system that works for you and your kids to keep all their school materials organized. It may be a basket or drawer system that keeps all the work for one subject in one place. Or you may have a shelf designated for each child, and only his school stuff goes on that shelf. And those fun but easy-to-lose manipulatives? Try keeping them in manila folders or envelopes organized by month for easy access.

Tip #3—Make balance a priority.

Focus on developing a homeschool routine that is structured enough to accomplish your goals without losing sight of your students’ (and your!) need for occasional changes of scene and pace.

Tip #4—Maintain “administrator” unity in your homeschool decisions.

Dad and Mom need to be in each decision together so that the kids don’t get the idea that they can pit one parent against the other. The “teacher” supports the “principal,” vice versa, and the family as a whole contributes to the overall needs of the family.

Tip #5—Don’t measure the effectiveness of your schedule by other homeschoolers’ schedules.

Focus on tangible measurements of success—such as your children’s ability to apply textbook knowledge to real-life situations—and spend whatever time is necessary to encourage their growth. Do the best you can with the time you have.

Tip #6—Set and stick to regular homework deadlines.

Don’t let the convenience of a more fluid schedule distract you from an integral part of your child’s preparation for college and the workforce.

Tip #7—Organize a “school basket” for younger children to use during school hours.

Each younger child should have his or her own basket but only have access to it during the older children’s work hours. Fill the basket with fun activities, educational toys, interesting picture books, and puzzles that the child can do on his or her own.

Tip #8—Don’t let your curriculum completely determine how and what you teach.

Curriculum is a tool—a wonderful tool—but only you can decide how best to use it for your children. Capitalize on your students’ learning strengths while alternating with other learning styles to help them grow. For example, consider reading tests and homework assignments aloud to aural learners while having them follow along on the printed pages.

Tip #9—Keep detailed academic records.

You’ll need a selection broad enough to show your child’s curve of improvement throughout the school year. Remember, you can always throw out unneeded papers later, but you can’t get them back once they’re gone.

Tip #10—Enjoy homeschooling!

Life is short and you only have so much time with your children. The more prepared you are for the school year, the more time you will have to enjoy it and your children.

What other tips would you add to this list?

Taking Responsibility for Your College Finances (Part 2)

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This is the third post in our college-planning series. Check out the previous posts—about choosing a major and saving for your college expenses—if you haven’t read them already. And come back next week for the last post in this series.

Got your resources all lined up? The next step for getting your college financial plan laid out is to tally up the total for the program you choose. It goes without saying that majors differ, and you want to move forward without surprises midstream.

Tuition and Fees

A list of tuition and fees per semester or per year appears on most college websites. Record the total tuition and fees for one year, anticipating a slight increase each year following initial enrollment. Take particular note of fees attached to specific programs. This could involve anything from art supplies to music studio rental, the cost of jet fuel (if you’re an aviation major), tutoring, and so on. And don’t forget charges for processing your reservation or taking exams.

Living Quarters—On Campus or Off?

The room-and-board cost listed on the college’s website should cover your living quarters and on-campus meals. Some colleges require freshmen to live on campus their first year. Though convenient, this will definitely impact your total. Estimate the cost of off-campus housing with rental fees, utilities, food, furnishings, housekeeping necessities, and possibly renter’s insurance to see if it will really save you money in the end.

The online option: Many schools offer a wide variety of online courses. This can mean big savings in terms of living expenses. While not possible for all majors and possibly not desirable for every semester of your college experience, distance learning could be a money-saving option for some courses.

Books and Supplies

You will probably want to include an average of at least $350 per semester for textbooks in your cost tally and possibly another $100 for supplies. Once you register for classes and have your book list, you can begin bargain-hunting. With minimal networking effort, you can sniff out used textbooks and sell books you’ve already used. Or check out places like Half.com (an eBay site). If you enter the ISBN of a textbook on DealOz.com, for example, it will search the main competing websites for the lowest prices on that specific book. Renting books is also a great option for books you don’t want to keep.

You’ll find almost anything you study is going to require at least a few specialized tools—anything from tech devices to art supplies and from poster board to special presentation binders—depending on the major, class, and teacher. It all adds up. So you will want to allow for these in your general expenses.

All That Other Stuff

Perhaps the most dangerous budget-buster is the “catch-all” category that expands to accommodate what doesn’t quite fit in other categories. This could include your cell phone bill, campus vehicle registration, auto insurance, gas, car repairs, school-related trips (e.g., debate club, sports teams, orchestra tour), laundry, recreation, greeting cards and gifts, organizing tools and other dorm room furnishings, coffee and snacks, clothes, shoes, and the list goes on! While you may not want to allot this category a huge amount, make sure to list all anticipated costs that aren’t included in your housing category—like cell phone and vehicle registration. Also, don’t forget big-ticket items such as travel expenses for Christmas break.

The Sum Total

Now comes the reckoning! Add up all the figures in each list, and find the difference between your resources (what you added up in the previous post) and your costs. You should now have a good idea of how much one year in college will cost. You can even multiply your cost (before subtracting your resources) by four and have the approximate total for your bachelor’s degree.

Are you surprised? View this information as a catalyst to seek the Lord for His provision. Don’t be discouraged! God provides where He leads. In His will, you will see His gracious hand working out the details you have put on paper.

How have you planned for college expenses?

Taking Responsibility for Your College Finances (Part 1)

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Last week, we focused on how to choose a major. Today’s post is the first of two posts that focus on the financial aspect of a college education. We hope that you enjoy it and that you come back next week for the second part!

As you near high school graduation, hopefully you’re seeking God’s will for your life and are establishing goals for the future. Selecting a college that will help you reach those goals and develop your God-given talents is a big step. Once you make those decisions, you need to lay out a financial plan to get through.

The best place to start? Your sources of income or funding. Most students have four funding options—savings, work, scholarships or grants, and loans.

Savings

It’s never too late to start putting money into a (mostly off-limits) savings account. Saving doesn’t have to be huge chunks from every paycheck—you can start off by saving just 5 percent of every paycheck. However you decide to save, be sure that you are making good choices in how, when, and where you save or spend your resources.

Work

Find out if the college you’re planning to attend has on-campus jobs available. Besides saving on travel expenses, on-campus work provides an environment compatible with academic demands and schedules. To avoid overcommitting and possibly losing out academically, start out with just a few work hours per week. Then add more if you find you can handle it. Any job, on-campus or off, will be a testing ground for your communication skills, ability to work with others, integrity, and work ethic—traits that will certainly impact your future career.

Scholarships and Grants

Scholarships are a gift without any payback requirement, but they take effort to secure. Selection criteria can range from having a certain GPA to planning to pursue a particular field of study or being able to write a good essay. The usual success rate for scholarships is getting only 10 percent of what you apply for. If, for instance, you’re hoping for $25,000 in scholarships, you may have to apply for $250,000 worth.

Grants, like scholarships, do not have to be paid back. They’re normally awarded on the basis of “demonstrable financial need.” Most grants come through the state or national government or possibly the college you choose. As soon as possible, you should fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSASM). Plan on spending as much time finding and filling out applications as you would in a part-time job—with a higher return for your trouble. You might even cover your entire college education this way.

Information about financial assistance should be available on the college website and from their financial aid office. Also, the reference section of your local library should stock a reliable scholarship guide. Be careful to avoid websites that request personal information or charge a fee to get into their database.

Loans

You’re likely aware that a loan is borrowed money that the borrower has to repay over time with interest. Borrowing can result in an ongoing burden after your college days are long past. It should be considered as a last resort and only after you’re thoroughly informed concerning every aspect of the transaction.

A loan consists of two elements—principal and interest. The principal is the total you receive from the lender, and interest is the additional cost you accrue until the loan is paid off. The type of loan determines whether interest is due from the beginning or is deferred. Of course, the longer you take to repay it, the more interest you will end up paying.

Education loans can come from either the government or private sources. Federal loans normally offer the lowest interest rates and the most flexible payment options. Besides that, if you have an adequate FAFSA score, you may be eligible for a subsidy—which means the federal government will pay the interest on your loan until you finish school. Subsidized or unsubsidized, loans are limited to a certain amount per school year. You should avoid borrowing more than you plan to make during the first year in your career. (Warning! A common pitfall for students is losing track of how much they borrow. It will help if you keep your documents and notifications in one file.)

College is a big step toward independent adulthood. How you steward your time and money will determine how well that journey begins. And ultimately . . . how well it ends.

How have you planned for college expenses?

Never a Bad Gift

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My four-year-old came in the kitchen the other day, clutching a fistful of dandelions she had picked from our yard. “Mommy! Look at the pretty flowers I brought you!” she exclaimed. I did my very best to muster up enthusiasm. I thanked her, gave her a hug for being so sweet and thoughtful, and even found a small vase to display the treasures in. The arrangement was set proudly in the middle of our dining room table and became our centerpiece for the next few days.

Although I did my best to show enthusiasm and gratitude for the gift, I was inwardly groaning. Weeds decorating my table? Couldn’t she have at least picked some of the pretty daffodils or wild daisies that also grow in our yard? But my daughter didn’t know they were weeds. To her, they were beautiful, cheery yellow flowers that she wanted to share with her mom.

 

How many times have I looked at something the Lord has given me and failed to appreciate the beauty of the gift? How many times have I complained? Even when I’m careful not to complain outwardly, I often do so inwardly.

I’m one of those people who needs a clean kitchen floor in order to feel like my house is clean. When my husband and I were expecting our first child, we lived in a rented duplex. I hated the floors. The linoleum in the kitchen was scratched and damaged so that it never looked clean no matter how hard I scrubbed. Instead of thanking the Lord for His good provision for my family, I often inwardly grumbled about that kitchen floor.

The Isrealites did a similar thing. God had miraculously provided them with manna in the wilderness, but they complained about His gift. They were tired of it. It wasn’t as flavorful as the food they ate in Egypt. Their lack of gratitude resulted in God’s judgment.

The Bible assures us in James 1:17 that every gift that the Lord gives us is good and perfect. There’s nothing wrong with the gifts themselves—He only gives us the best things, the things that we need the most—but sometimes there’s a problem within our own hearts. We’re not satisfied with His provision. We covet other things—more stylish clothing, newer furniture, better coffee.

I’m going to take some time this week to think about the good things the Lord has blessed me with. Will you join me? Let’s thank Him for every gift He has given us.

What will you thank Him for today?

A Father’s Vision

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image of two girls looking through a fence outside

When I think about my dad, the word steadfast is top of mind. Though not perfect, he’s not a man who’s afraid to do the right thing even when it’s not popular or convenient.

For example, my mom was a reluctant homeschooler. She never planned to homeschool. My parents were convinced when my brothers and I were quite young that our education should be Christian, so they sacrificed to enroll us in a Christian school. But by the time I entered the sixth grade, the school I attended was having problems. With no other Christian school options in the area, my parents made the difficult decision to start homeschooling. I, in particular, rebelled against the idea and made my opinions on the matter known to my parents. My father never flinched. It made me mad at the time, but looking back, I’m so glad Dad was not afraid to displease me. He had a vision for his children, and he stuck to it.

My father-in-law was not passive about his children’s education either. Unlike my parents, my husband’s parents were convinced from the very beginning that homeschooling was the best educational choice for their children. They chose to homeschool when home education was still very rare and unpopular and were very active in the homeschooling movement in South Carolina. My father-in-law did his best to get involved—he helped teach his children and participated in their extracurricular activities as well as in the local homeschooling association.

The Bible has a lot to say about child rearing, and often its counsel is directed specifically to fathers. For example, Ephesians 6:4 exhorts fathers: “Provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” A similar command shows up in Colossians 3:21. The book of Proverbs makes many references to a father’s teaching or instruction. The Lord does not intend fathers to be passive observers in the home. They are to be the leaders. They should be the visionaries. And they need to be a part of executing that vision as much as possible.

My husband and I have three young daughters—two are already livening up our home, and we expect the third to join them in just a few weeks. My husband deeply loves “his girls.” He’s not only involved as much as possible in their lives but is also providing the leadership we desperately need. I am thankful—every day.

If you’re a dad, how are you getting involved with your child(ren)’s education?